By Sarah Berry

Copyright smh

But we all peak eventually, and even the dose-response benefits of exercise eventually plateau. The evidence is that the health benefits are significant up to about 7500 steps a day; after that, they become marginal.

And with age, there is an inevitable time when we are no longer improving, and our performance no longer compares to that of our former, fitter selves. Trying to chase the same old goals just leads to Strava-induced depression or injury.

“I went through a phase where I wasn’t getting faster, and it was frustrating me,” says Chan, 50, who has now run more than 50 marathons and whose running journey led her from working in the British Museum to a role as a Peloton running instructor four years ago. “You have to adjust where you get your enjoyment and what keeps you motivated. You can only achieve a PB a certain number of times, and then it’s done.”

When we can no longer chase a PB or hit the same heights of our youth, how can we recalibrate our goals?