Age is Just a Number

Achieve Your Dreams At Any Stage In Your Life

By: Elizabeth Weil, Dara Torres

Narrated by: Rebecca Lowman

From legendary Olympic gold medalist Dara Torres comes a motivational, inspirational memoir about staying fit, aging gracefully, and pursuing your dreams.

Dara Torres captured the hearts and minds of Americans of all ages when she launched her Olympic comeback as a new mother at the age of 41, 12 years after she had retired from competitive swimming and eight years since her last Olympics. When she took three silver medals in Beijing, including a heartbreaking .01-second finish behind the gold medalist in the women's 50-meter freestyle, America loved her all the more for her astonishing achievement and her good-natured acceptance of the results.

Now, in Age Is Just a Number, Dara reveals how the dream of an Olympic comeback first came to her when she was months into her first, hard-won pregnancy. With humor and candor, Dara recounts how she returned to serious training while nursing her infant daughter and contending with her beloved father's long battle with cancer.

Dara talks frankly about diving back in for this comeback; about being an older athlete in a younger athlete's game; about competition, doubt, and belief; about working through pain and uncertainty; and finally about seizing the moment and, most important, never giving up. A truly self-made legend, her story will resonate with women of all ages and with anyone daring to entertain a seemingly impossible dream.

©2009 Dara Torres (P)2009 Random House

Age is only a limit for those who make it one

What did you love best about Age is Just a Number?

I am not a swimmer but I love sports. As a runner I can appreciate the extreme conditioning and how it has to be part of your life. I'd heard of Dara but didn't realize just what she had accomplished. This was a very inspiring book and you don't need to be a swimmer or even an athlete to feel motivated.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Age is Just a Number?

I felt like I was right there with Dara when she talked about her Olympic experience. But I also like that when the other athletes got jealous and got her kicked of the team, she picked herself up and fought back and it made her stronger and faster.

Any additional comments?

If you are looking for a book that inspires you, I highly recommend this one.

Dara Torres is a stud!

Dara's account is honest, courageous and hits the target! The book is a page turner and gave a glimpse into the life and struggles of elite athletes and 41 year old Olympians. Truly inspiring.

Decent book but narrow application

Great to hear she fought through and succeeded. Clearly she has/ had resources that very few people do and this made the story seem a bit less heroic. Amazing feats, but Physically unique and wealthy family just makes it bit less heroic feeling.

Motivational.

Overall I enjoyed it. It just ended. I replayed the ending a few times just to make sure I didn't accidentally fast forward.
I listened to it over the span of a week. Taking my time mostly. It don't believe it to be a reflection of how I perceived the story or narration. Mostly, I enjoyed savoring the motivational segments.

Honest champion mindset

Love this unapologetic honesty of champion mentality through decades of athletics, and the perspective from daughter to mother.

Fantastic

This is a beautiful recording of a fantastic book. It is written to reflect a couple of decades of personal, physical amd philosophical challenges. An inspiring story that accurately reflects the title. It is also a historical reflection of the evolution of swimming. Enjoy!

Great Inspirational Story

Would you consider the audio edition of Age is Just a Number to be better than the print version?

I did not read the print version

What was one of the most memorable moments of Age is Just a Number?

When Dara helped a fellow competitor with her suit malfunction immediately before an Olympic race and asked the judges to postpone the start until she could put on a replacement suit.

Which character – as performed by Rebecca Lowman – was your favorite?

Dara Torres

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Don't let others define your limits or deter you from pursuing your passions

Any additional comments?

It was great to hear all of the details of her life and the obstacles she had to overcome. The only suggestion would have been relating more to the reader on how the reader could take steps to improve themselves and really live the slogan "age is just a number". I think some readers will say that worked for Dara because she was always a phenomenal athlete and so won't relate as well.

A touching and an exciting story to read.

One of the best sports relating story. Give us hope and possibility to live full life.

great story

as an age group swimmer in the 70s and 80s, I knew of dara torres in her early years. this is an awesome story to fill in everything I did not know about her and her determination. great story.

Dara is cool!

Dara's a cool woman and inspires me, since she is extremely fit for a woman reaching 50 and is a medalist from the Olympics with a great swimming career. Her story is kinda boring though, no? I am not saying that her story is too boring to enjoy and should be more riveting, but the way she tells it (and I don't mean how the woman who read the book read it either) is pretty boring. I struggled even wanting to listen to this book, So I listened to it every so often only. I will still watch clips of her swimming, but I don't recommend this as a book worth reading/listening to.