For decades, Michael Clinton held a serious day job—until 2019, he was the president and publishing director of Hearst Magazines, where he oversaw the business operations of titles including Esquire, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar. When he stepped down from the corporate world, however, he was not thinking about retirement. Instead, he focused his considerable energies on writing and photographing books, traveling, philanthropic work, and his running practice. He has visited 124 countries—most recently, Poland, where he did humanitarian work—and competed in 20 marathons. This summer, he’ll be visiting Chianti with family and friends, while contemplating ways to build upon the success of his most recent book, Roar: Into the Second Half of Your Life (Before It’s Too Late). Herewith, he shares his key components to the good life. —Ashley Baker
Airline: Emirates.
Airport: It’s a tie between Dubai International Airport and Santa Fe Regional.
Alibi: “I was running a marathon in Mongolia.”
App: Google Translate. It helped on my recent trip to Poland.
Bag: Tumi.
Bedtime: No phones for eight hours.
Boyfriend/girlfriend: You can still have one over 50.
Breakfast, weekend: Scrambled eggs with tomatoes and goat cheese.
Car: A red 1989 Jeep Wrangler.
Child: Embrace your inner one.
Cocktail: Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina.
Couple: Any two who are truly in love.
Diet: No red meat.
Dinner, weekend: Swordfish and a skillet of vegetables.
Disguise: My New York Roadrunners cap.
Drive: The high road from Santa Fe to Taos.
