Home Podcasts Race Ready
Race Ready

Race Ready

Nordic Team Solutions 53 Episodes Aug 16, 2026

Race Ready is the go-to podcast for Nordic skiing and biathlon coaches, athletes, and endurance sport enthusiasts. Hosted by Olympian Andy Newell and U.S. Biathlon coach Brian Halligan, each episode dives into technique, training, race strategy, and athlete development. Hear from top coaches, pros, and sport scientists as we explore what it takes to perform at your best—on and off the snow.

Episodes

S2 E17. Consistency, Culture, and the Making of Great Athletes w/ Colin Rodgers
S2 E17. Consistency, Culture, and the Making of Great Athletes w/ Colin Rodgers Aug 16, 2026 00:58:10 In this episode of Race Ready, we sit down with SMS T2 head coach Colin Rodgers to talk about what it actually takes to develop great cross-country skiers. Colin shares lessons from his own career as an elite athlete and his transition into coaching, from working with junior athletes at Green Mountain Valley School to now coaching some of the best skiers in the country at SMS T2. Along the way, we
S2E16. Are You Training… or Just Exercising?
S2E16. Are You Training… or Just Exercising? Aug 9, 2026 01:11:23 How should endurance athletes actually build a training block?How do you know when more training is helping versus simply adding fatigue? In this episode of Race Ready, Brian and Andy break down the logic behind structuring late-summer training, including how to balance volume and intensity, where to place key sessions, and why the purpose of the week should drive the plan. They also discuss the d
S2 E15. How Utah Earned Six NCAA Championships w: Fredrik Landstedt
S2 E15. How Utah Earned Six NCAA Championships w: Fredrik Landstedt Aug 2, 2026 01:04:39 In this episode of the Race Ready Podcast, Andy Newell and Brian Halligan sit down with University of Utah Director of Skiing Fredrik Landstedt, one of the most accomplished coaches in collegiate Nordic skiing. With more than three decades of coaching experience and six NCAA team championships to his name, Fredrik shares the journey that brought him from growing up and racing in Sweden to building
S2 E14. The Truth About Race Weight and Performance
S2 E14. The Truth About Race Weight and Performance Jul 26, 2026 01:03:04 This week on the Race Ready Podcast, we're answering some of the biggest questions sent in by listeners and tackling topics that every endurance athlete and coach eventually has to face. From training safely during periods of poor air quality to developing young athletes, we dive into the practical coaching decisions that can have a lasting impact on performance. We also explore why movement q
S2 E13. Luci Anderson, Cross-Country or Biathlon? Here's What It's Really Like to Do Both
S2 E13. Luci Anderson, Cross-Country or Biathlon? Here's What It's Really Like to Do Both Jul 19, 2026 00:57:41 What happens when one of America's top cross-country skiers decides to start biathlon... and just two years later is racing on the World Cup and representing Team USA at the Olympic Games? In this episode, we sit down with Luci Anderson to explore one of the most unique journeys in endurance sport. Luci shares how she transitioned from NCAA skiing at the University of New Hampshire to Project X, e
S2 E12. The Brain's Secret Role in Endurance Performance with Dr. Scott Frey
S2 E12. The Brain's Secret Role in Endurance Performance with Dr. Scott Frey Jul 12, 2026 01:15:43 What if everything you've been taught about endurance performance is missing the most important piece of the puzzle? In this episode of the Race Ready Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Scott Frey: cognitive neuroscientist, lifelong endurance athlete, and founder of Cerebral Performance to explore the hidden role the brain plays in athletic performance. Drawing on over 30 years of research studying
S2 E11. July Training: Time Trials, Strength, and Skill Development
S2 E11. July Training: Time Trials, Strength, and Skill Development Jul 5, 2026 01:09:17 July is one of the most important months of the year for endurance athletes, but it's also one of the easiest times to make mistakes. In this episode of the Race Ready Podcast, Andy Newell and Brian Halligan dive deep into the training concepts that matter most right now, from summer racing and roller ski time trials to strength training, technique development, and how elite athletes use the o
S2 E10. Fabian Stocek: The Marginal Gains That Win Races
S2 E10. Fabian Stocek: The Marginal Gains That Win Races Jun 28, 2026 01:15:05 In this episode of Race Ready, Andy Newell sits down with one of the most fascinating minds in endurance sports: Fabian Stocek. A former NCAA standout at Dartmouth, Ski Classics champion, trail runner, neuroscientist, and newly appointed performance scientist for the Czech Biathlon Team, Fabian has built a career at the intersection of elite performance and cutting-edge science. From conducting br
S2 E9. Recovery Weeks are Not Vacation Weeks
S2 E9. Recovery Weeks are Not Vacation Weeks Jun 21, 2026 01:02:19 This week on Race Ready, Andy and Brian dive deep into one of the most overlooked aspects of endurance training: recovery. Why do so many athletes struggle to absorb training? How much should you actually reduce volume during a recovery week? And why can treating a recovery week like a vacation sometimes leave you feeling even more tired? Drawing from their coaching experience with athletes rangin
S2 E8. Jason Cork: 16 years of coaching Jessie Diggins
S2 E8. Jason Cork: 16 years of coaching Jessie Diggins Jun 14, 2026 01:21:22 Jason Cork has spent the last two decades quietly shaping some of the most successful athletes in American cross-country skiing. As the longtime coach of Jessie Diggins and a key figure behind multiple Olympic medals, World Championship podiums, and Crystal Globes, Cork has built a reputation as one of the sport's sharpest minds. In this rare long-form conversation, he joins Andy Newell and Br
S2 E7. What Percent of Training Should be Ski Specific?
S2 E7. What Percent of Training Should be Ski Specific? Jun 7, 2026 01:00:23 This week on the Race Ready Podcast, Brian and Andy tackle one of the most common questions in endurance training: how should beginner athletes structure their intensity distribution when they only have three or four days per week to train? Drawing on both coaching experience and emerging research from Norway, they break down why low-volume athletes may actually benefit from a higher percentage of
S2 E6. Sophia Laukli opens up about why she needed to take a step away from skiing.
S2 E6. Sophia Laukli opens up about why she needed to take a step away from skiing. May 31, 2026 01:06:43 After stepping away from the World Cup circuit, missing the Olympic season, and disappearing from competition, Sophia Laukli sits down for an exclusive and remarkably candid conversation on the Race Ready Podcast. One of the most successful American cross-country skiers and trail runners of her generation opens up about the difficult decisions, physical struggles, and mental battles that led her t

Recommended