The Endurance Drive Podcast
The Endurance Drive Podcast shares key principles for endurance training and coaching. It offers insights into training approaches, coaching methods, and training plans. The podcast is hosted by The Endurance Drive, a coaching and training organization. Listeners can learn more at theendurancedrive.com.
Episodes
Episode 152: Fall Training Innovations, Rethinking Race Goals, and Trail Running Technique
In this week's episode, we cover a little bit of everything as athletes head into fall racing and the off-season. We talk about making strength training your "big rock" in the off-season, keeping some fun and unstructured intensity in your routine, and how to maintain enough running, biking, and swimming to set yourself up well for next season. We also share some tips for getting int
Episode 151: How to Build Your Race Calendar
In this week's episode, we dive into how to choose your goal races for next season, starting with the most important question: what do you actually want to get out of your training and racing? We break down the many factors to consider when building your race calendar, including your performance and experience goals, the type of training you want to do, course characteristics, weather, logisti
Episode 150: How to Race a Faster Sprint Triathlon
In this week's episode, we use Katie's recent race at Dover Tri as a jumping-off point for a deep dive into how to race a sprint triathlon from start to finish. We cover race-week preparation and mindset, pre-race fueling, swim strategy, TT vs. road bike tradeoffs, previewing the course, pacing by feel instead of being glued to your watch, and high-carb fueling even for short efforts. We a
Episode 149: Big Adventure Days, Racing Non-Negotiables, and Building Resilience
In this week's episode, we catch up on Elena's recent 40-mile adventure on the John Muir Trail and talk about planning big adventure days, managing risk, and taking some of the pressure and perfectionism out of training. We also discuss approaching sport with more curiosity, finding motivation through supporting other athletes, and how to be a great crew member or pacer when a friend is ta
Episode 148: Rethinking the Off-Season, Racing with Joy, and Context vs. Excuses
In this week's episode, we rethink what the off-season should actually look like and make the case for staying active while shifting toward more diverse, fun, and low-pressure movement. We also pull lessons from the pros, including Rachel Entrekin on racing with joy and Lucy Charles-Barclay on having the patience to say no to a race in service of a bigger goal. Then, we talk about reframing al
Episode 147: Takeaways from the Haute Route Cycling Race and the White Mountains “30 Verty”
In this week’s episode, Jim and Katie recap their most recent adventure events, including Jim’s seven-day multi-stage cycling race in the Alps and Katie’s 30th birthday bike/run challenge in the White Mountains. Highlights include training approaches for long endurance events with a lot of elevation, how to approach fueling and hydration across racing contexts, mindset approaches for when the goin
Episode 146: Mini Training Camps, Making Intervals Fun, and Gratitude for Movement
In this week's episode, we talk about how to turn a regular vacation into a DIY training camp by leaning into the terrain, time, and tools you have available, and why a change in training stimulus can build fitness while keeping things fresh. We share ideas for making intervals more fun and less structured, from segment hunting and landmark fartleks to letting hills and trails dictate the effo
Episode 145: Fall Marathon Prep, Norwegian Strength Training, and “Feeling Alive”
In this week's episode, we dive into the key principles for fall marathon prep, from building a smart weekly structure and dialing in realistic goal paces to balancing speed work, long runs, easy volume, cross-training, and injury prevention. We talk about why feeling excited isn’t always the same as being fit, how to build toward race day without doing too much too soon, and why strength trai
Episode 144: Workout Creativity, Key Recovery Principles, and Ironman Canada Review
In this week's episode, we talk about getting creative with your workouts when heat, time, terrain, or life get in the way, and why understanding the intention of a workout gives you more flexibility than you might think. We also dive into key recovery principles for high-volume training as Jim prepares to tackle the Haute Route, a seven-day cycling race in the Alps, including fueling before t
Episode 143: Evolving Athletic Identities, Long-Term Goals, and Postpartum Training Reflections
In this week's episode, we discuss building an athletic identity that can evolve through different seasons of life, how to think about big goals on a 5-10 year timeline, and why giving yourself more grace often starts with acknowledging the context you're training in. Elena shares her perspective on intentionally stepping away from structured training to prioritize long-term health and performance
Episode 142: Ironman Lake Placid Insights, Strava Segment Hunting, and Bicarb for Heat Tolerance
In this week's episode, we discuss our biggest takeaways from Ironman Lake Placid, including the importance of race simulations, nailing race-week preparation, and the small details that can make a big difference on race day. We also dive into the art of Strava segment hunting, trading insights on how to use segments to build fitness, sharpen your racing instincts, and have more fun in trainin
Episode 141: Ironman and 70.3 Pre-Race Q&A
In this week's episode, we answer many of the most common questions we get during Ironman and 70.3 pre-race calls. We cover everything from race week mindset, travel, and sleep to race morning logistics, transitions, fueling, hydration, pacing, heat management, and what to do when things don't go according to plan. Along the way, we share practical strategies for staying calm, making smart
Episode 140: Adventure Training, Better Goal Events, and Lessons We Wish We Learned Earlier
In this week's episode, we dive into how novelty and adventure can reignite motivation, from using travel and exploration to make training more fun to choosing goal events that actually match your strengths and what you genuinely enjoy. We also share practical questions to help you identify races you'll love training for, discuss what to do when the joy of training starts to fade, and refl
Episode 139: Western States Takeaways, Adapting to Training, and Goal Pivots
In this week’s episode, we unpack the biggest lessons from a record-breaking Western States, including what the performances of Jennifer Lichter, Vincent Bouillard, and the rest of the elite field can teach us about smarter endurance training. We also discuss why making your easy days truly easy can unlock better recovery and long-term adaptation, how to know if you're actually absorbing your
Episode 138: Race Execution, Heat Strategy & Nutrition Lessons from Our Athletes
In this week's episode, we share the biggest lessons from recent races across the Endurance Drive community. Drawing from race reports submitted by our athletes, we dive into the common themes that separated strong performances from frustrating ones, including race-day preparation, pacing the bike to protect the run, nutrition and hydration strategies, heat management, mental resilience, race
Episode 137: Lessons on Mindset, Pacing, and Goal-Setting from the B.A.A. 10K
In this week's episode, we recap Katie's postpartum 10K race and the lessons that came from a tough but rewarding day on the course, including where and how her pacing strategy didn’t go exactly according to plan, the mental strategies that helped her stay in the fight, and why she's actually more proud of this race than others that went "better" on paper. We also discuss rac
Episode 136: Training and Racing in the Heat, Finding Your Race Pace, and Handling Uncontrollables
In this week’s episode, we dive deep into one topic that’s affecting nearly every endurance athlete right now: heat. We discuss how hot and humid conditions change pacing, power, heart rate, fueling, hydration, and overall expectations for both training and racing. We share practical strategies for modifying workouts, recognizing when heat is becoming a safety issue, and adapting your mindset when
Episode 135: Energy Availability, Training with Constraints, and Avoiding Burnout
In this episode, we explore what it means to train within the constraints of real life. Drawing from Katie’s postpartum return to sport, we discuss how recovery, energy availability, sleep, work, parenting, and life stress can become limiting factors just as much as fitness itself. We unpack the difference between training volume and overall life load, how expectations quietly shift over time, and
Episode 134: What To Do During Race Week, Triathlon Tips for First Timers, and Avoiding “Zombie Training”
In this week’s episode, we share practical race-week strategies for endurance athletes, including how to prepare your bike, dial in transitions, visualize race day, and avoid common mistakes before the starting gun. We also break down our top 10 tips for first-time triathletes, from fueling and open-water swimming to pacing, bike handling, cooling strategies, and mindset preparation. Katie reflect
Episode 133: Strength Training for Endurance Athletes with Maggie Mullins, DPT
In this week’s episode, we sit down with Dr. Maggie Mullins, an accomplished physical therapist, strength coach, run coach, and athlete, for a deep dive into how endurance athletes should actually approach strength training. We talk about why strength matters for performance, injury prevention, running economy, and long-term durability, plus how to structure strength work around endurance training
Episode 132: First Time Ironman Tips, Racing with a Stroller, and Flexible Goal Setting
In this week’s episode, we dive into lessons from first-time Ironman racing, including fueling, pacing, run-walk strategies, race execution, and staying present to get the most out of your race experience. We also answer listener questions on supporting a partner through Ironman training and navigating race morning logistics. Katie shares insights from a chaotic but fun local 5K with the jogging s
Episode 131: Racing Accessibility for New Moms, Triaging Persistent Fatigue, and the “Why Not You?” Mantra
In this week’s episode, we start by diving into one of the biggest endurance stories of the year: Rachel Entrekin’s historic overall win and course record at Cocodona 250, using it as a springboard to discuss confidence, self-belief, fueling, and the evolving landscape of women’s sport. We unpack the mental strategies behind big performances, including Rachel’s “why not you” mantra, and reflect on
Episode 130: Short-Course Triathlon Racing and Multi-Day Training Camp Insights
In this week’s episode, Katie recaps her first race back postpartum at the Polar Bear Sprint Triathlon, sharing lessons on goal setting, transition practice, racing without data, TT bike handling, and what it felt like to truly “feel like herself” again in competition. We also dive into why sprint racing is such a powerful learning environment, how to think about race goals beyond outcomes, and pr
Episode 129: Mental Prep and Performance for the Boston Marathon
In this week’s episode, Elena shares key takeaways from her incredible day at the 2026 Boston Marathon, specifically focusing on the mental prep that went into the race and the mental strategies that helped her run a personal best on a day when her body wasn’t feeling great. We cover her mindset going into the race, what was going on in her head when she started to feel strain in her legs much soo
Episode 128: Transitioning to Outdoor Training, Strategically Using Doubles, and Heart Rate Nuance
In this week’s episode, we start with a timely reminder that sometimes it’s not your fitness -- it’s the elements (heat, humidity, wind) making everything feel harder. From there, we dive into practical strategies for building outdoor durability, staying safe on the roads, and knowing when to take things inside. We break down fueling through the lens of habit-building, why doubles can be a powerfu
Episode 127: Peak Fitness vs. Peak Shape, Intentionality in Training, and Self-Compassion
Race week energy is here! We kick things off with Boston Marathon excitement, hitting race-day mindset, pacing, and spectator tips, before diving into a favorite recent insight: the difference between peak fitness vs. peak shape, and what you can do to give yourself the best possible opportunity to feel good on race day. From there, we riff on training with full intention, how to balance pushing v
Episode 126: Toolkit for Hard Intervals, Ironman Bike Volume, and Race Readiness
In this week’s episode, we reflect on what it means when the hay is in the barn, highlighting practical approaches to shedding fatigue and showing up at the starting line of your race both happy and healthy. We then dive into a bunch of great athlete questions on pickups, recovery, warming up, bike purchases, and fueling. Our main content features a deep dive on Katie’s toolkit for hard intervals
Episode 125: Postpartum Return-to-Run, Training Through Stress, and Letting Go of Data
In this episode, we start by diving into the often-overlooked role of stress in training, explore how high stress shows up physically, why tuning into your nervous system matters, and how to adjust training when things feel off. From there, we discuss the benefits of stepping away from data-driven training and using trails or unstructured sessions to reconnect with effort and flow. We also touch o
Episode 124: Fueling Reminders, The “Eras” of Training, and Long Workout Execution
In this episode, we kick things off with some reminders on fueling as training ramps up. We break down why you can’t “fake it” with fueling in longer sessions, how underfueling impacts both performance and recovery, and why even the last 10 minutes of a workout without adequate fueling can shape your entire experience. From there, we dive into how to execute big rides and runs: covering pacing, la
Episode 123: Flow State, Intrinsic Motivation, and the Power of Storytelling with Writer and Ultrarunner Katie Arnold
In this week’s episode, we start with a conversation on race-day disappointment: how to separate race outcomes from alignment with your race plan, reframe uncontrollable conditions (like heat), and stay grounded in what you can control. We then transition into a powerful conversation with writer and ultrarunner Katie Arnold on flow state, intrinsic motivation, and the connection between movement,
Episode 122: Marathon Race Prep, The Power of Easy Training, and Gratitude Mindset
In this week’s episode, we start with a quick reflection on strength for sport and for everyday life, including Katie’s insights on how new parenthood has turned daily routines into real-world strength training. We then do a deep dive on common marathon race-week questions: from sleep and fueling to pacing strategies and how to think about heart rate and pacing in the moment. Finally, we discuss
Episode 121: Efficiency and Economy, Athlete Health, and Building Consistency
In this week’s episode, we talk about training efficiency and economy, troubleshooting fatigue, and how to stay consistent when life gets complicated. We start with a discussion on volume and intensity in training, digging into why some athletes with years of aerobic base may benefit from periods of higher intensity and slightly lower volume, how LT1 vs. LT2 adaptations play into that shift, and w
Episode 120: Competing with Joy, Nervous System Training, and Mid-Season Check-Ins
In this week’s episode, we start with some great listener questions on swim data, VO2 max testing, maintaining speed as a Masters athlete, and avoiding injury. We then dive into mid-season check-ins as a way to avoid later season burnout and outline key questions you should be asking yourself and discussing with your coach as we progress through the base period. Next, we hit takeaways from Olympic
Episode 119: Winter Olympics Takeaways, Building Systems for Flexibility, and Leading with Intentionality
In this week’s episode, we reflect on Olympic moments, flexibility in training, and navigating new seasons with intention. We start with thoughts on the Olympics—from the power of confidence and sportsmanship to the external validation trap and what high-level achievement really represents. Elena shares her “3 Gs” framework for flexibility (grounding, goals, gauge), how she’s embracing cross-count
Episode 118: Post-Event Fueling, Regulating Your Nervous System, and Racing on Zwift and TrainingPeaks Virtual
In this week’s episode, we cover a wide range of athlete questions and training insights, including strength workout progressions, cycling cadence, swim metrics, and scheduling recovery weeks during base season. We also dive deep on several fueling topics, from post-event and next-day fueling needs, to fueling lessons from labor and early postpartum, to why big efforts can raise metabolic demand f
Episode 117: Winter Marathon Training Tips, Parallels between Racing and Labor/Delivery, and Initial Postpartum Thoughts
In this week’s episode, we start with insights on winter run training, including when to prioritize treadmill versus outdoor running, how to plan safe routes in snow and ice, what to wear, how to fuel, and other key considerations for durability in the cold, ice, snow, and wind. We then spend most of the episode with Katie’s reflections on the parallels—and important differences—between labor &
Episode 116: Reflections on the Arc of Pregnancy as an Endurance Athlete
In this week’s episode, Elena interviews Katie about her reflections on the arc of pregnancy as an endurance athlete at 39 weeks. Katie shares how movement has evolved in the final month, how the role of uncertainty has shifted both mentally and physically, and what she’s learned about identity, intuition, unsolicited advice, body image, and the moral language often attached to pregnancy and mothe
Episode 115: Beating Winter Blues, Getting Robust and Ready, and Base Season FAQs
In this week’s episode, we answer common early-season FAQs, share our candid thoughts on Strava’s new AI-generated workout plans, cover what it means to become “robust and ready” for the year ahead, and offer a few strategies for navigating the winter months. We specifically hit recovery-day activity, modifying hard group workouts in base season, swim focus in January and February, FTP tests vs. v
Episode 114: Training Focus Areas for 2026
In this week’s episode, we outline our key 2026 training focus areas and what we’re prioritizing as we quietly build the foundation for the year ahead. We kick things off with some extended reflections on process goals: why they outperform outcome goals, how they boost self-efficacy, and how focusing on controllable actions can unlock long-term progress. From there, we share our his 2026 coaching
Episode 113: An Anecdote on REDs and Holistic Health as an Athlete
In this week’s episode, we share an honest, nuanced conversation about REDs (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) and holistic athlete health. Katie opens with some reflections on navigating the decision to take a step back from running late in pregnancy, using purpose, trends, and body awareness to guide her training. From there, Elena shares her full health story for the first time: the perfect
Episode 112: Lessons from 2025!
In our final episode of the year, we reflect on the biggest lessons from training and coaching in 2025. Katie shares how this year reinforced the importance of trusting feel over data, listening to the body (especially during periods of change or vulnerability), and intentionally building a strong performance bubble to support both physical and mental health. Jim expands on why performance is ulti
Episode 111: Multisport vs. Single-Sport Focus, Long-Term Goal Mapping, and Norwegian Training Principles
In this week’s episode, we zoom out to talk long-term goal mapping, sparked by Katie revisiting an athlete questionnaire she filled out in 2017—and how goals like completing an Ironman or qualifying for the Boston Marathon quietly became reality through years of unsexy consistency. From there, we dig into our experiences with multisport training versus single-sport focus, sharing practical ways to
Episode 110: Building Systems and Habits for Your Basic Training Week
In this week’s episode, Katie and Jim start with some updated reflections on goal mapping and a common athlete question: what to do when no big goals are calling your name. Katie shares guidance on aligning training with purpose, taking unstructured time when needed, and exploring new modalities or distances instead of forcing an event. We then dive into the main topic: how to build a repeatable,
Episode 109: Getting Back Into Training, Turkey Trot Takeaways, and Mental Prep for Time Off
In this week’s episode, Elena shares insights from the very beginning of her return to structured training after a true three-month off-season, including what’s helping her rebuild consistency, how she’s thinking about early Boston Marathon goals, and why maintaining joy in her routine matters so much. We then shift to Katie’s turkey trot 5K at eight months pregnant: why she decided to race, how s
Episode 108: Goal Mapping for 2026!
Happy Thanksgiving! With the end of the year fast approaching and a new season on the horizon, this week’s episode features a deep dive on goal mapping! We recap what goal mapping is, explain why it’s a great starting point for your next season, go through all of the questions we like to ask our athletes as they map out their goals, and share some thoughts on why the inherent vulnerability in goal
Episode 107: Committing to the Off Season, Imposter Syndrome, and Running in Pregnancy
We did a deep dive on a bunch of interesting topics in this episode! Katie and Elena trade insights and questions on: how to make outdoor training bearable now that it's very dark and cold out; Elena's takeaways from committing to a true three-month off season for the first time ever; life lessons from Elena's coaching experience at the Girls on the Run 5K; imposter syndrome at big rac
Episode 106: 70.3 World Champs, Off-Season Reminders, and Indoor Trainer Cycling Tips
This week's episode hits a bunch of fun topics including: insights from our athletes and the pros at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Marbella, Spain; thoughts on how to get back in multisport training if you have been focusing on a single sport for a while; off-season reminders, including how to balance lack of structure with a smart progression of volume and intensity; indoor trainer
Episode 105: Balancing Family, Career, and Sport as a Parent-Athlete
In this week's episode, we asked some of our most inspiring community members to tell us how they make training work alongside busy family and professional lives. We were blown away by the rich insights that came back, including tips on early morning workouts, run commutes, calendar blocks, stroller jogs, home gym setups, and how to effectively tag-team with your partner when both of you want
Episode 104: Women's Ironman World Champs Insights, Building Muscular Endurance, and Reflections on Outcomes vs. Process
In this episode we finally got to discuss our reactions to one of the craziest races we have ever seen in Ironman history: the all-women’s 2025 Ironman World Championships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. We discuss what it means to win and lose with grace, Taylor Knibb’s incredible post-race interview, the role of heat and humidity in making or breaking an athlete’s day, and what bike brands seem to be mo
Episode 103: Burnout Prevention, Pros and Cons of AI as an Athlete, and Playing the Long Game in Pregnancy
This week's episode features a deep dive on three big topics: (1) how to plan out a sustainable season in order to avoid burnout, (2) pros, cons, and use cases of AI as an athlete, and (3) playing the long game in pregnancy and postpartum—particularly with respect to new research on bone density in pregnant and postpartum runners. We also riff on hydration and running shoe recommendations and
Episode 102: Mental Health in Athletes with Dr. Alejandra Zamora, Psy.D
In this week's episode, we’re joined by a very special guest: clinical psychologist and triathlete extraordinaire Dr. Alejandra Zamora, Psy.D. Ale draws on her experience working with Division I athletes, as well as her own background as an endurance athlete, to answer our questions about common mental health conditions that affect athletes, including anxiety, depression, OCD, and PTSD. We als
Episode 101: Getting Your Zone 2 Back, Pre-Race Injuries, Tire Dragging, and Workout Mindfulness
This week's podcast—the first in our next century of episodes—features insights and listener questions on a ton of fun topics including: how to transition back into Zone 2 running after time off, channeling the idea of "smooth" rather than specific paces or other data points in workouts, what to do if you get injured or sick right before a race, why modulating volume and intensity ov
Episode 100: Reflections From 100 Episodes of the Podcast!
Celebration episode inbound! In this episode, Katie, Jim, and Elena reflect on the lessons we’ve learned from 100 (!) episodes of the podcast. We riff on themes including connection, community, endurance principles, gratitude, vulnerability, progress, and creativity, and we share what excites us most about the next 100 episodes. Our biggest takeaway? None of this would be possible without all of o
Episode 99: Deep Reflections on Listening to Your Body, Athlete Identity, Pregnancy Risk Tolerance, and Doing Things for the First Time
We love a deep reflections episode! Katie and Elena hit a bunch of topics including recovery after really big races, what it actually means to listen to your body (and why listening to your body can be hard in pregnancy), mental challenges with the off season and how to manage them, athlete identity, risk tolerance for moving your body at different stages of life, why doing anything for the first
Episode 98: Ironman World Champs Insights, Norwegian Training, Managing Burnout, and Tips for Race Anxiety
This week’s episode hits a bunch of fun topics including: insights from the professional men’s race at the Ironman World Championships in Nice, France; what’s hot and what’s not in the Norwegian training protocols; our recommendations on TT bike brands; how to identify and prevent burnout as long seasons draw to a close; some additional tips for the off-season; and how to manage race-day anxiety.
Episode 97: Physical and Mental Insights from Elena's UTMB Race Experience!
She did it! This episode recaps many of the physical and mental insights Elena picked up while racing for over 29 hours at the world's most competitive and well-known 100-mile ultramarathon. We cover: what the energy in Chamonix is like during race week; how Elena prepped mentally and physically in the days and hours leading up to the race start; what the experience is like for crew and spectators
Episode 96: Mid-Race Mental Resets, Presidential Traverse Takeaways, Weighted Vests, and Adventuring How-tos
This week's episode features plenty of insights from recent adventures and races. We cover: takeaways from Katie's recent "Pregnant Prezi" and FKT attempt on the Cannon and Kinsmans Loop, our favorite hikes and runs in New England, tips on mapping and route planning if you want to plan your own adventures (especially in a new location), insights from tough open water swims in races, mentally reset
Episode 95: Training Insights from Elena's UTMB Prep and Katie's First Half of Pregnancy
This week's episode features a deep dive on the training principles and philosophy between two very different endurance projects: Elena's multi-year prep to race in the elite field at Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) and the first half of Katie's journey through pregnancy as an endurance athlete. We cover insights that with a surprising amount of overlap between the two experiences, including the
Episode 94: When Data Isn’t Helpful, Bike Handling Tips, Training in High LSS, and Muscle Memory
This week’s episode is another grab bag full of insights! Topics include: the benefits of Zone 0 movement, good data and bad data in training and in pregnancy, why mountain adventures are so great, how to approach workouts and training in periods of high LSS (life stress score), governing effort on big days, bike handling tips, training in bad air quality, how muscle memory helps you retain your s
Episode 93: Mental Prep for UTMB, Pregnancy Mindset Modifications, and Reconnecting With Your Why
In this week’s episode, Elena and Katie catch up on all things training, mindset, and life as Elena wraps up the final month of prep for UTMB and Katie navigates the second trimester of pregnancy as an endurance athlete. Topics include: why “saying maybe” and listening to your body is sometimes a better training approach than saying yes; unsolicited comments on pregnant athletes’ bodies and traini
Episode 92: Minimum Effective Dose, Setting Expectations, More Racing Takeaways, and Heat Bonking
In this week’s insights-focused episode, we’re deep diving on a bunch of topics including: thoughts on minimum effective dose of training for marathon, triathlons of all distances, and ultras; how holding on too tightly to expectations can lead to disappointment; how fueling, mindset, pacing, and heat all interact to make or break race day; three types of movement (exercise, training, and adventur
Episode 91: Pacing, Fueling, Mindset, and More at Ironman Lake Placid
Ironman Lake Placid is done and dusted! In this episode we’re putting a bow on the IMLP journey for many of our athletes by covering the key insights we picked up on race day and immediately before and after. Topics include: avoiding panic training during race week, the importance of hiring a coach, why Ironman is so hard, how cool weather can be a major performance booster, dealing with torrentia
Episode 90: Reflections on the First Trimester of Pregnancy as an Endurance Athlete
This episode features a big life update and even more insights for the podcast! We dive into Katie’s A race for the foreseeable future: pregnancy! Topics include: why relatively limited research on endurance training during pregnancy makes individual anecdotes so powerful; how Katie thought about “planning” pregnancy in the context of training and racing (and why pregnancy is ultimately harder to
Episode 89: Building Your Endurance Capacity, Open Water Swim Confidence, and Comparing Race Performances
In this week's insights-focused episode, we're powering through a bunch of relevant training and coaching tidbits on topics including: why "time on feet" is a useful mindset shift for workouts on tough or hot days, a case study on building open water swimming confidence, why triathlons (and most other races) aren't apples-to-apples comparisons, how you can build your "endurance bucket" and improve
Episode 88: Ironman Race Day Strategies and Lessons from 200 on 100
As race day in Lake Placid approaches, it’s time to shift gears from training mode to execution mode. In this episode, we offer practical, race-tested guidance for your final week and race day strategy at Ironman Lake Placid. From gear checks and fueling to pacing the marathon, we break down the dos and don’ts to help you arrive fresh and race smart. (Rule #1: you’re not gaining fitness this week—
Episode 87: Our Top Three Endurance Principles
In this week’s episode, we’re diving into our top three endurance principles—how we train, how we fuel, and how we keep our minds in it. We start with some quick insights from recent training: why race simulations can sometimes feel even harder than race day, and how preparing mentally (not just physically) can make all the difference. We also touch on a mix of things ranging from building confide
Episode 86: Four Weeks to Ironman Lake Placid
We can’t believe that we’re less than four weeks away from Ironman Lake Placid, one of our favorite races to coach! We start off this episode with a list of things you can do to eek out just a little bit more fitness in the final few weeks before the gun goes off at your A race. We also cover a bunch of fun insights related to: fueling and hydration strategy on the run, how to think about race wee
Episode 85: Fueling for Performance with Endurance Sports Dietitian Alex Larson
In this week’s episode, Katie and Elena welcome Alex Larson, RD to the podcast to talk all things fueling and hydration. Alex’s mission is to support endurance athletes with practical and simple nutrition advice for lifelong health and performance. She shares valuable insights related to: the biggest mistakes endurance athletes make when it comes to fueling, how to know if you are not fueling enou
Episode 84: Racing Your Race, Channeling Positive Thoughts, and Processing DNFs
This week’s episode is full of insights from the peak of race season! Katie and Elena cover whether and how to use pacers, how to handle the overstimulating nature of race morning, what to wear for racing, how improving your aerobic base improves your top end race performance, mindset shifts in the context of race-day uncontrollables, and not writing the narrative of the race before it’s happened.
Episode 83: Race Week Tips, Avoiding Open Water Panic, and Swim-Bike Bricks
This week’s episode covers insights on lots of topics including: why you shouldn’t try anything new on race day or during race week, how to know when to push through vs. back of in periods of high life stress, panic attacks in open water swimming and how to avoid them, good data vs. bad data, rehabbing ankle sprains and other ligament injuries, mindfulness in running, swim-to-bike brick workouts,
Episode 82: Recovery Strategies, Periodized Strength Training, and Active Heat Training
In this week’s episode, we chat through our favorite strategies for recovery and signs of whether you are recovered or not, how we approach traditional strength training in the gym vs. cardio workouts that build strength in a periodized context, active heat training protocols to increase your blood plasma and improve performance, how we think about structuring training for unique combinations of e
Episode 81: Leveling Up with High-Carb Fueling, Measuring and Optimizing Hydration, and Open Water Swim Tips
This week’s episode covers insights across lots of topics including: how you can level up your long-distance performance quicker with high-carb fueling, how you can use hydration biosensors to optimize your fluid intake, open water swim safety tips, how visualizing the transition area can save you time on race day, why you should consider “going all in” for your next race, and how to think about r
Episode 80: Mental Prep, Fueling the Work, and Self-Belief at the Flying Pig Marathon
In this week’s episode, we’re recapping Elena’s speedy race and “effort PR” at the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati. We talk through why Elena chose to race a road marathon as part of her build for UTMB, her flexible approach to setting A/B/C goals, how she managed internal and external pressure, why feeling bad during the taper doesn’t mean you’re going to have a bad race, the mental prep she di
Episode 79: Training in the Heat, Fueling Big Days, Troubleshooting Fatigue, and Building Bike Fitness
This week’s episode is jam-packed with insights across a bunch of different topics! We riff on: how to think about training during the first hot and humid days of the spring; how to plan out your fueling strategy for long workouts and races; troubleshooting low motivation and/or fatigue; the pros and cons of indoor vs. outdoor intervals on the bike; handling high-pressure situations by having a ca
Episode 78: Boston Marathon Insights, Handling Race Nerves and Disappointment, and Optimizing Your Schedule
This week’s episode is another grab bag full of recent insights from racing, training, and spectating! Elena and Katie cover a bunch of fun topics including: insights from the Boston Marathon; how to optimize your training schedule for variables like multiple sports, good vs. bad weather, recovery, and social time; pre-race nerves and anxiety; processing bad races; gender breakdowns in Ironman and
Episode 77: Training Camps, Buying a New Bike, Post-Race Blues, GI Issues in Running, and More!
This week’s episode is a grab bag full of fun insights related to: the how and why of training camps, considerations for buying a new or new used bike, navigating race-day uncontrollables, impulse control in racing, how and when to “burn a match” in workouts or races, GI issues on long runs, the post-race blues, and lessons from interval training. We also debrief Jim’s recent bike trip in Europe,
Episode 76: The Secret Marathon Adventure
In this week’s episode, Elena and Katie recap Katie’s recent BQ marathon. We cover why Katie decided to pivot from triathlon training to marathon training, why she kept the race a secret until after she crossed the finish line, how relatively low mileage and a ton of cross training kept her injury-free throughout the build, how she integrated heavy weighted strength into her run training plan, how
Episode 75: Managing Uncertainty, Chasing Goals, and Playing the Long Game in Endurance Training with Gina des Cognets
In this week’s episode of the podcast, Elena and Katie are welcoming on a repeat guest who always has plenty of life wisdom to share. Gina des Cognets — an executive coach for teams and individuals and a badass athlete herself — talks us through how she approaches uncertainty and risk in the pursuit of ambitious goals, practical strategies for establishing a routine, and how to think about balance
Episode 74: A Conversation with Ultrarunner, FKT Holder, Photographer, Author, and Coach Eli Burakian
In this week’s episode, we’re bringing on a very special guest and friend of the pod. Eli Burakian is an ultrarunner, coach, guidebook author, mountain photographer, dad, race director, and all-around adventurer whose love of the sport and passion for helping other people make him one of the most interesting people we know. We chat through Eli’s most recent ultrarunning achievement: completing the
Episode 73: Tapering, Race Simulations, Zone 2, and Swim Technique Cues
We’re starting the transition to from base season to race season fast! This episode covers a bunch of topics we’re thinking about as our athletes welcome spring, the build phase, and even some races. We talk through the what, why, and how of tapering, the common pattern we see of bad race simulations and good races, reminders on the benefits of zone 2, and how to make easy aerobic training more be
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