The off season can be a tricky time for an athlete. In fact, we don't even love the phrase "off season", so we came up with a NEW name halfway through this episode! While some athletes may look forward to a break from training or more unstructured workouts, other athletes may want to keep a schedule of swim, bike, run and are still motivated to train through the end of the year. So what's the right approach? We are here in this episode to tell you that there isn't one right approach to the off s...
Oct 21, 2024•39 min•Season 3Ep. 139
What happens when an injury becomes chronic and the way out is not what you envisioned? This is not just an episode about recovering from an injury (or in Amy's case, perhaps two injuries). It's about the journey into Amy's chronic injury, how it progressed and became constant, and the frustrating mental toll over 18 months that included multiple doctors, treatments, false starts, fear, doubt, and finally hope and a change in perspective. The first half of this podcast focuses on the physical- t...
Oct 07, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Season 138Ep. 3
It was a great day for Angela Naeth at Ironman Chattanooga with a 6th place finish at her first Ironman after recovering from a broken hip and surgery in March. And what a comeback! She averaged over 25 mph on the bike and ran a 3:12 marathon. In this episode, we talk about the wild week before race day, how she approached a time trial start with no swim, her execution of nutrition and metrics, and her big takeaways from this first race back and the new bike course. Lots of good insights in here...
Oct 01, 2024•54 min•Season 3Ep. 137
Fresh off the race course in Nice, France, we have an awesome interview with teammate Silver Bohn, who just completed Ironman World Champs! This was Silver's 16th Ironman (!!) and one of the most challenging courses she has ever raced. We talk about her build as she worked through back and knee issues, the vibe in Nice, and the race itself. We also spend some time talking about how someone who lives in flat Florida trains for one of the craziest bike courses on the Ironman circuit! Have a listen...
Sep 23, 2024•49 min•Season 3Ep. 136
We have some fantastic listener questions for the month of September! Topics covered in this episode: Adding extra races at end of the season that you were not planning on doing? Mental attitude when training in the heat Will heat training make you more sensitive to the cold? How do you have enough energy and time to get everything done? How do you take the leap into gravel if you don’t have lots of gravel near you? Colostrum supplements ? Cramping on inner thigh while hill climibng on bike? Tip...
Sep 17, 2024•48 min•Season 3Ep. 135
Two-time Ironman Chattanooga winner (2014 & 2019) Angela Naeth talks all things Chatty in this course preview. We talk about why this race is so special to her and then go through everything from the layout of transition to the hilly run course. And yes, we talk about the NEW bike course, which is now only 112 miles and is mainly on a highway. Whether you are about to race Chattanooga or are thinking of racing it, this preview is for you! Have a listen!
Sep 09, 2024•37 min•Season 3Ep. 134
Do you ever find yourself bogged down by the "what ifs," or being held back because of a lack of confidence or uncertainty? We all have moments of anxiety and fear, but often those worries hold us back from moving forward and being free- in sport and in life. This episode takes a deep dive into the role of fear and how powerful a hold that emotion can have on us. Topics covered: Fear and the role of purpose Overcoming fear and self-sabotage Letting go of control Living without regrets Overcoming...
Aug 27, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Season 3Ep. 133
Whether you have a coach, are a coach, or are thinking of hiring a coach, a successful coach-athlete relationship relies on many factors. Yet even the obvious parts of coaching, like putting in a week of training, is more nuanced and multi-faceted than just putting in workouts. In this episode, we cover everything from the behind-the-scenes decision making, to the best ways to communicate, to what data we look at, to what we really want for our athletes when they race. Have a listen!
Aug 13, 2024•57 min•Season 3Ep. 132
The dog days of summer are here, and with them come the "dog days of training"- when the novelty of those blissful warm summer days wears off; and instead, we find it harder and harder to stay motivated to keep the training going through heat, summer activities, and a month where there isn't too much racing happening. In this episode, we cover ways to combat summer fatigue. Topics covered: Navigating the August Slump and Motivation Managing the Heat and Adapting Your Training Taking Vacations / ...
Aug 06, 2024•41 min•Season 3Ep. 131
In February of this year, as she was training for Ironman Texas, pro triathlete Angela Naeth suffered what could have been a career-ending injury: a femoral neck stress fracture. In March, she had to have surgery in order for it to heal properly. Just last week, she raced Challenge Cap Quebec, a half-distance triathlon, which proved to be a successful rehearsal for bigger goals ahead. But how did she get from needing to use a mop to stand up to crossing the finish line of a 70.3 almost 6 months ...
Jul 29, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Season 3Ep. 130
Everyone has a story, and Sara Davis’s story is pretty remarkable. At 17 years old, Sara watched her sister battle a severe eating disorder, and then take her own life. When Sara went to college, she used alcohol and drugs to avoid feelings and grief. In 2006, months after her father passed away from a heart attack, Sara decided to get sober and found meaning in helping others. This is also when she found triathlon. Sara shares her story in the first half of the podcast and then in the second ha...
Jul 23, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 129
The phrase "try hard" is ingrained in sport. We "try hard" to hit our numbers. We "try hard" on race day. We "try hard" to stick to a nutrition plan...to make it to a track workout...to finish that interval. You get the idea. So what if we tried "less?" What if we let go of the combination of the word "try" and "hard" and just....let go? In today's podcast, we talk about just that. Some topics covered: The tendency to overdo it in training and racing The role breathing and flow state play The po...
Jul 15, 2024•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 128
The Tour de France is considered the most prestigious cycling race of the year. For three weeks in July, 20-22 professional cycling teams, each comprised of 8 riders, complete 21 stages of riding, covering about 2200 miles in the Alps and the Pyrenees. And while we may not be able to sprint like Biniam Girmay, or climb like Tadej Pogacar, or time trial like Jonas Vingegaard, or win 35 stages (let alone one) like Mark Cavendish, there are many lessons to be learned from these riders and their tea...
Jul 08, 2024•45 min•Season 3Ep. 127
You have done the training. You have followed the plan. You think you are ready for your race. But are you truly setting yourself up for success or are you possibly getting in your own way before the race even starts. In this episode, we talk about some common issues that (conciously or subconciously) might be sabotaging your race day before it even starts. From mindset to maintenance, it's all in here. Have a listen!
Jul 01, 2024•46 min•Season 3Ep. 126
[REPOST] We are so excited to bring you our conversation with Dr. Kate Ackerman. Dr. Ackerman is the medical director of the Female Athlete Program in the Sports Medicine Division at Boston Children's Hospital and is now on the forefront of research involving female athletes and perimenopause and menopause. There are very few reliable studies involving older female athletes and Dr. Ackerman and her colleagues are working to change that with the Female Athlete Program , an innovation hub for the ...
Jun 24, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Season 3Ep. 125
Sports Dietician Laura Moretti Reece is back to debunk and demystify some of the biggest topics in sports nutrition. Topics covered: What are macros and what should my macro goals be per day? Does cortisol make you gain weight? Can you do morning workouts fasted? What does underfueling look like? Is it possible to have too much sugar while training? What should you eat before bed if you are hungry? How to sift through the BS on social media Does an anti- inflammatory diet work? What does clean e...
Jun 17, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 124
We are back with Part 2 of listener questions! Lots to dive into in this one! What workouts can you do if you can’t bike or run, but can walk How to stop early plantar fasciitis When do you need a recovery drink after a workout? And when do you not need one? Which is bettter: riding and running by power or heart rate? Are power and cadence outdoors important to have? What if you only have them when on your trainer? Why does ironman have splits at the most random spots? How often should you FTP a...
Jun 11, 2024•44 min•Season 3Ep. 123
Happy June everyone! It's time for another round of listener questions, and we had so many that we split it up into two parts. Part 1 answers the questions below: Balancing open water vs pool sessions How do you get over being pummeled in a swim ? How to find the joy in swimming and not overthink everything? Is a TT bike boring? Is a TT bike harder to ride than a road bike? How do you clip in and not die? How do you strength train so you don’t have dead legs on the bike? How do you improve mobil...
Jun 03, 2024•48 min•Season 3Ep. 122
Race season is here! We know that a lot of listeners are short course athletes, so in this episode, we talk about 10 ways to nail your sprint and olympic distance triathlon. Whether you are new to short course or a season veteran, there is always something to learn or re-learn. From how to structure training to transition tips to pacing to nutrition, there are lots of good tips in here! Sodium and Hydration calculator:https://angelanaethcoaching.com/pages/fuel-and-hydration-quick-planner...
May 27, 2024•59 min•Season 3Ep. 121
“If you saying everything is fine, you are already lying to yourself. You have to sit down with yourself and deal with everything going on in your head.” This podcast is all about getting control of mental game- in training, racing, and life. While we are often good at faking it til we make it, it’s often better to confront the fears, distractions, or worries that hold us back and work through them. The mind-body connection in training and racing is REAL, and in this podcast we talk about some w...
May 21, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 120
If you are curious about ultrarunning and not sure how to transition from triathlon into ultras, this episode is for you. Holly Goodman is a top age group Ironman triathlete who was looking to branch out from triathlon and reconnect with her passion for sport. After completing Kona in 2022, she shifted into ultraunning (well, she also still did an Ironman last year!). Most recently, Holly came in 3rd overall in her 50 mile race. This podcast was going to be a recap of that race (Rock the Ridge 5...
May 13, 2024•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 119
Everything is bigger in Texas, they say, and this year's Ironman Texas confirmed that adage. Big winds and hot temps made the race challenging, but I Race Like A Girl teammate Lindsay Dibona showed why she is a top age grouper, as she swam, biked, and ran her way to an impressive 1st place age group and 5th overall AG female with a 9:59:04. In this episode, we talk about the build up to Texas, and then dive into the race. Lindsay also shares how she stays motivated with 4AM wake ups and balancin...
May 07, 2024•56 min•Season 3Ep. 118
You might have heard of Rim to Rim, a hike that traverses the Grand Canyon, which is a bucket list hike for sure. But did you know that you can add another Rim on there, and head back to the start? Three IRLAG teammates- Nicole Rambsey, Lindsay Long, and Cheryl Kreinbring- planned and trained for months to attempt this epic R2R2R in one single day. The Rim to Rim to Rim is a 40-48 mile hike that has about 11,000 feet of elevation gain and 11,000 feet elevation loss. It is a self-supported advent...
Apr 30, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Season 3Ep. 117
No athlete goes it alone, but who do you actually need on your team in order to find success as an athlete? In this episode, we talk about the four different support systems, or buckets, that need to be filled in order to thrive in sport (and in life). The four buckets: Mental/motivational Educational/Consulting Responsibilities Coaching And at the end, Angela suggests an acitivity to do to see where you might need more support and where you can help to give others support. Have a listen! Also s...
Apr 23, 2024•48 min•Season 3Ep. 116
The 128th Boston Marathon is done and dusted! It was a gorgeous day on the course for spectators, which means the heat posed a bit of a challenge for the runners out there. In this episode, we talk to Veronique Ranger, Seamus Woods, Pedro Gomes about their builds to Boston and their experience on race day. Three different athletes, three different builds, and three different race approaches. And one banana. Have a listen! 250 mile Challenge: https://runsignup.com/Race/MA/Brewster/250miles?mc_cid...
Apr 16, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Season 3Ep. 115
We are big fans of "controlling the controllables" when racing, and this episode is dedicated to one of the biggest things we athletes cannot control on race day: the weather. Although we like to *think* we can control the forecast by checking it often in the week leading up to the race (surely it has changed from 20 minutes ago?), the truth is that we must accept and adapt to whatever conditions we get on race day. In this episode, we talk about how to prepare pre-race for certain weather condi...
Apr 09, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 3Ep. 114
It’s time for a reality check. For most of us, our base season might be coming to a close and many of us are building to our first race of the season. You've got to put in the work and put in the time. And if you want to reach the goals you have set, you need to remember that it's not going to come to you. Topics covered: How to find the time and motivation Change the plan/ change the goal So you want to make a smoothie Juggling responsibilities Getting underneath the missing workouts Why you ar...
Apr 02, 2024•56 min•Season 3Ep. 113
Injuries happen to most athletes. And when injured, it's not just the physical recovery that can be challenging, but also the mental load of navigating that injury can be just as difficult. Authors Cindy Kuzma and Carrie Jackson have created one of the best resources for helping athletes bounce back from injury with their book "Rebound," and their online group and podcast entitled, "The Injured Atheltes Club." In this episode, we talk about their own experiences with injuries, how they came up w...
Mar 26, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 112
It's not always the fittest person who gets to the finish line first. All the fitness in the world doesn't matter if you don't know how to use it in a race. So in this episode, we talk about how and when to race with your head, and how and when to race with your heart. Spoiler alert: the best performances come when you can successfully tap into both sides of your athlete persona. However, there are situations when you need to race more with your analytical brain and when you need to race more wi...
Mar 18, 2024•53 min•Season 3Ep. 111
How much data is too much data? When does technology help you perform better, and when does it hold you back? In this episode, we dive into training metrics. From CTL to TSS, from heart rate to power, from Strava to Training Peaks, we try to help you differentiate between the positives and negatives of big data. Have a listen!
Mar 12, 2024•54 min•Season 3Ep. 110
