In part 3 of the Beginner Series, we discuss all things gear and equipment. What gear do you need early on, what is nice to have but not essential, and what gear should you delay getting until you have a acquired some more triathlon experience? HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS: Essential swim, bike, run and race day gear for beginner triathletes Nice-to-have but non-essential gear in the aforementioned categories Upgrades for later on: gear and equipment to hold off on for a little bit, until you know ...
Jul 23, 2025•34 min
Solveig Løvseth is a professional triathlete from Norway. She's an Olympian from Paris 2024, double European Games champion from 2023 (individual and mixed team relay), and has the fastest Ironman debut in history with her 8:12:28 in Hamburg. In this interview, we discuss Solveig's career to date, her Olympic experience, her current focus on the Ironman Pro Series, and of course we cover her training in detail. HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS: Solveig's entry into triathlon, her short-course career an...
Jul 17, 2025•1 hr 8 min
John Wakefield is a cycling coach and bike fitter. He is a coach and Director of Development at Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, and coaches riders at the World Tour level, as well as working directly with and managing the U23 and younger development teams. In this interview, we dive deep into John's thoughts training and coaching, as well as his approach to bike fitting in detail. HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS: John's training philosophy The importance of focusing on recovery and adaptation to training...
Jul 13, 2025•1 hr 15 min
In part 2 of the Beginner Series, we discuss what you should think about and take into consideration when selecting and signing up for your first ever triathlon. HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS: Why the choice of your first triathlon matters Picking the right distance (the most important variable) Swim format, course type, local vs. destination races, timing and season, and other important considerations How and where to find a good first triathlon Common mistakes related to first race selection Athle...
Jun 28, 2025•40 min
In part 1 of the Beginner Series, we discuss the ins and outs of what you need to know if you're just starting out in triathlon, or considering doing so. HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS: What is triathlon? Standard and non-standard triathlon distances Who can do a triathlon? Gear and equipment to get started Basic terminology Mikael's first triathlon story Common questions and misconceptions Next steps DETAILED EPISODE SHOWNOTES: We have detailed shownotes for all of our episodes. The shownotes are ba...
Jun 21, 2025•57 min
John Davis is a running coach, researcher, and the author of the blog Running Writings. He combines scientific thinking and computational skills with practical coaching, and has developed popular tools and calculators for distance runners. In this episode, John discusses his run training principles, and we discuss his calculators and why they could be a great tool in any runner's toolbox. HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS: The story behind Running Writings and John's motivation for starting it John's ca...
Jun 05, 2025•1 hr 34 min
In this Q&A episode, Mikael answers listener questions on training, physiology, long-term athlete development, and more. There are lots of practical tips and takeaways relevant to a wide range of athletes and contexts. HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS: How to get as fast as possible at middle-distance triathlon as a 19-year-old How to quantify training load and monitor response to load Key metrics to monitor for overtraining risk How to select bike cadence when using cycling as cross-training for r...
May 26, 2025•49 min
Coach Glenn Poleunis leads a Girona-based squad home to elite triathletes such as T100 World Champion Marten van Riel and Olympic and World Champion Cassandre Beaugrand (who joined the squad more recently, after her standout 2024 season). We talk about coaching at the highest level, the demands of WTCS, T100 and Ironman racing, and how Glenn's coaching is evolving with the demands of the sport. HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS: How Glenn's coaching and his squad has evolved over the past three years Le...
May 15, 2025•1 hr 35 min
Craig Alexander is a three-time Ironman World Champion and two-time Ironman 70.3 World Champion. In this episode we discuss the training and racing strategies Craig used during his career in detail. Craig also shares learnings from his post-racing coaching career on training considerations for age-group triathletes. HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS: An overview of Craig's training approach during his most successful years Key principles and example workouts in his swim, bike and run training How to rac...
Apr 23, 2025•1 hr 33 min
Dr. Guido Vroemen is a sports medicine physician, medical biologist, exercise physiologist and endurance coach. He works with age-group and professional athletes in triathlon and cycling, and in this interview we go in-depth into his coaching philosophy and training principles. HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS: Guido's overarching coaching philosophy Specific training principles within swimming, cycling and running Lab testing and metabolic testing Advice for age-group athletes, including time-restrict...
Apr 16, 2025•1 hr 38 min
Matt Silver is a physical therapist, runner and author of the book Built to Run. In this interview, Matt peels back the layers of the underlying causes of typical running injuries, and discusses how to prevent and overcome injuries by identifying and tackling the root causes of the issue. HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS: Running form - how is it connected to injury risk, common mistakes and how to identify development areas, and how to work on your running form Mobility - how is it connected to injury...
Mar 31, 2025•1 hr 41 min
Arild Tveiten is most well-known as the head coach and sport director of Team Norway, and has overseen countless triathlon successes with Kristian Blummenfelt's Olympic Gold in Tokyo 2021 being the jewel in the crown. Arild is now the High Performance Director of the Norwegian Swimming Federation, and joins us to share insights into what he's bringing to swimming from his triathlon experience, and what he's learning about swimming in his new role. HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS: The reasons for movin...
Mar 18, 2025•1 hr 23 min
Michellie Jones is an Australian triathlon legend with a resume including two ITU World Championships, an Olympic silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Games, a victory at the 2006 Ironman World Championship, and a Paralympic gold medal as a guide to Katie Kelly in the PT5 (PTVI in today's classification system) in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Michellie has a wealth of experience in coaching, and in this interview we discuss what she's learnt from a life in triathlon both as an athlete and as a coach. HIGH...
Mar 06, 2025•1 hr 36 min
Malindi Elmore is a Canadian runner and three-time Olympian. She raced the 1500 in Athens 2004, and the Marathon in Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024, finishing in the top-ten (ninth) in Tokyo. In between her middle-distance and marathon careers, she also raced as a professional triathlete from 2015 to 2017, including six podiums in IM70.3 and Ironman races. We discuss her marathon training, how she manages to perform and continue to improve into her 40s and as a mother, her short but successful profess...
Feb 26, 2025•1 hr 21 min
François Modave, PhD, is Professor of Artificial Intelligence, Digital Health at Wake Forest University (North Carolina). He is also a triathlete with over 30 years in the sport. In this episode, François discusses key concepts of artificial intelligence and how it could be applied (and to what level of success) in a triathlon context. HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS: What is artificial intelligence? What are the different types of systems that fall under the broader umbrella of AI? How do you train A...
Feb 18, 2025•1 hr 33 min
Anna Kiesenhofer is the Olympic Champion from Tokyo 2021 in the cycling road race. She is a 9-time National Champion, and a mathematician. In this episode, Anna talks about her training in general, the specific training she did leading into her Olympic gold in Tokyo, being mostly a self-coached athlete for the last decade or so, and much more. HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS: Anna's entry into the professional cycling world, and the burnout that followed Training going into the Tokyo Olympics Anna's e...
Feb 03, 2025•1 hr 27 min
Lance Watson has one of the most extensive resumes in triathlon coaching. He was the coach of Simon Whitfield who won the first ever Olympic gold medal in triathlon in Sydney 2000, has coached at multiple Olympic Games, was the coach of Ironman World Champion Peter Reid, and Ironman World Championship podium finishers Lisa Bentley and Chris Lieto. In this episode, we dig deep into his coaching methodology, discussing training principles, tactical and mental preparation, and more. HIGHLIGHTS AND ...
Jan 27, 2025•1 hr 36 min
In this interview, originally published on the Endurance Innovation podcast, Michael Liberzon interviews Mikael Eriksson on topics related to acquiring and applying information and knowledge in an endurance sports context. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: -The role of social media, short-form vs. long-form content, and red flags for misinformation -Decision making and evaluation of potential training interventions as well as new products, technology, and metrics -Understanding relevance, vali...
Dec 27, 2024•1 hr 8 min
In this episode we discuss how you can move beyond basing workouts on arbitrary percentages of thresholds. You will learn how to individualise your intensity targets to your specific performance profile to get more out of your key workouts. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: -The pros and cons of basing intensities on percentages of threshold (or percentages of any one fixed marker) -Who can benefit from identifying and individualising target intensities beyond percentages of threshold? -How to...
Dec 20, 2024•1 hr
Sam Proctor is a triathlon coach based in Loughborough in the United Kingdom. He coaches athletes at both amateur and professional levels, including India Lee, who finished 8th in the T100 World Tour (with one win and one 3rd place along the way). Sam has a strong triathlon background himself, with a 7:55 Ironman PB. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: -Sam's coaching methodology -Swim, bike and run training principles -India Lee's training, including changes made to achieve some breakout result...
Dec 02, 2024•1 hr
Rob Cheetham is a South African triathlon coach based in Bath in the UK. He coaches professional and age-group athletes, including his wife Susie (who also coaches for Cheetham Coaching) and Leon Chevalier, who recently finished 4th in the Ironman World Championships in Kona. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: -Rob's coaching methodology and key principles -Coaching as a team with his wife Susie -A deep dive into swim training, and Rob's swim training and swim technique principles -How to maxim...
Nov 20, 2024•1 hr 21 min
Kasper Pedersen is a Danish triathlon coach working with professional athletes, junior and developing athletes, and age-groupers. He is an important part of the team around Magnus Ditlev, and usually the man on the ground to help with the day to day coaching and support during training camps and races. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: -Kasper's backstory in triathlon and coaching -His coaching methodology and key principles -Training principles for age-group athletes -Tips for improving in sw...
Nov 12, 2024•1 hr 31 min
Scientific Triathlon coaches Mikael Eriksson and Tobias Haumann answer listener questions. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: -Is there a "round number bias" in training prescription, and what are the potential drawbacks of that? -The cost-benefit ratio of high-intensity intervals - are they really worth it? -Maintaining or developing the capacity to suffer in races -A discussion on running power metrics and devices SHOWNOTES: https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts447/ SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON AND THA...
Oct 22, 2024•1 hr 11 min
Nikki Bartlett is fresh off a fantastic 5th place finish in the Ironman World Championships in Nice. She joins us together with her wife and coach Bex Milnes to talk us through the race and the training leading up to the race. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: -Nikki's race strategy, and how the race played out for her -Preparing for the specific demands of the Nice course -How Nikki overcame injury issues and built her run fitness up again after a long time with no running -A detailed look at...
Oct 15, 2024•1 hr 35 min
In this episode we discuss everything you need to know about training zones. We also discuss the first and second lactate and ventilatory thresholds. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: -Training zones as a communication tool -How I use training zones (and how I don't use them) -Not relying on training zones for training prescription -Other common mistakes with training zones -Lactate and ventilatory threshold testing and definitions -Is one of lactate or ventilatory testing better than the othe...
Oct 07, 2024•50 min
David Roche is a running coach (trail, track and road) and trail runner. He recently broke the longstanding Leadville 100 course record (in his first 100-mile race no less), a record previously thought unbreakable. In this episode, he sheds light on everything that went into this phenomenal feat. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: -How David set out to beat what was thought to be an unbreakable record at the Leadville 100 -David's training process: focusing on speed, low(ish) volume, using cycl...
Sep 18, 2024•1 hr 52 min
Ben Stephenson, PhD, is Performance Planning Lead and physiologist for the Great Britain para triathlon squad in Loughborough. He joins us off the back of the Paralympics in Paris where Team GB had a very successful games with five para triathlon medals, including two golds. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: -Core temperature and thermoregulatory strain in sprint distance triathlon -Heat preparation: science and practice -How to minimise the risk of getting ill: which factors matter the most? ...
Sep 11, 2024•1 hr 31 min
Jeff Sankoff is the TriDoc, an emergency physician, triathlete, and triathlon coach. In this episode, Jeff sheds some light on the most important and topical health and medicine related questions for triathletes and endurance athletes. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: -The impact of endurance sports on longevity and life expectancy -Heart health in endurance sports -Blood tests, deficiencies, diets and supplements -Dental health -Myths and misconceptions about health and medical aspects of en...
Aug 28, 2024•1 hr 33 min
Gabriele Gallo, PhD, is a researcher at the University of Genoa with a particular focus on the science of cycling performance. In addition to his academic pursuits, he is also the founder of Knowledgeiswatt, a platform through which he summarises cycling and sports science research into infographics and practical, medium-form articles. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: -Insights into the training of top GC-riders in Grand Tours (Tour de France and Giro d'Italia) -How to apply research findings...
Aug 13, 2024•1 hr 5 min
A discussion of 15 factors, including training methods, gear and equipment, metrics, and even thought processes that are generally underrated by the triathlon community as a whole or in certain triathlete subgroups. Do you agree with this list? Be sure to also check out the previous episode (EP#439), where we discussed overrated factors for triathlon performance. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: -"The big picture" -Consistency -Stress -Sleep -Coaching and expert help -Pacing workouts well -Us...
Aug 01, 2024•54 min
