The 99%

Episode #132 The Benefits of Exercise on Mental Health   A really fun chat with Marilyn outlining all the positives of exercise on mental heath. There are so many benefits that training has on your life, we just touched on a few - goal setting, routine, health, great habits and many more! 

Episode #131 Kona, Training trends and Racing! This Episode we discuss the move of Ironman back to world championships as a one day event in Kona. We talk about some discussions on training and racing we have been hearing in the triathlon world especially after Sanders dominate start to the year.  We also talk in a bit more detail what is going on in our own racing.  Marilyn's Camps!  Check out Top Step Training! 

Episode #130 The long swim with Christina MacDougall We dive into the world of Open Water Swimming and have a great chat with Christina. She is an extremely accomplished swimmer herself and we roll through lots of the ins and outs of swimming long. She has recently completed the SCAR event in Arizona and is preparing for th English Channel Swim! Lots of great insights here!   follow Christina here! SCAR Swim Questions? Looking for individual coaching?  -- check us out! Top Step Training - Jesse MCC - Marilyn

Episode #129 Scheduling workouts -- behind the curtain In this episode Marilyn and Jesse get into what factors go into the writing, scheduling and spacing of an athletes workouts. We talk about our key points in looking at cumulative fatigue, race performance, athlete history. This is a really good listen if you have ever asked about the why behind a workout!    This document is referenced in the workout!   Looking for individual coaching? check us out! Top Step Training - Jesse MCC - Marilyn

Episode #128 Short Course Racing with Anna Zehnder In this Episode Marilyn and I are joined by Short Course rock start Anna Z. She is a duathlete and xterra athlete with Olympic goals in triathlon. She most recently raced few races in the Americas and we were fortunate to hear her take on the racing and training leading in. She is a Wildcat so I get the privilege to be one of the on deck coaches while she swims! Follow her journey-  https://www.instagram.com/annaze8/ https://annazehnder.ch/

Episode 127 Marathon in Triathlon Training Jesse and Marilyn tackle the topic of adding in a marathon into your triathlon year. We discuss the whys and the why nots for including one in your year. Ultimately, racing is an expression of passion so you need to do what you love! But, we chat about some of the pros and cons to both. 

Episode #126 The mental side of performance Do you race better happy or angry? Are you sure? In this episode Marilyn and Jesse discuss the emotional and mental state you need to be in in order to get the most out of yourself. I spend a decade doing it wrong, so have a listen, and spare yourself 10 years! 

Episode #125 Motivation with Amy VT We had an awesome chat with Amy Van tassel on motivation for the long game. VT shared her inspiration that has kept her in sport over the years. We dove into the variety of sources of motivation she has relied on through the years. It is always a great time chatting with VT!

Episode #124 Goals Goal setting in the New Year Happy New Year! In this Episode Marilyn and Jesse discuss goal setting, the multi year vision and habit creation. These steps can help you be an active participant in the process of reaching your goals!

Episode #123 The Tucson Camp Coaches In this Episode Marilyn and Jesse are joined by Tucson Camp Coaches Chris Bagg and Erin Green. We discuss how much fun we are about to have at camp! and why we are excited to go back this year!  Tucson Camp Jesse Vondracek Marilyn Chychota  Chris Bagg Erin Green     

Episode #22 70.3 worlds course preview, Tucson camp readiness! What to expect at 70.3 worlds and fielding some questions on being ready for Tucson Camp!   Tucson Camp Jesse Marilyn 

Episode #121 Nutrition and fueling for aging athletes  In this Episode I am joined by Alex Larson. We discuss fueling requirements and how they change for athletes over 40.  We dive into women specifically, how do fueling requirements change as women age. We cap off the conversation with athletes on the other end of the spectrum. We discuss young adults in athletics and what their fueling looks like.   Alex Larson - https://alexlarsonnutrition.com/ Jesse Vondracek - www.topsteptraining.com Tucson Camp - www.tucsoncamp.com 

Episode #120 Debriefing a season for athletes  In this Episode Marilyn and Jesse discuss how to reflect on everything that happened in a year of training and racing. They talk about how to use this to get the most out of athletes and coaches the next season. Yes, they do go a bit of rails here, but what is new? Check out Tucson Camp while spots are available! www.tucsoncamp.com Jesse - www.topsteptraining.com Marilyn -  www.mcc.coach  

Episode # 119 Ironman Kona review and Lessons   The 2024 Ironman Men's World Championships just took place over the weekend. It was an awesome race! It was very exciting to see another worlds take place in Kona and see the course record get even faster. Many of the same lessons we have learned from years on the island were relearned. We deep dive into what lessons still ring true and what take aways can be learned by everyone racing an ironman in Kona or around the world. 

Episode #118 The why on choosing triathlons to race In this episode we discuss why and how we help athletes choose races they want to do. We go into the "why" and just how important it is! We also debrief Jesse's race at Ironman Barcelona!  Camp is coming: www.tucsoncamp.com 

Episode #117 Race Fueling with Erin Green Marilyn, Jesse, and Erin deep dive in race fueling. They dissect Jesse's first triathlon of 2024, a win at the Uster middle distance. They also discuss Marilyn's nutrition strategy for her resent successful race at LoToJa.  Follow Erin at: https://www.eringreenracing.com/ Jesse : www.topsteptraining.com  Marilyn: https://www.marilynchychotacoaching.com/    

Episode #116 Ironman racing and training sensations When preparing for an Ironman it is important to be mentally prepared for what the training and racing should feel like. We go through how we explain to our athletes the sensations you may feel in Ironman prep and when executing your triathlon race. 

Episode #115 Training through Travel Sorry for the pause! It was great to be back! We spend a little more time than normal in the What's been going on section because of the break. Then we dive into Training through travel and how to maintain fitness while traveling. 

Episode #114 Zone 2 Triathlon Training Zone 2 has had many names over the years. It has ranged from the go to way to train for all endurance events; all the way to a training zone that should be avoided at all costs. In this episode we discuss how we implement zone two training in our coaching practice.  

Episode #113 Chasing PRs in Training For most of us, summer is here! This means work outs outside, group rides, workouts with friends and everything getting uploaded to strava! These are all great, if we use them appropriately. The trouble is it feels so good to go hard and chase our best. Show we be doing this all the time? How do you mentally approach your training? Does it change as your races approach? 

Episode # 112 The racing Equation On any given race day every athlete only has so much energy to give. The question always remains how do I balance this equation to end up with the fastest time and relatively close to zero left at the finish line with out going under? The trouble with racing it is like The Price is Right rules, if you go over your allotted amount of energy you end up walking. The slowest thing ever. So, how do you execute your race for the fastest time possible? It depends...

Episode #111 The Art of the Taper As the American Season kicks off with Oceanside 70.3 and Ironman Texas, we wanted to address the art of the taper. In this episode Marilyn and Jesse deep dive into the goals and the how to's of a great taper. We also address hitting multiple races in a row and how to navigate the training between. 

Episode #110 Tucson Triathlon Camp In this Episode Marilyn and Jesse debrief after a successful Tucson triathlon camp. We go into what made it successful, and give tips on how other coaches and athletes can host a successful camp. Thanks to everyone that came, you are what made camp awesome!!

Episode #109 Base to Race In this Episode Marilyn and Jesse discuss prorgessing athletes through the phases of the season. We discuss what we look for in order to make the change in training as well as how and what we change. Have a listen if you are interested in learning about how to know when it is time to focus on getting race ready!

Episode #108 Everything you need to prepare for a triathlon training camp In this Episode Marilyn and Jesse discuss preparation for training camp. We go into the Do's and Don'ts for camp and how to execute a successful trip!  If you are interested in our Tucson Camp coming up quick please email  jesse@topsteptraining.com ASAP! Check out Marilyn's website for more information!  https://www.marilynchychotacoaching.com/camps

Episode # 107 Goal Setting This isn't your average chat about setting SMART goals for the year. We chat about our personal goals and how we help our athletes set goals that work for them! A great listen if you are in the process of laying out your triathlon season for 2024!

Episode #106 Crashing, it happens Marilyn shares her story on how she crashed, and what mistakes she made. Hopefully you can learn from this and not make the same mistakes! Main take away, two lungs are better than one!!

Episode #105 Racing Execution starting now In this episode Marilyn and Jesse discuss how to prepare for your race season now. What can you do in the next few months in order to prepare yourself mentally and physically for the race season ahead?

Episode #104 Getting faster in the offseason In this episode we discuss specific ways you can focus on swim, bike or run and get faster in one of the three this offseason. We also chat about Marilyn's recent race success and my new mountain bike!

Episode #103 who do we coach? In this Episode Marilyn and Jesse discuss some of the various types of athletes they coach and do a "shallow dive" on their coaching philosophy and what they are doing now with their athletes. 

Episode #102 Ironman World Championships Kona We are so excited to watch 2000+ of the best female athletes in the world compete this weekend in Kona! We run through some tips for execution for race day.  Kona is a magical place to race with an amazing atmosphere, enjoy it! 

Episode #101 Long Term Athletic Development  The offseason and preseason is the best time of the year to make athletic gains. It is the time when you don't need to be race fit and you can really focus on specific aspects of your sport. Jesse and Marilyn discuss how to make the most of your time away from racing this year!

Episode #100 Learnings from Ironman World Championships - Nice This race was exciting start to finish. We dive into the location, the only mens Ironman race, the course and much more. If you are planning a race in Europe or heading to this race next year, this is worth a listen!

Episode #99 Understanding Fatigue Fatigue is a difficult thing to handle for athletes. Some is good, More can be better but timing is crucial. Understanding how much fatigue you can manage is an important part of training and life. We dive into the sensations around fatigue and how much is too much!?

Episode #98 Racing Ironman World Championships How should you adjust your training for Ironman World Championships in Nice, France? Marilyn and I run through prep specifically for a course like Nice. The ocean swim, hilly bike and exposed run play a big role in preparation. We also discuss the role travel plays for an international race. 

Episode #97 Nutrition around race day In this episode we are joined by Erin Green( https://www.eringreenracing.com/ ) We discuss all things nutrition around race day. We deep dive into some hot preloading topics like carbs, sodium, magnesium, and deloading caffeine. Enjoy!

Episode #96 Race Day Nutrition In this Episode Marilyn and Jesse dive into race day nutrition. We go go through what we have had success with while racing and advice for athletes of all speeds as far as what to think about while coming up with a nutrition plan for race day!

Episode #95 Transitions through sports In this Episode Marilyn and Jesse chat about how to effectively transition from one phase of your sporting career to another. The amount of endurance sports out there is growing rapidly, and well we are all getting older! These lead to many phases in sport, we talk about how to navigate that. 

Episode # 92 Setting Expectations In this episode we discuss setting expectations for race performance based on your training, ability, and race experience. We talk about how to have a realistic approach to your race. We used Marilyn's recent race at Ironman St. George 70.3 as a spring board for our discussion. 

Episode #93 Doping in Triathlon Doping in sport is a problem. Triathlon maybe cleaner than most, but it is clearly still there. We hope everyone can remain positive, focus on the clean athletes at the highest level, and if you think you see something, say something. Wada is ready to listen to you. Places to report: https://speakup.wada-ama.org/frontpage www.reveal.sport/setup Check your medication first: https://globaldro.com/Home https://www.wada-ama.org/en/prohibited-list  

Episode #92 Run Intensity In this Episode Marilyn and I discuss our thoughts on prescribing run intensity, whether it be strides, speed work, threshold or tempo. We debrief my Paris Marathon and touch on run fueling a bit!

Episode #91 Ironman Texas Race Tips This episode is a short recap of advice from Marilyn and I on how to execute well at Ironman Texas. This is the season opener in North America so it is good to review Ironman execution and on this course! 

Episode #90 The long Run In this episode we discuss running long. We spend some time discussing how each of us tend to structure our long runs and how they play into the overall training block. We are also taking bets on Jesse's time for the Paris Marathon!

Episode #89 GORDO Byrn We were fortunate enough to spend 90 minutes learning from a lifetime of success in and out of sport. We chatted with Gordo Byrn UltraMan Champion, Ironman Canada 2nd (with a 2:46 run!), author of Going Long, dad, and all around great guy. We learned how he was able to take his live through several giant transformations and always be successful. This one was hands down my favorite podcast yet, and lucky for you guys I was so busy listening I let Gordo do most of the talking! check him out at - 1000daypacing.com 

Episode # 88 The long swim I have been swimming with The Wildcats, sounds similar but this Swiss Team is a bit different than the Tricats. They have been doing some pretty big swims and it made me question some thoughts I have on pool time. Marilyn, Elliot and I chat about swim session duration and who might benefit from swimming big!  

Episode #87 The end of January... What should you be doing now?   In this episode we chat about the focus of our athletes training now. What should you be thinking about? Focusing on? working on? Well it depends but here is our take. 

Episode #86 End of the year review and Goals! In this Episode Jesse, Marilyn and Elliot review their process for goal setting and a review of the previous season. Marilyn has some great resources for you to check out: https://www.marilynchychotacoaching.com/guidelines-forms We also discuss our own goals for 2023!

Episode #85 Pura Vida Challenge! In this episode we are fortunate to be joined by Dan and Jennifer the brains behind the The Pura Vida Cycling Challenge. This camp is so much more than a cycling camp in Costa Rica. To hear about the history, mission and good this camp does have a listen! To read more check it out here - https://www.puravidacyclingchallenge.com/

Episode #84 The new 5-2 The structure of stress to rest has always been a key to building fitness. Nills Van Der Poel has made the 5 days on 2 days off weekly set up a new trend. Is this for you? 

Episode # 83 Racing successfully late season This has been a LONG year of racing. In this podcast we discuss how to be successful in a late season race. We deep dive into the specific challenges you face when preparing in the fall. We also dive into Jesse's prep and benchmarks for Ironman Arizona! 

Episode #82 Kona Review Elliot, Marylin and Jesse discuss how the first time back on the big island in three years went! A lot to unpack from two days of racing with a ton of fireworks!!