The Lonely Triathlete - triathlon training and motivation for the masses

Send a textWe've all been there - end of season and we are DONE. No more getting up early, no more watching what we eat, we are cooked! So, we take a couple of months off, gain  a bunch of weight until one day, we get excited about training again. But it takes us months to get back to where we were. But we do it and we have a fun season but then, by the end, we are DONE! Rinse and repeat. So, how do we get off that merry-go-round?Support the show

Send a textThis week is a real stream of consciousness episode! Buckle up! Support the show

Send a textWe lost another triathlete to an IDIOT driver! We need to do all we can to stay visible and alert out on the roads, RIP, Hannah Henry :(Support the show

Send us a textRed light, sauna, massage, supplements. These are all elements that can improve your training and recovery. But are they magic pills? Can they offset bad habits? No, they cannot. You will not enjoy the marginal gains you get from these things unless you've come to grips with the fundamentals of training. Let's dive in.Support the show

Send us a textDiet. Bad word? Doesn't have to be. I recently "got on one" to try and shed some extra bodyfat that mysteriously appeared on my torso over the past few months (it wasn't the kettle chips, it wasn't! Ok, it probably was.).In this episode I share with you some simple steps I take, when needed, to drop some unwanted bodyfat. So, grab your carrot sticks and settle in.Support the show

Send us a textWhat gets you out the door in the rain? Is it discipline? Ok then...Why can't you eat as well as you want? Lack of discipline?Why can't you go to bed when you intend to? Lack of discipline?It's a nuanced subject and one that I've grappled with for decades.Support the show

Send us a textI've been very excited about the promise of exogenous ketones! Then along came the promises of methylene blue! And could breathwork make me faster? I did a deep dive.Support the show

Send us a textEmotional stress can negatively impact your training and recovery as much as physical stress. What should you do when you get that bad news the morning of your training? I'll tell you what I did.Support the show

Send us a textWhat are exogenous ketones? I need to do a lot more research but they sound very promising to enhance performance and recovery. Are they a magic bullet? Probably not but I'm excited to go down the rabbit hole and find out.Support the show

Send us a textI was forced into upgrading my GPS watch. Would I stick with the Coros brand or would I jump ship to something like a Suunto or a Garmin? Listen to find out.Support the show

Send us a textIf you've prepared well, there should be no fear on the start line. Only excitement and curiosity!Support the show

Send us a textIn this episode I muse about the cons of being an aging triathlete. Was this brought on because of my low back pain? You bet. Sigh.Note: in this episode neat the beginning I reference only being able to hold my Threshold power for 20 minutes, I meant 1 hour. We all should theoretically be able to cycle at FTP for 1 hour.Support the show

Send us a textBe honest. Are you a beginner, intermediate or expert? Do you ever experience anxiety in the water? Does the notion of swimming in an ocean with 1000 other thrashing swimmers unnerve you?  If you answer these questions honestly you can take immediate action to ensure that swimming will never fill you with anxiety again.Support the show

Send us a textShould you do an easy spin for 30 minutes? Should you go for a recovery run? Or, should you just take the day completely off. Completely off?! Yeah, sometimes that's the best thing to do. Support the show

Send us a textI'm lifting weights again and WOW am I ever sore. So sore! In fact, for tomorrow my coaching program dialed back my V02max cycle session to aerobic endurance. And I'm thankful because I can barely climb the stairs in my home without moaning out loud.And I love it.Support the show

Send us a textIf you aren't doing some strength work then you are leaving some performance behind. The science is clear: strength training improves efficiency, force production, speed, fatigue resistance and reduces injury risk. I'm finally getting "back  in the gym" so to speak.Support the show

Send us a textYou are literally not the same athlete after training as you were before. A single training session sends signals to your heart, muscles and brain to change. Adapt or die!  So cool.Support the show

Send us a textThere are a few things I wish I knew about training equipment as a beginning and intermediate level triathlete. Today I share these with you, free of charge :)Support the show

Send us a textWelcome to Season 5 of The Lonely Triathlete. I'm going back to Olympic Distance training. Join me as I discuss my failures and successes along the way.Support the show

Send us a textWell, here we go, about to start the 5th season of The Lonely Triathlete. Follow along as I give you a glimpse into my training and racing life and hopefully make your own training sessions a little less lonely.Support the show

Send us a textSomething I doubled down on this past season was ensuring that I properly fueled each and every workout. I think it worked like magic.Support the show

Send us a textI'm still between training seasons. So what have been doing? Eating and eating and not working out. What better time to get a Dexa scan! Guess what it revealed?Support the show

Send us a textThat quote is taken from the film Vanilla Sky and it reminds us that we have the capacity to change our behaviors with each passing moment. Will we? And if we do, how much more impactful could our lives become?Support the show

Send us a textIs there something wrong with me? While I recognize that professional triathletes lay down some of the wildest, impressive performance...they don't inspire or motivate me. So I looked it, and there seem to be some good reasons for feeling this way. Support the show

Send us a textMy season insights in a letter to my listeners.Support the show

Send us a textThere is a common mistake in racing and I fell victim. I didn't think I would. I don't know that I ever have. But I did. Have you ever made the same mistake?Support the show

Send us a textOr, rather, recover from burnout or potential burnout. You train hard but do you recover equally as hard? I'm talking end-of-season recovery. Do you do that hard? Maybe you should?Support the show

Send us a textYour attitude matters! The way you approach a training session, your self-talk and beliefs, all contribute to either a positive or negative impact on your short and long -term performance.And (drum roll, please) this episode marks my FOURTH year of hosting the Lonely Triathlete podcast. Yay!For those interested in the book I referenced, you can find it here on Amazon:https://www.amazon.ca/Let-Your-Mind-Run-Thinking/dp/1524760765/ref=sr_1_1?crid=158ZQRWZIIUJE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.XbRm4hBzIYYZdqzcSqoGCohB5iBe7AiID4_L2XupF6gG4YOOl_mRC3j54EVA5d7xP8B5nLP6bkzgMrbjelLct4DJdh14wkaLES_uFsnWiQOs4JNSHxkDVDTG_f37eBub3oCmS_j06x2pUoMQx9R8dz5ynYgrJ_0vuYAOVvON4G7R2rjfObK2H-sBNWy6zSQfOPNEQ1UViuYQGIaI3qL1qRuzxcBXZEbTZaMXsmf2VaE.QyGz-ngEn9bkLLYpAXJjWZEqLwkTiOkMefV609Ixios&dib_tag=se&keywords=let+your+mind+run&qid=1756077631&s=books&sprefix=let+your+mind+run%2Cstripbooks%2C157&sr=1-1Support the show

Send us a textTriathlon training has a lot in common with financial investing. I went from having almost nothing saved for my retirement at 40 years old to being able to comfortably retire (at least that's the plan) when I am 62. And I did it using the same principles I used to get faster at triathlon. You can too!Support the show

Send us a textYou know, the person that only talks about triathlon? That only talks about racing? That only talks about that one subject every...single...time. Don't be them! You have my encouragement to branch out in your interests a bit.As mentioned, I encourage you all to check out The Move Daily podcast, especially the episode where the host, Tracy Steen, gets into the weeds with me about what happened to my brain a handful of years ago and what inspired me to continue in the sport of triathlon when I wasn't sure I could continue doing what I loved.From Tumour To Triathlon with The Lonely Triathlete - https://youtu.be/kWQBlGYGTY4?si=-m7L8rYfwiGuEobNEntire Catalog - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHhsr_Eb6MObLXkx85WCVX3Osr30x7gJaSupport the show

Send us a textTrack etiquette, I get into it. The Runna app, I get into it. Blue-green algae in most of our local lakes, gotta get out of that!Support the show

Send us a textI took the last week off, and even if I hadn't decided to voluntarily, that last shingles vaccine did me in something fierce so I wouldn't have had a choice but to take some time off! Come to think of it, I sure have had a lot of vaccines in my life.Support the show

Send us a textTaking an extended (but short term break) from training can reap many rewards!Support the show

Send us a textI did my second Standard Distance race in 2 weeks. Was I able to compete? Did I blow up  or was I recovered? Listen to find out. And I'll tell you in advance, I learned a few things that I'm interested in sharing with you.Support the show

Send us a textThe bulk of your training is behind you, racing is in front if you. Enjoy it! This is what a winter/spring of training is for. Get immersed in it. Be a spectator as well as a racer. Soak it all in!Support the show

Send us a textThe big question this year - would exclusive 70.3 training lead to a slower Olympic Distance race? Listen and find out.Support the show

Send us a textI've raced according to: heart rate, pace, speed and power. But these days it's all about Rate of Perceived Exertion. Support the show

Send us a textI splurged on a red light/near-infrared (NIR) device. So far, I'm loving it. I swear, it has reduced the pain of my patellar tendinopathy. Or it could just be placebo effect :)What is red light therapy? How can I, as a triathlete, use it to enhance my energy and recovery? I'll get into it.

Send us a textI've started adding ritual to my non-athletic life and I'm really enjoying it. So, why not add ritual to some of my triathlon practices?

Send us a textI've got 70.3 fitness, what should I do with it? Play it safe? Do the same-old-same-old? Or should I take some risks, should I learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. It's time to do some extra racing, throw caution to the wind, get out there and risk failure. How exciting!

Send us a textI didn't think I'd learn much during this race. But, oh boy, did I ever.

Send us a textIs it just me or do many of us suffer from pre-race DOUBT? I've put in the training for 8 months yet I don't think I'll perform to my highest standard. How can that be?Do you ever feel that way? Please share at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

Send us a textWe are all used to training our bodies for peak performance but what training our minds? Welcome Stoic Journaling!If you decide to journal, drop me a line and let me know how it's going at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

Send us a textAs my race draws closer, I'm starting to obsess over details!(and yes, I'm aware FTP = Function THRESHOLD Power, brain fart detected!)

Send us a textI hate to sound like a broken record but I may have hurt myself again. Will I ever learn?

Send us a textI'm injured, again! Vaccine sickness, nerve compression. When will it stop? Time to bring out my mantra around accepting what I can't control.

Send us a textMy mom is worried about my knee health? Should she be?

Send us a textWe were all newbies at one point! Every newcomer to the sport is nervous or anxious about some element of triathlon and  in this episode I think back to my first time in the sport, how each element gave me some  issues and how I eventually overcame.

Send us a textMany of us want to be as fast as possible in our races. Imagine if someone handed you a voucher that removed minutes from your race time for free (or a small fee)? Many of us would take that deal. Well, turns out that you CAN buy "free" speed.

Send us a textHow do we know if we are ready? What thought plague our minds? Are waterproof shoes actually waterproof? In this episode I share with you all my hopes and fears!

Send us a textHow do you know where that sweet spot is between training hard enough and training too hard? Is training too hard (to your detriment) even a thing? In this episode I wax poetic about the perils of overtraining.