The Lonely Triathlete - triathlon training and motivation for the masses

Getting race ready requires a plan and patience. It requires consistency. It requires boring determination. Then you have to show up on race day and swim, bike and run to the best of your ability. Simple, isn't it?Are you a member yet? Check membership options at www.patreon.com/thelonelytriathleteTRANSCRIPTHappy Fathers Day and Welcome back to The Lonely Triathlete.Well… this is it.Eight months of training comes down to this.In just over a week, on June 28th, I'll be lining up at the start line with a goal that, honestly, would have seemed pretty ambitious a few years ago.I'm going to attempt to qualify for the Triathlon Age Group World Championships.And the funny thing is… I actually think I have a shot.Now, before anyone thinks I'm getting ahead of myself, let me explain.Last year at this same race, I finished first in my age category.Which sounds pretty impressive.Except there's a small detail.I was the only person in my category.So technically, yes, I was first.But I was also first because I was the only one.And that's one of the funny things about endurance sports. You can prepare, you can train, you can execute — but there are still so many things completely outside your control.Who shows up.Who is having the race of their life.Who has been training specifically for that event.And that's why I'm trying not to obsess about the competition.That said, I do think there are a few things that could work in my favour.This qualifier has not been heavily promoted. In fact, even knowing that this was a qualification race, I had trouble finding much information about it.So maybe that means fewer people are chasing those qualification spots.Maybe someone fast shows up and beats me — but they didn't realize there were extra steps required to actually qualify.Who knows?The other thing is there is a potential rival I'm watching.He beat me by about a minute at the Vancouver Standard distance race in 2024.A minute.That's not a huge gap.That's the difference between a good transition and a slow one.A slightly better swim.A smarter bike.A stronger run.But he is also racing at the World Championships at the Sprint distance in Spain later this year, so it's possible he won't be targeting this Standard distance race.Again though — all of that is speculation.And that brings me to the only thing I actually control.The preparation.So what have I done since October to give myself the best possible chance?Number one: consistency.I started training back in October and I have put in six days a week of training consistently.And that is the thing I'm probably most proud of.Not one huge workout.Not one heroic training week.Just showing up.Week after week.The swim sessions.The bike sessions.The runs.The recovery.The boring stuff.Because that's where endurance fitness is built.The race is just the final exam.The work happened months ago.The second thing I'm really excited about is my bike fitness.My FTP is the highest it has ever been.I'm sitting around 270 watts.And my watts per kilogram is also the highest it has ever been — around 3.43 watts per kilogram.For me, that's a huge milestone.Because the goal isn't just to be fit.The goal is to be fit enough that I can swim, bike, and still run well.That's the challenge of triathlon.Then there are the little things.The marginal gains.Because if you're a triathlete, you know exactly what I mean.At some point you start looking for every possible advantage.This year I added aerodynamic calf sleeves.Will they make a difference?Hopefully.Maybe they save me a few watts.Maybe those few watts add up.I've also got a new pair of Speed Laces ready for my race shoes.Because it makes absolutely no sense to spend eight months training and then waste 15 seconds in transition tying your shoes.I am fully aware of how silly it is to spend money on marginal gains but the reality is, as a mid or back-of-the-packer while these things don't matter, once you've done everything in your power to hit the podium and yet fall 1 minute short, it is an option to try and squeeze that minute from a slightly faster pair of shoes or by shaving your foreams or by getting those extra massage sessions. What else? Well, I've also got my new pair of TheMagic5 Vector goggles ready to go.A leak-free swim and clear vision is a pretty good way to start the race.And nutrition is another big focus this year.I've switched to Precision Fuel and Hydration.I'm loading more electrolytes before the race, and I'm carrying more electrolytes with me on the bike and run.Now, can I say for certain that electrolytes were a limiter for me?No.Especially at the Olympic distance.But I strongly suspect they hurt me during my 70.3 last year.So this year I'd rather go into the race slightly overprepared than underprepared.Speaking of things outside the plan…If you follow my Patreon, you'll know I had a bit of a scare two weeks ago.I hurt my back.I think it happened during swimming, and for about three days I was in significant discomfort.It affected my sleep.It affected my ability to train.And the decision I made was probably one of the hardest decisions for an athlete:I stopped.I took eight full days completely off training.And in hindsight hat was the right decision.I've also seen a chiropractor twice.And I'll admit — I've had reservations about chiropractors in the past.That's probably a topic for another episode.But I have to say, I've been really impressed with the care I received.Not just the treatment itself, but the exercise recommendations and stretching protocols afterward.That homework has probably been just as valuable as the treatment.The other little experiment I've added is supplementing with 200 milligrams a day of Ubiquinol.This is the more bioavailable form of CoQ10.There are some studies suggesting potential benefits for endurance and recovery.Now, the frustrating part is that these things take time.Apparently four to six weeks for meaningful levels in the body.So I'm probably not going to see some magical transformation before race day.But if it gives me even the smallest advantage?I'll take it.At this point, there really isn't much more I can do.Other than one thing.Stay calm.There is a fine line between preparation and obsession.Between having a plan and trying to control every single variable.The weather.The competition.The exact race conditions.You can't control those things.You can only control how you respond.Im happy to see that at the moent the forecast is looking pretty ideal.Cool temperatures.Blue skies.A great day for racing.So my goal for the final week is to be Zen about the things I can't control.I want to show up prepared.I want to execute my race.I want to challenge myself.Yes, I want to qualify for Worlds.That's the goal.But at the end of the day, the reason I do this sport is bigger than a result.It's the feeling of pushing myself.It's being surrounded by other people who live this strange triathlon lifestyle.It's knowing that I gave my best.And regardless of the outcome, I know I'll come away with either satisfaction, insight, or both.And why does any of this matter to me as a 58 year old amateur? Because as I age it is becoming increasingly clear that life is not forever. Every day brings a headline that a childhood hero or celebrity has passed away. More and more often I'm hearing of friends with sudden health issues. Personally, I'm experiencing injuries at a higher rate than ever. I realize that our time in this sport has a limit and while we never can never know where that limit is, it's out there somewhere on the horizon.So…The countdown begins once again.June 28th.Let's see what happens.Until next time, peace

Getting race ready requires a plan and patience. It requires consistency. It requires boring determination. Then you have to show up on race day and swim, bike and run to the best of your ability. Simple, isn't it?TRANSCRIPTHappy Fathers Day and Welcome back to The Lonely Triathlete.Well… this is it.Eight months of training comes down to this.In just over a week, on June 28th, I'll be lining up at the start line with a goal that, honestly, would have seemed pretty ambitious a few years ago.I'm going to attempt to qualify for the Triathlon Age Group World Championships.And the funny thing is… I actually think I have a shot.Now, before anyone thinks I'm getting ahead of myself, let me explain.Last year at this same race, I finished first in my age category.Which sounds pretty impressive.Except there's a small detail.I was the only person in my category.So technically, yes, I was first.But I was also first because I was the only one.And that's one of the funny things about endurance sports. You can prepare, you can train, you can execute — but there are still so many things completely outside your control.Who shows up.Who is having the race of their life.Who has been training specifically for that event.And that's why I'm trying not to obsess about the competition.That said, I do think there are a few things that could work in my favour.This qualifier has not been heavily promoted. In fact, even knowing that this was a qualification race, I had trouble finding much information about it.So maybe that means fewer people are chasing those qualification spots.Maybe someone fast shows up and beats me — but they didn't realize there were extra steps required to actually qualify.Who knows?The other thing is there is a potential rival I'm watching.He beat me by about a minute at the Vancouver Standard distance race in 2024.A minute.That's not a huge gap.That's the difference between a good transition and a slow one.A slightly better swim.A smarter bike.A stronger run.But he is also racing at the World Championships at the Sprint distance in Spain later this year, so it's possible he won't be targeting this Standard distance race.Again though — all of that is speculation.And that brings me to the only thing I actually control.The preparation.So what have I done since October to give myself the best possible chance?Number one: consistency.I started training back in October and I have put in six days a week of training consistently.And that is the thing I'm probably most proud of.Not one huge workout.Not one heroic training week.Just showing up.Week after week.The swim sessions.The bike sessions.The runs.The recovery.The boring stuff.Because that's where endurance fitness is built.The race is just the final exam.The work happened months ago.The second thing I'm really excited about is my bike fitness.My FTP is the highest it has ever been.I'm sitting around 270 watts.And my watts per kilogram is also the highest it has ever been — around 3.43 watts per kilogram.For me, that's a huge milestone.Because the goal isn't just to be fit.The goal is to be fit enough that I can swim, bike, and still run well.That's the challenge of triathlon.Then there are the little things.The marginal gains.Because if you're a triathlete, you know exactly what I mean.At some point you start looking for every possible advantage.This year I added aerodynamic calf sleeves.Will they make a difference?Hopefully.Maybe they save me a few watts.Maybe those few watts add up.I've also got a new pair of Speed Laces ready for my race shoes.Because it makes absolutely no sense to spend eight months training and then waste 15 seconds in transition tying your shoes.I am fully aware of how silly it is to spend money on marginal gains but the reality is, as a mid or back-of-the-packer while these things don't matter, once you've done everything in your power to hit the podium and yet fall 1 minute short, it is an option to try and squeeze that minute from a slightly faster pair of shoes or by shaving your foreams or by getting those extra massage sessions. What else? Well, I've also got my new pair of TheMagic5 Vector goggles ready to go.A leak-free swim and clear vision is a pretty good way to start the race.And nutrition is another big focus this year.I've switched to Precision Fuel and Hydration.I'm loading more electrolytes before the race, and I'm carrying more electrolytes with me on the bike and run.Now, can I say for certain that electrolytes were a limiter for me?No.Especially at the Olympic distance.But I strongly suspect they hurt me during my 70.3 last year.So this year I'd rather go into the race slightly overprepared than underprepared.Speaking of things outside the plan…If you follow my Patreon, you'll know I had a bit of a scare two weeks ago.I hurt my back.I think it happened during swimming, and for about three days I was in significant discomfort.It affected my sleep.It affected my ability to train.And the decision I made was probably one of the hardest decisions for an athlete:I stopped.I took eight full days completely off training.And in hindsight hat was the right decision.I've also seen a chiropractor twice.And I'll admit — I've had reservations about chiropractors in the past.That's probably a topic for another episode.But I have to say, I've been really impressed with the care I received.Not just the treatment itself, but the exercise recommendations and stretching protocols afterward.That homework has probably been just as valuable as the treatment.The other little experiment I've added is supplementing with 200 milligrams a day of Ubiquinol.This is the more bioavailable form of CoQ10.There are some studies suggesting potential benefits for endurance and recovery.Now, the frustrating part is that these things take time.Apparently four to six weeks for meaningful levels in the body.So I'm probably not going to see some magical transformation before race day.But if it gives me even the smallest advantage?I'll take it.At this point, there really isn't much more I can do.Other than one thing.Stay calm.There is a fine line between preparation and obsession.Between having a plan and trying to control every single variable.The weather.The competition.The exact race conditions.You can't control those things.You can only control how you respond.Im happy to see that at the moent the forecast is looking pretty ideal.Cool temperatures.Blue skies.A great day for racing.So my goal for the final week is to be Zen about the things I can't control.I want to show up prepared.I want to execute my race.I want to challenge myself.Yes, I want to qualify for Worlds.That's the goal.But at the end of the day, the reason I do this sport is bigger than a result.It's the feeling of pushing myself.It's being surrounded by other people who live this strange triathlon lifestyle.It's knowing that I gave my best.And regardless of the outcome, I know I'll come away with either satisfaction, insight, or both.And why does any of this matter to me as a 58 year old amateur? Because as I age it is becoming increasingly clear that life is not forever. Every day brings a headline that a childhood hero or celebrity has passed away. More and more often I'm hearing of friends with sudden health issues. Personally, I'm experiencing injuries at a higher rate than ever. I realize that our time in this sport has a limit and while we never can never know where that limit is, it's out there somewhere on the horizon.So…The countdown begins once again.June 28th.Let's see what happens.Until next time, peace

Let's face it, swimming 3.9km is no easy feat. Let's say you can easily swim 1.9km but find the IM swim cutoff challenging, what can be done. Well, it depends on your particular obstacles so let's get into it.Head on over to www.patreon.com/thelonelytriathlete for more lonely content!TRANSCRIPTA few weeks ago, my awesome patron on Patreon reached out with a question. Hi Ron, hope you are doing well.Ron is turning 74 years old.He's completed four Ironman 70.3 races.Four.Let's just pause there for a moment. What a freaking inspiration!Most people his age aren't training for endurance events. Many aren't exercising at all. Yet here's a guy still swimming, biking, running, racing, and setting ambitious goals.His question to me was simple.Why can he complete a 70.3 swim, but can't seem to make to swim cutoff in an Ironman swim?It's a fascinating question because on the surface it sounds like a swimming problem.But I don't think it is.At least not entirely.And the more I thought about it, the more I realized this episode isn't really about swimming.It's about something all endurance athletes eventually face.The point where determination alone is no longer enough.The point where we have to get smarter.Not just tougher.Now before we go any further, let's acknowledge something.A 74-year-old athlete attempting an Ironman deserves respect.Period.It would be easy to focus on what isn't working.But I'd rather focus on what already is.This athlete has completed four 70.3 races. That tells me he has discipline, consistency, courage, and experience.The question isn't whether he's capable of hard things.Clearly he is.The question is whether the approach that got him through a half Ironman can get him through a full one.And those are not always the same thing.The first thing I'd want to know is whether he can comfortably swim 3.8 kilometres in a pool.Not race it.Not hammer it.Just swim it continuously.Because if the answer is no, then we're dealing primarily with swim fitness.The Ironman swim is nearly four kilometres long.That's a long way.And while it looks like exactly twice the distance of a 70.3 swim, anyone who's raced long enough knows it doesn't feel like twice the distance.Fatigue compounds.Small inefficiencies become major inefficiencies.Little mistakes become quite expensive.And if you've never developed the fitness to comfortably cover that distance, the water will expose you.But let's imagine he CAN swim the distance in the pool.NOW things get interesting.Because that means the problem may not be fitness at all.It may be EFFICIENCY.One of the most important lessons I've learned in endurance sports is that fitness and efficiency are not the same thing.And nowhere is that more obvious than in swimming.You can be incredibly fit and still struggle in the water.I've heard coaches say something that stuck with me. "The water doesn't care how fit you are."And it's true.You can bully your way through a run.You can overpower mistakes on the bike.Swimming doesn't negotiate.If your technique is inefficient, the water collects payment on every single stroke.And those payments add up over nearly four kilometres.This reminds me of something from my own swimming journey.I was new to distance swimming when I took up triathlon around 25 years ago. I had a swimming background although not comptetitive and I'd never ever swam 100M straight witout stopping because...why would I? So I self taught myself how to swim. I watched videos and read a few books. I went to the pool 3-4 ays a week and swamd swam and swam until I could cover the race distace of 1500M. My times were slow, around 3:00/100M, maybe a bit faster but not much. And I figured that as I contiued to swim over the years I would naturally get faster.I was so wrong. I could muscle myself to a 2:30 pace formaybe 1000M but then I was gassed, no way I could cycle after an effort like that. Something was holding me back and I didn't know what, so I enrolled in a Masters swim class at the local pool.During one of those workouts the coach walked alongside my lane, calling out technical issues with my stroke. He kept yelling "deeper, deeper" and at the end of the class told me that on my breathing side I tended to pull very shallow, my arm didn't go deep in the water so I was effectively swimming with one hand. Over the course of a few evenings I corrected that. Then end of one of the last sessions he pulled me aside an commended me for dropping both arms deeper in the water but he said "Todd, you tend to push down with your hands and only pull towards the back half of your stroke. Remember those high elbow drills (the ones that I did but didnt really make sense to me), we do those to encourgee you to catch the water much earlier in your stroke and to PULL yourself thorugh the water rather than push down so much." Huh. Suddenly, everything made sense and as I pulled raher than pushed, I got my swim time down to 2:00/100M. A massive improvement in minimal time.What struck me afterward was how obvious those flaws seemed once they were pointed out.Yet I never would have found them on my own.I had convinced myself that the solution was more swimming.More fitness.More effort.Instead, the solution was seeing something I couldn't see.And I think that's an important lesson.Sometimes we're too close to our own problems to diagnose them accurately.The very thing holding us back may be completely invisible to us.Especially in swimming.Now there's another possibility.And this one is surprisingly common.Anxiety.I've seen athletes who can easily swim the required distance in a pool.Then race day arrives.The water is colder.There are hundreds of athletes around them.They're getting bumped and kicked.Their breathing feels different.Their wetsuit feels restrictive.Suddenly they're swimming at an intensity they would never sustain in training.Their heart rate climbs.Their stroke shortens.Their efficiency disappears.And twenty minutes later they're paying the price.Many Ironman swim struggles aren't actually swimming struggles.They're pacing struggles.They're anxiety struggles.They're energy management struggles.The athlete is burning matches far too early.When people talk about Ironman, they often focus on speed.But for many athletes, especially older athletes, the goal isn't speed.It's economy.How LITTLE energy can you spend to move through the water?How relaxed can you stay?How efficiently can you convert effort into forward motion?Those questions become increasingly important as we age.At 25 years old, we can often compensate for technical flaws.At 74, every unnecessary movement has a cost.Every inefficient stroke carries a penalty.Which brings me to the part of this conversation I find most interesting.There comes a point in every endurance athlete's life when we must decide whether we are trying harder or trying smarter.And that's not always an easy distinction to make.Most of us love hard work.We trust hard work.Hard work feels noble.If something isn't working, our instinct is often to do more.More miles.More intervals.More volume.More suffering.But sometimes the breakthrough isn't on the other side of more effort.Sometimes it's on the other side of better information.A coach notices something.A training partner sees something.A video reveals something.An expert identifies a flaw we've been carrying for years.And suddenly progress happens.Not because we're working harder.Because we're finally working on the right thing.I don't know whether Ron's challenge is fitness, technique, pacing, anxiety, or some combination of all four.But I do know this.The goal is not to SURVIVE the Ironman swim.The goal is to become the kind of swimmer for whom the Ironman swim is MANAGEBLE.That's a different objective entirely.And I think that's true outside of triathlon too.The challenges we struggle with for years are not always asking for more determination.Sometimes they're asking for a new perspective.Sometimes they're asking for better guidance.Sometimes they're asking us to admit that we don't know what we don't know.And that might be one of the hardest lessons in endurance sports.Not that we need to work harder.But that we might need help.If you're listening today and you're chasing a goal that's been stubbornly out of reach, maybe ask yourself this question.Am I missing effort?Or am I missing insight?Because those are very different problems.And one of them is often easier to solve than we think.Thanks for listening.And remember, whether you're training for your first sprint triathlon, your fifth Ironman, or simply trying to stay active and healthy as the years go by, you're not training alone.You're just another lonely triathlete.Until next time,Peace

Let's face it, swimming 3.9km is no easy feat. Let's say you can easily swim 1.9km but find the IM swim cutoff challenging, what can be done. Well, it depends on your particular obstacles so let's get into it.TRANSCRIPTA few weeks ago, my awesome patron on Patreon reached out with a question. Hi Ron, hope you are doing well.Ron is turning 74 years old.He's completed four Ironman 70.3 races.Four.Let's just pause there for a moment. What a freaking inspiration!Most people his age aren't training for endurance events. Many aren't exercising at all. Yet here's a guy still swimming, biking, running, racing, and setting ambitious goals.His question to me was simple.Why can he complete a 70.3 swim, but can't seem to make to swim cutoff in an Ironman swim?It's a fascinating question because on the surface it sounds like a swimming problem.But I don't think it is.At least not entirely.And the more I thought about it, the more I realized this episode isn't really about swimming.It's about something all endurance athletes eventually face.The point where determination alone is no longer enough.The point where we have to get smarter.Not just tougher.Now before we go any further, let's acknowledge something.A 74-year-old athlete attempting an Ironman deserves respect.Period.It would be easy to focus on what isn't working.But I'd rather focus on what already is.This athlete has completed four 70.3 races. That tells me he has discipline, consistency, courage, and experience.The question isn't whether he's capable of hard things.Clearly he is.The question is whether the approach that got him through a half Ironman can get him through a full one.And those are not always the same thing.The first thing I'd want to know is whether he can comfortably swim 3.8 kilometres in a pool.Not race it.Not hammer it.Just swim it continuously.Because if the answer is no, then we're dealing primarily with swim fitness.The Ironman swim is nearly four kilometres long.That's a long way.And while it looks like exactly twice the distance of a 70.3 swim, anyone who's raced long enough knows it doesn't feel like twice the distance.Fatigue compounds.Small inefficiencies become major inefficiencies.Little mistakes become quite expensive.And if you've never developed the fitness to comfortably cover that distance, the water will expose you.But let's imagine he CAN swim the distance in the pool.NOW things get interesting.Because that means the problem may not be fitness at all.It may be EFFICIENCY.One of the most important lessons I've learned in endurance sports is that fitness and efficiency are not the same thing.And nowhere is that more obvious than in swimming.You can be incredibly fit and still struggle in the water.I've heard coaches say something that stuck with me. "The water doesn't care how fit you are."And it's true.You can bully your way through a run.You can overpower mistakes on the bike.Swimming doesn't negotiate.If your technique is inefficient, the water collects payment on every single stroke.And those payments add up over nearly four kilometres.This reminds me of something from my own swimming journey.I was new to distance swimming when I took up triathlon around 25 years ago. I had a swimming background although not comptetitive and I'd never ever swam 100M straight witout stopping because...why would I? So I self taught myself how to swim. I watched videos and read a few books. I went to the pool 3-4 ays a week and swamd swam and swam until I could cover the race distace of 1500M. My times were slow, around 3:00/100M, maybe a bit faster but not much. And I figured that as I contiued to swim over the years I would naturally get faster.I was so wrong. I could muscle myself to a 2:30 pace formaybe 1000M but then I was gassed, no way I could cycle after an effort like that. Something was holding me back and I didn't know what, so I enrolled in a Masters swim class at the local pool.During one of those workouts the coach walked alongside my lane, calling out technical issues with my stroke. He kept yelling "deeper, deeper" and at the end of the class told me that on my breathing side I tended to pull very shallow, my arm didn't go deep in the water so I was effectively swimming with one hand. Over the course of a few evenings I corrected that. Then end of one of the last sessions he pulled me aside an commended me for dropping both arms deeper in the water but he said "Todd, you tend to push down with your hands and only pull towards the back half of your stroke. Remember those high elbow drills (the ones that I did but didnt really make sense to me), we do those to encourgee you to catch the water much earlier in your stroke and to PULL yourself thorugh the water rather than push down so much." Huh. Suddenly, everything made sense and as I pulled raher than pushed, I got my swim time down to 2:00/100M. A massive improvement in minimal time.What struck me afterward was how obvious those flaws seemed once they were pointed out.Yet I never would have found them on my own.I had convinced myself that the solution was more swimming.More fitness.More effort.Instead, the solution was seeing something I couldn't see.And I think that's an important lesson.Sometimes we're too close to our own problems to diagnose them accurately.The very thing holding us back may be completely invisible to us.Especially in swimming.Now there's another possibility.And this one is surprisingly common.Anxiety.I've seen athletes who can easily swim the required distance in a pool.Then race day arrives.The water is colder.There are hundreds of athletes around them.They're getting bumped and kicked.Their breathing feels different.Their wetsuit feels restrictive.Suddenly they're swimming at an intensity they would never sustain in training.Their heart rate climbs.Their stroke shortens.Their efficiency disappears.And twenty minutes later they're paying the price.Many Ironman swim struggles aren't actually swimming struggles.They're pacing struggles.They're anxiety struggles.They're energy management struggles.The athlete is burning matches far too early.When people talk about Ironman, they often focus on speed.But for many athletes, especially older athletes, the goal isn't speed.It's economy.How LITTLE energy can you spend to move through the water?How relaxed can you stay?How efficiently can you convert effort into forward motion?Those questions become increasingly important as we age.At 25 years old, we can often compensate for technical flaws.At 74, every unnecessary movement has a cost.Every inefficient stroke carries a penalty.Which brings me to the part of this conversation I find most interesting.There comes a point in every endurance athlete's life when we must decide whether we are trying harder or trying smarter.And that's not always an easy distinction to make.Most of us love hard work.We trust hard work.Hard work feels noble.If something isn't working, our instinct is often to do more.More miles.More intervals.More volume.More suffering.But sometimes the breakthrough isn't on the other side of more effort.Sometimes it's on the other side of better information.A coach notices something.A training partner sees something.A video reveals something.An expert identifies a flaw we've been carrying for years.And suddenly progress happens.Not because we're working harder.Because we're finally working on the right thing.I don't know whether Ron's challenge is fitness, technique, pacing, anxiety, or some combination of all four.But I do know this.The goal is not to SURVIVE the Ironman swim.The goal is to become the kind of swimmer for whom the Ironman swim is MANAGEBLE.That's a different objective entirely.And I think that's true outside of triathlon too.The challenges we struggle with for years are not always asking for more determination.Sometimes they're asking for a new perspective.Sometimes they're asking for better guidance.Sometimes they're asking us to admit that we don't know what we don't know.And that might be one of the hardest lessons in endurance sports.Not that we need to work harder.But that we might need help.If you're listening today and you're chasing a goal that's been stubbornly out of reach, maybe ask yourself this question.Am I missing effort?Or am I missing insight?Because those are very different problems.And one of them is often easier to solve than we think.Thanks for listening.And remember, whether you're training for your first sprint triathlon, your fifth Ironman, or simply trying to stay active and healthy as the years go by, you're not training alone.You're just another lonely triathlete.Until next time,Peace

This year, if you could perform one behavior over and over (that you aren't currently doing) that you think would most positively impact your triathlon performance, what would that be? It would be a powerful habit, is what I think!Come join our community at www.patreon.com/thelonelytriathleteTRANSCRIPTToday I want to talk about something that might be more important than your training plan, more important than your latest piece of gear, and maybe even more important than your motivation.I want to talk about habits.Because if you've been in this sport long enough, you've probably noticed something.The athletes who succeed year after year aren't necessarily the most talented.They aren't always the fastest.They aren't always the most motivated.They're often just the ones with the best habits.And that's because habits do something incredibly valuable.They reduce the number of decisions we have to make.Every decision requires energy.Should I go to bed now or watch one more episode?Should I do my workout before work or after work?Should I eat the apple or the doughnut?Should I stretch?Should I hydrate?Should I foam roll?Should I prepare tomorrow's workout?If every one of those actions requires a fresh decision every day, eventually decision fatigue wins.Life gets busy.Work gets stressful.The kids need something.The weather is lousy.And suddenly all those good intentions disappear.But habits are different.Habits automate behavior.When something becomes a habit, we stop negotiating with ourselves.We simply do it.And that's where long-term performance gains come from.Not heroic efforts.Not occasional bursts of motivation.Consistency.The compound interest of athletic performance.So today I want to walk through some of the most valuable habits a triathlete can build.Not workouts.Not race strategies.Habits.The small recurring actions that quietly improve performance over time.Before we get into the specific habits that improve performance, I want to share something.For a long time, I wrestled with the whole idea of habits.They sounded boring.They sounded restrictive.I like spontaneity.I like making decisions off the cuff.I like the feeling that I'm in control of my time and free to do whatever I want in a given moment.For years, I looked at highly structured routines and thought, "That doesn't sound like a very interesting way to live."I thought habits would make life feel scripted.Like I was following a checklist instead of actually living.But over time, I came to realize a couple of things.The first was that finding an effective action and repeating it over and over again is incredibly productive.Far more productive than constantly making mistakes and trying to reinvent the wheel.Think about triathlon training.Once you discover a workout structure that works, you don't throw it away and invent an entirely new training philosophy every Tuesday.You repeat what works.You build on it.You let consistency create results.So why wouldn't the same principle apply to sleep, nutrition, recovery, and the rest of life?The second realization was even more important.I discovered that I was already living a life full of habits.I just wasn't calling them habits.I showered at roughly the same time every morning.I ate many of the same breakfasts.I arrived at work at roughly the same time.I watched many of the same television shows.I read many of the same types of books.I followed dozens of patterns every single day without even thinking about them.In other words, habits weren't something I needed to add to my life.They were already there.The difference was that most of them had developed unconsciously.And that's when the light bulb went on.If habits already exist in my life, why not examine them?Why not identify which ones are helping me and which ones are holding me back?Why not intentionally select the habits that support my goals?Why not add the ones that are missing?Instead of letting habits happen by accident, why not consciously design them?That's when habits stopped feeling restrictive to me.They started feeling empowering.Because habits aren't really about removing freedom.They're about using today's decisions to make tomorrow easier.And for endurance athletes, that's a pretty powerful advantage.Sleep HabitsLet's start with the foundation.Sleep.I know.Sleep isn't exciting.Nobody posts screenshots of their bedtime on social media.But if there was a legal performance-enhancing drug available to every athlete, sleep would probably be it.The problem is that many athletes treat sleep like whatever time is left over after everything else is done.Instead, high-performing athletes often reverse the equation.Sleep comes first.Everything else fits around it.One habit that can dramatically improve sleep quality is having a consistent bedtime.Not just on weekdays.Every day.Your body loves routine.Going to bed at roughly the same time each night trains your body to expect sleep.Another powerful habit is reducing screen time before bed.I'm not perfect at this one.In fact, I suspect many of us are not.But we all know the difference between drifting off peacefully and scrolling through social media until midnight.A third habit is preparing for tomorrow before going to bed.Lay out your workout clothes.Charge your watch.Fill your water bottle.When you wake up, there is less friction between you and the workout.And less friction means more consistency.Training HabitsNow let's talk about training.Most athletes focus on the big sessions.The long ride.The key run.The hard intervals.But the athletes who improve year after year tend to have strong training habits.One of the best habits is simply protecting training time.Treating workouts like appointments.We don't skip dentist appointments because we don't feel like going.We shouldn't casually skip important workouts either.Another habit is beginning workouts at a consistent time whenever possible.If you always run at 6:00 AM, eventually your brain stops debating whether you're going.It's just what you do.The same way brushing your teeth is what you do.One habit I've come to appreciate is tracking workouts immediately after completion.A few notes.How did it feel?What worked?What didn't?Those little observations accumulate over months and years.They help us become smarter athletes.And perhaps the most important training habit of all:Show up on the days you don't feel like it.Not every workout needs to be amazing.Sometimes success is simply putting on the shoes and starting.Many workouts that begin reluctantly end up being perfectly fine.Recovery HabitsRecovery is where a lot of age-group athletes leave performance on the table.We spend hours thinking about training.Minutes thinking about recovery.Yet recovery is where adaptation actually happens.One valuable habit is doing a short recovery routine immediately after training.Not someday later.Immediately.Five minutes.Stretching.Foam rolling.Walking.Whatever works for you.The key is consistency.Another habit is paying attention to recovery markers.How's your energy?How's your mood?How's your motivation?How's your resting heart rate?How are you sleeping?Elite athletes monitor recovery because they understand that training stress only creates improvement if recovery keeps pace.One recovery habit I've become a fan of is scheduling recovery before you think you need it.Not after you're exhausted.Before.Because once fatigue becomes obvious, you've often been accumulating it for quite some time.Nutrition HabitsNow let's move to nutrition.If you're anything like me, you may have spent years looking for nutrition secrets.But most successful athletes aren't relying on secrets.They're relying on habits.For example, having a protein-rich breakfast.Hydrating first thing in the morning.Bringing healthy snacks to work.Eating vegetables with most meals.None of these habits are revolutionary.But together they become powerful.One nutrition habit that made a huge difference for me was becoming more aware of evening snacking.It's amazing how many calories can sneak in between dinner and bedtime.A handful of chips becomes a bowl.A bowl becomes several hundred calories.And suddenly we're wondering why training isn't producing the body composition changes we expected.Another critical habit is fueling workouts properly.Especially longer sessions.Many athletes train hard but under-fuel.Then wonder why performance stalls.Consistent fueling is a habit.Just like consistent hydration.And just like recovery.The Habit That Connects EverythingThere's one habit that may be more important than any other.Planning.Every successful athlete I know plans.Maybe not obsessively.But intentionally.They know when they're training.They know what they're eating.They know where recovery fits into the week.They don't leave important behaviors to chance.Because chance is usually where inconsistency lives.A few minutes of planning each week can eliminate dozens of decisions.And remember, every decision you eliminate preserves mental energy.How Do We Identify the Right Habits?So how do we decide which habits to build?Here's a simple question.What behavior, if repeated consistently for the next year, would have the biggest positive impact on my performance?Notice I didn't say biggest workout.I said behavior.Maybe it's going to bed 30 minutes earlier.Maybe it's drinking more water.Maybe it's strength training twice a week.Maybe it's eliminating late-night snacking.The best habit is often not the most impressive one.It's the one that addresses your biggest weakness.And it's the one you're actually willing to do.How Do We Turn Behaviors Into Habits?The mistake many athletes make is trying to change everything at once.More training.Better nutrition.Earlier bedtime.Daily stretching.Strength training.Meditation.Hydration.Reading.Journaling.By next Tuesday they're exhausted.So, start small. Ridiculously small.If you want to stretch more, start with five minutes.If you want to improve sleep, move bedtime earlier by fifteen minutes.If you want to hydrate better, put a water bottle where you'll see it.Make the habit easy.Attach it to something you already do.This is called habit stacking.After I brush my teeth, I stretch for five minutes.After I finish a workout, I drink a recovery shake.After dinner, I prepare tomorrow's training gear.The more automatic the sequence becomes, the less motivation is required.And that's the goal.Because motivation comes and goes.Habits stay.Closing ThoughtsAs triathletes, we spend a lot of time chasing breakthroughs.The perfect workout.The perfect race.The perfect piece of equipment.But most breakthroughs aren't dramatic.They're quiet.They're the result of hundreds of small actions repeated over and over again.A consistent bedtime.A prepared water bottle.A planned workout.A healthy snack.Five minutes of stretching.Nothing spectacular on its own.But together?They create the athlete you become.So this week, don't ask yourself what huge change you need to make.Ask yourself:What's one habit that future me will be grateful I started today?Build that habit.Protect it.Repeat it.And then let consistency do what consistency always does.Compound.

This year, if you could perform one behavior over and over (that you aren't currently doing) that you think would most positively impact your triathlon performance, what would that be? It would be a powerful habit, is what I think!TRANSCRIPTToday I want to talk about something that might be more important than your training plan, more important than your latest piece of gear, and maybe even more important than your motivation.I want to talk about habits.Because if you've been in this sport long enough, you've probably noticed something.The athletes who succeed year after year aren't necessarily the most talented.They aren't always the fastest.They aren't always the most motivated.They're often just the ones with the best habits.And that's because habits do something incredibly valuable.They reduce the number of decisions we have to make.Every decision requires energy.Should I go to bed now or watch one more episode?Should I do my workout before work or after work?Should I eat the apple or the doughnut?Should I stretch?Should I hydrate?Should I foam roll?Should I prepare tomorrow's workout?If every one of those actions requires a fresh decision every day, eventually decision fatigue wins.Life gets busy.Work gets stressful.The kids need something.The weather is lousy.And suddenly all those good intentions disappear.But habits are different.Habits automate behavior.When something becomes a habit, we stop negotiating with ourselves.We simply do it.And that's where long-term performance gains come from.Not heroic efforts.Not occasional bursts of motivation.Consistency.The compound interest of athletic performance.So today I want to walk through some of the most valuable habits a triathlete can build.Not workouts.Not race strategies.Habits.The small recurring actions that quietly improve performance over time.Before we get into the specific habits that improve performance, I want to share something.For a long time, I wrestled with the whole idea of habits.They sounded boring.They sounded restrictive.I like spontaneity.I like making decisions off the cuff.I like the feeling that I'm in control of my time and free to do whatever I want in a given moment.For years, I looked at highly structured routines and thought, "That doesn't sound like a very interesting way to live."I thought habits would make life feel scripted.Like I was following a checklist instead of actually living.But over time, I came to realize a couple of things.The first was that finding an effective action and repeating it over and over again is incredibly productive.Far more productive than constantly making mistakes and trying to reinvent the wheel.Think about triathlon training.Once you discover a workout structure that works, you don't throw it away and invent an entirely new training philosophy every Tuesday.You repeat what works.You build on it.You let consistency create results.So why wouldn't the same principle apply to sleep, nutrition, recovery, and the rest of life?The second realization was even more important.I discovered that I was already living a life full of habits.I just wasn't calling them habits.I showered at roughly the same time every morning.I ate many of the same breakfasts.I arrived at work at roughly the same time.I watched many of the same television shows.I read many of the same types of books.I followed dozens of patterns every single day without even thinking about them.In other words, habits weren't something I needed to add to my life.They were already there.The difference was that most of them had developed unconsciously.And that's when the light bulb went on.If habits already exist in my life, why not examine them?Why not identify which ones are helping me and which ones are holding me back?Why not intentionally select the habits that support my goals?Why not add the ones that are missing?Instead of letting habits happen by accident, why not consciously design them?That's when habits stopped feeling restrictive to me.They started feeling empowering.Because habits aren't really about removing freedom.They're about using today's decisions to make tomorrow easier.And for endurance athletes, that's a pretty powerful advantage.Sleep HabitsLet's start with the foundation.Sleep.I know.Sleep isn't exciting.Nobody posts screenshots of their bedtime on social media.But if there was a legal performance-enhancing drug available to every athlete, sleep would probably be it.The problem is that many athletes treat sleep like whatever time is left over after everything else is done.Instead, high-performing athletes often reverse the equation.Sleep comes first.Everything else fits around it.One habit that can dramatically improve sleep quality is having a consistent bedtime.Not just on weekdays.Every day.Your body loves routine.Going to bed at roughly the same time each night trains your body to expect sleep.Another powerful habit is reducing screen time before bed.I'm not perfect at this one.In fact, I suspect many of us are not.But we all know the difference between drifting off peacefully and scrolling through social media until midnight.A third habit is preparing for tomorrow before going to bed.Lay out your workout clothes.Charge your watch.Fill your water bottle.When you wake up, there is less friction between you and the workout.And less friction means more consistency.Training HabitsNow let's talk about training.Most athletes focus on the big sessions.The long ride.The key run.The hard intervals.But the athletes who improve year after year tend to have strong training habits.One of the best habits is simply protecting training time.Treating workouts like appointments.We don't skip dentist appointments because we don't feel like going.We shouldn't casually skip important workouts either.Another habit is beginning workouts at a consistent time whenever possible.If you always run at 6:00 AM, eventually your brain stops debating whether you're going.It's just what you do.The same way brushing your teeth is what you do.One habit I've come to appreciate is tracking workouts immediately after completion.A few notes.How did it feel?What worked?What didn't?Those little observations accumulate over months and years.They help us become smarter athletes.And perhaps the most important training habit of all:Show up on the days you don't feel like it.Not every workout needs to be amazing.Sometimes success is simply putting on the shoes and starting.Many workouts that begin reluctantly end up being perfectly fine.Recovery HabitsRecovery is where a lot of age-group athletes leave performance on the table.We spend hours thinking about training.Minutes thinking about recovery.Yet recovery is where adaptation actually happens.One valuable habit is doing a short recovery routine immediately after training.Not someday later.Immediately.Five minutes.Stretching.Foam rolling.Walking.Whatever works for you.The key is consistency.Another habit is paying attention to recovery markers.How's your energy?How's your mood?How's your motivation?How's your resting heart rate?How are you sleeping?Elite athletes monitor recovery because they understand that training stress only creates improvement if recovery keeps pace.One recovery habit I've become a fan of is scheduling recovery before you think you need it.Not after you're exhausted.Before.Because once fatigue becomes obvious, you've often been accumulating it for quite some time.Nutrition HabitsNow let's move to nutrition.If you're anything like me, you may have spent years looking for nutrition secrets.But most successful athletes aren't relying on secrets.They're relying on habits.For example, having a protein-rich breakfast.Hydrating first thing in the morning.Bringing healthy snacks to work.Eating vegetables with most meals.None of these habits are revolutionary.But together they become powerful.One nutrition habit that made a huge difference for me was becoming more aware of evening snacking.It's amazing how many calories can sneak in between dinner and bedtime.A handful of chips becomes a bowl.A bowl becomes several hundred calories.And suddenly we're wondering why training isn't producing the body composition changes we expected.Another critical habit is fueling workouts properly.Especially longer sessions.Many athletes train hard but under-fuel.Then wonder why performance stalls.Consistent fueling is a habit.Just like consistent hydration.And just like recovery.The Habit That Connects EverythingThere's one habit that may be more important than any other.Planning.Every successful athlete I know plans.Maybe not obsessively.But intentionally.They know when they're training.They know what they're eating.They know where recovery fits into the week.They don't leave important behaviors to chance.Because chance is usually where inconsistency lives.A few minutes of planning each week can eliminate dozens of decisions.And remember, every decision you eliminate preserves mental energy.How Do We Identify the Right Habits?So how do we decide which habits to build?Here's a simple question.What behavior, if repeated consistently for the next year, would have the biggest positive impact on my performance?Notice I didn't say biggest workout.I said behavior.Maybe it's going to bed 30 minutes earlier.Maybe it's drinking more water.Maybe it's strength training twice a week.Maybe it's eliminating late-night snacking.The best habit is often not the most impressive one.It's the one that addresses your biggest weakness.And it's the one you're actually willing to do.How Do We Turn Behaviors Into Habits?The mistake many athletes make is trying to change everything at once.More training.Better nutrition.Earlier bedtime.Daily stretching.Strength training.Meditation.Hydration.Reading.Journaling.By next Tuesday they're exhausted.So, start small. Ridiculously small.If you want to stretch more, start with five minutes.If you want to improve sleep, move bedtime earlier by fifteen minutes.If you want to hydrate better, put a water bottle where you'll see it.Make the habit easy.Attach it to something you already do.This is called habit stacking.After I brush my teeth, I stretch for five minutes.After I finish a workout, I drink a recovery shake.After dinner, I prepare tomorrow's training gear.The more automatic the sequence becomes, the less motivation is required.And that's the goal.Because motivation comes and goes.Habits stay.Closing ThoughtsAs triathletes, we spend a lot of time chasing breakthroughs.The perfect workout.The perfect race.The perfect piece of equipment.But most breakthroughs aren't dramatic.They're quiet.They're the result of hundreds of small actions repeated over and over again.A consistent bedtime.A prepared water bottle.A planned workout.A healthy snack.Five minutes of stretching.Nothing spectacular on its own.But together?They create the athlete you become.So this week, don't ask yourself what huge change you need to make.Ask yourself:What's one habit that future me will be grateful I started today?Build that habit.Protect it.Repeat it.And then let consistency do what consistency always does.Compound.

Don't most of us want to be the most optimal weight for racing? Don't most of us love eating? Don't most of us just let nature take its course and we'll then just race at whatever weight we happened to get to? It doesn't have to be that way.Come join our growing community at www.patreon.com/thelonelytriathleteTRANSCRIPTWelcome back to The Lonely Triathlete.On January 2nd, 2026, I stepped on the scale and saw a number I wasn't expecting: 193 pounds.The strange part wasn't the number itself.The strange part was that I was already training again.I had restarted my triathlon training at the end of October. I was doing dryland swim training, cycling, running, and doing all the things endurance athletes are supposed to do. Yet somehow I was carrying around an extra 23 pounds compared to where I sit today.And you know the strangest part of all?I didn't really think I needed to lose weight. I mean, I knew I was way heavier than I wanted to be for race performance but...I didn't look overweight.I wasn't struggling to fit into my clothes.Nobody was pulling me aside to express concern.The weight was distributed evenly enough that I simply looked like a bigger version of myself.Today I'm hovering very close to 170 pounds.So how does a reasonably fit triathlete gain more than 20 pounds while continuing to train?And what happens when those pounds gradually disappear?That's what I want to talk about today.Because this isn't really a story about weight loss.It's a story about habits, performance, health, and a few uncomfortable truths that many endurance athletes probably don't want to hear.One of the biggest mistakes I made was believing that training alone would solve the problem.I had stopped training consistently for a period of time and gained some weight. When I restarted my training in October, I assumed the extra pounds would simply melt away.After all, that's what seemed to happen when I was younger.More training meant more calories burned.More calories burned meant less weight.Simple.Except this time it wasn't.The scale barely moved.Months went by.The training continued.The weight stayed.Looking back, I think I was relying on an old formula that no longer applied.Age changes things.Habits matter more.And unfortunately, there is no amount of Zone 2 riding that can completely erase poor nutritional habits.If I had to identify the single biggest contributor to my weight gain, it would be evening snacking.Potato chips.Pie.Doughnuts.Simple carbohydrates.The kinds of foods that are easy to justify after a hard workout.You tell yourself you've earned it.You tell yourself you've burned enough calories.You tell yourself it's only one snack.And then that one snack becomes a daily habit.The funny thing about gradual weight gain is that it becomes invisible.You adapt.You normalize it.You continue to think of yourself as the athlete you were ten or twenty pounds ago.The scale tells a different story.Eventually I decided it was time to stop guessing and start paying attention.The first thing I did was download the free version of MyFitnessPal and begin tracking calories.That single step changed everything.Not because I became obsessed with numbers.Quite the opposite.It simply gave me awareness.And awareness tends to change behaviour.The second thing I did was increase my protein intake.For me, that mostly came from whey protein shakes.One of the biggest discoveries I made was identifying my danger zone.For me, it wasn't breakfast.It wasn't lunch.It wasn't immediately after training.It was around 8 p.m.That's when the cravings showed up.That's when the urge to snack would hit.That's when good intentions became vulnerable.So instead of waiting until I was hungry enough to make poor choices, I started getting ahead of the problem.I'd drink a protein shake.I'd eat carrots, broccoli, or cauliflower.I'd pour myself a naturally flavoured sparkling water.And something interesting happened.The cravings lost much of their power.They didn't disappear.But they became manageable.Looking back, I honestly think that evening protein shake was one of the most important tools in my entire weight-loss journey.Not because it magically burned fat.Because it reduced the likelihood that I'd reach for something far more calorie-dense.The third change involved alcohol.I didn't eliminate it.I reduced it.I limited myself mostly to weekends and generally capped it at about three drinks in an evening.Again, nothing dramatic.No radical diets.No extreme restrictions.Just a series of small behavioural changes repeated consistently.And that's really the lesson.The weight came off steadily over five months.Not perfectly.Some weeks I lost weight.Some weeks I didn't.Some weeks the scale actually went up.But the overall trend continued downward.That's an important point because so many people expect weight loss to look like a straight line.It doesn't.Neither does fitness.Neither does triathlon training.Neither does life.Progress is messy.What matters is the trend.Now let's talk about performance.Because this is where things became impossible to ignore.The biggest difference has been running.I feel lighter.Not metaphorically.Literally.My feet seem to float across the ground.My stride feels smoother.My footfalls feel softer.Less pounding.Less plodding.More efficiency.Last September I ran a 10K in roughly 47 and a half minutes.Recently I ran a 46-minute 10K.About a minute and a half faster.Now, weight loss isn't the entire explanation.I've also trained consistently.My fitness has improved.But it's difficult to imagine that losing 23 pounds hasn't played a significant role.When you think about it, every step in a run requires lifting and moving your body weight forward.When you remove 23 pounds from that equation, the savings accumulate over thousands of steps.Cycling has been a little different.On flat terrain I don't notice a dramatic difference.But my watts-per-kilogram have steadily increased.Partly because my FTP has improved.Partly because there's simply less of me to move.On climbs, physics becomes your friend.Swimming?Honestly, I don't notice much difference.If there is a performance gain there, it's subtle compared to what I've experienced on the run.This naturally leads to the concept of race weight.One of the books that influenced my thinking on this topic is Race Weight by Matt Fitzgerald.One of Fitzgerald's key points is that race weight is not the lightest possible version of yourself.That's important.Because chasing the lowest number on the scale can become unhealthy very quickly.Instead, Fitzgerald describes race weight as the weight that naturally results from consistently practicing high-quality nutrition habits.In other words, race weight is an outcome.Not a target.I love that idea because it shifts the focus away from appearance and toward behaviour.The goal isn't to become skinny.The goal isn't to look good in a mirror.The goal is to become the healthiest and most capable athlete you can be.That brings me to another question.What are the health implications of carrying an extra 20-plus pounds?Now, I haven't had my blood work done yet.I'm planning to do that at the end of race season, along with another DEXA scan.So I don't have hard numbers to compare.But we do know that excess body weight—even in people who are relatively fit—can influence important health markers.It can reduce insulin sensitivity.It can elevate triglycerides.It can increase systemic inflammation.It can place additional strain on joints.It can contribute to higher blood pressure over time.Interestingly, my blood pressure has remained stable throughout this process, which is great.But I'll be fascinated to see whether my DEXA scan and blood work reveal improvements that mirror the changes I've already noticed in training and performance.Perhaps the most interesting reaction I've received came from my brother.I showed him my weight-loss graph.He looked at it and asked if the graph also represented my happiness level.In other words, as the weight went down, was I becoming less happy?I laughed because I think that question captures how many people view weight loss.They imagine deprivation.Sacrifice.Misery.Constant hunger.A joyless existence.That wasn't my experience at all.Was I hungrier in the evenings?Absolutely.But I managed it.I drank water.I had vegetables ready to go.I used protein strategically.I worked with my hunger rather than pretending it didn't exist.And the result wasn't unhappiness.It was actually the opposite.I feel better.I move better.My clothes fit better.My running feels better.My confidence is higher.My strength has improved despite eating fewer calories because I also began a twice-weekly strength training routine back in January.That's another lesson worth mentioning.Weight loss doesn't have to mean becoming weaker.When approached properly, you can improve body composition while becoming stronger.Finally, I think it's important to discuss the difference between pursuing performance and becoming obsessed with body image.These are not the same thing.Endurance athletes need to be careful here.A desire to optimize race weight can be healthy.An obsession with every pound can be unhealthy.The question I like to ask myself is this:If nobody could see my body, would I still want to lose this weight?For me, the answer was yes.Because this wasn't about appearance.It was about performance.Health.Longevity.Feeling better.Moving better.Becoming a stronger athlete.Those motivations feel healthy and sustainable.So where should someone start if they want to move closer to an ideal race weight?Keep it simple.Track what you're eating for a week.Not to judge yourself.To learn.Increase protein.Reduce liquid calories.Find healthier substitutes for your biggest nutritional weaknesses.Focus on food quality before obsessing over quantity.Aim for consistency rather than perfection.And most importantly, think in months rather than weeks.Nobody expects to go from couch to Ironman in six weeks.Yet people routinely expect dramatic body composition changes in that amount of time.The same principles apply.Small actions.Repeated consistently.Over long periods of time.Five months ago I weighed 193 pounds.Today I'm very close to 170.And the biggest lesson I've learned is that I wasn't carrying 23 pounds.I was carrying 23 pounds and a collection of habits.The habits were the real weight.Once those changed, everything else started to follow.In September I'll be getting another DEXA scan and blood work.I'm genuinely curious to see whether the improvements I've noticed in performance show up in the data as well.When those results come in, I'll share them here on the podcast.Until then, thanks for listening to The Lonely Triathlete.Keep showing up.Keep training.And remember that sometimes the biggest gains don't come from working harder.They come from making a few better choices and repeating them long enough for them to matter.

After my disastrous run in last year's 70.3 I decided to take a closer look at my fueling strategy. It needed some work. And I found a new favourite carb/electrolyte drink from No-Nonsense Nutrition. Check them out at www.nnfuel.comAnd come join our growing triathlete community at www.patreon.com/thelonelytriathleteTRANSCRIPTEpisode: Fueling the Engine — Hydration, Electrolytes, and Why Simpler Might Be BetterINTROSun, May 24, Victoria BC , CanadaWelcomeIf you are a Patreon member remember to stick around after the episode ends for some bonus content.If you aren't a Patreon member, what's wrong with you? Kidding. But go to patreon.com and check out my membership options and join a growing community of triathletes so you don't have to be a lonely triathlete anymore.Today we're talking about one of the biggest performance limiters in endurance sports — and often one of the most overlooked.Fueling.Not just carbs.Not just hydration.But the balance between carbohydrates, fluids, and electrolytes… and how getting this wrong can completely derail your training and your racing.Because here's the thing:You can have the perfect bike.The perfect aero helmet.The perfect pacing strategy.But if your fueling plan falls apart halfway through a race… your race could be over.Like last year during my Victoria 70.3. In retrospect, I am pretty sure I didn't hydrate enough during the bike. But even if I did (and I didn't) I was definitely low on electrolytes. I even added salt capsules to my drink but clearly not enough because my legs almost did not function for my run. The entire run my quads would not relax. There were moments I thought I'd fall on my face. I was in agony for the whole 2+ hours of that run. Now, I can't say for certain that it was related to electrolyte loss but I have a pretty strong suspicion that it was.So, since that race I've been rethinking my own fueling strategy.For the last couple of years, I've been using Allmax Nutrition CARBION+ as my primary carb drink during training and racing.I've loved it.I think it tastes fantastic.But recently I started asking myself a bigger question:“Am I actually getting enough electrolytes for the amount of work I'm doing?”And that question sent me down a pretty deep rabbit hole.Eventually, I came across a company called No-Nonsense Nutrition and their product called Race Day Formula.And today's episode is really about what I learned through that whole process.Not just comparing two drink mixes……but understanding:how much fluid you actually need,how much sodium you probably need,how to estimate your sweat rate,how to know if you're a salty sweater,and why simpler fueling formulas may actually work better when intensity gets really high.So let's get into it.Part 1 — Why Fueling Gets Harder As Fitness ImprovesOne thing I've noticed as my training volume and intensity have increased……is that fueling becomes WAY more important.Because when you're training easy?Almost anything works.You can survive on water and vibes.But once you start doing:long tempo rides,threshold intervals,race simulations,brick workouts,or hard long runs in heat……suddenly your stomach matters.Your gut matters.Your hydration strategy matters.And one of the biggest issues endurance athletes run into is simply this:They stop being able to tolerate sweet drinks.Especially when intensity gets high.You're breathing hard.Your heart rate is elevated.Your stomach is bouncing around.And suddenly that super sugary drink that tasted amazing sitting on the couch……starts tasting like melted candy syrup.That “too sweet” feeling can become nauseating.And once your gut shuts down, everything falls apart:carb absorption drops,hydration drops,energy drops,pacing drops.It becomes a domino effect.Part 2 — My Experience with CARBION+Now to be fair…I actually really liked CARBION+.It tastes good.It mixes easily.And it's definitely designed for endurance athletes.Looking at the formula, it uses a combination of highly branched cyclic dextrin and maltodextrin-style carbohydrates, along with a hydration blend containing sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium.Each serving provides:25 grams of carbohydrate190 mg sodium100 mg potassiumplus smaller amounts of magnesium and calcium.But as I started training harder and increasing carb intake……I realized something.To hit modern fueling recommendations — somewhere around 60 to 90 grams of carbs per hour — I had to drink a LOT of CARBION+.And even then……the sodium numbers weren't especially high.And the formula itself is pretty engineered.It has:absorption blends,specialized dextrins,sweeteners,flavoring systems,and a whole bunch of extras.Now maybe that works fantastically for some athletes.But I started craving simplicity.Part 3 — Discovering No-Nonsense NutritionThat's when I found No-Nonsense Nutrition Race Day Formula.And what immediately stood out to me was how simple it was.Basically:two carbohydrate sources,electrolytes,done.No giant ingredient panel.No “hyper-performance absorption matrix.”Just carbs and electrolytes.And honestly?That simplicity really appealed to me.But the biggest difference……was the taste.Or more accurately:The lack of taste.It's incredibly mild.And that turned out to be a huge advantage.Because now I can mix:60 grams,75 grams,even 90 grams of carbs into a bottle……and it still doesn't taste overwhelmingly sweet.That's massive.Because modern endurance fueling science has shifted pretty dramatically over the last several years.A lot of athletes are now targeting:60–90 grams of carbs per hour,and some elite athletes go even higher.But your gut has to tolerate it.That's the key.And a lightly flavored drink can make a gigantic difference in gut comfort.Part 4 — Electrolytes: The Missing PieceNow let's talk electrolytes.Specifically sodium.Because this is where a LOT of endurance athletes underfuel.When we sweat, we lose:water,sodium,potassium,chloride,magnesium,and calcium.But sodium is the big one.And here's the tricky part:Sweat rate varies wildly between athletes.And sodium concentration varies wildly too.Some people lose relatively little sodium.Other people are absolute salt factories.You know who you are.If:sweat burns your eyes,your sweat tastes insanely salty,your clothes dry with white streaks,your skin feels gritty after workouts……you're probably a salty sweater.And those athletes often struggle the most in long races.Especially in heat.Part 5 — Estimating Sweat RateNow ideally, you'd get professionally tested.There are actual sweat testing services that can analyze:sweat sodium concentration,sweat rate,fluid loss,and help create a customized hydration strategy.But honestly?You can get surprisingly useful data yourself.Here's the simple DIY method.Before your workout:weigh yourself naked.Then:do your ride or run,track exactly how much fluid you drank.Afterward:towel off,weigh yourself again naked.The difference tells you how much fluid you lost.For example:If you lost:1 kilogram of body weight,and drank 500 mL during the workout……your total sweat loss was about 1.5 liters.If that workout lasted one hour……your sweat rate is roughly:1.5 liters per hour.And that's incredibly useful information.Because now you can start replacing fluids more accurately instead of just guessing.Part 6 — How Much Sodium Do You Need?Now this is where things get interesting.Average sodium losses during endurance exercise are often estimated somewhere around:500 to 1,000 mg per liter of sweat.But some athletes lose MUCH more.Especially heavy or salty sweaters.So where should you start?For many endurance athletes, somewhere around:500–1,000 mg sodium per hour…is a reasonable starting point during long or intense sessions.Then you experiment.Because this is highly individual.And symptoms matter.Things that MAY suggest inadequate sodium or hydration intake include:headaches,excessive fatigue,dizziness,declining performance,nausea,feeling “flat,”or severe cramping late in long events.Now to be clear:cramping is complicated.It's not always sodium-related.Fatigue and pacing play huge roles too.But sodium intake absolutely matters for fluid balance and maintaining performance during long efforts.Some athletes — especially very heavy sweaters — may end up closer to:1200,1400,even 1500 mg sodium per hour.But again:You TEST this in training.Never on race day.Part 7 — Why This Matters for Training TooAnd this is important.This isn't just about racing.Good fueling improves training quality too.If you fuel properly during training:you maintain power better,pace better,recover faster,reduce post-workout fatigue,and probably improve consistency.And consistency is everything in endurance sports.The athlete who recovers better…usually trains better.And the athlete who trains better consistently…usually races better.Fueling is not just survival.Fueling is performance.Part 8 — Cost Matters TooNow here's another thing I noticed.Cost.Because endurance fueling can get expensive FAST.Especially if you're training:10,12,15 hours a week.And when I compared the cost per 30 grams of carbohydrate……I found the No-Nonsense formula was actually cheaper than CARBION+.And over:multiple bottles,long rides,race prep blocks,Ironman training……that difference adds up.So now we're checking a lot of boxes:tastes lighter,easier on the stomach,simpler ingredients,higher electrolyte content,easier to hit modern carb targets,and cheaper.That's a pretty compelling combination.Part 9 — The Bigger LessonBut honestly……the bigger lesson here isn't about one brand versus another.It's about learning your body.Because hydration and fueling are incredibly individual.Your sweat rate is different than mine.Your sodium losses are different than mine.Your gut tolerance is different than mine.And the only way to really dial this stuff in……is to practice during training.Experiment.Track.Adjust.Repeat.That's how you build a race nutrition plan.ClosingSo if there's one takeaway from today's episode, it's this:Don't just train your legs.Train your fueling strategy too.Because the stronger and faster you become……the more important fueling becomes.And sometimes…simpler is actually better.If you're interested in checking out the Race Day Formula I mentioned, you can find it at No-Nonsense Nutrition. I'll also put a link in the show notes.That's it for me today.Thanks for listening to The Lonely Triathlete.Until next time…Peace.

After my disastrous run in last year's 70.3 I decided to take a closer look at my fueling strategy. It needed some work. And I found a new favourite carb/electrolyte drink from No-Nonsense Nutrition. Check them out at www.nnfuel.comAnd come join our growing triathlete community at www.patreon.com/thelonelytriathleteTRANSCRIPTEpisode: Fueling the Engine — Hydration, Electrolytes, and Why Simpler Might Be BetterINTROSun, May 24, Victoria BC , CanadaWelcomeIf you are a Patreon member remember to stick around after the episode ends for some bonus content.If you aren't a Patreon member, what's wrong with you? Kidding. But go to patreon.com and check out my membership options and join a growing community of triathletes so you don't have to be a lonely triathlete anymore.Today we're talking about one of the biggest performance limiters in endurance sports — and often one of the most overlooked.Fueling.Not just carbs.Not just hydration.But the balance between carbohydrates, fluids, and electrolytes… and how getting this wrong can completely derail your training and your racing.Because here's the thing:You can have the perfect bike.The perfect aero helmet.The perfect pacing strategy.But if your fueling plan falls apart halfway through a race… your race could be over.Like last year during my Victoria 70.3. In retrospect, I am pretty sure I didn't hydrate enough during the bike. But even if I did (and I didn't) I was definitely low on electrolytes. I even added salt capsules to my drink but clearly not enough because my legs almost did not function for my run. The entire run my quads would not relax. There were moments I thought I'd fall on my face. I was in agony for the whole 2+ hours of that run. Now, I can't say for certain that it was related to electrolyte loss but I have a pretty strong suspicion that it was.So, since that race I've been rethinking my own fueling strategy.For the last couple of years, I've been using Allmax Nutrition CARBION+ as my primary carb drink during training and racing.I've loved it.I think it tastes fantastic.But recently I started asking myself a bigger question:“Am I actually getting enough electrolytes for the amount of work I'm doing?”And that question sent me down a pretty deep rabbit hole.Eventually, I came across a company called No-Nonsense Nutrition and their product called Race Day Formula.And today's episode is really about what I learned through that whole process.Not just comparing two drink mixes……but understanding:how much fluid you actually need,how much sodium you probably need,how to estimate your sweat rate,how to know if you're a salty sweater,and why simpler fueling formulas may actually work better when intensity gets really high.So let's get into it.Part 1 — Why Fueling Gets Harder As Fitness ImprovesOne thing I've noticed as my training volume and intensity have increased……is that fueling becomes WAY more important.Because when you're training easy?Almost anything works.You can survive on water and vibes.But once you start doing:long tempo rides,threshold intervals,race simulations,brick workouts,or hard long runs in heat……suddenly your stomach matters.Your gut matters.Your hydration strategy matters.And one of the biggest issues endurance athletes run into is simply this:They stop being able to tolerate sweet drinks.Especially when intensity gets high.You're breathing hard.Your heart rate is elevated.Your stomach is bouncing around.And suddenly that super sugary drink that tasted amazing sitting on the couch……starts tasting like melted candy syrup.That “too sweet” feeling can become nauseating.And once your gut shuts down, everything falls apart:carb absorption drops,hydration drops,energy drops,pacing drops.It becomes a domino effect.Part 2 — My Experience with CARBION+Now to be fair…I actually really liked CARBION+.It tastes good.It mixes easily.And it's definitely designed for endurance athletes.Looking at the formula, it uses a combination of highly branched cyclic dextrin and maltodextrin-style carbohydrates, along with a hydration blend containing sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium.Each serving provides:25 grams of carbohydrate190 mg sodium100 mg potassiumplus smaller amounts of magnesium and calcium.But as I started training harder and increasing carb intake……I realized something.To hit modern fueling recommendations — somewhere around 60 to 90 grams of carbs per hour — I had to drink a LOT of CARBION+.And even then……the sodium numbers weren't especially high.And the formula itself is pretty engineered.It has:absorption blends,specialized dextrins,sweeteners,flavoring systems,and a whole bunch of extras.Now maybe that works fantastically for some athletes.But I started craving simplicity.Part 3 — Discovering No-Nonsense NutritionThat's when I found No-Nonsense Nutrition Race Day Formula.And what immediately stood out to me was how simple it was.Basically:two carbohydrate sources,electrolytes,done.No giant ingredient panel.No “hyper-performance absorption matrix.”Just carbs and electrolytes.And honestly?That simplicity really appealed to me.But the biggest difference……was the taste.Or more accurately:The lack of taste.It's incredibly mild.And that turned out to be a huge advantage.Because now I can mix:60 grams,75 grams,even 90 grams of carbs into a bottle……and it still doesn't taste overwhelmingly sweet.That's massive.Because modern endurance fueling science has shifted pretty dramatically over the last several years.A lot of athletes are now targeting:60–90 grams of carbs per hour,and some elite athletes go even higher.But your gut has to tolerate it.That's the key.And a lightly flavored drink can make a gigantic difference in gut comfort.Part 4 — Electrolytes: The Missing PieceNow let's talk electrolytes.Specifically sodium.Because this is where a LOT of endurance athletes underfuel.When we sweat, we lose:water,sodium,potassium,chloride,magnesium,and calcium.But sodium is the big one.And here's the tricky part:Sweat rate varies wildly between athletes.And sodium concentration varies wildly too.Some people lose relatively little sodium.Other people are absolute salt factories.You know who you are.If:sweat burns your eyes,your sweat tastes insanely salty,your clothes dry with white streaks,your skin feels gritty after workouts……you're probably a salty sweater.And those athletes often struggle the most in long races.Especially in heat.Part 5 — Estimating Sweat RateNow ideally, you'd get professionally tested.There are actual sweat testing services that can analyze:sweat sodium concentration,sweat rate,fluid loss,and help create a customized hydration strategy.But honestly?You can get surprisingly useful data yourself.Here's the simple DIY method.Before your workout:weigh yourself naked.Then:do your ride or run,track exactly how much fluid you drank.Afterward:towel off,weigh yourself again naked.The difference tells you how much fluid you lost.For example:If you lost:1 kilogram of body weight,and drank 500 mL during the workout……your total sweat loss was about 1.5 liters.If that workout lasted one hour……your sweat rate is roughly:1.5 liters per hour.And that's incredibly useful information.Because now you can start replacing fluids more accurately instead of just guessing.Part 6 — How Much Sodium Do You Need?Now this is where things get interesting.Average sodium losses during endurance exercise are often estimated somewhere around:500 to 1,000 mg per liter of sweat.But some athletes lose MUCH more.Especially heavy or salty sweaters.So where should you start?For many endurance athletes, somewhere around:500–1,000 mg sodium per hour…is a reasonable starting point during long or intense sessions.Then you experiment.Because this is highly individual.And symptoms matter.Things that MAY suggest inadequate sodium or hydration intake include:headaches,excessive fatigue,dizziness,declining performance,nausea,feeling “flat,”or severe cramping late in long events.Now to be clear:cramping is complicated.It's not always sodium-related.Fatigue and pacing play huge roles too.But sodium intake absolutely matters for fluid balance and maintaining performance during long efforts.Some athletes — especially very heavy sweaters — may end up closer to:1200,1400,even 1500 mg sodium per hour.But again:You TEST this in training.Never on race day.Part 7 — Why This Matters for Training TooAnd this is important.This isn't just about racing.Good fueling improves training quality too.If you fuel properly during training:you maintain power better,pace better,recover faster,reduce post-workout fatigue,and probably improve consistency.And consistency is everything in endurance sports.The athlete who recovers better…usually trains better.And the athlete who trains better consistently…usually races better.Fueling is not just survival.Fueling is performance.Part 8 — Cost Matters TooNow here's another thing I noticed.Cost.Because endurance fueling can get expensive FAST.Especially if you're training:10,12,15 hours a week.And when I compared the cost per 30 grams of carbohydrate……I found the No-Nonsense formula was actually cheaper than CARBION+.And over:multiple bottles,long rides,race prep blocks,Ironman training……that difference adds up.So now we're checking a lot of boxes:tastes lighter,easier on the stomach,simpler ingredients,higher electrolyte content,easier to hit modern carb targets,and cheaper.That's a pretty compelling combination.Part 9 — The Bigger LessonBut honestly……the bigger lesson here isn't about one brand versus another.It's about learning your body.Because hydration and fueling are incredibly individual.Your sweat rate is different than mine.Your sodium losses are different than mine.Your gut tolerance is different than mine.And the only way to really dial this stuff in……is to practice during training.Experiment.Track.Adjust.Repeat.That's how you build a race nutrition plan.ClosingSo if there's one takeaway from today's episode, it's this:Don't just train your legs.Train your fueling strategy too.Because the stronger and faster you become……the more important fueling becomes.And sometimes…simpler is actually better.If you're interested in checking out the Race Day Formula I mentioned, you can find it at No-Nonsense Nutrition. I'll also put a link in the show notes.That's it for me today.Thanks for listening to The Lonely Triathlete.Until next time…Peace.

TheMAGIC5 swim goggles are, hands down, the best goggles I've ever used. That was true 4 years ago and that is still true today after using their latest version.APOLOGIES! I just discovered that my last 2 audio files were not recorded with my good microphone (those darn Windows settings!). I promise, better audio next week.Join the community at www.patreon.com/thelonelytriathleteTRANSCRIPTWelcome to the Lonely Triathlete where I share with you the thoughts, opinions, experiences and tips n tricks of a podium placing age-group triathlete. Should I say "aging" triathlete? Aren't we all aging, really? 'Nuff said.Before I get started, just a quick reminder that Patreon members get bonus content at the end of this episode AND if you head over to Patreon.com, you'll see that I am posting a couple of written blog posts per week so check that out and be sure to leave some comments.OKYou know what piece of triathlon equipment gets talked about the least?Not aero helmets.Not carbon shoes.Not race wheels.Swimming goggles.And honestly, that's ridiculous when you think about it.Because if your goggles don't fit properly, your swim can go sideways fast. I remember being absolutely paranoid before my 2008 Ironman Canada that my goggles would leak, whcih is why I bought a pair of visor-style Aquaspheres.But a leaking goggle during a race isn't just annoying — it completely breaks your rhythm. Suddenly you're stopping, adjusting, sighting poorly, getting frustrated, maybe even panicking a little in open water.And during training?A bad pair of goggles can turn an enjoyable swim into an irritating grind.Too tight?You get the raccoon-eye pressure marks.Too loose?Water leaks in every flip turn.Wrong shape?They dig into your eye sockets and give you headaches.For a piece of equipment that literally sits on your face for hours every month, comfort matters a lot more than most athletes realize.Now here's the funny thing.Most swimmers and triathletes are buying goggles in roughly the $25–$60 range.That's kind of the mainstream market:Speedo VanquishersArena gogglesTYRAqua SphereThese are all good goggles. Totally functional. Those Aquasphere I used for Ironman were fantastic. I felt like I was wearing a motorcycle helmet they were so big but they did their job.But most of them are still basically “best guess” sizing. They have:Different nose bridges.Different strap tensions.Maybe one fits your face better than another.BUTYou're still adapting YOURSELF to the goggles.Not the other way around.And honestly, a lot of swimmers just accept leaking as normal.Like:“Oh yeah, this pair only leaks on hard push-offs.”Or:“They're good once you adjust them three times.”We've normalized mediocre fit.What's funny is that swim goggles have actually evolved a lot over the last 30–35 years.If you started swimming in the late 80s or early 90s, you probably remember the old-school goggles that basically felt like torture devices strapped to your face.The classic design back then was:hard plastic lensesFOAM padding around the eyesbasic rubber strapsand almost zero ergonomic shapingAnd those foam gaskets?They absorbed water over time, degraded quickly, and eventually became DISGUSTING little sponges attached to your face.The fit philosophy back then was basically:“Just tighten them harder.”Which of course created those legendary deep red eye rings that lasted half the day. People at work always new when I started my day with a swim workout.Then through the 1990s and early 2000s, companies started introducing softer SILICONE seals instead of foam padding.And honestly, that was a huge leap forward.Silicone:lasted longersealed betterfelt softer against the skinand didn't absorb water.That era also brought interchangeable nose bridges, which suddenly allowed swimmers to customize fit a little more instead of relying on a one-size-fits-all design.Then came the rise of racing-oriented LOW-profile goggles.Brands like Speedo, Arena, and TYR started focusing heavily on HYDROdynamics:smaller lens profilesreduced dragsleeker shapesmirrored lenseswider peripheral visionOpen-water swimming also changed the market.Triathletes needed goggles that worked in:bright sunlightchoppy waterlong-distance comfort situationsSo companies began introducing:larger lenses (hello Aquasphere)curved panoramic visionsofter “air gasket” technologybetter anti-fog coatingsUV protectionAnd that air-gasket concept was another major step.Instead of hard pressure points around the eye socket, companies started using cushioned seals filled with air or softer silicone structures that distributed pressure more evenly.The result:less squeezing…less leakage…and way more comfort during long swims.And NOW we've entered the NEWEST phase of goggle evolution:custom-fit goggles.Instead of trying to create one shape that works “well enough” for millions of people, companies like THEMAGIC5 are using face scanning and manufacturing technology to create individualized fits.Which honestly makes sense when you think about it.Human faces are wildly different.Eye socket depth.Nose bridge width.Cheekbone structure.And yet for decades the industry basically said:“Here are three nose bridges. Good luck.”So when you look at the history of swim goggles, it's actually a story of comfort slowly catching up with performance.Because the ideal goggle isn't really the fastest one.It's the one you completely forget you're wearing.Now, get ready, I'm about to brag about the best pair of swimming goggles I have ever owned. The Magic5.I received my first and original pair of Magic5 goggles about 4 years ago as a birthday, and they were great. They were actually PERFECT. Comfortable (which was a new experience for me) and leak free, which is a rareity. After a while I almost stopped thinking about them entirely — which is probably the highest compliment you can give a pair of goggles.But after 4 years they've been showing some wear and tear. They are still leak-free but the anti-fog coating has pretty much disappeared. I've been getting around this by spitting into the goggles and rinsing them out before putting them on but that act has been getting old and just as I was deciding to go ahead and order a new pair, TheMagic5 reached out to me and offered to essentially give me a pair of their latest model, the VECTOR, with no strings attached. All I had to do was pay for the shipping. Talk about perfect timing and a no brainer. So, I just got a chance recently to test them out at my local lake. This new pair is...just...great. They've made some upgrades, which I'll mention, but honestly, how do you improve upon perfection? Some of the improvements the company highlights include:Refined gasket geometry for improved facial pressure distribution- Sure, enough, I feel little to no pressure on my face, just as beforeUpdated scanning and fit algorithms using a much larger facial data set, which leads to improved comfort around the eye sockets during long swims- Again, the result is little to no pressure around my eyesEnhanced peripheral vision depending on the model- I already experienced great peripheral vision, apparently it's even better nowUpgraded anti-fog performance- We shall see, so far so goodImproved strap design and overall adjustability- Never had a problem beforeMore durable lens coatings- We shall seeExpanded lens options for indoor, outdoor, mirrored, and open-water conditions- True, and I went with the all-rounder "gold" version - it's supposed to be good for indoor/outdoor use. If you swim in predominently sunny conditions I would definately go with the specialied version for that conditionTheir newer “Vector” design specifically focuses on reducing pressure points while maintaining a secure seal- Like I said, can't feel them on my face, never couldSo, the biggest compliment I can give the new pair is this:They still disappear while I'm swimming.No leaking.No fiddling.No overtightening.No mid-set adjustments.Just swim.And here's a bonus, let's say you do experience some fit issues? You can contact Support and they will do another scan and send you another pair. I've never had to do that but it's nice to know that is an option.Now to be fair, not every swimmer loves them.Some swimmers swear they're the best goggles they've ever owned.Others say the fit process can be hit-or-miss depending on the face scan or the model.And like basically every swim goggle ever made, anti-fog performance eventually fades over time.But the consistent theme from people who do love them is comfort and leak prevention.Isn't it weird that this is one of those areas where triathletes sometimes get weirdly cheap?We'll spend thousands chasing marginal aero gains……but tolerate goggles that leak every third lap.If you swim multiple times per week, comfort matters.Focus matters.Rhythm matters.And when your goggles disappear from your awareness entirely?That's probably the sign they're doing their job perfectly.At the end of the day, triathlon performance isn't only about the big flashy upgrades.Sometimes it's about removing friction.Physical friction.Mental friction.Emotional friction.And well-fitting goggles remove all three.Because when your goggles work perfectly, your attention stays where it belongs:on your stroke…your pacing…your breathing…and the simple rhythm of swimming.And honestly, after using leak-free goggles for years now, I don't think I could ever go back.Check the show notes to see if I managed to secure an affiliate link so you can get a discount off your pair of TheMagic5 goggles.That's it from me, until next time.PeaceOk, Patrons, time to dive into Reddit and see what the latest questions or issues are:

TheMAGIC5 swim goggles are, hands down, the best goggles I've ever used. That was true 4 years ago and that is still true today after using their latest version. APOLOGIES! I just discovered that my last 2 audio files were not recorded with my good microphone (those darn Windows settings!). I promise, better audio next week.Join the community at www.patreon.com/thelonelytriathleteTRANSCRIPTWelcome to the Lonely Triathlete where I share with you the thoughts, opinions, experiences and tips n tricks of a podium placing age-group triathlete. Should I say "aging" triathlete? Aren't we all aging, really? 'Nuff said.Before I get started, just a quick reminder that Patreon members get bonus content at the end of this episode AND if you head over to Patreon.com, you'll see that I am posting a couple of written blog posts per week so check that out and be sure to leave some comments.OKYou know what piece of triathlon equipment gets talked about the least?Not aero helmets.Not carbon shoes.Not race wheels.Swimming goggles.And honestly, that's ridiculous when you think about it.Because if your goggles don't fit properly, your swim can go sideways fast. I remember being absolutely paranoid before my 2008 Ironman Canada that my goggles would leak, whcih is why I bought a pair of visor-style Aquaspheres.But a leaking goggle during a race isn't just annoying — it completely breaks your rhythm. Suddenly you're stopping, adjusting, sighting poorly, getting frustrated, maybe even panicking a little in open water.And during training?A bad pair of goggles can turn an enjoyable swim into an irritating grind.Too tight?You get the raccoon-eye pressure marks.Too loose?Water leaks in every flip turn.Wrong shape?They dig into your eye sockets and give you headaches.For a piece of equipment that literally sits on your face for hours every month, comfort matters a lot more than most athletes realize.Now here's the funny thing.Most swimmers and triathletes are buying goggles in roughly the $25–$60 range.That's kind of the mainstream market:Speedo VanquishersArena gogglesTYRAqua SphereThese are all good goggles. Totally functional. Those Aquasphere I used for Ironman were fantastic. I felt like I was wearing a motorcycle helmet they were so big but they did their job.But most of them are still basically “best guess” sizing. They have:Different nose bridges.Different strap tensions.Maybe one fits your face better than another.BUTYou're still adapting YOURSELF to the goggles.Not the other way around.And honestly, a lot of swimmers just accept leaking as normal.Like:“Oh yeah, this pair only leaks on hard push-offs.”Or:“They're good once you adjust them three times.”We've normalized mediocre fit.What's funny is that swim goggles have actually evolved a lot over the last 30–35 years.If you started swimming in the late 80s or early 90s, you probably remember the old-school goggles that basically felt like torture devices strapped to your face.The classic design back then was:hard plastic lensesFOAM padding around the eyesbasic rubber strapsand almost zero ergonomic shapingAnd those foam gaskets?They absorbed water over time, degraded quickly, and eventually became DISGUSTING little sponges attached to your face.The fit philosophy back then was basically:“Just tighten them harder.”Which of course created those legendary deep red eye rings that lasted half the day. People at work always new when I started my day with a swim workout.Then through the 1990s and early 2000s, companies started introducing softer SILICONE seals instead of foam padding.And honestly, that was a huge leap forward.Silicone:lasted longersealed betterfelt softer against the skinand didn't absorb water.That era also brought interchangeable nose bridges, which suddenly allowed swimmers to customize fit a little more instead of relying on a one-size-fits-all design.Then came the rise of racing-oriented LOW-profile goggles.Brands like Speedo, Arena, and TYR started focusing heavily on HYDROdynamics:smaller lens profilesreduced dragsleeker shapesmirrored lenseswider peripheral visionOpen-water swimming also changed the market.Triathletes needed goggles that worked in:bright sunlightchoppy waterlong-distance comfort situationsSo companies began introducing:larger lenses (hello Aquasphere)curved panoramic visionsofter “air gasket” technologybetter anti-fog coatingsUV protectionAnd that air-gasket concept was another major step.Instead of hard pressure points around the eye socket, companies started using cushioned seals filled with air or softer silicone structures that distributed pressure more evenly.The result:less squeezing…less leakage…and way more comfort during long swims.And NOW we've entered the NEWEST phase of goggle evolution:custom-fit goggles.Instead of trying to create one shape that works “well enough” for millions of people, companies like THEMAGIC5 are using face scanning and manufacturing technology to create individualized fits.Which honestly makes sense when you think about it.Human faces are wildly different.Eye socket depth.Nose bridge width.Cheekbone structure.And yet for decades the industry basically said:“Here are three nose bridges. Good luck.”So when you look at the history of swim goggles, it's actually a story of comfort slowly catching up with performance.Because the ideal goggle isn't really the fastest one.It's the one you completely forget you're wearing.Now, get ready, I'm about to brag about the best pair of swimming goggles I have ever owned. The Magic5.I received my first and original pair of Magic5 goggles about 4 years ago as a birthday, and they were great. They were actually PERFECT. Comfortable (which was a new experience for me) and leak free, which is a rareity. After a while I almost stopped thinking about them entirely — which is probably the highest compliment you can give a pair of goggles.But after 4 years they've been showing some wear and tear. They are still leak-free but the anti-fog coating has pretty much disappeared. I've been getting around this by spitting into the goggles and rinsing them out before putting them on but that act has been getting old and just as I was deciding to go ahead and order a new pair, TheMagic5 reached out to me and offered to essentially give me a pair of their latest model, the VECTOR, with no strings attached. All I had to do was pay for the shipping. Talk about perfect timing and a no brainer. So, I just got a chance recently to test them out at my local lake. This new pair is...just...great. They've made some upgrades, which I'll mention, but honestly, how do you improve upon perfection? Some of the improvements the company highlights include:Refined gasket geometry for improved facial pressure distribution- Sure, enough, I feel little to no pressure on my face, just as beforeUpdated scanning and fit algorithms using a much larger facial data set, which leads to improved comfort around the eye sockets during long swims- Again, the result is little to no pressure around my eyesEnhanced peripheral vision depending on the model- I already experienced great peripheral vision, apparently it's even better nowUpgraded anti-fog performance- We shall see, so far so goodImproved strap design and overall adjustability- Never had a problem beforeMore durable lens coatings- We shall seeExpanded lens options for indoor, outdoor, mirrored, and open-water conditions- True, and I went with the all-rounder "gold" version - it's supposed to be good for indoor/outdoor use. If you swim in predominently sunny conditions I would definately go with the specialied version for that conditionTheir newer “Vector” design specifically focuses on reducing pressure points while maintaining a secure seal- Like I said, can't feel them on my face, never couldSo, the biggest compliment I can give the new pair is this:They still disappear while I'm swimming.No leaking.No fiddling.No overtightening.No mid-set adjustments.Just swim.And here's a bonus, let's say you do experience some fit issues? You can contact Support and they will do another scan and send you another pair. I've never had to do that but it's nice to know that is an option.Now to be fair, not every swimmer loves them.Some swimmers swear they're the best goggles they've ever owned.Others say the fit process can be hit-or-miss depending on the face scan or the model.And like basically every swim goggle ever made, anti-fog performance eventually fades over time.But the consistent theme from people who do love them is comfort and leak prevention.Isn't it weird that this is one of those areas where triathletes sometimes get weirdly cheap?We'll spend thousands chasing marginal aero gains……but tolerate goggles that leak every third lap.If you swim multiple times per week, comfort matters.Focus matters.Rhythm matters.And when your goggles disappear from your awareness entirely?That's probably the sign they're doing their job perfectly.At the end of the day, triathlon performance isn't only about the big flashy upgrades.Sometimes it's about removing friction.Physical friction.Mental friction.Emotional friction.And well-fitting goggles remove all three.Because when your goggles work perfectly, your attention stays where it belongs:on your stroke…your pacing…your breathing…and the simple rhythm of swimming.And honestly, after using leak-free goggles for years now, I don't think I could ever go back.Check the show notes to see if I managed to secure an affiliate link so you can get a discount off your pair of TheMagic5 goggles.That's it from me, until next time.PeaceOk, Patrons, time to dive into Reddit and see what the latest questions or issues are:

Do you want to optimize your race performance? Do you want to be the best, fastest triathlete that you can possibly be? Really? I mean, do you really want that? Are you prepared to do what it takes to achieve that? Because most of us are not and that's OK.

Do you want to optimize your race performance? Do you want to be the best, fastest triathlete that you can possibly be? Really? I mean, do you really want that? Are you prepared to do what it takes to achieve that? Because most of us are not and that's OK.SummaryTriathlon has a unique way of making improvement feel possible, which is why so many athletes believe there's a faster, stronger version of themselves waiting to emerge. But this piece explores the uncomfortable reality that most athletes want the rewards of peak performance without fully paying the physical, emotional, social, financial, and lifestyle costs required to achieve it. It breaks down what true high-level amateur performance actually demands — consistent training, smart specificity, recovery, fueling, and relentless discipline — while also arguing that pursuing absolute optimization isn't necessarily the healthiest or happiest path. Ultimately, it suggests that the real goal may not be maximizing athletic potential at all costs, but finding the balance between excellence in triathlon and excellence in life.Join the community at www.patreon.com/thelonelytriathleteTranscript/Talk NotesThere's something almost magical about triathlon.Because unlike a lot of sports, improvement feels available. Tangible. Earned.You see someone cross the finish line of an Ironman and you think:“What if I actually committed? What if I really tried?”Most amateur triathletes carry around this quiet belief that somewhere inside them is a faster version of themselves. Leaner. Stronger. More disciplined. More capable.But here's the uncomfortable truth:Most athletes don't actually want optimal performance.They want the results of optimal performance without paying the full price for it.And I'm not saying that judgmentally. I include myself in this conversation.Because optimal performance has a cost.Not just physically. Emotionally. Socially. Financially.And most of us — wisely, honestly — are unwilling to pay all of it.So today I want to talk about:what the actual prescription for optimal triathlon performance looks like,the hidden prices athletes avoid paying,the difference between “doing your best” and “doing your physiological best,”and finally… what you can cut back on with the smallest performance penalty so you can still have a life outside triathlon.Part 1 — Everyone Wants Peak Performance… Until It Costs Something (3–4 minutes)Most athletes love the idea of excellence.Very few love the lifestyle required for it.People say:“I want to qualify for Kona.”“I want to podium.”“I want to unlock my potential.”But then reality shows up.Because performance is built on sacrifices that are often deeply unsexy.Not motivation. Not inspiration. Not buying carbon wheels.Sacrifice.You already mentioned some obvious ones:eating with purpose instead of entertainment,prioritizing sleep over Netflix,doing the session you need instead of the session you feel like doing,getting up at 5am,doing doubles or triples,reducing stress,training when nobody is watching.But there are other prices athletes quietly refuse to pay.The Emotional CostSome athletes don't want to confront weakness.They avoid swim sessions because they hate feeling incompetent.They avoid intervals because they expose limitations.They stay in Zone 2 forever because suffering threatens their self-image.Improvement requires repeatedly visiting the place where you are not yet good enough.That's emotionally expensive.The Social CostOptimal performance often makes you less available.You leave parties early.You stop drinking much.You say no to late nights.You disappear for long rides.You become “the triathlon person.”And many athletes unconsciously sabotage progress because they fear social separation more than they desire performance.The Identity CostThis one is huge.To truly improve, sometimes you have to let go of comforting stories:“I'm just not fast.”“I don't respond well to intensity.”“I'm too old.”“I'm too busy.”Or conversely:“I'm naturally talented so I don't need structure.”Your ego will often protect your identity before it protects your potential.The Financial CostNobody likes talking about this one.But performance costs money.Good nutrition.Race entries.A coach.Pool access.Bike maintenance.Recovery tools.Travel.More time means sometimes less earning.And ironically, some athletes spend thousands on gear while refusing to invest in the boring things that actually matter:sleep,consistency,coaching,nutrition,recovery,stress management.Because buying equipment feels easier than changing behavior.Part 2 — What Does Optimal Triathlon Performance Actually Require? (4–5 minutes)Let's strip away fantasy for a minute.What would it actually take for an amateur athlete to approach their physiological potential?Not perfection. But close.Here's the blueprint.1. Consistent Training VolumeThis is still king.Not hero workouts.Not occasional monster weeks.Consistent weekly volume over years.The aerobic engine responds to repeated exposure.There's no shortcut around accumulated work.2. Training SpecificityDoing what moves the needle.Not what's fun.Not what protects the ego.If your limiter is running durability:you probably need more running frequency.If your limiter is bike power:you probably need structured intervals.If your limiter is swimming:you probably need technique work and frequency.A lot of athletes train in the direction of preference instead of the direction of adaptation.3. Recovery DisciplineSleep is performance enhancement.Not optional recovery.Actual performance enhancement.Optimal athletes protect sleep almost aggressively.They also manage overall life stress because the body doesn't distinguish particularly well between:work stress,relationship stress,financial stress,and training stress.Stress is stress.4. Fueling CorrectlyNot just “eating healthy.”That's amateur thinking.High performance requires:enough carbohydrates,enough protein,sufficient calories,hydration,electrolyte management,timing nutrition around sessions.A shocking number of endurance athletes are chronically under-fueled and wonder why they plateau.5. Ruthless ConsistencyThis may be the biggest one.Elite-level age groupers are not magical.They are relentlessly consistent.They train when motivated.They train when unmotivated.They train when conditions are mediocre.They train when life is slightly inconvenient.Not perfectly.Consistently.Part 3 — The Marginal Gains That Actually Matter (3–4 minutes)Once the basics are solid, marginal gains start mattering.And here's the important distinction:Marginal gains only matter after the fundamentals are in place.People obsess over:ceramic bearings,aero socks,expensive supplements,ice baths,red light therapy,ketones,altitude tents……while sleeping 6 hours a night and skipping swim sessions.That's backwards.But once the basics are nailed?Then the marginal stuff can matter.For example:aero optimization on the bike,heat adaptation,carbohydrate optimization during races,body composition refinement,advanced pacing,recovery timing,improved aerodynamics,race-specific preparation,mental performance work.The difference is:Marginal gains are multipliers.But multiplying garbage still gives you garbage.Part 4 — But Maybe You Don't WANT Optimal (3–4 minutes)And this is where I want to be very careful.Because there's another side to this conversation.Maybe you don't want to organize your entire life around triathlon.Maybe you don't want:bedtime alarms,two-a-days,obsessing over macros,turning down vacations,scheduling your life around recovery.That's okay.Actually, more than okay.Because triathlon is supposed to fit into your life — unless you consciously choose otherwise.And I think many athletes quietly feel guilt because they're not maximizing their potential.But maybe they're maximizing something more important:family,relationships,career,creativity,balance,joy,mental health.There's honor in that too.The key is honesty.Don't expect elite outcomes from recreational commitments.But also:Don't diminish what recreational commitment can still achieve.You can become incredibly fit, incredibly capable, and incredibly fulfilled without turning triathlon into a second job.Part 5 — What Can You Cut Back On With Minimal Performance Loss? (2–3 minutes)This is probably the most practical part of the episode.If you want the best return on investment:Protect the fundamentals.Keep:consistency,sleep,reasonable fueling,frequency,key workouts.Cut:junk volume,unnecessary intensity,social media comparison,equipment obsession,complicated recovery protocols,optimization theater.You probably don't need:six-hour rides every weekend,twelve supplements,constant data analysis,or total life domination by triathlon.For most amateurs:80–90% of your potential comes from:consistency,adequate volume,smart workouts,recovery,nutrition,and patience.The final 5–10%?That's where the real sacrifices begin.And only you can decide whether that price is worth paying.Closing (1 minute)Maybe the goal isn't to become the best triathlete you could possibly be.Maybe the goal is to become the best triathlete you can be while still remaining the person you want to be.That's a different question.And maybe a wiser one.Because at the end of the day, triathlon is not life.It's something that's supposed to enhance life.And the athletes who last the longest in this sport are often the ones who learn exactly where excellence ends… and balance begins.If you are a Patreon member, stick around for some bonus content.Otherwise, until next time,Peace

In this episode I muse about all sorts of subjects while I take you along for an easy Sunday morning run. If you want to comment on today's episode, consider signing up on Patreon and join the Lonely Triathlete community!Join our community at www.patreon.com/TheLonelyTriathleteTranscriptAll right. Well, this is my first run of the year. in shorts and a t-shirt. And I am stoked. Absolutely love it. Now, I was thinking, how often do we really love our workouts? It's a great question, because I'm on an indoor bike, most of the year, and I like my workouts, but do I love them? No? I'm more interested in maybe the podcast I'm listening to or the movie I'm watching. But for the actual workout, curious about it, kind of like the feeling of sweat. But do I love it? No. Swimming in the winter. When you go to the pool at 6 in the morning, 6:30 in the morning, and it's dark and cold outside, it's fun to swim. But do you love it? Most of the time, I don't love it, but when you swim outside in a lake or the ocean with your wetsuit, that, that stuff that I love. And running in the dark and the cold, and sometimes the snow and the rain, don't love it. Don't even... don't even like it half the time. But now, in the sunshine, love it.Another thing I do love is running on trails. I never used to run the trails that much because, oh, you know, I didn't know the exact distances. This was before GPS watches, of course. And it was a very terrain, so I couldn't establish a solid pace. He just felt all too random for me. So I'd be running on the road a lot. In the last couple of years, I've really disliked running on the road. Not 'cause of the road. But because of the traffic. And there's a section here in Victoria, where I have to run on the road a bit, and, uh, it's starting to bug me. I'm feeling, uh, what's the word? Negative towards the loud trucks, the loud motorcycles, a blast by me. I don't know. I don't like running on the road as much as I used to. So that brings up the point. What do we do? to enjoy our workouts more? I think it starts with identifying what we like and then doing more of what we like. So I just said, I like trail running. I'm gonna focus more running on trails. I like swimming in the lakes in the ocean, well more lakes than ocean. I'm kind of dependent upon the weather and temperature, obviously, but I'm gonna be swimming in the lake, probably starting next weekend. So that's good. Now, riding my bike, that's a different story, because I get so much fitness riding indoors. So I really don't want to do training rides outside, necessarily, unless they're long. Long, and easy kind of rides. So I'll have to give that a thought.So I may have just inspired myself. I think if I can't get out for a training run on the road, then maybe I'll go out for at least a pleasurable, a pleasurable ride. Longer, easier ride, on the weekend, outside, just so I can enjoy being outside my bike more.Sunday morning, and I've already run past 15 dog walkers, 15 dogs, 15 kilos. Nothing, says Victoria, weekend mornings, like dog walking, that's for sure. A lot of dogs in this area.All right, my run has taken me down along the ocean, or just above the ocean. And I'm heading up about a one kilometre hill. Hello, Crow. I'm not talking to you. And, uh, yeah, so I'll be doing a slow jog up a hill with, guess what? More traffic. You can't escape it. But I was thinking as I have my eyes on the ocean here. running up this hill, how fortunate I am to be living in a location that is conducive to my passions, my interests, when it comes to sports. I go kayaking. I run, I can bike, I can swim in the lakes. Absolutely fantastic. Oh, I gotta run across this massive lane. I found myself in a bike lane. Not a run lane. Okay, across the ditch. Into the sidewalk. Yeah, how conducive it is to live in an area that... is conducive to, uh, doing the things I love. And I know that we all can't choose necessarily, very easily, the places that we live, especially if we've got a job, and we can't change locations easily.But it is a reminder that if, if we can, if it's possible to choose a location to live, the next time you're moving, I would give serious, serious thought. to the location, the geography, that you're moving to. Don't just, you know, move to a place that's 10 minutes close to the work. But maybe, maybe a place that's 15 minutes away from work, but puts you in the heart of a trail system. Or buy the water. I don't know, something to think about.All right, halfway up this hill, and the traffic is going by, and I realize another thing I can't stand about traffic is the pollution. Oh, man. When someone goes by me, I just smell gas and oil. I was going in my lungs. Can't stand it. Maybe every more reason to live out in the country, right? We all can't all be so lucky, but, oh, I tell you, being near the place near the places where you enjoy, it goes a long way in your life. It really does.Alright, head me to the top of the hill. And I am sweating now. It is so warm. It's not even summer yet. This is gonna be an awesome summer. There's something about good temperatures, like, shirts and T-shirt running. I feel like I can go for hours. But if it was windy and cold, I think I just want to quit. I just wanna get the workout done with. But at this point, I don't want the workout to end. Another thing... Oh, man, sweat's getting my eyes. Another thing about me is sweat is, I've got thick eyebrows. I got bushy eyebrows. And the plus... Yeah, everyone's out doing their yard work. The plus and minus of it is, when I first start working out, sweat's not dripping down my face at all. because it's being collected in my eyebrows. Great. But, at some point, the eyebrows become saturated. And then... and then the sweat starts to drip. It's like having these two sponges on my eyes, full of water, and they will drip and drip and drip, and never stop.No, you've obviously noticed that I'm recording while I'm running. So what am I recording on? Well, I got a, I got a brand new DJI, Mike Minnie, Bluetooth, microphone I've attached to my, my ball cap, and I'm recording through my phone, so just running with my phone in my hand, recording off this Mike Mini. And I bought this mic specifically to do more, more outdoor stuff. So you all can get a bit more of variety as you listen to the lonely triathlete, and I've got more in store. So if you head over to Patreon, check out the show notes, head the Patreon, join our one of our supporter tiers. And you'll be able to take advantage of more cool little things I'm doing this year. Video, droning, stuff on the bike, all sorts of stuff planned. So you want to go over and be a member? so that you can, uh, take part, take part in that, join the community. So here I am, about to take a halfway turn.All right, I'm getting close to my halfway point of this 45 minute run, and I climbed to the top of the major part of my elevation, and then the last half is mostly downhill. Which is fantastic. Kind of tired of sucking all the gas tumes on this main route. So, when I take my left hand turn, it's a slightly less driven route. But there will be cars, no doubt. And I passed 10 more dogs and two children in dollies, or whatever you call them. Try all these dollies, push carts, strollers. That's a word I'm looking for. Oh, my gosh. An 18 wheeler is gonna go by me. Wow. Where is everyone going on a Sunday morning? You know, I'll go to church. I'll tell you that. Uh... So, gotta talk about... the elephant that is in the room. Or, rather, the elephant that seems to be in my butt. I got another injury. Huh, fire truck. What a crazy morning. Don't know if you can hear that, but that's a one alarm fire. And here's my left turn. So, anyway, my injury. I have... a pretty good haemorrhoid. And I've really never had haemorrhoids before. I mean, maybe I've had something I thought was a haemorrhoid, but this, no doubt, this is a haemorrhoid. I felt it about four days ago. I was in the shower, washing myself. thoroughly, and now as I was getting in there, nice and personal like, I was like, ow. Ow, what is that in my butt? Oh, so I kind of felt around and said, Oh, geez. Does someone put, like, a grape in my butt? What the heck? Now, initially I thought, Oh, great. I've got rectal cancer. Because everything I see on social media these days is the rise in colorectal cancers. And, to be honest, it's something to be aware of. But I don't think, I mean, this isn't rectal. This is, like, anal. Like, I've got anal cancer. I guess it's possible. Just comes out of nowhere. don't know. But, you know, I'm, I don't know what I did to cause it. That's the problem. is I don't strain when I go to the bathroom, like, I'm very aware, 'cause, like I said, I've had prior run ins with the old capital H. So I'm really cautious about that. But I do sit a lot for work. I do sit on my bike every day, or every other day, and I'm running, and right now, as I'm running, I'm clenching a bit to make sure that I'm not putting any extra pressure on that region. Don't know if that's helping. or hurting. Oh, people. 50, 7 years old, turning 58, in 18 days. And now I'm getting the old people's problems. I came the old people's problems. I've gotten haemorrhoids. What's next? Oh, I'm sure there's stuff coming. I am sure I am in for a treat, as I continue to get older.ll right, here's here's the deal about walkers, especially dog walkers. I find the tend to take up the entire sidewalk, the entire walking lane. And I'm running against traffic. And I just came up upon, You guessed it, two more dogs, and their walker, and they took up the whole lane. And, you know, I may be too polite. I hate culling it like, On your right, on your left, come behind you. I have done that when I need to. But I don't know. Just feel like nice, quiet Sunday morning, and I'm shouting at someone that, get out of my way. But, uh, as I get closer, I just start to scrape my feet and pound my feet just a little bit louder. And 95% of people get that. Get that message, and they pull over. So, that's what I do. I just start clumping along louder. Gets the job done.So I tell you, my body is sore. Today, 'cause yesterday, I had a 19 minute indoor cycle, moderate, so that, you know, gets you a little bit sore, just by itself. And then I did two and a half hours of yard work. Now, for those gardeners, listening, they're like, Todd, two and a half hours. You're a baby. Yeah, maybe I am. What about it? But two and a half solid hours at my typical rushing pace, that I'm trying not to rush so much. But I wouldn't say I rushed, but it was definitely in the zone and didn't take really any breaks. So two and a half hours of cleaning my barbeque, cleaning off the back patio, flower pots, dumping organic flower waste into the forest. You know, us love back and forth and stretching my back. Oh, man, my back was really, really tight. Almost to the point where I thought, Did I did I hurt myself? What a dummy. I hurt myself. But, no, I'm not hurt. other than my butt. Uh, I'm just sore, and it shows up on runs. I'll tell you. All right, about now, I'm, what, 30 minutes in? And my low back is saying, yeah, I remember yesterday. Remember how hard? You worked yesterday? Well... But that's okay. Life is... life is overcoming pain. And this is just another pain I'm overcoming.All right, let's talk fuelling. I think some people fuel too much. I think some people don't feel enough. As for me, I try to strike a nice balance, where I feel, I add some fuel to every exercise. But I don't overdo it. So anything under an hour will typically get 25 or 30 grams of carbs. So it's, like, 100, just over 100 calories, like, 100, 120 calories. Especially if the effort isn't all that hard. If I'm doing, like, a major effort, then I'll probably ingest a few more carbs before I start, or maybe even a few more carbs, like, on the effort itself. But you gotta kind of find that balance. And so for this run, for instance, I even bring water. Why? Because it's 45 minutes. I'm not gonna get dehydrated in 45 minutes. I had a banana and coffee. And then, half an hour later, I'm out the door. So, what's a banana? 100, 100 calories, 120 calories, so? Yeah. It's easily enough to fuel. An endurance effort for 45 minutes. But one thing I've been thinking about lately is my salt intake for longer efforts. 'Cause I crammed up so bad last year, during the 70 3, where I could hardly, I could hardly run. And as part of that just muscular issues, I didn't train long enough on the bike, I didn't do enough bricks. I don't know. But it also could have been salt. So I'm thinking of, and I've been self solving for this for years. I add salt, tablets to my drinks. But it's kind of guesswork. It's like, oh, I had 500 milligrams per litre. And they don't have crapping issues. So, is that solving my problem? 'Cause I did not get it right in the 70.3. So, I'm thinking, maybe I start to go with something like precision, nutrition, because they're experts in electrolytes. Sodium. So I'm gonna be looking into that this year.All right, that's the conclusion of my running thoughts episode. I hope you all enjoyed it. You can tell me if you liked it. If you were a member of the podcast, over the Patreon, sign up, and then you can tell me, Todd, I can't stand when you run and talk. Or more of that, please. Or tell me exactly what brand of carbohydrate powder that you use, and because I'm sitting here right now with 25 grams of the best carb powder I've ever had in my life. I've been using it for the past 3 years at least, and I can't see every changing. I threw in 10 grams, no, 5 grams of creatine, and they're both 100 grams of magnesium. For a little after run rejuvenation. And now I'm sitting in the sun. I'm not wearing sunscreen, so that's gonna have a time limit. And I'm also with some bees. And if you know anything about me, I do not like bees. I mean, I like bees. Actually, I like bees, honey bees, mini tasted bee. I detest and loathe wasps. They are not anyone's friend. They are not kind to anyone. I don't care how good they are for the environment. I think they're a plague upon the earth. And yeah, unfortunately, I have to share my outdoor spaces with wasps every now and then. Wish me luck. All right, for real. until next time. peace.

Train faster run faster, right? Let's assume that is true, so how much faster? I've done the experiment on myself and I share with you the results.Join our community at www.patreon.com/TheLonelyTriathleteTranscript0:07 Hi and welcome to the lonely triathlete. My name is Todd, and I am the lonely triathlete coming to you live from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, on this Sunday, April 26 2026.0:22 Welcome to the lonely triathlete. This is a podcast where I talk about age group, training and racing and promote community in an effort to help us all be a little less lonely. Now I'm suffering at the moment, and probably in a way in which you cannot guess. And I'm going to eliminate the guesswork right now - I feel like, for the past five minutes, I'm gonna burp just I can't, I can't get a burp out. So I would be shocked if I don't burp in the middle of this podcast. And this is an authentic podcast, I don't edit 99.9% of the time. I don't edit anything, so I'm not going to edit. I will. I will not burp in your ear. I guarantee you that. But I'm just telling you that feeling of having an impending burp,1:25 it's almost worse than an aerobic threshold. It's almost worse than VO2max intervals, I just found something that like hurts more than a triathlon experience.1:39 Okay, so let's get past the bodily issues and move on to this episode. You know there are a few things I have always wondered in my 25 years of racing, I've always wondered, can I produce or does Olympic distance standard course distance training, does it produce a decent 10k speed in and of itself, mixing in your swimming and your biking and your running and your strength training, like how? How close to your kind of optimal 10k speed do you really get with that kind of training? So that's always been in the back of my mind.2:26 Second is, how much faster could I get if I put triathlon training on the back burner for a while and just did dedicated run training, and then finally, would 70.3 training, or Ironman training, make me significantly faster or slower in a standalone 10k race? And how much faster or slower? I'm assuming it would be slower, but how much slower would I be Well, I have the answer to these questions, because for me, for many years, I have trained almost exclusively for Olympic distance triathlons. I did one Half Ironman. I did one Ironman, but mostly it's been Olympic distance. So I'm very familiar with how my body responds to Olympic distance training, and what my 10k times are within Olympic races. And so accounting for variability in run course elevation, my 10k times have been for the past decade, they've been between 45 minutes, which is really fast, like, almost so fast it makes me question the course distance, like, was it accurate or not? And 52 minutes on the other end, which is super slow. Like, what the heck happened? Did I just go too hard on the bike? Or what's going on? So 45 to 52 so let's call my average 10k speed in an Olympic distance 48 minutes. Okay, so you can almost bet on me being within plus or minus 10-15% of that in any race. Now I've also sprinkled in a few standalone 10k races in between triathlons, and those times have been consistently, on average, about one and a half to two minutes faster? Well, that makes sense. I didn't just swim for 30 minutes and bike for an hour and 10 minutes. So that makes sense. But the missing piece to this is I've also done dedicated run training leading up to some of these races anywhere from four weeks to twelve weeks, and that, by itself, improved my time another couple of minutes to the point where my personal best is 42:43.5:14 And that was achieved on about four months of Dedicated run training. So to answer the first question, Olympic distance training, from for me, I'm imagining, for most people, it does produce a pretty decent 10k time. However, standalone racing helps you go quite a bit faster, and if you add in some dedicated run training, maybe six weeks of run training prior to the race. That adds even more speed. I know it's not rocket science, but it's really it's really interesting to see it in action. It's like where theory meets meets practicality. Now, the only part of this experiment that I had been missing for the past 20 some years, is seeing how a switch to 70.3 training might affect my 10k Speed. Ah, that's interesting, because, as you would know, if you've ever done 70.3 or Ironman training, you don't do a lot of speed work in in in your run training. A little bit, but nothing like you would if you were dedicated to a 10k plan. So last year, as it happens, all I did was train and race a 70.3 Well, I raced in the Olympic afterwards, but my most of my training was completely centered around a 70.3 and ideally, I would have done the race and then a few weeks later, run a standalone 10k just to see what the difference is. But instead, what I did was I ran my 70.3 and then I trained a dedicated run plan. I trained with a dedicated run plan, and then posted a 49:53 last September.7:14 So I did the 70.3 and then did a little bit more racing and took some dedicated time to focus on my 10k and even after that, I barely broke 50 minutes when I just said my average in a triathlon is 48 minutes standalone is faster than that. So anyway, I can conclude, therefore that 70.3 training dropped my 10k speed by at least five minutes. So interesting. Now fast forward from last September to today, where this morning I ran the Times Colonist 10K race in Victoria. This is a huge run in this area. There were over 11,000 runners signed up for this race. It's the equivalent of the Vancouver Sun run, which draws like over 40,000 runners, so if we factor in Victoria's much, much smaller population, relatively speaking, it's probably of the same magnitude. Now, since last October,8:33 all I did was train for Olympic distance triathlon. So based on my past results, and with my reference point being that sub 50 10k I did last September, I thought, You know what? Today, based on all this Olympic distance training, I think I probably should run a somewhere around a 47:30 now today, the weather was amazing. It was incredible. blue sky, sun.10:29 I couldn't believe it. I mean, some of these people, I look at them and say, I would never have pegged you for a runner, and you're ahead of me, or some older gentleman in front of me I would normally pass in a triathlon, I couldn't pass them. I was like shaking my head, thinking there are some good runners in Victoria. Wow. Blew my mind. Very, very, very good legion of runners in this area. So anyway, I held on to my pace, nice rolling course. So up these long gradual hills, I just held to that threshold pace. And of course, I was not really able to take in much of the awe inspiring scenery through my haze of increasing agony. But every once in a while, I'd say to myself, "Oh, I've been here before. Oh, I know where this is" before, I retreated mentally back into my self preservation mantras. And then when I saw the nine kilometer sign, I stepped it up a notch, and it hurt a lot. I kept telling myself, this is this is the mantra I was repeating. "This pain is what you've been seeking. This pain is what you've been seeking. The pain is what you've been seeking". And then when I got tired of that one I'd go to, "you're in the pain you're looking for, you're in the pain you're looking for". And then my third mantra was around, around the the how do I lose my words right now? It was akin to saying, "relish it, relish it. Relish it. Enjoy it, enjoy it. This is what you wanted. Is what you needed". Anyway, I went into some haze of pain, and I recalled in that moment, as I was rounding the final turn for the finish line of the couple of kilometers back, I was passed by a guy that looked like a Gold's Gym bodybuilder, you know, the type thighs rubbing together, almost making fire with the inside of his thighs,12:48 Anyway, I had just written him off as one of these many freaks of nature, like how in the world he looked like he was easily 220 pounds to my 175 and yet somehow he was powering through faster than me. But in this final km I saw him up ahead of me, maybe with 500 meters to go, and then the finish line was in sight, and with a couple 100 meters to go, I just accelerated into a full sprint. Came up behind him. He started accelerating, not because of me. He didn't see me, but he saw the finish line coming up. And I just it's just as I was pulling even he started to accelerate, but I had the stronger kick, and I beat him to the finish line by about 10 feet. I went home today. That was my happy moment. I shouldn't be. I beat a bodybuilder in the 10k Oh my gosh. I wish I got his race number. I want to look him up. That was, it was a, it was an awe inspiring sight. I wish, I wish I actually had more of my wits about me. And I really like talked to him and found out what, how in the world is that possible? Anyhow, this is what you probably want to know. Maybe you don't want to know. I'm gonna tell you anyway, my finishing time. My finishing time was 461214:17 much, much faster than the 47:30 I'd anticipated, I ended up placing 12th out of 216 in my category. So top 6% I'm proud of that. I then looked ahead to the next category to see how much better I would have done, you know, if I was just as fast, but a bit older, turns out, I would have been done. I would have done about the same, like I said, Victoria has fast, fast runners. Wow. So in a nutshell, I confirmed, with my own experience that Olympic distance training can produce pretty decent 10k times, and that only dedicated training improves that even more, and that longer distance training, like for a 70.3 and I can only assume, for an Ironman, definitely makes you slower, and that's not a bad thing. But if running 10k races is your jam, then you're gonna want to add some dedicated run training time before you took that you take that 10k on. Anyhow, that is my experience this morning. 15:28 And now I want to get on to some other very exciting news. The Lonely triathlete Patreon page and membership option goes live now literally, now on Sunday night. So if you become a paid subscriber, you'll get ad free episodes, but you don't have ads. Todd, hmm, well, I might soon you never know. He said slyly. So you'll get ad free episodes. You'll have early episode releases. You'll have access to my entire 200 plus episode archive, and I just burped, and you never knew. And you'll have the ability to, this is what I'm excited about. You're going to have the ability to comment on every episode and have participation in polls and surveys that will help you shape this podcast, and starting with this episode and every one going forward, I'm going to make bonus content, bonus content who doesn't like bonus content.16:37 Now, if you want to keep listening for free, go for it. I'm going to always make the last 10 episodes of this podcast free, so don't worry, you'll have lots to listen to. It won't suddenly drop off your radar. So if you want to support this show and build with me, we're doing this together. I mean, I can't do it on my own. Build with me a community of like minded age group triathletes head on over the Patreon up with a link in the show notes, and let's get all get a little little less lonely together until next time. Peace.

Send us Fan MailYou've all heard the expression "less is more" and that is true for regular life as well as triathlon. I'll break down what this looks like in triathlon training, and ask yourself if you ever do a little (or a lot) more than necessary.Support the show

Send us Fan MailBig news. Big. News. I am taking The Lonely Triathlete to the next level. Support the show

Send us Fan MailAre you the type to rush through life? Do you always find yourself thinking of the future? Do you stub your toes a lot? Stub my toes, oh yeah, I used to because I was always rushing to the do the next thing. But not such much anymore.Support the show

Send us Fan MailDo you ever notice voices in your head? During a race do they ever try and convince you to slow down? Or tell you this hurts too much or that you are going too slow or that this is going to be a disappointing experience?If so, you can be prepared with a rebuttal. You can direct those voices in a certain direction. No arguing, no fretting, no agonizing doubts, only confident direction. You are in control!Support the show

Send us Fan MailFTP. Functional Threshold Power. The more the better, right? Sure, to a point. But you've no doubt been beaten by someone with a lower FTP than you. How is that possible? AI and I had a long conversation about this and I'm here to share what I learned.Support the show

Send a textI'm a very optimistic person but this week has been a struggle. Let me share with you a series of rants from back pain to congestion on my favourite running trail.Support the show

Send a textGiven that we swim, bike and run and lot it's inevitable that things happen to us that make for good stories. Today was one of those days, so strap in for story time! Support the show

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