10 New Things to Try to Make You A Better Athlete- Part 2

How much data is too much data?  When does technology help you perform better,  and when does it hold you back?  In this episode, we dive into training metrics. From CTL to TSS, from heart rate to power, from Strava to Training Peaks, we try to help you differentiate between the positives and negatives of  big data.  Have a listen! 

Most people know Dave McGillivray as the Boston Marathon Race Director (since the late 1908s), but did you know he raced the Ironman World Championships 9 times, or that he completed the World Marathon Challenge at age 63 a few years ago, running 7 marathons in 7 days on 7 continents?  He also is inducted into 7 Hall of Fames, created the Dave McGillivray Finish Strong Foundation, and yes... he famously runs the Boston Marathon every year once the marathon is over on Marathon Monday. His accomplishments and charity work are so impressive. In this episode, we talk all things Boston, but we also talk about his triathlon days as an athlete and a race director.  And there are a couple of SURPRISE announcements in here that involve Kona and the Boston Marathon, so have a listen! 

https://www.davemcgillivrayfoundation.org

Our very knowledgeable friend and teammate, Christine Saleeba, is back to answer more questions about injury, recovery, and everything in between!  Topics covered in this episode:

• Bone vs soft tissue injuries- how do you know?
• Upstream/downstream pain
• Mobility- Do I stretch? Do I strengthen?
• What to do when PT isn’t working?
• What kind of discomfort can I train through?
• 5 things that someone could do at home to test for good functional strength and mobility 
• When do you need surgery?
• Massage / relaxation techniques and effectiveness 
• Rapid fire round! 

We go a bit "lighter" in today's episode with some "mythbusting" about pro triathletes.  How much money do pros really make from sponsorships and prize money?  What's happening at their pro race briefings before races?  How many hours a week do they train, for real? Do they like sharing the course with age groupers?  Real talk, real answers... fact or fiction: pro triathlete edition! Have a listen!

Ever wonder how and why training plans are structured the way they are?  What exactly happens during the base and build and peak weeks of training?  In this episode we try to demystify the different phases of a race build.  We talk specific workouts, how long each phases lasts, and make distinctions between short and long course plans.  We also talk a little bit about the taper and why it's so varied for each athlete.  Have a listen!   

Adam Grant's new book "Hidden Potential" is filled with information about how to improve and succeed, so we decided to invite you, our listeners, to read the book and send us your insights and takeaways. Whether you connected with this book as an athlete, a coach, a supervisor, a parent, or anyone that helps others perform, we appreciated your input.  And if you have not read the book, we try to summarize Adam Grant's main points and relate it to sport and life.  We think you will find this discussion honest and enlightening. Have a listen! 

Last week, we wrapped up another successful I Race Like A Girl training camp in Clermont, Florida.  We asked athletes at camp to write down questions for us to answer. Their questions were great. We really loved the last one! Here are a few questions that we address in this podcast!

• Paddles- do we really need to use them?
• Should I sign up for an xterra or gravel tri if I don't have access to run train on trails?
• How do I incorporate strength training into tri training?
• Mobility and pre-hab work is so boring- how do I motivate to do it?
• How do I improve my biking in a short amount of time? 
• How do you balance all the data and gadgets with just "doing it" ?
• How long do you give new nutrition brands a chance before you ditch them? 
• What brings you the most joy as an athlete and as a coach?

Sports Dietician Laura Moretti Reece is back to continue our discussion on fueling for athletic performance. Topics covered in this episode:

• First signs of Red-S and underfueling
• Bone stress injuries 
• Unintentionally underfueling
• Orthorexia and “clean eating”
• Social media influencers and food 
• Dietary trends and shifts
• Low carbohydrate availability and fat adapted 
• Race weight 
• What happens to your body on a “diet” 
• How do you know you are at your “set point”
• Nutrition myths
• Fueling suggestions to take into 2024 

You can find Laura at https://www.lauramorettird.com at Boston Children's Female Athlete Initiative and at @lauramorettti.rd on instagram . 

Eat the Salami!? We are back with Part 2 of new things to try to become a better athlete.  Which of these do you already do or which ones can you improve on?  And guess who put the last one on the list? 

• Nap 
• Stay mobile 
• Get a coach
• Know when to pivot 
• Eat the salami!

Have a Listen! 

There's something to be said for mastering the basics when training and racing- prioritize sleep, eat well, keep your easy days easy so your hard days can be hard... we could go on and on.  We LOVE the basics!  But we also love to think outside the box and find new ways to challenge ourselves.  In this 2 part episode, we present 10 things to try to make you stronger, faster, fitter, and rethink the way you approach training and racing. The first five:

• Shorten or lengthen your races 
• Nutrient timing
• Embrace the suck. Prepare for the suck. 
• Seek out your weakness
• Stability, balance, and plyo 

Have a listen!