Ep. 11: They Rode Unbound 200… But What Happened Between the Thunderstorms, Mud, and the Broken Bike Light?

Ep. 11: They Rode Unbound 200… But What Happened Between the Thunderstorms, Mud, and the Broken Bike Light?

In this episode of Average Age Groupers, hosts Holly, Maggie, and Laura debrief the Unbound 200 gravel race just days after finishing, comparing drastically different experiences shaped by relentless, shifting weather (multiple thunderstorms, hail, heavy rain), mud, wind, and technical terrain. Laura and Tarah SAG the riders and describe chaotic conditions at checkpoints, while Holly recounts riding the full 200 with Aaron, including creek bike-washes, night riding, chafing, crashes, cows on course, and navigating storms to the finish. Maggie details major setbacks from electrolyte issues and heat to running out of water, a broken computer mount, improvised duct-tape repairs, scrambling for lights at mile 160, and emotional lows despite completing the race. They discuss concerns about course safety, limited signage, and how the low-ceremony finish contrasted with triathlon, then close with gratitude to supporters and a look ahead to future races. 00:00 Tri Bike Gravel Fail 00:40 Unbound Recap Setup 01:36 Meet The Hosts 03:21 Race Morning Jitters 05:17 Expo And Briefing 10:01 Mass Start Magic 11:53 Early Miles And Hail 14:05 Crashes And Mud Spray 16:12 Back Of Pack Vibes 19:16 Creek Wash And Checkpoint 22:56 Pit Stop Nutrition Wins 25:06 Storms Tailwind Headwind 35:20 Headwind Time Warp 37:16 Mud Hills And Storms 39:16 Safety Concerns On Course 42:44 Aid Station Reset And Fuel 44:57 Chaotic Checkpoint Setup 48:02 Mechanical Fixes And Heat 51:53 Minimum Maintenance Mayhem 53:40 Water Crisis And Navigation 01:03:33 160 Mile Aid Station Repairs 01:09:18 Night Riding Final Miles 01:12:57 Lightning And Downpour 01:14:15 Technical Walk Sections 01:15:57 Shelter Warning Decision 01:18:13 Cows And Leapfrogging 01:21:16 Night Riding Reflections 01:22:54 Finish Line Storm Push 01:25:29 Crew Tarp Humor 01:26:39 Mud Crash Final Miles 01:31:13 Finish Feelings Growth 01:35:56 Post Race Disappointment 01:38:24 Lessons Expectations Ultra Vibe 01:43:23 Thank Yous And Wrap Up https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/average-age-groupers/id1889949099 https://open.spotify.com/show/2LJ6G7l1oIRZUIa3lo7NFp https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUYFKP1OYAMiMR1Ve36fOAw https://www.instagram.com/averageagegroupers/

Ep. 10: Unbound Eve in Emporia: Mud, Taper Crazies, and the 207-Mile Plan

Holly, Maggie, and Laura record together in Emporia, Kansas ahead of the Unbound gravel race, reflecting on how the final weeks went and whether they feel ready. Maggie describes heavy work stress limiting her usual pre-race planning, while Holly shares an anxious “taper crazies” experience, hunger, HR work stress, and ongoing post-car-accident issues; Laura discusses the challenge of SAG support with wide timing windows between checkpoints. They compare bike prep choices, wide 54mm tires with minimal clearance, padded bars, and chain waxing versus new tubeless tires and failed CushCore inserts and worry about mud, flats, and self-sufficiency. They outline fueling (carb mixes, gels, maple syrup, rice sandwiches, cookies, electrolytes, Red Bull, sandwiches, salty snacks), pacing and checkpoint strategy under a 21-hour cutoff, gear and clothing plans, and a mindset shaped by Ironman experience and Courtney Dauwalter’s “pain cave” framing. 00:00 Emporia Water Tower Intro 00:47 Podcast Setup and Plan 02:33 Taper Stress Check In 06:42 SAG Logistics and Timing 07:44 Bike Comfort Upgrades 12:28 New Bike and Tire Setup 14:11 Flat Fears and Spares 16:29 Nutrition and Caffeine Plan 23:13 Race Day Timeline Strategy 23:39 Ideal Day and Aid Stations 28:24 Holly Pace Expectations 29:26 Pacing Without Power 31:05 Cutoff Math and Aid Stops 33:17 Course Elevation Confusion 35:14 Wind and Weather Factors 35:49 Expo Plans and 350 Start 39:17 Race Kit and Gear Choices 42:41 Tara Cameo and Moab 240 45:50 Endurance Mindset and Pain Cave 53:52 Race Day Wrap and Plugs https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUYFKP1OYAMiMR1Ve36fOAw https://www.instagram.com/averageagegroupers/ https://averageagegroupers.substack.com/

Ep. 9: Ironman Wisconsin 2024 Build, Community, and a Cutoff-Clock Finish

Holly, Laura, and Maggie discuss the purpose of Average Age Groupers—sharing everyday endurance-sport stories and perspectives on training, rest, and balance—then dive into their Ironman Wisconsin build and race-day experiences. They describe winter base work indoors, a key 70.3 at Musselman, and how training escalated after mid-July, including nutrition struggles, bike discomfort, and the mental toll of long solo rides. They emphasize the expense of Ironman, the value of coaching for accountability, and especially the community that formed around their training, highlighted by a large supported “simulation” long ride where Laura hit a breaking point but kept going. On race day, Holly manages the windy bike and finishes with late-run support, while Laura battles headwinds, barely makes T2 cutoff, runs with Casey, and finishes in an emotional last-minute sprint amid news the run course was about a mile long. 00:00 Welcome Back Crew 00:55 Why Rest Matters 01:27 Ironman Wisconsin Tease 02:30 Bike Bag And California 03:19 Why Full Ironman Now 04:58 Winter Base Building 07:02 Musselman Tune Up Race 08:12 When Training Gets Real 09:42 Bike Struggles And Bonking 11:55 Coach Costs And Budget 14:44 Community Makes It Possible 18:33 Longest Ride Simulation Day 21:22 Cemetery Breakdown And Coke 26:58 Race Day Starts Swim Calm 30:55 Bike Headwind Reality Check 33:10 Chasing on the Bike 34:01 Mount Horeb Breakdown 35:17 Wind and Three Hills 36:48 Loop Two and Empty Crowds 38:54 Tailwind Back to Town 40:50 T2 Tales and Cutoffs 43:01 Illegal Pacer Run 44:36 Course Changes and Safety 47:49 Watch Dies and Bargaining 51:15 Finish Line Reflections 53:16 Cutoff Panic Sprint 58:45 Tears and Unfinished Business 01:01:27 Wrap Up Goodbye Listen to the Pod here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/average-age-groupers/id1889949099 https://open.spotify.com/show/2LJ6G7l1oIRZUIa3lo7NFp https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUYFKP1OYAMiMR1Ve36fOAw https://www.instagram.com/averageagegroupers/ https://waterfallracing.com https://www.instagram.com/forwardenduranceclub/

Ep. 8: Emir’s Racing Origin Story, Crit Tactics, and Gravel Lessons

Holly and Maggie open the Average Age Groupers podcast with guests Emir and Alyssa.They recap a 140-mile out-and-back ride on the flat C&O Canal path, and share lessons about needing solid food (not just carb drink mix), managing nonstop pedaling, rotating pulls, and recovering enough to ride again the next day. Emir explains his role in a corporate-owned Trek location, how he got into cycling through his brother-in-law coach after a soccer background, and what crits, road races, upgrade points, team tactics, and safety rules like holding your line and the yellow-line rule involve. He describes racing frequently, training mostly indoors on a trainer after work, and recent road-race experiences including a fast collegiate-combined field, a major crash, and a third-place finish. Emir also recounts Steamboat gravel race attempts, including under-fueling, a cracked wheel, and finishing 82nd, plus discussion of sleep, supplements, and future cyclocross and Colorado race ideas. 00:00 Podcast Setup Chaos 00:37 Welcome and Kansas Plans 02:41 140 Mile Gravel Recap 06:48 Second Day Suffering 08:29 Inside the Trek Shop 10:40 How Amir Started Racing 13:12 Crit Racing Explained 15:54 From Soccer to Bike Shops 16:57 Pandemic Bike Shop Carnage 21:28 Mallorca Trip Changed Everything 24:31 Team Racing and Masters 28:05 Sleep and Recovery Detour 30:19 Race Season Routine 30:42 Indoor Trainer Routine 31:06 Hains Point Loops 32:08 Weekly Training Plan 33:31 Jeff Cup Race Tactics 37:19 Sprint Finish Crash 39:46 Racing Logistics Prep 41:27 Upgrade Points Explained 46:40 Cyclocross Bucket List 48:10 Steamboat Gravel Stories 54:26 Fueling And Gels 56:27 Colorado Race Wishlist 58:31 Wrap Up Next Episodes Listen to the Pod here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/average-age-groupers/id1889949099 https://open.spotify.com/show/2LJ6G7l1oIRZUIa3lo7NFp https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUYFKP1OYAMiMR1Ve36fOAw https://www.instagram.com/averageagegroupers/ https://waterfallracing.com https://www.instagram.com/forwardenduranceclub/

Ep. 7: From Horses to Ironman: Holly’s Endurance Origin Story (and the Teams Behind Average Age Groupers)

Laura, Holly, and Maggie introduce Average Age Groupers, explain they’re part of Waterfall Racing, and share details about their local community team, Forward Endurance Club (formerly Forward Tri Club), built around uncoached group workouts and post-training coffee and tacos. They then dive into Holly’s background: early track, years running a horse training business, returning to running after burnout, completing 5Ks and the 2016 Madison Half, and a rapid leap into ultras through MadPower and Her Madison, culminating in a grueling Fall 50-mile race marked by headwinds, strict cutoffs, celiac-fueled self-support, and finishing unofficially in the dark. After a long break from running, Holly transitions toward triathlon, learns to swim during COVID, completes a local “Last Tri Series,” then races Door County Sprint and Boulder 70.3, later adding Wisconsin 70.3, North Carolina 70.3, and Ironman Wisconsin 2024, with future episodes and guests teased and a request to like, comment, rate, and engage for algorithm support. 00:00 Meet the Hosts 00:37 Shoutouts and Listener Love 01:09 Waterfall Racing Explained 03:59 Forward Endurance Club Vibes 06:43 Holly Concussion Update 07:39 Early Sports and Horses 11:32 Back to Running and First 5Ks 13:38 First Half Marathon Lessons 18:42 MadPower and Ultra Leap 23:35 Fall 50 Training Grind 27:49 Race Day Headwind and Finish 37:00 Finish Line Letdown 38:10 Post Race Breakdown 39:42 Why Keep Racing 43:31 Chicago Marathon Takeaways 46:22 Tri Bike Leap 48:08 Learning To Swim 49:14 COVID Open Water Era 53:00 First Official Triathlons 53:39 Boulder Breakthrough 57:22 All In On Triathlon 01:00:53 Gravel Goals Next 01:01:25 Wrap Up And Next Episodes Listen to the Pod here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/average-age-groupers/id1889949099 https://open.spotify.com/show/2LJ6G7l1oIRZUIa3lo7NFp https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUYFKP1OYAMiMR1Ve36fOAw https://www.instagram.com/averageagegroupers/