That Triathlon Show

In part 1 of the Beginner Series, we discuss the ins and outs of what you need to know if you're just starting out in triathlon, or considering doing so.  HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS:  * What is triathlon? * Standard and non-standard triathlon distances * Who can do a triathlon? * Gear and equipment to get started * Basic terminology * Mikael's first triathlon story * Common questions and misconceptions * Next steps DETAILED EPISODE SHOWNOTES:  * We have detailed shownotes for all of our episodes. The shownotes are basically the podcast episode in written form, that you can read in 5-10 minutes. They are not transcriptions, but they are also not just surface-level overviews. They provide detailed insights and timestamps for each episode, and are great especially for later review, after you've already listened to an episode. Naturally, as great as they are, they do not cover absolutely everything in as great detail as we can do in a 45-90 minute podcast episode.   * The shownotes for today's episode can be found at www.scientifictriathlon.com/beginner1/ [https://scientifictriathlon.com/beginner1/] LINKS AND RESOURCES:  * The original Beginner Tips series [https://scientifictriathlon.com/beginner-tips/] on That Triathlon Show WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO NEXT? If you enjoyed this episode, I think you'll love the following episodes:  * Technique improvement and swim training for triathletes with Brenton Ford | EP#320 [https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts320/] * Polarised training with Stephen Seiler, PhD | EP#177 [https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts177/] You can find our full episode archives here [https://scientifictriathlon.com/podcast-archives/], where you can filter for categories such as Training, Racing, Science & Physiology, Swimming, Cycling, Running etc. You can also find separate archives for specific series of episodes I've done, specifically Q&A episodes [https://scientifictriathlon.com/qa/], TTS Thursday episodes [https://scientifictriathlon.com/ttst/], and Beginner Tips episodes [https://scientifictriathlon.com/beginner-tips/].  LEARN MORE ABOUT SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON:  * The Scientific Triathlon website [https://scientifictriathlon.com/] is the home of That Triathlon Show and everything else that we do * Contact us through our contact form [https://scientifictriathlon.com/contact/] or email me directly (note - email/contact form messages get responded to much more quickly than Instagram DMs) * Subscribe to our Newsletter [https://scientifictriathlon.com/newsletter/] * Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/scientifictriathlonhq/] * Learn more about our coaching [https://scientifictriathlon.com/coaching/], training plans [https://scientifictriathlon.com/plans/], and training camps [https://scientifictriathlon.com/training-camp-mallorca/]. We have something to offer for everybody from beginners to professionals.  HOW CAN I SUPPORT THAT TRIATHLON SHOW (FOR FREE)?  I really appreciate you reading this and considering helping the show! If you love the show and want to support it to help ensure it sticks around, there are a few very simple things you can do, at no cost other than a minute of your time.  * Subscribe to the podcast in your podcast app to automatically get all new episodes as they are released. * Tell your friends, internet and social media friends, acquaintances and triathlon frenemies about the podcast. Word of mouth is the best way to grow the podcast by far!  * Rate and review the podcast (ideally five stars of course!) in your podcast app of choice (Spotify and Apple Podcasts are the biggest and most important ones). * Share episodes online and on social media. Share your favourite episodes in your Instagram stories, start a discussion about interesting episodes on forums, reference them in your blog or Substack.  SPONSORS:  * Precision Fuel & Hydration [https://visit.pfandh.com/thattriathlonshow] help athletes personalise their hydration and fueling strategies for training and racing. Use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner [https://visit.pfandh.com/thattriathlonshowplanner] to get personalised plan for your carbohydrate, sodium and fluid intake in your next event. That Triathlon Show listeners get 15% off their first order of fuel and electrolyte products. Simply use this link [https://visit.pfandh.com/thattriathlonshow] and the discount will be auto-applied at the checkout.

John Davis is a running coach, researcher, and the author of the blog Running Writings. He combines scientific thinking and computational skills with practical coaching, and has developed popular tools and calculators for distance runners. In this episode, John discusses his run training principles, and we discuss his calculators and why they could be a great tool in any runner's toolbox.  HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS:  * The story behind Running Writings and John's motivation for starting it * John's calculators and how they differ from others * John's coaching philosophy and core training principles * Using physiological models and race-goal models in training design * The value of long steady runs * Thoughts on training durability and minimising late-race performance decline * Listener questions DETAILED EPISODE SHOWNOTES:  * We have detailed shownotes for all of our episodes. The shownotes are basically the podcast episode in written form, that you can read in 5-10 minutes. They are not transcriptions, but they are also not just surface-level overviews. They provide detailed insights and timestamps for each episode, and are great especially for later review, after you've already listened to an episode. Naturally, as great as they are, they do not cover absolutely everything in as great detail as we can do in a 45-90 minute podcast episode. * The shownotes for today's episode can be found at www.scientifictriathlon.com/tts464/ [https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts464/] LINKS AND RESOURCES:  * John’s Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/runningwritings/] and Twitter [https://x.com/JDruns] * Running Writings [https://runningwritings.com/] - John's website * Running Writings Newsletter [https://runningwritings.com/news] * All of John's calculators [https://apps.runningwritings.com/] * The 5k to Critical Speed calculator [https://apps.runningwritings.com/cv-threshold-calculator/] discussed at length in the episode * Modern Training and Physiology for Middle and Long-Distance Runners [https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Training-Physiology-Long-Distance-Runners/dp/0615790291] - John’s book WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO NEXT? If you enjoyed this episode, I think you'll love the following episodes:  * David Roche – The training and racing strategy behind his epic Leadville 100 course record | EP#444 [https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts444/] - inspiring episode about ultra-running, with lots of interesting thought experiments for any endurance athlete * Michele Zanini (part 2) [https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts394/] | EP#394 - a deep-dive into Renato Canova's training methods, from somebody who spent a lot of time working together with Canova * Run training talk with Jon Green | EP#315 [https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts315/] - a great interview on run training with the coach of Molly Seidel, bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympics You can find our full episode archives here [https://scientifictriathlon.com/podcast-archives/], where you can filter for categories such as Training, Racing, Science & Physiology, Swimming, Cycling, Running etc. You can also find separate archives for specific series of episodes I've done, specifically Q&A episodes [https://scientifictriathlon.com/qa/], TTS Thursday episodes [https://scientifictriathlon.com/ttst/], and Beginner Tips episodes [https://scientifictriathlon.com/beginner-tips/].  LEARN MORE ABOUT SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON:  * The Scientific Triathlon website [https://scientifictriathlon.com/] is the home of That Triathlon Show and everything else that we do * Contact us through our contact form [https://scientifictriathlon.com/contact/] or email me directly (note - email/contact form messages get responded to much more quickly than Instagram DMs) * Subscribe to our Newsletter [https://scientifictriathlon.com/newsletter/] * Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/scientifictriathlonhq/] * Learn more about our coaching [https://scientifictriathlon.com/coaching/], training plans [https://scientifictriathlon.com/plans/], and training camps [https://scientifictriathlon.com/training-camp-mallorca/]. We have something to offer for everybody from beginners to professionals. HOW CAN I SUPPORT THAT TRIATHLON SHOW (FOR FREE)?  I really appreciate you reading this and considering helping the show! If you love the show and want to support it to help ensure it sticks around, there are a few very simple things you can do, at no cost other than a minute of your time.  * Subscribe to the podcast in your podcast app to automatically get all new episodes as they are released. * Tell your friends, internet and social media friends, acquaintances and triathlon frenemies about the podcast. Word of mouth is the best way to grow the podcast by far! * Rate and review the podcast (ideally five stars of course!) in your podcast app of choice (Spotify and Apple Podcasts are the biggest and most important ones). * Share episodes online and on social media. Share your favourite episodes in your Instagram stories, start a discussion about interesting episodes on forums, reference them in your blog or Substack. SPONSORS:  * Precision Fuel & Hydration [https://visit.pfandh.com/thattriathlonshow] help athletes personalise their hydration and fueling strategies for training and racing. Use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner [https://visit.pfandh.com/thattriathlonshowplanner] to get personalised plan for your carbohydrate, sodium and fluid intake in your next event. That Triathlon Show listeners get 15% off their first order of fuel and electrolyte products. Simply use this link [https://visit.pfandh.com/thattriathlonshow] and the discount will be auto-applied at the checkout.

In this Q&A episode, Mikael answers listener questions on training, physiology, long-term athlete development, and more. There are lots of practical tips and takeaways relevant to a wide range of athletes and contexts.  HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS:  * How to get as fast as possible at middle-distance triathlon as a 19-year-old * How to quantify training load and monitor response to load * Key metrics to monitor for overtraining risk * How to select bike cadence when using cycling as cross-training for running * Heart rate drift during Zone 2 cycling * Discrepancies between cycling and running heart rates DETAILED EPISODE SHOWNOTES:  * We have detailed shownotes for all of our episodes. The shownotes are basically the podcast episode in written form, that you can read in 5-10 minutes. They are not transcriptions, but they are also not just surface-level overviews. They provide detailed insights and timestamps for each episode, and are great especially for later review, after you've already listened to an episode. Naturally, as great as they are, they do not cover absolutely everything in as great detail as we can do in a 45-90 minute podcast episode.   * The shownotes for today's episode can be found at www.scientifictriathlon.com/tts463/ [https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts463/] LINKS AND RESOURCES:  * Critical Power/Speed and training zones calculator [https://scientifictriathlon.com/tools/] WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO NEXT? If you enjoyed this episode, I think you'll love the following episodes:  * High intensity, running power, suffering capacity, bias in training prescription (Q&A) | EP#447 [https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts447/] * Q&A with Lachlan Kerin | EP#438 [https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts438/] * Q&A (supersized holiday edition) | EP#422 [https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts422/] You can find our full episode archives here [https://scientifictriathlon.com/podcast-archives/], where you can filter for categories such as Training, Racing, Science & Physiology, Swimming, Cycling, Running etc. You can also find separate archives for specific series of episodes I've done, specifically Q&A episodes [https://scientifictriathlon.com/qa/], TTS Thursday episodes [https://scientifictriathlon.com/ttst/], and Beginner Tips episodes [https://scientifictriathlon.com/beginner-tips/].  LEARN MORE ABOUT SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON:  * The Scientific Triathlon website [https://scientifictriathlon.com/] is the home of That Triathlon Show and everything else that we do * Contact us through our contact form [https://scientifictriathlon.com/contact/] or email me directly (note - email/contact form messages get responded to much more quickly than Instagram DMs) * Subscribe to our Newsletter [https://scientifictriathlon.com/newsletter/] * Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/scientifictriathlonhq/] * Learn more about our coaching [https://scientifictriathlon.com/coaching/], training plans [https://scientifictriathlon.com/plans/], and training camps [https://scientifictriathlon.com/training-camp-mallorca/]. We have something to offer for everybody from beginners to professionals.  HOW CAN I SUPPORT THAT TRIATHLON SHOW (FOR FREE)?  I really appreciate you reading this and considering helping the show! If you love the show and want to support it to help ensure it sticks around, there are a few very simple things you can do, at no cost other than a minute of your time.  * Subscribe to the podcast in your podcast app to automatically get all new episodes as they are released. * Tell your friends, internet and social media friends, acquaintances and triathlon frenemies about the podcast. Word of mouth is the best way to grow the podcast by far!  * Rate and review the podcast (ideally five stars of course!) in your podcast app of choice (Spotify and Apple Podcasts are the biggest and most important ones). * Share episodes online and on social media. Share your favourite episodes in your Instagram stories, start a discussion about interesting episodes on forums, reference them in your blog or Substack.  SPONSORS:  * Precision Fuel & Hydration [https://visit.pfandh.com/thattriathlonshow] help athletes personalise their hydration and fueling strategies for training and racing. Use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner [https://visit.pfandh.com/thattriathlonshowplanner] to get personalised plan for your carbohydrate, sodium and fluid intake in your next event. That Triathlon Show listeners get 15% off their first order of fuel and electrolyte products. Simply use this link [https://visit.pfandh.com/thattriathlonshow] and the discount will be auto-applied at the checkout.

Coach Glenn Poleunis leads a Girona-based squad home to elite triathletes such as T100 World Champion Marten van Riel and Olympic and World Champion Cassandre Beaugrand (who joined the squad more recently, after her standout 2024 season). We talk about coaching at the highest level, the demands of WTCS, T100 and Ironman racing, and how Glenn's coaching is evolving with the demands of the sport.  HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS:  * How Glenn's coaching and his squad has evolved over the past three years * Lessons from the Paris Olympics and the Olympic qualification period * Outlook on the LA 2028 Olympic cycle * Comparing the WTCS, T100 and Ironman racing formats * Preparing Marten van Riel for both T100 and the Ironman World Championships * Season periodisation and managing long racing calendars * Working with Cassandre Beaugrand, and how to improve an Olympic champion DETAILED EPISODE SHOWNOTES:  * We have detailed shownotes for all of our episodes. The shownotes are basically the podcast episode in written form, that you can read in 5-10 minutes. They are not transcriptions, but they are also not just surface-level overviews. They provide detailed insights and timestamps for each episode, and are great especially for later review, after you've already listened to an episode. Naturally, as great as they are, they do not cover absolutely everything in as great detail as we can do in a 45-90 minute podcast episode.   * The shownotes for today's episode can be found at www.scientifictriathlon.com/tts462/ [https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts462/] LINKS AND RESOURCES:  * Glenn's website [https://www.ptccoaching.com/] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ptc_coaching/] * Glenn's previous appearance on That Triathlon Show: Training talk with Glenn Poleunis | EP#335 [https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts335/] WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO NEXT? If you enjoyed this episode, I think you'll love the following episodes:  * Björn Geesmann | EP#426 [https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts426/] - this is a very in-depth discussion on a number of important training topics with Björn Geesmann, who has coached athletes like Patrick Lange, Kat Matthews and many more * Training structure, periodisation and the science of winning with Jan Olbrecht, PhD | EP#198 [https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts198/] - Glenn's compatriot Jan Olbrecht is a massive name in endurance sports coaching and applied sports science, and this might be the only podcast interview he has ever done in English You can find our full episode archives here [https://scientifictriathlon.com/podcast-archives/], where you can filter for categories such as Training, Racing, Science & Physiology, Swimming, Cycling, Running etc. You can also find separate archives for specific series of episodes I've done, specifically Q&A episodes [https://scientifictriathlon.com/qa/], TTS Thursday episodes [https://scientifictriathlon.com/ttst/], and Beginner Tips episodes [https://scientifictriathlon.com/beginner-tips/].  LEARN MORE ABOUT SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON:  * The Scientific Triathlon website [https://scientifictriathlon.com/] is the home of That Triathlon Show and everything else that we do * Contact us through our contact form [https://scientifictriathlon.com/contact/] or email me directly (note - email/contact form messages get responded to much more quickly than Instagram DMs) * Subscribe to our Newsletter [https://scientifictriathlon.com/newsletter/] * Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/scientifictriathlonhq/] * Learn more about our coaching [https://scientifictriathlon.com/coaching/], training plans [https://scientifictriathlon.com/plans/], and training camps [https://scientifictriathlon.com/training-camp-mallorca/]. We have something to offer for everybody from beginners to professionals.  HOW CAN I SUPPORT THAT TRIATHLON SHOW (FOR FREE)?  I really appreciate you reading this and considering helping the show! If you love the show and want to support it to help ensure it sticks around, there are a few very simple things you can do, at no cost other than a minute of your time.  * Subscribe to the podcast in your podcast app to automatically get all new episodes as they are released. * Tell your friends, internet and social media friends, acquaintances and triathlon frenemies about the podcast. Word of mouth is the best way to grow the podcast by far!  * Rate and review the podcast (ideally five stars of course!) in your podcast app of choice (Spotify and Apple Podcasts are the biggest and most important ones). * Share episodes online and on social media. Share your favourite episodes in your Instagram stories, start a discussion about interesting episodes on forums, reference them in your blog or Substack.  SPONSORS:  * Precision Fuel & Hydration [https://visit.pfandh.com/thattriathlonshow] help athletes personalise their hydration and fueling strategies for training and racing. Use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner [https://visit.pfandh.com/thattriathlonshowplanner] to get personalised plan for your carbohydrate, sodium and fluid intake in your next event. That Triathlon Show listeners get 15% off their first order of fuel and electrolyte products. Simply use this link [https://visit.pfandh.com/thattriathlonshow] and the discount will be auto-applied at the checkout.

Craig Alexander is a three-time Ironman World Champion and two-time Ironman 70.3 World Champion. In this episode we discuss the training and racing strategies Craig used during his career in detail. Craig also shares learnings from his post-racing coaching career on training considerations for age-group triathletes.  HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS:  * An overview of Craig's training approach during his most successful years * Key principles and example workouts in his swim, bike and run training * How to race well in Kona * Things that didn't work and training mistakes made * Craig's team and coaches * Advice for age-group athletes, including time-restricted athletes and older athletes * Common mistakes to avoid for age-group athletes * Overrated and underrated products and concepts in triathlon DETAILED EPISODE SHOWNOTES:  * We have detailed shownotes for all of our episodes. The shownotes are basically the podcast episode in written form, that you can read in 5-10 minutes. They are not transcriptions, but they are also not just surface-level overviews. They provide detailed insights and timestamps for each episode, and are great especially for later review, after you've already listened to an episode. Naturally, as great as they are, they do not cover absolutely everything in as great detail as we can do in a 45-90 minute podcast episode.   * The shownotes for today's episode can be found at www.scientifictriathlon.com/tts461/ [https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts461/] LINKS AND RESOURCES:  * Craig's website [https://sansego.sansego.co/] (Sansego) and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/crowiealexander/] WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO NEXT? If you enjoyed this episode, I think you'll love the following episodes:  * Frank Jakobsen – Performance, training and mindset | EP#231 [https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts231/] and Coach Frank Jakobsen | EP#373 [https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts373/] - Frank is one of the coaches Craig worked with during his career, and shares lots of wisdom in these two interviews. * Kona preparation – best practices of top coaches | EP#309 [https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts309/] - For more advice specifically on preparing for a great race in Kona, this is a great listen. * David McNamee – training, racing, and insights from 18 years in triathlon | EP#435 [https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts435/] - Another interview with detailed insights into the training of an athlete who's had great success in the Ironman World Championships.  You can find our full episode archives here [https://scientifictriathlon.com/podcast-archives/], where you can filter for categories such as Training, Racing, Science & Physiology, Swimming, Cycling, Running etc. You can also find separate archives for specific series of episodes I've done, specifically Q&A episodes [https://scientifictriathlon.com/qa/], TTS Thursday episodes [https://scientifictriathlon.com/ttst/], and Beginner Tips episodes [https://scientifictriathlon.com/beginner-tips/].  LEARN MORE ABOUT SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON:  * The Scientific Triathlon website [https://scientifictriathlon.com/] is the home of That Triathlon Show and everything else that we do * Contact us through our contact form [https://scientifictriathlon.com/contact/] or email me directly (note - email/contact form messages get responded to much more quickly than Instagram DMs) * Subscribe to our Newsletter [https://scientifictriathlon.com/newsletter/] * Follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/scientifictriathlonhq/] * Learn more about our coaching [https://scientifictriathlon.com/coaching/], training plans [https://scientifictriathlon.com/plans/], and training camps [https://scientifictriathlon.com/training-camp-mallorca/]. We have something to offer for everybody from beginners to professionals.  HOW CAN I SUPPORT THAT TRIATHLON SHOW (FOR FREE)?  I really appreciate you reading this and considering helping the show! If you love the show and want to support it to help ensure it sticks around, there are a few very simple things you can do, at no cost other than a minute of your time.  * Subscribe to the podcast in your podcast app to automatically get all new episodes as they are released. * Tell your friends, internet and social media friends, acquaintances and triathlon frenemies about the podcast. Word of mouth is the best way to grow the podcast by far!  * Rate and review the podcast (ideally five stars of course!) in your podcast app of choice (Spotify and Apple Podcasts are the biggest and most important ones). * Share episodes online and on social media. Share your favourite episodes in your Instagram stories, start a discussion about interesting episodes on forums, reference them in your blog or Substack.  SPONSORS:  * Precision Fuel & Hydration [https://visit.pfandh.com/thattriathlonshow]help athletes personalise their hydration and fueling strategies for training and racing. Use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner [https://visit.pfandh.com/thattriathlonshowplanner]to get personalised plan for your carbohydrate, sodium and fluid intake in your next event. That Triathlon Show listeners get 15% off their first order of fuel and electrolyte products. Simply use this link [https://visit.pfandh.com/thattriathlonshow]and the discount will be auto-applied at the checkout.