Turning Pro at 40 – The Debut: Did It Live Up To The Hype?

Turning Pro at 40 – The Debut: Did It Live Up To The Hype?

Most athletes dream of that moment—standing on the start line of their first pro race. For Megan Grant, that dream came at 42, and her journey from nurse to pro triathlete is nothing short of inspiring. In this episode, Megan reveals the emotional rollercoaster of her first pro race at Ironman Chattanooga, sharing how she conquered imposter syndrome and embraced the power of community. Discover how innovative tools like Race Ranger boosted her confidence and alignment with seasoned pros. Listeners will gain practical insights into the mental side of racing and the importance of focusing on growth over results. Megan’s story underscores that it’s never too late to chase a dream or redefine what’s possible. Her honest reflections will motivate anyone feeling limited by age or self-doubt to embrace their journey with courage and joy. This episode is your ultimate inspiration to keep dreaming and always giddy up. You can find Meghan on Instgram ⁠@meghanleagrant ⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/meghanleagrant/] If you want to reach out to Michellie Jones you can find her at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://giddyupmultisports.com/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://giddyupmultisports.com/]for coaching, camps, and tools. Evan Gruda can be found on instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@GrudaGoesGlobal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/grudagoesglobal/?hl=en] Podcast theme music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Transistor.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://transistor.fm/?via=music].

It’s Never Too Late: Meghan Grant’s Journey to Pro at 42

At 42 years old, Meghan Grant is proving that potential does not expire. In this episode of The Giddy Up Edge, Michellie Jones sits down with Meghan to talk about her journey from age-group triathlon to earning her pro card, including the years of steady progress, setbacks, belief, and consistency that made it possible. Meghan shares how she balanced training with a demanding full-time career as a nurse, worked through fear and self-doubt, and kept showing up long enough to see what she was truly capable of. After a standout performance at IRONMAN 70.3 Oceanside, she now prepares to step onto the start line as a professional for the first time at IRONMAN 70.3 Chattanooga. This conversation is about more than racing. It is about patience, courage, resilience, and the reminder that it is never too late to chase a bigger version of yourself. You can find Meghan on Instgram @meghanleagrant [https://www.instagram.com/meghanleagrant/] If you want to reach out to Michellie Jones you can find her at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://giddyupmultisports.com/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://giddyupmultisports.com/]for coaching, camps, and tools. Evan Gruda can be found on instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@GrudaGoesGlobal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/grudagoesglobal/?hl=en] Podcast theme music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Transistor.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://transistor.fm/?via=music].

Matt Hanson on Longevity, Run Speed, and Lasting in Pro Triathlon

In this episode of The Giddy Up Edge, Michellie Jones sits down with pro triathlete Matt Hanson fresh off his podium finish at IRONMAN New Zealand, where he once again showed why he remains one of the most dangerous runners in long-course triathlon. The conversation goes far beyond race results, diving into what it really takes to stay competitive into your 40s, how Matt thinks about durability, consistency, self-coaching, recovery, and the mental side of sustaining a long career in the sport. Hanson is widely known for his elite run pedigree and deep experience in Ironman racing, and this episode explores both the highs and lows that shaped him along the way. Matt also shares his thoughts on balancing family life with professional sport, what has changed as he’s gotten older, how the sport is evolving, and where age-group athletes can find real gains in training and race execution. From passion and identity to free speed and race-day mindset, this is a conversation about much more than performance alone. It’s about building an engine — and a career — that lasts. You can find Matt on Instagram @matthansontri [https://www.instagram.com/matthansontri/] If you want to reach out to Michellie Jones you can find her at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://giddyupmultisports.com/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://giddyupmultisports.com/]for coaching, camps, and tools. Evan Gruda can be found on instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@GrudaGoesGlobal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/grudagoesglobal/?hl=en] Podcast theme music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Transistor.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://transistor.fm/?via=music].

Heavy Legs or Heavy Mind? Decoding Motivation Loss

What do you do when motivation drops and training suddenly feels harder? In this episode of The Giddy Up Edge, Michellie Jones and Evan Gruda unpack one of the most common challenges endurance athletes face: losing motivation. But instead of assuming something is wrong with your fitness, they explore a smarter framework for understanding what may actually be driving the dip. Is it physical fatigue from accumulated training stress? Is it emotional fatigue from life load, pressure, and mental burnout? Or is it your environment — the people, places, and conditions around you — making consistency harder than it needs to be? Evan and Michellie break down how to recognize each signal, why athletes often misread them, and how to respond in a way that supports long-term performance. This episode is all about learning to interpret what your body, mind, and environment are telling you — so you can make better decisions, stay consistent, and keep moving forward even when motivation shifts. If you’ve ever wondered whether you need more discipline, more recovery, or just a better setup, this episode is for you. If you want to reach out to Michellie Jones you can find her at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://giddyupmultisports.com/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://giddyupmultisports.com/]for coaching, camps, and tools. Evan Gruda can be found on instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@GrudaGoesGlobal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/grudagoesglobal/?hl=en] Podcast theme music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Transistor.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://transistor.fm/?via=music].

Aero Done Right: Comfort, Fit, and Speed with FastTT

In this episode of The Giddy Up Edge Podcast, Michellie Jones and Evan Gruda sit down with Wayne Attwell, founder of FastTT, to talk about the real meaning of “free speed” on the bike. Wayne shares how a personal fit problem turned into one of triathlon’s most innovative cockpit brands — built around comfort, adjustability, and sustainable aerodynamics. They dive into wind tunnel testing, athlete feedback, hydration integration, common aero mistakes, and why the fastest position is the one you can actually hold for hours. A must-listen for triathletes looking to ride faster, smarter, and stronger. If you want to get FAST check out your new cockpit over at http://fasttt.bike/ [http://fasttt.bike/] If you want to reach out to Michellie Jones you can find her at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://giddyupmultisports.com/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://giddyupmultisports.com/]for coaching, camps, and tools. Evan Gruda can be found on instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@GrudaGoesGlobal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/grudagoesglobal/?hl=en] Podcast theme music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Transistor.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://transistor.fm/?via=music].