The TriDot Triathlon Podcast

TriDot coaches John Mayfield, Elizabeth James, and Jeff Raines are in the hot seat on this round-robin, rapid-fire episode! The coaches answer your questions about a variety of topics. Learn strategies for maintaining your "zone 2" heart rate during aerobic sessions, how dehydration impacts heart rate, and how to build your awareness of Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE). We'll also discuss returning to training after an injury or illness, helpful transition tips, and free training opportunities with the TriDot staff and coaches at the TriDot @ the Races events.

Understand your rights as a cyclist! Bike Law is a network of independently practicing attorneys that passionately represent cyclists in a variety of legal matters. In this episode, Rachael Maney, the National Director of Bike Law, explains what to do if you find yourself involved in a crash. Also learn the best practices to ride responsibly and increase your odds of having a safe ride.

Endurance athletes understand the need for oxygen, but how does your respiratory system and the exchange of gases within your body actually work? Respiratory Therapist and TriDot Coach Ryan Tibball provides an overview of your respiratory system and how you can improve your respiratory fitness. Ryan defines VO2 max and its relationship to training. He also recommends optimal breathing patterns for swimming, biking, and running that can significantly benefit your triathlon performance and offers special considerations for asthmatic athletes.

Triathletes know that temperature, humidity, and elevation have a significant impact on your training and racing metrics. But how do you know how much to adjust your pace or wattage in the summer heat and humidity or when training at a higher elevation? In this episode, TriDot founder and CEO, Jeff Booher, and exercise physiologist and TriDot coach, Jeff Raines, explain how TriDot’s EnviroNorm® (environment normalization) technology accounts for these variables to keep your training and racing spot on! Learn how TriDot localizes your prescribed training intensities to your anticipated environment to ensure that you are training at the intended intensity and producing the desired physiological adaptations from your training. And hear how TriDot normalizes your actual results to base values so that you can make real apples-to-apples comparisons of performances across different training environments.

Triathlon training can positively affect health and fitness. But men should be aware of warning signs and symptoms that can occur when your energy expenditure exceeds your nutritional intake. Expert nutritionist Dr. Krista Austin outlines how REDs (Relative Energy Deficiency in sport) and LowT (low testosterone levels) can impact reproductive, psychological, and bone health. Ironman Champion and Director of Endurance Sports at the UCAN Company, Matt Bach, also shares his personal experiences with low energy availability and overtraining. Dr. Austin provides recommendations for assessing your health and what to do if you recognize some of these symptoms in your own training.

Triathlon training can positively affect health and fitness. But women should be aware of warning signs and symptoms that can occur when your energy expenditure exceeds your nutritional intake. Expert nutritionist Dr. Krista Austin outlines how REDs (Relative Energy Deficiency in sport) can impact reproductive, psychological, and bone health. Together with podcast host, Andrew Harley and professional triathlete, Elizabeth James, Dr. Austin provides recommendations for assessing your health and what to do if you recognize some of these symptoms in your own training.

Save time in transition with tips from the TriDot team! You're on the clock during T1 and T2, so it's essential to establish a plan for efficiently grabbing the gear you need and setting yourself up for success in the next part of the race. Coaches John Mayfield and Elizabeth James dish the details on the triathlon transition area, practicing your routine, and how to manage changing tents and gear bags for long-course events.

All triathletes swim, but few triathletes come from a swimming background. Understanding pool etiquette and lane lingo can give you confidence and help you feel more at home in the pool. What are the do's and don'ts when sharing a lane? How do you use the pace clock? How do I adapt to a master's swim session? In this week's episode, TriDot coaches Jeff Raines and John Mayfield answer these questions and many more! And Triathlete Magazine's Editor-in-Chief, Kelly O'Mara, shares her swim stories from around the world.

Training stress causes soreness and fatigue in the name of improvement. But other types of stress can undermine your efforts. TriDot coaches John Mayfield and Elizabeth James discuss the differences between stress and eustress and the way you react biologically. Apply this practical information to mitigate the negative effects of stress on your triathlon training.

Specialized Human Performance Engineer, Jesse Frank, uses aerodynamics and physiology everyday to ensure athletes are as fast as possible. In this episode, Andrew Harley and John Mayfield talk with Jesse about the wind tunnel testing process and how it's applied to a wide range of equipment options and racing positions. Learn the biggest take-aways that you can apply and which products offer the most aero advantage for your dollar.