The Endurance Drive Podcast

We love a deep reflections episode! Katie and Elena hit a bunch of topics including recovery after really big races, what it actually means to listen to your body (and why listening to your body can be hard in pregnancy), mental challenges with the off season and how to manage them, athlete identity, risk tolerance for moving your body at different stages of life, why doing anything for the first time is so tough, and a whole lot more. We also answer a great listener question on racing on your period and mindset shifts that can help you with any type of adversity in races. Check it out! To view extended show notes for this episode, visit: theendurancedrive.com/podcast To share feedback or ask questions to be featured on a future episode, please use ⁠this form⁠ or email: Katie@TheEnduranceDrive.com.

This week’s episode hits a bunch of fun topics including: insights from the professional men’s race at the Ironman World Championships in Nice, France; what’s hot and what’s not in the Norwegian training protocols; our recommendations on TT bike brands; how to identify and prevent burnout as long seasons draw to a close; some additional tips for the off-season; and how to manage race-day anxiety. We also dive into habit stacking as a way to make sure you actually do the recovery and mobility things you should be doing and hit some of our most creative gear picks of the week yet. Check it out!To view extended show notes for this episode, visit: theendurancedrive.com/podcast To share feedback or ask questions to be featured on a future episode, please use ⁠this form⁠ or email: Katie@TheEnduranceDrive.com.

She did it! This episode recaps many of the physical and mental insights Elena picked up while racing for over 29 hours at the world's most competitive and well-known 100-mile ultramarathon. We cover: what the energy in Chamonix is like during race week; how Elena prepped mentally and physically in the days and hours leading up to the race start; what the experience is like for crew and spectators; how she mentally and physically navigated feeling worse than expected in the first 20 miles of the race; how she dealt with insane weather conditions including rain, mud, cold, and snow through the night; the story behind the broken pole; what the last 30 miles felt like once she realized she was going to finish; how Elena is feeling now; and what's next on her running and racing scene. We also hit an interesting insight related to Boston Marathon registration and pregnancy race deferral policies at big races. This was such a fun episode to record, and we're so psyched for Elena on her huge accomplishment (did we mention 18th in the world?!)—check it out!To view extended show notes for this episode, visit: theendurancedrive.com/podcast To share feedback or ask questions to be featured on a future episode, please use ⁠this form⁠ or email: Katie@TheEnduranceDrive.com.

This week's episode features plenty of insights from recent adventures and races. We cover: takeaways from Katie's recent "Pregnant Prezi" and FKT attempt on the Cannon and Kinsmans Loop, our favorite hikes and runs in New England, tips on mapping and route planning if you want to plan your own adventures (especially in a new location), insights from tough open water swims in races, mentally resetting when a race or training session doesn't go your way, whether weighted vests are a good training stimulus and/or investment, and advice for the upcoming fall off season. Check it out!To view extended show notes for this episode, visit: theendurancedrive.com/podcast To share feedback or ask questions to be featured on a future episode, please use ⁠this form⁠ or email: Katie@TheEnduranceDrive.com.

This week's episode features a deep dive on the training principles and philosophy between two very different endurance projects: Elena's multi-year prep to race in the elite field at Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) and the first half of Katie's journey through pregnancy as an endurance athlete. We cover insights that with a surprising amount of overlap between the two experiences, including the importance of flexibility, fueling, and mindset, as well as lots of tips for listeners who are interested in elements of either journey. Whatever endurance adventure is on your radar next, this episode has something for you. Check it out!UTMB Tracking Link: https://live.utmb.world/utmb/2025/utmbTo view extended show notes for this episode, visit: theendurancedrive.com/podcast To share feedback or ask questions to be featured on a future episode, please use ⁠this form⁠ or email: Katie@TheEnduranceDrive.com.

This week’s episode is another grab bag full of insights! Topics include: the benefits of Zone 0 movement, good data and bad data in training and in pregnancy, why mountain adventures are so great, how to approach workouts and training in periods of high LSS (life stress score), governing effort on big days, bike handling tips, training in bad air quality, how muscle memory helps you retain your season’s gains even when you take time off, and an interesting discussion on doping in amateur endurance sports. Check it out!To view extended show notes for this episode, visit: theendurancedrive.com/podcast To share feedback or ask questions to be featured on a future episode, please use ⁠this form⁠ or email: Katie@TheEnduranceDrive.com.

In this week’s episode, Elena and Katie catch up on all things training, mindset, and life as Elena wraps up the final month of prep for UTMB and Katie navigates the second trimester of pregnancy as an endurance athlete. Topics include: why “saying maybe” and listening to your body is sometimes a better training approach than saying yes; unsolicited comments on pregnant athletes’ bodies and training and how to handle them; how to take the pressure off going into big events, including going “Strava dark,” planning adventures, and reconnecting with your why; Elena’s big days at the Speedgoat 50K and “Soft Rock” and how they helped her build confidence for UTMB later this year; hydration strategies in ultra endurance events; and more! We love it when casual life catch-ups turn into insights-packed episodes for the podcast, and we hope you enjoy it too. Check it out!To view extended show notes for this episode, visit: theendurancedrive.com/podcast To share feedback or ask questions to be featured on a future episode, please use ⁠this form⁠ or email: Katie@TheEnduranceDrive.com.

Discover the concept of minimum effective dose in endurance training and how it can optimize your performance. The team discusses managing expectations to avoid disappointment while navigating races and personal challenges. Learn about the impact of mindset, fueling, and pacing on race day success. Hear valuable insights from Ironman Lake Placid experiences, including community-building through supportive training. Plus, delve into the nuances of heat and metabolic bonking and the crucial role of hydration. Get ready to elevate your endurance game!

Ironman Lake Placid is done and dusted! In this episode we’re putting a bow on the IMLP journey for many of our athletes by covering the key insights we picked up on race day and immediately before and after. Topics include: avoiding panic training during race week, the importance of hiring a coach, why Ironman is so hard, how cool weather can be a major performance booster, dealing with torrential rain on race day, the importance of patience, infusing joy into your race experience, thoughts on the most helpful workouts and training experiences leading up to race day, carb loading do’s and don’ts, useful mantras, and a whole lot more. This episode is relevant for all long distance races, not just Placid. Check it out! To view extended show notes for this episode, visit: theendurancedrive.com/podcast To share feedback or ask questions to be featured on a future episode, please use ⁠this form⁠ or email: Katie@TheEnduranceDrive.com.

This episode features a big life update and even more insights for the podcast! We dive into Katie’s A race for the foreseeable future: pregnancy! Topics include: why relatively limited research on endurance training during pregnancy makes individual anecdotes so powerful; how Katie thought about “planning” pregnancy in the context of training and racing (and why pregnancy is ultimately harder to plan than your race calendar); first trimester symptoms—including nausea, fatigue, and food aversions—and how they impacted her training; how she collaborated with coaches, doctors, and other members of her support team to train safely; the decision to “race” a 5K at 8 weeks pregnant and how it went; how Katie’s mindset and mental strategies have shifted so far in the context of pregnancy; goals and intentions for the remainder of pregnancy and postpartum; and some favorite academic papers on exercise during pregnancy. Conversations around fertility, pregnancy and postpartum journeys can be hard, so please know that wherever you are in this journey, you are enough. And even if you aren’t pregnant or planning to become pregnant, this episode has some general insights that may be relevant to you. Check it out!To view extended show notes for this episode, visit: theendurancedrive.com/podcast To share feedback or ask questions to be featured on a future episode, please use ⁠this form⁠ or email: Katie@TheEnduranceDrive.com.