That Triathlon Show

Dan Bigham, a performance engineer at INEOS Grenadiers and former World Hour Record holder, dives into the nuances of aerodynamics and endurance racing. He shares details about his rigorous training and preparation for the Hour Record, offering insights into pacing strategies and heat management. Bigham discusses the innovative Sub7 project and reveals what works—and what doesn't—in aerodynamics, including the impact of gear like trisuits and hydration systems on performance. Listeners also get answers to their burning questions about aerodynamic myths and practices.

Erin Carson, a strength coach for elite triathletes like Taylor Knibb and Paula Findlay, shares her insights on enhancing athletic performance through strength training. She emphasizes that strength isn’t just about lifting weights; it's about understanding the body's kinetic chain for injury prevention. Discussing tailored training strategies, she highlights effective home-based workouts, recommended exercises for those over 40, and the importance of individualized programs. Erin's holistic approach merges mobility, recovery, and dynamic movements for optimal athletic function.

Alan Murchison, a lifelong endurance athlete and a Michelin-starred chef, shares his expertise in performance nutrition for athletes. He discusses how individualized meal plans help optimize training, emphasizing the balance between nutrition and enjoyment of food. Alan also delves into the complexities of supplements and the importance of whole foods. He highlights the unique nutrition needs of female athletes and offers insights into managing dietary challenges while ensuring energy levels remain high during training and competition.

Andy Blow, the founder of Precision Fuel & Hydration, specializes in athlete nutrition and hydration strategies. He shares the exact carbohydrate, fluid, and sodium intakes of top triathletes from the Kona and 70.3 Worlds events. The discussion sheds light on the unique challenges of Kona's extreme conditions and how athletes tailor their hydration plans for different climates. Andy also emphasizes the adaptability required in cold weather races, showcasing innovative strategies for optimal performance and recovery.

Stuart Holliday is a Chartered psychologist working primarily with endurance athletes. In the past, Stuart has been working with Olympic and Paralympic squads, as well as with the Liverpool FC Academy and the England Netball team. In this interview, we discuss sports psychology in a triathlon context. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: -Self-talk, and having an "inner coach" that is both instructional and motivational -Goal setting in your sport and in your mental performance -Visualisation -Mindfulness meditation -Dealing with pre-race anxiety -Improving your self-confidence -Having the mental skills to perform through the tough moments in a race SHOWNOTES: https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts364/ SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON AND THAT TRIATHLON SHOW WEBPAGE: www.scientifictriathlon.com/podcast/ SPONSORS: ROKA - Exceptional quality triathlon wetsuits, trisuits, swimskins, goggles, performance sunglasses as well as prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses.  Online vision test for prescription updates and home try-on options available for eyeglasses. Ships from the US, UK and EU. Trusted by world-leading athletes such as  Lucy Charles-Barclay, Javier Gómez Noya, Flora Duffy, Morgan Pearson, Summer Rappaport and others in triathlon, cycling, speed skating, and many more. Visit roka.com/tts for 20% off your order. ZEN8 - The ZEN8 Indoor Swim Trainer is a unique Dryland Swim Trainer that allows you to improve technique, power, and swim training consistency. With the trainer you can do specific power and technique work, including working on your catch and core activation, and it helps you stay consistent even if you don’t have much time to train. Get the special Zen8 x TTS bundle including the Swim Trainer and a number of ZEN8 training plans and on-demand workouts on zen8swimtrainer.com/tts. LINKS AND RESOURCES: Focused Mind Coaching (Stu's practice) website, podcast, and Instagram Recommended books: How Bad Do You Want It (Matt Fitzgerald), The Comeback Quotient (Matt Fitzgerald), The Chimp Paradox (Dr. Steve Peters), Run Like a Pro (Even If You're Slow) (Matt Fitzgerald and Ben Rosario) Sports psychology and applied neuroscience with Simon Marshall, PhD and Lesley Paterson | EP#282 Functional Mental Toughness with Bradford Cooper, PhD | EP#228 Practical application of sports psychology for triathletes with Dr. JoAnn Dahlkoetter | EP#108 Mind, body, and the curiously elastic limits of human performance with Alex Hutchinson | EP#101 Mental skills and the psychology of suffering with Carrie Cheadle | EP#97 RATE AND REVIEW: If you enjoy the show, please help me out by subscribing, rating and reviewing: www.scientifictriathlon.com/rate/ CONTACT: Want to send feedback, questions or just chat? Email me at mikael@scientifictriathlon.com or connect on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.

Øyvind Sandbakk, PhD, is a professor at the Norwegian University for Science and Technology and director for its Centre for Elite Sports Research. He is also the editor-in-chief for the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. In this interview we discuss a few general science and coaching topics, but mostly we dive deep into a recent review paper on the training characteristics of world class distance runners.  IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: -Going beyond just the published literature when gathering data on results-proven practice of world class distance runners for this review -Training periodisation and racing schedules -Training volume, intensity, and types of workouts  -Altitude training and tapering strategies  -The importance of the "art of coaching"  SHOWNOTES: https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts363/ SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON AND THAT TRIATHLON SHOW WEBPAGE: www.scientifictriathlon.com/podcast/ SPONSORS: Precision Fuel & Hydration - Optimise and individualise your fueling and hydration strategy using their FREE Fuel & Hydration planner. Book a FREE one-on-one consultation to chat with the team and refine your fueling and hydration even further. Listeners of That Triathlon Show get 15% off their first order of fueling and hydration products. If you didn't catch the discount code in the episode, email Andy and the team at hello@pfandh.com and they will be happy to help.  ZEN8 - The ZEN8 Indoor Swim Trainer is a unique Dryland Swim Trainer that allows you to improve technique, power, and swim training consistency. With the trainer you can do specific power and technique work, including working on your catch and core activation, and it helps you stay consistent even if you don’t have much time to train. Get the special Zen8 x TTS bundle including the Swim Trainer and a number of ZEN8 training plans and on-demand workouts on zen8swimtrainer.com/tts. LINKS AND RESOURCES: Øyvind's Twitter and Research Gate profiles The Training Characteristics of World-Class Distance Runners: An Integration of Scientific Literature and Results-Proven Practice - Haugen et al. 2022 RATE AND REVIEW: If you enjoy the show, please help me out by subscribing, rating and reviewing: www.scientifictriathlon.com/rate/ CONTACT: Want to send feedback, questions or just chat? Email me at mikael@scientifictriathlon.com or connect on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.

Nicki Winfield Almquist, PhD, is a post-doctoral researcher at University of Copenhagen, Denmark. In this interview, we discuss a recent study comparing the effects of 12 weeks of block periodisation with "best practice" cyclic, progressive traditional periodisation, as well as the general consensus on different periodisation patterns.  IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: -Defining block periodisation and cyclic, progressive traditional periodisation -Previous evidence showing some benefits of using a block periodisation approach vs. traditional periodisation -The findings of this new, more methodologically solid comparison of block and traditional periodisation -Block periodisation as a tool in the toolbox -Conclusions on the science and practice of periodisation patterns SHOWNOTES: https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts362/ SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON AND THAT TRIATHLON SHOW WEBPAGE: www.scientifictriathlon.com/podcast/ SPONSORS: Precision Fuel & Hydration - Optimise and individualise your fueling and hydration strategy using their FREE Fuel & Hydration planner. Book a FREE one-on-one consultation to chat with the team and refine your fueling and hydration even further. Listeners of That Triathlon Show get 15% off their first order of fueling and hydration products. If you didn't catch the discount code in the episode, email Andy and the team at hello@pfandh.com and they will be happy to help.  ROKA - Exceptional quality triathlon wetsuits, trisuits, swimskins, goggles, performance sunglasses as well as prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses.  Online vision test for prescription updates and home try-on options available for eyeglasses. Ships from the US, UK and EU. Trusted by world-leading athletes such as  Lucy Charles-Barclay, Javier Gómez Noya, Flora Duffy, Morgan Pearson, Summer Rappaport and others in triathlon, cycling, speed skating, and many more. Visit roka.com/tts for 20% off your order. LINKS AND RESOURCES: Nicki's Twitter, Instagram and Research Gate Including sprint training in cycling – training responses and peformance improvements with Nicki Winfield Almquist, PhD | EP#300 No Differences Between 12 Weeks of Block-vs. Traditional-Periodized Training in Performance Adaptations in Trained Cyclists - Winfield Almquist et al. 2022 Block periodization of endurance training – a systematic review and meta-analysis - Mølmen et al. 2019 Block vs. Traditional Periodization of HIT: Two Different Paths to Success for the World’s Best Cross-Country Skier - Solli et al. 2019 RATE AND REVIEW: If you enjoy the show, please help me out by subscribing, rating and reviewing: www.scientifictriathlon.com/rate/ CONTACT: Want to send feedback, questions or just chat? Email me at mikael@scientifictriathlon.com or connect on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.

Andrew Sellars, team director of Balance Point Racing, discusses respiratory training, physiological systems in training, and respiratory adaptations. The podcast covers topics like structural vs. functional adaptations, triathlon coaching techniques, testing protocols, respiratory limitations, and optimizing CO2 levels for athletic performance.

Paulo Sousa is the coach behind one of the longest-standing and most successful international squads on the short-course triathlon circuit. Seven of his athletes qualified for the Tokyo Olympics. In addition to short-course specialists like Taylor Spivey and Summer Rappaport, he also coaches middle-distance specialists Paula Findlay and Eric Lagerstrom. In this episode we discuss the squad, the short-course triathlon scene, and get to hear Paulo's thoughts on training and coaching. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: -How does his squad operate, who are the current members, and where do they base themselves for training camps?  -How the athletes train and recover between races -Differences between a private squad like Paulo's and federation-led squads -Paulo's perspectives on training, including the importance of not putting yourself in a box -The basis of the swim, bike and run program of the squad -Coaching Eric Lagerstron and Paula Findlay who are not training for short-course racing and are not members of the squad SHOWNOTES: https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts360/ SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON AND THAT TRIATHLON SHOW WEBPAGE: www.scientifictriathlon.com/podcast/ SPONSORS: Precision Fuel & Hydration - Optimise and individualise your fueling and hydration strategy using their FREE Fuel & Hydration planner. Book a FREE one-on-one consultation to chat with the team and refine your fueling and hydration even further. Listeners of That Triathlon Show get 15% off their first order of fueling and hydration products. If you didn't catch the discount code in the episode, email Andy and the team at hello@pfandh.com and they will be happy to help.  ZEN8 - The ZEN8 Indoor Swim Trainer is a unique Dryland Swim Trainer that allows you to improve technique, power, and swim training consistency. With the trainer you can do specific power and technique work, including working on your catch and core activation, and it helps you stay consistent even if you don’t have much time to train. Get the special Zen8 x TTS bundle including the Swim Trainer and a number of ZEN8 training plans and on-demand workouts on zen8swimtrainer.com/tts. LINKS AND RESOURCES: Paulo's Twitter and Instagram High-performance coaching with elite coach Paulo Sousa | EP#26 Video with Eric Lagerstrom, Paula Findlay and Paulo Sousa Real Coaching podcast with Joel Filliol and Paulo Sousa RATE AND REVIEW: If you enjoy the show, please help me out by subscribing, rating and reviewing: www.scientifictriathlon.com/rate/ CONTACT: Want to send feedback, questions or just chat? Email me at mikael@scientifictriathlon.com or connect on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.

This is a conversation between Mikael Eriksson and Kolie Moore (of Empirical Cycling) that originally aired on Kolie's Empirical Cycling Podcast. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT: -Self-doubt in coaching and the coaching mindset -Behind the scenes of That Triathlon Show (the why behind it, guests that excited Mikael the most, how he prepares for his episodes, and more) -The risk of bias and creating echo chambers in coaching and in podcasting  -The coach-athlete relationship -How Mikael approaches evolving and improving his coaching -Managing the training load and managing intensity in triathlon -Thoughts on reverse periodisation -Training monitoring and prescription -Assorted thoughts on the professional scene in short-course and long-course triathlon -Assorted listener questions SHOWNOTES: https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts359/ SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON AND THAT TRIATHLON SHOW WEBPAGE: www.scientifictriathlon.com/podcast/ SPONSORS: Precision Fuel & Hydration - Optimise and individualise your fueling and hydration strategy using their FREE Fuel & Hydration planner. Book a FREE one-on-one consultation to chat with the team and refine your fueling and hydration even further. Listeners of That Triathlon Show get 15% off their first order of fueling and hydration products. If you didn't catch the discount code in the episode, email Andy and the team at hello@pfandh.com and they will be happy to help.  ROKA - Exceptional quality triathlon wetsuits, trisuits, swimskins, goggles, performance sunglasses as well as prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses.  Online vision test for prescription updates and home try-on options available for eyeglasses. Ships from the US, UK and EU. Trusted by world-leading athletes such as  Lucy Charles-Barclay, Javier Gómez Noya, Flora Duffy, Morgan Pearson, Summer Rappaport and others in triathlon, cycling, speed skating, and many more. Visit roka.com/tts for 20% off your order. LINKS AND RESOURCES: Kolie's website and Instagram (Empirical Cycling) Empirical Cycling Podcast Why Facts Don't Change Our Minds - article on The New Yorker referencing very interesting research Ultra Runner vs Iron Man (fun, silly Youtube-video)  Running, Peaking, and Suffering with Olympic gold-medal coach Malcolm Brown | EP#96 World Champions keep things simple: training masterclass with Joel Filliol | EP#172 Dan Lorang – coach of Jan Frodeno, Anne Haug and Bora Hansgrohe pro cycling team | EP#175 How Norway became a triathlon powerhouse with head coach Arild Tveiten | EP#154 Arild Tveiten – coach of Kristian Blummenfelt, Gustav Iden and Casper Stornes on triathlon training the Norwegian way | EP#223 Olympic gold medal training and preparation with Arild Tveiten | EP#304 RATE AND REVIEW: If you enjoy the show, please help me out by subscribing, rating and reviewing: www.scientifictriathlon.com/rate/ CONTACT: Want to send feedback, questions or just chat? Email me at mikael@scientifictriathlon.com or connect on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.