Everyday Ironman Podcast

In this episode, I give an update on where I am in my training. I share some excitement about my swim tools. I detail my schedule for Ironman 70.3 Texas weekend, and I provide some insight into what’s next.If you want to follow us on the Ironman tracker April 3rd our bib number is 4057.Support the show

In this episode we get the opportunity to hear from Ironman in Training, Scott Sugimoto. Scott is currently training for his very first full distance race. He will be racing in St. George, UT in May of 2022.During the get to know you, Scott shares that he has been married for 29 years, has 3 adult children, and was blessed with a granddaughter a year and half ago. Scott grew up in Utah not too far from where he currently lives. Scott shares that he did try the standard North American sports as a child but never felt that there were a good fit.After establishing that Scott did not grow up with a background in swim, bike, or run; Scott shares how he found himself in the world of triathlon. Scott was introduced to cycling in his 30’s. Starting with mountain biking before transitioning to road cycling. Scott really enjoys riding with the guys and has completed in a yearly road race that spans over 200 miles. After having a few bad experiences when he was 10 years old, Scott would have to overcome his fear of the water before he could even think about triathlon. In October of 2020, Scott’s wife did something that would allow him to get in the water and start swimming. Scott shares how he to a more traditional approach to race distances. He started with Sprint, moved to Olympic, and then the half distance picking up a few Age Group wins along the way. Because we are close to the same age, we take a few minutes to compare our performance numbers by discipline.As we begin to talk about the next step in his journey, Scott comes to realize that once he completes Ironman St. George he will be ranking as the best in the world for his Age Group. Being 9 weeks out from race weekend, Scott gives us a peak into what his weekly training schedule consists of. We talk about how he integrates training into his daily schedule, and he shares he is turning his basement into a Pain Cave.We talk about Scott’s nutrition plan both during training and on race day. I hijack the episode to rant about my sub-par performance at the recent Cowtown Marathon and Scott convinces me to try a new product.We compare our favorite gadgets and discover that we both share a love of the FROM Smart Goggles. Because Scott has a Trek Speed Concept, I get him to provide a detail description of it. We talk about the 2022 Speed Concept, and I reveal my secret and up to this point unsuccessful attempt on how to get a new bike.Support the show

In this episode we get an update from the Anchor of our Ironman 70.3 Texas Relay Team. Eric shares how his training is going and what his plan is for race weekend.He also challenges you the listener to predict our finish time(s).Think it through and email how long you think it will take us to finish at eveydayironmanpodcast@gmail.com or send us a message through Instagram @everydayironmanpodcastSupport the show

In this episode, we get our 1st check-in with my Ironman 70.3 Texas relay team. With just over 5 weeks until race weekend, we hear from Lindsay Klimek. In episode 30, I introduced you to Lindsay. To recap: We work together, she has a strong athletic background and while new to triathlon, she is an avid cyclist.Lindsay and I talk about how her training has been going over the last few weeks. She confesses that she recognized that she need to take a week off, she explains her approach to indoor training that includes shopping online while on the bike and she explains the difference between bike shorts and bibs.I share some tips on how to remove some anxiety for the first timer and we look past the race itself and make plans for the Race Recap episode.Support the show

in this episode, I have no one to blame for not being ready for the Cowtown Marathon so I provide all the reasons why I'm not in the correct physical shape.Support the show

In this episode, we hear from Ironman in training Andy Manning. Andy and his wife have three children above the age of 18, three grandkids all below the age of 10, and a 6lb miniature dachshund chihuahua mix.  Andy works full-time and currently lives outside of Seattle, Washington.While Andy is just getting started in his Ironman journey, he confesses that he learned to swim at 4, started swimming competitively at 7, and was on the swim team in high school.He shares that he also tried his hand at track, specifically cross-country, but claims it wasn’t his thing. He also got into Mountain Biking as a teenager so it’s no surprise that he found his way to triathlon.Having spent time both as an active duty member and in the Navy Reserve, Andy explains how he would take is bike with him when deployed over-seas so that he could explore the different cities visited while in-port. Andy definitely has some road biking experience as he provides some details around a few of the longer distances bike rallies he has participated in recently.I ask Andy to provide some details around the Sprint distance triathlons that he completed last year in Raleigh, North Carolina. Andy completed 2 races that both consistent of a 750 yard open water lake swim, a 14 - 15 mile bike course, and the standard 5k run. Andy sets me straight on my belief that anyone that has a history of competitive swimming is automatically naturally good at long distance swimming. We talk about the importance of form and open-water sighting.We spend some time comparing notes on our training program and we talk about the benefits of technology and analyzing data. Andy mentions that he builds workouts that can be downloaded to his smartwatch which allows him to stay organized while training. We also get the hear how he fits his scheduled workouts around his work and home life.Andy gives an overview of this coming season. He has his eye on both a Sprint distance and an off-road triathlon. He plans to ride 206 miles from Seattle to Portland over 2 days as part of an organized event. In September Andy is signed up for Ironman 70.3 Maple Valley. Of course, we talk about bikes. We talk about some old heavy mountain bikes that we own, Andy shares what he was able to purchase recently that serves as his road bike and we compare experiences on power meter pedals.Andy shares that he had the opportunity to train with one of my previous guests and that he started following another guest on Instagram after hearing their story.Support the show

In this episode, we hear from a non-traditional track athlete. During his time at the University of Norte Dame, Denes Veres threw shot putt. At one particular event, he threw a distance of 18.57 meters which earned him the school’s record. That record held from the time he graduated in 2011 with a degree in Finance until April 2021. We spend a few minutes talking about the sport of Shot Putt. Denes explains that it is a 16 lb. steel ball. He clarifies the requirement for the windup. He educates me on how the measurement is taken. And we talk about what the record was before he set it and what it is now that it’s been broken.Denes shares how it transitioned from a shot putter to Ironman. Several years ago, while living in Wisconsin it was announced that “Ironman was coming to town.” After learning that there was no chance of getting Robert Downey Jr’s autograph, Denes signed up to volunteer for the late shift at the finish line in Capitol Square. It was there that 260 lb. Denes decided that he was too competitive not to try the sport of triathlon.Denes quickly learns that he will need a few things before getting started. His wife points out that he will need a bike and to learn to swim. Having been an assistant coach on a track team 2 years out of college he is reminded of something that he learned through that program, “Just showing up and doing the workouts will make your better.” We spend a few talking about the discipline that Denes has made recent progress in. Denes shares his recent Marathon finishing times, and he confesses that he is looking forward to seeing how his faster run translates to his overall race experience.Being someone how loves to analyze data, we talk about some technology that provides real-time feedback. And we compare recent swim start experiences. We eventually get around to talking bike and Denes makes a strong recommendation on a piece of equipment that can affect overall comfort on a long ride.Support the show

In this episode we hear from Sam and Billy Crozier who are the current Guinness World Record holders for most 70.3 triathlons completed in 1 year. They have currently completed thirty-seven 70.3 triathlons and have until May 23, 2022 to add to that number.The are bothers who are separate by 10 years and 2 states but are participating in this adventure together. Sam shares how the idea to break the previous record of twenty-four 70.3 triathlons came to be. And Billy explains the record is listed as “long distance triathlons defined as 113km” which is the equivalent of 70.3 miles.Having raced both Chattanooga, Augusta, and Waco (all “downriver” swims), Sam provides some perspective on how the 1.6 mile swim feels in Tennessee. And Sam gives a quick Math lesson when I ask how many races they have currently completed. They share a few stories of the weekends that they raced on Saturday and Sunday. We joke about how they have become very good at taking their bikes apart for transport. Sam acknowledges that they have been very lucky to not have had any bike delays before any of the races thus far.I take to opportunity to ask their thoughts on Waco 70.3 starting at 12:30pm instead of 7:30am because of the full distance race the day before. We compare thoughts about the Central Texas roads. Billy provides some hope for the future and speaks highly of the Chattanooga bike course condition.Because they have competed in so many races in a 6 month time frame, I ask Billy how they were able to stay healthy. I was surprised to hear they both have had some level of adversity to overcome. I did know that Billy had broken his collar bone as the result of a bike wreck, but I was surprised by some of the details as Billy gave an account of his incident at Challenge Daytona a few weeks ago. They give some insight into their racing schedule this spring. Billy shares how many races they plan to complete before the May 23rd deadline. I ask what some may think is a rude question. And Billy asks me “What would you pay for a World Record?”The guys share that they are using the attention they are receiving to raise money for a great cause. Tri for the Future is a non-profit that provides triathlon gear for underprivileged children. And I get them to talk about the race venue that they feel played to their individual strengths.If you would like to follow Sam and Billy as the finish up this crazy adventure or if you would like to donate to a very worthy cause, follow them on Instagram @iron.famSupport the show

In this episode we hear from Lauren LeBlanc. Lauren in a Physician Assistant in Cardiology. She is a partner in a single doctor private practice in Michigan. She and her husband currently have 2 active boys Arlo and Fin.Lauren shares that while in high school she ran track and competed for her school’s swim team. She explains that she rode her bike when recovering from injury to keep her fitness up during track season.In college she was a member of the rowing team at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. As part of the crew team, she was able to compete in the Henley Royal Regatta in England. Lauren explains that she would connect with one of her teammates and get married several years after graduation. Lauren explains that after experiencing some success after being introduced to triathlon, she took a break to focus on starting her family. Upon returning to the sport, two years ago, she joined the TriDot training program as part of their yearly pre-season project. Lauren jumped right into the deep end of the pool and signed up for her first 70.3 race at Ironman Steelhead. Due to the weather the swim was cancelled. Even though Lauren acknowledges the swim is one of her strengths, she shares that she finished in 10th place in her Age Group and was able to claim a rolldown spot for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships.Lauren revels that she has already qualified for the 2022 Ironman 70.3 World Championships with her 4th place Age Group finish in Hanes City, Florida in December of last year. While I know that she has worked very hard for her success, she does acknowledge that she had a great year in 2021.When asked if she has plans to take in the full distance race, Lauren explains that she and her husband have talked about it but know that the time commitment is more that they are prepared for at this point. Lauren gives her take on the 70.3 World Championships taking place in St. George, Utah for the 2nd straight year. She acknowledges that New Zealand would have been incredible, but she has plans to take her family this year and the race being in St. George will allow that to happen.Because she is an ambassador for several triathlon related products and services, I ask Lauren to provide some insight into what that entails. She sums it up as basically being a good person and being helpful to others. Lauren shares how she is able to fit training into her schedule. We discuss the noise that is created by riding a bike indoors. And I ask her which of the 3 disciplines she had made the most improvement in since returning to the sport.We spend a few minutes talking about how to reduce the chance of injury. We agree that stretching and focused strength training should not be neglected. I ask Lauren to identify her favorite race. She hasn’t picked a favorite race yet but did say that the Finish Line is her favorite part of the race. We take a few minutes to talk about the weather conditions in St. George this year and I ask Lauren her thoughts on talking to other athletes on course.Lauren shares that both her boys are showing interest in triathlon. Beside riding their bikes, she has introduced them to treadmill walking, and they have learned to swim already. Since her husband is a cyclist, she has joined him on a few outdoor rides but admits that she refers the safety of her indoor trainer.After talking bikes, Lauren talks through her race schedule for 2022. She has several races already planned and looking to schedule something else. Support the show

In this episode we hear from Ryan Stephens. Ryan recently earned his PhD and works as a Nurse Practitioner specializing with cardiac patients. Ryan and his wife Laura have two beautiful children together and are currently living in Memphis, Tennessee.Ryan shares that he was born with a heart condition that required corrective surgery at 9 months old. Because of this there were certain sports that he was not allowed to participate in when he was younger. In particular, Ryan was not allowed to play football or basketball in middle school. He was, however, allowed to play baseball. Ryan played from the time he could walk all the way into college.After college, Ryan tried several popular exercise programs to keep himself in shape. Because of his work schedule he was left to training by himself. Through encouragement of a friend, he stared running half-marathons and in early 2018, he set his sights on running a full marathon.Prior to the COVD lockdown, Ryan was introduced to F3 which was is a faith based organization that runs outdoor bootcamp type workouts that are self-lead. After getting to know several of the other participants, Ryan quickly discovered 6 of them lived in his neighborhood so when most of the world shutdown, they were able to continue to workout while maintaining the required social distancing.Ryan got interested in triathlon when Ironman announced they were bringing a 70.3 to Memphis. Ryan knew they he could run the distance, got a used road bike from a friend, and decided that he could get good enough to at least compete the swim. Unfortunate, because of the pandemic, he would have to wait until the following year to compete.Ryan spends a few minutes explaining what diagnosis is and identifies a well-known athlete that has the same condition. He provides a timeline for how he got his start in the medical profession to where he currently is. And we discuss the belief that once there’s hope there’s is possibility.We compare stories on how bad we were at swimming when we started. Ryan talks me through the 1st race that he was able to participate in, an endurance distance put on by a local group. The endurance distance covered a 1600 meter open water swim, 38 miles on the bike, and a 15K run. When 2021 came around and Memphis was able to host the Ironman 70.3 race, Ryan was finally able to enjoy that hometown race experience. He shares some history of how the city was picked and gives us some insight into the venue itself.I take the opportunity to ask how Ryan’s training is going as he is signed up for what will be his 1st full distance race. Ryan is currently training for Ironman Tulsa. He acknowledges that training is going well, and that the realization is setting in that his sessions need to be more intentional in regard to effort. I ask him about the Instagram photos that show him swimming in an outdoor lap pool. Ryan explains that the pool he regularly uses is in fact an outdoor pool that is covered with a temporary structure in the winter for year-round use. Ryan provides a “pro tip” that has not come up on the podcast before. There’s a benefit to being a volunteer that is not talked a lot about. And… we talk bikes. Ryan talks me through what he’s using for a race bike, how he got such a great deal on it and even how he acquired his budget race wheels.Support the show