Explore every episode of the podcast The Lonely Triathlete - triathlon training and motivation for the masses

You are literally not the same athlete after training as you were before. A single training session sends signals to your heart, muscles and brain to change. Adapt or die!  So cool.

There are a few things I wish I knew about training equipment as a beginning and intermediate level triathlete. Today I share these with you, free of charge :)

Or, rather, recover from burnout or potential burnout. You train hard but do you recover equally as hard? I'm talking end-of-season recovery. Do you do that hard? Maybe you should?

Do you take nutritional supplements? Things like protein powders, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, sports drinks, probiotics, etc.? Do  you need to? Well, aside from the occasional protein smoothie  and fish oil capsule, I didn't really think I ate that many supplements. Was I ever wrong!

Do you have a favourite supplement you want to let me know about? Drop me a line at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

Live to 150 years old. Live to 200 or beyond! Can it be possible? Would we even want it? I've been thinking a lot about the current state of anti-aging protocols lately and I have to say, while I am intrigued, it's too much for me to process. Instead, I'm focussing on living healthier not necessarily longer.

Am I missing something? Please educate me at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

Peace!

Don't trust everything you read or hear. Test it. Get additional opinions. Find the consensus of experts. Be a skeptic. It takes effort, I know, but you will be well served by this advice.

Have you ever accidentally ingested a "sketchy" substance and then had to do a workout? I unknowingly ate a non-performance enhancing drug  and had one of the worst workouts of the year. The worst! Will I take this drug ever again? Yes, it was amazing. But never again before a workout.

Have you done drugs before a workout? Tell me about it at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

Peace.

I am so thankful for the sport of triathlon for preparing me to be able to recover as well as I have from a brain bleed five years ago. Nothing in life is guaranteed!

In this episode I spontaneously break out into song! Is this is what November does to me? The rains are coming. The winds are coming. The colder temperatures are coming. But the training continues!

Recovery is essential! If you don't recover well, you can't go 100% in your next training session. I use a lot of methods to ensure maximum recovery, I'll share them with you.

If you have a recovery method or protocol you'd like to share with me, I'd love to hear about it. Drop me a note at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

Among by updates this week I will share with you what happened when I took a dose (not even that high of a dose) of Vitamin B3 (Niacin). Let me say, if I didn't suspect that I would have some sort of reaction, I would have thought I was having a major medical emergency and called 9-1-1!

Running on a broken toe. Is it even doable? Why would I want to even try? I asked myself this hard question and arrived at a not-so-surprising answer.

Broken anything? Feel free to drop me a line at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com.

No, that title isn't a typo. I'm injured AGAIN! Listen in as I describe my latest setback and a Stoic's take on how I should move forward.

Are you currently injured? Share with me so I don't feel so alone at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

Your attitude matters! The way you approach a training session, your self-talk and beliefs, all contribute to either a positive or negative impact on your short and long -term performance.

And (drum roll, please) this episode marks my FOURTH year of hosting the Lonely Triathlete podcast. Yay!

For those interested in the book I referenced, you can find it here on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.ca/Let-Your-Mind-Run-Thinking/dp/1524760765/ref=sr_1_1?crid=158ZQRWZIIUJE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.XbRm4hBzIYYZdqzcSqoGCohB5iBe7AiID4_L2XupF6gG4YOOl_mRC3j54EVA5d7xP8B5nLP6bkzgMrbjelLct4DJdh14wkaLES_uFsnWiQOs4JNSHxkDVDTG_f37eBub3oCmS_j06x2pUoMQx9R8dz5ynYgrJ_0vuYAOVvON4G7R2rjfObK2H-sBNWy6zSQfOPNEQ1UViuYQGIaI3qL1qRuzxcBXZEbTZaMXsmf2VaE.QyGz-ngEn9bkLLYpAXJjWZEqLwkTiOkMefV609Ixios&dib_tag=se&keywords=let+your+mind+run&qid=1756077631&s=books&sprefix=let+your+mind+run%2Cstripbooks%2C157&sr=1-1

2 weeks after my last triathlon I decided to lace up my shoes (actually, I still had my speed laces on so no actual lacing was required) and head out to a local 10K race near my 'hood. It was their 10th anniversary and WOW have they grown. I told some friends what I thought my race time would be, was I right?

I also give a special update on my experience "grounding" for about 2 weeks. Has magic happened?

If you have a grounding/earthing experience to share with me, drop me a line at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com. I'm very curious.

Ok, I had a little...mishap during my last race. I was going to keep it to myself but in the spirit of full transparency and public service, I will share all (or most) of the graphic details so you can avoid such a fate. And ladies, there is also a lesson in here for you, too.

Is there a particular horror story you want to share? I'm all ears at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

I've discovered a practice that purports to imbue your body with healing energy and can lead to enhanced recovery and endurance performance. It has the underpinnings of science, the power of personal testimonial and better yet, it's free!

Check out this movie on YouTube if you want to get more clarity and information on the subject.

https://youtu.be/44ddtR0XDVU?si=Vpek2it9rgPHgXR1

If you try this out, I would love to hear you experience. Drop me a line at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com.

Peace!

Here is my race re-cap of the Vancouver Triathlon 2023.

The winds were blowing. The waves were crashing. People were refusing to start or being pulled from the ocean after starting. Some were informed that the water temperature was so cold that they HAD to wear a wetsuit. It looked like the toughest Vancouver Triathlon in recent memory. How could I possibly race well?

Let's just say: I'm older...and faster.

You can train for an Ironman (or 70.3) and still have a vibrant and meaningful family and social life. It might take a little bit of planning and sacrifice but it is 100% possible! Don't believe those that say that it's one or the other.

Feel free to share your thoughts with me about all things triathlon at "thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com"

Poor pool swimming etiquette, tapering for a race, replacing running shows, Wi-Fi scales, seasonal temperature fluctuations, this episode has it all!

Don't leave me alone in the final week of summer. Email me at "thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com"

Regular cycling shorts vs. bib shorts, which are better? Listen to this episode to learn my opinion!

And don't leave me hanging, drop me a line and tell me your preferred brand/type of cycling shorts, I'm always on the lookout for a new pair. You can reach me at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

What if you could accept that you will never be the triathlete that you want to be? How would that change your training and racing and enjoyment of the sport? Stick with me, we discuss some basic triathlon psychology in this episode.

The Japanese have a term called "forest bathing" which is what happens when you get out in nature - you clean your body, mind and soul. I rediscovered my joy of trail running last week and was reminded of just how peaceful and also challenging it can be.

I'm also injured again :(  If you can related, drop me a line at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

Running is fantastic. Knee pain is not! In this episode I deliver the cold, hard truth about what causes knee pain and what you need to do to both prevent it and treat it!

Want me to discuss another triathlon topic? Drop me a line at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

Triathlon training has a lot in common with financial investing. I went from having almost nothing saved for my retirement at 40 years old to being able to comfortably retire (at least that's the plan) when I am 62. And I did it using the same principles I used to get faster at triathlon. You can too!

If you've been triathlon training for any length of time you've no doubt enjoyed the feeling of a good recovery week. Less stress on the body and mind, ah!  But all good things must soon come to and end. What can be done to make sure that you come back from these periods of rest and recovery with a healthy dose of enthusiasm and motivation? listen and I'll share what I do.

Do you have any rest and recovery secrets you want to share with me? Drop me a line at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

After 6 months of extra volume and recovering from a back injury (disc/nerves) 6 week before the race...what happened?

As always, feel free to drop me a line at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

With less than 3 days to go before my first Olympic Distance race of the year my thoughts drift towards race preparation.

Are you racing soon? Let me know which race you have upcoming at thelonelytriathlon@gmail.com

I've been pondering, as I am want to do during my tapering weeks, why I even race triathlon. I actually don't like the racing. I put too much pressure on myself. Buut I do it anyway? Why? Well, there are many good reasons which I will share with you.

I'd really like to know why you participate in triathlon?  Let me know at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

I took the day off work this Friday and had the best day! Hike, cycle, run, swim, I did it all. Listen in as I recap my day's experiences.

Don't forget to say hi at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

For a long time I allowed my ego to get in the way of enjoying my performance in sport. I thought I had it licked but it seems to be raising its ugly head again. What if, due to my injury, I race on July 8 slower than last year? Does that make me a loser? It shouldn't. Listen as I share my struggle with separating my performance with my self-concept.

Please, let me know that I am not alone in this by dropping me a line at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

Another weekend is behind us and I am happy to report that I was able to get through a swim session injury free! I cannot adequately express how relieved I am that the mere act of swimming didn't lead to injury. There is still hope for me. And for you, should you encounter obstacles in your training. Just ask Marcus Aurelius.

Feel free to email me to share your Stoic or non-Stoic thoughts at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com 

 

Do you have good habits? Do you have bad habits? Are you even aware of the habits that you have? Something to think about.

Drop me a line at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

Will my deodorant kill me? Will I ever race an Ironman again? Have aliens come to visit us? These thoughts and more on today's episode!

Don't forget, tell me I'm wrong about aliens by emailing me at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

Do you ever wonder what are the best triathlon training plans? Where to find them? Even, how to create them? Well, sit back and get educated as I describe how to get your hands on the most effective triathlon plans out there.

If you think I missed something or just want to drop me a line, email me at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

 

You know, the person that only talks about triathlon? That only talks about racing? That only talks about that one subject every...single...time. Don't be them! You have my encouragement to branch out in your interests a bit.

As mentioned, I encourage you all to check out The Move Daily podcast, especially the episode where the host, Tracy Steen, gets into the weeds with me about what happened to my brain a handful of years ago and what inspired me to continue in the sport of triathlon when I wasn't sure I could continue doing what I loved.

From Tumour To Triathlon with The Lonely Triathlete - https://youtu.be/kWQBlGYGTY4?si=-m7L8rYfwiGuEobN

Entire Catalog - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHhsr_Eb6MObLXkx85WCVX3Osr30x7gJa

If you've ever been minorly injured or especially seriously injured, I believe that you can recover to participate in sport again. Will you recover to the level of performance that you experienced before the injury? I don't know. Maybe. Maybe not. But I am convinced that you can exceed what you believe is possible. All it takes is belief, patience and a careful plan.

If you have any thoughts about this episode, I'd love to hear them. Email me at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com.

Train consistently and enjoy!

I underwent a comprehensive evaluation of my  heart health today.  What did I expect to find? After all, I train 8-10  hours a week, I sleep well, I eat well, I meditate. What I learned frankly surprised me and how I respond to the findings might well have positive and long term impacts to the length and quality of my life!

If you have questions for me I'd be happy to receive them at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

Train on!

Do you ever feel like you are getting bored with your training? You are not alone, turns out there are studies on this very phenomenon.

Hey, feel free to drop me a line and let me know how your training is going at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

I'm struggling to gain momentum since injuring my back. Ironically, my back is absolutely pain free but my hip has now decided to flare up and cause me real pain, despite having given it almost 10 days of rest. What gives?  And now I'm getting a toothache while typing up this description. What's next?

If you want to send an encouraging word drop me a line at theloneytriathlete@gmail.com

Have you ever procrastinated? Ya, we all do! I stumbled on a few practices that helped me break out of a slump today, sharing to hopefully help you break free of some procrastination today.

It it works for you, share your success with me at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

I have high cholesterol despite very healthy living. My latest doctor immediately offered cholesterol lowering drugs but is that the right solution at the moment? I researched the latest on cholesterol and heart health and what I found surprised me.

As always, feel free to drop me a line at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

1 week and 80% pain free...what's next on my rehab journey. But first, I rattle off the Top 10 countries/cities of my listeners!

Drop me a line to say hello at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

I will be releasing new episodes Monday, Wednesday and Friday, detailing how I am overcoming this frustrating back injury. I'd love to hear from you and how you overcame a troubling injury! Maybe I can share your story on the podcast? You can reach me at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com.

And apparently I don't know my days of the week. This was recorded on Wednesday, May 31, not Tuesday.

Why do injuries happen?  Sometimes we know, sometimes we never figure it out. But either way, dealing with them is not fun. 

Commiserate with me at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

Are you struggling with motivation? Are you questioning whether you can (or want to) do you upcoming workout? I've been there. I am there! And I'm here to tell you that you CAN do that upcoming workout.

Track etiquette, I get into it. The Runna app, I get into it. Blue-green algae in most of our local lakes, gotta get out of that!

I have rediscovered the power of carbohydrates during training that I used to do on only water. 

Feel free to drop me a line at thelonelytriathlete@gmail.com

I have some new thoughts and experiences to share from my solitary training this month. And I answer a question that I get asked all...the...time.

Yesterday I skipped a workout. I felt momentarily bad but then realized it was a good thing to do.