The Endurance Specific Podcast

We love an adventure - especially one that pushes the comfort zone and forces us to learn more about ourselves. Ironman is a big part of that but there are more adventures too be found. Today we speak with an athlete who is on a mission to become an adventurer and inspire others to get outside and find things that push them to be better humans. Over the past few years Luke Tyburski has been planning The Ultimate Triathlon, a 2000km journey over 12 days and join us on the Fat Black to explain why and how he is going to make this happen! In Todays Episode We Cover: Why Luke decided to become an Adventurer. Why he chose the Real Food path. How he plans to fuel for The Ultimate Triathlon. What exactly is the Ultimate Triathlon and why he created it. Planning and preparation. Creating great engagement for the event with live-streaming. Being scientific about the event. The mental preparation involved in crazy big adventures. Bucket list plans. Links from todays Episode: http://theultimatetriathlon.co/ http://luketyburski.com/ https://twitter.com/LukeTyburski Show Sponsors: TriTravel Smith Optics Vespa

Whilst we don't get much of an off-season here in Australia - mainly because of the continually awesome weather - it is important to take a bit of downtime at certain points throughout the year to allow the body to reset and work on key aspects if your endurance development whilst having a bit of fun. Like most things, there is an art to getting the off-season right. It doesn't need to be all serious and Long course racing driven, and it must be enjoyable, but the off-season can provide some fantastic athletic development. In Today's Episode We Cover: Planning for the off-season. Repeating the recovery process. Using your time to understand EASY. Seeking a "mental refresh". Using non IM specific training to develop your IM racing ability. Having a plan to come back to racing after downtime. Pushing your body without proper rest is a killer. Finding the passion in what you do as an endurance athlete. Show Sponsors: TriTravel Smith Optics Vespa

Today's guest is none other then Professor Grant Schofield from Auckland University of Technology and is the director of the University's Human Potential Centre (HPC). We have wanted to bring Grant on the Fat Black podcast for a long time and have spent some time reading his blogs and work, so I was quite excited to finally get him on the show and talk many things LCHF and how this ex professional Triathlete is making a storm down in New Zealand to change dietary guidelines for better health. With better health we can create better performances. In Todays Episode We Cover: Gran't roller-coaster ride that led to his LCHF hypothesis. The mental side of LCHF. Why having metabolic flexibility leads to great Ironman potential. CARB Phobia is hurting you. Something scary that many of todays iron distance 'athletes' will likely have. The rules. What Real Food really is. You are undoing this and you need to up it. Bacon Vegetarian and Veganism WTF Book And of course more awesome. Links from todays Episode: http://www.whatthefatbook.com www.profgrant.com https://twitter.com/grantsnz https://www.facebook.com/Prof.Grant/ Show Sponsors: TriTravel Smith Optics Vespa

In today's Fat Black podcast we get to speak with John McKenzie whom is the communications and marketing manager for Revbox. John has a big background in the cycling industry and I met him down in Melbourne, Australia in 2014 when a select few of us got to test out Specialized's New Tarmac. It was here that John told me all about the Revbox from the hotel to Specialized HQ. I was excited as I had previously got to play with a wind brake erg early in my coaching career and these things were cost prohibitive until now. John put me in touch with Philipp Schacht the owner and developer from Revbox who was kind enough to get me on one of the few early models. What can I say other than Pete and I were blown away and so were the legs! Especially after doing some of our standard trainer sessions that had been done for years on Computrainers and Kickr's. Don't get me wrong, those trainers are good and have helped many athletes. I just put true wind break ERGs in another realm of athletic development. In Todays Episode We Cover: How the concept of the Revbox began. Why track cyclists have been using ERG's for along time. What "wind-break" means. How rotational inertia makes you a better rider. How the Revbox is different compared to most other indoor trainers. How to dial in the Revbox to maximise training sessions. The Revbox app. The Kickstarter campaign. A sweet little deal from us here at Trispecific for those interested in getting onboard with Revbox (see below). Links from todays Episode: Revbox Kickstarter campaign - As I mention in the Podcast, anyone backing the team at Revbox for $1000 or more will get their choice of a TriSpecific Iron or Half Iron Distance Blueprint for free. That's a $300 saving. All you need to do is email us your receipt of purchase to kristian [at] trispecific.com and I'll get you set up. At the $1000 investment you get: The Full Package! A next generation Revbox Erg for free, including the Revbox Power App, sensor kit, one free Hunter Allen Workout Guide + a riding kit (jersey & bib short) which is usually not available for purchase and freight free delivery. It's estimate that you'll get your game changer ERG in July 2015. Be quick as you only have 29 days left till the campaign finishes. Revbox.co.nz - go here to learn all about the concept, the science, the training and more. Show Sponsors: TriTravel Smith Optics Vespa

Ahhh Race Week. It's a different kind of beast. High energy, edgy nerves, lots of Hype, stress and confusion. But it doesn't have to be. Race week is a time for calm, composure and organisation. It's the best time of year, because you get to relax. Of the years we have learnt and witnessed a lot mistakes, so here are some Do's and Don't's of Race Week and Race Day (you might want to take notes). What We Cover in This Episode: Get Organised early! Beating the Taper Blues. All things nutrition and hydration. Shutting out the noise. How to be patient. Setting up your race plan. Understanding your goals. Flexing the Mental Muscle. Staying focused. Being ready to work hard for what you want. STOP stressing about the weather. Seriously. Just STOP. Planning; the devil is in the detail. Race Week doesn't need to be Stress Week. Follow this simple, common sense rules, and learn to enjoy your race! Show Sponsors: TriTravel Smith Optics Vespa

Recently Pete and I got to speak with Gus and Jamie from the team at STRYD. Who and what is STRYD? Well stride is a small company out of Boulder, CO that has been developing a cool little device that captures power in real time while you're running. Pete originally put me onto them and then I saw there hugely successful Kickstarter campaign. I got in touch to do an interview to find out more and of course we became a backer. As coaches we believe in creating efficient athletes. While I always advise athletes not get caught up in the minutiae of data there are benefits of data when used appropriately. What I like about STYRD is that it is going to give an objective measurement 'Power' that we can use to improve our running training and in real time. Now you'll be able to see the direct correlation between improving a stride rate and seeing your power number lower (more efficient use of energy for same speed) or how your posture impacts the number coming back at you. Pete and I think this is an exciting time in running and are excited to be involved. In Today’s Episode We Cover: What STRYD is and how it works The new evolution in running metrics Accuracy Improving efficiency Power Zones Running on different surfaces Run form feedback Real time feedback The STYRD app What watches it will work with and more Show Links: STRYD.com Kickstarter campaign (be quick as they are cutting off numbers around the 1000 mark) Show Sponsors: TriTravel Smith Optics Vespa

Last night Pete and got to interview Donal Oniell from Cereal Killers movie fame. We loved both movies and CK2 'Run on Fat' makes it pretty damn clear what we have not only been talking about but living it for so long now. "The science is coming" but the athletes that are open and willing will be the ones reaping the rewards. I'm stoked we got to record this interview and help push this message out to the world for athletes and non athletes alike. Performance is important ... but not as important as your health. Why not attain both? In Today’s Episode We Cover: Overweight Endurance athletes. The Science is Coming. Ketones. Breaking records. The NEED for this mineral. Health and Performance can it be achieved or are just bad bed fellows. You cannot out train a shitty diet. The rise of the Pemmican. Donals daily diet and his favourite dish. What's next for Donal Oniell. And oh so much more. Show Links: Cereal Killers 2 - Run on Fat Cereal Killers 2 Run on Fat charts world class triathlete Sami Inkinen’s transition from pre-diabetic sugar burner to a faster, healthier, fat fueled endurance athlete under the guidance of New York Times bestselling author Dr Stephen Phinney. When Sami embarks on an epic anti sugar crusade with his wife Meredith – rowing 4,000 kms unsupported from California to Hawaii – their remarkable journey reveals the astonishing performance benefits and pitfalls of successful fat fueling strategies for athletic performance. As more and more evidence emerges of world class athletes adopting a similar protocol – with remarkable results in some cases – “Run on Fat” challenges the very foundations of sports nutrition. Cereal Killers 1 Cereal Killers The film follows Donal – a lean, fit, seemingly healthy 41 year old man – on a quest to hack his genes and drop dead healthy by avoiding the heart disease and diabetes that has afflicted his family. Donal’s father Kevin, an Irish gaelic football star from the 1960s, won the first of 2 All Ireland Championships with the Down Senior Football Team in 1960 before the biggest crowd (94,000) ever seen at an Irish sporting event. When Kevin suffered a heart attack later in life, family and friends were shocked. How does a lean, fit and seemingly healthy man – who has sailed through cardiac stress tests – suddenly fall victim to heart disease? Can a controversial diet consisting of 70% fat provide the answers? Run on Fat The Movie Run on Fat Blog Post - 5 Trends for 2015 5 Reason to Run on Fat Cereal Killers 1 Cereal Killers Social Media Facebook Twitter Show Sponsors: TriTravel Smith Optics Vespa

It may be lucky that I slept on my thoughts before Pete and I recorded this podcasts. If I'm honest, I guess I was pretty ropable the night before and definitely toned it down for this podcast. However I have a post in the works thats needs to be posted - stay tuned. The mistakes keep coming and they are simple to avoid and even rectify if we just use those two things on the sides of our heads. They're called ears in case you're wondering ;) In Today’s Episode We Cover: No carbs. Sodium - this has been painted in the same light as Fat and as an endurance athlete you NEED way more then you may think. Fat adapted or not. Habits - how to create news ones that stick. Some K Rants... as I say above you get off pretty lightly ;) but maybe I should just let loose? Rote learning and why it's important. What ONE thing you NEED to do to get success in any goal. And how much depends on the difficulty of the goal. The art of looking where you WANT to go and where not to look when you're suffering. Show Links: “Willpower. Rediscovering Our Greatest Strength”, Roy F. Baumeister & John Tierney “The Power of Habit”, Charles Duhigg http://jamesclear.com/habit-triggers http://www.zoeharcombe.com/the-knowledge/ Show Sponsors: TriTravel Smith Optics Vespa

A few weeks back I got to speak at an event in Squamish, Canada with a couple other experts in their respective fields. One of them was Sylvia Rayner who was absolutely captivating in the way she spoke about the mind and how much potential we have locked up inside our heads. I knew within a couple of minutes that we needed to have Sylvia on a Fat Black podcast. In Today's Episode We Cover: What clinical hypnosis is and how it can help us in our sports and life How you get behavioural change Why you must stop playing the victim The key to success Why repetition is important Self Hypnosis Sylvia even takes us through a mini session and I tell you it's crazy how it works And much more. Show Links: http://www.sylviarayner.com/ Recommended Books: Trances People Live Hypnosis for Running Show Sponsors: TriTravel Smith Optics Vespa

Earlier this week we listened to a great podcast from the guys at Spartan who interview Scratch Lab inventor - Dr. Allen Lim. For years Allen Lim worked with Tour de France teams and has learned a lot about working in high pressure situations and how to develop performance. In a sport that focuses so intently on marginal gains, Lim argues that athletes should be focusing less on the 1% and more on removing bottlenecks from our lives. This gives way to a much better focus and performance. So today we are discussing the bottlenecks that we see in the sport and how to solve them. In Today's Episode We Cover: Understanding marginal gains. Underestimate the value of making better decisions on a daily basis. The "Never Miss Twice" rule. Understanding your Rate Limiting Factors. Seeking to create better habits. The bottlenecks we see in triathlon (and life). Becoming a solution creator. Learning to have fun. We also discuss some important and very relevant aspects of the movie "Fed Up" (you need to watch this film!) Show Links: Spartan Podcast with Dr Allen Lim - this podcast goes into many more important aspects for all athletes and we took loads of notes. Required listening I must say! Marginal Gains by James Clear and Jame's Habits Book (free download) FED UP - The Movie Show Sponsors: TriTravel Smith Optics Vespa

Last week we got a whole bunch of questions from a fellow Aussie Ian who is living in the US of A and we love answering questions on the Fat Black because that way it helps our community as a whole! So if you have any just hit us up in the comments on the blog or via our emails or various social media outlets. Today we also dive into a little bit of a review of Cereal Killers 2 the movie "Run on Fat" In todays Episode we Cover: Strategic Carb use VS strategic Fat use in training and racing. Chocolate Milk for recovery - why it won't work. Fuelling for long swim events. Cereals Killers 2 - Run on Fat review Show Links: Cereal Killers 2 pre order & The Run on Fat Movie Blog Steph Lowes "The Real Food Real" Podcast Show Sponsors: TriTravel Smith Optics Vespa

Pete and I were searching for an angle for todays podcast. Some things keep popping up being an endurance athlete and working in the day to day with endurance athletes and that was robustness. When we're robust good things happen. When we lose that robustness we can feel stuck in a not so fun place. So today we wanted to cover just a few of the overriding topics that lead to robustness or maintaing it and of course how you can destroy it ... so you know what not to do. In Today's Episode We Cover: Why feedback is important. The questions you should be asking yourself each day. Self assessment = self awareness. Learning to be honest with yourself. Why going molecular on the Fat Adaptation process is a waste of your time. Learning to make FA/OFM simple and stress-free. Seriously. Just stop stressing about food. Why your words matter. How verbally beating yourself up ruins performance. Show Sponsors: TriTravel Smith Optics Vespa

Today we are again joined by Peter Defty to help share some insights into a topic that is extremely important to us as coaches, and valuable to all female athletes (and males) looking to become Fat Adapted. Peter spends a great deal of time researching and understanding the various considerations required to achieve Fat Adaptation but one message remains clear: you have to keep it simple. We see A LOT of athletes overthinking this process - which becomes a huge distraction and destroy confidence. So sit back, grab a cup and have a listen. In this Episode we cover: A quick understanding into the different requirements between male and female athletes (not as obvious ays may think). Why it is more difficult (but NOT impossible) for female athletes to achieve a Zen state of Fat Adaptation. Some important things for females athletes to consider during their FA journey. The How, Why and When of strategic carb use & training loads for women during monthly cycles (this is SUPER important!). Some common mistakes that (all) athletes make during the Fat Adaptation process. Why counting macronutrients is a waste of time. We also discuss some key nutritional areas that are important to Vegan and Vegetarian athletes. Why Vitamin D is essential to ALL athletes. How and when to measure Ketones (if you decide you want to). Show Sponsors: TriTravel.com.au Smith Optics Vespa Power

Well it's 2015 and we have an awesome year of Fat Black Episodes planned for you guys, with some amazing guests planned, and some super important topics to be addressed! So today's Episode is all about starting the year with a plan. A plan to ensure that you start the year on the right foot, with great habits and standards that will ensure you kick some ass this year and be more awesome. We also discuss some important strategies to implement if you have had a break, or are returning from injury and illness. You DO NOT want to miss these as they are crucial to your long-term success! In Today's Awesome Episode We Discuss: Re-learning your intuition. Learning to have fun. Enjoying the process. Listening to the body. Critical strategies for reorienting from illness. Easy methods to start the year well. 2015 is going to be a massive year for TriSpecific and the Fat Black series! If you have suggestions on topics, or a guest speaker you want to hear from then let us know! Show sponsors: TriTravel.com.au Smithoptics.com

Well it has been a great year for everyone here at TriSpecific! And we are sure that everyone has enjoyed listening to the last 12 months of Fat Black episodes. We have had a great time sharing so much content with you all, and especially hearing the many insights from fantastic athletes and coaches. To help us celebrate the year that was, we discuss the highlights from Fat Black from 2014; some of the best episodes and speakers. In the Final Episode for 2014 we cover: Our personal favourite Episodes and Speakers for the year. Some valuable lessons. Taking the time to reflect. How to start 2015 the right way. Goal Setting. We could not have had such a brilliant year with the support of our families, friends, athletes, sponsors (Specialized, Smith Optics, TriTravel and Revbox) and of course....YOU... our awesome audience! Thank you for an amazing year - bring on 2015!

In todays Fat Black podcast Pete and I get to speak with Luke Mckenzies better half Beth Gerdes. Beth didn't muck around getting back into all things triathlon after the birth of their gorgeous little Wynne McKenzie and 6 months after the birth of Wynne, Beth had an absolute cracker at Ironman Western Australia coming in 4th with a fast 9:04 IM split and hauling assimus on the run and knocking out a handy 2:58:17. The biggest take home from this interview with Beth would have to be her looking at the opportunities in things and having gratitude. Great lessons. What we cover: Training through pregnancy. Managing being a new mum and training for Ironman. Support and Aunty Jackie. We talk IMWA, the race and the mental side of it. We talk fast AG men and how it affects pro women on the bike. What drives Beth. We go into Beths background as a school psychologist. The lessons. Beths biggest 'failure' ... this one is deep! And of course her greatest and proudest achievement so far. You can follow and learn more about Beth below: http://bethgerdes.com/Beth's Blog@IMbethgerdes - Instagram@IMBethGerdes - twitter Episode Sponsors:

In todays Fat Black podcast I get to speak all about fascia with Brooke Thomas of Liberated Body. I love this topic because it so crucial to movement. Understanding fascia can really help you move better and be pain free. Those two things will make you perform better. What you have to understand is that you don't have to tolerate movement dysfunction or body aches and pains. Most chronic overuse injuries and mobility woes are reversible. The process is pretty simple... it just ain't easy! Unfortunately Pete had to sit this interview out due to time zone differences but he and I and guests will be back on as normal from next week. In episode 69 of the Fat Black we cover: Why understanding fascia is crucial to your longevity and performance. Everything is connected and our muscles don't actually originate and insert like we were taught in anatomy class! How we move. Compensation patterns and tensegrity. What our soft tissue should really be like. Variations in movement and why it's needed. Communication failure of our bodies biggest sensory organ. Why our feet are SO important. How we keep our fascia health. You can learn all about Brooke and a lot more on Fascia over at here site www.liberatedbody.com or follow her on social media via the links below: Facebook Twitter Episode Sponsors:

This week Pete and I do our first FB from opposite hemispheres and today we talk about the Obstacles. Pete wrote a blog this past week on rethinking stress and make sure you listen to the TED talk of Kelly McGonigal. One of the most loved interviews of Triathlon World Summit was with Dr Phil Maffetone so Pete and talk about parts of that interview and namely go over some of the common obstacles and get you to think about strategies to remove those. As Phil said.. you can be fit but very unhealthy which in turn won't lead to longevity in the sport. We need to get smarter across the board when it comes to how we train but how we live our lives. Stress is cumulative and while we need some stress... the amount of stress we pile on our shoulders is killing us or our performances. EnjoyKristian Show Sponsors: Smith Optics http://www.smithoptics.com Tri Travel http://www.tritravel.com.au

Last week you heard some great insights from Champion Athlete, Jan Frodeno on his quest to take on Kona and what he has had to do to make the transition from short-course to long-course a successful one. Today we get to talk his wife, Olympic Gold Medalist, Commonwealth Medalist and 3x World Champion - Emma Snowsill. Emma has enjoyed an amazing career but has dealt with some serious health issues, that ultimately lead to her retiring from the sport. As a result Emma has learned some hard lessons and had decided to embark on a quest to fully understand health and help educate athletes as to what real health actually means. Emma Talks About: What being a World Champion has taught her. Why she stopped racing. Emma's personal health journey. Learning about true health. Understanding that what we eat underpins performance. Giving back to the sport. Being an ambassador. Educating people on the sport through commentary. What is in store for Emma. This was a fantastic opportunity to sit down and speak candidly with such a remarkable athlete - and person. Emma's positivity is amazing as she prefers to view her health battles as step into a new direction and career, rather than something that holds her back. Emma's story carries the message that as athletes we owe it ourselves to understand what true health really is. You should check Emma out on Instagram and via her Website.

Today we sit down and Sip the Fat with Olympic Champion, coffee connoisseur and super nice guy, Jan Frodeno. Jan and his wife Emma Snowsill were kind enough to let us drop in and chat to them over a few espresso's. Both Jan and Emma have some fantastic insights into the sport and share some brilliant knowledge Today Jan Frodeno talks about: Making the transition from short course to long course. Dealing with injury. Changing training to suit the distance. Challenges faced when making the transition. Lesson from Ironman. Working with his coach. Confidence and self-belief. Next week, you'll want to listen to our episode with Emma Snowsill. It is a cracker. You cab reach Jan at: @janfrodeno

Well we can't believe that the Triathlon World Summit is almost over! This has been an amazing project for TriSpecific and we hope you have all enjoyed hearing the fantastic information the speakers. We have enjoyed the process immensely and would like to thank all of you for the amazing feedback! Today we sit down and sip the fat on an important topic that was discussed frequently throughout the Summit: Human Movement. Today We Cover: Why hydration is important for movement. Taking responsibility. The performance pyramid. Skill development. Form VS Function. The X. Why sitting is crap for our bodies. Easy fixes to correct faulty patterns. Episode Sponsors Smith Optics TriTravel Specialized

Today we sit down with not only two brilliant athletes but also a professional couple who have crafted their skills as a highly functioning family unit. Tyler and Nikki Butterfield have worked hard to understand the importance of balancing family life with work life. And provide some great insights how any athlete - professional or amateur can do this and still enjoy the sport we all love. We go into: Being the best you can in your job. Being present where you are. The Importance of planning Being the best you can in everything you do. Working as a team Daily strategies. Communication More then Sport You can find out more at butterfieldracing.com Twitter@TyButterfield@NikButterfield Episode Sponsors Smith Optics TriTravel Specialized

So much going on and so much love for the Triathlon World Summit that we're truly grateful. It's awesome. We're now in Round 3 of the TWS sessions and so many great interviews have been shared and the information is resonating with our listeners on so many levels. Today Pete and I decide to go into some of the areas that have impressed us and that you really need to take note of. So many more great interviews to come so if you haven't already - make sure you register to watch them for FREE at www.triathlonworldsummit.com Enjoy Kristian & Pete P.S. Can't make the time to listen to all the awesome interviews while they're live. Get the Lifetime ALL ACCESS pass here Our TWS Sponsors:Smith Optics, Specialized, Tri Travel, Revbox and Vespa

Today we caught up with an athlete who is well know for running some incredibly fast times off the bike, and just recently made a statement with a very impressive 7th place finish in Kona, Tim Berkel. Tim has been steadily building a solid career and gained a lot of experience by putting himself up against the best in the sport and learning from tough experiences. Check out some great insights from Tim. Today We Cover: Tim's mental preparation for Kona. Dealing with low points. Getting the hunger back. Learning to take care of the body. Fuelling the machine. Finding enjoyment in the day-to-day. Racing happy. Using mentors. Understanding coaching relationships. Staying in the moment when under pressure. To this date Tim has a great career with 3 Ironman Champion titles, and an Australian 70.3 title. Follow Tim on Twitter Facebook Instagram or reach to him via timberkel.com Episode Sponsors

Today we sit down and sip the fat with one of the most Professional professionals we know: Sam Betten. Sam's attitude towards the sport and determination to be the nicest, hard working guy out there, is infectious, and it fantastic to see such maturity in a young athlete. Sam discussed the importance of having the right attitude, being mentally tough and giving back to the sport. There are some important lessons for all triathletes here! Age groupers and Pro's alike. Sam has an immense amount of invaluable knowledge for you. In This Episode We Cover: Sam's story. Being injured. Being sick - creating a better mindset. Improving in the sport. Mental training. Making the right investments. Finding the mental limit. Learning values from mentors. Attitude Giving back. Being professional. Building the brand. Becoming a credible source of information. Knowing when to stop. Goal setting Tips for Age Group athletes. There is no doubt that Sam is going places in this sport. Yet he remains grounded and incredibly focused in his approach - it is refreshing to see! Reach out to Sam on sambetten.com or Twitter or Facebook Episode Sponsors

That's exactly how we feel right now. We are in hustle mode at the moment and this Triathlon World Summit is just simply a huge undertaking. I obviously can't say for certain because I've never been there ... that young mans dream has thankfully for Charlotte been squashed. So we 'feel' somewhere near camp 4 ... that is the death zone on Everest. We aren't getting much sleep, the goal feels so close yet so far away ... but it's one step at a time. So today Pete and I decided to give you a little insight into TWS. We're excited. So much awesome content has been shared that we know you're going to love. The snippets: Macca - On understanding where your heads at. Matt Dixon - Racing an Ironman. Kev Cutjar - Attitude (crucial). Marc Evans - Movement is like cash... it's King. Phil Maffetone - What you need to do today to be a better triathlete tomorrow. FB Sponsor:

Today we sit down and have a super informative chat with Peter Mckenzie. Now if that surname sounds familiar....it should. Of course we are talking about Luke Mckenzie's father! And this is one of the most knowledge packed episodes yet! Peter has long history of coaching and teaching and over the years has formulated some fantastic philosophies and strategies to help athletes achieve their true potential. It was a lot of fun talking shop with Petee and gain some insights from someone with so much experience. In this episode we cover: The fundamentals of triathlon. Assessing strengths and weaknesses. Refining economy with drills. Building the journey. Being committed and supportive as a parent of an athlete. Communication. Actually, we talk about this a lot! How training is a progression of development. Developing patience. Looking for marginal gains. Pacing! Dealing with time-poor, Type A athletes. Shutting out the noise. Recognising coachable athletes. How no two athletes are the same; coaching the individual. The unconquered frontier in this sport; the mental game. Recognising negative thoughts and acting accordingly. Learn more about Peter McKenzie at https://www.facebook.com/RacePaceCoaching

Today we sit down and 'sip the fat' ™ with Tim Reed who has been making his mark on the sport in recent years with some very impressive results. Tim has a background in exercise physiology and before turning pro he spent a bit of time crafting his skills as a top Age Group athlete. One of the most exciting things about 'Reedy' is his willingness to learn; whether it is through coaching mentors, or advice form experienced pro-athletes, Tim is focused on absorbing as much information as possible in order to further his athletic and business careers and as such has some great wisdom to share. In this Episode we cover: Making the jump from elite Age Group athlete to Professional athlete. Working hard in the early days. Learning to hustle to achieve success. Balancing family life with career. The value of communication. Maintaining perspective; what really matters in your life. Values for success. How to wear budgie-smuglers/ how to craft your 'brand'. Tim's 5 tips for athletes new to the sport (actually for every athlete). You can follow Tim on Twitter and Instagram or check out his website Make sure you go over and check out The Triathlon World Summit and RESERVE your seat ... The FREE sessions start November 9

In today's Episode of the Friday Fat Black, we sit down with #allergictoaverage superstar journalist and Witsup chief, Steph Hanson. If you haven't heard of Witsup, you must have been living under a rock. Through the efforts of Steph and her team, Witsup have been helping communities of women become more engaged in the sport of triathlon by creating ways to break down the barriers that and removing the intimidation that can be associated with triathlon. There is one thing about Steph: her personality is infectious! You can't help but get excited when she talks on the things that she is passionate about and that enthusiasm is unmistakable in the work that the Witsup crew do. So sit back with a cup of your favourite caffeinated beverage, and listen to some wisdom from Steph. What we cover: Who is Witsup, what does it mean and what is it all about. Breaking down barriers within the sport. Creating a better perception through education and sharing a unified message. Taking things too seriously. Building a community. Shoving Andrew Messink. Yes, that really did happen. Thoughts on the split swim starts to races and what the WTC are doing right (that also does happen). Men showing support for the Witsup cause Spreading the message through social media #supportivedude Changing the perspective in media. The importance of involving family more in the sport. The Noosa Triathlon Festival and what is coming up next for Witsup It was great to talk with Steph and get more insight on how we, as coaches and representatives of the sport can work to making triathlon not only more accessible for women, but also more enjoyable and less intimidating. We are seeing a global shift in how women are being marketed to by companies, and this trend is helping push past the old school ideologies of gender in sport and helping to create greater equality. If you want to know more about Witsup, head on over to: www.witsup.com or follow them on @witsupcom on Twitter and Instagram or head over to their Facebook Page Sponsors: Smith Optics - Change is Easy Specialized - Innovate or Die

Alright today we are talking about pacing. This is one of the most important skills of the sport. We have seen many athlete ruin a race by not pacing correctly. Like everything else true pacing much be practiced in training. True pacing takes discipline and focus (also great skills to develop), and this has to be put into the daily routine of training - which is really about going your craft. Here is what we cover: The discipline of pacing. Being realistic about your efforts. Learning to switch off the data. Understanding how to use your data to your advantage. Developing your pace intuitively. What is truly easy. Knowing when to push hard. Understanding the different levels of effort. How much time you need to spend below goal pace, at goal, and above (and why). Understanding the different systems that used in pacing. Strength efforts. Speed efforts. Lactate Tolerance. Endurance. Neuromuscular.

I'm just back from a whirlwind of Kona with lack of the number one health item.. Sleep! I've experienced both Kona as an athlete and a spectator many times and there is just something special when you step off the plan onto the tarmac at Kona International airport. My trip was short but packed with meeting up with athletes, industry contacts and other coaches. I even got a short swim and a couple of rides in. I actually recommend that if Kona is on the goal list to compete at, it's a good one to watch and go experience if you miss out qualifying one year. It definitely made me make it a definite purpose and desire to get there when I had done that. Today Pete and I do a recap on Kona talking through the pro and age group races. We also go into the conditions, execution, stress and mental state. We also have a number of great podcasts lined up for you with some great age group athletes, pro athletes, coaches and experts in fields related to human performance.

Over here in Kona I got the opportunity to go to a party before the race and mingle. Whilst there I ran into ex professional triathlete, two time Olympian, world cup champion and former world ranked no.1 Andrew Johns or as he's better known as AJ. AJ started telling me about what he was part of and why he was in Kona. As it turns out he was here as an athlete ambassador to a new initiative called Clean Protocol. The Clean Protocol™ is a system to support clean athletes and to promote social change toward clean sport. I was intrigued to find out more as I had seen the below image pop up in Luke McKenzies Facebook feed and was able to get together with both Andrew and the head of science Dr Michael Puchowicz MD for a chat about The Clean Protocol™ In this episode we cover what The Clean Protocol™ is and why it's important. The Passion about making the social change needed that there is no justification to even think about taking PED's Allowing clean athletes to put there hands up and go through the testing protocol and show that they can win big races being clean. The Science behind it and who is using the protocol. The reception from the pro's And more. You can learn more about The Clean Protocol™ at their website - http://cleanprotocol.org/

Pete and I are still reeling from this interview with Andy... Yes I know it's a pun but it was completely mind blowing. Most people don't understand how powerful the mind is and how much it plays into what we see in life. You can do the training, tick the boxes, go 'all-in' and still fall short and many times we self sabotage purely because of our internal programming. The 6 inches between your ears is important. Critically important. Andy is a mental performance coach and has worked with world champion athletes, entrepreneurs, high net worth business owners and even royalty. Do you want to go fast, get to Kona, have more success in life. Listen to this podcast and learn how. Here is what we cover: Neurology is a muscle. The importance of a mentor. Overcoming adversities. The science of "Mind Set". The conscious and unconscious mind. We are question answering machines - why we do what we do. Becoming consciously aware. 50'000 words a day. The Dirty Little Secret to rapid success. The filter system of the mind. Accessing alpha waves. Gaining direct access to the unconscious mind. How to ask yourself the right questions. Creating the NEW version of YOU. Retraining the software. The value of routine. Bi-neural benefits. You can reach out to Andy via: andymuprhy.biz ---> Get a free Focus session. Follow @andymuprhytv on Twitter and here on Facebook The Mindset by Design Podcast available on iTunes.

Today Pete and talk about Kona.. predictions, the mistakes athletes make and how to avoid them... qualifying and more. Qualify... what it takes The mistakes Pacing Being Strong Carbo loading Race week Confidence and over confidence and more... I'll be coming to you with some video blogs from Kona from Thursday and stay tuned for our Friday Fat Black this week... it's mind blowing!

Today we speak with one of the World Leaders in Functional Movement Training, Andrew Read. Andrew has been in the fitness game a very long time and he is one of those small 1 %'s that is not afraid to step outside the norm and call B.S. He is an Athletic adventurer, top 6 in the world Master RKC (Russian Kettlebell Certified instructor), author and all round bad ass. Here is just a taste of what we cover: Functional movement and why it is essential. Levels of Functional Movement Screening. The importance of breathing. Strength training for older athletes. The 3 Rules. Dealing with giving up. Strength & Conditioning for long course racing. Becoming injury resistant. How to get FREE speed - building your Formula 1 car. The smartest exercises for triathletes. The distinction between strength and muscle size. Links: Andrew Read PTAndrew on FacebookAndrew on Twitter This episode includes videos which can be accessed via TriSpecific.com/FFB This Episode of The Friday Fat Black bought to you by Smith Optics - Change is Easy!

We are EXCITED. Seriously. We have been looking forward to this 50th Episode for a while now......The Friday Fat Black and The Answers Series have been so much fun and there has been a lot (really, A LOT) of awesome information in each edition. So today as we celebrate #50, we get stuck into some of the most popular topics we've discussed as well as what is coming up in the very near future. Hint: something BIG. And, because this is a special event - something to celebrate, we are giving away some awesome prizes! You need to listen to the episode to find out how you can get your hands on some pretty cool things like: Specialized Packs that will get you out of trouble Smith Optics glasses for staying in style TS 'swag' packs, because swag is important GRID mini's and the new GRID X from Trigger Point Some cool Tee's from "Art of Tri" To enter the competition, listen to the instructions mentioned in the episode. We will announced the winners in the next Episode (this Friday). This Episode we cover: Our favourite episodes - the ones that we loved the most, and why. Our favourite guests, and why. Fundamentals - what it takes to be successful The importance of Self Talk Confidence VS Cockiness Race execution - what you need to do What's next: some very exciting guests coming up Some special mentions.... And an important message to you all Links: https://vimeo.com/smithoptics Smith Pivlock Urban Ninja TS Life

Today we speak with celebrated Ultraman World Champion, Ironman athlete and Coach, Kevin Cutjar about developing confidence and executing a good race. He is also the owner of the Challenge Penticton race, held in beautiful British Columbia, Canada. Kevin has a wealth of experience in racing long, hard and tough events so he knows a thing or two about confidence. Confidence underpins performance, and developing this skill can take time and patience. There's a system to follow and as we get deeper into this episode, Kevin explains how to turn that confidence into smart race execution. Grab a cup, sit back and enjoy todays episode of The Friday Fat Black. Awesome knowledge covered: Kevin's amazing racing career Developing confidence Trusting the process The psychology of racing long Self belief Getting it right: the long run Patience, and having the confidence to be patient Endurance and repetition The "perfect" plan Understanding self-doubt Executing a race Dealing with distraction How to stay focused in training Self talk Challenge Penticton Speaking of Challenge Penticton, registration is open now for August 30, 2015. So if you want to race on one of the most historical and picturesque courses in the world get onto it fast! Connect with Kevin Twitterhttp://triathlonwarrior.com/

We continue on with the Answers Series today with some great questions from some of our coached athletes. We love questions like these because it helps us to ensure that our listeners truly understand the information that we provide. We love the challenge of the questions, and we love looking for answers to the ones that we don't know. We certainly don't pretend to know it all! But we are prepared to seek for more.... Keep the questions coming via the TriSpecific Facebook page, or [email protected] This weeks questions: Q. How do you stay cool in races without your run shoes filling with water and becoming ankle 'weights'? Q. What are the some sources of saturated fat I can look into? Q. Can you really become fat adapted as a vegetarian? Q. Can I substitute the lemon juice in the natural hydration mix for something else? Do I even need the lemon juice? Q. You guys have mentioned the Maffatone methods few times, how does that fit into the TS coaching methods? Q. What Fat Black alternatives exist for non-coffee drinkers? Q. What wetsuit recommendations do you have? Links: Aqua shop Blueseventy Westuits

This week Pete and I get to interview our good friend, new dad, fellow 3326RIDE rider and world class triathlete Luke McKenzie. This didn't even feel like an interview, more like sitting down having a chat over a fat black coffee. Don't be fooled though, Luke provides some insights into being a world class athlete, keeping the motivation high and the stepping stones to being runner up in last years Ironman World Championships. Grab yourself your favourite beverage, sit back and enjoy. What we cover: Moving to the USA full time. Being a new dad. Managing the schedule with Wynne and both parents training for IM. The ups and downs. Learning how to race. How racing and winning in Asia provided the stepping stones to Kona. Winning IM Cairns. A couple of things Luke does that leads to success. Progression in Kona and making the necessary improvements. What it's all about. How he keeps his motivation high. Learning the lessons from the obstacles along the way. Getting through the hiccups. How to make the best out of a bad situation and what doing that provides. Coaches, mentors and self coaching. Lukes biggest advisor. Pushing the boundaries of tech and the lessons so far. Bike position - what's important. Strength training. On coaching athletes. Stress and what Ironman shouldn't be. On setting goals. Training. Giving back. Links: Luke McKenzie.comTwitterInstagram As soon as we have details ... we will post them here about purchasing the new "GO LUKE" Kona Trucker caps with money going to the Challenged Athletes Foundation ...

Wow. How good was Part 1? If you missed that make sure you go listen to FFB#46 Part 1 first otherwise you're missing a huge part of the process. The second part of that episode we continue the awesomeness. Today we cover VESPA. What is it? Using VESPA in training. How to use VESPA in racing to optimise your fat adaption. 'Carb sneaking' - how strategically timing carb intake can boost your performance. How to start the Fat Adaptation process. How too much protein can turn off your ability to burn fat for fuel. Ketone tracking. Racing hungry - why you want to. This is a seriously jam-packed episode! So sit back, grab a coffee and enjoy. Get a discount for Vespa using TRISPECIFIC for the coupon code. Vespapower.com

Today we pick the brain of Peter Defty of Vespa Nutrition, on everything you need to know about Fat Adaptation and Optimised Fat Metabolism. Peter has been driving OFM knowledge for quite a wile now and today he helps you understand the ins and outs of the process and why it is absolutely vital to not only your performance but also your long term health. If you have been struggling to get your head around the Fat Adaptation process or what to simply understand it better then Peter provides some essential insights in this two part series. Yes there is THAT much information here that we had to make it into two Episodes! Adopting the Optimised Fat Metabolism approach isn't hard, and definitely not 'scary'. It is a simple adjustment to your daily nutritional intake, but with some truly game-changing results. Today in Part 1 we cover: Who is Peter Defty. Optimised Fat Metabolism explained. Using fat for fuel. How little carbohydrates the body really needs. Long term affects of High Carbohydrate use and their unintended consequences. Insulin resistance OFM for vegan/ vegetarian athletes - how to get it right. The Optimised Fat Metabolism pyramid Fat Adapted metabolic state. Nutrition NOT calories Stomach and gut health. Training and lifestyle Hydration In the next part of this awesome-sauce episode, we go further into the OFM Pyramid and discuss hydration, the Vespa product and being a 'carb sneak'. You will probably want to listen to these Episodes more than once because there is a metric crap-tonne of knowledge to be absorbed here! Show Links: VESPA

You Asked… we Answered. From this week onwards Pete and are adding a second show each week. So Tuesdays will be “The Fat Black - The Answers Series” and The Friday Fat Black will be our interviews. So last Friday we did our first of “The Answers” series podcast and after that and the feedback for more.. we have obliged. If you have questions. Please use the comments on the show notes page, ask on our TriSpecific Facebook fanpage or simply email me kristian [at] trispecific.com. This weeks Questions: Q: Out of all the pieces of equipment available for training and performance improvements, what is the first one you would recommend to buy? Q: What are the best cassette and chain ring choices for events. When do you determine you need to? Q: Bike shoes for Ironman and Half … should I be using Triathlon Specific shoes or road shoes? Q: What is the best bike case for traveling Links: Trigger Point Performance Therapy Tools Australia New Zealand USA Germany United Kingdom Bike Trainers Revbox (if you're interested in this trainer, contact me as I have a special TS Coached Athlete, TS LIFE and Blueprint Athlete and even for our listeners) Wahoo Kickr Swim Tools TYR Catalyst Hand Paddles - You can grab them here at wiggle Australia or wiggle rest of world. Pull Buoy Options we like: Big Ass PB ;) Huub - Big Buoy Blue Seventy Core Short (a new favourite) Finis Tempo Trainer Pro (great for run training too..) Bike Shoes For long course racing we prefer and recommend using a road shoe. We like S-Works Road Shoe Shimano Road Shoe If you want to go down the custom route check out Bont Also ensure you go to your local Specialized dealer that does Body Geometry and use their "archometer" and get the specific body geometry footbeds needed for you. Instant increase in power, less foot fatigue and lessen the chances of injury. Run You need to ensure you are in the right shoe for you. In Australia our friends at The Running Company have a great service as does The Running Centre in Perth. If you don't have a store near you that can get you on a treadmill and see you run, both barefoot and in shoes then Pete and I have a Run Faster service where we will get you to get video footage for us and then we will guide you to a shoe that is right for you. We will also give you advice on potential mobility drills and self massage techniques you'll need to do to improve your running efficiency. For more on this service just contact me. Bike Cases Shimano Mega case SiCon Aero 2.0

This week Pete and I step away from the interviews go into Question and Answer mode. We're always getting questions from our coached and Blueprint athletes but believe this is a great platform for answering questions that many of you have but haven't asked. As I mention in the podcast. If you'd like Pete and I to do another weekly podcast specifically on QnA or dial into one topic then we're open to that. We will do leave Fridays predominantly to interviews with our awesome guests and say on a Tuesday do a 30-40min QnA. Let us know in the comments below and of course if you have any questions let us know below. What we Cover: Strategies with dealing with the heat in Kona (or any other hot race) TT bike or road bike and when you should be jumping on the TT bike in your race prep GF nutrition and living/racing with Celiac disease Goal setting and realistic goals Training for older athletes Getting through tough sessions How to refocus and re-ignite the motivation after a big race and also how to keep motivation levels high for training Changes in our nutrition ideology and why Which wheels for racing and why Links: Past Podcasts we mention FFB41 - Aero is Everything (all about being aero) Being a Gluten Free Athlete with Steph Lowe The Natural Nutritionist Quick link to all podcasts

Today we have the awesome Steph Lowe of "The Natural Nutritionist" on another call of the Friday Fat Black. Previously we have discussed Nutrient timing and also becoming a gluten free athlete (and why you should consider it) however today we talk all about gut health and how your gut is really the foundation of your system health. If you're holding onto injuries, getting sick consistently then you NEED to be fixing your gut health. Even if you're not getting sick or have niggles ... good gut health will help you improve your performance. Look, if you're serious about your performance but also about long term health (and you should be) then you can't miss this episode. What we cover: All health and immunity stems from your gut. Where does illness start? Why you need to look at the gut if your sick and if you have constant injuries. The indirect links your gut has on other areas of your total health than just the stomach. Why your brain function is linked with your gut. What affects gut health. Good food in-of-itself is not the answer. Good bacteria, bad bacteria. Antibiotics and what you need to know if you have to take them. For the female athletes. The Pill and its impact on your gut health. Inflammatory foods and how to ensure you choose foods that are anti-inflammatory in nature. Being an Iron distance athlete, you can guarantee that you have some level of impaired gut health. Stress and its implications on your gut health. The chicken or the egg with gut health. What pulls the trigger and how todays choices affect what happens downstream. Tips it mitigate stress in our current life circumstances. Strategies on fixing or improving your gut health. Vegan athlete choices of fixing gut health. Caffeine and impact on cortisol, stress, acidity. The one answer to getting good bacteria. Detoxing.. do you need to, how to and when? Stress and its roll in weight loss and what you need to understand. Show Links: ABC Catalyst "Gut Reaction" Parts one and two Gut Health 101 with Steph Lowe (includes links and tips for bone broth, fermented veggies and more). The Pill Great Lakes Gelatine Stephs site The Natural Nutritionist Learn more about detoxification and Steph's six week program here: http://thenaturalnutritionist.com.au/back-to-basics-b2b-cleanse/ Perhaps you could start by quitting gluten? Grab a copy of Steph's ebook, Free From Gluten (FFG), and receive over 70 pages of eduction, practical advice and whole food based recipes. Please enter the discount code 'FFB' to receive your Friday Fat Black discounted rate. Need more help? Steph is available for both Face-to-Face and Skype consultations. Please find out more here: http://thenaturalnutritionist.com.au/programs/

Today Pete and I have the awesome pleasure of speaking with 15x Ironman distance champion, member of the Australian Ironman Hall of Fame Belinda Granger from her stunning backyard overlooking the 20m pool. We get such amazing insights from BG who has done 50 Iron distance racing and been around the triathlon traps for 20 odd years! We look at all aspects from injuries, to training, discipline, nutrition and so much more. What we cover: Lessons from one of the most longterm successful female IM athletes in the sport Belinda's WHY! Natural talent is useless Why 'loving it' helps Strategies and tips to pull you through those tough races BGs two biggest regrets - massive honesty here The skill of set and forget When and where you learn the most Why you need to self assess Settling Nutrition, balance and not depriving yourself Looking at all aspects of the sport The ABS! The tell tale signs you need to listen too Balance The Training regiment... major lessons You HAVE to give back 3 huge performance knowledge bombs dropped around 28mins in Keys of being professional - if you're a pro or budding pro you need to listen to this Favourite sessions What the future holds for Belinda Links: Twitter: https://twitter.com/belinda_granger

This weeks FFB is all about getting AERO with Mark Cote whom is the head of aero R&D for Specialized. Last week Pete and I got the opportunity to head down to the Gold Cost for Specialized’s 2015 product launch here in Australia and were lucky enough to sit down and chew the fat with Mark and we thought .. we’re all here - can we do a podcast and Mark took it in his stride which we’re super grateful for. Listen and listen again about whats important, how you can get both free and paid aero benefits. “the difference between athletes that pay attention to this and those that don’t is Kona spots” What we cover: Aero .. what’s really important and quick free aero gains (1:40). 80” over 40km - imagine over an Ironman that’s 6 minutes and doing this doesn’t cost you anything. What a ‘shaved’ tennis ball has to do with shaved legs. The Specialized wind tunnel allows them to geek out Even a little matters Clean it up .. it's important. How AND why fit matters? The preconceived notions of being low are hindering you. The common trend in fit (not what you think). Get faster and reduce fatigue. Being in the aero bars versus being on the hoods (7:35). You’ll be stunned how much that is worth per 40km. All about Wheels (8:38) Style ‘watts’ versus real ‘watts’ The catch 22 on the deeper wheel (9:38) What wheel sizes are showing the most benefits. Where wheels actually come into their own. Tyres (11:10) Tubular v clincher Tyre technology Helmets and choices (13:00) Why it’s more important to have a ‘quiver’ of helmets than it is wheels! Helmets, there's aero and then there's the details - heat (15:20) One of the new frontiers and biggest benefits you get (18:40) Actually moving forward this will be one of the most (20:59) important, technical devices you can run in your setup. Rider first engineered. How much further improvements are there in aero? The true benefits for Specialized with their win (deliberate) tunnel. The athletes that focus on this stuff versus those that don't. Shiv TT v SHIV TRI. Got Question? Either hit us up in the comments section below or reach out to Mark or the Specialized team on social media Show Links: The Body Hair Test ROVAL wheels Froome looking a stems (yes you must look at this page) The S-WORKS Evade Tri Specialized Links Website http://www.iamspecialized.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/specializedbicycleshttps://www.facebook.com/SpecializedAU (Australia) Twitter https://twitter.com/iamspecializedhttps://twitter.com/specialized_au Mark Cote https://twitter.com/MITAeroBike InstagramAustraliaGlobal YouTube

Today I get to speak with TriSpecific athlete John Rutherford after his recent first time Ironman a couple of weeks back at Ironman Switzerland. John had great IM debut going 9:34. As I say in the intro. Nobody comes from nowhere ... and what I mean there is that we all have backgrounds and most athletes that have quick success in this sport have a solid background and John is no different here. John has ran 100 mile ultras and he definitely wasn't successful in those first outings, especially as the typical carb dependant athlete and we go into all that but his background goes further back and we look into the lessons that cross over from flying a F-18 to performance in other areas of life. And don't miss what John did with a 40 Million dollar aircraft at 14:55 into the podcast. What We Cover: John's first Ironman going 9:34 and the lessons. (there is ALWAYS lessons) Logistics and there importance Expectations and what you need to be with them No unforced errors John's background and his time as part of the US National Cycling team Those carry over lessons from cycling, ultra running and flying an F18 Listen in a 14:55 to hear what John did with a 40 Million dollar aircraft Learning to be calm under pressure and where it is critical on race day We go deep into fuelling and how little John takes in through training and racing John's part in the UCON Fat Adaptation/Perofrmance Study How never to hit the wall or bonk again Time to benefits of fat adaptation at 35' The starting point to fat adaptation and process of teaching around 36' in The 3 BIG benefits of being fat adapted Sodium - the true needs Johns race day fuelling strategy The 3 things John's most important performance tips Links: Ben Greenfields Part 1 & Part 2 of his part in Voleks study and rewriting the Fat Burning text book. Becoming a Bonk proof athlete - FAT chance Vespa Keto Force (Disclaimer: I have not tested this yet, but from John's testing it seems to work well. However.. as per previous blog.. get the other aspects down first. No short cuts!)

In todays Friday Fat Black Pete and talk about the real reasons of how and why injuries happen. We speak about the 7 major areas (there are more) why injuries happen. What We Cover: The biggest killer of our performance. And the reason why we get this performance killer. Injuries don't come from nowhere .. i.e. they don't just pop out of nowhere! The Domino effect. The red flags you CHOOSE not to listen too and how to stop that happening. Responsibility. The injury cycle. The 7 major reason you are or you get injured. 90+ percent of injuries are AVOIDABLE! Why electrolytes are CRITICALLY important. What to do the FIRST thing when you wake up in the morning. Compounding Interest - why you feel like crap at the start of your long run. What muscles LOVE. What you should do on those long haul travels we need to do to get to races. Long drives/long flights and why you NEED to do this. The thought process you NEED to rid yourself of. Links The BEST Self Massage Tools in the world Get this awesome History of Triathlon in Australia coffee table book // http://www.multisportdreaming.com/ If you're at Challenge Gold Coast drop by the Multisport Dreaming Booth Original Strength Podcast

Today Pete and I wanted to take a step back and look at the foundations. The true fundamental ingredients or as we call them 'Pillars' to reaching your potential in this sport of triathlon. In todays age and right now there seems to be a push to hacking this and hacking that. Don't get us wrong - there are indeed some useful 'hacks' to improve performance but like anything - if the fundamentals aren't in place those hacks aren't going to be as potent as they could be. As James Clear recently put on a great post (linked below) "The thing is, when you look at how the top performers in the world operate and examine what is really going on in their minds and bodies, you often see the complete opposite of a hack. You see repetitions and consistency." Those last two points ... repetitions and consistency are the WAY! Period. What We Cover: The 3 pillars to triathlon success and the order they NEED to be focused on Why one particular part of one of the pillars needs to be incorporated as part of your training session and not the way it's typically done (or worse, not done) Simple thoughts on nutrition "Food is INFORMATION for your body" Fascia and why it's important to look after .. if you don't want to get injured. A simple real hydration formula that WILL get the needed minerals to your soft tissue ... but you need to do a little something else to fix your irrigation Learning to LISTEN to what's important (covers each pillar) The biggest performance killer Simplifying training What repetition really teaches you Data tracking and importance of being in-tune How to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of your training and a whole lot more Links http://jamesclear.com/selective-attention 4 Lessons everyday athletes can learn from the pros (great article written by my friend and TS athlete Andrew Read) Get our Pillars to Success Guide for free here

On this weeks Friday Fat Black , Pete and I have the pleasure of having my much better half Charlotte Paul on show. In this episode we wanted to cover what every single one of us goes through in life - not just our sporting endeavours but also LIFE. FAILURE We are all going to fail at some time and that is OK. In fact, it's more then ok ... it's absolutely crucial to becoming successful. Instead of trying to avoid mistakes at all costs, aim to seek opportunities that will lead you to facing your limits (and they're usually ones that ARE self imposed) so that you can learn quickly. I bet you if you ever look back upon times in your life which led to major growth or successful moments that they were preceded by mistakes, and seemingly unsurmountable obstacles. As you'll hear about in this episode Charlotte had many failures on her journey to winning her first Ironman in a handy time of 9:00:55 and more after that which led to further successes. I've had my fair share and I guarantee there will be more. Pete talks about his 'failure' at Ironman Cairns recently. The key .. the absolute key is learning the lessons. To do so you have to be open to receiving them. Sit back and relax and learn how failing fast and failing often can be your ticket to the greatest successes you've ever had.