The Infirmary | Fixing Broken Endurance Athletes

Sports scientist and triathlete Tash Cooper-Smith from Precision Fuel & Hydration joins The Infirmary to demystify one of endurance sport's most confusing topics: fueling and hydration. Tash breaks down sweat testing, sodium concentration, carbohydrate intake, gut training, and the actual science behind cramping — and why the answer to most athletes' fueling problems is rarely as complicated as they make it. She also shares the story of her own athletic journey, from competitive gymnastics to Kona qualifier in four years, and what that experience taught her about personalizing nutrition for performance. Links mentioned in this episode:Jesse Dukes' one-day "How to Get Good Tape" Los Angeles Workshop: https://jessedukes.com/good-tape-how-to-get-it-2/Precision Fuel & Hydration: https://www.precisionhydration.comPrecision F&H free sweat rate calculator and spreadsheet: precisionhydration.comFollow Tash on Instagram: @tash.csFollow Precision F&H on Instagram: @precisionfandhBook a free 20-minute video call with a Precision F&H sports scientist: precisionhydration.com

Most athletes swing between two bad options when things get hard: they back off because something in their brain, body, or heart says “too much,” or they panic, push too hard, and blow up. In this episode of The Infirmary we name the productive space between those two poles — the growth zone — and give you a practical tool to train your ability to stay there. Chris draws on his own racing career, including a painful lesson from Ironman Canada 2012, to explain why learning to sit with discomfort is a crucial and trainable skill, not a personality trait. The episode ends with a three-round guided breathwork session designed to put you face-to-face with that exact discomfort, so you can practice handling it before you're in a race or in a tough workout. Links mentioned in this episode:Campfire Endurance Substack: campfireendurance.substack.comBend Camp1:1 Coaching with Chris: campfireendurance.com

Ryan Bolton is an Olympian, competing at the first Olympic Triathlon in 2000, and he is also a long course champ, winning Ironman Lake Placid in 2002. He coaches America’s top-ranked short-course triathlete, John Reed, and coaches or has coached Olympic Morgan Pearson, triathlon legend Ben Hoffman, recent star Sam Long, and many, many others. Ryan and I talk about a huge range of topics, including artificial intelligence (AI) in the coaching space, why “metabolic efficiency” isn’t anything you need to really pay attention to because it will happen as you get fit, and what it means to focus on “$100,000 wins” instead of “$500 wins.”You can find Ryan at https://boltonendurance.com/ and on his social media accounts: @coachryanbolton and @boltonendurance. You can (and should!) listen to my interview with Ben Hoffman, whom Ryan Coached for most of Ben’s career.

Coaches and athletes talk about the semi-mythical “flow state” a lot, but there is precious little information about how to achieve flow state. Those same coaches and athletes seem to leave it up to chance, but as you all (I hope) know, hope is not a strategy!In today’s episode, which is the companion piece to the guided meditation just below this one in the feed, we talk about ways to practice presence in your training and racing, since all that flow state is is a state of heightened presence in the moment, when distractions and obstacles seem to fall away. If you read last week’s Substack post, you’ll see the connection here to getting away from thinking, because when we think we tend to make judgments, and if you are judging you are reflecting or ruminating, not present in the moment.The episode opens with a real athlete meltdown (the kind most of us have had at some point) to explore how perception and self-judgment are the first things standing between you and your best performance. From there, we make a connection between traditional meditation and the way you approach a hard interval — and explains why those two things are basically the same skill. You don't need an app, a cushion, or a monastery. You need your next workout and a willingness to notice where your brain actually goes when things get hard.Resources and links mentioned:The companion guided meditation episode CAMPHow to Change Your Mind by Michael PollanChris's Substack post: "Getting Away from Bad"Book a consultation with Campfire Endurance

The companion piece to Episode 40, this is is a guided meditation that will help you discover what your brain and body wants to do during a difficult interval or during a race. Practice this meditation to improve your ability to maintain a wide, soft, presence that improves your chances of accessing flow state in your training, racing, and life.Book a free training consult with Chris here: https://tinyurl.com/3b8shdav

Endurance coaching legend Gordo Byrn joins us to discuss his return to racing after a 10-year break. The 2002 Ultraman World Champion and author of From Lemon to Legend breaks down his training philosophy that led to a 9:03 at Challenge Roth. We explore why consistency matters more than any specific workout protocol, how he rebuilt his aerobic base starting with workouts so easy he didn't believe they'd work, and why most athletes overcomplicate their training. Gordo shares his "10, 20, 50" protocol and explains how patient application of ridiculously easy training builds the efficiency required for world-class endurance performance. Whether you're returning to the sport after time away or struggling to maintain consistency, Gordo offers a masterclass in sustainable high-performance training from someone who's mentored a generation of endurance coaches.Gordo’s book: https://tinyurl.com/2376uex4Gordo’s Substack: https://feelthebyrn.substack.com/

For well over the first half of my professional career, I was labeled an “emotional athlete.” That label seemed to mean, well, something else. In this case that “something else” appears to have been “undisciplined,” if the describer was being nice, or “riding like a stupid asshole,” if the describer wasn’t concerned with hurting my feelings. Faced with this description, which wasn’t ever really elucidated further until later in my career, I set about eradicating the problem. I had a problem with pacing, was the coaching feedback I probably should have received, but without clear guidance on how to pace better I found myself falling into the same pattern: starting too hard in the swim and having to slow down after 2-300m and losing the main pack, burbling self-recrimination to myself for the rest of the swim leg, before climbing out of the water alone and…repeating the exact same pattern on the bike: riding too hard to “catch up,” and then, successful or not at catching up, blowing to bits on the run.In this episode we explore why we make decisions that don’t serve us as athletes, on and off the race course. We look at how fear was the prevailing emotion behind my explosion at Canada in 2012, and how I would have handled it differently, had I the tools. I hope this episode helps someone determine the shadows they have that are driving behaviors that they don’t like.The Mankind Project accountability exerciseChat with Chris about your emotional game, whatever your sport.Learn about CAMP May 29-June 2

David Tilbury-Davis coaches or has coached triathlon household names such as Ashleigh Gentile, Lionel Sanders, Skye Moench, Corinne Abraham, Cody Beals, and Matt Hanson, and he’s been doing so for three decades. In this episode, David explains his “evidence-led” in contrast to “evidence-based” approaches, how he gives athletes autonomy within structured training blocks, and why understanding your race day "poker hand" matters more than race-day magic. We discuss block periodization across the four disciplines of triathlon, how the Norwegian Method is more a product of excellent professionalism, cognitive load in VO2 work, and why even successful performances need analysis. In the moment I found most affecting, David talks about how an athlete deals with setbacks separates the great from the merely good.Links mentioned in this episode:David's website: tilburydavis.comDavid on Instagram: @tilburydavisBook: Think Like a Rocket Scientist by Ozan VarolBook: The Scout Mindset by Julia GalefBook: Anti-Fragile by Nassim TalebBook: How to Decide, by Annie DukeResource: Swim Smooth

Overtraining syndrome is rare, serious, and can end your endurance career if you're not careful. In this episode, we break down the differences between functional overreaching (proper training), non-functional overreaching (under-recovery), and true overtraining syndrome (OTS, and again, it's really rare!). You'll learn the warning signs that separate temporary fatigue from something far more concerning, plus we walk through actual case studies of athletes who took years to recover from OTS. We cover the psychological patterns that lead to overtraining, a return-to-training protocol that can get you back on the right track safely, and why consistency beats intensity every single time. If you're training hard right now or coaching athletes through big training blocks, this episode is the reality check you need before it's too late, for you or for your athletes! #triathlon #overtraining #endurancetrainingLinks mentioned in this episode:Return to Training ProtocolProfile of Mood States QuestionnaireProgressive Overload episode (for understanding proper training)Cody Beals burnout episode (previous episode referenced)2026 Coaching spotsBend CampKreher Studies:Kreher JB & Schwartz JB (2012). "Overtraining Syndrome: A Practical Guide" – Sports Health, 4(2):128-138 Full-text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3435910/Kreher JB et al. (2025). "Overtraining Syndrome (OTS) in Three Endurance Athletes and Roads to Recovery" – BMJ Case Reports, 18(7):e265066Full-text: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12258013/Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/fe77a/bright-ideasLicense code: JTATK7ILXBEATYUM

Canadian pro triathlete Cody Beals opens up about thoroughly burning out, wondering if his triathlon career was over after Ironman Chattanooga, and what happened when he took his first real break in over 25 years of school, athletics, work, and professional endurance sport. We discuss the difference between intellectual understanding and actual practice when it comes to rest, why so many endurance athletes struggle with exercise addiction and forgoing necessary rest, and how Cody is rebuilding his relationship with the sport that's defined his adult life. We discuss fatigue resistance testing, the merits and difficulties of self-coaching (particularly when we fail to see how tired we are), and why baseline fitness sometimes matters more than peak training volume. Whether you're fighting burnout yourself or just trying to build a more sustainable approach to training, this episode offers practical, real-world advice from someone who's been to the brink of burnout and back.www.codybeals.comCody Beals on Instagram: @cody.bealsBook a coaching consultation: https://www.campfireendurance.com/triathlon-coaching

What if the most sophisticated training tool you have isn't your power meter, but your ability to feel the difference between sustainable and unsustainable effort? Kolie Moore launched Empirical Cycling in 2015 after noticing a gap in how coaches approached endurance training. With a background in biology, biochemistry, metabolism, and physiology from Boston University, plus his own experience as a national championship medalist in track cycling, Kolie recognized that most coaching focused too much on training plans and not enough on the biological processes actually driving adaptation. Nearly a decade later, Kolie’s Empirical Cycling Podcast is known for its, uh, thorough explanations of exercise physiology—but also for its human approach to applying that knowledge. The Expanding Brain Meme: From RPE to Power and Back Again, Kolie's first and favorite meme, illustrates the training evolution most athletes experience. You start by training to RPE because you don't know any better. Then you discover heart rate and power-based training. Finally, if you stick with it long enough and pay attention to what works, you end up training to RPE again—but this time with the wisdom to know why it matters. The problem isn't that power meters and heart rate monitors aren’t useful. The issue is that athletes get so fixated on hitting prescribed numbers that they ignore what their bodies are telling them. Your brain integrates signals that no device can measure—life stress, environmental conditions, recovery status, total accumulated fatigue. When you override those signals to complete a workout exactly as written, you might be digging yourself into a hole rather than building fitness. We also talk about the assessment that has become known as the "Kolie Moore FTP Test," although Kolie is somewhat uncomfortable with this title. The test emerged from his realization that WKO5's power duration modeling was excellent at finding inflection points in the 30-80 minute range, and that the best predictor of performance is performance itself. Rather than suffering through a traditional 20-minute all-out effort and applying a mathematical discount, why not just ride at threshold by feel? We talk about how training plans should be flexible, not rigid, what makes Professional World Tour cyclists different from the rest of us, and our favorite books that have shaped our coaching methods. A HUGE thank you to Kolie for coming on the show—please go and listen to his!Learn More: Check out the Empirical Cycling Podcast at https://www.empiricalcycling.com/podcast.htmlFollow @empiricalcycling on Instagram for weekend AMAs with shorter answersJoin us at an upcoming Campfire Endurance training camp: https://www.campfireendurance.com/training-campsReady to work on your training? Book a consultation: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/f0ceda55/appointment/63067352/calendar/any?appointmentTypeIds[]=63067352

I am joined by professional triathlete and cyclist Rach McBride to review their 2025 season, which saw them shift focus from professional triathlon to Elite UCI Gravel World Championships qualifier. We chat about the realities of racing at the world championship level—the different (but sensible!) call-up system, competing independently against fully-supported national teams, and what it felt like to represent Canada on the world stage. We also talk a bunch about the training that Rach and I collaborated on throughout the season. instead of chasing higher FTP numbers (Rach’s is already excellent), we prioritized building aerobic conditioning and developing superior fatigue resistance. Through detailed power data analysis, Rach reveals their remarkable ability to maintain threshold power for extended periods, even after hours of racing. Their fatigue resistance numbers at 20 and 60 minutes are among the best I’ve seen in my coaching career, and we talk about how we assessed those abilities and built upon them. This episode demonstrates why sustainable performance gains for well-trained endurance athletes come from systematic aerobic base building rather than constantly pursuing peak power numbers. My favorite part of the episode, though, is when Rach discusses the anxiety they face before events, revealing that everyone—even those at this level—struggles with wondering if they belong on their particular start line. Rest assured, Rach also discusses HOW they deal with that anxiety.Rach McBride on Instagram: @rachelmcbRach McBride's website: rachelmcbride.comCampfire Endurance Coaching: campfireendurance.comBook a free consultation: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=14902097&appointmentType=63067352

“Zone 2” training has become incredibly popular in endurance sports, but most athletes misunderstand what it actually does and why it feels so frustratingly slow. In this episode, we debunk the misconceptions to explain how this training intensity establishes your aerobic infrastructure, why comparing yourself to professional athletes derails your progress, and how to embrace slow work now so you can do harder and more effective training later. You'll learn about the physiological adaptations that happen at this intensity, why a monoculture approach to training never works, and how years of consistent aerobic conditioning create the physiological infrastructure that supports faster racing. If your “Zone 2” pace feels slow, this episode explains exactly why that is and what to do about it.Campfire Endurance Coaching: campfireendurance.comBook a FREE 45-minute training consultationInstagram: @campfire_enduranceEmail me: [email protected] in Physiology Article

Endurance journalist and author Brittany Vermeer joins me to discuss her book, The Complete Guide to Your First 70.3 Triathlon. Brittany has been in endurance media for 17 years, writing for Ironman, Triathlete, and Outside Magazin. Brittany shares the most common mistakes athletes make when tackling their first middle distance race, from nutrition mishaps to pacing errors, and we go beyond training plans to explore the mental game necessary for 70.3 triathlon success, the difference between racing as a test versus a challenge, and why racing by feel is a crucial skill to use alongside objective data. Whether you're preparing for your first 70.3 or looking to improve your approach to long course racing, this episode offers practical wisdom for training smarter and racing stronger.Links!Triple Threat Life newsletter: triplethreatlife.substack.comThe Complete Guide to Your First 70.3 Triathlon- on Amazon- on Brittany’s website, thetriplethreatlife.com- Instagram: @thetriplethreatlife

Over the past six weeks, Norwegian athletes have take four of the six podium spots at the Ironman World Championships in Nice, France, and Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. We sat down earlier this year to talk with Brad Culp, author of The Norwegian Method: The Culture, Science, and Humans Behind the Groundbreaking Approach to Elite Endurance Performance. Brad points out both in his book and in this interview that many Norwegians actually bristle when they hear their manner of training described as “The Norwegian Method,” because the way they train is fairly old-school: all of the principles they adhere to were set decades ago by athletes and coaches from a variety of cultures and ethnicities.“The Norwegian Method” is, in fact, simply a “high-volume, low-intensity program with threshold sessions controlled by lactate measurement.” It flies in the face of “no-pain, no-gain” training, and requires commitment, consistency, and control over a long period of time. Listening to this episode (and reading Brad’s book!) will help you stop training too hard, reset your timeline for success, and start moving effectively in the direction of your goals.If you’d like to get in touch with us about training, you can book a free 45-minute training analysis with head coach Chris Bagg here.

One of the athletes I work with, Robin Cummings, asked a deceptively simple question about heat training that opened up a much larger conversation: which training adaptations actually last, and which ones disappear the moment you stop training them? The answer reveals your body's efficient "last hired, first fired" approach to fitness —and changes how you should think about periodization.In this coach-to-coach conversation, Robin, an elite cyclist and coach, and Chris break down the durability hierarchy that governs every training decision, from skills work that can last decades to altitude adaptations that vanish in two weeks. You'll learn why your body operates like a lazy but efficient accountant, maintaining only the adaptations it absolutely needs and dumping everything else the moment the metabolic cost gets too high.You can find Robin @gender_deer on Instagram, where they post about their racing and where you can talk to them about coaching.

Josh Monda raced as an age grouper for 17 years before turning professional at 40—displaying a patience you don’t often find in endurance sports. Josh’s story includes a five-year hiatus from the sport, personal struggles with addiction, and a long-term approach that eventually unlocked elite-level performance. Now racing for the On Your Left Professional Triathlon Team, Josh shares the training, mental, and tactical insights that enabled his late-career breakthrough.Josh's story shows that athletic development doesn't follow a universal timeline. His patient approach, willingness to step away when necessary, and focus on consistent, sustainable training over the long haul offers a blueprint for long-term success in endurance sports—regardless of when you start or restart your journey.Free training consultation: https://tinyurl.com/mu8d8tuxJoin our Discord community: https://discord.gg/3Uq989QFX4Website: campfireendurance.com

Choosing an endurance coach might be one of the most important decisions you'll make as an athlete, yet most people approach it completely backwards. This episode of The Infirmary breaks down how to choose and endurance coach who matches your goals, communication style, and budget, because not everyone needs the same thing in a coaching relationship. We start with the biggest but oft-ignored question: do you even need a coach in the first place? Some athletes thrive in community-focused training groups, while others need a personalized, data-driven approach that only comes from professional triathlon coaching. Understanding your values—what YOU think is important in your sport—determines everything about your coach search. Your sporting values and needs should align with your coach's training philosophy. Are you looking for someone who'll craft completely customized training plans, or do you prefer a simple plan with slight modifications? We bring up some red flags to watch for, including coaches who just copy-paste their own training history onto every athlete they work with or push you to purchase their services on the first information call. Whether you're looking for workout accountability, technical expertise, or someone to help you navigate the mental game, this episode gives you a framework to find exactly what you need without getting caught up in fancy marketing or credentials that don't actually matter for your specific situation.You can read the article version of this episode here: https://www.campfireendurance.com/how-to-choose-a-triathlon-coachAnd you can sign up for free 45-minute training analysis here: https://www.campfireendurance.com/triathlon-coaching