Nordic Team Solutions

Race Ready

Health EN ↓ 57 episodes

Race Ready is the go-to podcast for Nordic skiing and biathlon coaches, athletes, and endurance sport enthusiasts. Hosted by Olympian Andy Newell and U.S. Biathlon coach Brian Halligan, each episode dives into technique, training, race strategy, and athlete development. Hear from top coaches, pros, and sport scientists as we explore what it takes to perform at your best—on and off the snow. Contact us with questions or topic requests: contact@nordicteamsolutions.com

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Nordic Team Solutions

Episodes

Ep 7. The Strength Skiers Actually Need 08.06.2025 1:00:27

In this episode of the Race Ready Podcast , Andy Newell and Brian Halligan take a high-level look at strength interventions for skiers and endurance athletes. They discuss how strength training has evolved from old-school approaches—like static core routines and generalized lifting—to a more modern, individualized method rooted in movement quality, stability, and sport-specific needs. Andy shares...

Ep 6. Ski Flexes, Fitness and Family with Matt Liebsch 01.06.2025 1:03:34

In this episode of the Race Ready podcast, Andy and Brian sit down with Matt Liebsch, co-owner of Pioneer Midwest, veteran World Cup skier, and legendary Birkie champion. Recorded while Matt was in Europe picking skis from top-tier race rooms, the conversation dives deep into the craft of ski selection. Matt shares his data-driven approach to picking skis, developed through years of engineering ex...

Ep. 5 June Training Hacks 25.05.2025 1:25:33

In this episode of Race Ready , Andy and Brian dive into their top June training tips for skiers and biathletes, breaking down how to structure early-summer training for maximum long-term gains. From why May is best used as a soft ramp-up to the importance of “back-to-basics” technique work, they outline how athletes of all levels can set the tone for a successful season. You’ll hear how elite tea...

Ep. 4 Sports Nutrition with Olympic Dietitian Megan Chacosky. 18.05.2025 50:18

In this episode of Race Ready , we’re joined by Megan Chacosky, sports dietitian and performance chef at Craftsbury Outdoor Center and longtime collaborator with the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team. Megan shares her journey from pastry chef to Olympic performance nutrition expert and breaks down practical fueling strategies for endurance athletes. From recovery meals to on-the-go snacks, she explain...

Ep. 3 Intensity Distribution: VO₂ Max Isn’t Everything. 11.05.2025 1:06:48

In this episode of the Race Ready Podcast , Andy and Brian dig into the science and practice of training intensity distribution for endurance athletes. Drawing on a recent Norwegian study that analyzed training logs from Olympic- and World Cup-level cross-country skiers, they explore how elite athletes build fitness over time—not by increasing the percentage of high-intensity training, but by addi...

Ep. 2 Julia Kern on Intensity and Cross Training 04.05.2025 1:05:58

In this episode of the Race Ready Podcast, we kick things off with an exclusive interview featuring U.S. Ski Team star Julia Kern. Fresh off a silver medal performance at the 2025 World Championships, Julia shares insights into her training philosophy, mental preparation, and how she balances life and sport to stay at the top of her game. She also discusses how she adapts her training during injur...

Ep. 1 Training Logs: A Secret Weapon for Smarter Training 27.04.2025 1:00:07

Welcome to the first episode of Race Ready, the podcast for Nordic skiing and biathlon coaches, athletes, and performance-minded endurance nerds. In this premiere, Olympic XC Skier Andy Newell and U.S. Biathlon coach Brian Halligan dive into the essential—but often overlooked—tool in high-performance sport: the training log. We break down how training data, from volume and intensity to subjective...