Simply Triathlon with Dina & Chris

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we chat about the latest update regarding the new Ironman world championship qualification process...and how it is very much NOT working in favor of women. We discuss the most recent Ironman's performance pool awards (spoiler alert - only ONE woman got a performance slot), surmise about how this could have happened, and hope that some changes happen very soon...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk about how athletes, specifically those self-coached, can sometimes feel lost during the off-season without the training structure they're used to. How can we navigate this? How can we gently structure our training so that we don't end up not doing anything at all for several weeks or months, and maintain a solid foundation before next season? Wha...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Chris recaps her experience racing her final 70.3 of the season at Jones Beach! Chris had an excellent performance, but also has a lot to share about how Ironman handled some aspects of the race, namely rule regulation and safety. Questions for us related to triathlon, fitness, nutrition, anything? Topics you'd like us to cover on the podcast? Please send us...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we chat about the upcoming Ironman 70.3 Jones Beach including some race- and course-specific tips for any athletes who might be racing (including Chris!) We also touch on the Ironman World Champs in Nice for the men that occurred this past weekend, and we answer a listener question and give some tips for how to strategize and improve hill climbing on the bike, spe...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we bust some myths for new or aspiring runners that may be preventing folks from trying the sport. Myths include: -Needing to run a certain pace, or run without walking -Needing to have a goal to run a marathon -Needing a $200+ carbon-plated shoe -And more! What did we miss? Let us know, and please share with anyone you know who is thinking about trying out runnin...

Send us Fan Mail Today, Lydia Walter (@lyd_adventures) joins us on the podcast! This past July, Lydia raced Ultraman Canada - a three-day event consisting of a 6.2-mile swim and a 90-mile bike on day 1, a 171.4-mile bike on day 2, and a 52.4-mile run on day 3 - and was the first female finisher and second overall finisher! Lydia talks about how she got into triathlon and Ultraman (an Ironman wasn&...

Send us Fan Mail Dina spent the weekend in Leadville, Colorado, crewing for her friend Cristin who was running the Leadville 100 Trail Race! Dina recaps the race, Cristin's amazing efforts despite not making the time cutoff around mile 70, what it feels like to run/hike at 10,000+ feet, and more! Questions for us related to triathlon, fitness, nutrition, anything? Topics you'd like us to...

Send us Fan Mail USA Triathlon Sprint Nationals was cancelled the morning of the race - another casualty this year due to weather.  We chat again about controlling our controllables, moving forward, and how the finish line of a race isn't necessarily a finish line in the big picture, but a stepping stone. We also talk again about process goals vs outcome goals. Dina gives a big injury update,...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we recap Chris's Ironman Lake Placid experience! (Spoiler alert - it was wet.) It was ALMOST a non-wetsuit swim, the weather was fantastic every day EXCEPT race day, but Chris had a solid race! Plus, there was even some drama with another athlete that involved law enforcement... We give a shoutout to a professional triathlete who raced two Ironmans in less th...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we catch up a bit after Dina has been on vacation! -Cedar Lake and Lake T tris have been happening -Summer is in full swing, and we give some tips on how to run safely in the heat -Chris prepares for Ironman Lake Placid which is rapidly approaching -Ironman world championship age group qualification has completely changed Questions for us related to triathlon, fit...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we chat about a few different things based on recent news we’ve heard in the athetic world. First, we talk about the new Boston Marathon rules regarding adjusted qualifying times for net downhill races - meaning, athletes may no longer be able to seek out downhill races to qualify for Boston, or at least not as easily! We then touch on the passing of the first fem...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Chris gives a recap of her recent 70.3, which - guess what - had a cancelled swim. She also gives a quick recap of her training camp in Lake Placid with the Women On Wheels group. We also chat about the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon, during which an athlete was injured due to safety issues at the start of the race. Questions for us related to triathlon, fitness,...

Send us Fan Mail Weather happens! We talk about the very real possibility (and recent common occurrence) of races being altered due to weather, such as the swim being cancelled. What kinds of mental tools can we use to navigate this, even though it's obviously not how we want our race to go? We also chat about cutting workouts short. When is it reasonable to do so? Barring any emergency or ti...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we chat about some of the funniest and ridiculous things we've seen in the transition portions of triathlons. We also touch on the upcoming attempt by Faith Kipyegon to break the 4-minute mile barrier, and what this is meant to signify for women in running. Questions for us related to triathlon, fitness, nutrition, anything? Topics you'd like us to cover...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we discuss Ironman's recent announcement changing their world championship format yet again, returning to a one-day format in Kona. We give our thoughts and talk about how we both believe this is a step back in terms of progress for women in the sport. We also touch on some recent race results and Dina's trip out west. Questions for us related to triathl...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk about how some professional triathletes are hiring different coaches for different disciplines (a separate swim coach, bike coach, and run coach). What do we think about this, especially after chatting the other week about viewing triathlon as one sport and not three separate sports? We revisit the ever-important topic of balance in the sport, where to tur...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk about blood sugar. As athletes (or even just humans), should we be worried about blood sugar? We typically consume a decent amount of sugar before, during, and after training; does that mean we need to be cognizant of other sources of sugar? Are spikes in blood sugar really something to be concerned about? We also chat about neglecting certain focuses in t...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk about all things taper. What is it? Why do we do it? What are the drawbacks to NOT tapering? What are some to-dos and NOT to-dos during race week? We also talk about a conversation Chris had with an athlete who only swims for 15 minutes at a time, because that'll be how long they'll swim during their goal races. Is this sufficient, or is it benef...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we answer a couple nutrition questions. First, we chat about possible reasons why an athlete feels bloated all of the time, and the role of fiber in our meals (and how Dina learned that, whilst an entire pound of Brussels sprouts contains a decent amount of protein, eating it all at once might not be the best idea). Then, we discuss an athlete who'd like to c...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we have a discussion based on a question regarding tools like ice baths, supplements, and cryotherapy, and if these could help athletes with recovery. We talk about how these tools are "extras," and how, while they COULD be beneficial for some, they MIGHT be a waste of time and money if we haven't already mastered the basics (sleep, nutrition, hydra...

Send us Fan Mail Today, we answer a couple of listener questions: Who are your favorite pro women triathletes/athletes to follow? What does a perfect weekend of training look like? We also chat about some new rules in the triathlon world, and the most recent doping accusation by a pro triathlete. Questions for us related to triathlon, fitness, nutrition, anything? Topics you'd like us to cove...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we address a question about how to avoid overtraining and getting stuck in a rut. We discuss how to recognize possible overtraining, how to address it, and steps to take to prevent it from happening in the future. We also chat about being in it for the long game; triathlon is a lifelong hobby for many people, but it can be easy to get caught up in the short term i...

Send us Fan Mail **Chris decided to record this episode inside of an echo chamber. We apologize.** In this episode, we discuss all things FTP. What is FTP - Functional Threshold Power - on the bike? How can it be useful for us? How do we increase it? We also bust a nutrition myth regarding whole grains versus white/refined grains. We talk about how the latter is NOT something to be avoided, why th...

Send us Fan Mail As coaches, we hear this all the time:  "When things calm down a bit, I'll be able to train more."  "When life is less crazy, I can focus more on nutrition." The problem with this strategy is that life usually never stops being crazy. We discuss and give some tips about how to fit training INTO a busy lifestyle, rather than waiting for it to calm down. We...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk about the part of the body commonly known as the core. What is the core? What does it mean when coaches or trainers tell you to "engage your core"? What are some tips to do so? How can we use this specifically to improve our swimming technique? Give it a listen and let us know what you think! Questions for us related to triathlon, fitness, nutrit...