Simply Triathlon with Dina & Chris

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk about whether or not training plans are set in stone. If the weather is awful, can we flip days around, or do we need to keep certain sessions on certain days? How can athletes best modify if a coach isn't immediately available for last-minute changes? We also talk again about the benefits of fueling more before and during workouts, and we talk about...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to 2025 and thank you to everyone who has been with us for the past year and a half! We start this episode by giving a quick recap on goal setting. We then talk about Dina's New Year swim challenge and Chris's recent accomplishments in the pool, highlighting the benefits of being very mindful and purposeful about making changes. We also chat about eating before w...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we chat a bit about protein.  An earlier episode goes into more detail about specific foods and how much we need as athletes (link:  https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Kkkde6vkUMYbgTbNx8W4b?si=ed464b0866414aba), but we touch on a few tips for increasing our protein intake, especially for plant-based athletes. Link to Dina's comprehensive article about protein,...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk about uncertainty in triathlon. Even if we control everything we can control, stuff happens. Nothing is guaranteed, whether it's weather on race day, things that come up in your personal life, or losing a bottle of electrolyte drink on the bike during the race. How do we navigate knowing that nothing is certain, and sign up for races and pursue traini...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Chris recaps her experience at the Philadelphia Marathon!  She talks about how she felt, her results, and her rapid recovery and preparation for the Manchester Road Race only a few days later. Questions for us related to triathlon, fitness, nutrition, anything? Topics you'd like us to cover on the podcast? Please send us a message anytime, and feel free to gi...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk about nutrition in the off-season. Should you modify your nutrition plan while you're not training as much? Should you purposely eat less? Should you eat different types of food? We also talk about how to navigate the holidays with big parties and lots of food, including handling the comments others make about what's on our plate, and the myth of...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we continue discussing the off-season and ways to approach training that will be beneficial for your goals next season. We talk about drills in the pool, V02 max workouts on the bike trainer, running strides, heavy strength training, and more! Give it a listen and let us know if you try any of our tips or styles of workouts! Questions for us related to triathlon,...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we discuss the off-season and what training might look like during this time. Should you stop altogether? Should you take a break from working with your coach? When should you start thinking about next year's races? When should you START working with a coach for next year if you don't already do so? Give it a listen and let us know how your off-season is...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk about bike safety. Dina shares a very sad story about her swim teammate who was tragically killed by a motorist while out riding his bike recently, so we discuss steps to take to ensure safety, both as a cyclist and as a driver. Chris also recaps her race at Ironman Chattanooga a few weeks ago and tells some fun stories! Questions for us related to triathl...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we discuss the various formats triathlon races can take and explain the differences, such as: -USAT Age Group National Championships vs Multisport National Championships -Short course vs long course racing -Draft-legal races: what does that mean? We also discuss the new Boston Marathon qualifying times, and we answer a question about easy carb sources to carry alo...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Dina goes on a rant about a recent unnecessary comment she got about the food she was eating. We talk about how damaging these comments can be, both as athletes and humans, and how to navigate them. We also share some tips for hill climbing on the bike and how to tackle long, steady climbs both mentally and technique-wise, and Chris chats about her successful 18-m...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we discuss setting up your race schedule: Can you fit in races of multiple types and distances (i.e. an Ironman and a marathon, or a 70.3 and an ultra distance race)?  Can we do ALL the things?  Is it too early to be thinking about 2025? We also chat about: -Chris's long weekend training in preparation for her upcoming Ironman -An update on Dina's recove...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk about resilience and adaptation when things go horribly wrong...like when Dina's brother Teo arrived at a triathlon and everyone was already swimming :) We also discuss whether or not we need to train as hard or as much despite certain conditions, such as downriver swims and flat bike courses, and Dina shares some recent nutrition wins and some surpri...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk about all things Olympics! We chat about what we watched, notable performances, various moments of drama, lesser-watched events, and more! We also touch upon: -A quick update on Dina's foot injury -Horrible news in the CrossFit world -Chris's first experience officiating a triathlon -"How Things Fit" - helmet edition We apologize for th...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we discuss the results of Dina's recent MRI, which showed a stress reaction in a bone in her foot. She discusses the likely cause of this injury, low energy availability - i.e. not eating enough to support her high training load. We talk a bit about how she's feeling and the steps she's taking to heal, including taking time off running, meeting with...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we chat about Ironman Lake Placid. Though neither of us raced this year, Chris was up there volunteering so she discusses her experience, and Dina had an athlete racing her first full Ironman who had a fantastic race.  We also talk about the rewards of coaching after seeing our athletes accomplish new things, and a new policy Ironman has implemented regarding athl...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk about wetsuits! Possibly the first episode in a series of "how things fit," we discuss, well, how they're supposed to fit. We offer tips for beginners on how to put them on, what to expect when getting in the water, how to know if it's the right size, and more. Questions for us related to triathlon, fitness, nutrition, anything? Topics...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Chris recaps a super sprint triathlon she did recently where almost everything went wrong...give it a listen to hear about all the hilarious mistakes she made! We subsequently discuss how to modify during a race or during training when something (or many, many things) goes wrong, and Dina's managing a recent injury that flared up while on vacation. We also he...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we discuss alternate options to setting up a training schedule. Different folks may need different training schedules - does it have to be a 7-day plan? Does every Monday need to look exactly the same? Do long runs and rides need to always be done on the weekends? We answer these questions and talk about non-traditional ways to structure training - and recovery ti...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we discuss the always important topic of underfueling in sport. -What is unintentional underfueling, and how might we be doing it as athletes? -The current Spring Energy Awesomesauce controversy, as one of their gels has been revealed to have far fewer calories than claimed -Dina's current struggles with intentional underfueling, why might we do this as athle...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we discuss a bunch of stuff: -Chris's race recap of Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga -A training camp experience in Lake Placid, and the benefits of such training camps -Tips for riding tubeless, courtesy of our friend Hunter -A product review of Sailfish wetsuits -Which is a more beneficial investment:  a coach or a power meter? Questions for us related to triathlon...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Chris is getting ready for her 70.3 in Chattanooga over the upcoming weekend! We chat about last-minute packing, race travel, the course, Chris's excitement to finally meet her coach, and more! Questions for us related to triathlon, fitness, nutrition, anything? Topics you'd like us to cover on the podcast? Please send us a message anytime, and feel free...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk about sponsorships for professional triathletes, including: -How do the pros make money? -How do sponsorships work? -What are ambassador programs and who uses them? -Our own experiences as coaches in ambassador programs and if they're worth it -and more! We also answer a listener question:  are bike fits worth it? Check it out and let us know what you...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we discuss mid-race fuel, specifically carbs and how much of them athletes actually need. We also touch on having a plan in general, how to modify when things don't go according to plan, and strategies for practicing certain aspects of racing and how to mentally approach it. We also had an audio issue with one of the tracks double recording, so we apologize f...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we first chat a bit about athletes' weekly training:  how much is sufficient, how do they go about shifting things around when life comes up, and the always important coach-athlete communication. Then, we talk about "going tubeless" on the bike - a tubeless tire setup versus tubed, the benefits, the drawbacks, Chris's experience with it so far,...