The Athlete's Compass

In this episode, the team is joined by Dr. Stacey Brickson, a physical therapist, certified bike fitter, and endurance coach with over 30 years of experience. They unpack the critical role of bike fitting—especially for athletes over 40—and why comfort should never be compromised for aerodynamics. Dr. Brickson shares practical tips on saddle selection, posture, cleat alignment, and how to manage c...

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of The Athletes Compass , host Paul Laursen is joined by trauma-informed coach and TEDx speaker Pete Armstrong to explore the concept of emotional fitness—especially for men and athletes. Pete shares his journey from emotional suppression and high achievement to self-awareness and healing through therapy and coaching. The conversation highlights the des...

In this Q&A-packed episode, the Athletes Compass team—Paul Laursen, Marjaana Rakai, and Paul Warloski—explore the critical balance between nutrition, recovery, and performance for endurance athletes. They answer listener questions covering the best times to lose weight, managing taper and recovery between back-to-back events, and the ongoing debate between old-school long slow distance (LSD) a...

In this reflective episode, the Athlete’s Compass team unpacks key takeaways from their conversation with Dr. Phil Maffetone. Hosts Paul Laursen, Marjaana Rakai, and Paul Warloski explore the dangers of being "fit but unhealthy," the importance of aerobic base training, and the insidious role of stress and overtraining. They discuss the pitfalls of performance-obsessed training culture and highlig...

In this Q&A-focused episode of The Athletes Compass , the hosts respond to listener questions around balancing endurance training with busy lives. They break down how Athletica's adaptive AI helps athletes navigate shifting schedules, discuss when to move or modify a VO2 Max workout, and explore the nuances of short interval formats like 30-30s, 30-15s, and 40-20s. The conversation also challe...

In this episode, hosts Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai welcome Dr. Phil Maffetone—renowned clinician and pioneer of holistic endurance training. They explore the dangers of being “fit but unhealthy,” chronic overtraining, and the societal pressure to do more. Marjaana shares her personal crash and comeback story, illustrating how a high-performance mindset without balance led t...

In this episode of the Athletes Compass, Paul Laursen, Marjaana Rakai, and Paul Warloski navigate the overwhelming world of training advice by highlighting six core pillars for endurance performance: base training, HIIT, strength training, sleep/recovery, nutrition, and mental health. They discuss how to recognize when you're out of balance, why "feel" matters more than metrics, and how even elite...

In this episode, the hosts explore two seemingly distinct but deeply related endurance training concepts: MAF testing and Fat Max workouts. Dr. Paul Laursen breaks down the science behind the Maximal Aerobic Function method (popularized by Phil Maffetone) and how it revolutionized the performance of athletes like Mark Allen. They dig into how low-intensity training at a controlled heart rate impro...

In this back-to-basics episode, the hosts—Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai—strip away the noise of elite training paradigms to focus on what truly moves the needle for everyday endurance athletes. They lay out the six foundational pillars of performance: movement, HIIT, strength training, nutrition, sleep, and mental health. With refreshingly real talk, the trio addresses common...

In Episode 77 of the Athletes Compass Podcast, hosts Paul Warloski, Marjaana Rakai, and Dr. Paul Laursen dive into listener questions about VO2 max training, with a focus on the nuances of interval sessions like 30-30s, 40-20s, and five-minute efforts. They explore the importance of pacing, individual adaptation, terrain selection, and recovery while emphasizing context-specific approaches. The te...

In this episode, the Athletes Compass team continues their deep dive into VO2 max, shifting the spotlight from the heart and lungs to the muscles, capillaries, and mitochondria. Dr. Paul Laursen breaks down how oxygen delivery is only part of the equation — your muscles must be primed to use that oxygen. They explore how endurance training, muscle fiber types, capillary density, and even nutrition...

In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, hosts Paul Laursen, Marjaana Rakai, and Paul Warloski explore how the heart functions as a major limiter of VO2 max and endurance performance. They break down the components of cardiac output, discuss genetic ceilings and the effects of aging on heart rate, and offer practical training strategies to maximize cardiac function. Drawing on scientific l...

In this episode, Paul Laursen, Paul Warloski, and Marjaana Rakai tackle one of the least understood but critically important VO2 max limiters: the lungs. From the phenomenon of exercise-induced arterial hypoxemia (EIH) affecting 50% of elite athletes to practical methods for respiratory muscle training, the trio breaks down the science of lung function and its real impact on athletic performance....

In this episode of the Athlete’s Compass, the team—Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai—breaks down VO2 max: what it really means, why it's relevant for every endurance athlete (not just the elites), and how it connects to performance, recovery, and long-term health. They explore how training, genetics, testing accuracy, and strength work all influence VO2 max, and offer actionable...

In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, Paul Warloski, Marjaana Rakai, and Dr. Paul Laursen tackle one of the most hotly debated topics in endurance sports: strength training. They break down why lifting heavy won’t make you bulky but will make you a more efficient, resilient, and injury-resistant athlete. With practical advice for beginners to elites, the team covers the best types of ex...

In this episode of The Athletes Compass , Paul Laursen, Marjaana Rakai, and Paul Warloski tackle the most overlooked but pivotal phase of race performance— race week . They break down everything from tapering and travel to gear choices, mindset shifts, and even the science of sleep. With personal stories, cautionary tales, and practical strategies, this episode is the ultimate pre-race briefing fo...

In Episode 70 of The Athletes Compass, hosts Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai bust major endurance training myths with science-backed insights. From the ineffectiveness of sodium supplementation during exercise to the power of maintaining blood glucose over muscle glycogen, this episode is packed with paradigm-shifting ideas. They also explore fasted training, metabolic flexibil...

This episode of The Athletes Compass explores the role of heat training in endurance performance. Dr. Paul Laursen, Marjaana Rakai, and Paul Warloski discuss how controlled heat exposure leads to increased plasma volume, red blood cell production, and overall endurance gains —similar to the effects of altitude training. They also provide practical tips on integrating heat sessions into training ,...

This episode of The Athletes Compass explores the evolution of virtual cycling with Robbie Ventura and John Nichols from Velocity Cycling . Originally born out of necessity during the pandemic, Velocity has grown into a dynamic training platform that enhances real-time coaching, skill development, and community engagement. Robbie and John share their journey from struggling to keep their coaching...

In this episode of The Athletes Compass , Paul Laursen, Marjaana Rakai, and Paul Warloski tackle listener questions on endurance training. They discuss whether workout order affects performance, the role of strength training in triathlon prep, and how to handle missed workouts. They also break down the science behind carbohydrate fueling, questioning the necessity of high-carb intake for endurance...

This episode of The Athletes Compass Podcast explores two key listener questions: how to train effectively during Ramadan while fasting and how to navigate the ongoing debate around endurance nutrition. Dr. Paul Laursen, Marjaana Rakai, and Paul Warloski provide insights on scheduling workouts around fasting, maintaining energy levels, and managing hydration and recovery. They also discuss the lat...

In this episode of The Athletes Compass , Olympic rower and world champion Martino Goretti shares his journey from competitive rowing to endurance coaching. He dives into the challenges of weight management, the importance of data-driven training, and how platforms like Athletica are changing the game for athletes. Martino also discusses his personal transformation, from overcoming serious health...

Are you sabotaging your endurance performance by consuming too many carbs? In this episode, we break down a groundbreaking study on endurance fueling that challenges conventional wisdom. Does fat adaptation work for long races? How little carbohydrate is actually needed to perform at your best? Hosts Paul Warloski, Marjaana Rakai, and Dr. Paul Laursen discuss the science of fat oxidation, hypoglyc...

In this episode of The Athletes Compass , hosts Paul Laursen, Marjaana Rakai, and Paul Warloski break down the latest insights on VO2 max training, interval strategies, and the importance of base training. A recent study on trained cyclists revealed that those who responded best to high-intensity workouts had a strong foundation of low-intensity training. Marjaana shares her personal experience of...

In this episode of The Athlete’s Compass , former skeleton racer and downhill mountain biker Kimber Gabryszak shares her incredible transition into endurance sports, tackling the challenges of long-distance running, triathlon, and Ironman training. She discusses the mental and physical shifts required to go from power-based sports to endurance racing, the importance of slowing down to build aerobi...