The Athlete's Compass

This episode of the Athletes Compass Podcast brings physiotherapist David Wadsworth to the mic for a deep dive into pain management, injury prevention, and the crucial role of strength training for endurance athletes. We explore the science behind chronic pain, the importance of proper diagnostics, and actionable strategies to improve mobility, strength, and resilience. Whether you're a runner, cy...

In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, hosts Paul Warloski, Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai dive into the science and practice of zone 1 and 2 endurance training, emphasizing its pivotal role in improving fat metabolism and overall performance. They discuss the importance of low-intensity workouts, the pitfalls of over-reliance on sugars during training, and how calm, controlled session...

This episode of The Athletes Compass Podcast explores essential training strategies for endurance athletes. Hosts Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai tackle listener questions on topics like optimizing high-intensity interval training (HIIT), the benefits of workout variety, and managing fatigue effectively. They discuss the importance of consistency over intensity, the value of me...

This episode of the Athletes Compass Podcast features endurance athlete Ben Lin, who shares his remarkable journey from being a smoker to running marathons and completing Ironman triathlons. Ben discusses the challenges of balancing training with life’s demands as a parent and professional, the lessons he learned from overtraining, and the role of effective coaching in achieving his goals. He high...

This episode of the Athletes Compass podcast dives into the role of heart rate variability (HRV) in optimizing training readiness and recovery. Joined by Andrea Zignoli, co-architect of Athletica’s AI-assisted HRV monitoring system, the team discusses how HRV insights can guide athletes in balancing stress and recovery for improved performance. They highlight the importance of understanding HRV tr...

In this holiday special, The Athletes Compass hosts reflect on their favorite moments from 2024, discussing impactful episodes on menopause, heat training, and fat adaptation. They celebrate the inspiring stories of everyday athletes overcoming mental and physical barriers, share personal goals for 2025, and unveil exciting new features on the Athletica platform. From VO2 max maintenance to marath...

In this episode, the Athletes Compass team tackles the challenges of winter training, focusing on how athletes in the Northern Hemisphere can maintain fitness when snow, ice, and cold disrupt routines. Athletica user Cindy Maloney’s Boston Marathon training question sparks an engaging discussion on cross-training alternatives like cross-country skiing, indoor cycling, and swimming, while exploring...

In this episode of the Athletes Compass , hosts Paul Laursen, Marjaana Rakai, and Paul Warloski delve into the importance of understanding performance metrics for athletes at every level. They explore how to measure progress and efficiency using tools like aerobic decoupling, efficiency factor, heart rate variability (HRV), and performance potential charts. The episode highlights the significance...

This episode of The Athletes Compass dives into the essentials of base training for endurance athletes. Hosts Paul Warloski, Marjaana Rakai, and Dr. Paul Laursen unpack the science behind aerobic base training, focusing on low-intensity zone 1 and 2 workouts that support fat-burning and build resilience. They explore why this foundational phase is crucial for peak performance, discuss how it enhan...

In this episode, the Athletes Compass team discusses the science of fuel adaptation, focusing on how athletes can optimize performance using fat or carbohydrate energy systems. With real-world insights from endurance athletes, they tackle the benefits of metabolic flexibility, the transition from carb to fat adaptation, and why both may be crucial for peak performance in different race lengths. Th...

In this episode of Athlete's Compass , hosts Paul Warloski, Marjaana Rakai, and Dr. Paul Laursen welcome guest Allan Egbert, an inspiring duathlete and endurance competitor. Allan shares his journey from competitive pole vaulting and martial arts to endurance racing, including his participation in the World Duathlon Championships in Switzerland. Through humorous and honest reflections, Allan discu...

Episode Summary: In this episode of Athletes Compass , Amber Searer joins hosts Paul Warloski, Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai to discuss her journey as an ultra-endurance athlete. Amber shares insights on balancing family, career, and rigorous training while preparing for intense events like the 354-mile Unbound XL race. She reflects on her athletic growth from short rides with her children to c...

In this episode of The Athletes Compass , Paul Warloski, Marjaana Rakai, and Dr. Paul Laursen discuss the revolutionary impact of Athletica, an AI-powered training program designed to optimize workouts for endurance athletes. Dr. Laursen shares the origins of Athletica, rooted in his own experiences as a triathlete and researcher. They explore how Athletica integrates sensor data, such as heart ra...

In this episode of The Athlete's Compass , hosts Marjaana Rakai, Paul Warloski and Paul Laursen continue their discussion with Andrea Zignoli to explore the importance of athlete profiling and how it can enhance your training approach. The discussion dives into the science behind profiling, explaining how Athletica automatically creates profiles based on your speed and power outputs. These profile...

In this episode of The Athletes Compass , Dr. Andrea Zignoli, data scientist at Athletica, digs into the science behind the Workout Reserve, a revolutionary tool that aids athletes like Marjaana Rakai in performing at their best. Dr. Zignoli shares the story behind its development, how it calculates an athlete’s effort relative to their previous bests, and how athletes can use this data to optimiz...

In this episode of The Athlete's Compass , Tenille Hoogland joins the discussion to share her expertise on training for women in perimenopause and menopause. With a rich background as a professional triathlete and coach, she dives deep into how hormonal changes impact performance and training. The episode covers practical tips for adapting workouts, the importance of prioritizing health, and how m...

In this episode, Paul Warloski speaks with Dr. Mikki Williden, a nutrition expert and endurance athlete, about the unique nutritional and training challenges facing women over 40, particularly as they navigate perimenopause and menopause. They discuss how hormonal shifts can lead to insulin resistance, increased inflammation, and disrupted sleep, all of which affect endurance performance and recov...

In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, co-host Marjaana Rakai shares her exhilarating experience racing in the Ironman World Championships in Nice, France. She recounts the physical and mental challenges she faced, from pre-race preparations and jet lag to tackling the grueling 2400m bike climb and battling through the marathon. Marjaana emphasizes the importance of mental resilience, he...

Summary: In this episode of Athlete's Compass , Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai discuss how to maintain mental focus during long endurance rides, strategies to manage fatigue, and the balance between training and recovery. Marjaana shares her approach to mentally preparing for 4-6 hour rides and the importance of progression and nutrition. The episode also dives into how fitnes...

In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, hosts Paul Warloski, Marjaana Rakai, and Dr. Paul Laursen dive into listener questions about optimizing VO2 max, understanding the differences between training protocols like 30-30s and 4x4s, and adapting nutrition strategies for altitude. They discuss the benefits of fat adaptation, the importance of training consistency, and the use of ketone supp...

In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, hosts Paul Warloski, Marjaana Rakai, and Dr. Paul Laursen are joined by endurance sports expert and author Matt Fitzgerald. They explore the intricacies of pacing in distance running, discussing why it’s the defining characteristic of the sport. Fitzgerald shares insights from his book, How to Run the Perfect Race , emphasizing the importance of pac...

In this episode of the Athletes Compass Podcast, hosts Paul Warloski and Marjaana Rakai discuss the critical relationship between arousal levels and athletic performance. They explore the Inverted U Hypothesis, which suggests there's an optimal level of arousal for peak performance, and share personal stories and expert insights on managing anxiety and excitement in both endurance and team sports....

In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, hosts Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai explore the critical role of mindful breathing in athletic performance. They discuss how breathing affects the body systemically, its mindful aspects, and the importance of recovery in training. The conversation highlights techniques like box breathing and the benefits of nose breathing, whil...

Summary: In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, listeners' questions about altitude training, cross-training, and strength training are answered by hosts Paul Laursen, Marjaana Rakai and Paul Warloski. They discuss utilizing heat training and respiratory muscle training to simulate altitude, emphasizing the importance of not neglecting basic training principles. The benefits of cross-tra...

Summary In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, hosts Paul Warloski, Marjaana Rakai, and Paul Laursen welcome Erik Olsson, also known as the Primal Swede. Erik shares his unique journey from a sedentary lifestyle to becoming an ultra-endurance athlete. He discusses his passion for discovering personal limits, the mental challenges associated with endurance sports, and his holistic approac...