Jesse’s feeling the burn of re-entry after Challenge Roth, having stacked his off-season plate a bit too full with all the non-triathlon things he said he’d give his full attention to after the race. It’s a classic “whoops” move, but like a good work/play/love advocate he and Lauren are making sure there’s still plenty of balance amongst the chaos. This includes some new, very literal balancing activities, and we’re sure the folks at the yoga studio and surf wave are now referring to JT as “the guy with the heart rate monitor.”   This week’s listener questions include some unique topics:

• Periodization in training
• Stuff they wish they’d done before having kids
• Chasing goals you can’t afford to catch
• Raising equally confident and feminist kids

Avoiding injury and burnout are two major limiters in one’s long-term training success, and Lauren and Jesse share some of their tips for cycling workloads and carefully planning around key events to keep things fresh, fun, and healthy. They shift from athlete to parent mode, discussing the things they wish they’d done before having kids, and the things they’re really glad they did. Now that they’re here, the effect of gender stereotypes in raising confident kids and what they’re doing to keep (or create!) a balance in an ever changing social landscape, which Jude and Lauren faced firsthand in the shoe store recently. Lastly, a listener with potential for running professionally struggles with the fact that she might not be able to make a living doing it, and wonders how to know if it’s a worthwhile dream to chase down. It’s a doozy from all angles - Strap on your turquoise sparkly shoes and enjoy!