Three sisters. Three countries. One very cold lake in September. Ironman 70.3

This month, Christine sits down with Ellen Doherty, swim coach, special education teacher, and lifeguard. Ellen brings the kind of wisdom that only comes from years in the water, and she is generous with all of it.

We cover everything Christine needs to know before she hits Lake Michigan for that 1.2 mile swim leg, including how to survive the starting line chaos when hundreds of people jump in around you, why starting behind the pack might actually be the smarter move, what to do when your goggles fog up mid race, and the real reason rolling onto your back for a few minutes is not giving up.

Ellen also walks us through the mental game of open water swimming, because spoiler: it is 90% in your head. Even elite swimmers panic in dark water. The trick is learning how to talk yourself back down and find your stroke again.

We get into gear talk too, wetsuits, goggle tint, anti-fog spray, and why spit is still the best anti-fog money can't buy. Plus what to eat before and after, the banana and pickle juice protocol, and why monitoring the color of your pee is actually solid race prep.

And because we can never help ourselves, we close out with a full 90s photo roast. There are matching horse show pants. There is a tap recital. There is a very suspicious hole dug in the backyard. You've been warned... :)

In this episode: Wins, setbacks and fails with the sisters | Open water vs pool swimming | Wetsuit buoyancy and shoulder mobility | Managing panic and breathing in choppy water | Goggle strategy for race day | Drafting in open water | Race day nutrition and recovery | Pickle juice deep dive | Training in the final weeks before race day | Sisters in the 90s photo slideshow

This month's community challenge: Steps. Run them, walk them, bounce on a trampoline, just get them in.

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Timestamp:

00:00 Meet the Sisters

00:10 Relay Ironman Setup

01:36 Wins Setbacks Fails

03:12 Sister Challenge Updates

04:30 Subscribe and Intro Ellen

04:56 Ellen Doherty Background

09:17 Open Water Reality Check

13:09 Fear and Mental Game

17:44 Breathing and Wetsuits

22:46 Stroke Efficiency Tips

26:39 Sighting Waves and Course

31:03 Drafting and Goggles

34:32 Taper and Race Prep

36:16 Training Distance Guidance

38:34 Dryland Strength Mobility

41:03 Video Your Stroke

41:22 Fixing Shoulder Rotation

42:32 Bilateral Breathing Basics

43:21 Swim Nutrition Fueling

45:18 Recovery Pickle Juice Debate

47:40 Pickle Snacks And Pizza

50:03 Gross Race Questions

51:47 Cramp Prevention Strategy

54:13 Open Water Pace Expectations

56:09 Crowd Safety And Goggles

59:08 Post Swim Wobbly Legs

01:01:16 Nineties Photo Slideshow

01:10:49 Monthly Mood Meter

01:14:08 Final Thanks And Sign Off

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