Fresh off her second-place finish at the World Triathlon Championship Series race in Karlovy Vary, Taylor Spivey joins the Feisty Tri podcast to break down the breakthrough performance.

Taylor and Katie Zaferes talk World Triathlon and draft-legal strategy, how tactics have changed over their careers, and how the race dynamics played out differently with a hard bike course in Karlovy Vary. When you decide to race from the front or make a break, what do you tell yourself?

Taylor also updates us on where in the world she is these days, the perils of living out of a suitcase, and they compare notes on moving between short-course and long-course — what's the most challenging part of that transition. Is there an Ironman in the future?

Plus, the group chats about the impressive showing from former short-course athletes at the men's Ironman World Championship in Nice this past weekend. Did the course uniquely suit short-course draft-legal athletes? Discuss.

Coaches: You could win a 200CHF On Running voucher by taking a survey for a new sports technology start-up, augo, about your experiences and pain points with existing coaching platforms. Augo is trying to build technology to help coaches manage the influx of information and data. Take the survey by the end of September here: https://form.typeform.com/to/nH2DRsL9

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This week, Katie Zaferes and Kelly O'Mara are joined by former British world champ turned high-performance coach Non Stanford to talk about why short-course racing is the most exciting — don't miss WTCS Karlovy Vary this weekend! — and what she's trying to build now as a coach.

Non talks about moving from Brit Tri into a leadership role with Triathlon Australia (as well as a move to the Gold Coast), her shift from elite racing to coaching, and how she’s balancing athlete demands ahead of Brisbane 2032.

She and Katie swap and compare notes on what they took away from racing and training and how they're building their coaching environments now.

They also dive into:

• How female Olympic developments stacks up in the U.S. v. the UK v. Australia
• Lessons they took from their coach, Joel Filliol
• What it's like to race and compete against your close friends
• Their favorite memory of racing and training together

Plus: A preview of WTCS Karlovy Vary and why you should get excited for mixed relays! Both Katie and Non are aiming to leave the sport better than they found it, and we believe they will.

Coaches: You could win a 200CHF On Running voucher by taking a survey for a new sports technology start-up, augo, about your experiences and pain points with existing coaching platforms. Augo is trying to build technology to help coaches manage the influx of information and data. Take the survey by the end of September here: https://form.typeform.com/to/nH2DRsL9

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Hettas: Use the code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at hettas.com

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Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/maTzL

Kelly, Joanne, and Katie are joined this week by a duo of pro triathletes training and traveling together, Fenella Langridge and Hannah Berry.

The two help the squad break down this past big weekend of racing — with a from-the-ground report from Hannah on the T100 French Riviera course and her 6th place finish. Plus, Fenella and Hannah dive into the differences between racing in Kona vs. Nice ahead of the men's Ironman World Championship next week (and which courses they preferred). And, everyone's picks for which male athletes the Nice course could suit, and who'd they want to party with.

Plus, important questions like: Where is the after party in Nice? And: Do they watch other pros' Youtube channels?

Then, Fenella explains external iliac artery endofibrosis, what symptoms she had all of last year, why it seems like so many pro women are dealing with this, and how she's recovering from surgery. Her sights are set now on Ironman Western Australia at the end of the year.

But first the two head to Kona — Hannah to race, Fenella to train and support and cheer.

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Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/maTzL

Fresh off her adventures in Switzerland and France, Joanne Murphy rejoins the pod to recap her recent travels, including her time announcing at Ironman 70.3 Vichy and the Epic Series mountain bike race.

Meanwhile, Kelly returned to racing in style at the Chicago Triathlon — by Supertri! The event brought huge participation numbers and maybe — just maybe — signs that mass participation triathlons are making a real comeback.

While there, Kelly caught up with Supertri podium stars Jeanne Lehair and Georgia Taylor-Brown, who offered up their race-day reactions and gave us a peek at what’s ahead. (Seven races in seven weeks for Georgia!) Plus, a conversation with Dare2tri co-founder Keri Serota about the organization's mission to empower athletes with physical disabilities and visual impairments to try triathlon.

Then the crew looks ahead to a jam-packed race weekend: T100 French Riviera, the new joint WTCS (and which athletes are doing both), and the final IM Pro Series race pre-championships at Zell am See 70.3. Katie, Joanne, and Kelly also some corrections for the record and some questions about what's to come. It all kicks off championship season!

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Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/maTzL

While Joanne Murphy is still off in St. Moritz (is she going to come back to us next week!?), Kelly O'Mara and Katie Zaferes take the reins. They talk all about the final Kona qualifiers, the first races with the new age-graded qualification system, and the latest race results — including the World Games duathlon title.

Then we chat with 2016 Olympic champion Gwen Jorgensen about her recent surgery, a return to training, balancing parenting with training (and with surgery recovery), her new scholarship and investment project, and her plans for the future. Lucky for triathlon fans, she's definitely got more races in her sights!

Katie and Kelly also dish on:

• Katie's return to work six weeks postpartum - yes, Europeans, that's fast!
• Kelly's upcoming event (not race!) at this weekend's Super Tri Chicago Triathlon. Come say hi if you're in town!
• The final list of Ironman World Championships qualifiers is out and it looks stacked. Plus, there are 19 athletes making their IM World Champs debut.
• And Kelly did the math on the first two races with the new age-group qualifying system.
• Would Katie race a duathlon mixed relay??

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Hettas: Use the code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at hettas.com

Orca: Get 15% off with code FEISTY15 at https://www.orca.com

Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with the code FEISTYTRI at https://www.previnex.com/

Xterra: Looking for a new race adventure? Visit https://www.xterraplanet.com/

Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/maTzL

While Joanne is off announcing races in Switzerland, Kelly and Katie are joined by guest co-host Chelsea Burns (also the host of Chasing the Burn).

Chelsea brings her own feist with a brand new pick for race of the year, insights into track rivalries, what athletes deal with in the year after the Olympics, and how she really feels about ever racing triathlon again. And, they look ahead to the final Kona qualifying race and the great Kona debate over same day championship racing,

She also shares her experience running a youth triathlon camp in Boulder, dives into the pros and cons of AI coaching (we're thinking mostly cons), and gives a sneak peek into her own racing goals — including ultra-running and podcasting life.

This one’s full of laughs, hot takes, and deep dives into real life racing and coaching. Plus, we get some throwbacks from when Katie and Chelsea used to race together.

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Hettas: Use the code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at hettas.com

Orca: Get 15% off with code FEISTY15 at https://www.orca.com

Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with the code FEISTYTRI at https://www.previnex.com/

Xterra: Looking for a new race adventure? Visit https://www.xterraplanet.com/

Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/maTzL

Katie Zaferes is back!

This time with four-week-old baby Josie in her arms and a new perspective on the not-so-linear road back to training. She catches us up about the chaos of early motherhood and coaching, while trying to stay connected to elite-level triathlon — with all the honesty and humor we've come to expect.

And with the whole gang back, they took the chance to dive into the latest: previewing the T100 London race this upcoming weekend, debating the newest PTO news, getting the inside scoop on last week's surprise Supertri winner, and correcting the record on a few things the team may have wildly speculated about.

Then, we’re thrilled to welcome three-time XTERRA World Champion Solenne Billouin, who shares her journey from cycling to off-road dominance to the world of 70.3 road racing. She gets real about the mental grind of elite performance, the learning curve of switching disciplines, and why she’s not a huge fan of the phrase “dream big.”

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Hettas: Use the code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at hettas.com

Orca: Get 15% off with code FEISTY15 at https://www.orca.com

Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with the code FEISTYTRI at https://www.previnex.com/

Xterra: Looking for a new race adventure? Visit https://www.xterraplanet.com/

Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/maTzL

In this episode, Kelly and Joanne catch up on all things triathlon, including an in-depth Ironman Leeds recap, the return of Boise 70.3, new North American race announcements, and Joanne’s hectic announcing schedule for the rest of the year (and you thought racing was hard!)

The heart of the episode is a powerful, in-depth interview with long-time pro, Melanie McQuaid, a multi-time world champion who successfully transitioned from professional mountain biking and Xterra to long course triathlon. Mel opens up about her decades-long career in endurance sports, racing at the elite level in her 50s, and how she’s adapted her training and mindset along the way.

She shares:

• Her early days in mountain biking and the shift to triathlon
• Embracing the challenge and adventure of Xterra off-road racing
• How strength and technical skills play a role in long-term performance
• Balancing recovery, self-care, and competitive drive as we age
• The mental strategies that keep her sharp and focused
• What it means to race Kona at 50—and still chase world titles
• Her advice to women navigating aging, identity, and high performance in sport

It's another jam-packed episode of wisdom and inspiration from one of the all-time greats!

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Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/maTzL

If you haven’t seen Ruth Astle on a triathlon race course lately, it’s not for lack of trying—she’s been sidelined much of the year by a frustrating, still-unresolved hip injury.

But that doesn't mean she hasn't been keeping up (at a very detailed level!) with all the latest races and athlete issues as a member of the PTO Athlete Board. And she brings all that knowledge to today's episode to dissect Ironman Lake Placid, way too early Kona predictions, and the public release of the Race Ranger data from Challenge Roth.

Today, Kelly and Joanne catch up with Ruth for a wide-ranging and honest conversation covering everything from race highs to injury lows—and how she deals with this frustrating time. (Lots of gravel riding.)

In today's episode:

• Why Ironman Hamburg is Ruth's pick for race of the year so far
• Her dark horses for Kona - including Solveig Løvseth??
• The evolution of IRONMAN racing—and whether you have to run a sub-2:50 now
• Her leadership role on the PTO Athlete Board and athlete frustrations (too many rules!)
• Her ongoing hip injury, the impact it’s had on her training and racing plans, and how she's adapting
• Looking ahead to the next big adventures and career moves

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Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/maTzL

We're sharing this episode of Feisty's weekly women's sports show, called The Feist, because we thought you’d enjoy this preview of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Even if you already know everything about cycling, we're sure you’ll find something you don’t know in today’s episode.

And be sure to subscribe and follow The Feist wherever you listen, so you don't miss any future episodes of the only showing covering *ALL* women's sports:

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-feist/id1821308242
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1qnvTIJ24cKFWW3JpiIOLR
• Youtube Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuvyuG9qLFgy5LXKyIs4sZi18aetQE8gm

--

This week on The Feist, it's all about previewing the biggest women's race of the year: The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. 

Kate Veronneau, director of women's strategy at Zwift, joins us to give a peak behind the curtain into what goes into the massive event, the kind of growth they've seen at TDFF, and who she thinks could win.

But first, it's our women's sports highlights from the week, including drama from the Euros soccer championship, gossip from the WNBA All-Star Weekend, and a deep dive into the doping sanction that was handed out to the marathon world record holder (and why it hurts more than just a couple of athletes).

From what women's sports we watched to what we want to watch, it's just another week of your favorite sports with your Feistiest friends!

Highlights:

• 0:00 - Welcome and What We Watched
• 13:00 - "Pay Us What You Owe Us"
• 21:57 - WNBA Insights and Gossip
• 25:02 - The Doping Downfall of Marathon World Record Holder, Ruth Chepngetich
• 34:43 - The Impact of Doping on Athletic Careers
• 43:20 - Kate Veronneau previews the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift
• 01:11:10 - Our Feisty Picks of the Week, including American Ninja Warrior

Shop our all-new Kona 2025 Collection: https://shop.feisty.co/

Leave us a Voicemail:

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Feisty Media Website:

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Support Feisty Triathlon Partners:

Hettas: Use the code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at hettas.com

Orca: Get 15% off with code FEISTY15 at https://www.orca.com

Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with the code FEISTYTRI at https://www.previnex.com/

Xterra: Looking for a new race adventure? Visit https://www.xterraplanet.com/

Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/maTzL