Feisty Triathlon

Joanne and Katie are out, so we have a special guest this week: the first female Black pro triathlete, Sika Henry, joins Kelly to talk about life, triathlon, and everything.

Why was it so important to her that she spent a decade chasing the goal of becoming a pro? And what happens after you achieve all of your dreams?

Sika and Kelly talk about why diversity isn't *just* an issue of expense. And, Sika shares all the details about how a bad bike crash changed her image of herself and her life. Plus, how therapy has helped her learn to stop comparing herself now to herself before, and how to find a place for sports in "retirement."

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If you tuned in last week, you heard our chat with pro triathlete Lizzie Rayner cut short when anti-doping officials knocked on her door mid-recording.

So this week we’re back for Take Two. Lizzie joins the squad to share all the details of her anti-doping. Then, they dive into the start of the Ironman Pro Series season, and hear about her journey from a teenager inspired by London 2012 to 8th place pro at the 70.3 World Championships.

1. Race season is officially here: The team previews Ironman New Zealand, which kicks off the 2026 Ironman Pro Series season. With big names on the start list and Kona qualification on the line, athletes are already stacking early-season points.
2. IM Pro Series v. T100: How do athletes decide?
3. Going all in on triathlon: While working with a professional cycling team—making bottles, rice cakes, and supporting riders—Lizzie realized she wanted to be the one actually racing.

What's changed this year? Her confidence! Watch out world.

Courses and Coaching: https://livefeisty.com/courses/

Follow us on Instagram:

@feistytriathlon

Feisty Media Website:

Feisty Media Website: https://livefeisty.com/

Support Feisty Triathlon Partners:

Momentous: Use the code FEISTYTRI for up to 35% off your first order at livemomentous.com.

Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo bike computers at this link https://wahoofitness.pxf.io/OYz79W

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Lizzie Rayner (briefly) joins the podcast — before anti-doping knocks on her door...

We then get nearly all our questions answered about what it's like for the athlete when anti-doping shows up: How long does it take to pee? Do they actually watch you? Do you get to know your testers over tea?

Then we get caught up on Joanne's upcoming South Africa Cape Epic adventure. Katie explains the new Supertri qualifying series and why it's good for the development of draft-legal racers in the U.S. And the new 2026 Ironman rules.

Next week: Lizzie returns to finish her story.

Courses and Coaching: https://livefeisty.com/courses/

Follow us on Instagram:

@feistytriathlon

Feisty Media Website:

Feisty Media Website: https://livefeisty.com/

Support Feisty Triathlon Partners:

Momentous: Use the code FEISTYTRI for up to 35% off your first order at livemomentous.com.

Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo bike computers at this link https://wahoofitness.pxf.io/OYz79W

Orca: Use the code FEISTYTRI15 for 15% off at https://orca.avln.me/c/HzUkzIfxsmYo

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An 11-time Ironman champion and 23-time Ironman 70.3 champ, Meredith Kessler crossed her final pro finish line at Ironman Arizona this past fall.

She reflects back with us on her career and what she hoped her kids learned from her racing. Why did she do all her training inside? What was it like going all-in working four jobs, and deciding to leave corporate America to travel the world as a pro triathlete? And how it was always important to her to balance being a human with being an athlete.

Plus, the top five lessons she learned from Ironman.

Courses and Coaching: https://livefeisty.com/courses/

Follow us on Instagram:

@feistytriathlon

Feisty Media Website:

Feisty Media Website: https://livefeisty.com/

Support Feisty Triathlon Partners:

Momentous: Use the code FEISTYTRI for up to 35% off your first order at livemomentous.com.

Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo bike computers at this link https://wahoofitness.pxf.io/OYz79W

Orca: Use the code FEISTYTRI15 for 15% off at https://orca.avln.me/c/HzUkzIfxsmYo

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

Special guest 6x Ironman world champion Mark Allen joins the podcast this week to talk about the women who inspired him through his career and why he wanted to launch the Limitless program to get more women into triathlon

But first, we have to start by debating the latest triathlon news.

• Katie & Mark helped kickoff the LA28 Olympic cycle
• What could make the difference for U.S. triathletes at the Games
• Are we optimistic or skeptical about the PTO acquiring Challenge Family races?
• And how to get more people on triathlon start lines

Then, Mark gives us a full update on the year-long Limitless program — which filled up with 500 women so quickly that they expanded to 1,000. TriDot is providing free coaching, regular calls with female icons to share their insights and tips, and a community for the women in the program. How will we know if it works?

Learn more about Limitless here

Read Mark's semi-weekly newsletter on triathlon and the triathlon community

Support Feisty Triathlon Partners:

Momentous: Use the code FEISTYTRI for up to 35% off your first order at livemomentous.com.

Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo bike computers at this link https://wahoofitness.pxf.io/OYz79W

Orca: Use the code FEISTYTRI15 for 15% off at https://orca.avln.me/c/HzUkzIfxsmYo

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

Courses and Coaching: https://livefeisty.com/courses/

Follow us on Instagram:

@feistytriathlon

Feisty Media Website:

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This week, we have a special interview with Iris Nafshi about her PhD study, which analyzed over 300 moms who also compete in Ironman. She wanted to answer the question: Among those who experience high levels of "mom guilt" how do they complete the training anyway? What does it take?

But first, Katie, Kelly, and Joanne discuss the latest triathlon news: the 20-meter draft rule for pros, the new Supertri calendar and format finally announced, and can you guess what secret race Joanne is doing? Send us a voicemail to [email protected] or at www.speakpipe.com/feistytriathlon

And then Katie shares some of her insights on what it took to race at the top-level after having her first kid — and how, in some ways, balancing work now with two kids is even more challenging.

What can everyday athletes learn from Dr. Nafshi's research? In her words:

"My research found that athletic identity doesn’t compete with maternal identity, it expands it. So claim the space you need. Pursue something big unapologetically. The mothers who finished Ironman didn’t become less devoted to their kids, they became MORE of themselves. And kids don’t need perfect, self-sacrificing mothers. They need whole, fully-alive mothers who show them what’s possible. Be that mother."

See the full dissertation: "Beyond Grit and Guilt: Uncovering the Psychological Resources Fueling IronMoms in Ironman Training and Racing"

Courses and Coaching: https://livefeisty.com/courses/

Follow us on Instagram:

@feistytriathlon

Feisty Media Website:

Feisty Media Website: https://livefeisty.com/

Support Feisty Triathlon Partners:

Momentous: Use the code FEISTYTRI for up to 35% off your first order at livemomentous.com.

Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo bike computers at this link https://wahoofitness.pxf.io/OYz79W

Orca: Use the code FEISTYTRI15 for 15% off at https://orca.avln.me/c/HzUkzIfxsmYo

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

In this special episode, your Feisty Women's Performance podcast host Dr. Erin Ayala brings together a group of experts on mental health to talk about the science and psychology of stress and collective trauma.

Along with being a sports psychologist & therapist in her own right, Erin also lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota — which has been at the center of the news over the last month since it became the target of the largest immigration enforcement action to date in the U.S. Thousands of federal agents have patrolled the streets and detained residents, and, over this past weekend, shot and killed a second bystander — leading to hundreds of thousands of people protesting in Minneapolis and around the country.

In this tense environment, how do we show up as athletes, as members of our community, as our best and healthiest selves?

Join Dr. Tess Kilwein, Dr. Quincy Guinadi, and Christine Bright as they discuss how these experiences shape mental health and performance, and how you can respond to stress and trauma — whether you're going through it right now with the news or you're dealing with your challenges.

Key Takeaways:

• What is collective trauma? Learn how collective trauma impacts communities and individuals, and why this understanding is crucial for athletes and coaches.

• Recognize that intentional rest in times of stress can be essential for long-term sustainability.

• Know that movement and sport can be powerful tools in community healing.

• Get tips on how to navigate the complexities of wanting to help without feeling performative or overwhelmed, and how to effectively engage in difficult conversations without shame or guilt.

Don't be perfect. Be brave.

Guest Introductions:

• Dr. Tess Kilwein: A board-certified clinical, health, and sport psychologist with expertise in mental performance and athlete wellness.

• Dr. Quincy Guinadi: A postdoctoral resident specializing in identity, mental health, and the experiences of marginalized communities.

• Christine Bright: Lead consultant at the Center for Healing and Justice through Sport, focusing on trauma-informed coaching and community support.

Resources Mentioned:

• Center for Healing and Justice through Sport

• Nothing Heals like Sport Playbook

• "What Happened to You" by Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah

• Beyond Ally by Dr. Maysa Akbar

• Find ways to help at standwithminnesota.com

This week, Feisty's resident sports psychologist Dr. Erin Ayala joins the pod to answer all of our questions about mental performance, mental training, and tips for dealing with the mental stress of the world right now.

First, the team tackles the latest news and the question: How do we keep the booming 20- to 29-year-old age group in the sport?

Then:

• What mental skills you can practice on the treadmill or trainer
• Why a race isn't a test — and staying curious will actually help you perform better
• Ditching the comparison game
• And is the correlation between mental health issues and endurance sports a coincidence?

Dr. Ayala is also the host of the brand new re-launched Feisty Women's Performance podcast, where she hosts experts each in week to dive deep into health and performance questions from women for women.

Courses and Coaching: https://livefeisty.com/courses/

Follow us on Instagram:

@feistytriathlon

Feisty Media Website:

Feisty Media Website: https://livefeisty.com/

Support Feisty Triathlon Partners:

Momentous: Use the code FEISTYTRI for up to 35% off your first order at livemomentous.com.

Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo bike computers at this link https://wahoofitness.pxf.io/OYz79W

Orca: Use the code FEISTYTRI15 for 15% off at https://orca.avln.me/c/HzUkzIfxsmYo

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

Kelly O’Mara and Feisty CEO, Sara Gross, are coming to you straight from USA Triathlon's Endurance Exchange conference in Orlando, where the entire triathlon industry gets together to talk coaching, data, and where the sport is actually headed.

We went for a few reasons:

1. to run the first women-focused coaching workshop,
2. to launch the Feisty Women’s Performance podcast,
3. to catch up with friends and athletes,
4. and to hear what the numbers say about the future of triathlon.

And what we found? A sport in the middle of real change.

Lessons from the Feisty workshop: why coaching women isn’t just about hormones, but about context, communication, and the reality of women’s lives from pregnancy through menopause and beyond.

Then we head poolside to catch up with Taylor Knibb, who casually drops that she plans to race pretty much every distance this year — with Kona in the mix and the Olympics coming fast in L.A. Her coach Dan Lorang was also at Endurance Exchange, where people were (somehow) still telling him he should try heat training.

We also talk with Michelle Lake, coach of 80-year-old Kona finisher Natalie Grabow, about what it really takes to train older athletes — and why gratitude, communication, and consistency beat everything else.

And finally, USA Triathlon CEO Vic Brumfield breaks down the state of the sport:

1. Membership is close to pre-COVID numbers, but race starts are down
2. Events have stabilized after a big drop
3. The 20–29 age group is surging
4. But 40–49 participation is declining

Which raises the big question:

If younger athletes are showing up for short-course, one-day experiences, while older athletes used to be the repeat-racing backbone of the sport… how does triathlon evolve?

This episode is part behind-the-scenes, part coaching clinic, and part reality check on where triathlon is heading — Feisty style.

Courses and Coaching: https://livefeisty.com/courses/

Follow us on Instagram:

@feistytriathlon

Feisty Media Website:

Feisty Media Website: https://livefeisty.com/

Support Feisty Triathlon Partners:

Momentous: Use the code FEISTYTRI for up to 35% off your first order at livemomentous.com.

Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo bike computers at this link https://wahoofitness.pxf.io/OYz79W

Orca: Use the code FEISTYTRI15 for 15% off at https://orca.avln.me/c/HzUkzIfxsmYo

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

We’re kicking off the year with an absolute powerhouse: Rosie Wild—Major in the British Army, barrier-breaker, and the first woman ever to pass the legendary paratrooper regiment test joins Kelly, Katie, and Joanne for the first episode of 2026.

Rosie takes us inside her world: juggling an elite military career with pro triathlon, navigating brutal training environments, and chasing experiences that push the limits of what’s possible. From battling the elements at Ironman Wales to taking the win at the beautiful-but-brutal Patagonman, Rosie’s story is less about medals and more about grit, purpose, and what keeps you moving forward when everything hurts.

Rosie's rewriting the rules and also reminding us why we love triathlon: discipline, accomplishment, and FUN!

You'll leave inspired for your own challenges and for the triathlon season ahead!

Follow Rosie on Instagram

Courses and Coaching: https://livefeisty.com/courses/

Follow us on Instagram:

@feistytriathlon

Feisty Media Website:

Feisty Media Website: https://livefeisty.com/

Support Feisty Triathlon Partners:

Momentous: Use the code FEISTYTRI for up to 35% off your first order at livemomentous.com.

Wahoo: Learn more about Wahoo bike computers at this link https://wahoofitness.pxf.io/OYz79W

Orca: Use the code FEISTYTRI15 for 15% off at https://orca.avln.me/c/HzUkzIfxsmYo

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