Fitter Radio Triathlon Podcast

Bev and Tim catch up on the racing at both the IRONMAN 70.3 Melbourne and Challenge Xiamen at the weekend.

Bev chats to 4th place finisher at the IRONMAN World Champs in Kona Leon Chevalier.

Leon reflects on his journey in triathlon, his post-Kona recovery and the challenges of the 2023 season. He shares insights into his training, his preparation for races and the decisions that have shaped his professional path as a triathlete. 

We chat in detail about Leon’s incredible Kona race plus we discuss the evolving landscape of professional triathlon and how building confidence and belief has been crucial to Leon’s performance. 

(0:03:03) – Emma Jeffcoat and her return to racing

(0:03:53) – Challenge Xiamen – Jack Moody wins the Challenge Family Global World Bonus

(0:07:49) – IRONMAN 70.3 Melbourne

(0:09:32) – Intro to Leon Chevalier

(0:11:40) – The new Fitter Newsletter

(0:18:20) – Leon Chevalier

(1:50:00) – David McNamee announces his retirement

LINKS:

Follow Leon Chevalier on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/l.chevalier/

IRONMAN 70.3 Melbourne at https://www.ironman.com/im703-melbourne

Challenge Xiamen at https://challengefamily.com/races/challenge-xiamen/

Follow Jack Moody on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jacktmoody/

Follow Jarrod Osbourne on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jarrod_o/

Bev and Tim catch up on the racing at both Noosa and in the Supertri race in Saudi Arabia at the weekend.

Post Kona there has been some controversy surrounding suspected bike tampering before the race – IRONMAN plan to look at CCTV for any evidence. Plus, Patrick Lange states in a post-race interview with Bob Babbitt that his new coach, Ben Reszel, also coached Hayden Wilde. We share the response from Hayden’s coach, Craig Kirkwood, confirming that Ben Reszel has never had any part to play in coaching Hayden!

Tim chats to triathlon coach, sports-medicine doctor and author, Dr John Hellemans. They discuss his extensive experience in the sport, the evolution of training principles, the shift from autocratic coaching to individualized approaches, and the importance of building trust and communication in the coach-athlete relationship.

John shares his thoughts on the complexities of high-performance coaching in today's environment and they discuss the evolution of triathlon performance, the impact of sports science on coaching methods, common mistakes athletes make, the significance of altitude training, and the importance of teamwork in coaching.

They reflect on how training techniques have changed over the years and emphasize the need for consistency and a focus on the basics to achieve success in triathlon.

(0:02:03) – We review the racing from the Noosa Tri at the weekend

(0:09:23) – Intro to Dr John Hellemans

(0:11:02) – We review the racing from the final race at SuperTri

(0:18:45) – Is Georgia Taylor-Brown leaving triathlon?

(0:23:05) – Suspected tampering with bikes at Kona

(0:24:27) – Who coaches Hayden Wilde? It appears not Ben Reszel.

(0:32:39) – Dr John Hellemans

LINKS:

Follow Dr John Hellemans on ‘X’ at https://twitter.com/johnhellemans

Craig Kirkwood Coaching at https://www.ckcoaching.co.nz/  

SuperTri at https://supertri.com/

Noosa Triathlon at https://noosatri.com.au/

Follow Georgia Taylor-Brown at https://www.instagram.com/georgiatb/  

Bob Babbitt interview with Patrick Lange at https://youtu.be/IM9bJbEj8tk

IRONMAN World Champs 2024 Kona. We review the racing from this epic day.

LINKS:

IRONMAN World Championships Kona at https://www.ironman.com/im-world-championship

Bev chats to Dave Stewart of One Studio - specialists in creative garment design, focused on improving an athlete's performance. They take an innovative and collaborative approach to the design, construction, fit and performance of your gear. Their competition garment projects range from made to measure, tailored stock designs to comprehensive research and development programs tailored to suit the competition requirements and athlete needs.

In this conversation, Dave Stewart shares his journey from being a ski bum in Austria to becoming a key player in the performance wear industry. He discusses the challenges he faced in balancing quality and profitability in his business, the evolution of performance fabrics, and his experiences working with various sports organizations, including the Olympics.

We highlight the importance of innovation in fabric technology and its impact on athletic performance, particularly in extreme conditions like the IRONMAN World Champs in Kona.. Dave also explains the intricacies of sportswear design, focusing on heat management, aerodynamics, and the importance of bespoke suits for athletes. He emphasizes the significance of fabric technology in optimizing performance, and highlights the critical role of bike fit in achieving aerodynamic efficiency. The discussion also touches on the challenges of commercializing high-performance sportswear and the need for thorough testing and research in the development process.

(0:00:00) – Calling in from Kona

(0:08:16) – T100 in Vegas

(0:16:49) – WTCS final

(0:26:08) – Dave Stewart of One Studio

LINKS:

More about Dave Stewart of One Studio at https://www.onestudio.nz/about

Dan Barry of First Wheel at https://firstwheel.co.nz/

Justin Ralph of Velo Performance at https://veloperformance.co.nz/

In this episode we highlight the evolution of sports coverage plus we discuss the implications of T100 contracts for athletes.

Regan Hollioake and Fernando Toldi lock in their spots for the IRONMAN World Champs next year with wins at IRONMAN Malaysia. 

Bevan chats to Professional Triathlete Nikki Bartlett about her recent achievements in triathlon, including her impressive fifth-place finish at the IRONMAN World Champs in Nice. Nikki discusses the challenges she faced leading up to the race, including overcoming a significant injury, and how her mental resilience played a crucial role in her performance. 

Nikki shares insights into her training regimen, the importance of enjoying the process and her plans for future races - including the upcoming 70.3 World Championships in Taupo!

(0:00:00) – America’s Cup Sailing – go the Kiwis!

(0:02:31) – T100 and race information/graphics

(0:08:45) – Nikki Bartlett intro

(0:10:19) – IRONMAN Malaysia

(0:14:29) – Nikki Bartlett

LINKS:

Follow Nikki Bartlett on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/nikkibartlett1/

Follow Regan Hollioake on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/rlhollioake/

Follow Fernando Toldi on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/fernandotoldi/

Bevan and Tim review all the racing from the weekend plus we discuss the future of the PTO and T100 series and the challenges faced by Australian triathletes in securing race opportunities.

We share an excerpt from the Guru Performance 'We Do Science' podcast in which Laurent Bannock discusses "Nutrition for Travelling Athletes" with Dr Shona Halson PhD. The chat covers practical advice on staying healthy whilst travelling and how to recover quickly including jetlag, the use of melatonin and caffeine, meal timing, travel fatigue and travel hygiene.

(0:04:00) – New and race reviews

(0:32:34) – Nutrition for travelling athletes intro

(0:37:01) – Excerpt from the 'We Do Science' podcast with Dr Shona Halson PhD

LINKS:

'We Do Science' podcast "Nutrition for Travelling Athletes" with Dr Shona Halson PhD at https://www.wedoscience.com/episode-107-nutrition-for-travelling-athletes-with-dr-shona-halson/

Nutrition for Travel: From Jet lag To Catering – a study at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30507257/

Jack Moody, professional triathlete is stepping into the hot seat for Tim this week.

We review all the racing from the weekend plus we bring Dr Kate Baldwin of Valere Endurance back to the show to talk about gluteal weakness. We discuss why gluteal strength is important, how to assess whether you have a problem and exercises to strengthen the area.

(0:41:00) - Dr Kate Baldwin Valere Endurance 

LINKS:

Valere Endurance at https://valereendurance.com/

Jack Moody at https://www.instagram.com/jacktmoody/

Bevan and Tim review the racing from the Vinfast IRONMAN World Champs in Nice at the weekend. We discuss the dynamics of the race, the emergence of new talent and the challenges faced by athletes. We analyze the impact of injuries, the significance of wetsuit regulations and the overall performance of competitors. The discussion also touches on the future of triathlon, the importance of strategic racing, and the excitement surrounding the changing landscape of the sport.

LINKS:

The Vinfast IRONMAN World Champs Nice at https://www.ironman.com/im-world-championship-nice

Sophie Herzog’s academic background has focused on biotechnology. This, together with her keen interest in sport and how the body can be trained to reach peak performance, was what led Olav Aleksander Bu to invite her to join the team at Santara as a Performance and Technology Analyst.

In this episode Sophie discusses the concept of allostatic load and its impact on athletes' performance. She shares her personal journey of experiencing ‘unexplained underperformance’ and how it led her to explore the topic.

The conversation highlights the importance of considering both physical and psychological stressors in an athlete's life and the energetic cost they impose. Sophie also emphasizes the need for athletes to have a balanced energy budget and be aware of the cumulative wear and tear of allostatic processes. The discussion provides valuable insights for athletes and coaches in understanding and managing allostatic load.

Sophie reflects on her experience of dealing with unexplained under performance as an endurance athlete and discusses the importance of managing allostatic load. She emphasizes the need for a holistic approach to addressing underperformance, considering factors such as nutrition, training intensity, sleep and emotional stress. Sophie also highlights the potential impact of hormonal fluctuations on female athletes and the need for further research in this area.

Sophie shares her personal strategies for managing stress, including journaling and disconnecting from devices during training. We also hear about her upcoming business, which aims to provide consulting and educational resources for athletes experiencing underperformance.

LINKS:

Sophie’s Substack – “Understanding Allostatic Load in Athletes: The Unwanted Energy Thief” at https://sherzog.substack.com/p/understanding-allostatic-load-in

“The energetic cost of allostasis and allostatic load” - Natalia Bobba-Alves, Robert-Paul Juster, Martin Picard at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030645302200292X

Marco Altini “The Ultimate Guide to HRV” t https://www.marcoaltini.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-heart-rate-variability-hrv-part-one

Fitter Radio Episode with Dr Peter Stirling at https://www.fitter.co.nz/fitter-radio/2024/8/19/episode-579-im-frankfurt-race-review-dr-peter-sterling

More about Santara Tech at https://www.santaratech.com/

We review all the racing from the weekend including the World Cup race in Karlovy Vary, Challenge Beijing, Challenge Samarkand, IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast and Supertri London.

We discuss the potential future of Supertri and the franchise model in professional triathlon and share excerpts from their Face to Face series in which Hayden Wilde and Alex Yee discuss their Olympic performances and the Supertri series. 

(0:00:00) – We review all the racing from the weekend.

(0:15:56) – Interview excerpts from Supertri Face to Face with Hayden Wilde and Alex Yee

LINKS:

Karlovy Vary World Triathlon Cup at https://www.triathlon.org/  

Supertri at https://supertri.com/

IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast at https://www.ironman.com/im703-sunshine-coast

Challenge Beijing at https://challengefamily.com/races/challenge-beijing/

Challenge Samarkand at https://challenge-samarkand.com/

Supertri Face to Face interviews at https://www.youtube.com/@supertri