Sisters Before Blisters: Chafing the Dream | Episode Update — Wins, Fears & Race Day Plans

Three sisters. Three countries. One 70.3 Ironman. Cheryl (Canada, bike), Christine (USA, swim), and Colleen (Germany, run) check in with a real, unfiltered update on where training actually stands right now.

This episode covers the honest stuff — crinkly knees during squats, soccer seasons eating into run training, shoulder rehab, flooded rivers, and the very real challenge of finding time to train when you've got kids, a move to Kansas potentially on the horizon, and a memorial service to host.

The sisters also dig into their biggest race day fears (spoiler: nobody wants Christine to drown), their individual game plans for getting through their legs of the race, and what's stuck with them from the expert guests they've had on so far — from wetsuit etiquette to pelvic floor health to finding your family in the crowd with a giant bunch of helium balloons.

There's also a conversation about what it means to be aging athletes who played hard and maybe didn't have the science to back it up — no regrets, but a whole lot of "we wish someone had told us about hamstrings."

Oh, and the Au Sable River Canoe Marathon is officially on the dream board for 2028.

In this episode:

The race is September 2026. Follow along every month.

Subscribe so you don't miss the next episode — nutrition deep dive is coming up.

🎙️ Find us wherever you listen to podcasts: search Sisters Before Blisters

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.

Subscribe so you don't miss our next episode where we're bringing in a nutrition expert.

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

Find us wherever you get your podcasts; search Sisters Before Blisters.

Keep chafing the dream.

Sisters Before Blisters, Chafing the Dream - Episode 7: The Happiness Expert

Real talk about staying positive when training feels impossible. We sit down with mindset coach Kim Patterson to discuss the mental game of triathlon training when life keeps throwing curveballs.

This month hit different. Christine's shoulder knocked her out of the pool for weeks. Colleen juggled three weeks of family illness, a dog surgery, and the constant pull of being a mom in Germany. Cheryl registered the team for Frankfurt (WE'RE LOCKED IN NOW) and now there's no backing out.

The training plan exists. Following it? That's another story. Kim breaks down why forced happiness doesn't work, how awareness beats motivation every time, and the difference between pushing through versus giving yourself permission to pivot.

We talk about the myth that you can be upbeat all the time, practical tools for getting out of a funk (including the lemon visualization that actually made us salivate through our mics), and how to support each other across three countries when one sister is thriving and another is barely hanging on. T

he conversation gets into breathing techniques that shift your nervous system in five seconds, why asking for help feels like failure when you're an achiever, and the HALT acronym that changes how you approach bad training days.

Plus: Kim introduces us to the reticular activating system (your brain's search engine), explains why beaten paths are easier than new neural pathways, and shares the gains list that replaced her to-do list.

Seven months to Frankfurt. The finish line is real. The question isn't whether we'll get there. It's how we'll feel along the way.

Guest: Kim Patterson - Mindset coach, real estate broker, founder of Be Happy Today (freshly trademarked). Based in San Antonio, Texas.

In This Episode:

Monthly check-ins: shoulder injuries, soccer games, and burying a hero

The gap vs. the gain: why focusing on wins changes everything

Expansive vs. contractive: the fastest way to check your mental state

Supporting sisters across time zones without making things worse

Winter blues survival when you're training in Michigan and Germany

When persistence becomes stubbornness (and how to tell the difference)

Keep showing up & Keep chafing the dream.

Timestamp:

00:00 Meet the Sisters Relay

01:26 Guest Kim Patterson Intro

04:57 Training Wins and Setbacks

08:58 What Happiness Really Is

12:05 Myths About Positivity

14:02 Tools for Tough Days

17:47 Beating the Winter Blues

25:40 Gains List and Brain Filters

31:54 When You're Exhausted

38:39 Breathing and Awareness

41:55 Supporting Each Other Afar

43:16 Define Real Support

45:37 Celebrate Small Wins

46:55 Joyful Team Mindset

50:36 Super Sprint Stories

52:02 Handle Pessimists

56:45 Stay Motivated Long Term

01:04:00 Fun Rapid Questions

01:14:51 Mood Meter Wrap

Episode 4: Race Day Secrets with Expert Triathlete Coach (Part 2)

Three sisters. Three countries. One 70.3 Ironman relay. We're Cheryl (Canada, bike), Christine (USA, swim), and Colleen (Germany, run), and we're documenting every step of our journey to the Frankfurt triathlon.

In part two of our conversation with coach and triathlete Gary Godula, we dig into the bike and run legs. Cheryl gets schooled on clipping in, mounting and dismounting, why trainers destroy bikes, and the importance of practicing flat tire changes before race day. Colleen asks about toenail survival, shoe recommendations, and how to manage energy while waiting hours for her turn to run. We also tackle nutrition strategies (gummies vs. goo, mixing everything into one bottle), the hunt for the perfect sports bra, and what it really feels like to train for something this big for an entire year.

Spoiler: the monotony is real, but community makes it bearable.

Timestamps:

Follow along as we chase this dream together. Support our journey: 💰 https://gofund.me/e97c98914

✅ Share with someone who needs this

Next episode: Goal setting for 2026 with just the three of us.

Keep training smart. Laugh when it hurts. And remember, progress isn't always loud, so just keep showing up.

Episode 4: (Part 1) Race Day Secrets with Expert Triathlete Coach

Three sisters. Three countries. One 70.3 Ironman relay. We're Cheryl (Canada, bike), Christine (USA, swim), and Colleen (Germany, run), and we're documenting every step of our journey to the Frankfurt triathlon.

In this episode, we sit down with Gary Godula, a seasoned triathlete, race car driver, and coach who's been in the sport since the mid-80s. He walks us through everything we didn't know we needed to know about race day: wetsuit tips, goggle strategies for open water, how to handle the chaos around buoys, drafting penalties, and why you absolutely need to do a walkthrough the night before.

We also get real about where we're at: Christine broke her toe in Germany (yes, everyone heard it pop), Colleen is navigating postpartum pelvic floor challenges, and Cheryl's dealing with the usual winter knee stiffness.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Sisters Before Blisters

01:36 Meet Our Guest: Gary Godula

02:08 Training Updates: Wins and Setbacks

06:08 January Rowing Challenge

08:26 Support and GoFundMe

08:54 Diving into Triathlon Tips with Gary

24:23 Navigating Swim Etiquette

24:59 Utilizing Kayaks and Nutrition Strategies

27:14 Wetsuit Swimming Tips

28:41 Open Water Swim Practices

30:40 Transitioning from Swim to Bike

31:33 Bike and Run Penalties

35:06 Preparing for Race Day

39:29 Managing Transitions and Energy

Support our journey: [GoFundMe link]

Join the rowing challenge: Details in the YouTube comments!

Follow along as we chase this dream together

Pelvic Floor Health: 🔥

The sisters also share personal anecdotes, including humorous and challenging moments from their training.

Join us for an enlightening conversation on health, fitness, and the power of family support.

00:00 Introduction to Sisters Before Blisters

00:56 Meet the Sisters and Their Ironman Journey

01:25 Pelvic Floor Challenges and Expert Introduction

01:46 Dr. Vicky's Background and Transition to Germany

05:41 Sisters Share Embarrassing Moments

09:46 Training Wins and Setbacks

[Start here for Pelvic Floor] *12:23 Deep Dive into Pelvic Floor Health*

18:09 Understanding Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

23:05 Pelvic Floor Therapy Evaluation Process

27:53 Pelvic Floor Issues in Men and Young Women

40:52 Bladder Spasms and Overactive Bladder

47:06 Personal Experiences with Pelvic Floor Health

48:18 Diaphragmatic Breathing and Core Activation

51:18 Challenges in Athletic Training

55:15 Addressing Pelvic Floor Issues in Male-Dominated Fields

59:46 Cultural Differences in Bathroom Habits

01:07:03 Personal Stories and Experiences

01:09:28 Getting to Know the Sisters

01:22:19 Wrapping Up and Looking Ahead

For Men: 29:08 & 59:34

Dr. Victoria Marie Nunez, PT, DPT, PRPC, Cert DIN Women’s Pelvic Health Physical Therapy womenspelvictherapy.com [email protected]

💰 Help us reach our race by donating a few bucks! https://gofund.me/466a4c912

✅ Comment if any of this sounds familiar ✅ Comment with questions for our sisters/experts ✅ Subscribe to stay in the loop ✅ Share with someone who needs this

Three sisters from different countries come together to announce their ambitious plan to complete a half Ironman relay in Northern Michigan.