The Endurance Drive Podcast

In this week's episode, Elena interviews Katie about her recent breakthrough performance at the Baystate Half Marathon, where she ran a huge PR at just under nine months postpartum. We dive into the training, mindset, and race-day strategies that helped make this possible, from building fitness on a lower-volume, flexible training plan to prioritizing strength, recovery, and consistency while navigating life as a new mom. Katie shares how her goals evolved throughout the training cycle, why approaching workouts with curiosity rather than rigid expectations made this one of her happiest and most successful builds yet, and how she developed the confidence to chase a faster time than she initially thought possible. We also break down the race itself, including pacing strategy, mental preparation, fueling, and the value of trusting your training when it's time to push. Finally, we reflect on the importance of patience in pursuing big goals, what Katie has learned from her postpartum return to sport, and how she's thinking about recovery and her next build to the Boston Marathon. Check it out!

To view extended show notes for this episode, visit: theendurancedrive.com/podcast 

To share feedback or ask questions to be featured on a future episode, please use ⁠this form⁠ or email: [email protected].

In this week's episode, we kick things off with a recap of an incredibly exciting Ironman World Championship in Kona, including the dramatic finishes, standout performances, and lessons we can all take away about managing heat, adapting to race-day conditions, and racing your own race. Then, we dive into the science and practice of building fatigue resistance, or durability, with a recap of ten strategies for getting stronger and maintaining performance as fatigue sets in. We cover everything from aerobic volume and high-intensity training to fueling, long workouts, strength training, and creative ways to build endurance. We also talk about why faster isn't always better in training, the importance of sticking to the intended effort of a workout, and how to avoid digging yourself into a hole by constantly pushing the pace. Finally, Katie shares a favorite half-marathon workout featuring race-pace efforts, kicks, and floats, and we discuss how practicing different gears can help you become a more adaptable and confident racer. Check it out!

To view extended show notes for this episode, visit: theendurancedrive.com/podcast 

To share feedback or ask questions to be featured on a future episode, please use ⁠this form⁠ or email: [email protected].

In this week's episode, we're celebrating a HUGE weekend for Elena, who finished sixth at the Kodiak 100K and earned herself another ticket to UTMB! We dive into the full race recap, from the somewhat unconventional approach to training that got her to the starting line to the highs, lows, and mental strategies that carried her through over 62 miles of hilly terrain. Elena shares how taking the pressure off training helped her feel more curious about toeing the line, why years of experience matter more than any single training block, and how rebuilding her "performance bubble" helped her regain trust in her body. We also talk about racing your own race, staying flexible with fueling and pacing, and why showing up a little undercooked is way better than showing up overcooked. It's a fun one with plenty to celebrate and lots of lessons for endurance athletes of all levels. Check it out!

To view extended show notes for this episode, visit: theendurancedrive.com/podcast 

To share feedback or ask questions to be featured on a future episode, please use ⁠this form⁠ or email: [email protected].

In this week's episode, we cover a little bit of everything as athletes head into fall racing and the off-season. We talk about making strength training your "big rock" in the off-season, keeping some fun and unstructured intensity in your routine, and how to maintain enough running, biking, and swimming to set yourself up well for next season. We also share some tips for getting into trail running, including when to hike versus run, building technical skills, and learning to let go of pace. We also talk through knowing when a goal is no longer serving you and why changing your race plans isn't the same as quitting. Finally, we touch on marathon training stops, Boston qualifying heartbreak, life stress and injury risk, and the changing 70.3 landscape in the New England area. Check it out!

To view extended show notes for this episode, visit: theendurancedrive.com/podcast 

To share feedback or ask questions to be featured on a future episode, please use ⁠this form⁠ or email: [email protected].

In this week's episode, we dive into how to choose your goal races for next season, starting with the most important question: what do you actually want to get out of your training and racing? We break down the many factors to consider when building your race calendar, including your performance and experience goals, the type of training you want to do, course characteristics, weather, logistics, scenery, atmosphere, and how racing fits into the rest of your life. We also talk about balancing A, B, and C races, choosing courses that play to your strengths versus challenge your weaknesses, and why the best goal race is ultimately the one that aligns with your purpose for the season. Finally, Elena shares some reflections from a recent crewing experience and we talk about harnessing the "potential energy" you build before a big race or adventure, even when things don't go according to plan. Check it out!

To view extended show notes for this episode, visit: theendurancedrive.com/podcast 

To share feedback or ask questions to be featured on a future episode, please use ⁠this form⁠ or email: [email protected].

In this week's episode, we use Katie's recent race at Dover Tri as a jumping-off point for a deep dive into how to race a sprint triathlon from start to finish. We cover race-week preparation and mindset, pre-race fueling, swim strategy, TT vs. road bike tradeoffs, previewing the course, pacing by feel instead of being glued to your watch, and high-carb fueling even for short efforts. We also get into all the little ways to race faster without gaining any additional fitness, from sighting and transitions to lock laces, liquid carbs, bike handling, and cutting tangents on the run. Finally, we talk about using competition to your advantage, reinforcing your strengths when racing gets hard, and evaluating your execution before you even see the results. Whether you're getting ready for your first sprint triathlon or have been racing for years, this episode is packed with practical ways to race smarter and faster. Check it out!

To view extended show notes for this episode, visit: theendurancedrive.com/podcast 

To share feedback or ask questions to be featured on a future episode, please use ⁠this form⁠ or email: [email protected].

In this week's episode, we catch up on Elena's recent 40-mile adventure on the John Muir Trail and talk about planning big adventure days, managing risk, and taking some of the pressure and perfectionism out of training. We also discuss approaching sport with more curiosity, finding motivation through supporting other athletes, and how to be a great crew member or pacer when a friend is tackling a big goal. Then, we dig into race-day non-negotiables, building a cookie jar of resilience data points from hard experiences, and why the races that don't go according to plan can sometimes become your most valuable mental training. Finally, we talk about recovering and fueling after big training days before wrapping up with this week's challenges and gear picks. Check it out!

To view extended show notes for this episode, visit: theendurancedrive.com/podcast 

To share feedback or ask questions to be featured on a future episode, please use ⁠this form⁠ or email: [email protected].

In this week's episode, we rethink what the off-season should actually look like and make the case for staying active while shifting toward more diverse, fun, and low-pressure movement. We also pull lessons from the pros, including Rachel Entrekin on racing with joy and Lucy Charles-Barclay on having the patience to say no to a race in service of a bigger goal. Then, we talk about reframing all the reasons a workout or race might not go well as context rather than excuses, putting your brain in your pocket, and trusting the fitness you've built. Finally, we introduce a little Ask the Coach segment with questions about road bikes vs. TT bikes for hilly sprint triathlons and whether a week of simply "touching water" can revive some old swim fitness. Check it out!

To view extended show notes for this episode, visit: theendurancedrive.com/podcast 

To share feedback or ask questions to be featured on a future episode, please use ⁠this form⁠ or email: [email protected].

In this week’s episode, Jim and Katie recap their most recent adventure events, including Jim’s seven-day multi-stage cycling race in the Alps and Katie’s 30th birthday bike/run challenge in the White Mountains. Highlights include training approaches for long endurance events with a lot of elevation, how to approach fueling and hydration across racing contexts, mindset approaches for when the going gets tough, how to effectively recover between back-to-back-to-back stimuli, and the role of identity in tackling big challenges. We hope this episode inspires you to plan some endurance adventures of your own while providing some helpful tips for prep, execution, and recovery. Check it out!

To view extended show notes for this episode, visit: theendurancedrive.com/podcast 

To share feedback or ask questions to be featured on a future episode, please use ⁠this form⁠ or email: [email protected].

In this week's episode, we talk about how to turn a regular vacation into a DIY training camp by leaning into the terrain, time, and tools you have available, and why a change in training stimulus can build fitness while keeping things fresh. We share ideas for making intervals more fun and less structured, from segment hunting and landmark fartleks to letting hills and trails dictate the effort, plus some thoughts on balancing fitness and specificity when moving between road and trail. We also talk about easing into fall training as cooler weather arrives, paying attention to whether you are actually absorbing your training, and the importance of gratitude for simply getting to move. Finally, we dig into mental toughness, celebrating the small moments when you choose to keep going, and building up a cookie jar of resilience you can draw on when things get hard. Check it out!

To view extended show notes for this episode, visit: theendurancedrive.com/podcast 

To share feedback or ask questions to be featured on a future episode, please use ⁠this form⁠ or email: [email protected].