The Endurance Drive Podcast

In this episode, we explore what it means to train within the constraints of real life. Drawing from Katie’s postpartum return to sport, we discuss how recovery, energy availability, sleep, work, parenting, and life stress can become limiting factors just as much as fitness itself. We unpack the difference between training volume and overall life load, how expectations quietly shift over time, and why more training is not always the answer when performance starts to feel harder. We also dive into identifying your biggest constraints, focusing on the highest-return workouts, embracing the minimum effective dose, and finding ways to stay connected to joy and purpose in training. Whether you're balancing a demanding career, family responsibilities, injury recovery, or simply a busy season of life, this episode offers practical strategies for adapting your goals, managing expectations, and continuing to make meaningful progress without burning out. 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 share practical race-week strategies for endurance athletes, including how to prepare your bike, dial in transitions, visualize race day, and avoid common mistakes before the starting gun. We also break down our top 10 tips for first-time triathletes, from fueling and open-water swimming to pacing, bike handling, cooling strategies, and mindset preparation. Katie reflects on her experience pacing a fifth grader at a Girls on the Run 5K and the surprising lessons that apply to athletes of every level. Finally, we explore Gordo Byrn’s concept of “zombie training,” discuss the importance of recovery, consistency, and avoiding chronic fatigue, and share resources on the Norwegian Method, open-water swimming, and race-day gear. Whether you’re preparing for your first sprint triathlon or your next Ironman, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you train and race smarter. 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 sit down with Dr. Maggie Mullins, an accomplished physical therapist, strength coach, run coach, and athlete, for a deep dive into how endurance athletes should actually approach strength training. We talk about why strength matters for performance, injury prevention, running economy, and long-term durability, plus how to structure strength work around endurance training, what exercises give the biggest return on investment, and why endurance athletes often underload in the gym. We also cover plyometrics, calf strength, mobility vs. stretching, youth vs. masters and male vs. female athletes, and how to build a simple but effective home setup. We wrap with Maggie’s perspective on activation routines, toe spacers, stroller running, and practical ways to make strength training actually fit into busy endurance lives. Check it out!

To work with Maggie, visit: https://run.therxmovement.com/

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 lessons from first-time Ironman racing, including fueling, pacing, run-walk strategies, race execution, and staying present to get the most out of your race experience. We also answer listener questions on supporting a partner through Ironman training and navigating race morning logistics. Katie shares insights from a chaotic but fun local 5K with the jogging stroller during the four-month sleep regression trenches of postpartum life, including thoughts on racing under high life stress, backup plans and “goal trees,” heat adaptation, and why your B and C goals should still genuinely excite you. We also unpack what to do after swinging for a big goal and missing, how to decide whether to swing again, and why it’s important to hold your big goals loosely and stay connected to the process. Check it out!

Check out our form on racing accessibility for moms here: ⁠https://forms.gle/kLAVS6NtzJwYA7z27⁠

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 start by diving into one of the biggest endurance stories of the year: Rachel Entrekin’s historic overall win and course record at Cocodona 250, using it as a springboard to discuss confidence, self-belief, fueling, and the evolving landscape of women’s sport. We unpack the mental strategies behind big performances, including Rachel’s “why not you” mantra, and reflect on how visibility in sport can inspire the next generation. Katie also shares the realities of returning to racing postpartum, the barriers new moms still face in endurance sport, and how she’s pushing for better accessibility and support at races. Finally, we close with a practical deep dive on fatigue in endurance athletes: low energy availability, RED-S, bloodwork, cortisol, ferritin, fueling mistakes, and how to actually troubleshoot persistent fatigue when something feels off. Check it out!

Check out our form on racing accessibility for moms here: ⁠https://forms.gle/kLAVS6NtzJwYA7z27⁠

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, Katie recaps her first race back postpartum at the Polar Bear Sprint Triathlon, sharing lessons on goal setting, transition practice, racing without data, TT bike handling, and what it felt like to truly “feel like herself” again in competition. We also dive into why sprint racing is such a powerful learning environment, how to think about race goals beyond outcomes, and practical tips for preparing for short course triathlon. Jim then reflects on a massive Mallorca training camp, including lessons on pacing, fueling, acclimation, group riding, and why fitness alone is never the full picture on big training days. We also talk cadence work, breathing, outdoor specificity, race prep, and the value of practicing the exact setup you’ll use on race day. Check it out!

Check out our form on racing accessibility for moms here: https://forms.gle/kLAVS6NtzJwYA7z27

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, Elena shares key takeaways from her incredible day at the 2026 Boston Marathon, specifically focusing on the mental prep that went into the race and the mental strategies that helped her run a personal best on a day when her body wasn’t feeling great. We cover her mindset going into the race, what was going on in her head when she started to feel strain in her legs much sooner than expected, how she stayed in the game mentally through challenging middle miles and over Heartbreak Hill, how she willed herself out of some intense cramping at mile 25, and how she balanced feel vs. pace vs. heart rate data throughout the race. We also hit practical insights on her training strategy, what she learned for next time, menstrual cycle effects on performance, and general takeaways from other racers in Boston. This is a useful episode for anyone looking to improve their mental game going into big races and/or to keep soaking in the Boston Marathon energy! 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 start with a timely reminder that sometimes it’s not your fitness -- it’s the elements (heat, humidity, wind) making everything feel harder. From there, we dive into practical strategies for building outdoor durability, staying safe on the roads, and knowing when to take things inside. We break down fueling through the lens of habit-building, why doubles can be a powerful (and realistic) way to build volume, and how to approach training by feel over data. We also touch on mountain biking as a sneaky performance tool, priority shifts in the specific prep phase, Ironman swim strategies, and a more nuanced take on heart rate zones. We wrap with a mindset shift from “or” to “and,” unpacking why your best and worst days almost never come down to just one thing. 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].

Race week energy is here! We kick things off with Boston Marathon excitement, hitting race-day mindset, pacing, and spectator tips, before diving into a favorite recent insight: the difference between peak fitness vs. peak shape, and what you can do to give yourself the best possible opportunity to feel good on race day. From there, we riff on training with full intention, how to balance pushing vs. pulling back, and why flexibility is the key to long-term progress. We also talk self-compassion, celebrating small wins, and avoiding the trap of tying your worth to performance. Plus: Strava segment fun and practical fueling/hydration strategies heading into race day. 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 reflect on what it means when the hay is in the barn, highlighting practical approaches to shedding fatigue and showing up at the starting line of your race both happy and healthy. We then dive into a bunch of great athlete questions on pickups, recovery, warming up, bike purchases, and fueling. Our main content features a deep dive on Katie’s toolkit for hard intervals inspired by a recent sweet spot bike workout, as well as a conversation on why bike volume is essential for successful Ironman experiences. 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].