The TriDoc Podcast, triathlon and health in one place

Returning to training after Covid-19 seems like it should only be a matter of waiting for symptoms to resolve. Unfortunately for many this takes a really long time and for others, an insidious, underlying issue may remain even when other symptoms have all disappeared. Myocarditis or inflammation of the heart is a recognized complication of Covid infection and can be fatal in athletes in whom it is unrecognized. I review the recommendations on safe return to training after infection in the context of this potential complication. Khem Suthiwan is triathlete, triathlon coach and ambassador for the Ironman and USAT Foundations and has an impressive career in the sport not only as an athlete but in helping many, many others find their own potential. She joins me to talk about her experiences and what motivates her to motivate others.

We often hear of overtraining but it seems quite nebulous. Is it really a thing? How is it defined and diagnosed and treated and most importantly can it be prevented? These are surprisingly tough questions to answer and I explain why as well as the current state of understanding of this complex issue. Endurance athletes and triathletes spend a lot of time preparing their bodies for competition but are they preparing their minds? Frazer Atkinson, a mental performance coach joins me to discuss this important aspect of getting the best from ourselves.

Since it's appearance at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing kinesiotape has become all the rage among amateur athletes as a means of rehabilitating injury, preventing new injuries and enhancing performance. But aside from accessorizing the athlete's look with colorful racing stripes, is kinesiotaping really all that? What does the science say about these claims? I take a look and fill you in. Bill Plock is the owner and operator of a Colorado social media success story. 303Cycling and 303Triathlon are well known repositories for all things on 2 wheels as well as multisport in the Rocky Mountain Region and he joins me to talk about the impact of 2020 on local race organizers as well as his thoughts on what might come to pass in 2021.

Epsom salts have been advocated as a cure all for most anything that ails you for more than four hundred years. Despite that, there is almost no science to either support or refute the claims that many make in recommending baths with Epsom salts as treatment. I look at the history behind this folk remedy and explore the rationale for its widespread use and whether or not it is something that you should really be using. Plus, the pandemic has been devastating for businesses around the world but one industry that has seen surprising success is the bike industry. I am joined by a representative of American Bicycle Group, owners of three different bike brands to discuss the state of the industry in the midst of a worldwide pandemic.

Triathlon Taren posted a pretty grim status update in which he shared his frustrations related to weight gain and difficulties with maintaining fitness. But what he attributed this to has led many physician triathletes including myself to be disappointed that someone with so much influence would be so reckless in propagating unsubstantiated theories. I look at his assertions and provide my own unsolicited assessment for what really ails him and how you can avoid the same fate.Nate Heath joins me for the last of my conversations on increasing diversity in triathlon. Nate is an aboriginal athlete in Australia and gives me a history lesson on indigenous peoples in that country as well as insight to how his club Tri Mob is making inroads in the sport there.

Medical Question

01:50

Nat Heath interview

09:04

Long hours in the saddle can be uncomfortable but made even more so if you develop a saddle sore. For some people these painful lesions are recurrent and can be a significant problem during the summer months. What are saddle sores, how are they treated and most importantly how can they be prevented? In part 3 of my series on diversity in triathlon, I speak with Linus Pagusera, an Asian American with a love of the sport and some unique insights from the perspective of an immigrant and a member of another under represented community in multisport.

The TriDoc Podcast is a bi-weekly show that gives answers to triathletes' questions on all matters related to health, wellness and medicine as it pertains to multi-sport. With interesting guests from around the world, the TriDoc provides an entertaining and educational 40 minutes or so for athletes at all levels, from newbie to Kona qualifier.

A special episode of the TriDoc podcast with a crossover debut of another podcast! Dead and Slaughter visit the Bates Motel to discuss the impact that Hitchcocks's classic film had on the horror genre. While it may not be the scariest film that Sam has seen given how things have changed in the intervening decades, she still appreciates it as a masterpiece and Dad might have a few things to point out that make her viewing experience all the better.

Bicarbonate has been advocated as a means of enhancing performance for many years by virtue of its ability to neutralize lactic acid in muscle cells but the evidence has been lacking to really support its use. A relatively new product purports to deliver bicarbonate in a novel manner-through the skin and makes claims to have some pretty impressive impacts on training for cyclists and triathletes. Is there any science to back up these claims? I do some research and let you know. In the second part of my continuing series on increasing diversity in the sport of triathlon I have a conversation with Washington D.C. based triathlete Faren Campbell. Faren is an accomplished athlete in many sports and shares her insights on how to increase involvement of and be more welcoming to black athletes.

USAT released guidelines for a phased approach to a return to racing. Do these guidelines make sense? Will they adequately protect participants from infection with Covid if races do return in 2020? Dr. David Wyles, an infectious disease specialist joins me for a discussion. In the first part of my series on the lack of diversity in triathlon, Marcus Fitts, a USAT certified coach and founder of District Triathlon and GRIT USA joins me to share his thoughts on why there are not more POC in the sport and what can be done to change that.