Volker Maier is a retired Air-force flying instructor and the head of Peaks Coaching Group Germany. He has been coaching a lot of runners, cyclists and triathletes over the years and has been working with a few Indian athletes as well.

I got a chance to sit down and talk to him when he was in Bangalore briefly on the way to a training camp in the hills.

In this episode we talk about his journey as an athlete and as a coach over the years. We talked about various aspects of coaching and his views on various topics like the importance of skills, strength training, the role nutrition plays in training effectively among various other topics.

It was an insightful conversation with someone with vast experience in the sport and coaching. I really enjoyed this one and hope you too will enjoy this as much as I did.

0:00:00 Intro

0:03:10 Sport for him growing up in Germany

0:05:45 Interest in cycling with MTB touring

0:11:30 Managing training with his work/flying schedule

0:12:35 Move to the US and journey towards coaching

0:23:05 Advantages of power based training

0:27:20 Not obsessing about power numbers

0:31:30 Importance of developing skills and how to develop them

0:43:20 His coaching philosophy

0:50:20 Views on fasted rides

0:57:00 Fueling for training and racing

0:59:00 Mental aspects of training, tips and tricks

1:09:55 Helping with motivation levels

1:13:30 Race strategies and tactics

1:19:40 Working with Indian athletes

1:22:20 Tips for working athletes

1:27:25 Closing remarks!

Some Links Below:

Working Athlete Community on FB.

Link to Anchor Voice messages

About the Podcast

The working athlete podcast is a podcast with and for working athletes from all walks of life and various sports. The goal is to provide inspiration, training tips, mental hacks, time management and life-style advice through conversations with some of the best in sport, from athletes to coaches. If you think you can benefit from this, please consider subscribing so that you don't miss the weekly episodes in future.

If you like this, share with friends who could be interested.

For the visually inclined, a video version of the podcast can be found here: YouTube

Other Places you'll find the podcast on:

Anchor | RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google podcasts | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | Breaker

Sreenath Lakshmikanth is one of the hardest working athletes in the country. This rider from Kerala has inspired many athletes not just from his state but from around the country. His humble nature and work ethic endears him to everyone who crosses paths with him.

In this episode we talk about the start of cycling journey as well as his progression over the years. We talk about his experience at the 2022 Gujarat National Games where he won his first medal at that level with a bronze medal in the road race. We also talk about his coaching venture and high altitude training camps he conducts in Ooty which has been his home base in the last few years.

This was a lovely conversation with an inspirational athlete. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

0:00:00 Intro

0:03:00 His relationship with sport as a kid

0:08:00 Stumbling into cycling after trying various sports and failing

0:14:50 What drove the passion for sports

0:20:15 His effort was his currency in finding support;

0:22:00 His first Nationals

0:26:50 Progression from 2016 and initial club races experience, finding sponsorship

0:38:00 Helping others and the sport using the reach

0:44:10 Experience of riding with Ciclo Racing, racing in Belgium, what it takes to pursue pro level racing

0:55:00 Life after Ciclo Racing, the importance of racing experience and using that

1:00:40 His race prep rituals, visualization, strategies, post race analysis

1:03:30 Joining LBB Racing, cycling as a team sport, importance of preparation, patience and consistency

1:10:10 The move to Ooty and how it impacted him and the community there

1:19:20 Starting the SL7 high altitude training center

1:24:00 National Games Gujarat experience

1:35:00 Next goals for him

1:36:00 BBCH Nandi Epic 2022 experience, winning the race on a borrowed bike

1:43:38 Tips for working athletes

1:52:00 Closing remarks!

Sreenath can be reached at https://www.instagram.com/sreenathl/

Some Links Below:

Working Athlete Community on FB.

Link to Anchor Voice messages

About the Podcast

The working athlete podcast is a podcast with and for working athletes from all walks of life and various sports. The goal is to provide inspiration, training tips, mental hacks, time management and life-style advice through conversations with some of the best in sport, from athletes to coaches. If you think you can benefit from this, please consider subscribing so that you don't miss the weekly episodes in future.

If you like this, share with friends who could be interested.

For the visually inclined, a video version of the podcast can be found here: YouTube

Other Places you'll find the podcast on:

Anchor | RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google podcasts | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | Breaker

Nilay Dalal is a financial investor by profession and is a runner and a triathlete by passion. Nilay has been in the sport for more than 10 years and shares his passion with those around him.      In this episode we talk about Nilay's triathlon journey and how he balances work, family and his passion for sport. He was very candid in sharing his rookie mistakes like spending nearly 20mins taking a shower during transition after the swim leg in his maiden triathlon as well as some of his learnings over the years on his way to becoming one of the faster triathletes in the country.   This was a fun conversation that we recorded when we met in Goa for Goa Ironman 70.3 event. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Sameer Nadkarni is an architect by profession and is the architect of one of the most vibrant of cycling communities in Goa and most probably all of India called XAXTI Riders.

Over the last 5 years he has been instrumental in building and growing XAXTI Riders community. The XAXTI rides he organizes like XAXTI 100 and XAXTI 200 etc see 100s of riders from around the country enjoy the pristine beauty of Goan country roads.

In this episode we talk about how Sameer's endurance journey started and talk extensively about what went into building XAXTI Riders and the DNA of XAXTI Community. I think it is important to build clubs and communities like this all around the country for the growth of cycling as a healthy leisure activity as well as as a sport. I think Sameer and XAXTI provide us a template of sorts towards the same.

0:00:00 Intro

0:03:00 Start of Sameer's cycling and genesis of XAXTI Riders

0:06:25 Spectrum Racing at XAXTI100

0:08:45 On evolution of XAXTI100, XAXTI200, GoGirlsGo 100 etc

0:14:25 What goes into planning and execution of XAXTI events

0:22:30 Progression of XAXTI riders and XAXTI Rides

0:25:50 Bringing a sense of belonging to XAXTI Family, daily rides, support for riders

0:33:40 Encouraging young talent through XAXTI Racing team

0:39:40 Plans ahead for XAXTI racing team

0:42:05 Closing remarks!

Some Links Below:

Working Athlete Community on FB.

Link to Anchor Voice messages

About the Podcast

The working athlete podcast is a podcast with and for working athletes from all walks of life and various sports. The goal is to provide inspiration, training tips, mental hacks, time management and life-style advice through conversations with some of the best in sport, from athletes to coaches. If you think you can benefit from this, please consider subscribing so that you don't miss the weekly episodes in future.

If you like this, share with friends who could be interested.

For the visually inclined, a video version of the podcast can be found here: YouTube

Other Places you'll find the podcast on:

Anchor | RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google podcasts | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | Breaker

TimTim Sharma is a runner, cyclist, triathlete, a fitness trainer and a Yoga teacher. She has been in the endurance sports for the last 10 years and has had many podium finishes and wins in both running and cycling including Mumbai marathon, Bengaluru Marathon and many others.

Her running journey started when a few friends challenged her that she can not run 10km without stopping and signed her up for a race. She not only finished the run nonstop but also won the race. In this episode we talked about her meteoric raise in running, her sudden fall due to a debilitating injury that lingered for years, her eventual comeback to running and podiums, her foray into cycling and more recently her experience at the National Games at Triathlon.

It was a really enjoyable conversation with her honesty and enthusiasm shining through. I really hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

0:00:00 Intro

0:04:10 Early start in equestrian sports!

0:07:30 Weightloss journey and cycling commute

0:16:30 Taking up a run challenge and signing up for a running race, winning the races

0:24:15 Kaveri Trail Marathon experience and starting to train

0:30:15 Winning SCMM(Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon) and going to Germany for training, getting injured

0:38:50 Dealing with injury and starting Proton Sports

0:45:10 Getting back to cycling and doing brevets, completing an SR

1:04:40 Investing in learning and fitness certifications including mountaineering courses

1:12:38 Getting back to running and winning ways

1:29:50 First Ultra race and finishing on podium(2nd)

1:34:50 Triathlon training toward Goa 70.3 and triathlon Nationals

1:55:05 Closing remarks!

Some Links Below:

Working Athlete Community on FB.

Link to Anchor Voice messages

About the Podcast

The working athlete podcast is a podcast with and for working athletes from all walks of life and various sports. The goal is to provide inspiration, training tips, mental hacks, time management and life-style advice through conversations with some of the best in sport, from athletes to coaches. If you think you can benefit from this, please consider subscribing so that you don't miss the weekly episodes in future.

If you like this, share with friends who could be interested.

For the visually inclined, a video version of the podcast can be found here: YouTube

Other Places you'll find the podcast on:

Anchor | RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google podcasts | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | Breaker

Nihal Baig is an IIT Bombay alumni working in Pune. He is a runner, a triathlete and a coach who won this years Ironman Goa 70.3 race with a timing of 4hrs 29mins. This was more than 13mins better than previous winning time at the race and about 17mins better than his time at the race in 2019 where he finished second overall.

I was fortunate to witness the race firsthand and I was blown away from the performance of nearly 1200 athletes enduring the tough weather and course conditions.

In this episode I sat down with Nihal the day after the race and talked about his preparation leading up to the race and the race day experience itself. It was surprising to learn that his preparation was anything but ideal, but he still managed to set a personal best time for himself for the distance as well for the event.

The takeaway for me from this conversation is that if you continue to stay in the sport even through your bad days, you give yourself a chance to find your mojo again and give yourself a chance to do well.

0:00:00 Intro

0:04:25 His prep! Berlin marathon and the decision to skip it

0:06:30 What were the signs that told he was close to burnout

0:13:10 Staying in the game with swimming and cycling

0:22:00 His swim prep and the race

0:30:00 Taking the confidence from the swim on to the bike leg

0:34:45 The calculations going into the run leg

0:41:55 His coaching initiative, The Whole Athletes

0:43:05 Closing remarks!

Link to Nihal's first visit on the podcast: (Episode 25):  #25 Not Just a Marathoner! A Working Athlete and A Winner in Marathons and Triathlons - Nihal Baig! - YouTube

Link to his coaching site: https://thewholeathletes.com/

Some Links Below:

Working Athlete Community on FB.

Link to Anchor Voice messages

About the Podcast

The working athlete podcast is a podcast with and for working athletes from all walks of life and various sports. The goal is to provide inspiration, training tips, mental hacks, time management and life-style advice through conversations with some of the best in sport, from athletes to coaches. If you think you can benefit from this, please consider subscribing so that you don't miss the weekly episodes in future.

If you like this, share with friends who could be interested.

For the visually inclined, a video version of the podcast can be found here: YouTube

Other Places you'll find the podcast on:

Anchor | RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google podcasts | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | Breaker

Vignesh Rao is a cyclist and a charted accounting consultant. Vignesh lost his right arm from below the elbow due to a bus accident as a 2 and half year old. He says that he is lucky that it happened so early in his life because it allowed him enough time to adapt to a life with a single arm. His parents never allowed him to feel sorry for himself and taught him to be independent and self-reliant.

In this episode we talk about his endurance and weight loss journey of going from 110kgs to 70kgs over the years. He shared what worked form him for weight loss and what did not work. We talked about how he adapted to cycling and braking with a single hand and the safety precautions he takes. My takeaway from this conversation was how having a right attitude can help you get over any physical disabilities and live an active life.

I really enjoyed this conversation. I hope you do too.

0:00:00  Intro

0:02:55  Work as a CA consultant

0:04:20  His relationship with sport growing up, walking and then picking up cycling

0:08:50  Talking about his accident and prosthetic arm

0:14:00  Modifying his bike to adapt to riding with one arm, riding solo for 6 months before joining group rides

0:19:15  His weight loss journey, what worked for him, starting slowly, staying consistent, keeping it sustainable and is strength training enough

0:36:00  Diet, can you out exercise a bad diet?

0:38:55  Progression in cycling, vlogging his rides, enjoying the process, his riding group

0:47:50  The precautions he takes to ride safely with one arm, moving on to a road bike, modifying brake and shifter positions for riding safely

1:03:45  Managing time for work and cycling

1:08:05  His safety suggestions; be confident, don't panic; practice.

1:15:30  Closing remarks!

His YouTube Channel: Odyssey of a seeker

Some Links Below:

Working Athlete Community on FB.

Link to Anchor Voice messages

About the Podcast

The working athlete podcast is a podcast with and for working athletes from all walks of life and various sports. The goal is to provide inspiration, training tips, mental hacks, time management and life-style advice through conversations with some of the best in sport, from athletes to coaches. If you think you can benefit from this, please consider subscribing so that you don't miss the weekly episodes in future.

If you like this, share with friends who could be interested.

For the visually inclined, a video version of the podcast can be found here: YouTube

Other Places you'll find the podcast on:

Anchor | RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google podcasts | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | Breaker

Kieren D'Souza is one of the best ultra runners from India. It is difficult to put a tag like Ultra runner on him. He is much more than that. He finished 2nd in his category UTMB CCC in 2015, he is the first Indian to complete the 246km Spartathon in 2016, he finished 7th in Eiger Ultra and set course record at LA Ultra the High a 111km race in Leh Ladakh in the Himalayas. He is the first Indian to finish in top 100 at the Trail running World Championships where he finished 98th overall in his second appearance at the event in 2018.

More recently he has been making his own races by setting FKTs or Fastest Known Times with speed ascents of many peaks in the Himalayas. In 2020 he set a speed ascent record of 5287m Friendship peak in 11hours 45m 50 secs, 6000m Deo Tibba in 19 hrs 38mins, Tripple Trouble course of 126km in 18hrs 58mins. He then went on to finish summit 10 peaks all of which were over 6000m in 26 days. We will probably need a separate episode to just list out all of accomplishments. But, he is someone who doesn't like to talk about his past accomplishments but wants to focus on contributing to the future of sport in India.

We recorded this when he was in Bangalore for a few days just before he was to fly off to take part in 2022 Trail running world championships in Thailand. I'm glad we could make it happen. I hope you really enjoy this conversation.

0:00:00 Intro

0:05:00 His relationship with sport growing up!

0:07:10 His start in running

0:10:00 Jumping from half marathon to a 100k

0:15:15 Giving up work and focusing on running full-time. Frugal living, passion for the outdoors

0:23:30 Ultra races in Europe in 2015-2016, Spartathon experience, the last part is never physical, getting to the pain cave

0:31:40 Mountain climbing, speed ascents of Friendship peak, Deo Tibba, Triple trouble course etc

0:40:00 Climbing 10 peaks all over 6000m in 26 days, the planning and logistics of the project

0:48:30 Next goals and projects

0:53:05 Representing India at Trail Running World Championships, what does preparation for it looks like,

0:59:00 His typical training cycle and nutrition in training, racing and speed ascents etc

1:07:50 Closing remarks!

Some Links Below:

Working Athlete Community on FB.

Link to Anchor Voice messages

About the Podcast

The working athlete podcast is a podcast with and for working athletes from all walks of life and various sports. The goal is to provide inspiration, training tips, mental hacks, time management and life-style advice through conversations with some of the best in sport, from athletes to coaches. If you think you can benefit from this, please consider subscribing so that you don't miss the weekly episodes in future.

If you like this, share with friends who could be interested.

For the visually inclined, a video version of the podcast can be found here: YouTube

Other Places you'll find the podcast on:

Anchor | RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google podcasts | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | Breaker