Unstoppable With Shangrila Rendon

Ever dreamed of doing a triathlon but felt overwhelmed, doubted your ability, or feared being the last one on the course?

In this episode, we share how Sarah broke past 20 years of hesitation, completed her first 70.3, and made a marathon comeback, stronger than ever at 50+

💬 “I didn’t want to be seen in a tri-suit or be the last one waddling, but I was tired of putting it off.” - Sarah

Sarah put off her 70.3 dream for two decades, held back by doubt and the overwhelming amount of things to learn. But once she committed to the right coaching and plan, she not only crossed the triathlon finish line but also returned to marathons injury-free, something she never thought possible!

Sarah’s Race Achievements:

💬 “This time, I wasn’t injured or sore. I could actually walk the stairs the next day!”

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

If you've ever doubted your ability to finish a triathlon or return to a sport you love, this episode is for YOU!

Most runners and triathletes think pain means “stop” or “just rest.”

But what if that’s not the real fix?

In this episode, you’ll hear how Ronnie, who juggled two jobs and struggled with chronic knee pain, made an incredible comeback. Just 3 months after feeling stuck, he finished 2 half marathons, 1 full marathon, and a 28-mile birthday run… pain-free.

This is for runners, triathletes, beginners or experienced, who feel stuck.

If you’re chasing a comeback or just want to finish strong without injury, we’ll show you what’s actually missing in your training.

You’ll learn:

- How to build mileage without breaking down

I used to kick a lot but I was just getting exhausted.

Then I was told: “Don’t kick. Save your legs.”

So I stopped kicking… and my legs still sank.

I also heard:

- “Kick like you're kicking a soccer ball”

I followed it all. Still slow and my legs continued to sink like a rock.

Next came the gear:

- “Just use a pull buoy.”

So I did. For a while, I survived & finished swims, covered the distance.

But eventually… finishing wasn’t enough.

I wanted to get faster. Stronger and be confident in the water.

And I plateaued.

That’s when I realized that my kick was holding me back.

It’s insane. A never-ending loop so many triathletes get stuck in.

If you’ve heard the same advice and still feel stuck, this episode is for you.

Wondering if it’s possible to train for a Half Ironman (70.3) with a busy schedule, minimal experience, and limited time?

In this episode, we break down how Tito, a busy dad and business owner in his 40s, went from completing a few sprint triathlons to finishing Ironman 70.3 Puerto Rico in under 6 hours in just 13 weeks.

He had:

Yet he crossed the finish line strong, injury-free and smiling. This episode walks you through exactly how he did it, using a smart, structured method designed for real-life schedules and real athletes like you.

Whether you're training for your first 70.3, feeling overwhelmed by time constraints, or stuck thinking "I'll just try to finish"... this is for YOU.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 

Listen if you’re a beginner or age-group triathlete who wants a faster 70.3 race time while avoiding common beginner mistakes.

Ambitious athletes rarely back off training, stop chasing big goals or hard things because life gets busy. 

If anything, that’s usually the hardest thing for them to do. It’s simply not in their DNA.

The problem is this: 

Their mind still believes & ambition is still there.

- “I used to be a strong runner. Even an ultra runner.”

This is where many go-getter parents get stuck.

Trying to fit triathlon into an already overloaded life by stacking more intensity onto an already stressed body.

More mileage & workouts.  More "catch-up" training. And honestly, getting the work done isn’t the problem. 

The real challenge is learning how to keep progressing without constantly breaking the body down in the process.

Because the goal isn’t to train less. The goal is to train intentionally.

Inside this episode, we’ll break down:

Using Christine's story as an example:

Back in January, running was painful.

Heel pain.

The kind of stop-start training block that makes athletes question everything.

Christine even said:

Instead of forcing harder training, we simplified and became more strategic.

Then race day came.

And she achieved this while balancing motherhood, work, travel, soccer, camping, and still learning triathlon - all within 3 months through remote coaching.

This episode isn’t just about Christine. 

Let’s be honest, you're disciplined and you're showing up.

You’ve done strength training, maybe even physical therapy.

And you’re starting to wonder...

Let’s stop using those as reasons. Because when we do that, we give up control. And when you give up control, you stop looking for the fix.

But the fix exists. And it starts with finally understanding the real cause and shifting from reactive to proactive training.

It’s a system problem. 

Get clarity, strategy, and simple wins you can use right away.

If you want free access to the Knee Fix Scorecard, type #KneeFixScorecard in the comments

“I can run. I can bike. But I can’t swim.”

In this episode, you’ll see how runners and cyclists in their 40s and 50s learned to swim in just one month, even after years of fear, delay, or past drowning experiences and finally swam in open water with confidence.

Many athletes say:

This episode shows why those beliefs don’t have to stop you.

You’ll hear real stories from athletes like:

- Ofel, who went from barely swimming 10 yards to swimming 1,000+ yards nonstop and completing her first open water swim

- Badette, who had a past drowning experience and now swims confidently in open water and actually enjoys it

They didn’t quit running.

What they had:

Whether you’re in your 40s, 50s, or beyond, you can learn to swim.

As Badette said:

And from Ofel:

Sometimes your 50s become less about slowing down and more about finally chasing the goals you kept putting off.

More adventure and challenge. New experiences. More desire to find out what you can still do.

But life also gets busier.

Work expands, kids grow up. The body starts talking more.

You still want the goal. You just don’t want to break yourself getting there.

A lot athletes in this period of life can already be swimming, cycling and running. But they still wonder:

Matt is a business owner in his late 50s and had been thinking about Ironman for decades. When he started, he faced challenges many athletes know well:

His words:

What helped wasn’t simply doing more training. It’s learning how to train in a way your body can recover, adapt, and keep improving.

In this episode we’ll talk about:

Using Matt’s story as an example:

This isn’t just about Matt. It’s for the athlete wondering:

If you’ve been running for years, this thought may sound familiar:

“I feel like there’s something more in me… I just haven’t really tried to find it yet."

You want to see what you’re capable of but at the same time, you’re cautious.

Because now, every push comes with a question mark.

This episode is not only about PRs or podiums. Most experienced athletes want that, of course. But what we’re focusing on here is something more important:

We’ll break down how to:

We’ll use Elayne's true experience to teach the principles and strategy breakdown.

If you’re fit, experienced, and know there’s still more in you but you want to stay healthy, strong, and progressing for years to come 

Learn how to run stronger for where you are now, not where you were years ago.

A friend once told me, “You’re lifting your head, sinking your legs, and yikes… you’re zigzagging in open water.

With your speed right now, you’re going to be in trouble meeting the cutoff time.”

Then he added, “Just do drills.”

That stuck with me. So I did.

When I eventually decided to get a coach, more drills showed up in my plan. Side kicking, catch drills, breathing drills.. and more.

I couldn’t really avoid the drills, so I did them.

Determined. I’ll do whatever it takes to become a better swimmer.

The truth is, at that time I had no idea why those drills were there, what problem they were supposed to solve, or even if I was doing them correctly. I just followed the plan because I was committed and willing to work hard.

But despite all that effort, my pace didn’t really change. Swimming still felt hard. I was still slow. And I definitely didn’t feel confident in the water, especially on race day. 

Fast forward, after coaching thousand of swimmers and triathletes remotely and in-person, I realized how common that experience is.

I hear the same thing over and over again:

They’re still stuck. And eventually they ask the same question I once asked:

“Are these drills even helping me… or are they making me more stuck?”

Not because they aren’t working hard. But because something important is missing from how most athletes approach drills.

And when that piece is missing, it can feel like you’re doing everything you’re supposed to do in the pool… yet progress stays frustratingly slow.

In today's episode, I’m breaking down:

If you’ve ever felt like you’re putting in the effort but still not seeing the progress you expected in the water, this will make a lot of things click.