An unfortunate reality of being human is that so much of the way we think, the emotions we feel, the behaviors we engage in, and the manner in which we interact with others is governed by unconscious forces of which we have little awareness or control: Primitive instincts (e.g., fight-or-flight), Emotional baggage (e.g., low self-esteem, [...]
Following the World Championships in late September, which concluded my 2023 triathlon campaign, I gave my coach, Dr. Greg Rhodes, a break and only did workouts that I enjoyed for about six weeks. The highlight of that “down” period was my epic (at least by my standards) Sunday rides on my road bike on the [...]
The 2023-24 alpine race season is now underway. From St. Moritz to Copper to Edouard to many other race venues in between and beyond, it’s “go time” for racers from juniors up to the World Cup. So, now is the time to shift from training mode to race mode. This transition requires several important changes [...]
Over the last few weeks, I’ve noticed quite a bit of concern expressed in the ski racing community about whether Mikaela Shiffrin, the G.O.A.T. of alpine ski racing, still “has it.” She was beaten in two of the first four World Cup events this year (including an uncharacteristic 6th in the opening GS in Soelden [...]
I was recently invited by Brenton Ford for a return visit (see my previous four previous visits here) to the Effortless Swimming podcast on YouTube. If you're not familiar with Brenton, he is a rock star in the swimming world with a following of almost 300,000. His instructional videos break down swim technique so that [...]
One of the first questions that I ask racers and coaches I work with is: Should you race like you train or train like you race? By far, the most frequent response is: You should race like you train. This answer seems perfectly reasonable if you think about it. When you train, you’re relaxed, feel [...]
Note: I’m pleased to co-author this article with my exceptional coach, Dr. Greg Rhodes. Greg is Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology and an accomplished age-group endurance athlete in his own right. How you perform next season depends on what you do between now and then. The fitness gains you make and the technical, tactical, and mental [...]
I have seen an interesting pattern emerge over the last few years with the young (meaning typically under 25 years old) clients with whom I work. On the plus side, all are thoughtful, deep, well-liked, and nice people. They are accomplished students, athletes, and performing artists. These young people are driven by generally healthy values [...]
My 2023 triathlon season is now officially over. After the World Championships in Spain in late September, I had several races on my schedule leading to the end of this year, but I just wasn’t feeling them. So I decided to relax for a month or so (that doesn’t mean not training!) and just do [...]
What two things do these triathletes have in common: Lucy Charles-Barkley, Jan Frodeno, Kat Mathews, Taylor Knibb, Sam Laidlow, Ruth Astle, and, well, Jim Taylor (athletic giftedness is not one of them for the last guy on the list!)? They all have sustained serious injuries that kept them away from our sport for an extended [...]
