Race Like You Train or Train Like You Race?
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 […]
Read More
I Practice What I Preach: Preparing for the 2024 Triathlon Season
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 […]
Read More
I Practice What I Preach: Reflections on the 2023 Triathlon Season…And Getting Ready for 2024
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 […]
Read More
8 Reasons Why an Injury Can Make You a Better Triathlete (and Person)
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 […]
Read More
Dr. Jim Taylor on The Daily Tri Podcast with Travis Mundell
It was both an honor and a pleasure to have been invited by Travis Mundell to appear on his The Daily Tri podcast. Travis and The Daily Tri have quickly become a “must-watch” YouTube channel. In this episode we talk about, not surprisingly, the psychology of triathlon, what it takes to be a professional triathlete, […]
Read MoreDoes Tech Use Hurts Ski Racers?
I have a lot of pet peeves when it comes to ski racers when they’re training including leaning on their poles shortly before a training run (no intensity), chatting it up with teammates when they’re in the starting gate of a training course (no focus), and half-hearted effort to the first gate (easing into the […]
Read More
I Practice What I Preach: World Triathlon Championships-I Struck…
Unfortunately, no, I didn’t strike gold at the World Super-sprint and Standard-distance Triathlon Championships, held in Pontevedra, Spain, last week, but I did collect another precious medal. But first, some back story. These races were my fourth “A” series of triathlons in my 2023 season that began in April. Up to these Worlds, it had […]
Read MoreThe Fall Prep Period is Key to Ski Racing Success
It’s hard to believe the summer, what I consider Phase I of the ski racing prep period, is almost over. Hopefully, the summer was devoted to building the foundation for your success next winter. In all likelihood, your efforts focused on three areas. First, you engaged in an intensive physical conditioning program. The reality of […]
Read More
I Practice What I Preach: There are No “Right” Reasons To Do Triathlons
Since early 2023, I’ve published a number of articles as part of my “I Practice What I Preach” Series in which I share lessons I’ve learned from my own triathlon racing that might benefit others. Over the last several months, four of my articles have explored how my focus on results has impacted my experience […]
Read MoreHow to Bounce Back from a Bad Triathlon Race
If you’re a committed triathlete who races a lot during the competitive season, it’s not if you’ll have a bad race, but, more likely, when you’ll have a bad race. Unsatisfactory races can happen for all kinds of objective reasons: lack of sleep, life stress, poor hydration or nutrition, a mechanical failure, poor tactics or […]
Read More