That Triathlon Life Podcast
Pro Triathletes Eric Lagerstrom, and Paula Findlay, team up with their friend and amateur triathlete Nick Goldston to hang out and answer questions about triathlon. https://www.thattriathlonlife.com
TTL Mad Libs, alcohol before Kona, cooling tips for extreme heat, and more!
We're recording at 7:15pm and going to bed at 7:30, which means we are bending time and space to record this. First up: TTL Mad Libs, a new segment submitted by Mike the Botox guy, in which we fill in a Kona race guide and somehow end up with Pierce Brosnan at the finish line. Then we get through a full question bag before someone's bedtime.
This week we discussed:
Kona apparel update: almost everything sold out; what's still available at the Castelli booth on race day and why you can't say "Kona" inside the expoYour proudest...Paula Findlay's Ironman 70.3 Worlds Nice debrief, Race Ranger chaos on the Col de Vance, and more!
Paula and Eric are home from Nice, jet lagged, and ready to talk about it. Paula raced 70.3 World Championships on a course that demands technical descending skills built over years on European roads, and still finished top ten. The swim packs that split apart, arriving at the Col de Vance already fatigued, the Race Ranger rules that disrupted everyone's rhythm on the climb, a drafting incident that was caught live on the broadcast, fueling on a demanding course, and then on to questions.
This week we discussed:
Paula's 70.3 Worlds Nice full debrief: swim tactics, the Col...Reporting live from Nice, France at Ironman 70.3 World Championships: should full Ironmans have qualification requirements, how to deal with aggressive drivers, and more!
Nick and Eric are recording live from Nice, France ahead of 70.3 World Championships. Fresh off an open water swim in the Med, about to head out for a ride, the boys talk triathlon while Paula is in race week mode and sitting this one out.
This week we discussed:
Live from Nice: what it's been like being here for 70.3 Worlds, and how the experience compares to KonaIronman events selling out in under twelve minutes, should there be a qualification requirement before signing up for a full or half distance race?A triathlete was bitten by an...Should there be an age group finish tape at pro races, triathlon training euphoria, and more!
Nick is recording from his neighbor's WiFi, Eric's in the van, Paula is doing her own audio engineering, but the gang got it together anyway! We kick things off with an airline Rapid Fire before getting into a full question bag that covers racing, going pro, travel logistics, and a Chattanooga guide for a UK family about to combine 70.3 Worlds with Disney World.
This week we discussed:
Airline rapid fire: favorite snack, drink, seat, airline, and Paula's method for dealing with an overweight bag at the counterShould there be a separate finish line tape for the...Eric and Paula's Kona recon trip, turning down UCI Worlds for Kona, is Nice scarier than Marbella, and more!
Paula and Eric are back from five days in Kona. Riding the Queen K in both calm and full-crosswind conditions, running the Energy Lab, and getting the lay of the land before race week. Eric also cracked a rim on post-hurricane debris in the shoulder. Meanwhile, Paula made the Canadian national team for UCI Time Trial Worlds in Montreal and had to turn it down. After some Bike Tech with Eric about traveling with pedals, we get into both before moving to questions.
This week we discussed:
Paula and Eric's Kona recon trip: Queen K conditions...Paula's surprise T100 Vancouver race recap, Eric sheds light on what it's like to watch your partner race, Swimrun gear on a budget, and more!
Nobody knew Paula was racing, not her inner circle, barely even Paula herself until she was already on the plane to Vancouver. Three weeks out from Kona, she lined up at T100 Vancouver against an elite international field with zero expectations and finished fourth. We get the full race recap: the ocean current swim, the Race Ranger chaos on the bike that had Eric firing off texts from the couch, why riding to the front was the only move that made sense, and what it felt like to run a controlled 3:45/km pace and feel totally fine doing it...
Should you keep pedaling or tuck on a descent, getting comfortable in aero, draft-legal racing for beginners, and more!
It's a warm, smoky evening in Bend, the kind where you drive to Sisters for training and now you're recording a podcast instead of sleeping. We kept it deliberate and efficient this week, which means we absolutely went off on mattresses, California Chicken Cafe, and ice cream. In between, a great bag of questions.
This week we discussed:
1x vs. 2x drivetrains: the actual advantages of each and why most people should just stick with a two byWhen to stop pedaling and tuck on a descentDraft-legal racing for a first-timer: how the pace works at the...Triathlon nightmares, going 100% in a race vs. racing smart, the most polished pros on the circuit, and more!
We're loopy, and apparently incapable of saying basic words out loud, which means it's a great episode. We kick things off with a new This or That segment that goes off the rails almost immediately, then get into ten listener questions that end up going somewhere unexpected. Big week energy after the last two, different energy this week. This week we discussed:
This or That: firm surface with cushy shoe vs. cushy surface with firm shoe, foggy goggles vs. foggy conditions, and a third option Nick almost said on a family podcastDo pros ever truly go 100%? The difference...How much to ride in aero for triathlon training, the post ironman blues, and more!
Things are back to normal in Bend and Los Angeles. Paula's quads have finally recovered, training is back on, and we've got a full question bag to get through. We open with a food theme Rapid Fire, check in on what post-race blues actually feel like after something as big as Lake Placid, and get into the philosophy of fear in sport: before races, before hard sessions, and why accepting the thing you're scared of is usually what makes it less scary. Then your questions.
This week we discussed:
Food rapid fire: favorite ice cream, juice...Paula Findlay wins Ironman Lake Placid on her full triathlon distance debut — full race recap
Paula Findlay wins Ironman Lake Placid on her very first full distance triathlon attempt. Setting the bike course record, ringing the first-timer's bell, and crossing the tape after one of the most composed performances of the year. Nick and Eric were both on course for the day, and this week all three of us sit down to relive every moment: the cold non-wetsuit swim chasing Chelsea Sodaro, the wind-whipped bike ride where Paula refused to let the gusts derail nine months of preparation, the broken flask on the run, running a 1:24 half marathon split before her quads staged a...
Pre-race in Lake Placid: Paula's first Ironman, the real jump from 70.3 to full distance, TT bike buying guide
We're recording in person in Lake Placid, two days before Paula toes the line at her first-ever Ironman. She's feeling good, she's excited, and she's ready. We get into all of it before diving into your questions. It's a full bag this week, from the science of optimal racing temperatures to the very real question of how big the jump from 70.3 to full distance actually is, timed perfectly with Paula about to find out for herself.
This week we discussed:
Paula's first Ironman Lake Placid preview: how she's feeling, what's got her excited, and what it's...Elise Lagerstrom wins the Gobi March outright, Sam Laidlow's swim tactics at Roth, and motivation in triathlon, and more!
Elise Lagerstrom — Eric's sister and two-time desert ultra champion — joins us to recount winning the Gobi March outright, becoming the first woman in the race's 20-year history to beat all men across a 250-kilometer, seven-day self-supported ultra through central Mongolia. We cover everything: the emergency electrolyte crisis at mile 12, how she managed a 52-minute buffer over second place through the legendary 80-kilometer Stage 4 long march, what carrying a 25-pound pack for 155 miles has to do with running ability, and why this kind of racing is so much more tactical than it looks. Then Paula emerges from a rough morning to j...
Is your triathlon bike fitter gaslighting you, imposter syndrome, and more!
This week we have a shorter episode getting straight to questions. Nick podiums third overall at San Diego International Triathlon, feeling breathless the whole time. We get into it. Then we launch the official TTL Eddington Number Challenge (with a gift card prize), debut the Lake Placid limited edition merch, and answer your questions.
This week we discussed:
Nick's San Diego International Triathlon recap: third overall, why being too fresh can still leave you breathless, and why it felt harder than the numbers showedThe official TTL Eddington Number Challenge: submit your cycling Eddington number in miles...Ari Klau calls in live after his first 70.3 win, the Eddington number explained, keeping bottles cold at races, and more!
Paula is racing the Canadian National Time Trial Championships, so it's a bro pod, especially when Ari Klau calls in live from O'Hare Airport after his first-ever 70.3 win at Mont-Tremblant to finally explain the shoe phone celebration that baffled the entire internet. We also break down a deceptively addictive cycling metric, answer your bike tech questions, and get into open water swimming in rough conditions.
This week we discussed:
Paula races Canadian National Time Trial Championships, night-before logistics, bad roads, 23 mph winds, and going off 4th Martin Van Riel is 6-for-6 in 70.3s, the case for s...Paula wins the 70.3 North American Championship, gravel vs. road bikes, Ironman race swag, and more!
Paula wins the 70.3 North American Championship in Happy Valley, Pennsylvania. Her fourth North American title. We do a full race recap covering Paula's pre-race warmup adjustments, the bike leg where she went full throttle up a climb, fueling breakthroughs, timing chip chafe as a legitimate race threat, and shoutout to Lindee Kent for delivering the best aid station splits anyone has ever heard. Then we get into your questions.
This week we discussed:
Paula's 70.3 North American Championship race recap: swim warmup changes, crushing the bike climb, and why fueling more actually workedIs Happy Valley the best...Nick's Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon Race Recap, chasing validation vs. personal excellence, and more!
This week Nick races the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon for the first time. We do a full race recap, answer Instagram questions from listeners who followed along, and discuss whether the steep price tag is actually worth it. Eventually we also got to our classic listener submitted questions.
This week we discussed:
Nick's Escape from Alcatraz race recap: the jump off the ferry, 57° Bay swim, iconic bike course, and sand ladderInstagram Q&A: thermal cap vs. booties, TT bike vs. road bike, and what crime would have landed you in AlcatrazIs the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon w...Unbound XL, renting a triathlon bike, open water panic attacks, and more!
This week we kicked things off with Eric's experience crewing for Heather Jackson at Unbound XL, 350 miles of gravel, mud, and racing through the night. Josh Amberger also made a stunning gravel debut with a fourth-place finish, and we had some thoughts on that. Then we went through listener questions. We also talked the Escape from Alcatraz donut run, compression shorts, and the best perks of being a pro athlete (or pro athlete adjacent). This week we discussed:
Eric supporting Heather Jackson at Unbound XL and Josh Amberger's surprise fourth-place finishWhat it's like when podcast listeners know more...Full Ironman fears, 32 inch wheels, triathlon heat training, and more!
This week we almost didn’t manage to record a podcast between travel, family visits, birthday celebrations, and Eric leaving at 5 a.m. to film Heather Jackson at Unbound XL, but skipping wasn’t an option. So instead, we went full rapid-fire mode and packed in as many listener-submitted questions as possible. We also talked fast helmets, Escape From Alcatraz, questionable podcast comments, and the latest TTL merch drop. This week we discussed:
Aero vs ventilation for Xterra helmetsBalancing triathlon obsession with actually being present in life32 inch wheelsRevisiting old races vs constantly chasing new challengesReturning to fitness afte...Paula races IM 70.3 Chattanooga, developing triathlon mental toughness, and more!
This week we hear all about Paula’s experience racing through the highs and lows of IRONMAN 70.3 Chattanooga, but not before hearing Nick’s trail running adventures in Maui, Hawaii, and getting an update from last week’s mysterious Mr. Smith. When we finally got to listener questions, we discussed:
Washing your sweaty cycling helmetRiding with someone who’s always pushing the paceMaking parts of training intentionally harder to build mental toughnessA big thank you to our podcast supporters who keep the podcast alive! To submit a question for the podcast and to become a podcast supporte...
Sherpa-ing a pro triathlete, ERG mode vs. free ride mode, and more!
This week we’re gearing up for Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga as Paula Findlay prepares to race this weekend. She also brought us a challenging Swim Sets With Paula before we dove into listener questions.
This week we covered:
Sherpa-ing Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga for a pro triathleteTraining alone vs. training with friendsAdjusting swim sets from short course to long courseForbidden love between triathlon club membersHow strictly athletes should follow coach-made plansSunscreen during racesERG mode vs. free ride mode on the trainerKeeping young triathletes excited about the sportIs there a perfect gravel tire?When 70.3 training starts to feel like too mu...Tire size for cycling vs triathlon, bilateral breathing for triathletes, and more!
This week we tackle some of the best listener questions we’ve gotten lately, including:
How to eat before an early morning sessionWhy swimming creates such strong friendshipsTire size for triathlon vs cyclingWhat events like Whiskey Tango Fondo are actually likeWhen to replace cassettes, chainrings, pedals, cleats, and moreBilateral breathing in swimmingHow sponsorships actually work for pro athletesDealing with neck pain in triathlonFinding balance between marriage and triathlon trainingA big thank you to our podcast supporters who keep the podcast alive! To submit a question for the podcast and to become a podcast supporter, head over to...
Is Strava Toxic? Upgrade components or entire bike? Workout hype song
This week we got sidetracked with 2-hour marathons, trail running, photography, and more before finally diving into some Bike Tech with Eric and answering your listener questions.
On this episode:
What it takes to switch from mechanical to electronic shiftingDoes equipment quality actually matter for training?How to find the right triathlon coachCan paddles hurt your swimming?Building a healthy relationship with StravaSolving leaky gogglesChoosing the right shoes for the Bachelor Ascent 50kWhat to do when air quality gets badOur hype songs for a first marathonA big thank you to our podcast supporters who...
Triathlon swim sighting technique, Age-group drafting, and more!
This week, Eric and Paula talk about balancing training as professional athletes while taking care of three dogs at home. They discuss:
Fads they’re avoidingBlisters: socks vs. shoesSafety in USA Triathlon racesHow to stay cool during a hot raceRelationships between two elite triathletesAge-group draftingSighting techniques for front-of-the-pack swimmersHow long to wait for a no-show date at a run clubWireless shifters on a vintage frameA big thank you to our podcast supporters who keep the podcast alive! To submit a question for the podcast and to become a podcast supporter, head over to ThatTriathlonLife.com/podcast
TT position adjustments for triathlon racing, Strava vs joy, and more!
This week the crew is 1/3rd Cajun as Nick is recording from New Orleans. We started with some Bike Tech With Eric, chatted about Paris-Roubaix, and then moved onto listener submitted questions.
A big thank you to our podcast supporters who keep the podcast alive! To submit a question for the podcast and to become a podcast supporter, head over to ThatTriathlonLife.com/podcast
Is shaving weight off a triathlon bike really worth it, and more!
This week Eric and Paula toughed it out and battled through sickness to make sure we got an episode out in time. We kicked things off with a Swim Sets with Paula, briefly covered the Tour of Flanders, and then moved on to listener-submitted questions. This week we discussed:
Shaving weight off the bike, only to add four 1-liter bottles in a raceOur imaginary dream triathlon productWhen the juice is, or isn’t, worth the squeeze in triathlon racingHow Eric attaches SRAM blips to his barsHow to act and react when other runners look great on courseCan breathwork re...IM 70.3 Oceanside recap, when to train on your TT bike, and more!
This week we dove into our experiences at IRONMAN 70.3 Oceanside, an epic race that always brings intensity and attention. We then moved on to listener-submitted triathlon questions. This week we discussed:
When to train if you're sickChoosing the right chainring for a strong cyclistHow much to train on a TT bike vs a road bike for triathlon vs road racingHow long cycling bibs lastCycling cadence and how to find the sweet spotHow to perform your best in same-day, back-to-back triathlonsA big thank you to our podcast supporters who keep the podcast alive! To submit a question...
IM 70.3 Oceanside race conditions, the Taco Bell 50km, and more!
Just the boys this week as Paula rests up to be at her best for IRONMAN 70.3 Oceanside this Saturday. Eric and Nick riff through a stack of listener questions in a semi–rapid-fire episode, covering everything from van life and bike tech to wetsuits, motivation, the Taco Bell 50K, and more.
A big thank you to our podcast supporters who keep the podcast alive! To submit a question for the podcast and to become a podcast supporter, head over to ThatTriathlonLife.com/podcast
Triathlon training habits pros wish they had adopted earlier, upgrading your TT bike, and more!
This week we settled right into our usual selves, Eric caught us up on what he's been up to post-op, then we whipped out our brand new white boards and used them for a newer segment called Ranks Revealed, where we ranked our favorite sweet treats 1-10, before talking about some racing, and finally getting to listener submitted questions. This week we discussed:
Learning how to truly push your limits without holding back in training and racingHow to structure training when using trails and mountain biking without reliable pace or powerOne training habit we wish we had adopted e...Botox in triathlon, racing injured, and choosing the right time to race a full ironman
This week we kick things off with some running, cycling, and triathlon news from the LA Marathon, Strade Bianche, and Ironman New Zealand before doing our best to answer as many listener questions as possible. Halfway through we try out a new segment: The Newlyshreds. Let us know in the comments if you’re into it! Our questions this week brought us to discussing:
Racing the Ironman 70.3 World Championships while injuredOptimizing and clarifying how to qualify for WorldsWhat race shoes to wear when running loops on clay or dirtHow much time to wait after a 70.3 before racing a fu...Triathlon training recovery tools, increasing swimming stamina, and more!
This week we kick things off with updates on Eric’s hip labrum surgery, then put him through a hip anatomy themed TTL Spelling Bee before diving into your listener-submitted questions. This week we discussed:
Building swimming stamina from sprint to Olympic distance racingOur favorite strength and recovery toolsTraveling internationally for a race: bike box or rental?Taking a leap of faithWhat shoes to race in on a golf course runRacing socksUsing a run background to make you a stronger cyclistA big thank you to our podcast supporters who keep the podcast alive! To submit a qu...
Moments before Eric heads into hip labral repair surgery
This week Eric tells us all about his hip labral repair surgery, recorded the very morning he heads into the operating room. He’s been dealing with this chronic injury throughout his triathlon career for nearly a decade and is finally getting it fixed. In addition to talking through the surgery, we also dove into some broader triathlon questions. This week we discussed:
The consequences of crashing on the bikeNavigating the pressure of body image in sportHow to use your arms while runningStrava streaksA big thank you to our podcast supporters who keep the podcast alive! To...
Triathlon training in Tucson AZ, elite age group racing, and more!
This week Eric and Paula are recording from Tucson, Arizona. Escaping the Oregon winter, we started with some TTL updates, and a listener submitted This or That: Winter Olympics edition, before moving on to questions. This week we discussed:
Triathlon vs home life balancepre-race breakfast mealDoping and cheating in age group racingUsing only one fin to swimAdding an olympic eventIs spitting gross?How much faster are jammers than regular shortsTTL Camp logisticsA big thank you to our podcast supporters who keep the podcast alive! To submit a question for the podcast and to become a podcast...
*Live* podcast in Las Vegas from That Triathlon Life Base Camp!
This week we had a blast recording the podcast in front of a live audience of TTL campers in Lake Las Vegas. We opened it up to the crowd, letting them ask questions and steer the conversation wherever they wanted to take it.
A big thank you to our podcast supporters who keep the podcast alive! To submit a question for the podcast and to become a podcast supporter, head over to ThatTriathlonLife.com/podcast
Swimming long course meters for triathletes, exploding carbon wheels, and more!
This week we’re all together just outside of Las Vegas for the very first TTL Base Camp. We recorded the episode on handheld mics, so please forgive the sound quality, but we covered all kinds of topics as we rapid-fired through a stack of listener-submitted questions. Next week’s podcast will be recorded live with the Base Camp athletes, so be sure to tune in!
A big thank you to our podcast supporters who keep the podcast alive! To submit a question for the podcast and to become a podcast supporter, head over to T...
Ironman 20 meter draft zone rule change, TT bike position changes, and more!
This week we kick things off with a discussion about IRONMAN’s new 20-meter draft zone rule change and how it could impact racing. From there, we jump into a listener-submitted Shred or Bed before getting to your questions. This week we discussed:
How fast can the average Joe really get?Are higher hands worth it on a TT bike?How we think we’d do on a game showJust how laid back is XTERRA?How important body weight is to fitness and performanceTubeless tire air loss and the risk of unseating a beadEspresso machine recommendationsWhat to bring bike...Triathlon training blocks, fitting B races into your season, and more!
This week we are once again all together in Bend, OR to record the podcast in person! We started by catching up on events since the 200th episode, Paula hit us with some Rapid Fire, and then we got into listener submitted questions!
A big thank you to our podcast supporters who keep the podcast alive! To submit a question for the podcast and to become a podcast supporter, head over to ThatTriathlonLife.com/podcast
Episode 200! Celebrating and taking live calls from listeners
Make sure you watch this episode on YouTube!
This week we’re all together in Bend, Oregon recording our 200th podcast episode. For this milestone, we set up the cameras and did something a little different, calling podcast listeners live and letting them ask their most pressing triathlon questions.
More than anything, this episode is a thank you. Thank you for sticking with us over the years, saying hi at races, sending in questions, and sharing the stoke that keeps this podcast going. We’re incredibly grateful for this community and excited to keep building it t...
2026 Triathlon goals, snacks, dry land swim exercises, and more!
This week the band is back together in Bend, Oregon recording episode 199. We kicked things off with some holiday recaps, talked through a few 2026 goals, played a New Year–themed Shred or Bed, and then dove into listener-submitted questions. This week we discussed:
Snacks and breakfast ideas for triathletesHow Eric, Paula, and Nick became friendsIntentionally training in triathlon race orderKeeping the excitement alive and not normalizing or downplaying our accomplishmentsThe best dry-land exercises for athletes who don’t have access to a poolHow to nurture a love for triathlon in young childrenA big thank you to our...
Racing the T100 Final, Pro Camaraderie, and Performance Debates
This week we hear from Paula about her experience racing the Qatar T100 Triathlon World Championship Final, along with a reflection on the T100 series as a whole. We then jump into a round of Good Gift / Bad Gift before getting to listener-submitted questions. This week we discussed:
Camaraderie among professional athletesWhen and why to use rollersCareer-defining moments in triathlon Supplements for endurance athletesIce baths and saunas for performance and recoveryEarly thoughts on 2026 swimrun plans for Eric, Paula, and NickA big thank you to our podcast supporters who keep the podcast alive! To submit a question f...
Running shoe rotations, TTL Devo athlete Lydia Russell, and more!
This week Paula is in Qatar, so Eric and Nick held down the fort until TTL Development Team athlete Lydia Russell joined for some fun. We started by talking about Alex Yee's incredible marathon in Valencia, outlined an exciting TTL training camp for early next year, and then got into questions. This week we covered:
• Our running shoe rotation
• What to do when your snorkel starts taking on water
• Gravel tire options for snowy conditions
• Racing 70.3s while training for a full Ironman
• How to get past a swimming plateau
• The correct number of ca...
