Melanie McQuaid is a triathlon coach and veteran professional triathlete. In 2023 she became the first ever 50-year-old to qualify for and race in the professional field in the Ironman World Championships in Kona. In this interview we discuss that feat and Mel's general thoughts on longevity in the sport and on maintaining performance at an older age. Then we go into a long Q&A segment, answering listener questions on a large variety of topics.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT:

-Training considerations with older age, and how to maintain and improve performance as you get older

-Testing, training zones, and training prescription

-Shift work and training

-Use of heart rate in training

-Balancing "aerobic base" training and intensity

-Are brick sessions necessary?

-VO2max intervals

...and more

SHOWNOTES:

https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts430/

SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON AND THAT TRIATHLON SHOW WEBPAGE:

www.scientifictriathlon.com/podcast/

SPONSORS:

Precision Fuel & Hydration help athletes personalise their hydration and fueling strategies for training and racing. Use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner to get personalised plan for your carbohydrate, sodium and fluid intake in your next event. That Triathlon Show listeners get 15% off their first order of fuel and electrolyte products. Simply use this link and the discount will be auto-applied at the checkout.

ZEN8 - The ZEN8 Indoor Swim Trainer allows you to improve technique, power, and swim training consistency. You can target specific aspects of your stroke, like catch and pull-through, work on core activation and body position, and make sure you stay consistent in your swim training even when you don't have time to go to the pool. Try the Zen8 risk-free for 30 days, and get 20% off your first order on zen8swimtrainer.com/tts.

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

• Mel's website, Instagram and Twitter

• Coach Melanie McQuaid | EP#374

• Training for Xterra and off-road triathlon with five-time world champion Melanie McQuaid | EP#196

• That Triathlon Show guests Olympic Podium picks for Paris 2024

RATE AND REVIEW:

If you enjoy the show, please help me out by subscribing, rating and reviewing: www.scientifictriathlon.com/rate/

CONTACT:

Want to send feedback, questions or just chat? Email me at mikael@scientifictriathlon.com or connect on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.

Bex Milnes is a triathlon coach of age-group and professional athletes with over 15 years of experience in endurance sports. She has helped multiple athletes and teams achieve Paralympic and Commonwealth medals, as well as pro and age group podiums in Ironman and Ironman 70.3 racing. In this interview we discuss the training of age-group athletes training for half and full distance triathlon.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT:

-How to train efficiently on a limited time budget

-How to maintain consistency and make good decisions

-How to combine family, work and training

-The importance of an aerobic base

-How to get your race preparation right

-How to execute on race day considering the typical dynamics of AG racing

-Comparing specific race preparation for Kona and Nice Ironman World Championships

-Considerations for perimenopausal women

-Listener questions

...and more

SHOWNOTES:

https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts429/

SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON AND THAT TRIATHLON SHOW WEBPAGE:

www.scientifictriathlon.com/podcast/

SPONSORS:

Precision Fuel & Hydration help athletes personalise their hydration and fueling strategies for training and racing. Use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner to get personalised plan for your carbohydrate, sodium and fluid intake in your next event. That Triathlon Show listeners get 15% off their first order of fuel and electrolyte products. Simply use this link and the discount will be auto-applied at the checkout.

ZEN8 - The ZEN8 Indoor Swim Trainer allows you to improve technique, power, and swim training consistency. You can target specific aspects of your stroke, like catch and pull-through, work on core activation and body position, and make sure you stay consistent in your swim training even when you don't have time to go to the pool. Try the Zen8 risk-free for 30 days, and get 20% off your first order on zen8swimtrainer.com/tts.

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

• Bex' Instagram and website

• Training talk with Bex Milnes | EP#353

• The Well HQ - Women’s health courses for coaches, teachers and trainers

RATE AND REVIEW:

If you enjoy the show, please help me out by subscribing, rating and reviewing: www.scientifictriathlon.com/rate/

CONTACT:

Want to send feedback, questions or just chat? Email me at mikael@scientifictriathlon.com or connect on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.

Tomasz (Tomek) Kowalski, is a triathlon coach and sport scientist from Poland. Tomek's coaching experience includes working with both elite and age-group triathletes, including coaching Ironman World Champions in their respective age-groups, and in his academic work his main focus is on the effect of respiratory muscle training (RMT) on endurance performance.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT:

-Tomek's coaching philosophy and methodology

-What it takes to podium or win the Ironman World Championships as an age-grouper

-Pacing and race execution

-Advice for improving your swim, bike and run training and performance, respectively

-What is Respiratory Muscle training (RMT) and is it beneficial for endurance athletes?

-Practical recommendations for implementing RMT in a triathlon training program

-Listener questions

...and more

SHOWNOTES:

https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts428/

SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON AND THAT TRIATHLON SHOW WEBPAGE:

www.scientifictriathlon.com/podcast/

SPONSORS:

Precision Fuel & Hydration help athletes personalise their hydration and fueling strategies for training and racing. Use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner to get personalised plan for your carbohydrate, sodium and fluid intake in your next event. That Triathlon Show listeners get 15% off their first order of fuel and electrolyte products. Simply use this link and the discount will be auto-applied at the checkout.

ZEN8 - The ZEN8 Indoor Swim Trainer allows you to improve technique, power, and swim training consistency. You can target specific aspects of your stroke, like catch and pull-through, work on core activation and body position, and make sure you stay consistent in your swim training even when you don't have time to go to the pool. Try the Zen8 risk-free for 30 days, and get 20% off your first order on zen8swimtrainer.com/tts.

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

• Tomak's Instagram and Research Gate

• Trinergy (Tomek's coaching business) website

• Effect of Respiratory Muscle Training on Exercise Performance in Healthy Individuals - A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis - Illi et al. 2012

• Distinguishing science from pseudoscience in commercial respiratory interventions: an evidence-based guide for health and exercise professionals - Illidi et al. 2023

RATE AND REVIEW:

If you enjoy the show, please help me out by subscribing, rating and reviewing: www.scientifictriathlon.com/rate/

CONTACT:

Want to send feedback, questions or just chat? Email me at mikael@scientifictriathlon.com or connect on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.