That Triathlon Life Podcast

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 showing up only when you're ready
The Eddington number explained: the cycling and running metric you didn't know you needed (and how to figure out yours)
When to switch from road bike to TT bike in your race build, Ari and Eric weigh in
Sharing one wheel set between a TT bike and road bike: does it actually work?
How to keep your bottles cold in transition
Swimming in choppy open water: Eric's technique advice
The most minimalist race belt options, including the shoelace method and the Nerd Belt
Is the North American Championship more prestigious than a regular 70.3 for age groupers?
Do pros still fall off their bikes? Ari's trainer near-misses and the AirPod problem
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

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 worked
Is Happy Valley the best riding location of any North American 70.3?
Paula is a four-time North American champion, most wins of any pro female ever.
Front and rear hydration setups explained: torpedo bottles, bento boxes, behind-the-seat cages, and how to actually refill on course
Gravel bike vs. road bike as a do-it-all rig, especially for New Zealand chip seal roads (via a hilarious poem)
When to switch to race tires before Ironman Lake Placid
Is a swim skin worth it for a 300-meter pool swim sprint triathlon?
Pull buoy preferences and swim run buoy sizing for open water racing
What to actually do with all your Ironman finisher t-shirts and medals
Eric's "pro athlete vs. former pro triathlete" status, officially addressed
Electric bike pumps for disc wheels: what actually works
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

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 ladder
Instagram Q&A: thermal cap vs. booties, TT bike vs. road bike, and what crime would have landed you in Alcatraz
Is the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon worth the price tag?
Chasing validation vs. personal excellence. How do you know the difference?
Body image, weight gain, and the toxic myth that more training = leaner body
Flying with an indoor trainer, what the pros actually do
Balancing passion across multiple disciplines without losing focus
Carbon seatpost slipping despite proper torque, what's going on?
Getting blown off your bike by wind, has it actually happened?
Off day during intervals: ease off the intensity, shorten the session, or go home?
Running surfaces ranked: tarmac, concrete, pavers, treadmill, does it actually matter?
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

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 finish
What it's like when podcast listeners know more about you than you know about them
Panicking in an open water swim and how to recover your composure mid-race
Off-road triathlon etiquette, do you have to stop and let faster riders pass?
Racing a tri bike you've never ridden before: smart gamble or bad idea?
Mile repeats vs. kilometer repeats, does interval length actually matter?
Sodium and cramping: preloading, in-race electrolytes
Wearing compression shorts under your bibs
Will 32-inch wheels ever make it into triathlon?
Favorite perks of being a professional (or pro-adjacent) triathlete
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

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 helmets
Balancing triathlon obsession with actually being present in life
32 inch wheels
Revisiting old races vs constantly chasing new challenges
Returning to fitness after forced time completely off training
Which part of a full ironman scares the most
Heat training vs convenience
Best tires for Xterra North American Championships in Pelham
Finishing a 70.3 swim while doggy paddling
Cycling group ride warmup and when it's ok to attack
Heart rate monitor locations for women
What to do when someone tries to talk to you mid swim set
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