Why Mental Training in the Triathlon Off-Season
During race season, your mind is largely reactive. You respond to results, pressure, expectations, fatigue, pain, unforgiving conditions, and the First Rule of Triathlon: “S&%# happens in triathlon. There is little room to step back and change how you think or operate. Patterns—good or bad—are already in motion. The off-season is different. It is the […]
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How to Stay Motivated and Engaged During a Long Triathlon Off-Season
One of the biggest off-season challenges in triathlon isn’t fitness. It’s staying engaged when training feels repetitive, lacking in urgency, and far removed from race day. Many athletes interpret a drop in motivation as a problem. It isn’t. It’s normal. What does become a problem is relying on motivation to get through this phase of […]
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Beyond Expectations: Dr. Jim Taylor’s World Championships & 2025 Season Wrap-Up
I just returned from the 2025 World Triathlon Championships in Wollongong, Australia, where both my races — the Sprint and the Mixed Relay — couldn’t have gone any better. My goal at every race is simple: to finish knowing I left it all out on the course. Mission accomplished! The Races Sprint Race:I finished 7th […]
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I Practice What I Preach: Five Rules for a Triathlon Taper
Tapering for a triathlon can feel harder than the training itself. Many triathletes never feel fully ready, so they keep pushing as race day approaches, convinced that can squeeze in one more big workout that will really get them ready for the race. In reality, the opposite is true. The taper is not an optional […]
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Get Mentally Prepared for Triathlon’s Biggest Races
As the season builds toward its biggest moments—the World Triathlon Championships, the Ironman 70.3 World Championships, and the women’s Ironman World Championship in Kona (or whatever your “A” race is left)—mental preparation becomes just as important as your fitness. By the time you toe the line, the training is done. What will separate your best […]
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The Psychology of Endurance Sports Nutrition: Sponsored by The Feed
When endurance athletes think about nutrition, they usually focus on grams of carbs, protein recovery windows, and electrolyte replacement. While those are critical, they’re only half the equation. The other half is psychological—the mindset that shapes how, when, and why you fuel your body during training and competition. In triathlon and other endurance sports, nutrition […]
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The Psychology of a Cancelled Triathlon
I just got back from the 2025 USAT National Triathlon Championships in Milwaukee — and it didn’t go as planned. Not because I raced poorly, but because I didn’t race at all. Whenever something in sport doesn’t align with my hopes and expectations, I try to walk away with lessons that will help me — […]
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Four Essential Lessons for Triathlon, Sports, & Life
I just returned from the USAT Multisport National Championships in Omaha, where I raced three events: the Super-sprint, Sprint, and Mixed-Relay. It was a demanding and deeply fulfilling experience—full of intensity, adversity, and insight. While I love racing, what keeps me coming back isn’t just the competition. It’s the life lessons that emerge on the course—powerful […]
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Ditch the Expectations—and Race Your Best
With USAT Multisport Nationals happening this week in Omaha (I’ll be racing three events myself!), I wanted to share something that could make or break your performance on race day: expectations. At first glance, expectations seem positive. The dictionary defines them as “a strong belief that something will happen in the future” or “a belief […]
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Triathlon Imagery: The Mental Tool You Should Be Using
Triathlon is a brutal sport! It’s not just one sport—it’s three. And that means your body and brain are constantly being pushed to the edge. You’re not just fighting physical fatigue—you’re battling heat, hills, pain, nerves, and unpredictability. So, here’s the big question: What if there was a mental tool that could help you train […]
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