Building Confidence When There Are No Races to Prove Yourself
For many triathletes, confidence is tied almost entirely to racing. Good race = high confidence. Bad race = doubt. No races at all? Confidence quietly erodes. That’s why the off-season is such a vulnerable time mentally. There are no bib numbers, no rankings, no finish lines to confirm that you’re on the right track. Training […]
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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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Why Swimming Is So Hard for Triathletes (and How to Get Better at It)
For most triathletes, swimming is the most frustrating discipline. Not because they are lazy or unmotivated, but because swimming is fundamentally different from cycling and running in ways many triathletes do not fully appreciate. Understanding why swimming is so challenging is the first step toward improving it. Why Swimming Is So Difficult We humans live […]
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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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7 Lessons Learned from a Level-Up 2025 Triathlon Season
There’s an old saying: “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Well… I may be an old-ish dog, but triathlon keeps proving that there’s always more to learn. What I love most about this sport is that the lessons are endless — sometimes painful, often humbling, always valuable. This year delivered some of my […]
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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 Wetsuit Tech: How deboer Changed the Swim Game
When triathletes think “tech,” they picture power meters, HR monitors, and GPS devices—but gear has always played a pivotal role, long before Silicon Valley existed. From goggles to carbon plates, every innovation helps us swim, bike, and run faster. Most recently, I’ve discovered a wetsuit technology that’s revolutionized both my speed in the pool and […]
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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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