On the final Tipcast of 2016 I discuss the implications that racing can have on recovery, racing, and training.

As we wind 2016 down I offer listeners my take on 12 Tips to consider for the new year. 

As we wind 2016 down I offer listeners my take on 12 Tips to consider for the new year. 

As we wind 2016 down I offer listeners my take on 12 Tips to consider for the new year. 

As we wind 2016 down I offer listeners my take on 12 Tips to consider for the new year. 

As we wind 2016 down I offer listeners my take on 12 Tips to consider for the new year. 

As we wind 2016 down I offer listeners my take on 12 Tips to consider for the new year. 

As we wind 2016 down I offer listeners my take on 12 Tips to consider for the new year. 

As we wind 2016 down I offer listeners my take on 12 Tips to consider for the new year. 

As we wind 2016 down I offer listeners my take on 12 Tips to consider for the new year. 

As we wind 2016 down I offer listeners my take on 12 Tips to consider for the new year. 

As we wind 2016 down I offer listeners my take on 12 Tips to consider for the new year. 

As we wind 2016 down I offer listeners my take on 12 Tips to consider for the new year. 

ON Tipcast 98 I revisit more metabolic efficiency whimsy and offer up tips for winter strength training.

For more detail on this topic checkout Tipcast 89 and my companion blog at www.espanswers.com.

Sorry about the sound quality. I was without my good headset.

On Tipcast 96 I’m taking a break from training tips to discuss a story that popped up in the news about new research from Duke University on a possible cause for many triathlon-related deaths that appeared in a Sept 17th article on Triathlete.com. The headline read: Enlarged Hearts May Be To Blame For Triathlon Swim Deaths.

You can find the research paper here.

On ESP Tipcast 95 I discuss why dedication and discipline are the real keys to achieving your goals. Being available to training accounts for 86% of successful seasons.

Raysmith & Drew 2016. Performance success or failure is influenced by weeks lost to injury and illness in elite Australian track and field athletes: A 5-year prospective study

On Tipcast 94 I discuss why SMART goals matters, how they help you achieve greater success, and why you should stop setting "just want to finish" goals!

ON Tipcast 93 I discuss tips for rebounding on summer slump.

On Tipcast 92 I offer tips for how to make the most of your training time while on vacation. It all starts with a little planning. 

Here are some great tips to keep training, no matter how extreme the weather is. 

ESP Tipcast 90 reviews the performance research on non-circular chainrings like those used by Chris Froome. It turns out they may actually improve performance, just not for endurance cycling. For a detailed review on this topic checkout my companion blog at www.espanswers.com.

Special thanks to:

Blue Ridge Outdoors: For more than 20 years, Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine has been the definitive guide to outdoor sports, health, and adventure travel in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Published free every month, BRO has established itself as the nation’s top regional outdoor publication. For more information checkout www.blueridgeoutdoors.com.

I also want to give a shout out to SLS3 and their new FRT 2.0 compression trisuit. With vastly improved fit and ventilation, as well as a convenient rear pocket, The FRT 2.0 is the choice for triathlates. For more information checkout www.sls3.com

ON Tipcast 89 I’ll be pulling back the veil on more coaching magic. After tackling aerobic decoupling in tipcast 87, I decided it was also time to make a big reveal on Metabolic Efficiency. For a detailed review on this topic checkout my companion blog at www.espanswers.com.

Special thanks to: 

Blue Ridge Outdoors: For more than 20 years, Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine has been the definitive guide to outdoor sports, health, and adventure travel in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Published free every month, BRO has established itself as the nation’s top regional outdoor publication. For more information checkout www.blueridgeoutdoors.com.

I also want to give a shout out to SLS3 and their new FRT 2.0 compression trisuit. With vastly improved fit and ventilation, as well as a convenient rear pocket, The FRT 2.0 is the choice for triathlates. For more information checkout www.sls3.com

On Tipcast 88 I discuss 10 great tips for post-race recovery to get you back training at your best.

1. Take your time!
2. Rapid refueling to speed both recovery and adaptation.
3. Rehydrate
4. Spin it out!
5. Chill out
6. Stretch it out!
7. EAT MORE!
8. EAT LESS!
9. Go easy on the booze.
10. Sleep at all costs.

Checkout the great new protein chews from Honey Stinger! 

On Tipcast 87 I kick-off a new ongoing series examining performance metrics beginning with aerobic decoupling. While the term sounds impressive, AD is simply an old concept given a new name and unsubstantiated relevance. Coined by Joe Friel in 2008, AD is actually just cardiovascular drift. Drawing on actual scientific evidence, I break down what CV drift is and is not, and even bring in some expert opinion from one of the leading researchers in the area.

If you're like me, and just feeling exhausted by all these metrics, you'll want to listen to this podcast!

On ESP Tipcast 86 I wade into the mysterious explosion of meldonium positives in Sports. From Maria Sharapova, to state run Russian doping, meldonium appears to be the latest drug of choice. How does its it work, and what are the implications of this new scandal?

Taken as a whole, meldonium:

• Decreases fat use, shifting the heart, and possibly working muscles to greater carb use
• Reduces oxygen demand on the heart and the incidence of arrhtymias
• Increases blood flow throughout the body
• Improves CNS function and mood
• Appears to have few or no serious side effects

On Tipcast 85 I wrap-up my XTerra Series with some final tips, as well as recap the highlights of the recent USAT off-road nationals. 

Here are my final tips:

1. Swim in your wetsuit
2. Prep your swim with a short warm-up, fast starts, and running recoveries
3. Lower your tire pressure
4. Don’t leave it all in the preview
5. Pre-load the swim
6. Use a camel bak…preferably frozen
7. Don’t be a pack mule.
8. Put you shoes on in transition!
9. Stop daudling out of T1
10. Eat early
11. Pre-load the run
12. Don’t forget your ice sock
13. Stay focused and pace yourself (start slower build turn-over)
14. Break down the race into small chunks.

The new Rudy Project Tralyx delivers on every level! However, if you’re in the market for a more affordable package of glasses and lenses, then XX2i is a perfect alternative. These are some great glasses, and most packages include 2 spare lenses for a variety of light conditions.

On Tipcast 84 I wrap up the great cadence debate by discussing if you should try to change your preferred cadence and what you want to consider before you do it. 

Honey Stinger delivers great tasting natural energy foods for all your activities.

Rudy Project North America offering technically cool products and awesome deals.

The ESP Podcast is supported in part by Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine. For more than 19 years, Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine has been the definitive guide to outdoor sports, health, and adventure travel in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Published free every month, BRO has established itself as the nation’s top regional outdoor publication. For more information checkout www.blueridgeoutdoors.com.

SLS3 Custom triathlon, cycling and run apparel. 

On Tipcast's 83 I'll be discussing advising triathletes to use a low cadence is a load of bullshit. There are no simple answers to this complex topic.

Rudy Project North America offering technically cool products and awesome deals.

The ESP Podcast is supported in part by Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine. For more than 19 years, Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine has been the definitive guide to outdoor sports, health, and adventure travel in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Published free every month, BRO has established itself as the nation’s top regional outdoor publication. For more information checkout www.blueridgeoutdoors.com.

SLS3 Custom triathlon, cycling and run apparel. 

On Tipcast's 82 and 83 I'll be discussing some recent debates with ill-informed coaches regarding indoor training and cadence.

On ESP Tipcast 81 I discuss tips for improving your off-the-bike run in XTerra. 

Rudy Project North America offering technically cool products and awesome deals.

The ESP Podcast is supported in part by Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine. For more than 19 years, Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine has been the definitive guide to outdoor sports, health, and adventure travel in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Published free every month, BRO has established itself as the nation’s top regional outdoor publication. For more information checkout www.blueridgeoutdoors.com.

On Tipcast 80 I give tips on getting back on track after a spring of mishaps. Whether illness, injury, or life, this tipcast will help set your right. 

Special thanks to these sponsors:

Honey Stinger, Checkout my new review series on Honey Stinger here.

The ESP Podcast is supported in part by Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine. For more than 19 years, Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine has been the definitive guide to outdoor sports, health, and adventure travel in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Published free every month, BRO has established itself as the nation’s top regional outdoor publication. For more information checkout www.blueridgeoutdoors.com.

In part VI of my XTerra series I cover why you need to be training on the road to improve your MTB times, and how to do that. Road training is ideal for all of the following training:

1. Recovery and easy endurance rides 
2. Stamina endurance 
3. Power endurance intervals
4. Max Power intervals
5. Explosive power and sprints

Special Thanks to:

Rudy Project North America

Honey Stinger, Checkout my new review series on Honey Stinger here.

The ESP Podcast is supported in part by Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine. For more than 19 years, Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine has been the definitive guide to outdoor sports, health, and adventure travel in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Published free every month, BRO has established itself as the nation’s top regional outdoor publication. For more information checkout www.blueridgeoutdoors.com.

FEED Zone Table

How to feed your performance and your soul! @skratchlabs 

 Join us for dinner: Chef Biju Thomas and Dr. Allen Lim have returned to the kitchen to champion the most social meal of the day. In their new cookbook Feed Zone Table, Biju and Allen offer 100 all-new dinner recipes to bring friends and family to the table.

On tipcast 78, I review parts 4 and 5 of my XTerra blog series and give you the tips to moving beyond a subpar swim.

FEED Zone Table

How to feed your performance and your soul! @skratchlabs 

Pre-order your copy of our newest cookbook, Feed Zone Table! Please note that all items purchased with your cookbook will ship together by January 27th 2016!

For a limited time, pre-order Feed Zone Table and get a free box of Cookie Mix!

Join us for dinner: Chef Biju Thomas and Dr. Allen Lim have returned to the kitchen to champion the most social meal of the day. In their new cookbook Feed Zone Table, Biju and Allen offer 100 all-new dinner recipes to bring friends and family to the table.

"Chef Biju and I wrote the Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables for anyone interested in improving athletic performance. So when we heard that people who don’t necessarily consider themselves athletes were using our cookbooks because they wanted simple, healthy recipes to share with their friends and family, we were pleasantly surprised . . . and inspired.

For us, neither sports nor nutrition is solely about performance. The reality is that we value activity and food not just because we want to perform better but also because both have this amazing ability to bring people together, to give us pleasure, and to feed our souls." ~ Dr. Allen

I kick off 2016 with a discussion of two tips for optimizing your performance w/o training more!