We want to start by thanking Coach Shana for her contribution as a NYX coach over these past several years – we so greatly appreciate the care she’s brought to her athletes and our community. Shana, we wish you all the best in your next chapter.
A lovely farewell from Coach Shana is below. You’ll also notice that we’re mixing up our newsletter format. We’ll keep some of the familiar elements you enjoy, while adding more freeform articles and educational content to inform and inspire. It’s a fresh take designed to bring better content, with the same focus on supporting your journey.
change ahead: coach shana
Today marks my last newsletter contribution as I share an update with you: After much consideration I have made the decision to step back from Coaching activities. This will allow me to focus more on my family and my own athletic pursuits. Which brings me to this – I’ll still be around as a NYX Endurance athlete!
As always, I look forward to catching up with you at future races and NYX events!
what's up with the new Ironman qualifying system?
As you may have heard, Ironman announced a new qualifying system for the Kona World Championship and 70.3 World Championship races, starting with the 2026 events.
This new system moves from the prior, participation-based system to a performance-based system. Learn more about the new system, including how to calculate your age-graded finish time, on our website.
what to read / watch / listen to:
Coach Julie:
Watch: S1 E1 – Breaking4: Faith Kipyegon vs. The 4-Minute Mile (Part 1) Amazon Prime Video
If you run—this is required viewing. Episode 1 of Breaking4 follows Faith Kipyegon, the world’s most dominant female middle-distance runner, as she chases the elusive sub-4-minute mile. What stands out isn’t just her speed—it’s the process. Every session starts with run drills. Non-negotiable. The same mechanics we emphasize in warm-ups—posture, coordination, precision—are ingrained into her daily routine, proving that elite performance is built on mastering the basics. She trains on a dirt track and unpaved roads in Kenya, far from the high-tech training centers we often associate with world records. You’ll also get a behind-the-scenes look at the development of the shoes, the racing kits, and the support team working to engineer this historic attempt. It’s a powerful reminder: greatness comes from consistent fundamentals, not fancy facilities.
using Ironman's age-graded standards to compare your current times to past performances
Aren’t we all curious how we stack up against our former selves? As we age, our times unavoidably get slower – but that doesn’t mean we’re not getting faster. Previously, we couldn’t accurately compare our racing history across age groups. But thanks to Ironman’s new age-graded standards, now we can.
Savvy NYX athlete Grant Burkhart saw the announcement about the new Ironman qualifying system and had the brilliant insight that he – and all of us – could use the age-graded standards to compare his today self against his younger self. Learn how you can age-grade your past finish times here.