races are around the corner: do you have a fueling plan?
When it comes to racing, especially long-course racing, your fueling (and hydration and electrolyte) plan is just as important as your fitness. If you don’t already know what you need and how you’ll consume it on race day, Coach Alison’s Guide to Race Fueling for Every Distance will help you dial in your requirements and your plan for fulfilling them.
what to read / watch / listen to:
Coach Shana:
Read: “At-Home Health Tests: Tool for Performance Improvement or Waste of Money?”
Ever wonder about the many health test options that are available these days? In this article from Triathlete, author Susan Lacke does some testing of her own and shares the findings.
Watch: When it comes to race day, “FTP Doesn’t matter. This Does” explores the role of durability in having a strong performance on the bike. Really what it’s saying is that you need more than just strong power as measured by the FTP testing. You need the ability to maintain power output under fatigue later in the race (durability), such as for that last dang hill on your bike course. (Watch on YouTube)
Listen to: “4 Mental Tools to Use When a Race Gets Tough” is from an ultrarunning podcast, but the tools apply to triathlon or other sports as well. Give it a listen to hear more detail for each of these four tools.
1. Expect it to be hard, but don’t believe that you’re not capable to overcome.
2. Make it bite sized. Focus on one mile or one portion, not the entire race.
3. Visualize yourself finishing strong. Lock onto what you want, not on the feelings.
4. Focus on something else: breathing, your form (relax those shoulders), counting.
Choose Strong Podcast with Sally McRae episode #94: wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube.
athlete win of the month:
Coach Alison: Allison Mosqueda
Allison is heading into her 3rd season of triathlon, and this is our first off-season working together. We did a run block in January and February and are just finishing up a bike block before returning to triathlon focus in April. Allison has made fabulous progress over the off-season – obviously the sport-focus was productive, but what’s been really impressive is how she has approached every workout each week with focus and intent. She’s always thinking about her form – swim, bike, or run. always working on improving her pacing and execution skills, and always carrying the details of our conversations forward into her workouts. Because of this, Allison has made progress across all 3 sports during each sport-specific block, not just the focused sport. I *cannot wait* to watch Allison’s season unfold, because she is such a different athlete than she was last season!
what makes us better:
Coach Julie: the Let Them mindset
“Let Them” Mel Robbins’ latest book, introduces a liberating mindset shift that can empower athletes—especially triathletes—both on and off the course. The core premise of the book encourages individuals to release the need to control or micromanage others’ opinions, actions, or judgments. For triathletes, this philosophy can be transformative. Training and competition often come with external pressures, whether it’s meeting the expectations of coaches, navigating unsolicited advice from peers, or dealing with self-imposed perfectionism. By adopting the Let Them mindset, athletes can free themselves from the emotional burden of trying to please everyone or prove themselves to others. This mental clarity allows them to focus on personal growth, performance, and joy in their sport. Ultimately, Robbins’ message encourages triathletes to embrace authenticity, prioritize their own goals, and let go of external distractions—all of which can make them not only better athletes but also more fulfilled individuals.
meet a teammate:
Teammate: Tracey Hayes, coached by Coach Julie, resides in San Diego with her partner, Dan, and two adorable cats, Brinkley and Scott Blackula.
- Favorite race: Any one I am training for! But Oceanside is EPIC and would be my favorite so far.
- Walk-out song: sooo many great ones, but Just Dance by Lady Gaga always does the trick
- 3 Words that family/friends would use to describe you: Athletic, career driven, and animal lover
- Worst style choice you’ve ever made: Feathered bangs
- If you could have an unlimited supply of 1 thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? Time with the people and pets I love, and new running shoes!