Episode 56: Laura Siddall Won’t Die Wondering
Laura Siddall started triathlon in 2009, won four age group world titles, turned professional in 2013, and became a multiple Ironman champion with two top-ten finishes at the Ironman World Championship in 2022. In this episode of The Infirmary, Laura describes the biggest hole of her career: being hit by a car at Ironman Brazil in 2023, the brain bleed that followed, and the physical, mental, and financial slide that came after a wild-card return to Kona. She talks through her decision to retire, the grief of the first year without racing, and the work of building an identity beyond the sport. Laura also shares her coaching pet peeves (swim watches, auto lap, ERG mode, and the belief that more training is better), explains how forced rest taught her what sleep does for mood and energy, and tells the story behind her motto, “Don't Die Wondering.” The conversation closes with Sid Squad, her mentorship program for young female triathletes, and the support system she wanted to build for professional athletes at the PTO.
Episode 22: Ironman Unveils New World Championship Qualification System
The triathlon world erupted when Ironman announced their new age-graded qualification system for Kona. But after analyzing the actual numbers from recent races, the changes aren't nearly as earth-shattering as the internet forums suggest. Chris breaks down the math, examines real race data, and explains what aspiring qualifiers actually need to know.
If you want to read this podcast in article form, head on over to Chris’ breakdown here.
Want to talk to Chris about your training? You can book a free 45-minute analysis here.
Book a swim analysis with Chris: https://campfireendurance408.lpages.co/video-swim-analysis/
Ironman’s announcement: https://www.ironman.com/news/age-group-qualification-system
Episode 7: How to Train to Give Yourself a Chance to Qualify
Now that Ironman World Championship season is over for the year, after the women raced in Nice last month and the men just raced in Kona, we thought it would be helpful for those of you excited about those races to hear what it takes to qualify for them.
Too many athletes believe that qualifying for races such as Kona, Nice, and Roth (all long distance triathlon) requires speed. It doesn’t. Qualifying for these races (which is another way of saying “executing this difficult distance effectively”) requires a physiology that doesn’t slow down.
In this episode, which is the audio from a webinar our owner, Chris, gave a few times in October, we walk you through a common misconception about long course triathlon racing and how to change your training so you can give yourself the best possible chance of qualifying.
If you would like this content as a video, you can watch the presentation over on our YouTube channel.
And, finally, if you would like the presentation from this webinar, you can grab it here.