The Endurance Athlete Journey

Coach Justin White & Sports Dietitian Katie Kissane
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Running

The Endurance Athlete Journey Podcast helps runners, triathletes, and endurance athletes train smarter, fuel better, and build long-term durability in sport. Hosted by Coach Justin and sports dietitian Katie, the show explores the training, nutrition, recovery, and mindset challenges endurance athletes actually face—without the confusion and generic internet fitness advice that often leads to burnout, inconsistency, and frustration. From first triathlons and swim anxiety to fueling mistakes, recovery, race-day expectations, and balancing training with real life, each episode combines practical coaching insight with evidence-based nutrition guidance and honest athlete conversations to help listeners better understand the “why” behind their training and fueling decisions. Whether you’re preparing for your first race or trying to become a more complete endurance athlete, this podcast gives you clear, experience-driven guidance you can actually apply to your training, recovery, and performance.

  1. 14h ago

    The Endurance Rules That Don’t Work for Every Athlete

    Send us Fan Mail The most confident advice is not always the right advice for you. Endurance athletes are surrounded by rigid rules about training, race goals, indoor workouts, and fueling. But what happens when the accepted formula does not fit your fitness, experience, body, or life? In this listener Q&A episode, Coach Justin and Coach Katie explain how to evaluate common endurance recommendations, apply them with context, and make decisions based on the athlete in front of you—not a one-size-fits-all prescription. What You’ll Learn How to recognize credible training advice—and the red flags behind overly certain claimsWhen your race goal should guide training and when completed training should reset the goalWhat treadmills and indoor bike trainers do exceptionally well—and what they cannot prepare you forWhy carbohydrate targets require more nuance than body weight, age, or a universal grams-per-hour formulaTimestamps 00:00 – Listener Q&A and training-life updates 12:13 – How do you know which training advice to trust? 22:26 – The difference between textbook knowledge and athlete-specific coaching 25:49 – Why elite-athlete advice may not apply to you 31:24 – Should race goals dictate training—or should training dictate race goals? 39:39 – How fixed goals can limit performance 44:56 – When race expectations should change during a training cycle 47:38 – Can you prepare for a race on a treadmill or indoor trainer? 50:20 – The strengths and limitations of indoor bike training 53:22 – Why treadmill training can be highly effective 57:47 – How should endurance athletes calculate carbohydrate needs? 1:13:35 – Carb targets, gut training, athlete size, and age For coaching inquiries: Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com

  2. Jul 24

    What to Do After a Disappointing Race: Should You Chase Redemption?

    Send us Fan Mail You gave months of your life to a race—but the day you imagined never happened. Now you are left deciding what the result means, what went wrong, and whether another race will bring redemption or deepen the disappointment. In this episode, Coach Justin and Coach Katie share their own difficult race experiences and explain how to process a disappointing performance before making your next decision. Because the healthiest response is not always another registration—it is understanding whether you still want the training process or simply want a different result. What You’ll Learn How to separate a disappointing result from your identity and ability as an athleteWhy illness, missed training, and panic training can turn one setback into a larger problemHow to tell whether a redemption race is driven by genuine motivation or the need to prove yourselfWhy returning to the process—not chasing validation—creates greater enjoyment and longevity in endurance sports Timestamps 0:00 – What to Do After a Disappointing Race 2:21 – Katie’s Experience at Grandma’s Marathon 5:17 – Justin’s Difficult Return at IRONMAN Florida 70.3 9:14 – The Emotional Recovery After a Race 14:11 – Wanting Another Race vs. Wanting Another Result 20:13 – When Outcome Pressure Ruins the Process 23:39 – Panic Training After Illness or Missed Workouts 28:43 – Why Athletes Struggle to Coach Themselves 38:10 – How Difficult Races Can Make Better Coaches 47:37 – Why Finishing Times Never Tell the Whole Story 1:09:51 – Shifting From Outcome Goals to the Training Process 1:15:50 – Should You Sign Up for a Redemption Race? For coaching inquiries: Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com

  3. Jul 16

    Should Endurance Athletes Use GLP-1s? The Risks of Chasing Race Weight

    Send us Fan Mail What if reaching your race weight is the very thing that ruins your race? GLP-1 medications may help an athlete lose weight, but using them during race-specific training can also reduce fueling, impair recovery, accelerate muscle loss, and limit the fitness needed to perform. You could arrive at the starting line lighter—but less prepared. In this episode, Coach Justin and Coach Katie examine where GLP-1 medications may fit for endurance athletes, when the risks can outweigh the benefits, and why significant weight loss should be treated as its own strategic phase rather than forced into a marathon, triathlon, or cycling build. What You’ll Learn Why a lower race weight does not guarantee better performanceHow GLP-1s can affect fueling, muscle retention, recovery, and training qualityWhy rapid weight loss during a race build increases RED-S and injury riskWhen a separate, medically supported weight-loss phase may make more senseTimestamps 00:00 – GLP-1 medications and the pursuit of race weight 06:52 – How GLP-1 medications work 14:12 – Benefits, side effects, and unanswered safety questions 25:26 – Why GLP-1 medications produce weight loss 35:15 – An athlete losing weight while training for a 70.3 44:19 – When race-weight goals become a warning sign 56:13 – Who may benefit from GLP-1 medications 1:05:47 – RED-S, muscle loss, and impaired recovery 1:17:43 – GI symptoms and the challenge of fueling endurance training 1:27:24 – Why reaching race weight may cost more fitness than it creates 1:31:15 – A better time and strategy for athlete weight loss 1:46:24 – Finding a better reason than chasing a number For coaching inquiries: Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com

  4. Jul 9

    How to Stay Fit When You’re Tired of Following a Training Plan

    Send us Fan Mail You are tired of following a structured training plan, but you are also afraid that if you back off, you will lose fitness and have to start over. That is the tension a lot of endurance athletes face after a big race, during the off-season, around holidays, or between major goals. You may not need a highly specific training plan all year long, but that does not mean you need to remove structure completely. In this episode, Coach Justin and Coach Katie talk through when it makes sense to loosen the plan, how to stay consistent without feeling trapped by training, and why the best answer is often not “plan or no plan,” but the right amount of structure for the season you are in. What You’ll Learn: Why “less structure” does not mean “no structure”When it makes sense to take a break from a rigid training planHow guardrails help you stay fit without burning outWhy jumping from one race plan to the next can hurt long-term consistencyTimestamps: 00:00 When to follow a plan vs. loosen the structure 02:18 Katie’s approach after marathon training 08:19 Justin’s view on maintaining fitness with less specificity 17:47 Why having no plan for too long can become risky 20:55 Giving athletes freedom without removing guardrails 28:46 Why workout sequencing still matters 33:48 When it makes sense to come off a plan 35:08 Post-race recovery and the mental deload 36:51 Training during vacation without guilt 44:37 Why downtime looks different for every athlete 48:31 How to reduce specificity without losing direction 56:12 Building flexibility into a structured training plan For coaching inquiries: Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com

  5. Jul 4

    Heat Acclimation: Why You Feel Slower—and How to Race Better in the Heat

    Send us Fan Mail Training consistently but suddenly feeling slower? Your normal pace is harder to hold, your heart rate is higher, and every workout seems to take more out of you. That does not necessarily mean you are losing fitness. Heat can mask the fitness you have built while adding stress your body must learn to manage. In this episode, Coach Justin and Coach Katie explain how heat acclimation works, how to prepare for hot and humid conditions, and how to build heat exposure into training without compromising recovery. What You’ll Learn Why heat makes your normal pace feel harder even when your fitness is intactHow active training, sauna sessions, and other passive heat methods create adaptationWhy chasing cool-weather pace in hot conditions can undermine your trainingHow summer heat training can support stronger performance when temperatures fallTimestamps 00:00 Podcast update and current training plans 18:12 Why major races are being changed or canceled because of heat 27:36 The environmental risk athletes often leave out of race preparation 39:14 What heat acclimation changes inside the body 44:50 Race-day cooling strategies—and why they cannot replace preparation 50:20 Why every workout should not become a heat-training session 52:25 Active versus passive heat-acclimation protocols 58:10 How runners should adjust summer training volume and intensity 1:04:59 Why you should stop chasing pace during hot workouts 1:09:30 Feeling slow does not mean you are losing fitness 1:12:51 How heat masks fitness—and why it appears when temperatures fall For coaching inquiries: Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com

  6. Jul 1

    Could Low Iron Be Slowing You Down? Nutrition Deep Dive on Iron Deficiency in Endurance Athletes

    Send us Fan Mail Feeling more fatigued than usual? Struggling through workouts that used to feel easy? If your training isn't matching your effort, low iron could be the missing piece. In this solo episode, sports dietitian Katie takes a deep dive into one of the most common—and often overlooked—nutrition concerns in endurance sports: iron deficiency. Drawing from both the latest evidence and her own experience as a collegiate runner who battled severe iron deficiency anemia, Katie explains why iron is so critical for performance and how even "normal" lab results may not be optimal for endurance athletes. In this episode, you'll learn: Why endurance athletes are at higher risk for iron deficiencyThe early warning signs that often appear before anemia developsWhich blood tests to request—and why a CBC alone isn't enoughOptimal ferritin levels for runners, cyclists, and triathletesThe best food sources of iron and how to improve absorptionCommon mistakes that can reduce iron absorptionWhen iron supplementation is appropriate (and when it isn't)Practical strategies to prevent recurring iron deficiency while trainingWhether you're training for your first marathon, preparing for an Ironman, or simply wondering why your energy has been lagging, this episode will help you understand how iron impacts endurance performance and what steps you can take to stay healthy and perform at your best. If you've ever wondered whether your fatigue is "just training" or something more, this episode is for you. For coaching inquiries: Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com

    Could Low Iron Be Slowing You Down? Nutrition Deep Dive on Iron Deficiency in Endurance Athletes

  7. Jun 27

    Why You’re Not Getting Faster on the Bike—and What Triathletes Should Do Instead

    Send us Fan Mail You’re putting in the bike miles, completing the workouts, and watching the numbers—but the fitness still is not showing up when it matters. The problem may not be effort. It may be that your training is developing the wrong qualities or measuring progress in ways that do not translate to race day. In this episode, Coach Justin explains how triathletes can build sustainable bike performance through purposeful progression, greater durability, better execution, and stronger real-world cycling skills. What You’ll Learn Why repeating similar rides eventually stops producing meaningful improvementHow speed and FTP can mislead you about your actual race-day fitnessWhy cycling frequency, durability, and pacing matter more than simply riding harderHow outdoor skills, position, strength, fueling, and pedal efficiency turn fitness into performanceTimestamps 00:00 Why triathletes struggle to improve on the bike 03:35 The factors that drive cycling progress 08:00 Why every ride should not look the same 12:00 Using progressive overload in bike training 28:00 Why average speed is a misleading metric 38:15 FTP versus sustainable race-day power 41:20 The problem with making every ride hard 46:45 Why triathletes may need to ride more often 1:00:45 Why indoor fitness does not fully transfer outdoors 1:05:30 Position, strength training, and functional bike power 1:11:35 Fueling the bike to support the run 1:14:25 Pedal efficiency and bike-handling fundamentals For coaching inquiries: Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com

  8. Jun 24

    Road to Grandma’s Marathon: Marathon Recap- A Lesson in Grit

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Katie shares a candid recap of Grandma's Marathon and reflect on one of the most challenging races of my running career. After beginning training with hopes of running a personal best, an unexpected bout of Influenza B just eight weeks before race day changed the trajectory of her marathon build. Despite working hard to regain fitness, lingering doubts followed her into race day, forcing her to confront difficult questions about expectations, motivation, and what success really means. Katie takes you through the highs and lows of race weekend—from travel mishaps and pre-race stress to the mental and physical battles that unfolded over 26.2 miles. What began as a pursuit of a sub-3-hour marathon gradually became a fight simply to reach the finish line. In this episode, Katie discusses: • Recovering from illness during a marathon training cycle • The challenge of adjusting goals after a major setback • Confirmation bias and why athletes sometimes ignore warning signs • The difference between intuition, fear, and self-doubt before a race • What happens when your race-day reality doesn't match your expectations • The mental battle of continuing when every part of you wants to stop • Why difficult races often teach us more than successful ones • Re-evaluating performance goals, aging, health, and longevity as an athlete • Finding new ways to pursue growth and joy in endurance sports This conversation is about much more than one marathon. It's about learning to adapt when things don't go as planned, finding pride in perseverance, and redefining success when the original goal slips away. Whether you've experienced a disappointing race, struggled through a setback, or are questioning your own athletic goals, this episode offers an honest look at resilience, self-reflection, and the lessons endurance sports can teach us. Sometimes the greatest victory isn't achieving the goal you set out to accomplish—it's finding the strength to keep moving forward when the race becomes something entirely different than you expected. For coaching inquiries: Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com

    Road to Grandma’s Marathon: Marathon Recap- A Lesson in Grit
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About

The Endurance Athlete Journey Podcast helps runners, triathletes, and endurance athletes train smarter, fuel better, and build long-term durability in sport. Hosted by Coach Justin and sports dietitian Katie, the show explores the training, nutrition, recovery, and mindset challenges endurance athletes actually face—without the confusion and generic internet fitness advice that often leads to burnout, inconsistency, and frustration. From first triathlons and swim anxiety to fueling mistakes, recovery, race-day expectations, and balancing training with real life, each episode combines practical coaching insight with evidence-based nutrition guidance and honest athlete conversations to help listeners better understand the “why” behind their training and fueling decisions. Whether you’re preparing for your first race or trying to become a more complete endurance athlete, this podcast gives you clear, experience-driven guidance you can actually apply to your training, recovery, and performance.

Information

  • Creator
    Coach Justin White & Sports Dietitian Katie Kissane
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    111
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Endurance Athlete Journey
  • Show Website
    The Endurance Athlete Journey