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. 2d ago

    Was My First Win Repeatable? Racing Again 14 Days Later

    Send us Fan Mail Two weeks after earning my first-ever win, I lined up again with a bigger question: was that performance repeatable—or was Patriot just one great day? Giant Acorn answered that question with rough water, wind, hills, accumulated fatigue, and another two-day race weekend. In this episode, I break down what the double podium really showed me about competing, recovery, race execution, and the difference between the workload you can handle and the workload that actually produces the best adaptation. What You’ll Learn Why performing well once is different from being prepared to compete repeatedlyHow I managed the 14 days between Patriot and Giant Acorn without trying to manufacture new fitnessWhat rough conditions taught me about resilience, fatigue management, and measuring race performanceWhy successful results don’t automatically mean your training decisions were optimalTimestamps 00:00 — Giant Acorn and the question I needed answered 02:45 — Rough water, frustration, and the lesson from Jamestown 10:30 — Complete vs. perform vs. compete 18:00 — The training load behind four races in 12 weeks 20:00 — Recover, reload, sharpen, taper 25:00 — Was my training effective—or simply survivable? 31:00 — Saturday Aquabike: adapting to wind and terrain 38:00 — Second place, competitiveness, and gratitude 42:00 — Recovery between two race days 46:00 — Why training makes fatigue familiar 49:00 — Sunday: bike durability and racing off fatigue 54:00 — The progressive run that changed the weekend 1:01:00 — Double podium and what Giant Acorn proved 1:03:00 — Offseason priorities and what changes next For coaching inquiries: Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com

  2. Sep 25

    Zone 2 Training: When Easy Training Isn't Enough

    Send us Fan Mail Zone 2 training is everywhere—but what does Zone 2 actually mean, and should endurance athletes really build their training around it? In this episode, Coach Justin and Coach Katie break down why Zone 2 is harder to define than most athletes realize, why heart-rate numbers can create unnecessary confusion, and why the right intensity depends on your fitness, goals, available training time, and where you are in the season. Zone 2 matters—but it is a tool, not a complete training system. What You’ll Learn  Why your watch may say you’re outside Zone 2 even when the effort feels controlled  Why beginners can hurt their progress by obsessing over staying in a prescribed heart-rate zone  How training changes when the goal shifts from completing → performing → competing Why easy training belongs in the plan—but eventually other intensities have to build the adaptations Zone 2 cannot Timestamps 00:00 — Why Zone 2 deserves a deeper conversation 06:14 — Why athletes get so confused about Zone 2 12:00 — Where popular Zone 2 training methods came from 20:17 — What Zone 2 actually means physiologically 27:23 — Heart rate vs. RPE: how do you know you’re in Zone 2? 33:26 — Lactate isn’t the enemy 41:05 — Why Zone 2 can look completely different between athletes 43:41 — New runners: stop obsessing over Zone 2 56:34 — Training stress matters more than the label 57:57 — Complete, perform, or compete: three levels of preparedness 01:04:06 — Why higher intensity still belongs in endurance training 01:12:58 — When Zone 2 makes sense in a training plan For coaching inquiries: Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com

  3. Sep 22

    Highway to HYROX Episode 2: How to Fuel for Hyrox- Training, Race Day, And Recovery

    Send us Fan Mail In Episode 2 of Highway to HYROX, I share an update on my training and take a deeper look at how to fuel for the unique demands of HYROX. If you want to jump right into the Nutrition content and skip my training recap and you go to about 31:30 on the podcast episode.  Balancing running, strength training, race-specific workouts, and adequate recovery has required some experimentation. I discuss what my current training week looks like, why I’m prioritizing threshold running, and how I’m learning to adjust my schedule when fatigue starts to build. Then, drawing on my experience as a board-certified sports dietitian and longtime endurance athlete, I break down the nutrition strategies that can support HYROX training and racing. We cover: • Why HYROX athletes need both carbohydrates and adequate protein • How to adjust carbohydrate intake based on daily training demands • What to eat before and after HYROX workouts • Protein needs for supporting strength, recovery, and muscle maintenance • Hydration and sodium considerations • Whether carb loading is beneficial before a HYROX race • How to fuel when your race starts later in the day • Whether you should use gels or other carbohydrates during the event • Why trying to lose weight during a demanding training block can compromise performance HYROX combines endurance running with repeated high-intensity strength stations, making carbohydrates especially important for performing well. The goal isn’t simply to make it through the race—it’s to arrive properly fueled so you can maintain your effort from the first run through the final wall ball. For coaching inquiries: Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com

    Highway to HYROX Episode 2: How to Fuel for Hyrox- Training, Race Day, And Recovery

  4. Sep 17

    The Injury That Keeps Coming Back: What Body Asymmetry May Be Telling You

    Send us Fan Mail You can get stronger, follow the plan, hit your numbers—and still have the same side of your body keep breaking down. In this episode, Coach Justin and Coach Katie are joined by physical therapist Craig Depperschmidt to explore why endurance athletes are naturally asymmetrical, how repetitive training can magnify those patterns, and why recurring injuries may involve more than weakness or poor form. The conversation goes beyond muscles into movement, breathing, the brain, body awareness, and what it really takes to build durability for the long haul. What You’ll Learn Why the same side of your body may repeatedly become your “problem side”Why getting stronger doesn’t automatically correct the movement patterns underneath recurring injuriesHow single-leg training, body awareness, and movement variability can help athletes better manage asymmetryWhy rigid, metric-driven training may be missing an important piece of long-term adaptability and durabilityTimestamps 00:00 — Why body asymmetry matters for endurance athletes 09:01 — What does it actually mean to be asymmetrical? 12:23 — Why endurance training can magnify imbalances 17:01 — When the same side keeps causing problems 19:41 — Asymmetry, durability, and injury-prone athletes 23:11 — Why single-leg and single-arm strength work matters 31:42 — Signs your asymmetry may be affecting movement 37:25 — What may be happening before mechanical breakdown 44:32 — Strength training progression for endurance athletes 55:05 — The connection between the brain and body 1:02:34 — Metrics, body awareness, and rigid training habits 1:14:53 — RPE, novelty, community, and becoming more adaptable Connect with Craig Depperschmidt, DPT, PRC: Craig is a physical therapist at ProActive Physical Therapy & Performance Center in Fort Collins, Colorado, and is Postural Restoration Certified through the Postural Restoration Institute. Learn more about Craig and his work: Craig’s website — Resilient Endurance Craig’s Postural Restoration Institute provider profile For coaching inquiries: Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com

  5. Sep 16

    Racing Twice in 24 Hours: What My Training Actually Prepared Me For

    Send us Fan Mail Training hard is one thing. Knowing whether that training actually prepared you to race is another. Coach Justin uses the Kinetic Multisport Patriot Race Weekend as a real-world test: an Olympic Aquabike on Saturday followed by a sprint triathlon less than 24 hours later. One race produced his first-ever win. The next exposed exactly where his training still falls short. This episode breaks down what the weekend revealed about bike fitness, run durability, race-specific training, tapering, and the role fueling and recovery played in being able to perform again the next morning. What You’ll Learn  Why being fit enough to finish is different from being prepared to perform and compete What racing twice in 24 hours revealed about training volume, durability, and recovery  How a breakthrough bike performance exposed outdated training zones—and a different limiter on Sunday  Why the next step isn't automatically more training, but more specific training aimed at the weakness that mattersTimestamps 00:00 — Two races, 24 hours, and the questions behind the experiment 05:30 — What did my training actually prepare me to do? 11:30 — Building durability through volume, frequency, and accumulated fatigue 20:00 — Bike, run, and swim preparation for Patriot 29:00 — Tapering to express fitness instead of building more of it 34:00 — Saturday: Olympic Aquabike and a breakthrough bike performance 42:30 — First place—and the shift from completing to competing 47:00 — Refueling and recovering for another race in less than 24 hours 51:00 — Sunday: what held up and what the sprint exposed 59:00 — The run reveals the missing piece 64:00 — Prepared to Complete vs. Perform vs. Compete 70:00 — What changes in training from here For coaching inquiries: Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com

  6. Sep 11

    Why Endurance Athletes Get Stress Fractures: Training Load, Underfueling and Bone Health

    Send us Fan Mail A stress fracture does not automatically mean you trained too much—or trained badly. For endurance athletes, bone stress injuries often develop when training load begins to outpace the body’s ability to recover, rebuild and adapt. In this episode, Coach Justin and Coach Katie break down the bigger picture behind stress fractures, including training progression, underfueling, low energy availability, aging, hormones, nutrient intake and strength training. If you are increasing mileage, returning to running, training through weight loss or simply wondering how a fit athlete can still end up with a bone injury, this conversation will help you understand what may be happening beneath the surface. What You’ll Learn Why a well-designed training progression can still lead to problems when fueling and recovery do not keep paceHow low energy availability, rapid weight loss and hormonal changes can affect bone healthWhy cardiovascular fitness and strength do not automatically mean your bones are ready for running impactHow strength training, progressive loading and key nutrients can help support long-term bone durabilityTimestamps 00:00 Why stress fractures are more complicated than “too much training” 06:05 How bone adapts, remodels and responds to load 15:15 Training load, recovery and nutrition: finding the cause 20:21 Rapid weight loss, GLP-1s and bone-health risk 26:25 Calcium, vitamin D, iron and other nutrients that matter 40:05 Low energy availability, RED-S and underfueling 45:32 Aging athletes, hormones and declining bone density 48:08 Strength training and loading bones as you age 54:27 Why running, cycling and swimming affect bones differently 56:05 Why being fit does not mean your bones are ready to run 1:03:34 High-volume training is not the real problem 1:05:44 Stress-fracture location and what it may tell you For coaching inquiries: Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com

  7. Sep 8

    Highway to HYROX Episode 1: Starting a New Training Journey

    Send us Fan Mail Highway to HYROX: Starting a New Training Journey What happens when a longtime runner and endurance athlete decides to step outside her comfort zone and train for something completely new? In this episode of The Endurance Athlete Journey, Katie kicks off a new series: Highway to HYROX. She’s training for her first HYROX race in Denver and taking listeners along for the entire experience—from figuring out what HYROX actually involves to learning how to balance running, strength training, recovery, and all of the unique demands of hybrid racing. Katie breaks down the HYROX format, including the running and functional fitness stations, and shares her initial thoughts about pacing, race strategy, and what makes HYROX so different from a traditional running race. She also walks through her current training week and the challenge of fitting two HYROX workouts, running workouts, a long run, strength training, and recovery into a busy schedule. But this series isn't about having all the answers. Katie is very intentionally approaching this as a learning experience. She doesn't consider herself a HYROX expert, and she isn't presenting her training plan as the right way to prepare. Instead, she's sharing what she's trying, what's working, what's challenging, and what she's learning along the way. If you've ever been curious about HYROX, wondered what it's like for a runner to transition into hybrid training, or simply enjoy following an athlete through the highs and lows of preparing for a new challenge, come along for the ride. The Highway to HYROX has officially begun! For coaching inquiries: Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com

    Highway to HYROX Episode 1: Starting a New Training Journey

  8. Sep 3

    Don't Feel Ready for Your Race? Stop Trying to Prove It

    Send us Fan Mail If one hard workout makes you wonder whether you’re actually ready for race day, you’re not alone. The mistake is assuming training should prove what you’ll be capable of when the race finally arrives. In this episode, Coach Justin and Coach Katie break down why race-specific work can create doubt, how accumulated fatigue can distort your perception of fitness, and why chasing certainty can lead athletes to do too much. The goal isn’t to eliminate uncertainty—it’s to arrive prepared enough to perform when it matters. What You’ll Learn  Why a difficult workout does not automatically mean your race goal is unrealistic  How trying to “prove” your fitness in training can create unnecessary fatigue and risk  Why preparedness matters more than confidence or certainty on race morning  How training for discomfort helps prevent doubt from taking over when racing gets hard Timestamps 00:00 When training creates insecurity about race day 04:43 Justin’s own doubts about race-specific bike power and fitness 15:31 How fear feeds insecurity during a training build 17:00 Why one hard workout can make athletes question everything 21:58 Why training should not be used to prove race-day fitness 27:51 The danger of doing too much just to feel confident 37:49 Confidence vs. preparedness 41:22 “We don’t train to make race day easy” 45:31 Learning to suffer well and preparing for discomfort 54:10 Why comfortable training alone won’t prepare you to race hard 1:03:35 How a coach protects athletes from themselves 1:09:48 Managing doubt when it inevitably shows up For coaching inquiries: Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com

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5
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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
    123
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Endurance Athlete Journey
  • Show Website
    The Endurance Athlete Journey

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