Average Age Groupers

Growing Curious
  • 5.0 (1)
  • FITNESS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to Average Age Groupers, the podcast for the athlete who has a goal and a grocery list. Hosted by Holly, Maggie, and Laura, we’re diving into the world of cycling, running, triathlon, and everything in between. Whether you’re training for your first 5K or your tenth IRONMAN, we talk about how to crush your goals without losing your job, your friends, or your mind. From fueling on a budget to navigating the mental highs and lows of the "middle of the pack," we’re here to prove that you don't have to be a pro to have a powerful story.

Episodes

  1. 5D AGO

    EP. 5: Dairy Roubaix Gravel Recap: Free Espresso, Rotisserie Chicken SAG, and Surviving Wind + Hills

    In episode five of Average Age Groupers, Holly, Laura, and Maggie recap weekend gravel riding amid wild Wisconsin spring weather and apologize for episode four’s technical issues. Holly describes tackling the Dairy Roubaix gravel event while recovering from a concussion after a car accident, pivoting from the planned 111-mile route to the 70-mile option due to cold, intense wind, fear on technical descents, navigation problems, and under-fueling; she still finishes about 72 miles with roughly 6,600 feet of climbing, with Laura and Claire cheering and SAGing—famously including a rotisserie chicken stop—plus free espresso in Viroqua. They discuss practical gravel safety tips like descending technique, helmet replacement after crashes, and carrying essentials like tape, first aid, and reliable navigation/communication. Maggie shares her own 67-mile Northern Virginia gravel ride, a friend’s crash, and lessons on preparedness for Unbound. 00:00 Welcome and Weather Whiplash 00:48 Meet the Hosts and Episode Notes 01:24 Dairy Roubaix Setup and Concussion Plan 03:10 Storms Ruin the Travel Plan 04:45 Race Morning Cold and Layering Up 07:03 Navigation Fails and Rocky Start 09:12 Brutal Climbs and Sketchy Descents 11:18 First Checkpoint and Route Negotiations 16:38 Coffee Shop Reset in Viroqua 21:53 Wind Gusts and Surprise Singletrack 26:33 Sag Stop Rotisserie Chicken Fuel 28:45 Confidence Boost Then Headwind Again 30:08 Terrifying Gravel Descent 31:57 Practical Descending Tips 35:40 Wind Tunnel Valley Grind 36:59 Bathroom Break and Cramps 39:03 Blurry Vision and No Stop 40:34 Walking the Steep Climbs 43:03 Pavement Headwind and Wrong Turn 44:31 Wind and Wheel Setup Lessons 46:27 Finish Line and Gravel Vibes 49:12 Nutrition Debrief and Hydration Pack 53:35 Recovery and Unbound Prep 55:02 Maggie Gravel Ride Recap 59:18 Crash Aftermath and Safety Gear 01:03:10 Wrap Up and Call to Action Listen to the Pod here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/average-age-groupers/id1889949099 https://open.spotify.com/show/2LJ6G7l1oIRZUIa3lo7NFp https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUYFKP1OYAMiMR1Ve36fOAw https://www.instagram.com/averageagegroupers/

    1h 4m

  2. APR 24

    Ep. 4: Sherpaing 101: How to Support Endurance Athletes (Unsupported Gravel, Ironman Logistics & Spectator Tips)

    Holly, Maggie and Laura return for Episode 4 of Average Age Groupers, recording remotely after Maggie goes back to DC, and shift topics to “sherpaing” (supporting athletes). They discuss Laura’s upcoming role as Sherpa for the fully unsupported Dairy Roubaix gravel event—a 111-mile prep ride for Unbound—amid volatile weather and Holly’s concussion recovery. Using experiences from Oceanside and other races, they compare the logistics of supporting triathlons, gravel, and ultras, emphasizing packing, tracking, timing, race rules around outside aid, and the realities of carrying gear post-finish. They share practical Sherpa checklists (battery pack, layers, snacks, shoes, bags), lessons learned from mishaps like Boulder tracking issues, and which races are easy or difficult to spectate (Oceanside, Wisconsin, Santa Cruz, Chattanooga, Blue Ridge, St. George). They invite listener questions, encourage subscribing/reviews, and float starting a Strava club. 00:00 Long Distance Pod Update 00:41 Unsupported Gravel Sherpa Plan 02:37 Dairy Roubaix Prep Ride 04:05 Why Sherpas Matter 10:01 Triathlon Sherpa Chaos 17:16 Race Rules and Outside Aid 21:57 Sherpa Checklist Essentials 22:44 Sherpa Packing Checklist 23:22 Post Race Comfort Items 24:23 Phones And Tracking Lessons 26:51 Finish Line Meet Up Plan 28:42 Shoes And Bag Mistakes 30:22 Timing Food And Multiple Athletes 33:26 Race By Race Spectating Tips 42:11 Course Maps Parking And Prep 43:15 Listener Questions And Wrap Up 44:39 Podcast Milestones And Strava Listen to the Pod here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/average-age-groupers/id1889949099 https://open.spotify.com/show/2LJ6G7l1oIRZUIa3lo7NFp https://www.instagram.com/averageagegroupers/

    46 min

  3. APR 17

    Ep. 3 From Backstroke Triathlons to Ironman Wisconsin — Laura’s Endurance Sports Story

    In Episode 3 of Average Age Groupers, Laura, Maggie, and Holly recap a windy Wisconsin race day where Dave ran a 50K and nine teammates paced him via a 100K relay on the hilly 6.2-mile RRB loop, a USA Track & Field championship and Worlds qualifier. They then share Laura’s endurance journey: from dancing and cheerleading to college running, an undertrained half marathon, and a net-downhill marathon, before pivoting to triathlon—signing up for a half Ironman before truly learning to swim, backstroking her first sprint at Door County, and building confidence through open-water sandbar swims during COVID. Laura finishes Ironman Wisconsin 70.3 in 2022, completes Ironman Wisconsin in 2024 after difficult bike training and scheduling around 12-hour nursing shifts, and races Chattanooga 70.3 in 2025. She’s now training for the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Redding in August. 00:00 Windy Episode Intro 00:37 50K Relay Recap 01:42 Race Logistics Breakdown 02:27 Fast Field And Course 03:49 Hollys Sports Origin 05:52 First Races And Half 07:55 Marathon Training Chaos 10:42 Marquette Marathon Day 12:29 Bored Of Running 13:12 Learning To Swim Late 16:07 Mud Bath DNF Story 18:28 Backstroke Sprint Era 22:32 COVID Pond Swim Grind 24:52 Signing Up For 703 28:01 Nurse Schedule Training 29:15 Solo Training Safety 30:20 Monsoon Swim Breakthrough 32:19 From Full to More Races 34:39 Signing Up for Wisconsin 36:48 Ironman Training Grind 40:33 Wisconsin Race Day Recap 44:00 Aftermath and Recovery 45:28 Chattanooga and Blues 47:35 Redding 70.3 Decision 51:43 Coaching and Work Balance 54:51 What’s Next and Wrap https://open.spotify.com/show/2LJ6G7l1oIRZUIa3lo7NFp https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/average-age-groupers/id1889949099 https://www.instagram.com/averageagegroupers/ https://youtu.be/b-LEBOeGSm8

    57 min

  4. APR 10

    Ep. 2: Maggie’s Endurance Origin Story—from Swim Team to Ironman, Gravel, and a PhD

    In episode two of the Average Age Groupers podcast, hosts Holly, Maggie, and Laura record from a hotel and dive into Maggie’s endurance journey, starting with competitive swimming at age nine (including burnout and a shoulder injury) and her early triathlon experiences at Boston University, where a rough Olympic-distance race and heat stroke led her to step away for years. Maggie returns to the sport by signing up for Ironman Wisconsin 2021 at age 24 with minimal training support, finishes, then joins a team and coach for 2022—an infamous cold, rainy race marked by mechanical issues and hypothermia risk, yet still a PR. She later races Boulder 70.3, Muscleman 70.3, Ironman Maryland (including flooded run sections and blisters) and qualifies for 70.3 Worlds in Marbella after Chattanooga’s swim was canceled. Maggie also discusses gravel riding toward Unbound, the Speed Project in France, work-life changes, and starting a PhD at the University of Minnesota. 00:00 Episode Two Kickoff 01:29 Hotel Setup Vibes 01:59 Swimming Origins 04:29 High School Burnout 06:10 Triathlon Spark 08:12 Cape Cod Chaos 10:38 Nationals Heat Stroke 12:28 Zero to Ironman 15:11 Training Alone Lessons 16:57 Team and Coach Upgrade 18:30 IM Wisconsin 2022 Storm 23:28 Mile 22 Comeback 24:41 Worst Wisconsin Weather 25:15 Two Year Reset 26:30 Back Home Training Block 28:40 Maryland Race Breakdown 30:00 Run Course Flooding 31:30 Tracker Panic Moment 33:20 Worlds And Next Goals 35:12 Gravel Riding Origins 39:55 Work Life And PhD Shift 44:51 Training Without A Coach 45:52 Wrap Up And Whats Next https://www.instagram.com/averageagegroupers?igsh=a250eG81dWg2bG4x&utm_source=qr

    47 min

  5. APR 3

    E1: Average Age Groupers: Beachside Kickoff + Oceanside 70.3 Race Recap

    Recording from a California beach, hosts Laura, Maggie, and Holly launch the pilot episode of Average Age Groupers, a podcast focused on everyday age-group endurance athletes balancing training with full-time jobs and life, across running, triathlon, gravel, and more. They share their backgrounds in endurance sports, explain their goal of spotlighting “normal people” stories (and eventually guests on topics like nutrition and strength), and emphasize community and practical advice. Maggie recaps her 70.3 Oceanside race: nervous pre-swim energy, a flat saltwater bay swim, an unusually long transition, a narrow and rough bike course with fog, climbs and Camp Pendleton, and a sunny, no-shade two-loop run where early ice shortages and skipped nutrition hurt late miles; she still finished with a PR. They also preview upcoming plans including Unbound 200, a 100K relay, Ironman Lake Placid, and Laura’s evolving motivation after Ironman. 00:00 Beachside Welcome 00:29 Meet The Hosts 02:03 Why This Podcast 03:13 Community And Guests 04:54 Backgrounds And Experience 08:00 Oceanside Race Setup 09:39 Swim And Transition 13:02 Bike Course Highlights 18:16 Run Course Heat 19:28 Run Course Impressions 20:12 Crowds and Loop Energy 20:45 Run Mistakes Shoes and Fuel 22:26 PR Talk and Course Dependence 23:44 Would We Race Again 24:15 Podcast Mission and Pros 26:48 2026 Plans Gravel and Races 30:29 Training Life and Athlete Stories 33:58 Ironman Blues and Sacrifice 36:58 Lowering Barriers Practical Tips 37:37 Wrap Up and Call to Action https://www.youtube.com/@averageagegroupers https://www.instagram.com/averageagegroupers?igsh=a250eG81dWg2bG4x&utm_source=qr

    39 min
  • 5 Episodes

About

Welcome to Average Age Groupers, the podcast for the athlete who has a goal and a grocery list. Hosted by Holly, Maggie, and Laura, we’re diving into the world of cycling, running, triathlon, and everything in between. Whether you’re training for your first 5K or your tenth IRONMAN, we talk about how to crush your goals without losing your job, your friends, or your mind. From fueling on a budget to navigating the mental highs and lows of the "middle of the pack," we’re here to prove that you don't have to be a pro to have a powerful story.

Information

  • Creator
    Growing Curious
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Average Age Groupers

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