Unstoppable With Shangrila Rendon

Shangrila Rendon

What if you could train smarter, race stronger, and still have energy for your family, career, and dreams while staying injury free? This show is for working parents, busy triathletes, marathoners, and endurance athletes who are chasing big goals and want to push past their limits and inspire others by how they show up in sport and life. Whether you're a first-timer, a comeback athlete, or someone who’s been stuck in burnout or injury, you belong here.  No matter your age, past injuries, time off, or current limitations, this podcast will help you go farther than you thought possible. Inside every episode, you’ll get: - Proven strategies from the Smart Training Method™  covering training, nutrition, injury prevention/body maintenance, mindset, and race prep - Inspiring interviews with everyday athletes and elite performers - High-impact lessons from experts in endurance, mental fitness, and performance - Raw stories of struggle, resilience, and transformation in the world of triathlon and running I’m Shangrila Rendon, 2x Guinness World Record holder, 48-time Ironman distance finisher, Ultraman and IM Kona finisher, keynote speaker, author, creator of Smart Training Method and Founder of Feisty Fox Coaching. But I didn’t start this way. At 24, I couldn’t swim, didn’t own a bike, and could barely run for 15 minutes. I battled depression, PTSD, addiction, eating disorder and the lasting scars of childhood abuse, sexual assault.  Endurance sport became the path I used to rebuild myself. I trained hard, failed often, and never gave up. And now I help others do the same. I created this podcast to help you go farther, inspire others, and become unstoppable. Subscribe now and join our community of athletes who are learning to be Unstoppable

  1. Why Swimming Still Feels Hard Even With Technique Drills

    Jul 5

    Why Swimming Still Feels Hard Even With Technique Drills

    A friend once told me, “You’re lifting your head, sinking your legs, and yikes… you’re zigzagging in open water. With your speed right now, you’re going to be in trouble meeting the cutoff time.” Then he added, “Just do drills.” That stuck with me. So I did. When I eventually decided to get a coach, more drills showed up in my plan. Side kicking, catch drills, breathing drills.. and more. I couldn’t really avoid the drills, so I did them. Determined. I’ll do whatever it takes to become a better swimmer. The truth is, at that time I had no idea why those drills were there, what problem they were supposed to solve, or even if I was doing them correctly. I just followed the plan because I was committed and willing to work hard. But despite all that effort, my pace didn’t really change. Swimming still felt hard. I was still slow. And I definitely didn’t feel confident in the water, especially on race day.  Fast forward, after coaching thousand of swimmers and triathletes remotely and in-person, I realized how common that experience is. I hear the same thing over and over again: Athletes doing the drills. Putting in the time. But feeling like nothing is really changing. They’re still stuck. And eventually they ask the same question I once asked: “Are these drills even helping me… or are they making me more stuck?” Not because they aren’t working hard. But because something important is missing from how most athletes approach drills. And when that piece is missing, it can feel like you’re doing everything you’re supposed to do in the pool… yet progress stays frustratingly slow. In today's episode, I’m breaking down: ☑️  why drills sometimes stop working ☑️  why triathletes repeat the same problems for months ☑️  how to recognize when it’s time to change focus If you’ve ever felt like you’re putting in the effort but still not seeing the progress you expected in the water, this will make a lot of things click.

    1h 1m
  2. From Runner To Triathlete: Why Swimming Feels So Hard & How To Fix It

    Jun 19

    From Runner To Triathlete: Why Swimming Feels So Hard & How To Fix It

    From Runner To Triathlete: Why Swimming Feels So Hard & How To Fix It If swimming feels harder than running, it’s not you. It’s how you’re training. Most runners bring this into the water: push harder go longer / do more fight through it And that’s exactly why they end up here: “After 150 or 200 meters I feel like the CO₂ is building up…” They're out of breath, gasping and have no control. Even if they can swim 1000 meters or more in the pool… on race day, everything falls apart. And they're left wondering: “I thought I was ready. Where did all that training go?” What most athletes don’t realize is this: 📍 Swimming doesn’t reward effort or just show up the way running does. It backfires. Together with Coach Vineta and Valerie, in this epsiode, I’ll break down: Why swimming feels so hard, especially coming from a running background Why doing more yards isn’t fixing it What’s causing that “out of breath” feeling and how to fix it so you can finally feel in control in the water Using Valerie’s story as an example: After a year of swimming and being able to do ~1000 meters nonstop… she still felt like she was “gasping” after 150–200 meters. As soon as she took action and dialed in the way she trains, she was able to swim non-stop 1500 meters continuously feeling “relaxed and strong.” Her confidence went up. Swimming started to feel easier and she got faster. But this episode is not just about Valerie. It’s about understanding why you can do the distance but still feel out of control. If that’s you, this episode is for you.

    1h 5m
  3. Finish Your 1st Olympic Triathlon Strong

    Jun 13

    Finish Your 1st Olympic Triathlon Strong

    3 Key Strategies from a Busy Single Mom Who Trained for Her 1st Olympic & Full Marathon, in Just 7 Weeks Most athletes know the feeling. Balancing training with real life, wondering if the big goal is just too far out of reach. Kristen, a single mom with two kids and a full-time job, had her eye on finishing her first full marathon this year and was already planning to race a 70.3 next year. When she told me her 70.3 goal, I said: "Let’s boost your confidence for that by getting you a strong Olympic finish this year." Then I asked, “If it were possible, would you want to do both this year?” She hesitated, unsure if she could handle an Olympic distance on top of full marathon training. Then she said yes. Before we started, the Olympic was in her “maybe someday” category. In only 7 weeks, using 3 key strategies, Kristen was able to: 🏁 Finished her first Olympic triathlon with hilly bike course. 3h 21m, 5th in her division 🏅 PR’d her half marathon 🏃‍♀️ Her run threshold pace is 8:15 min/mile 🏆 Won her sprint triathlon 🚴 Biked 40 miles for the first time 🏊 Swam 2 miles for the first time Crossing the finish line, she said: "I didn’t feel like I was dying. I feel great.” She’s feeling confident and strong The biggest difference: She stopped guessing and started training with a plan built for her busy life. If you’re ready to see what’s possible for you, no matter your schedule listen to this episode.

    47 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

What if you could train smarter, race stronger, and still have energy for your family, career, and dreams while staying injury free? This show is for working parents, busy triathletes, marathoners, and endurance athletes who are chasing big goals and want to push past their limits and inspire others by how they show up in sport and life. Whether you're a first-timer, a comeback athlete, or someone who’s been stuck in burnout or injury, you belong here.  No matter your age, past injuries, time off, or current limitations, this podcast will help you go farther than you thought possible. Inside every episode, you’ll get: - Proven strategies from the Smart Training Method™  covering training, nutrition, injury prevention/body maintenance, mindset, and race prep - Inspiring interviews with everyday athletes and elite performers - High-impact lessons from experts in endurance, mental fitness, and performance - Raw stories of struggle, resilience, and transformation in the world of triathlon and running I’m Shangrila Rendon, 2x Guinness World Record holder, 48-time Ironman distance finisher, Ultraman and IM Kona finisher, keynote speaker, author, creator of Smart Training Method and Founder of Feisty Fox Coaching. But I didn’t start this way. At 24, I couldn’t swim, didn’t own a bike, and could barely run for 15 minutes. I battled depression, PTSD, addiction, eating disorder and the lasting scars of childhood abuse, sexual assault.  Endurance sport became the path I used to rebuild myself. I trained hard, failed often, and never gave up. And now I help others do the same. I created this podcast to help you go farther, inspire others, and become unstoppable. Subscribe now and join our community of athletes who are learning to be Unstoppable

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