The Lonely Triathlete

Todd Sauder
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An age-grouper with 25 years of experience overcomes a life altering brain injury and starts hitting the podium. Be motivated and inspired as he recounts the daily grind of an amateur triathlete and join the growing community on Patreon. You don't have to be a lonely triathlete anymore!

  1. [PREVIEW] The Best Swimming Goggles Ever

    4D AGO

    [PREVIEW] The Best Swimming Goggles Ever

    TheMAGIC5 swim goggles are, hands down, the best goggles I've ever used. That was true 4 years ago and that is still true today after using their latest version. APOLOGIES! I just discovered that my last 2 audio files were not recorded with my good microphone (those darn Windows settings!). I promise, better audio next week. Join the community at www.patreon.com/thelonelytriathlete TRANSCRIPT Welcome to the Lonely Triathlete where I share with you the thoughts, opinions, experiences and tips n tricks of a podium placing age-group triathlete. Should I say "aging" triathlete? Aren't we all aging, really? 'Nuff said. Before I get started, just a quick reminder that Patreon members get bonus content at the end of this episode AND if you head over to Patreon.com, you'll see that I am posting a couple of written blog posts per week so check that out and be sure to leave some comments. OK You know what piece of triathlon equipment gets talked about the least? Not aero helmets. Not carbon shoes. Not race wheels. Swimming goggles. And honestly, that’s ridiculous when you think about it. Because if your goggles don’t fit properly, your swim can go sideways fast. I remember being absolutely paranoid before my 2008 Ironman Canada that my goggles would leak, whcih is why I bought a pair of visor-style Aquaspheres. But a leaking goggle during a race isn’t just annoying — it completely breaks your rhythm. Suddenly you’re stopping, adjusting, sighting poorly, getting frustrated, maybe even panicking a little in open water. And during training? A bad pair of goggles can turn an enjoyable swim into an irritating grind. Too tight? You get the raccoon-eye pressure marks. Too loose? Water leaks in every flip turn. Wrong shape? They dig into your eye sockets and give you headaches. For a piece of equipment that literally sits on your face for hours every month, comfort matters a lot more than most athletes realize. Now here’s the funny thing. Most swimmers and triathletes are buying goggles in roughly the $25–$60 range. That’s kind of the mainstream market: Speedo Vanquishers Arena goggles TYR Aqua Sphere These are all good goggles. Totally functional. Those Aquasphere I used for Ironman were fantastic. I felt like I was wearing a motorcycle helmet they were so big but they did their job. But most of them are still basically “best guess” sizing. They have: Different nose bridges. Different strap tensions. Maybe one fits your face better than another. BUT You’re still adapting YOURSELF to the goggles. Not the other way around. And honestly, a lot of swimmers just accept leaking as normal. Like: “Oh yeah, this pair only leaks on hard push-offs.” Or: “They’re good once you adjust them three times.” We’ve normalized mediocre fit. What’s funny is that swim goggles have actually evolved a lot over the last 30–35 years. If you started swimming in the late 80s or early 90s, you probably remember the old-school goggles that basically felt like torture devices strapped to your face. The classic design back then was: hard plastic lenses FOAM padding around the eyes basic rubber straps and almost zero ergonomic shaping And those foam gaskets? They absorbed water over time, degraded quickly, and eventually became DISGUSTING little sponges attached to your face. The fit philosophy back then was basically: “Just tighten them harder.” Which of course created those legendary deep red eye rings that lasted half the day. People at work always new when I started my day with a swim workout. Then through the 1990s and early 2000s, companies started introducing softer SILICONE seals instead of foam padding. And honestly, that was a huge leap forward. Silicone: lasted longer sealed better felt softer against the skin and didn’t absorb water. That era also brought interchangeable nose bridges, which suddenly allowed swimmers to customize fit a little more instead of relying on a one-size-fits-all design. Then came the rise of racing-oriented LOW-profile goggles. Brands like Speedo, Arena, and TYR started focusing heavily on HYDROdynamics: smaller lens profiles reduced drag sleeker shapes mirrored lenses wider peripheral vision Open-water swimming also changed the market. Triathletes needed goggles that worked in: bright sunlight choppy water long-distance comfort situations So companies began introducing: larger lenses (hello Aquasphere) curved panoramic vision softer “air gasket” technology better anti-fog coatings UV protection And that air-gasket concept was another major step. Instead of hard pressure points around the eye socket, companies started using cushioned seals filled with air or softer silicone structures that distributed pressure more evenly. The result: less squeezing… less leakage… and way more comfort during long swims. And NOW we’ve entered the NEWEST phase of goggle evolution: custom-fit goggles. Instead of trying to create one shape that works “well enough” for millions of people, companies like THEMAGIC5 are using face scanning and manufacturing technology to create individualized fits. Which honestly makes sense when you think about it. Human faces are wildly different. Eye socket depth. Nose bridge width. Cheekbone structure. And yet for decades the industry basically said: “Here are three nose bridges. Good luck.” So when you look at the history of swim goggles, it’s actually a story of comfort slowly catching up with performance. Because the ideal goggle isn’t really the fastest one. It’s the one you completely forget you’re wearing. Now, get ready, I'm about to brag about the best pair of swimming goggles I have ever owned. The Magic5. I received my first and original pair of Magic5 goggles about 4 years ago as a birthday, and they were great. They were actually PERFECT. Comfortable (which was a new experience for me) and leak free, which is a rareity. After a while I almost stopped thinking about them entirely — which is probably the highest compliment you can give a pair of goggles. But after 4 years they've been showing some wear and tear. They are still leak-free but the anti-fog coating has pretty much disappeared. I've been getting around this by spitting into the goggles and rinsing them out before putting them on but that act has been getting old and just as I was deciding to go ahead and order a new pair, TheMagic5 reached out to me and offered to essentially give me a pair of their latest model, the VECTOR, with no strings attached. All I had to do was pay for the shipping. Talk about perfect timing and a no brainer. So, I just got a chance recently to test them out at my local lake. This new pair is...just...great. They've made some upgrades, which I'll mention, but honestly, how do you improve upon perfection? Some of the improvements the company highlights include: Refined gasket geometry for improved facial pressure distribution - Sure, enough, I feel little to no pressure on my face, just as before Updated scanning and fit algorithms using a much larger facial data set, which leads to improved comfort around the eye sockets during long swims - Again, the result is little to no pressure around my eyes Enhanced peripheral vision depending on the model - I already experienced great peripheral vision, apparently it's even better now Upgraded anti-fog performance - We shall see, so far so good Improved strap design and overall adjustability - Never had a problem before More durable lens coatings - We shall see Expanded lens options for indoor, outdoor, mirrored, and open-water conditions - True, and I went with the all-rounder "gold" version - it's supposed to be good for indoor/outdoor use. If you swim in predominently sunny conditions I would definately go with the specialied version for that condition Their newer “Vector” design specifically focuses on reducing pressure points while maintaining a secure seal - Like I said, can't feel them on my face, never could So, the biggest compliment I can give the new pair is this: They still disappear while I’m swimming. No leaking. No fiddling. No overtightening. No mid-set adjustments. Just swim. And here's a bonus, let's say you do experience some fit issues? You can contact Support and they will do another scan and send you another pair. I've never had to do that but it's nice to know that is an option. Now to be fair, not every swimmer loves them. Some swimmers swear they’re the best goggles they’ve ever owned. Others say the fit process can be hit-or-miss depending on the face scan or the model. And like basically every swim goggle ever made, anti-fog performance eventually fades over time. But the consistent theme from people who do love them is comfort and leak prevention. Isn't it weird that this is one of those areas where triathletes sometimes get weirdly cheap? We’ll spend thousands chasing marginal aero gains… …but tolerate goggles that leak every third lap. If you swim multiple times per week, comfort matters. Focus matters. Rhythm matters. And when your goggles disappear from your awareness entirely? That’s probably the sign they’re doing their job perfectly. At the end of the day, triathlon performance isn’t only about the big flashy upgrades. Sometimes it’s about removing friction. Physical friction. Mental friction. Emotional friction. And well-fitting goggles remove all three. Because when your goggles work perfectly, your attention stays where it belongs: on your stroke… your pacing… your breathing… and the simple rhythm of swimming. And honestly, after using leak-free goggles for years now, I don’t think I could ever go back. Check the show notes to see if I managed to secure an affiliate link so you can get a discount off your pair of TheMagic5 goggles. That's it from me, until next time. Peace Ok, Patrons, time to dive into Reddit and see what the latest questions or issues are:

    5 min
  2. The Best Swimming Goggles Ever

    4D AGO

    The Best Swimming Goggles Ever

    TheMAGIC5 swim goggles are, hands down, the best goggles I've ever used. That was true 4 years ago and that is still true today after using their latest version. APOLOGIES! I just discovered that my last 2 audio files were not recorded with my good microphone (those darn Windows settings!). I promise, better audio next week. Join the community at www.patreon.com/thelonelytriathlete TRANSCRIPT Welcome to the Lonely Triathlete where I share with you the thoughts, opinions, experiences and tips n tricks of a podium placing age-group triathlete. Should I say "aging" triathlete? Aren't we all aging, really? 'Nuff said. Before I get started, just a quick reminder that Patreon members get bonus content at the end of this episode AND if you head over to Patreon.com, you'll see that I am posting a couple of written blog posts per week so check that out and be sure to leave some comments. OK You know what piece of triathlon equipment gets talked about the least? Not aero helmets. Not carbon shoes. Not race wheels. Swimming goggles. And honestly, that’s ridiculous when you think about it. Because if your goggles don’t fit properly, your swim can go sideways fast. I remember being absolutely paranoid before my 2008 Ironman Canada that my goggles would leak, whcih is why I bought a pair of visor-style Aquaspheres. But a leaking goggle during a race isn’t just annoying — it completely breaks your rhythm. Suddenly you’re stopping, adjusting, sighting poorly, getting frustrated, maybe even panicking a little in open water. And during training? A bad pair of goggles can turn an enjoyable swim into an irritating grind. Too tight? You get the raccoon-eye pressure marks. Too loose? Water leaks in every flip turn. Wrong shape? They dig into your eye sockets and give you headaches. For a piece of equipment that literally sits on your face for hours every month, comfort matters a lot more than most athletes realize. Now here’s the funny thing. Most swimmers and triathletes are buying goggles in roughly the $25–$60 range. That’s kind of the mainstream market: Speedo Vanquishers Arena goggles TYR Aqua Sphere These are all good goggles. Totally functional. Those Aquasphere I used for Ironman were fantastic. I felt like I was wearing a motorcycle helmet they were so big but they did their job. But most of them are still basically “best guess” sizing. They have: Different nose bridges. Different strap tensions. Maybe one fits your face better than another. BUT You’re still adapting YOURSELF to the goggles. Not the other way around. And honestly, a lot of swimmers just accept leaking as normal. Like: “Oh yeah, this pair only leaks on hard push-offs.” Or: “They’re good once you adjust them three times.” We’ve normalized mediocre fit. What’s funny is that swim goggles have actually evolved a lot over the last 30–35 years. If you started swimming in the late 80s or early 90s, you probably remember the old-school goggles that basically felt like torture devices strapped to your face. The classic design back then was: hard plastic lenses FOAM padding around the eyes basic rubber straps and almost zero ergonomic shaping And those foam gaskets? They absorbed water over time, degraded quickly, and eventually became DISGUSTING little sponges attached to your face. The fit philosophy back then was basically: “Just tighten them harder.” Which of course created those legendary deep red eye rings that lasted half the day. People at work always new when I started my day with a swim workout. Then through the 1990s and early 2000s, companies started introducing softer SILICONE seals instead of foam padding. And honestly, that was a huge leap forward. Silicone: lasted longer sealed better felt softer against the skin and didn’t absorb water. That era also brought interchangeable nose bridges, which suddenly allowed swimmers to customize fit a little more instead of relying on a one-size-fits-all design. Then came the rise of racing-oriented LOW-profile goggles. Brands like Speedo, Arena, and TYR started focusing heavily on HYDROdynamics: smaller lens profiles reduced drag sleeker shapes mirrored lenses wider peripheral vision Open-water swimming also changed the market. Triathletes needed goggles that worked in: bright sunlight choppy water long-distance comfort situations So companies began introducing: larger lenses (hello Aquasphere) curved panoramic vision softer “air gasket” technology better anti-fog coatings UV protection And that air-gasket concept was another major step. Instead of hard pressure points around the eye socket, companies started using cushioned seals filled with air or softer silicone structures that distributed pressure more evenly. The result: less squeezing… less leakage… and way more comfort during long swims. And NOW we’ve entered the NEWEST phase of goggle evolution: custom-fit goggles. Instead of trying to create one shape that works “well enough” for millions of people, companies like THEMAGIC5 are using face scanning and manufacturing technology to create individualized fits. Which honestly makes sense when you think about it. Human faces are wildly different. Eye socket depth. Nose bridge width. Cheekbone structure. And yet for decades the industry basically said: “Here are three nose bridges. Good luck.” So when you look at the history of swim goggles, it’s actually a story of comfort slowly catching up with performance. Because the ideal goggle isn’t really the fastest one. It’s the one you completely forget you’re wearing. Now, get ready, I'm about to brag about the best pair of swimming goggles I have ever owned. The Magic5. I received my first and original pair of Magic5 goggles about 4 years ago as a birthday, and they were great. They were actually PERFECT. Comfortable (which was a new experience for me) and leak free, which is a rareity. After a while I almost stopped thinking about them entirely — which is probably the highest compliment you can give a pair of goggles. But after 4 years they've been showing some wear and tear. They are still leak-free but the anti-fog coating has pretty much disappeared. I've been getting around this by spitting into the goggles and rinsing them out before putting them on but that act has been getting old and just as I was deciding to go ahead and order a new pair, TheMagic5 reached out to me and offered to essentially give me a pair of their latest model, the VECTOR, with no strings attached. All I had to do was pay for the shipping. Talk about perfect timing and a no brainer. So, I just got a chance recently to test them out at my local lake. This new pair is...just...great. They've made some upgrades, which I'll mention, but honestly, how do you improve upon perfection? Some of the improvements the company highlights include: Refined gasket geometry for improved facial pressure distribution - Sure, enough, I feel little to no pressure on my face, just as before Updated scanning and fit algorithms using a much larger facial data set, which leads to improved comfort around the eye sockets during long swims - Again, the result is little to no pressure around my eyes Enhanced peripheral vision depending on the model - I already experienced great peripheral vision, apparently it's even better now Upgraded anti-fog performance - We shall see, so far so good Improved strap design and overall adjustability - Never had a problem before More durable lens coatings - We shall see Expanded lens options for indoor, outdoor, mirrored, and open-water conditions - True, and I went with the all-rounder "gold" version - it's supposed to be good for indoor/outdoor use. If you swim in predominently sunny conditions I would definately go with the specialied version for that condition Their newer “Vector” design specifically focuses on reducing pressure points while maintaining a secure seal - Like I said, can't feel them on my face, never could So, the biggest compliment I can give the new pair is this: They still disappear while I’m swimming. No leaking. No fiddling. No overtightening. No mid-set adjustments. Just swim. And here's a bonus, let's say you do experience some fit issues? You can contact Support and they will do another scan and send you another pair. I've never had to do that but it's nice to know that is an option. Now to be fair, not every swimmer loves them. Some swimmers swear they’re the best goggles they’ve ever owned. Others say the fit process can be hit-or-miss depending on the face scan or the model. And like basically every swim goggle ever made, anti-fog performance eventually fades over time. But the consistent theme from people who do love them is comfort and leak prevention. Isn't it weird that this is one of those areas where triathletes sometimes get weirdly cheap? We’ll spend thousands chasing marginal aero gains… …but tolerate goggles that leak every third lap. If you swim multiple times per week, comfort matters. Focus matters. Rhythm matters. And when your goggles disappear from your awareness entirely? That’s probably the sign they’re doing their job perfectly. At the end of the day, triathlon performance isn’t only about the big flashy upgrades. Sometimes it’s about removing friction. Physical friction. Mental friction. Emotional friction. And well-fitting goggles remove all three. Because when your goggles work perfectly, your attention stays where it belongs: on your stroke… your pacing… your breathing… and the simple rhythm of swimming. And honestly, after using leak-free goggles for years now, I don’t think I could ever go back. Check the show notes to see if I managed to secure an affiliate link so you can get a discount off your pair of TheMagic5 goggles. That's it from me, until next time. Peace Ok, Patrons, time to dive into Reddit and see what the latest questions or issues are:

    17 min
  3. [PREVIEW] Be The Best Triathlete You Can Be

    MAY 11

    [PREVIEW] Be The Best Triathlete You Can Be

    Do you want to optimize your race performance? Do you want to be the best, fastest triathlete that you can possibly be? Really? I mean, do you really want that? Are you prepared to do what it takes to achieve that? Because most of us are not and that's OK.

    5 min
  4. How To Be the Best Triathlete

    MAY 11

    How To Be the Best Triathlete

    Do you want to optimize your race performance? Do you want to be the best, fastest triathlete that you can possibly be? Really? I mean, do you really want that? Are you prepared to do what it takes to achieve that? Because most of us are not and that's OK. Summary Triathlon has a unique way of making improvement feel possible, which is why so many athletes believe there’s a faster, stronger version of themselves waiting to emerge. But this piece explores the uncomfortable reality that most athletes want the rewards of peak performance without fully paying the physical, emotional, social, financial, and lifestyle costs required to achieve it. It breaks down what true high-level amateur performance actually demands — consistent training, smart specificity, recovery, fueling, and relentless discipline — while also arguing that pursuing absolute optimization isn’t necessarily the healthiest or happiest path. Ultimately, it suggests that the real goal may not be maximizing athletic potential at all costs, but finding the balance between excellence in triathlon and excellence in life. Join the community at www.patreon.com/thelonelytriathlete Transcript/Talk Notes There’s something almost magical about triathlon. Because unlike a lot of sports, improvement feels available. Tangible. Earned. You see someone cross the finish line of an Ironman and you think: “What if I actually committed? What if I really tried?” Most amateur triathletes carry around this quiet belief that somewhere inside them is a faster version of themselves. Leaner. Stronger. More disciplined. More capable. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: Most athletes don’t actually want optimal performance. They want the results of optimal performance without paying the full price for it. And I’m not saying that judgmentally. I include myself in this conversation. Because optimal performance has a cost. Not just physically. Emotionally. Socially. Financially. And most of us — wisely, honestly — are unwilling to pay all of it. So today I want to talk about: what the actual prescription for optimal triathlon performance looks like, the hidden prices athletes avoid paying, the difference between “doing your best” and “doing your physiological best,” and finally… what you can cut back on with the smallest performance penalty so you can still have a life outside triathlon. Part 1 — Everyone Wants Peak Performance… Until It Costs Something (3–4 minutes) Most athletes love the idea of excellence. Very few love the lifestyle required for it. People say: “I want to qualify for Kona.” “I want to podium.” “I want to unlock my potential.” But then reality shows up. Because performance is built on sacrifices that are often deeply unsexy. Not motivation. Not inspiration. Not buying carbon wheels. Sacrifice. You already mentioned some obvious ones: eating with purpose instead of entertainment, prioritizing sleep over Netflix, doing the session you need instead of the session you feel like doing, getting up at 5am, doing doubles or triples, reducing stress, training when nobody is watching. But there are other prices athletes quietly refuse to pay. The Emotional Cost Some athletes don’t want to confront weakness. They avoid swim sessions because they hate feeling incompetent. They avoid intervals because they expose limitations. They stay in Zone 2 forever because suffering threatens their self-image. Improvement requires repeatedly visiting the place where you are not yet good enough. That’s emotionally expensive. The Social Cost Optimal performance often makes you less available. You leave parties early. You stop drinking much. You say no to late nights. You disappear for long rides. You become “the triathlon person.” And many athletes unconsciously sabotage progress because they fear social separation more than they desire performance. The Identity Cost This one is huge. To truly improve, sometimes you have to let go of comforting stories: “I’m just not fast.” “I don’t respond well to intensity.” “I’m too old.” “I’m too busy.” Or conversely: “I’m naturally talented so I don’t need structure.” Your ego will often protect your identity before it protects your potential. The Financial Cost Nobody likes talking about this one. But performance costs money. Good nutrition. Race entries. A coach. Pool access. Bike maintenance. Recovery tools. Travel. More time means sometimes less earning. And ironically, some athletes spend thousands on gear while refusing to invest in the boring things that actually matter: sleep, consistency, coaching, nutrition, recovery, stress management. Because buying equipment feels easier than changing behavior. Part 2 — What Does Optimal Triathlon Performance Actually Require? (4–5 minutes) Let’s strip away fantasy for a minute. What would it actually take for an amateur athlete to approach their physiological potential? Not perfection. But close. Here’s the blueprint. 1. Consistent Training Volume This is still king. Not hero workouts. Not occasional monster weeks. Consistent weekly volume over years. The aerobic engine responds to repeated exposure. There’s no shortcut around accumulated work. 2. Training Specificity Doing what moves the needle. Not what’s fun. Not what protects the ego. If your limiter is running durability: you probably need more running frequency. If your limiter is bike power: you probably need structured intervals. If your limiter is swimming: you probably need technique work and frequency. A lot of athletes train in the direction of preference instead of the direction of adaptation. 3. Recovery Discipline Sleep is performance enhancement. Not optional recovery. Actual performance enhancement. Optimal athletes protect sleep almost aggressively. They also manage overall life stress because the body doesn’t distinguish particularly well between: work stress, relationship stress, financial stress, and training stress. Stress is stress. 4. Fueling Correctly Not just “eating healthy.” That’s amateur thinking. High performance requires: enough carbohydrates, enough protein, sufficient calories, hydration, electrolyte management, timing nutrition around sessions. A shocking number of endurance athletes are chronically under-fueled and wonder why they plateau. 5. Ruthless Consistency This may be the biggest one. Elite-level age groupers are not magical. They are relentlessly consistent. They train when motivated. They train when unmotivated. They train when conditions are mediocre. They train when life is slightly inconvenient. Not perfectly. Consistently. Part 3 — The Marginal Gains That Actually Matter (3–4 minutes) Once the basics are solid, marginal gains start mattering. And here’s the important distinction: Marginal gains only matter after the fundamentals are in place. People obsess over: ceramic bearings, aero socks, expensive supplements, ice baths, red light therapy, ketones, altitude tents… …while sleeping 6 hours a night and skipping swim sessions. That’s backwards. But once the basics are nailed? Then the marginal stuff can matter. For example: aero optimization on the bike, heat adaptation, carbohydrate optimization during races, body composition refinement, advanced pacing, recovery timing, improved aerodynamics, race-specific preparation, mental performance work. The difference is: Marginal gains are multipliers. But multiplying garbage still gives you garbage. Part 4 — But Maybe You Don’t WANT Optimal (3–4 minutes) And this is where I want to be very careful. Because there’s another side to this conversation. Maybe you don’t want to organize your entire life around triathlon. Maybe you don’t want: bedtime alarms, two-a-days, obsessing over macros, turning down vacations, scheduling your life around recovery. That’s okay. Actually, more than okay. Because triathlon is supposed to fit into your life — unless you consciously choose otherwise. And I think many athletes quietly feel guilt because they’re not maximizing their potential. But maybe they’re maximizing something more important: family, relationships, career, creativity, balance, joy, mental health. There’s honor in that too. The key is honesty. Don’t expect elite outcomes from recreational commitments. But also: Don’t diminish what recreational commitment can still achieve. You can become incredibly fit, incredibly capable, and incredibly fulfilled without turning triathlon into a second job. Part 5 — What Can You Cut Back On With Minimal Performance Loss? (2–3 minutes) This is probably the most practical part of the episode. If you want the best return on investment: Protect the fundamentals. Keep: consistency, sleep, reasonable fueling, frequency, key workouts. Cut: junk volume, unnecessary intensity, social media comparison, equipment obsession, complicated recovery protocols, optimization theater. You probably don’t need: six-hour rides every weekend, twelve supplements, constant data analysis, or total life domination by triathlon. For most amateurs: 80–90% of your potential comes from: consistency, adequate volume, smart workouts, recovery, nutrition, and patience. The final 5–10%? That’s where the real sacrifices begin. And only you can decide whether that price is worth paying. Closing (1 minute) Maybe the goal isn’t to become the best triathlete you could possibly be. Maybe the goal is to become the best triathlete you can be while still remaining the person you want to be. That’s a different question. And maybe a wiser one. Because at the end of the day, triathlon is not life. It’s something that’s supposed to enhance life. And the athletes who last the longest in this sport are often the ones who learn exactly where excellence ends… and balance begins. If you are a Patreon member, stick around for some bonus content. Otherwise, until next time, Peace

    24 min
  5. Triathlete Running Thoughts

    MAY 4

    Triathlete Running Thoughts

    In this episode I muse about all sorts of subjects while I take you along for an easy Sunday morning run. If you want to comment on today's episode, consider signing up on Patreon and join the Lonely Triathlete community! Join our community at www.patreon.com/TheLonelyTriathlete Transcript All right. Well, this is my first run of the year. in shorts and a t-shirt. And I am stoked. Absolutely love it. Now, I was thinking, how often do we really love our workouts? It's a great question, because I'm on an indoor bike, most of the year, and I like my workouts, but do I love them? No? I'm more interested in maybe the podcast I'm listening to or the movie I'm watching. But for the actual workout, curious about it, kind of like the feeling of sweat. But do I love it? No. Swimming in the winter. When you go to the pool at 6 in the morning, 6:30 in the morning, and it's dark and cold outside, it's fun to swim. But do you love it? Most of the time, I don't love it, but when you swim outside in a lake or the ocean with your wetsuit, that, that stuff that I love. And running in the dark and the cold, and sometimes the snow and the rain, don't love it. Don't even... don't even like it half the time. But now, in the sunshine, love it. Another thing I do love is running on trails. I never used to run the trails that much because, oh, you know, I didn't know the exact distances. This was before GPS watches, of course. And it was a very terrain, so I couldn't establish a solid pace. He just felt all too random for me. So I'd be running on the road a lot. In the last couple of years, I've really disliked running on the road. Not 'cause of the road. But because of the traffic. And there's a section here in Victoria, where I have to run on the road a bit, and, uh, it's starting to bug me. I'm feeling, uh, what's the word? Negative towards the loud trucks, the loud motorcycles, a blast by me. I don't know. I don't like running on the road as much as I used to. So that brings up the point. What do we do? to enjoy our workouts more? I think it starts with identifying what we like and then doing more of what we like. So I just said, I like trail running. I'm gonna focus more running on trails. I like swimming in the lakes in the ocean, well more lakes than ocean. I'm kind of dependent upon the weather and temperature, obviously, but I'm gonna be swimming in the lake, probably starting next weekend. So that's good. Now, riding my bike, that's a different story, because I get so much fitness riding indoors. So I really don't want to do training rides outside, necessarily, unless they're long. Long, and easy kind of rides. So I'll have to give that a thought. So I may have just inspired myself. I think if I can't get out for a training run on the road, then maybe I'll go out for at least a pleasurable, a pleasurable ride. Longer, easier ride, on the weekend, outside, just so I can enjoy being outside my bike more. Sunday morning, and I've already run past 15 dog walkers, 15 dogs, 15 kilos. Nothing, says Victoria, weekend mornings, like dog walking, that's for sure. A lot of dogs in this area. All right, my run has taken me down along the ocean, or just above the ocean. And I'm heading up about a one kilometre hill. Hello, Crow. I'm not talking to you. And, uh, yeah, so I'll be doing a slow jog up a hill with, guess what? More traffic. You can't escape it. But I was thinking as I have my eyes on the ocean here. running up this hill, how fortunate I am to be living in a location that is conducive to my passions, my interests, when it comes to sports. I go kayaking. I run, I can bike, I can swim in the lakes. Absolutely fantastic. Oh, I gotta run across this massive lane. I found myself in a bike lane. Not a run lane. Okay, across the ditch. Into the sidewalk. Yeah, how conducive it is to live in an area that... is conducive to, uh, doing the things I love. And I know that we all can't choose necessarily, very easily, the places that we live, especially if we've got a job, and we can't change locations easily. But it is a reminder that if, if we can, if it's possible to choose a location to live, the next time you're moving, I would give serious, serious thought. to the location, the geography, that you're moving to. Don't just, you know, move to a place that's 10 minutes close to the work. But maybe, maybe a place that's 15 minutes away from work, but puts you in the heart of a trail system. Or buy the water. I don't know, something to think about. All right, halfway up this hill, and the traffic is going by, and I realize another thing I can't stand about traffic is the pollution. Oh, man. When someone goes by me, I just smell gas and oil. I was going in my lungs. Can't stand it. Maybe every more reason to live out in the country, right? We all can't all be so lucky, but, oh, I tell you, being near the place near the places where you enjoy, it goes a long way in your life. It really does. Alright, head me to the top of the hill. And I am sweating now. It is so warm. It's not even summer yet. This is gonna be an awesome summer. There's something about good temperatures, like, shirts and T-shirt running. I feel like I can go for hours. But if it was windy and cold, I think I just want to quit. I just wanna get the workout done with. But at this point, I don't want the workout to end. Another thing... Oh, man, sweat's getting my eyes. Another thing about me is sweat is, I've got thick eyebrows. I got bushy eyebrows. And the plus... Yeah, everyone's out doing their yard work. The plus and minus of it is, when I first start working out, sweat's not dripping down my face at all. because it's being collected in my eyebrows. Great. But, at some point, the eyebrows become saturated. And then... and then the sweat starts to drip. It's like having these two sponges on my eyes, full of water, and they will drip and drip and drip, and never stop. No, you've obviously noticed that I'm recording while I'm running. So what am I recording on? Well, I got a, I got a brand new DJI, Mike Minnie, Bluetooth, microphone I've attached to my, my ball cap, and I'm recording through my phone, so just running with my phone in my hand, recording off this Mike Mini. And I bought this mic specifically to do more, more outdoor stuff. So you all can get a bit more of variety as you listen to the lonely triathlete, and I've got more in store. So if you head over to Patreon, check out the show notes, head the Patreon, join our one of our supporter tiers. And you'll be able to take advantage of more cool little things I'm doing this year. Video, droning, stuff on the bike, all sorts of stuff planned. So you want to go over and be a member? so that you can, uh, take part, take part in that, join the community. So here I am, about to take a halfway turn. All right, I'm getting close to my halfway point of this 45 minute run, and I climbed to the top of the major part of my elevation, and then the last half is mostly downhill. Which is fantastic. Kind of tired of sucking all the gas tumes on this main route. So, when I take my left hand turn, it's a slightly less driven route. But there will be cars, no doubt. And I passed 10 more dogs and two children in dollies, or whatever you call them. Try all these dollies, push carts, strollers. That's a word I'm looking for. Oh, my gosh. An 18 wheeler is gonna go by me. Wow. Where is everyone going on a Sunday morning? You know, I'll go to church. I'll tell you that. Uh... So, gotta talk about... the elephant that is in the room. Or, rather, the elephant that seems to be in my butt. I got another injury. Huh, fire truck. What a crazy morning. Don't know if you can hear that, but that's a one alarm fire. And here's my left turn. So, anyway, my injury. I have... a pretty good haemorrhoid. And I've really never had haemorrhoids before. I mean, maybe I've had something I thought was a haemorrhoid, but this, no doubt, this is a haemorrhoid. I felt it about four days ago. I was in the shower, washing myself. thoroughly, and now as I was getting in there, nice and personal like, I was like, ow. Ow, what is that in my butt? Oh, so I kind of felt around and said, Oh, geez. Does someone put, like, a grape in my butt? What the heck? Now, initially I thought, Oh, great. I've got rectal cancer. Because everything I see on social media these days is the rise in colorectal cancers. And, to be honest, it's something to be aware of. But I don't think, I mean, this isn't rectal. This is, like, anal. Like, I've got anal cancer. I guess it's possible. Just comes out of nowhere. don't know. But, you know, I'm, I don't know what I did to cause it. That's the problem. is I don't strain when I go to the bathroom, like, I'm very aware, 'cause, like I said, I've had prior run ins with the old capital H. So I'm really cautious about that. But I do sit a lot for work. I do sit on my bike every day, or every other day, and I'm running, and right now, as I'm running, I'm clenching a bit to make sure that I'm not putting any extra pressure on that region. Don't know if that's helping. or hurting. Oh, people. 50, 7 years old, turning 58, in 18 days. And now I'm getting the old people's problems. I came the old people's problems. I've gotten haemorrhoids. What's next? Oh, I'm sure there's stuff coming. I am sure I am in for a treat, as I continue to get older. ll right, here's here's the deal about walkers, especially dog walkers. I find the tend to take up the entire sidewalk, the entire walking lane. And I'm running against traffic. And I just came up upon, You guessed it, two more dogs, and their walker, and they took up the whole lane. And, you know, I may be too polite. I hate culling it like, On your right, on your left, come behind you. I have done that when I need to. But I don't know. Just feel like nice, quiet Sunday morning, and I'm shouting at someone that, get out of my way. But, uh, as I get closer, I just start to scrape my feet and pound my feet j

    24 min
  6. How Does Long Course Training Affect Your 10K Speed?

    APR 27

    How Does Long Course Training Affect Your 10K Speed?

    Train faster run faster, right? Let's assume that is true, so how much faster? I've done the experiment on myself and I share with you the results. Join our community at www.patreon.com/TheLonelyTriathlete Transcript 0:07 Hi and welcome to the lonely triathlete. My name is Todd, and I am the lonely triathlete coming to you live from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, on this Sunday, April 26 2026. 0:22 Welcome to the lonely triathlete. This is a podcast where I talk about age group, training and racing and promote community in an effort to help us all be a little less lonely. Now I'm suffering at the moment, and probably in a way in which you cannot guess. And I'm going to eliminate the guesswork right now - I feel like, for the past five minutes, I'm gonna burp just I can't, I can't get a burp out. So I would be shocked if I don't burp in the middle of this podcast. And this is an authentic podcast, I don't edit 99.9% of the time. I don't edit anything, so I'm not going to edit. I will. I will not burp in your ear. I guarantee you that. But I'm just telling you that feeling of having an impending burp, 1:25 it's almost worse than an aerobic threshold. It's almost worse than VO2max intervals, I just found something that like hurts more than a triathlon experience. 1:39 Okay, so let's get past the bodily issues and move on to this episode. You know there are a few things I have always wondered in my 25 years of racing, I've always wondered, can I produce or does Olympic distance standard course distance training, does it produce a decent 10k speed in and of itself, mixing in your swimming and your biking and your running and your strength training, like how? How close to your kind of optimal 10k speed do you really get with that kind of training? So that's always been in the back of my mind. 2:26 Second is, how much faster could I get if I put triathlon training on the back burner for a while and just did dedicated run training, and then finally, would 70.3 training, or Ironman training, make me significantly faster or slower in a standalone 10k race? And how much faster or slower? I'm assuming it would be slower, but how much slower would I be Well, I have the answer to these questions, because for me, for many years, I have trained almost exclusively for Olympic distance triathlons. I did one Half Ironman. I did one Ironman, but mostly it's been Olympic distance. So I'm very familiar with how my body responds to Olympic distance training, and what my 10k times are within Olympic races. And so accounting for variability in run course elevation, my 10k times have been for the past decade, they've been between 45 minutes, which is really fast, like, almost so fast it makes me question the course distance, like, was it accurate or not? And 52 minutes on the other end, which is super slow. Like, what the heck happened? Did I just go too hard on the bike? Or what's going on? So 45 to 52 so let's call my average 10k speed in an Olympic distance 48 minutes. Okay, so you can almost bet on me being within plus or minus 10-15% of that in any race. Now I've also sprinkled in a few standalone 10k races in between triathlons, and those times have been consistently, on average, about one and a half to two minutes faster? Well, that makes sense. I didn't just swim for 30 minutes and bike for an hour and 10 minutes. So that makes sense. But the missing piece to this is I've also done dedicated run training leading up to some of these races anywhere from four weeks to twelve weeks, and that, by itself, improved my time another couple of minutes to the point where my personal best is 42:43. 5:14 And that was achieved on about four months of Dedicated run training. So to answer the first question, Olympic distance training, from for me, I'm imagining, for most people, it does produce a pretty decent 10k time. However, standalone racing helps you go quite a bit faster, and if you add in some dedicated run training, maybe six weeks of run training prior to the race. That adds even more speed. I know it's not rocket science, but it's really it's really interesting to see it in action. It's like where theory meets meets practicality. Now, the only part of this experiment that I had been missing for the past 20 some years, is seeing how a switch to 70.3 training might affect my 10k Speed. Ah, that's interesting, because, as you would know, if you've ever done 70.3 or Ironman training, you don't do a lot of speed work in in in your run training. A little bit, but nothing like you would if you were dedicated to a 10k plan. So last year, as it happens, all I did was train and race a 70.3 Well, I raced in the Olympic afterwards, but my most of my training was completely centered around a 70.3 and ideally, I would have done the race and then a few weeks later, run a standalone 10k just to see what the difference is. But instead, what I did was I ran my 70.3 and then I trained a dedicated run plan. I trained with a dedicated run plan, and then posted a 49:53 last September. 7:14 So I did the 70.3 and then did a little bit more racing and took some dedicated time to focus on my 10k and even after that, I barely broke 50 minutes when I just said my average in a triathlon is 48 minutes standalone is faster than that. So anyway, I can conclude, therefore that 70.3 training dropped my 10k speed by at least five minutes. So interesting. Now fast forward from last September to today, where this morning I ran the Times Colonist 10K race in Victoria. This is a huge run in this area. There were over 11,000 runners signed up for this race. It's the equivalent of the Vancouver Sun run, which draws like over 40,000 runners, so if we factor in Victoria's much, much smaller population, relatively speaking, it's probably of the same magnitude. Now, since last October, 8:33 all I did was train for Olympic distance triathlon. So based on my past results, and with my reference point being that sub 50 10k I did last September, I thought, You know what? Today, based on all this Olympic distance training, I think I probably should run a somewhere around a 47:30 now today, the weather was amazing. It was incredible. blue sky, sun. 10:29 I couldn't believe it. I mean, some of these people, I look at them and say, I would never have pegged you for a runner, and you're ahead of me, or some older gentleman in front of me I would normally pass in a triathlon, I couldn't pass them. I was like shaking my head, thinking there are some good runners in Victoria. Wow. Blew my mind. Very, very, very good legion of runners in this area. So anyway, I held on to my pace, nice rolling course. So up these long gradual hills, I just held to that threshold pace. And of course, I was not really able to take in much of the awe inspiring scenery through my haze of increasing agony. But every once in a while, I'd say to myself, "Oh, I've been here before. Oh, I know where this is" before, I retreated mentally back into my self preservation mantras. And then when I saw the nine kilometer sign, I stepped it up a notch, and it hurt a lot. I kept telling myself, this is this is the mantra I was repeating. "This pain is what you've been seeking. This pain is what you've been seeking. The pain is what you've been seeking". And then when I got tired of that one I'd go to, "you're in the pain you're looking for, you're in the pain you're looking for". And then my third mantra was around, around the the how do I lose my words right now? It was akin to saying, "relish it, relish it. Relish it. Enjoy it, enjoy it. This is what you wanted. Is what you needed". Anyway, I went into some haze of pain, and I recalled in that moment, as I was rounding the final turn for the finish line of the couple of kilometers back, I was passed by a guy that looked like a Gold's Gym bodybuilder, you know, the type thighs rubbing together, almost making fire with the inside of his thighs, 12:48 Anyway, I had just written him off as one of these many freaks of nature, like how in the world he looked like he was easily 220 pounds to my 175 and yet somehow he was powering through faster than me. But in this final km I saw him up ahead of me, maybe with 500 meters to go, and then the finish line was in sight, and with a couple 100 meters to go, I just accelerated into a full sprint. Came up behind him. He started accelerating, not because of me. He didn't see me, but he saw the finish line coming up. And I just it's just as I was pulling even he started to accelerate, but I had the stronger kick, and I beat him to the finish line by about 10 feet. I went home today. That was my happy moment. I shouldn't be. I beat a bodybuilder in the 10k Oh my gosh. I wish I got his race number. I want to look him up. That was, it was a, it was an awe inspiring sight. I wish, I wish I actually had more of my wits about me. And I really like talked to him and found out what, how in the world is that possible? Anyhow, this is what you probably want to know. Maybe you don't want to know. I'm gonna tell you anyway, my finishing time. My finishing time was 4612 14:17 much, much faster than the 47:30 I'd anticipated, I ended up placing 12th out of 216 in my category. So top 6% I'm proud of that. I then looked ahead to the next category to see how much better I would have done, you know, if I was just as fast, but a bit older, turns out, I would have been done. I would have done about the same, like I said, Victoria has fast, fast runners. Wow. So in a nutshell, I confirmed, with my own experience that Olympic distance training can produce pretty decent 10k times, and that only dedicated training improves that even more, and that longer distance training, like for a 70.3 and I can only assume, for an Ironman, definitely makes you slower, and that's not a bad thing. But if running 10k races is your jam, then you're gonna want to add some dedicated run training time before you took that you take that 10k on. Anyhow,

    18 min
  7. Triathlon Training Tip - Less Really is More

    APR 20

    Triathlon Training Tip - Less Really is More

    You've all heard the expression "less is more" and that is true for regular life as well as triathlon. I'll break down what this looks like in triathlon training, and ask yourself if you ever do a little (or a lot) more than necessary. Join our community at www.patreon.com/TheLonelyTriathlete

    14 min
  8. Let's Build a Triathlon Community Together

    APR 13

    Let's Build a Triathlon Community Together

    Big news. Big. News. I am taking The Lonely Triathlete to the next level.  www.patreon.com/TheLonelyTriathlete

    18 min
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About

An age-grouper with 25 years of experience overcomes a life altering brain injury and starts hitting the podium. Be motivated and inspired as he recounts the daily grind of an amateur triathlete and join the growing community on Patreon. You don't have to be a lonely triathlete anymore!

Information

  • Creator
    Todd Sauder
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 5 years, Todd Sauder, The Lonely Triathlete
  • Show Website
    The Lonely Triathlete

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