Average Age Groupers

Holly, Laura, and Maggie
  • 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.

  1. 6d ago

    Ep. 28: She’s Attempting Moab 240 Next. But the Real Challenge Might Surprise You (Ultra Prep + Crew Secrets)

    Laura, Holly, and Maggie welcome returning guest Tarah to discuss her upcoming Moab 240 ultramarathon in Moab, Utah, including how she’s training, fueling, and planning logistics with her crew. After a light intro about keeping too many browser tabs and saving Instagram posts, Tarahh shares that her Leadville Silver Rush 50 was canceled due to fires and low ferritin, but she’s stayed healthy by stacking 2–3 long run days on weekends, relying on her strength-training base, and listening to her body. She details race fueling goals (up to 90g carbs/hour), homemade gels, aid-station foods, and her UltrAspire 14L pack for mandatory gear and up to 3–5L water. They cover mandatory kit, pacing plans (90/100/112+ hours), sleep strategy, fears (feet, gut, darkness), excitement about the community, travel timeline, live tracking, and plans to recap post-race. 00:00 Tabs and Screenshots Chaos 02:00 Saved Reels and Organization 02:52 Meet the Guest Tarah 04:17 Moab 240 Mindset 05:21 Training After Cancellations 08:25 Staying Healthy and Strong 11:00 Fueling Big Mileage 12:56 Race Nutrition Strategy 16:14 Gear and Water Carrying 22:05 Crew Rules and Pacer Plan 24:48 Altitude Fears and Unknowns 28:09 Sleep Strategy and Minivan Crew 33:24 Pacing Calculator and Cutoffs 36:01 Foot Care and Aid Station Routine 36:52 Mouth Care And Hygiene 38:14 Coke Pickles And Fuel 38:39 Dust Throat And Bandanas 39:49 What Excites Her Most 41:47 Will She Be Alone 43:38 Music Or Silence At Night 47:02 Midnight Calls And Games 50:18 Braids For Moab 53:48 Travel Plan And Race Timeline 55:42 Live Tracker And Updates 56:56 Wrap Up Wishes And Next Races 01:03:02 Final Sign Off Connect with Tarah: https://www.instagram.com/tarahinturquoise?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== 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/ https://averageagegroupers.substack.com/

    Ep. 28: She’s Attempting Moab 240 Next. But the Real Challenge Might Surprise You (Ultra Prep + Crew Secrets)

  2. Oct 2

    Ep. 27: She Entered a Cyclocross Race on 50mm Tires… Then Took On Chequamegon

    Hosts Laura, Holly, and Maggie reintroduce themselves as the Average Age Groupers and catch up on Maggie’s two recent bike races. Maggie describes trying a Tuesday-night Minneapolis cyclocross race after winning a free entry, riding her gravel bike with 50mm tires on a grassy, switchback-heavy course, finishing mid-pack, and noting the high-intensity effort, timing chips, and playful “hand ups.” She then recaps the point-to-point Chequamegon mountain bike race weekend in Hayward, including logistics, a hummingbird in a bike shop, a neutral rollout, constant short climbs, and how a poorly fitting saddle caused significant pain and affected performance. Maggie highlights key course features like the Fire Tower climb, a man revving a chainsaw, the “Seven Sisters” hills, and a fast, more technical final section, praising the race’s marking, volunteers, aid stations, and finish-line food compared to Unbound. Laura shares she signed up for the Madison Half Marathon, Holly mentions recovery and returning to swimming, and Maggie discusses upcoming Moab pacing and off-season plans. 00:00 Riffing and Introductions 01:09 Voices Versus Faces 02:21 Maggie Tries Cyclocross 04:32 Cyclocross Course and Chaos 08:13 Cyclocross Vibes and Snacks 08:46 Fat Bike Race Shenanigans 15:32 Chequamegon Grand Prix Setup 18:44 Race Weekend and Logistics 23:08 Start Line and Early Miles 26:24 Relentless Climbs and Saddle Pain 32:28 Gravel vs MTB Debate 33:24 Ideal Bike Setup 34:45 Fire Tower Climb Chaos 37:38 Seven Sisters Sendfest 39:12 Final Miles Favorite 40:26 Bike Buying Banter 42:13 Race Organization Praise 44:10 Lifetime Series Talk 46:45 SoCal Hurricane Surf 47:42 Half Marathon Plans 50:06 Moab Pacing Nerves 53:58 Offseason and Yoga 56:42 Wrap Up and Plugs Listen to the Pod here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/average-age-groupers/id1889949099 https://open.spotify.com/show/2LJ6G7l1oIRZUIa3lo7NFp https://www.pandora.com/podcast/average-age-groupers/PC:1001121141 Follow Us: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUYFKP1OYAMiMR1Ve36fOAw https://www.instagram.com/averageagegroupers/ https://averageagegroupers.substack.com/

  3. Sep 25

    Ep 26 : Pushing Limits: Nick's Endurance Evolution

    On Average Age Groupers, hosts Laura, Maggie, and Holly welcome guest Nick, previously referenced for mishaps that inspired lessons like leaving a cellphone in transition, to share his endurance sports journey. Nick describes not playing organized sports as a kid, being inspired at 12 by watching Kona on TV, serving eight years in the Army, then impulsively training five weeks for his first half marathon in 2009, learning hard lessons about hydration, shoes, and nutrition. He starts triathlon with Devil’s Lake in 2012 on borrowed gear, progresses through local races, wins novice and age-group finishes, and learns in-race nutrition after bonking at an Olympic before completing Racine 70.3 and Ironman Wisconsin (2015) and Lake Placid (2016). He recounts a 2018 Ironman derailed by poor pre-race fueling and a dead watch, a 2019 My Team Triumph relay raising about $25,000, a 2023 Boulder swim DNF from back spasms that panicked his wife due to tracking confusion, and a hot 2024 Waco 70.3 (about 6:02) via an Invictus Games Foundation program, while balancing CrossFit, future racing goals, and family. 00:00 Meet Nick Again 01:45 Early Life No Sports 02:26 Kona Dream Sparked 03:24 Army Years Fitness Base 04:03 First Half Marathon Chaos 07:12 Runner Gear And Solo Grind 08:17 Devils Lake Signup Surprise 09:51 Borrowed Bike Trailer Epic 12:15 First Sprint Tri Lessons 13:46 Why Triathlon Matters 15:21 Fat Bike Devils Lake Detour 17:39 2013 Breakthrough Races 19:38 Olympic Bonk Nutrition Wakeup 21:52 Racine 70.3 And Going Full 25:07 Coaching Team And 2015 Full 26:51 Craigslist Bike Hunt 28:33 Tri Bike Upgrade 30:04 Lake Placid Highs And Lows 34:50 Spectating Sparks Comeback 35:24 Milk Man Course Rant 36:55 Ironman 2018 Taper Troubles 37:59 Carb Loading Chaos 38:34 Kaizen Training Gains 39:42 Race Day Breakfast Fail 41:02 Watch Dies Mid Bike 43:55 Run Crash And Coke 45:46 My Team Triumph Relay 50:16 Invictus To Waco Heat 55:39 Boulder DNF And Panic 01:06:57 CrossFit Balance Plans 01:14:11 Choosing Races Wisely 01:17:20 Wrap Up And Plugs Listen to the Pod here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/average-age-groupers/id1889949099 https://open.spotify.com/show/2LJ6G7l1oIRZUIa3lo7NFp https://www.pandora.com/podcast/average-age-groupers/PC:1001121141 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUYFKP1OYAMiMR1Ve36fOAw https://www.instagram.com/averageagegroupers/ https://averageagegroupers.substack.com/

    Ep 26 : Pushing Limits: Nick's Endurance Evolution

  4. Sep 18

    Ep. 25 Ironman Wisconsin Weekend Magic

    In this episode of Average Age Groupers, Holly, Maggie and Laura open with winter fat-tire biking gear talk (ski helmet/goggles, bar mitts, socks/boots, flat pedals, and the “N+1” bike problem) before debriefing Ironman Wisconsin weekend. They recap Saturday’s Madison 70.3 (cool and windy, choppy swim, a reported athlete death believed to be a cardiac event, a faster new bike course with less technical climbing, and a modified run), plus concerns about blatant drafting and frustration with the 70.3 Worlds performance pool system after a teammate’s 5:43 debut placed seventh in her Age group yet dropped to 72nd overall when adjusted. Sunday’s full Ironman spectating focused on teammate Paul, tracking him across multiple bike and run viewing spots; they note Emily received a three-minute drafting penalty while passing. They praise the improved athlete experience under Ironman’s new CEO (start buildup, upgraded finish line, first-timer bell) and share how Wisconsin reignited motivation to race again while they stress about Oregon 70.3 selling out and begin sketching expensive, shifting 2027 plans including potential Worlds qualification, Steamboat, California, and community/podcast growth. 00:00 Cold Weather Bike Gear 01:04 N Plus One Bike Talk 02:53 Podcast Intro and Ironman Plans 03:11 Oregon Registration Panic 04:34 Ironman Wisconsin Setup 06:05 70.3 Saturday Recap 06:36 Swim Tragedy Discussion 08:14 New 70.3 Course and Drafting 13:22 Performance Pool Confusion 15:57 Ironman Sunday Spectator Plan 17:45 Chasing Paul on the Bike 22:12 Old Sauk and Timber Loop 25:55 Cheering on the Climbs 27:35 Downtown Run Course Changes 30:22 Dead Shifting Battery 31:25 State Street Noise 33:00 Chasing the Finish 34:06 Spectating Reflections 35:23 New Ironman Experience 39:06 Madison Magic Returns 43:55 Planning 2027 Season 44:43 Local Winners Shoutout 46:05 Next Year Race Puzzle 50:12 Budgeting and Sponsors 53:35 Upcoming Races Updates 56:02 Cyclocross Tomorrow 57:40 Guests and Support 58:53 Wrap Up and Follow Listen to the Pod here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/average-age-groupers/id1889949099 https://open.spotify.com/show/2LJ6G7l1oIRZUIa3lo7NFp https://www.pandora.com/podcast/average-age-groupers/PC:1001121141 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUYFKP1OYAMiMR1Ve36fOAw https://www.instagram.com/averageagegroupers/ https://averageagegroupers.substack.com/

    Ep. 25 Ironman Wisconsin Weekend Magic

  5. Sep 11

    Ep. 24: From Mexico City to Unbound: Hector’s DIY Path Through Gravel, Triathlon, and Resilience

    On Average Age Groupers, hosts Holly, Maggie, and Laura welcome Waterfall Racing teammate Hector to share his endurance story, from always having bikes as a kid in Mexico City to moving to Michigan at age nine and later riding and commuting by bike in Chicago. He describes how his mom’s breast cancer shaped his early exposure to charity endurance events, then progressing from 5Ks to the Chicago Marathon, where personal loss and an empty finish-line experience contributed to stepping away from running for years. After moving to Florida, Hector returns to sport through triathlon, teaching himself swimming via observation and YouTube, and completing a challenging first 70.3 at Clash Daytona while learning fueling and pacing through trial and error. He then enters the gravel scene, completes Unbound 50 on a modified cruiser, upgrades to a gravel bike, prepares for Unbound 200, later supports teammates at Unbound, and discusses future goals including returning to Unbound and possibly tackling Georgia’s Six Gap. 00:00 Last Minute Guest Intro 02:05 Meet Hector via Waterfall 03:07 Early Bikes and Family Roots 06:30 Moving to Michigan 09:14 College Crash and First 50 11:48 City Riding and Close Calls 14:11 Cancer and Charity Endurance 17:20 Chicago Marathon Heartbreak 19:37 Disney Marathon and Hiatus 22:25 Florida Reset and First Tri 26:52 Self Coached Training Approach 28:45 Clash Daytona Chaos 31:47 Cramp To Finish Line 33:08 Joining Waterfall Racing 33:49 Unbound Signup And DIY Bike 36:18 Racing The Unbound 50 38:57 Pikes Peak Climb Lessons 41:36 Training For Unbound 200 43:38 Crash And Concussion 47:30 Haines City 70.3 Recap 50:16 Six Gap Mountain Challenge 53:37 Future Plans And Wrap Up Follow Hector: https://www.instagram.com/hector.hmx23?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsi=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== Follow us: 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/ https://averageagegroupers.substack.com/

    Ep. 24: From Mexico City to Unbound: Hector’s DIY Path Through Gravel, Triathlon, and Resilience

  6. Sep 4

    Ep. 23: Open-Water Swim Anxiety, Wetsuit Fit Secrets, and a Major Ironman Wisconsin Curveball

    Laura, Maggie, and Holly reunite in person on Average Age Groupers, first joking about Maggie’s nonstop travel and their strong opinions on socks, then shifting to open-water swimming tips ahead of Ironman Wisconsin. They discuss why wetsuits can feel safer, how a wetsuit should fit (tight, worked up around shoulders), sleeved vs sleeveless options, buoyancy shorts, caring for gear, and using Body Glide or TriSlide to prevent chafing and help with donning. They share sighting strategies like “crocodile eyes,” handling chop, drafting, avoiding traffic when stopping, staying wide for space, and using swim buoys for visibility and flotation. They briefly cover Ironman Wisconsin’s two-loop swim and strong water support, note current-assisted swims like Oregon 70.3, and update that Aaron is out of Ironman Wisconsin after re-breaking his collarbone and seeking a deferral. 00:00 Reunited In Person 00:12 Maggie Travel Chaos 01:31 The Great Sock Debate 03:34 Podcast Intro Updates 04:49 Open Water Swim Basics 07:47 Wetsuit Safety And Fit 10:57 Sleeves Brands And Care 14:51 Buoyancy Shorts Option 15:38 Sighting Like A Crocodile 19:50 Race Navigation And Drafting 24:24 Swim Buoys And Visibility 25:32 Chafing Lube And Comfort 29:28 Fear Creatures And Confidence 32:04 Swim Fears and Motivation 33:16 Ironman Wisconsin Swim Breakdown 36:57 Ocean and Choppy Swim Tips 40:22 Current Assisted Swim Hype 42:20 Oregon 70.3 Beginner Friendly 44:39 Aaron Injury Wisconsin Update 47:06 Spectating Plans and Games 50:16 Chequamegon MTB Prep Talk 54:03 Guests Team Updates and Wrap 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/ https://averageagegroupers.substack.com/ #triathlon #unboundgravel #podcast #gravelbiking #gravelride

  7. Aug 28

    Ep. 22: From Kansas Swim Meets to Unbound Gravel: Alyssa’s Mustard-Fueled Endurance Journey

    On Average Age Groupers, hosts Laura, Holly, Maggie, and Alyssa (returning guest) talk with Alyssa about how she became an endurance athlete, starting with swimming in Kansas, dabbling in college swimming and ultimate Frisbee, then discovering cycling during her LDS mission in California. She recounts buying her first road bike in 2015, doing an early sprint triathlon and multiple century rides, and learning race basics the hard way, including bonking, cramping, and her now-signature mustard packets. After moving to the DC area in 2017, she completed Ironman 70.3 Eagleman in 2018 and later shifted away from triathlon toward cycling. She shares how riding supports her mental health, how her friend Brian’s death shaped her motivation, and why she rode Unbound in his honor, including a stormy 200-mile experience. Alyssa also discusses run-club community, marathons, favorite places to ride, and possible future races like Steamboat. 00:00 Mic Stand Banter 00:19 Meet Alyssa 01:15 Swim Roots 03:16 Mission Bike Life 07:03 First Real Road Bike 08:43 First Tri And Century 13:02 Mustard Cramp Hack 16:24 Solo Riding Era 20:05 Move To DC Eagleman 25:25 Half Ironman Lessons 26:53 Cycling Focus And Loss 29:21 Unbound For Brian 32:41 Racing Mindset Wins 35:04 Racing With Friends 36:32 Cyclist Not Triathlete 37:42 Run Club Origins 39:20 Marathon Misery Lessons 43:38 Run And Raft Plans 45:55 Favorite Places To Ride 50:45 Kansas Gravel And Storms 54:01 Cold Weather Training Hacks 57:56 Next Season Race Calendar 01:00:58 Unbound Short Course Dreams 01:02:12 Wrap Up And Farewell https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUYFKP1OYAMiMR1Ve36fOAw https://www.instagram.com/averageagegroupers/ https://averageagegroupers.substack.com/

    Ep. 22: From Kansas Swim Meets to Unbound Gravel: Alyssa’s Mustard-Fueled Endurance Journey

  8. Aug 21

    Ep. 21: What Really Happened at Ironman 70.3 Northern California?

    The Average Age Groupers share a race recap from Ironman 70.3 Northern California in Redding, California, noting early recording technical issues. Laura describes her first-ever DNF, exiting the non-wetsuit-legal swim (78.1°F) after repeated stops, chaotic contact, difficulty sighting into the sun, and limited visible water support; she’s extracted by paddleboard/boat, returns barefoot to spectators, and later spectates with help from Casey’s VIP access. Holly, Laura and Claire recount a disorienting swim with left turns and a “gate” between red buoys, sun glare, heavy contact, and a possibly long course. Holly details a scenic but hard bike with steep descents, wind, crashes, poor etiquette, false flats, and hot conditions, then a hilly, hot run with walk-run strategies, ibuprofen, and a hamstring cramp near mile 10 before finishing. Claire finishes strong, meets the mayor mid-run, chases a sub-six, but gets severe chafing from peeing while running; Casey medals her. They criticize the new 70.3 Worlds slot “performance pool” math after Claire’s rankings drop despite a small age-adjustment, and they discuss upcoming plans including Maggie’s Chequamegon mountain bike race and recovery goals. 00:00 Welcome and Audio Disclaimer 01:08 Race Recap Setup 02:09 Laura DNF Swim Story 09:16 Tech Fix and Pre Swim Vibes 10:31 Swim Course Chaos and Sun Glare 18:11 Swim Contact and Wetsuit Traffic 21:22 DNF Logistics and VIP Help 24:02 T1 Moments and Heading Out 26:21 Bike Course Beauty and Early Descent 31:44 Bike Etiquette and Course Difficulty 35:10 False Flats Steep Turns and Taking Souls 37:43 Women Finishers and Awards Questions 39:04 Bike Course Highlights 40:12 Urban Roads and Underpass 41:09 T2 Troubles and Blisters 45:49 Run Start and Survival Mode 49:48 Claire Run Strategy and Mayor 54:42 Cramping and Aid Stations 58:21 Finish Line and VIP Medal 01:00:47 Chafing Confession and Sub Six Push 01:04:44 Would We Race Again 01:05:17 Slot Allocation Controversy 01:11:24 Next Races and Wrap Up

    Ep. 21: What Really Happened at Ironman 70.3 Northern California?
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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
    Holly, Laura, and Maggie
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    28
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Average Age Groupers

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