10 Changes We Made in 2025 That Leveled Up Our Triathlon Training- Part 1
We made a lot of changes in 2025.
To the way we approach triathlon training.
To the actual training itself.
To the way we race.
To the people we let in our inner circle.
Some changes were hard. Others were long overdue. But all were needed.
Essentially, 2025 was a total refresh. The changes we made reduced stress and anxiety, helped us cultivate better relationships, improved recovery, reduced injury, and boosted our performance in ways we didn’t even know were possible.
It renewed our love for the sport, reinvigorated our mindset, and provided such hope and joy for the future.
Every year that we get to spend doing the things we love- being active, with healthy bodies, exploring the God’s creation- is a blessing.
But as far as 2025 is concerned, these 10 changes completely leveled up our triathlon experience.
So what changed?
I guess we should start at the end. I say this because I could tell you all the things we changed, and you might say- “That’s great, but what was the result? Where’s the tangible performance improvement?”
So, here’s a few highlights.
First Female Masters win- Olympic (me)
10K PR (me and Matt)
Best bike power in a 70.3 #1 (me)
Half marathon PR in a 70.3 (Matt)
First time qualifying for 70.3 World Championship (Matt)
Third time qualifying for 70.3 World Championship (me)
Overall Olympic podium (me)
AG Olympic podium (Matt)
Best bike power in a 70.3 #2 (me)
Half marathon PR in a 70.3 #2 (Matt)
70.3 PR (me)
70.3 run PR (me)
70.3 PR (Matt)
First time competing at 70.3 World Championship overseas (Matt)
Now, these are all great things that we’re very proud of. The PRs (personal record) more than anything else, because it’s a great feeling to see personal improvement over time.
But the focus here isn’t on the results. Otherwise, this post wouldn’t be very relevant, or helpful, to you. And that’s the goal of Triple Threat Life- to help you learn how to train smarter, not harder, and achieve your own goals in the sport.
What’s key is the reasons why these accomplishments happened.
Here are a few big shifts that happened as a result of the changes we made.
We always had fitness, but being able to express that fitness and achieve better performance takes more than just accumulating miles.
Healthier bodies and minds with more focus, less uncertainty, and a clear plan.
Cooperative, two-way communication with our coaches.
Unwavering support from training partners and friends.
The ability to race free, unrestricted by expectations or pressure.
Less injuries, healthier bodies that recover better.
Have more fun!
Let’s see what those big changes are…
10 Changes That Leveled Up Our Triathlon Training
1. Training that’s more intentional, purposeful, and specific to us
The first big change happened with the training itself. Here’s a little insight into how we plan our season. Each year, we pick a few 70.3s, maybe a full Ironman, and sprinkle in a few sprints, Olympics, and run races as tune-ups or fun races.
You can probably imagine how training mileage and intensity will shift for each of those respective distances.
But what’s different this year is our training isn’t just a training plan; it’s a changing and evolving structure that fits our individual strengths and opportunities for growth as athletes.
In the past, our training was very predictable. Beginning of the season FTP testing, base miles, some power work, speed and intensity with race pace efforts, and a gradual increase and decrease of miles as races approached.
Now, you never quite know what the next week will hold, because our coaches are always looking at the numbers and feedback we give them and making adjustments. For example, I had three 3,000+ yard swims last week, but this week is an active recovery week, so I’ve had a 2,200 and 2,500 thus far. In two weeks, I have a repeat training week- same training sessions- because we get better at execution with practice. (and yes my TP workouts are uploaded 2 weeks out, not just a few days before).
In the past, our training was very similar. In fact, most days, Matt and I had the same workouts. But the problem is that Matt and I aren’t the same athlete. I have a diesel engine and less run experience, but I’m a strong swimmer. He’s more fast-twitch, can push big power on the bike, and is “learning to love swimming.” Therefore, our training should be specific to us as individuals. (*That’s the problem with stock training plans you get online).
These days, our training is very different, to the point when it’s a rare day that we have the same swim workout, for example. Some days, he might have a 4-hour bike ride, and I have a 2-3 hour ride.
And those weekend rides almost always have structure with specific warm-up, main set, and cool-down. There’s always a purpose and intentionality behind every session, unless it’s a “happy ride,” which are important to sprinkle in there too.
2. Doing pre-workout activation or mobility before EVERY workout
We always did strength work in the past, but we didn’t see much tangible gains from it, because it wasn’t sport-specific. We’d just mess around in the gym, about two days a week, doing whatever exercises we felt like, and called it a day.
Our triathlon training has structure. Why shouldn’t our strength work support our triathlon training?
These days, we follow the EC Fit program with Erin Carson, who works with everyday athletes like us, as well as professional triathletes, cyclists, and ultra runners. Here’s how it works. Our coaches upload a link into Training Peaks with the pre-workout or mobility sessions they want us to do before every workout.
For example, tomorrow I’ve got a 17-minute glute activation before my 1:10 ride and 10-min run. If I have a bike and run on the same day, I’ve got a pre-workout session for each.
These are SO important. They’re not hard, but they help our bodies to move more effectively- unlocking hip flexors, activating glutes, and improving stability, so our actual training sessions are much more effective as well.
3. More swimming (A LOT) more swimming
More swimming means more volume (yards) during each swim, as well as the number of swims per week. In the past, we swam two days a week. Now, three swims a week is the minimum. Look at what happens if you add just one more swim session a week.
2 swims/week X 1 hour = 2 hours/week
3 swims/week X 1 hour = 3 hours/week
That means, over the course of a month, you’re adding 4 hours of swimming. Over the course of a year, you’re adding 52 hours of swimming.
By adding just one swim a week, you’re doing 50% more swimming.
That’s an exponential increase.
Even if that third swim is only 30 minutes, that’s an extra two hours of swimming a month. That’s 25% more swimming. Don’t you think your swimming might improve if you swam more than you’re swimming now?
In the past, swims would range from the mid 2K to high 2K, and we’d get up to 3K if training for a full Ironman. These days, it’s rare when we have a swim session under 3,000y, and we’re currently training for 70.3.
Also, we do much more drill work and not just during the warm-up. In fact, certain sessions are up to 2/3rd drills, but with a specific purpose, not just random drills for the sake of doing drills. The goal isn’t to accumulate “miles.” It’s to establish perfect form and technique so you swim more efficiently.
Finally, the thought process about swimming is entirely different. We aren’t swimming to get faster at swimming. We’re learning how to swim more efficiently, with better form and endurance (which does make you faster). The goal is to come out of the water more fresh and ready to go to work on the bike and run.
The truth is you can only do so many hard bike and run sessions to make you “faster.” At a certain point, you hit a ceiling, risk injury, or burnout. But consider this. Maybe you already have the bike and run fitness. You just can’t express it fully, because you come out of the swim tired. Want a better bike and run? Improve your swim.
4. Learning how to race by feel, instead of numbers
Newer athletes (and even veteran ones) become so obsessed with their “race pace.” You know, the bike power number or run pace that you can supposedly hold for a certain distance (sprint, 70.3, IM, ect.)
Now, if you’re training regularly, you probably have a good idea about what that might be. But there’s a big issue with racing by numbers in a triathlon. I’ll let my coach explain.
“There’s no such thing as a ‘race pace’ for a long distance triathlon.
You can not expect to achieve and hold one type of effort throughout each discipline of the race. Instead, you need to be an active participant to the course by working through waves, chops, changing weather conditions hills, rollers, flats, steady hill, downhills, passing athletes, congested areas, mental highs and lows etc.”- Marni Sumbal
You might be asking yourself:
How am I supposed to know how hard to push?
How can I race if I don’t have my watch telling me what to do?!
I will answer these questions with a few of my own.
Have you ever had your watch fail during a race? I have.
Power meter run out of battery? Heart rate strap not connect? Yup!
What’s your plan if your devices fail? Just stop? Of course not!
Now, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t use your devices (we do), but instead of being beholden to them, we reference them periodically as a check system against how we feel.
Remember this: Numbers are just a reflection of the effort you’re putting forth. They shouldn’t govern your effort.
Athletes need to know how to race by feel- to be an active participant in the race, instead of a passenger following a spreadsheet. This will help you race better and faster, because you’re listening to your body and know when to push and when to hold back.
It takes a lot of practice to do this effectively. A great way to start out is with percentages. Try swimming a set of 25s building from 75%, 80, 85, 95%. Trying riding your bike for 5 minutes at 80% effort. Trying running at a pace you could sustain for one hour.
It will totally reframe the way you think and help you learn how to train and race by feel.
As I was writing this, I realized it was getting bit long.
So, I’m putting #5-10 in Part 2, just for paid subscribers.
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