Felix Walchshofer: The historic 2 Year Road to Challenge Roth

I first off wanted to sincerely thank all you listeners, especially those who take the time to reach out on social media and to those who have been here since the beginning. It’s been one heck of a journey and time flies because we’re officially at the 100thInterview for the Pacing and Racing Podcast. If there’s one thing I reflect on quite often in this podcast journey, is that just 100 interviews ago, I was in my basement with a $40 microphone and a laptop and I was YouTubing “how to record a podcast” tutorials without any expectations of going anywhere with it. I did the interviews all around my kids naptime schedules and would do early morning and late night edits. By no means was it a cake walk but I look back and am truly thankful to chat to each and every guest on the show. So if there’s ANY motivation I can pass onto you, is that you don’t have to be good at something in order to try it out. I thought I would be the last person who has their own podcast but here I am! It takes total consistency and honestly you have to go into it for the enjoyment and learning aspect of it and if you don’t see results overnight then don’t let it bum you out. Keep putting in the grind, enjoy the process, and you’ll amaze yourself with the outcome in the end. But enough about me and my journey here, this is about you guys and I wanted this 100th interview to be extra special and Holly definitely delivered that. Holly was the 2016 IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion and has completely been a dominant force in the 70.3 circuit. She was the runner up in the 2019 IM World Champion after coming off a Fractured Ankle back at Oceanside 70.3 in 2018; one in which she suffered from in the bike leg of the race and STILL managed to finish 2nd overall! She joins us today in a motivational chat about her story through her triathlon journey, the PTO, mindset moving forward from COVID and so much more. It’s a great chat and I can’t wait for you to listen in. Be sure to share the episode and leave a review! Now Let’s get into it.

I am excited to share with you that today is our 99th published interview and I couldn’t be happier to do this episode with my good friend, Yashoda Devi Ma. Yashoda is one of the best Vedic Meditation teachers I have ever seen and after seeing her speak on the Sacred Science Docu-series on the topics like stress management, yoga and meditation, I realized I HAD to get her on to share this with all the Type A Triathletes and Health seekers listening into this podcast! For me in my personal journey, It took me years to actually realize the daily and cumulative stress I put on myself and everyone around me, and I guess like many things the first step is self-reflection and realizing it’s unhealthy. It’s unhealthy but it can change and it doesn’t have to be you. Yashoda joins us today with her kind spirits to guide you into self-reflection to become aware of the stress you carry with you, and how to manage it and release it. This is so integral as she explains on just how bad stress can be for our bodies. Not just on our minds and our external relationships, but it also affects our gut health, our immune system, leads to many chronic illnesses and so much more. Whether you are brand new to the concept of meditation and yoga, or you are a yogi-natural yourself, I highly recommend saving this episode for a time when you’re able to fully concentrate and allow yourself to take in what Yashoda has to teach us because it could truly change the path of the rest of your life. So please sit back, relax, and let’s get into it.

Today joining us is Andy Blow to educate us on how we can do our absolute best to understand and master our sweat loss in an IRONMAN so that we can finish the race without being too dehydrated, or conversely, over hydrated. Andy is the Founder of Precision Hydration and is also the creator of the Hydration Strategy course on Training Peaks University. He’s an IRONMAN athlete and he has ALL the answers that you will have on formulating a training plan. For starters. some primer questions to get you thinking for this episode: Are you a salty sweater? How much dehydration is tolerated in an IRONMAN? How much weight is normal to lose in a race? Could Hydration be as simple as drink to thirst? And how can we test our sweat to determine our required fluid and electrolyte intake? Unfortunately, this topic isn’t as black and white, so it will require an understanding of the science behind your individual sweat loss so that you can formulate your own hydration strategy that you can alter it on the fly according to your race environment and conditions. The goal is by the end of this, is for you to have all the tools necessary to formulate a solid path to a hydration strategy and know how to calculate your sweat loss rate, how to decide what on-course fuel you should consume, how much to consume in order to keep in your optimal ranges during a race, and how to continually revisit your plan and adjust it accordingly. Now Andy and his team have offered up a limited time 15% off code for the pacing and racing listeners so be sure to check out precisionhydration.com and use promo code PACINGANDRACING. Also be sure to use the code for 50% off on the Training Peaks University Course! I want us all to be sweat and hydration experts by the end of this, so get ready for another all-hands-on-deck discussion. So without further ado! Let’s get into it.

Today Joining us is Lisa Tamati, a Professional Ultra Endurance athlete with more than 25 years experience running the toughest endurance events in the world. With over 140 ultra-marathons to her name and many expeditions under her belt Lisa is constantly pushing the limits of human endurance. She’s the author of two international best-selling running books, and is a highly sought after motivational speaker, run coach and mindset expert. She has completed the infamous badwater Ultramarathon twice in what is the hottest desert run on earth running totalling 217km. Insane, right? She has canoed down the Canadian Yukon, cycle toured through over 25 countries and has run thousands of kilometres through the Sahara Desert, the Arabian Desert, Jordan, the Moroccan desert as well the Chinese Gobi Desert and the Australian outback. Lisa now passionately shares her learnings on how to achieve the extraordinary and how to beat the odds and will help you shortcut the path to transforming your body, your fitness, your health and your wellbeing. One of her most recent books, Relentless, is probably one of the most heart-rendering books I’ve heard of in a long time. In 2016 Lisa’s mother Isobel Tamati suffered a massive aneurysm that left her fighting for her life. She had no speech, unable to sit, stand, walk or even move her limbs. Doctors told them that they had to prepare for the fact she wouldn’t have any quality of life ever again. Taking the power of the never-give-up mindset and getting educated on alternative health, Lisa was able to help her mom throughout a raft of therapies that weren’t offered by traditional medical professionals and 3 years later, Isobel was fully functioning again. It’s a story of just what the never quit mentality can do. It’s about never giving up and always pushing your limits despite the huge odds stacked against you. I love this message from the Health aspect, and the Endurance aspect, and I hope this inspires you as well in your journey to optimal health and performance. This is an exciting conversation, and be sure to pick up a copy of this book by searching lisatamati.com/relentless. Now, enjoy the show; let’s get into it.

I think just about everyone has been there by now where they opened their email or social media and saw the headline that their biggest race of the year has been postponed or canceled. I know I’ve been there with Challenge Roth and I know it’s been hard for so many people out there. I mean think of the Olympic athletes that we’ve had on this show alone that have been battling fiercely for years to get into peak fitness like Katie Zaferes and Henri Schoeman and Taylor Spivey. It’s unbelievable to think of the ripple effect, but a lot of us tend to think about the athletes but we don’t realize the work behind the scenes to put on these events have been severely affected also. That’s why I invited back on my good friend Felix Walcshofer from Challenge Roth to chat with us about what it’s like being a family-run event that has had to offer free cancellation to 5000+ athletes and how an event like this weathers this type of storm. Because remember, they put out tens of thousands of dollars in preparation for this event and this essentially is annual income for many of the Challenge Roth team. This was a topic that always crosses my mind. I am eager and super optimistic to race Challenge Roth in 2021 but I couldn’t help but shed some light on some sacrifices this event team has made for us to have 2021 a possibility. Not only that, but I wanted to share some of Felix’s stories about how this 2 year build to the Road to Roth also comes with many new and exciting opportunities. From discussion on race event cancellations, to supportive communities, to incredible stories from our favourite athletes like Jan Frodeno, Anne Haug and so much more. We’ll share all of this and more with you in today’s chat so without further ado, let’s get into it!

Hey guys welcome back and welcome to the first-time listeners, my names Steven Langenhuizen and I am the host of the Pacing and Racing Podcast – and on this podcast we are working alongside the Toronto Triathlon Festival to share another amazing episode in the Life Well Lived Podcast Series Presented By Raymond James. Today we are joined by Robert McDonald who is the founder of Team I Will and Julia Glynn; a member of Team I Will and they both bring forward an incredible story of motivation, grit, and determination. Robert was vacationing in Mexico back in 2012 when he lost footing and fell 31ft off his 3rdfloor balcony; leaving him with with nine broken vertebrae, a dislocated spine, 11 broken ribs, a broken scapula, a punctured lung, a lacerated kidney, and no sensation below his waist. Doctors gave Robert a 5% chance of ever walking again. Two years later, he completed a half marathon and three years later he completed his first full marathon. Out of hope to inspire and help others he founded Team “I Will”, which is a community of people who have come together to break barriers and help support one another through sport. Not only does Team “I Will” support the surrounding community through inspiration, it also raises money for the Toronto Rehab Foundation, the largest rehabilitation hospital in the world to help those who need love and support through their recovery. Team “I Will” started with one person and one tragedy and has since evolved into a team of over 900 members strong. In 2019 they had over 30 triathletes competing at the Toronto Triathlon Festival, and aim to have more at the next TTF race. Team I Will member Julia Glynn joins us as well to make this story full circle – to hear Robert talk about his vision and then to hear Julia’s story and how this team has made an impact for her is incredible – because now Julia is out there amplifying Roberts Vision and supporting a cause close to her heart; all while doing what she loves, and that is triathlon. Now Julia was at the Toronto Triathlon Festival Presented By Raymond James in 2019 so we also get to hear her experiences around this event and what inspires her to keep coming back year after year. Now, let’s hear their stories..

Today joining us is the legendary Phil White to talk about his recent new position as acting president for 4iiii innovations amid uncertain times and where he sees the state of triathlon and the triathlon tech heading in the coming years. This is one of those easy listening tech and triathlon news episodes you don’t want to miss! So for those who don’t know Phil, he has been a pioneer and legend in the cycling and triathlon world. From starting up Cervelo as a co-founder in 1996 as a basement school project in Canada to seeing Cervelo as the pinnacle bike used at the IRONMAN World Championships, I think he’s done a fantastic job in an incredibly niche and competitive market. Aside from Cervelo Phil has also been in close discussions working with 4iiii for a few years.  And as of this month, Phil stepped up to become 4iiii’s acting president and will lend his perfectionist touch of design, manufacturing and marketing to make 4iiii even stronger tomorrow than they are today. I am super excited for this because not only am I a fan of 4iiii for being a Canadian company, but I am a huge fan of their products. I currently use their 4iiii Dual crank power meter, Heart Rate Monitor, the STAC Halcyon Smart trainer; the predecessor to the new and improved 4iiii Fliiiight smart trainer. So, it’s been a while since I’ve spoken on tech topics here in the endurance realm so I thought who better to speak to then Phil White on his reasons for joining 4iiii, his plans for the future with 4iiii, and where he sees the future of triathlon tech heading and ultimately; where do we see our sport heading in the years to come. It’s an all-hands-on-deck discussion today as we talk about all things to do with Triathlon Innovation from one of the industries brightest and foreword-thinking minds!

Today joining us is Mikael Eriksson to talk about some of the key components we should be focusing on in our triathlon journey through this Pandemic in order to get us primed and ready for Challenge Roth 2021 (or any Long Distance Triathlon in 2021).  I’ll admit. My Training Peaks fitness chart was looking insanely similar to the stock market. We had the unstoppable bull run at all time highs in the market at the same time I was at peak fitness in my crucial build up to Challenge Roth 2020. But right when the pandemic struck, both the stock market and my fitness levels took a huge nose dive! I think from a psychological level it’s hard for people to look ahead and put all your eggs in one basket through uncertainty. And for me I felt it was more important to enjoy the family time throughout this uncertainty rather then spend those hours in the pain cave. However, we do know the race season WILL come back one day. So, whether you’re still hard into training, or, if you’re still in “off-season mode” then I wanted to find a way to help you navigate confidently with an actionable plan to get you ready for your 2021 race season. That’s why I am pumped to be chatting with Mikael Eriksson on several topics including like how we can create a half or full triathlon distance training plan that’s not based around a race season, and how we can use this downtime to our advantage to build foundational fitness and optimize our health so that we can be more fit then ever going into our next race build up. We chat on things like training builds, polarized training, tapers, race specificity, Z2 training, 80/20 vs Polarized and so much more. We’ll also touch base on how to avoid and recognize over-training and how to be properly fueling during your daily training sessions.  We discuss Challenge Roth 2021 being just over 1 year away and how we can safely and optimally navigate training without having to rely on a 2020 race season. 

Dr. Gundry is a renowned heart surgeon, medical researcher, 4x NYT best selling author, and a podcast host. Dr. Gundry changed his focus from medicine to reversing disease with dietary changes. Dr. Gundry has spent two decades of research on reversing disease and improving longevity, and is here today to chat with us about some of his findings. Dr. Gundry is one of the few nutritionists who’s lived and practiced in blue zones, and studied and worked with many high functioning elderly patients. He’s helped many patients reverse symptoms of Auto immune conditions and live high functioning and healthy lives through dietary changes. Now, I wouldn’t be doing due diligence without saying, as you’ll begin to realize the guests that come on our shows may begin to have opposing opinions and studies on foods that will help us. This can be overwhelming to some like it has been to me, but I feel I wouldn’t be doing listeners justice if I only interviewed with a bias approach only picking what I felt was right for me. We need to therefore be mindful that what might not be applicable to some, may be important for others! Like all diet books, Dr. Gundry’s findings on food have been met with praise and criticism, so I will leave it up to you to decide where you fall on it! Ultimately, I want to make sure I do my best to ask the right questions to help you decide if this diet is right for you. Dr. Gundry recommends a Lectin-Avoidance Diet which means avoid Grains, Night Shades (unless you peel the skins and de-seed them), beans (unless you pressure cook them), seeds, American dairy, and non-pasteurized meats. That’s a lot of seemingly healthy food, right?? If you find these foods never cause you any problems and are too challenging to remove; then I encourage you to keep doing you! But, if you are struggling with symptoms of some sort and after hearing this you think this could be a possibility, then maybe it’s worth trying out and see if you notice any relief in any of the symptoms you feel. Of course, I have to note that I am not a Doctor nor do I give medical advice; I simply am just out there asking the questions in hopes to find the answers to an optimal healthy life and reverse auto immune symptoms. Anyways guys Listen in to the episode as we talk about the: - Blue Zone diets - why Lectins can POTENTIALLY be a culprit if you suffer digestive issues or from Auto Immune conditions and how we can tell through blood tests or a lectin food elimination diet. - what we can do to some of our Lectin-favourite foods to detoxify them before we consume them. - We also speak on being Gluten Free and what this means to your microbiome and why Glyphosate may be another culprit that causes so much gluten sensitivity. Lot’s to talk about in a short period of time, so let’s make the most of it and let me know what you think after listening to the show! Let’s get into it.

Hey guys welcome back and welcome to the first time listeners, my names Steven Langenhuizen and I am the host of the Pacing and Racing Podcast – and on this podcast we are working alongside the Toronto Triathlon Festival to share another amazing episode in the Live Well Lived Podcast Series Presented by Raymond James where we dive into a topic that will resonate with everyone, and that is Goal setting and Defying the odds.  Let’s be clear, here. Even the highest performing athletes out there struggle day to day to find motivation and energy to keep focused. It doesn’t come easy. As we all know its easiest to follow the path of least resistance. But there is this innate calling within many of us who want to defy the normal standard and push ourselves to be better. This is something I think we see in all triathletes as a triathlete is one to defy the odds and reach and exceed their goals; time and time again.  We all weren’t born like this, however. This may come natural to some, but it can also be learned by others. And that’s where I’d like to introduce Trish Omeri and her inspiring story. As you’ll hear in our chat, she had one of those light bulb moments. And it allowed her to change the life path that she was on and the give her the confidence to set new goals. And she’s here today to share her story, allowing us to tap into her mindset to help you set your own goals. And who knows, we might be able to make that seemingly impossible goal you have, well… not so impossible!  From being a working mom who wanted to lose weight, to courageously stepping outside her comfort zone to compete on the Amazing Race Canada (on live television), to becoming a Personal Trainer, to becoming a Triathlete; Trish has found the secret to goal setting and I hope you can leave today episode with some key takeaways that will help you reach your goals!  We also chat about training tips for the Toronto Triathlon Festival, nutrition, and more so there’s something for everyone in this episode. Now keep in mind, this episode was recorded before the Pandemic and the TTF outdoor event cancellation! Both Trish and myself will be competing in the Virtual event so we hope you join us in Solo-darity throughout this historic journey in which we will always look back on. Now.. let’s get into it.