QT2 Systems Podcast Center!

Welcome to the QT2 Podcast Series Race Recap. For this series, we have invited our athletes to come and talk about their race day experiences. We'll cover their journey to the starting line, course details, pre-race and race day logistics, travel and expenses, and more. Episode 3 takes us to the 2025 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Marbella, Spain. Listen on as QT2 athletes Gretchen Cooney, Chelsea Conway and Ryan Zelinski tell you about their experiences racing on this beautiful and challenging course. Hear about how they qualified, their travel experiences getting and staying in Marbella, training guidance and more. Stay to the end for some valuable tips from these experienced and accomplished triathletes. Learn more about QT2 Systems at www.qt2systems.com

Welcome to the QT2 Podcast Series Race Recap. For this series, we have invited our athletes to come and talk about their race day experiences. We'll cover their journey to the starting line, course details, pre-race and race day logistics, travel and expenses, and more. Episode 2 takes us to the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon. At nearly 60,000 finishers, the TCS is the largest marathon. And also one of the most difficult to get into. Listen on as QT2 athletes and NYC marathon veterans Howard Voletsky and Terry Alexander tell you about their NYC marathon experience, from securing your entry, to tackling all of the pre-race and race day logistics, to racing on the iconic course. The application process for the 2026 NYC Marathon starts in February - be prepared! Learn more about QT2 Systems at www.qt2systems.com

Welcome to the QT2 Podcast Series Race Recap. For this series, we have invited our athletes to come and talk about their race day experiences. We'll cover their journey to the starting line, course details, pre-race and race day logistics, travel and expenses, and more. Episode 1 takes us to the 2025 IRONMAN World Championship in Kona. Listen on as QT2 athletes Lauren Magin, Nancy McMahon and Jennie Hansen tell you about their experiences on the big stage from travel tips to training guidance to crossing the most storied finish line in all of triathlon. Learn more about QT2 Systems at www.qt2systems.com

Why Mindset Matters in Endurance Sports and How a Coach Can Help Navigate the Minefield - Episode 6 - Maintaining a Larger View/Managing a Disappointing Result In this podcast series, QT2 Owner and Head Coach Tim Snow shares his views, informed by more than twenty years of racing and coaching endurance sports, on how an athlete's mindset can have a profound impact on performance. What happens when you nail your training, but fall short on race day? It could be for so many reasons. In this final episode of the series, Coach Tim talks about the race debrief, and why it's such an important conversation to have. It's always important to try to understand what happened and why - often the answer is not the training. Learn more about QT2 Systems at www.qt2systems.com

Why Mindset Matters in Endurance Sports and How a Coach Can Help Navigate the Minefield - Episode 5 - Coping Visualization In this podcast series, QT2 Owner and Head Coach Tim Snow shares his views, informed by more than twenty years of racing and coaching endurance sports, on how an athlete's mindset can have a profound impact on performance. In episode 5, Coach Tim delves into Coping Visualization. As we mentally prepare for race day, we so often visualize the perfect day. Perfect weather. Perfect execution. But in the world of endurance sports, a race is seldom perfect. A real race day includes uncontrollables, and how we respond (and not react) to them will be what makes or breaks the day. In this episode Coach Tim describes coping visualization and discusses how a coach can help the athlete practice various scenarios, and teach the mind how to respond on race day, even to something not practiced. Learn more about QT2 Systems at www.qt2systems.com

Why Mindset Matters in Endurance Sports and How a Coach Can Help Navigate the Minefield - Episode 4 - True Goal Setting In this podcast series, QT2 Owner and Head Coach Tim Snow shares his views, informed by more than twenty years of racing and coaching endurance sports, on how an athlete's mindset can have a profound impact on performance. In episode 4, Coach Tim explains the differences between goals, targets and outcomes. Goals are things over which you have near total control - e.g., your hydration intake. Targets are things over which you have some level of control, but not total control - e.g., race pace, power, heart rate. Outcomes things over which you have very little control, and often have to do with the performance of other people - e.g., whether you stand on the podium. A coach can help the athlete by remaining objective, and assisting the athlete to define his/her goals and develop strategies for how to accomplish those goals. Learn more about QT2 Systems at www.qt2systems.com

Why Mindset Matters in Endurance Sports and How a Coach Can Help Navigate the Minefield - Episode 3 - Recognizing Your Controllables & Uncontrollables In this podcast series, QT2 Owner and Head Coach Tim Snow shares his views, informed by more than twenty years of racing and coaching endurance sports, on how an athlete's mindset can have a profound impact on performance. In sports, as in life, there are always things that you cannot control. The list is seemingly endless. But, what you can control is how you respond, If it's hot and humid on race day, how will you respond? If you get a flat tire on the bike, how will you respond? If you get hit on the head in the swim, how will you respond? In this episode, Coach Tim walks you through how to identify what you can control and what you can't control. He then discusses strategies on how to subjectively respond to the uncontrollable conditions and also the importance of objectively evaluating performance based on those uncontrollable conditions. Learn more about QT2 Systems at www.qt2systems.com

Why Mindset Matters in Endurance Sports and How a Coach Can Help Navigate the Minefield - Episode 2 - Setting & Managing Appropriate Expectations. In this podcast series, QT2 Owner and Head Coach Tim Snow shares his views, informed by more than twenty years of racing and coaching endurance sports, on how an athlete's mindset can have a profound impact on performance. In Episode 2, Coach Tim takes a deep dive into the first strategy for altering mindset - setting & managing appropriate expectations. This strategy is written to the athlete who anytime they lace up expects a PR and/or the athlete who loses sight on where they are in a training process. Training plans are written to target a specific race at a specific time. If an athlete wants to race earlier in the training cycle, the athlete will not be at 100%. Should they still race? Yes, if, but only if, expectations match their training status. Learn more about QT2 Systems at www.qt2systems.com

Why Mindset Matters in Endurance Sports & How a Coach Can Help Navigate the Minefield - Episode 1 - What Is Mindset? In this podcast series, QT2 Owner and Head Coach Tim Snow shares his views, informed by more than twenty years of racing and coaching endurance sports, on how an athlete's mindset can have a profound impact on performance. In Episode 1, Coach Tim sets the framework for the rest of the series, defining Mindset as the lens through which we we see the world. How we see a situation defines how we approach a solution to the problem, or even if we can see a solution. But yet, Mindset is often ignored. In the following Episodes, Coach Tim will take a deep dive into Mindset Strategies an athlete can use to identify "potholes" and come up with solutions to enable an enhanced performance on race day. Five Strategies to Alter Mindset *Setting and Managing Appropriate Expectations *Recognizing Controllables and Uncontrollables *True Goal Setting *Maintaining a Larger View/Managing a Disappointing Result *Coping Visualization Learn more about QT2 Systems at www.qt2systems.com

My First Triathlon. In this five part series, we are joined by veteran QT2 coaches Jackie Miller and Eric Kahl. Collectively, they have helped 100s of people get to the starting line of their first triathlon. Jackie and Eric share their insights on everything a beginner should know before lining up for their first race.  Episode 5 is all about Race Day. Jackie and Eric walk you through what the day looks like, including race morning logistics, transition set up, race strategy for the swim, bike and run, and post-race celebration. Learn more about Coach Jackie at https://qt2systems.com/pages/coach-jackie-miller Learn more about Coach Eric at https://qt2systems.com/pages/coach-eric-kahl

My First Triathlon. In this five part series, we are joined by veteran QT2 coaches Jackie Miller and Eric Kahl. Collectively, they have helped 100s of people get to the starting line of their first triathlon. Jackie and Eric share their insights on everything a beginner should know before lining up for their first race. Episode 4 focuses on the final weeks and days leading up to race day. This is the time to make your lists and pull together your plans for race day. It's also an opportunity for final race prep sessions, practicing your transitions and reviewing all of the course details and race rules. Come race day, there should be no surprises. Learn more about Coach Jackie at https://qt2systems.com/pages/coach-jackie-miller Learn more about Coach Eric at https://qt2systems.com/pages/coach-eric-kahl

My First Triathlon. In this five part series, we are joined by veteran QT2 coaches Jackie Miller and Eric Kahl. Collectively, they have helped 100s of people get to the starting line of their first triathlon. Jackie and Eric share their insights on everything a beginner should know before lining up for their first race. Episode 3 dives into the heart of things - how do you train for your first triathlon. Coaches Jackie and Eric discuss everything a beginner needs to know, including how long your training cycle should be, where to start and how to build, what a typical week looks like, what the focus of the workouts should be, and how to stay on track if you get injured or you miss workouts. Learn more about Coach Jackie at https://qt2systems.com/pages/coach-jackie-miller Learn more about Coach Eric at https://qt2systems.com/pages/coach-eric-kahl  

My First Triathlon. In this five part series, we are joined by veteran QT2 coaches Jackie Miller and Eric Kahl. Collectively, they have helped 100s of people get to the starting line of their first triathlon. Jackie and Eric share their insights on everything a beginner should know before lining up for their first race. Episode 2 focuses focuses on the equipment you will need to train for and race your first triathlon. Coaches Jackie and Eric break it down by sport - swim, bike and run, walking through the must haves and the nice to haves. They also provide invaluable tips on how to kit up without breaking the bank. Learn more about Coach Jackie at https://qt2systems.com/pages/coach-jackie-miller Learn more about Coach Eric at https://qt2systems.com/pages/coach-eric-kahl

My First Triathlon. In this five part series, we are joined by veteran QT2 coaches Jackie Miller and Eric Kahl. Collectively, they have helped 100s of people get to the starting line of their first triathlon. Jackie and Eric share their insights on everything a beginner should know before lining up for their first race.  Episode 1 dives into the factors to consider in picking your first race - from distance to location to timing to course specifics. Jackie and Eric also discuss the importance of building your support network - a necessary piece to a successful race experience. Learn more about Coach Jackie at https://qt2systems.com/pages/coach-jackie-miller Learn more about Coach Eric at https://qt2systems.com/pages/coach-eric-kahl  

Want to race faster? Finish stronger? Stand on the podium? Tune into QT2's podcast series 10 Tips to Crush Your Next Triathlon. In this series, we will be joined by our coaches to talk about all that goes into performing well on race day. For Episode 4 - Mastering the Swim, we welcome QT2 Systems' resident swim expert Coach Vinny Johnson. For many, the swim is the leg of a triathlon which causes the most feelings of discomfort, anxiety and stress. But does it have to be that way? Coach Vinny talks us through all of the steps you can take during your training to allow you to feel more prepared for race day. He also provides practical race day tips to stay calm, maximize your swim, and come out of the water with positive demeanor and ready to tackle the bike and run. Learn more about QT2 Systems at www.qt2systems.com

Have you ever looked back at a day in your life, and said "WOW - I Can't Believe I did That!"? In this podcast series, listen to QT2 athletes tell the stories of how they achieved goals that they once never dreamed possible. Season 2, Episode 8 features QT2 athlete Jason Howard, coached by Bob Richter. Jason's journey in the sport of triathlon began just eighteen months ago. In the spring of 2023, Jason, a long-time runner, was sidelined with a broken foot. Under doctors orders, until his foot fully healed, he could only participate in closed chain exercises. Jason used this set back as an opportunity to try something new and he signed up for his first sprint triathlon. Jason bought a bike and hit the pool, and only a few weeks later, he finished he was a triathlete. Buoyed by this accomplishment, he participated in several triathlons over the next few months, capping off his season with the Oilman middle distance race. The following day, already thinking about his next goal, the Houston Marathon, Jason did a short easy run. Unfortunately, his body was not ready for the effort, and he injured his other foot, this time the peroneal tendon. In the spring of 2024, with bigger goals on his mind, Jason hired Coach Bob Richter. Together, they plotted out a schedule for the season, targeting IRONMAN California has is A race. With much to learn, Jason put his head down and did the work. In October, he was ready to be an IRONMAN. The day started out well, with both the swim and bike playing out better than expected. The first seven miles of the run also went well, and then his foot gave out on him. He could not even walk without intense pain. At that point, Jason was not sure he could continue and considered dropping out of the race. But he willed himself to continue. After several stops and starts, the pain eased up and Jason knew that he could complete the race. This was Jason's GREATEST MOMENT. Crossing the finish line sealed the deal. To learn more about QT2 Systems, visit https://www.qt2systems.com

Have you ever looked back at a day in your life, and said "WOW - I Can't Believe I did That!"? In this podcast series, listen to QT2 athletes tell the stories of how they achieved goals that they once never dreamed possible. Season 2, Episode 7 features QT2 athlete Lori Comber, coached by Courtney Kutler. On October 19, 2024, Lori crossed the line of IRONMAN 70.3 North Carolina in a time of 5:39:08. Setting a huge PR and smashing her season time goal by more than 20 minutes. Even more special, she crossed the finish line with her friend and triathlon partner Erica, making it a storybook ending. As a child, Lori never imagined this day. Growing up on a farm, Lori was an overweight child and started smoking when she was 15. In high school, she could not run a mile. In her early 20s, Lori made the decision to take steps to get healthier. She started with a spin class at the local YMCA, and before long, she was a regular. After seven years of near daily spin classes, she decided to give outdoor cycling a try. She bought a bike and signed up for AMBBR through Team in Training. She found a new love, and over the course of the next few years, rode whenever she could. At 35, Lori married and started a family. With less available time, Lori put down her bike and decided to start running. As her kids got older, she decided that she wanted to give triathlon a try. After a few races, she met her future triathlon partner Erica. Together they raced their first IRONMAN 70.3 race in 2021 (deferred from 2020). Lori continued with the 70.3 distance the next couple of years, improving with each one, but not able to put together the race she wanted. Working with Coach Courtney Kutler, 2024 would be her breakout year. She set a private goal to beat the 6 hour mark. She did it! To learn more about QT2 Systems, visit https://www.qt2systems.com

Have you ever looked back at a day in your life, and said "WOW - I Can't Believe I did That!"? In this podcast series, listen to QT2 athletes tell the stories of how they achieved goals that they once never dreamed possible. Season 2, Episode 6 features QT2 athlete Anthony Chillemi, coached by Reem Jishi. As a younger adult, Anthony was a two pack a day smoker. In his early 20s, he couldn't run a mile without feeling like he was going to be sick. One day, he decided to quit smoking and start running. He started by running recreationally, and with time started run racing. A few years later, he began competing in triathlons. In 2017, started working with QT2 Systems Coach Tara Strassburg, and finished with an impressive time of 10:18 at IRONMAN Lake Placid. Around this same time, Anthony got married, bought a house and bought a business. Life was about to get more hectic. After taking a few years off from formal training, Anthony was itching to get back into it. Knowing that his time was more limited, he decided to focus on running. He came back to QT2 in 2021, this time working with Coach Reem Jishi. His goal was to qualify for the Boston Marathon and break the three hour mark. Over the next couple of years, Anthony made impressive gains. In March of 2023, he ran a 3:04:31, officially qualifying for the Boston Marathon. However, that time would not be strong enough to secure a spot at the 2024 race. This miss, made him more determined than ever. On October 13, 2024, Anthony ran a near perfect race at the Mohawk Hudson River Marathon, finishing with a time of 2:55:16, a PR of more than 9 minutes. This was Anthony's Greatest Moment. Listen to Anthony tell his story of how he achieved this goal. To learn more about QT2 Systems, visit https://www.qt2systems.com

Have you ever looked back at a day in your life, and said "WOW - I Can't Believe I did That!"? In this podcast series, listen to QT2 athletes tell the stories of how they achieved goals that they once never dreamed possible. Season 2, Episode 5 features QT2 athlete Isaac Ou, coached by Anne. On December 31, 2021, Isaac registered for IRONMAN Arizona. At the time, he was just twenty years old. He had never participated in a triathlon. He didn't know how to swim. He didn't own a bike. Less than eleven months later, Isaac crossed the finish line of his first IRONMAN in a respectable 13:01. In 2023, he started working with Coach Anne Basso, racing both IRONMAN Lake Placid and IRONMAN Arizona that year. Isaac bettered his time at IRONMAN Arizona by a whopping two hours! For the 2024 season, he set his sights higher and longer. His GREATEST MOMENT was completing the Starvation Extreme Triathlon in August. This race presents challenges from beginning to end with a largely self supported 2.4 mile dark swim, a 100 mile bike with 9754 feet of elevation gain, and a 25.3 mile run with 7,543 feet of elevation gain. Only 34 participants finished the race that year. 55 did not start or did not finish. Listen to Isaac tell his story of the day, and how he crossed the finish line of one of the most challenging triathlons out there. Isaac capped off his 2024 season the following month with the Double ANVIL ultra triathlon (4.8 mile swim, 224 mile bike, 52.4 mile run). For 2025, he is registered for the Quintuple ANVIL (12 mile swim, 560 mile bike, 131 mile run)! Isaac was obese growing up, and is clinically diagnosed with autism and OCD.  He believes that his his brain is wired to complete extreme endurance events.  Now fitter than the vast majority of people will ever be, he has found his home in the ultra triathlon community, and is continually exploring and pushing to places he never imagined. His story has just begun. To learn more about QT2 Systems, visit https://www.qt2systems.com

Have you ever looked back at a day in your life, and said "WOW - I Can't Believe I did That!"? In this podcast series, listen to QT2 athletes tell the stories of how they achieved goals that they once never dreamed possible. Season 2, Episode 4 features QT2 athlete Mariana Lara, coached by Dave Zimmet. On July 20, 2024 Mariana crossed the finish line at IRONMAN Lake Placid. It was a race she will remember for a life time. Not because it was her 15th IRONMAN finish. Not because of her time. Not because of her World Championship qualification. But because this was the race she beat cancer's butt. Mariana has been drawn to personal challenges and adventures her entire life. Over the past almost two decades, she has raced countless triathlons, including 4 IRONMAN World Championship finishes.  In the summer of 2023, she was doing prep work for what she thought would be a minor procedure when her pre-screen MRI revealed that she had Stage 1 ovarian cancer. Life changed for her on that day. After having major surgery to remove the cancer in the fall of that year, she still had a long road to recovery ahead. One day at a time, one step at a time, she made it to the starting line of IRONMAN Lake Placid.  Crossing the finish line was her Greatest Moment. To learn more about QT2 Systems, visit https://www.qt2systems.com