The Athlete's Compass

In this episode, triathlete Jerome Guionnet shares his inspiring transformation from a non-competitive French parent to a world-class age-group triathlete competing in multiple Ironman World Championships. Sparked by his daughter’s interest in triathlon, Jerome began his journey in his 50s and now regularly finishes in the top 10% of his age group. He discusses the difference between exercising and structured training, the value of consistency, recovery, coaching, and cutting-edge tech like AI coaching and biometric wearables. Jerome also opens up about time management, the importance of strength training, and the surprising mental tricks that keep him going, even in low-motivation moments.Key Episode TakeawaysStarting triathlon later in life is possible with structured training and motivation.Exercising is not the same as training—purposeful structure yields results.AI tools like Athletica help with personalized insights, but coaches bring human touch and emotional intelligence.Consistency, especially with zone 2 training, is essential but often lonely.Time management includes using “bricks” (back-to-back workouts) and home trainers for efficiency.Strength training and activation exercises help prevent injury and improve running form.Transition time is a weakness Jerome plans to improve by doing more local races.Gadgets like Timeware and Cori (continuous lactate monitoring) are part of Jerome’s optimization toolkit.Training is part of a balanced lifestyle that improves work performance and mental health.Paul Warloski - Endurance, Strength Training, YogaMarjaana Rakai - Tired Mom Runs - Where fitness meets motherhood.

In this episode, the Athletes Compass team dives into the physiology and performance science behind 30/30 HIIT intervals—30 seconds on, 30 seconds off. Dr. Paul Laursen explains why these short, intense bursts are so effective at improving VO2 max and recruiting fast-twitch muscle fibers. With insights into training stress, recovery, athlete profiling, and when to use short versus long intervals, the conversation highlights how even endurance athletes can benefit from raising their "ceiling" with strategically timed HIIT sessions. They also cover programming for different athlete types and how tools like Athletica and Velocity help customize training to individual needs.Key Takeaways:30/30 intervals (30 seconds on, 30 seconds off) effectively recruit fast-twitch fibers and promote adaptations in both the cardiovascular and muscular systems.These short intervals stimulate VO2 max while minimizing long-term fatigue compared to longer intervals.Power output is higher during 30/30s than in 4x5 minute VO2 workouts, leading to better adaptations in well-trained athletes.Recovery periods between intervals are key—passive recovery enables myoglobin resaturation and better performance.30/30s can benefit even Ironman athletes, despite the lack of specificity to long race paces.Athlete type matters: “Diesel” athletes may prefer longer intervals; “twitchy” athletes often thrive with short ones.Tools like Athletica’s workout reserve and power profile analysis help guide interval prescription.Heart rate and power trends during sets can indicate whether an athlete is adapting well—or overreaching.Athlete Profiling PrimerThe Power of Optimizing HIIT Short IntervalsPaul Warloski - Endurance, Strength Training, YogaMarjaana Rakai - Tired Mom Runs - Where fitness meets motherhood.

In Episode 110, the hosts of The Athletes Compass dive into the overlooked powerhouse of endurance training: cross-training. Dr. Paul Laursen, Marjaana Rakai, and Paul Warloski explore how activities like rowing, skiing, and cycling aren't just recovery fillers—they're performance-enhancing tools backed by science. The trio debates whether strength training should count as cross-training, unpacks when specificity should take priority, and shares stories of elite athletes like Kyle Chalmers and Mahe Drysdale whose success came from training smarter, not harder. More than anything, the conversation is a powerful reminder that enjoying your training—and staying injury-free—may be the ultimate performance advantage.Key TakeawaysStrength Training ≠ Cross-Training: It’s foundational and should be part of every endurance athlete’s program.Specificity Still Matters: But the need for it increases closer to race day.Cross-Training Works: It can directly improve aerobic fitness, reduce injury risk, and maintain performance.Minimum Effective Dose Exists: You might not need as much sport-specific work as you think.Joy Enhances Adaptation: Enjoyable training (including cross-training) supports better recovery and long-term consistency.Elite Athletes Use It: Olympic champions like Mahe Drysdale and Nils van der Poel used 50%+ cross-training in their routines.Technique is Sport-Specific: For technical sports like swimming or skiing, keeping some year-round specificity is key.Balance is Critical: Cross-training supports mental freshness and helps athletes avoid burnout.

In this episode of The Athlete’s Compass, the team introduces Athletica’s newly launched AI coach—an intelligent training assistant that combines large language models (LLMs) with athlete-specific data like HRV, sleep, and training load. Unlike generic AI tools, this coach taps into the HIIT Science textbook and contextualizes advice based on six weeks of an athlete’s training history. Paul Laursen, Marjaana Rakai, and Paul Warloski walk through how it works, what sets it apart, and demonstrate its capabilities in real-time. The conversation highlights not only the tech’s sophistication but its potential to empower athletes and coaches alike through contextual, science-backed decision-making.Key TakeawaysAI + Personal Data = Precision Coaching: The AI coach analyzes training data like HRV, heart rate, and sleep to give context-aware, real-time advice.HIIT Science Textbook is Embedded: It doesn’t guess—its responses are backed by content from The Science and Application of High-Intensity Interval Training.Real-Time Scenarios: Whether you're sick, tapering, or targeting a hilly Ironman, the AI provides personalized strategies.Built-In Guardrails: It won’t override your training plan but will suggest appropriate tweaks based on your context.For Coaches Too: While not yet multi-athlete enabled, future updates will allow coaches to use it across their roster.Customization: Users can adjust the coach’s personality (casual/professional) and depth (plain language to sports science level).AI Agent Architecture: It uses Retrieval-Augmented Generation and purpose-built agents (e.g., for recovery or training load optimization).More Than a Chatbot: Unlike ChatGPT, this coach knows your actual training history and adjusts accordingly.Paul Warloski - Endurance, Strength Training, YogaMarjaana Rakai - Tired Mom Runs - Where fitness meets motherhood.

In this episode of the Athletes Compass Podcast, Mollie Brewer—sports scientist and PhD researcher—explores the fine line between using training technology as a helpful tool and becoming overly dependent on it. Drawing from research across collegiate and endurance sports, Mollie explains how GPS watches, power meters, HRV, and AI platforms can either reduce cognitive burden or create “techno stress” when athletes chase numbers instead of listening to their bodies. The conversation highlights data literacy, pacing mastery, individualized training, and why the best outcomes come from triangulating data, bodily awareness, and life context rather than letting metrics dictate every decision.Key Episode TakeawaysTraining technology works best when it supports decision-making, not replaces itChasing metrics can increase anxiety, reduce enjoyment, and harm performanceData can both “get athletes out of their head” and “get athletes into their head”Over-testing and constant measurement can reduce data quality and athlete engagementAthletes need data literacy to understand trends, noise, and contextEffective training comes from triangulating data, bodily feel, and life demandsAI and wearables should adapt to the athlete—not force the athlete to adapt to themSocial sharing of data (e.g., Strava) can amplify techno stressPaul Warloski - Endurance, Strength Training, YogaMarjaana Rakai - Tired Mom Runs - Where fitness meets motherhood.

In this holiday-themed episode, hosts Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai shift the focus away from hustle and mileage to explore the restorative power of seasonal slowing down. Drawing on Nordic traditions and endurance science, the trio discusses how embracing the darkness, cold, and stillness of winter can lead to better recovery, mental clarity, and long-term athletic gains. From saunas and snow plunges to puzzle nights and mindful movement, this conversation is a permission slip to pause and rethink what productive training really means during the holiday season.Key TakeawaysRest is productive: The holidays are a great time to reset, not to push harder.Seasonal rhythms matter: Cold and dark seasons can be powerful recovery periods.Sleep and recovery improve HRV and overall wellness.Cross-training opportunities: Activities like skiing, walking, skating, or fat biking can maintain fitness and refresh the mind.Sauna + snow plunges = physiological and mental recovery.No bad weather, just bad clothing—layer up!Give yourself grace: Missing a session or slowing down won’t ruin your fitness.Holiday nutrition should be intuitive, not guilt-driven—enjoy treats in moderation.Make time for family and connection—it’s part of your foundation.Paul Warloski - Endurance, Strength Training, YogaMarjaana Rakai - Tired Mom Runs - Where fitness meets motherhood.

In this episode of The Athlete’s Compass, co-hosts Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai unpack the often-overlooked reality of race day anxiety for everyday endurance athletes. They explore how physiological responses like elevated heart rate and the “monkey mind” can feel overwhelming, yet serve a functional purpose. The team discusses personal stories, evidence-based strategies like visualization and race-day rehearsals, and the power of simple tools—breathing, smiling, human connection—to reframe anxiety into a performance enhancer. They emphasize preparation, self-efficacy, and presence as key to transforming nerves into fuel.Key Episode TakeawaysRace anxiety is normal—even beneficial. It's your sympathetic nervous system preparing you for peak performance.The amygdala triggers the fight-or-flight response, but emotions like anxiety can be short-lived if not mentally recycled.Preparation is your best defense: mental rehearsal, race plans, and pacing practice reduce unpredictability.Visualize the whole experience: from arriving in town to the final push—especially what to do if things go wrong.Human connection helps regulate cortisol: smiling, eye contact, and small interactions ease stress.Breathe to break the anxiety loop: techniques like box breathing calm the nervous system and restore focus.Self-efficacy is key: confidence from training and process goals reduces pressure on outcome.Reframe nerves as excitement and privilege: gratitude turns stress into motivation.Paul Warloski - Endurance, Strength Training, YogaMarjaana Rakai - Tired Mom Runs - Where fitness meets motherhood.

In this episode, the Athletes Compass team talks with Ashley Eckermann, a seasoned sports psychologist and Ironman athlete, about how athletes can shift from chasing motivation to building mental skills that actually work under pressure. Ashley debunks common myths about mindset, explains how to reframe fear and discomfort, and shares science-backed strategies to push through pain, race-day anxiety, and performance blocks. Drawing on her personal experiences and her work with athletes from youth to age 70+, Ashley shows how mental training can close the gap between practice and performance—and why “ready” is always a decision, not a feeling. Key TakeawaysMental performance is a skillset, not a personality trait or a feeling like motivation.“Ready” is a decision—you don’t have to feel ready to be ready.Athletes often underperform not due to fitness but because of emotional overload and mental unpreparedness.Motivation is unreliable—it fades when things get hard. Discipline is a decision.Physical discomfort is normal; learning to push through it (safely) is trainable.Performance blocks (like freezing or anxiety) are neurological disruptions, not signs of weakness.Language matters: Shift “I have to” to “I want to” to create a sense of choice and control.Fear of failure in youth athletes is often rooted in fear of looking like a beginner, not true failure.Emotions last 90 seconds—what prolongs them is rumination.Reframing isn’t toxic positivity—it’s productive thinking.Maximize the Mind | Ashley EckermannPaul Warloski - Endurance, Strength Training, YogaMarjaana Rakai - Tired Mom Runs - Where fitness meets motherhood.

In this episode of The Athletes Compass, the team—Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai—dives into the world of heart rate. They break down what heart rate data really tells us, why your measurement device matters, and how to avoid common training mistakes. The hosts explore how heart rate interacts with stress, sleep, heat, and ego—and how understanding this interplay can unlock smarter training and recovery. With personal stories, expert insights, and laughs along the way, this episode offers clarity on using heart rate as a tool—not a trap.Key TakeawaysDevice matters: Chest straps provide more accurate heart rate data than wrist-based optical monitors, especially during high-intensity efforts.Context is king: Heart rate is affected by stress, sleep, hydration, heat, and more—don’t view it in isolation.Listen to your body first: RPE (Rate of Perceived Effort) should always guide you before any data point.Zone 2 is foundational: Training too hard on easy days is a widespread mistake; true zone 2 work requires discipline.Heat and cardiac drift: Rising heart rate during long or hot sessions can be due to heat stress, not just fatigue.Power vs Heart Rate: Use heart rate for Zone 1–2 training and power/pace for Zone 3+ efforts.Ego check: Don’t let ego push you into higher zones when you should be staying easy.Use AI tools like Athletica: Smart software can help interpret heart rate data in context for better decision-making.Article - Pace vs Power vs Heart-Rate: How to Pick the Right Training Metric (and When to Switch)Paul Warloski - Endurance, Strength Training, YogaMarjaana Rakai - Tired Mom Runs - Where fitness meets motherhood.

In this episode of The Athlete’s Compass, the hosts explore the often-underestimated power of Zone 2 training—effort levels that allow for relaxed, conversational pacing. They break down the physiology behind this aerobic zone, why elite endurance athletes rely on it, and how it promotes mitochondrial growth, fat metabolism, and long-term durability. With personal anecdotes and references to key research studies from 2023 and 2025, the conversation highlights the importance of consistent, low-intensity training for all athletes—from Olympians to time-crunched weekend warriors. The team also discusses how to apply Zone 2 strategically, avoid ego-driven pitfalls, and track progress through heart rate, efficiency, and perceived effort.Key TakeawaysZone 2 training sits just below the first ventilatory threshold and supports aerobic efficiency.It promotes mitochondrial density, enhances fat oxidation, and builds durability over time.Even world-class athletes make performance gains primarily through increased low-intensity volume.Conversational pace and relaxed breathing are useful real-world indicators of being in Zone 2.Avoid the "ego zone" (Zone 3) during base training to maximize aerobic adaptation.Zone 2 is especially critical for masters athletes with limited time—focus on consistency, not volume.Tracking metrics like heart rate, pace/power, and efficiency factor (EF) helps measure progress.Use Zone 2 as a foundation and add high-intensity (HIIT) strategically for optimal results.Paul Warloski - Endurance, Strength Training, YogaMarjaana Rakai - Tired Mom Runs - Where fitness meets motherhood.

Every athlete—beginner, elite, or aging—eventually hits a frustrating plateau where progress stalls despite hard work. In this insightful episode, the team unpacks what a training plateau really is, how to distinguish it from overtraining or undertraining, and what physiological, psychological, and lifestyle factors may be contributing. From VO2 max goals to recovery metrics, the discussion touches on aging, hormones, training load, and the need for recovery or change. Whether you're pushing too hard, not hard enough, or simply stuck in the same routine, this episode offers science-based tools and personal experiences to help you break through your plateau.Key Takeaways:Plateaus are normal and can happen due to overreaching, lack of recovery, aging, or unvaried stimulus.Wearables like Garmin offer insights, but long-term test environments (like consistent routes or rides) provide more valid trend data.Training isn't linear. More effort doesn't always mean more progress.Critical Power and HRV are reliable performance and recovery indicators.Masters athletes must prioritize strength, rest, and periodization.Men vs. Women: Aging impacts men and women differently; strength training is critical for aging women.A well-structured off-season is often skipped but essential for long-term performance.Mental reframing and reflection are powerful tools for navigating plateaus.Paul Warloski - Endurance, Strength Training, YogaMarjaana Rakai - Tired Mom Runs - Where fitness meets motherhood.

In this episode of The Athletes Compass, performance coach and speaker Jared Markiewicz shares how the disciplines of motivation, consistency, and self-reflection form the core of sustainable athletic—and personal—growth. Drawing from his journey from one-on-one coaching to leading hundreds through Functional Integrated Training and Fit Legacy, Jared dives deep into how everyday athletes can shift from extrinsic to value-driven motivation, combat perfectionism, and implement his “elite formula” to create consistency amidst chaos. With powerful analogies and stories—especially from youth coaching and parenting—Jared offers practical ways to train both the body and the mind.Key Takeaways:The "Flywheel" Framework: Motivation → Discipline → Reflection fuels long-term growth.Elite Formula: A mindset framework—Elite (A+), Exceed (B), Elevate (C/"minimum effective dose")—helps perfectionists stay consistent.Reflection is Underrated: Most athletes overlook reflection; tools like ESP (Effort, Success, Progress) provide structure.Motivation Transitions: True resilience comes from shifting motivation from novelty to deep, value-based purpose.Performance Beyond Fitness: Jared applies coaching principles to life—family, leadership, work.Power of Positive Coaching: Youth athletes respond more to encouragement than correction—this also applies to adults.Movement as Foundation: Physical training supports energy, stress resilience, and emotional health.Simplicity Over Complexity: Simplifying systems is crucial to unlock more of our human potential.Jared Markiewicz | Fit LegacyGet Your Annual Plan NowPaul Warloski - Endurance, Strength Training, YogaMarjaana Rakai - Tired Mom Runs - Where fitness meets motherhood.

In this episode of The Athlete’s Compass, hosts Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai explore the evolving role of the coach in an age where AI platforms like Athletica are redefining personalized training. They discuss what human coaches bring to the table that software can’t—empathy, accountability, real-time adaptation, and the power of meaningful connection. The trio dives into when athletes should consider a coach, how to blend AI and human guidance, and why trust, communication, and reflection are the foundations of great coaching relationships. Whether you’re new to structured training or chasing your next PR, this conversation will help you decide if—and when—a coach is right for you.Key TakeawaysAI is powerful, but not personal: Platforms like Athletica can optimize training plans, but they can’t yet provide emotional intelligence, empathy, or contextual life adjustments.Human coaches see what data misses: Coaches can spot burnout, emotional fatigue, and life stress that don’t show up in the metrics.Reflection fuels growth: Great coaches help athletes look back on progress and learn from every block of training.Coaching is a relationship: Chemistry, trust, and honest communication are essential to making it work.It’s okay to move on: Trying a coach and realizing it’s not the right fit isn’t failure—it’s part of the learning process.Combining AI + human guidance offers the best of both worlds: data-driven plans with human understanding.Beginners may benefit most: A coach can shorten the learning curve by helping athletes interpret data, pacing, and physiology.Coaching is an investment in health and learning, not just performance.YOUR STRONGEST YEAR STARTS NOW: Commit to your goals with a full year of adaptive Al coaching. Get 15% off your annual plan with code ANNUAL15Offer expires 11:59 PM (GMT+13) on November 16th, 2025, and is valid only on our website. Cannot be combined with another promo code. To change your current subscription to annual, please login to your account – Hit Settings – Subscriptions&Billing.Get Your Annual Plan NowPaul Warloski - Endurance, Strength Training, YogaMarjaana Rakai - Tired Mom Runs - Where fitness meets motherhood.

In this insightful episode, hosts Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai break down the crucial topic of insulin sensitivity and resistance—a metabolic issue that affects not just people with diabetes but endurance athletes too. They explore how insulin works in the body, how chronic exposure to sugar can lead to insulin resistance, and why even fit athletes can suffer from poor metabolic health. Drawing from personal experience, science, and practical tips, they discuss how dietary choices, strength training, stress, and lifestyle all shape our insulin response. Importantly, they offer actionable advice for athletes who want to optimize performance, avoid midsection weight gain, and stay metabolically healthy as they age.Key TakeawaysInsulin is essential for moving glucose into muscle and fat cells but becomes problematic when chronically elevated.Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) from persistent high glucose contribute to aging and health decline.You can't outrun a bad diet—even fit athletes can become metabolically unhealthy with excessive sugar intake.Insulin sensitivity declines with age, high stress, or sugar-heavy diets, but can be reversed.Strength training and endurance training increase insulin sensitivity by increasing muscle mass and GLUT4 activity.Common signs of insulin resistance: stubborn fat, reduced performance, fatigue, poor sleep, and high blood pressure.Fasted training and reducing sugar can restore insulin sensitivity and boost fat metabolism.Lifestyle plays a huge role: stress and processed foods drive insulin resistance, especially in aging athletes.Paul Warloski - Endurance, Strength Training, YogaMarjaana Rakai - Tired Mom Runs - Where fitness meets motherhood.

In this episode of The Athlete's Compass, Paul Laursen, Marjaana Rakai, and Paul Warloski break down the concept of periodization — the practice of structuring your training into purposeful phases like base, build, and taper. Drawing from cutting-edge research, Norwegian endurance dominance, and their own coaching experience, they explore how layering aerobic work with strategic intensity helps everyday athletes adapt better, avoid burnout, and peak on race day. From understanding adaptation energy to learning how Athletica supports personalized training, this conversation uncovers why slow, steady base work might be the most powerful (and overlooked) part of endurance training.Key TakeawaysBase training is critical: It builds aerobic capacity and sets the stage for effective high-intensity training later.Adaptation energy matters: Without a solid aerobic base, athletes struggle to respond to more intense sessions.Periodization isn't just for pros: Everyday athletes benefit from a structured plan tailored to their goals and life constraints.VO2 max work shouldn’t disappear during base phase—tapping into it year-round yields continued adaptation.Athletica allows for flexibility, letting athletes shift between base and build weeks depending on how they're feeling or recovering.Heart rate variability (HRV) can guide periodization, indicating readiness for harder work or a need to rest.Avoid over-racing: Always being in build or race mode leads to fatigue, poor performance, and mental burnout.Nutrition can be periodized too, aligning fueling strategies with session intensity to maximize benefits.Lawrence van Lingen | Move Better, Live BetterDr. Paul Laursen publications on ResearchGateMarjaana Rakai - Tired Mom Runs - Where fitness meets motherhood.

In this episode of the Athletes Compass Podcast, the team is joined by Andrea Zignoli to explore a unique research study conducted within the Athletica platform—analyzing over 55,000 athlete comments to detect emotional patterns through sentiment analysis. The findings reveal that outdoor workouts tend to trigger more joyful responses, certain body part mentions signal pain, and beginner athletes generally report less joy compared to advanced users. The discussion dives deep into how this emotional data could shape personalized AI coaching and highlights Athletica’s cautious yet promising approach to integrating sentiment with training load decisions.Key Takeaways Sentiment analysis on Athletica reveals emotional insights from athlete comments.Outdoor workouts, especially running, are associated with more positive sentiments than indoor activities.Mentions of specific body parts (e.g., shoulder, calf) are often linked to negative emotions—usually signaling pain or injury.Beginner athletes express less joy in comments, possibly due to physical discomfort or lack of adaptation to training.Advanced language models now enable accurate emotional classification of athlete-written feedback.Athletica aims to use sentiment data as an additional layer in training load monitoring—alongside HRV and RPE.Coaches like Dan Lorang value athlete comments as a key insight into readiness and performance.Future Athletica features will include conversational AI and more nuanced integration of comment sentiment into adaptive training prescriptions.Paul Warloski - Endurance, Strength Training, YogaMarjaana Rakai - Tired Mom Runs - Where fitness meets motherhood.

In this episode of Athletes Compass, hosts Paul Warloski and Dr. Paul Laursen welcome Dr. Jeff Sankoff—emergency physician, triathlon coach, and host of the TriDoc Podcast—for a refreshingly honest and science-based discussion about the often-misunderstood relationships between body composition, fueling, and performance in endurance sports. They tackle the dangers of under-fueling, especially in athletes trying to lose weight, explore the myths around fat oxidation, and explain how endurance training can both enhance physical and mental resilience. Jeff shares actionable advice on balancing training and nutrition while addressing the psychology of chasing marginal gains and the mental health benefits of endurance sports. A must-listen for any athlete navigating the complex intersection of performance, health, and wellbeing.Key Episode TakeawaysFuel your workouts properly: Inadequate fueling leads to poor training outcomes and disrupted body composition changes.Carbohydrates are essential for performance, especially above Zone 2 efforts.Fat oxidation is overhyped for competitive endurance performance; carbs are king.Protein intake is often too low in everyday athletes; increasing protein helps with satiety, recovery, and preserving lean mass.Body composition should follow performance, not lead it.Disordered eating risks are real, especially in women; watch for menstrual irregularities and other signs of under-fueling.Marginal gains are overrated for most age groupers; focus on the big gains—training quality, sleep, and recovery.Mental health and resilience are deeply supported by consistent physical activity.TriDoc Podcast - Triathlon and health in one placeTempo Talks PodcastPaul Warloski - Endurance, Strength Training, YogaMarjaana Rakai - Tired Mom Runs - Where fitness meets motherhood.

In this episode of The Athletes Compass, hosts Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and coach Marjaana Rakai unpack the difference between outcome goals and process goals—and why the latter often holds the key to long-term success, joy, and mental well-being in endurance sports. Marjaana shares her personal challenge of completing 50 marathons before turning 50, using it as a lens to discuss how meaningful goals must be broken into achievable milestones. The team emphasizes the importance of adaptability, realistic planning, and falling in love with the process, not just the finish line.Key TakeawaysOutcome goals are what you want to achieve (e.g. qualifying for Boston).Process goals are how you get there (e.g. consistent weekly training, mobility work).Obsessing over outcome goals is fragile—race-day factors are often uncontrollable.Purpose-driven goals enhance mental health, longevity, and motivation.Realistic scheduling and family support are key to sustainable training.The Athletica platform supports process-driven coaching through AI and adaptive planning.It’s okay (and smart) to revise goals when life changes—adaptability is part of success.Success isn’t hitting a single big session; it’s the accumulation of consistent efforts over time.Paul Warloski - Endurance, Strength Training, YogaMarjaana Rakai - Tired Mom Runs - Where fitness meets motherhood.

In this powerful episode of The Athletes’ Compass, Dr. Tony Boutagy, a seasoned strength and conditioning coach, brings clarity to the often-confusing world of exercise advice for women—especially those navigating perimenopause and menopause. Busting common myths perpetuated by social media influencers and mouse-based science, Tony makes the case for context-driven, individualized training based on experience, not fear. From the importance of building a "bone bank" in your youth to how strength training dramatically improves quality of life in your 80s, the episode is a masterclass in how to train smarter—regardless of your age, gender, or goals.Key Episode TakeawaysStrength training is essential—and beneficial—at any age, even into your 90s.Muscle strength ≠ maximal strength. Women don’t need to lift 1RMs to see progress.The common phrase “women are not small men” is often used to push shaky science.There’s no evidence to support that fasted training harms women; much of this fear is based on rodent studies.Women can build muscle across a range of rep schemes, not just with “lift heavy or fail.”Variation and personal preference are more important than rigid sex-specific protocols.Coaches must listen, adapt, and respect individual contexts—especially during menopause.Exercise doesn't need to be heroic; consistent daily movement wins over time.Dr. Tony BoutagyPaul Warloski - Endurance, Strength Training, YogaMarjaana Rakai - Tired Mom Runs - Where fitness meets motherhood.

In this episode of The Athlete’s Compass, hosts Paul Warloski, Marjaana Rakai, and Dr. Paul Laursen tackle a topic many endurance athletes experience but rarely discuss: post-race depression. After months of disciplined training, crossing the finish line of a major race should be euphoric—but for many, it’s followed by an emotional void. The team unpacks the physiological, psychological, and social factors behind these post-race blues. They share personal stories, scientific insights, and practical strategies for recovery, celebration, and moving forward with purpose. Whether you're an athlete, a coach, or a supporter, this conversation offers compassionate advice for navigating the emotional aftermath of achievement.Key TakeawaysPost-race blues are normal: It's common among endurance athletes due to neurochemical shifts after the race.Celebrate your accomplishments: Without celebration and reflection, achievements lose meaning.Identity matters: Identifying as a triathlete vs. someone who does triathlon can change how you handle post-race emotions.Rest with purpose: Allow for both mental and physical recovery after a big event before setting a new goal.Avoid immediate re-signups: Give yourself space before jumping into the next race.Fitness lingers: Even if CTL drops, real endurance adaptations remain for weeks or even months.Support from others matters: Coaches, friends, and family can help by listening, encouraging activity, and validating feelings.It’s not just physical: Emotional reflection and journaling (like race reports) help close the loop on a race block.Paul Warloski - Endurance, Strength Training, YogaMarjaana Rakai - Tired Mom Runs - Where fitness meets motherhood.