#196 - Ryan Bolton, USAT Director of High Performance - Physiology, Head & Heart: Coaching High-Performance Athletes With Purpose
Description
In this episode, I sit down with Ryan Bolton — Olympian, founder of Bolton Endurance Sports Training, and USA Triathlon’s Director of High Performance. Ryan has coached some of America’s top athletes, including Morgan Pearson and John Reed, but today we go deeper than splits and training blocks.
We talk about the three-part framework that drives his coaching philosophy — physiology, head, and heart — and why world-class athletes need all three in balance. Ryan shares candid stories from his early days as a high-energy kid in Wyoming, how mentors like Joe Friel shaped him, and why the best performers are often the most grounded people.
We also dive into athlete identity, emotional resilience, the danger of false confidence, mentorship, traveling the world on the elite triathlon circuit, and what it really takes to develop young athletes for LA 2028 and beyond.
B.E.S.T: https://boltonendurance.com
Ryan’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/coachryanbolton/
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