Moms of Triathlon

We are so thrilled to talk about Jen’s exciting news this week - she is pregnant! Listeners know that last year Jen experienced a miscarriage and has been trying to conceive for a little while, which we talked about in episode 87, which makes this news extra sweet. She shares all about her first 14 weeks of pregnancy, including advocating for herself in the healthcare system, feeling anxious after a recent miscarriage, and what exercise has looked like. And listen until the end (or look at our Instagram) to find out the gender! Amy talks about a tough week with a sick kiddo who was diagnosed with serum sickness-like response, which led to multiple ER visits and two nights in the hospital.

On the show this week Aly brings up her recent process of re-establishing a fitness routine. Amy and Jen weigh in on their experiences getting back to training after an extended break. The three discuss how different methods work for different people. Some people prefer to go all in all at once. This time around Aly is focusing on adding in one training session at a time and getting it established in her weekly routine before adding in the next one. Jen has shared in the past her method of trying to do a small thing most days of the week. In their weekly updates Jen talks about solo travel with a toddler and Maddox being with his baby cousin. Aly tells us about Beth’s first gymnastics class and the difficulty of socializing with other moms. And Amy shares some relatable stress of trying to stay calm with an independent two year old. 

This week Amy, Jen, and Aly are back after a little break so we check in and get lots of updates. The three share some recent challenges, like a 9-month-old’s nursing strike and potty training accidents. They talk about recent adventures - camping in the sand dunes, hosting a baby shower with kids, and using daycare for the first time. And they reflect on when to bring kids to social events and when to leave them home. 

This week on the podcast Amy and Jen discuss sleep hygiene. They talk about their current nighttime routines and how they would ideally shift things to get more and better sleep. They get into some of their struggles to get better sleep, like revenge bedtime procrastination and household chores. They also get into the ways partners can impact each others’ sleep. And they answer the question - do you hit SNOOZE?

This week we share some stories about moments in training and racing that went wrong and what we hopefully won’t get wrong again next time. Missing bike parts, bad sunburns, bike crashes, wrong gears, and where to put the body glide. And we get into the controversial question - do you wear underwear under leggings? In the weekly updates Jen talks about a work trip to the office and Amy questions how much she doomed Margot’s future as a swimmer by helping with a “face squeegee.”

This week we revisit the topic of mental health and our own personal journeys and experiences. Amy gives an update from Episode 39 when she had recently started taking anti-anxiety medication. Aly shares her own struggles with anxiety and how she has addressed them by starting therapy and medication. Jen talks about her feelings of depression this past year and discusses the possible tie to her recent diagnosis of hypothyroidism. The three talk about the difficulties in finding a therapist and what the process of therapy has been like for them. And they emphasize the importance of sharing these experiences openly.

On the podcast this week we hear some big updates. Jen talks about her recent diagnosis of hypothyroidism and the symptoms that have been impacting her life for the past year. Amy and Jen share updates on the kids’ potty training progress. For the main topic they dive into season planning. Amy details her plans to race national level races and the logistics that adds to planning the race calendar. Jen talks about finding triathlon races after moving to Reno. And they close with their Go Mommas of the Week.

This week we talk about a very personal topic - the period of trying to conceive. We know that this can be a difficult and mentally challenging period. We hope that sharing some of our difficulties and struggles could relate to some of our listeners. Jen shares her current struggles in trying to conceive (TTC) and how she is approaching the process both practically and mentally. We get into topics around training and race planning when TTC, false positive pregnancy tests, ovulation tracking, and the difficulty of the two week wait. 

This week Amy, Jen, and Aly get together for a casual chat after the holidays. They reflect back on their episode on keeping kids’ routines during the holiday chaos and what worked or didn’t work. Aly successfully survived a full calendar of holiday parties by pushing back bedtime and embracing car and carrier naps. Jen was able to have a relaxing time at a “cabin” in Mammoth. Amy balanced a sudden trip right before Christmas and celebrating the holiday with family events in town. There were some big milestones during the break including Maddox starting potty training and Hannah starting to crawl. And the three share resolutions their husbands suggested for them. 

This week on the podcast Amy, Jen, and Aly share their New Year’s Resolutions for 2024 and a theme emerges - making things bite-size and manageable. Amy shares her idea to have “experimental” periods, going all in on a resolution but for a smaller period of time. Jen’s themes of the year are consistency and healing, and to achieve that consistency reducing the overall expectations. And Aly chooses to focus on general themes over setting highly specific goals. In the conversation they help each other process their own themes and goals. Resolutions discussed include drinking less, consistency in exercise routine, budgeting, and prioritizing friends.

This week on the podcast we welcome back registered dietician Krista Neugebauer. We catch up with Krista and hear about her kids’ turkey trot and her recent 70.3 and then we ask her all of our pregnancy, postpartum, and young toddler nutrition questions. This is a long one so feel free to jump to the questions that interest you most. 24:10 Updates from Krista on her kid’s Turkey Trot and Waco 70.334:50 Eating with morning sickness43:10 How much extra to eat during breastfeeding50:20 Dealing with sugar cravings54:00 Impact of Mom’s diet on nursing babies1:01:10 Addressing clogged ducts and hydration while nursing1:11:15 Postpartum fueling for recovery1:12:25 Feeding picky toddler1:30:55 Kids and dessertsEp. 69: Krista Neugebauer on fueling as an athlete momYou can find Krista on Instagram at @fuelfearlessly

Many of us head indoors for training during the winter months, but does your workout space “spark joy?” On the podcast this week, Amy and Jen discuss all the important elements of a dream pain cave. Mirrors, motivational decor, good fans, smart trainer, Woodway treadmill, squat rack, nutrition station, maybe a recovery zone? In their weekly updates Jen talks about a trip to visit her very pregnant sister and Amy gives some details on her newly created bike team. They close with their Go Mommas of the Week.

This week Amy and Aly discuss the ways holiday events can throw off baby and toddler routines and how they approach the adjustments. Aly gives some ideas for altering baby nap times. Amy shares concerns about how relaxing around screen time, sweets, and bedtime schedules can come back to bite you. Aly has a holiday themed update with thoughts on ornaments and addressing holiday cards. Amy’s update focuses on getting kids involved in sports. 

This week we welcome Carleigh Moore on the podcast just before her first 70.3 postpartum. She shares how she has delayed this return to 70.3 twice already and is excited to finally get the monkey off her back at Indian Wells. Carleigh gives the details on her workout routine with work, a 14 month old, and an ultrarunner husband. And she shares their method for keeping a routine with a sick kiddo home from daycare. We loved hearing Carleigh’s perspective on why it’s okay to view triathlon as something just for herself and how that makes her a better mom. Carleigh also goes into her experience with pregnancy and a sudden induction that led to a c-section. And she gives some helpful tips and resources for c-section recovery. We came away from this episode motivated and ready to sign up for more races!Follow Carleigh on Instagram @adventure.moore A c-section recovery account Carleigh recommends is @askjanette 

It’s officially the holiday season! After adding the Moms of Triathlon merch to your wishlist (shameless plug), listen to this episode to get ideas for other people in your life. We list off recommendations for kids, husbands, triathletes, grandparents, and friends/ourselves. Jen shares the helpful idea for kids: “Something to wear, something to read, something you want, something you need.” And in her weekly update, Amy shares her experience weaning Margot who turned 2 a few months ago. She shares how it was a struggle to fully commit to weaning, but once she did it was easier than expected. She used some books that prepare kids for weaning, including the book called Booby Moon. Here are some of the top recommendations we shared that were specific products:Shop our merch! Custom calendar from Artifact Uprising Aura Digital Frame Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes: A Cookbook for Preschoolers Anker Magnetic phone grip for iPhone Bull in China cocktail making set Jolyn swimsuits

This week’s topic is all about making mom friends. Is it weird to use an app? How do you ask for someone’s number at the park? How can you reduce the pressure of a new friend connection? We get into the nuances and share our own experiences.  In their weekly updates, Aly talks about baby Hannah starting solid foods. And Amy discusses helping Ollie deal with conflict at school. 

Off season is a phrase all over the place in triathlon nearly as soon as the pumpkin spice lattes comes out (so August). But what is it and do you need to take one? We talk about different versions of off season - a very specific short break where you can do whatever you want, viewing the whole winter period as an off season, or skipping it altogether, especially if you aren’t training for a specific event or your training has been disrupted by kids. We talk about the ways off season can be both a mental and physical break. It can be an opportunity to set goals and new routines when you return. And it’s a chance to can come back with new energy and purposeShared in this episode: Gretchen Rubin's Calendar of Catalysts

On the podcast this week we welcome Jocelyn Wong Neill. Jocelyn is a co-host on the If We Were Riding Podcast from Feisty Media. Talking to Jocelyn it’s clear that she loves to chase big goals - which shouldn’t have been a surprise knowing she got herself on to Team TBB back in 2008 training under notorious triathlon coach Brett Sutton. Even after all her years in the sport and having her almost 3-year-old daughter, she is still finding new motivation in the sport. Next year she is aiming to qualify for the first ever women’s World Championship Ironman in Nice, France.On the show we talk about her early triathlon days, her transition back to age-group racing after being a full time pro, and her experience training as a mom. Jocelyn shares her birth story and experience with a c-section and struggles with postpartum training injuries. She and Amy also nerd out about triathlon podcasts. In their weekly updates, Amy and Aly talk sickness as a mom and potty training regressions.Zoom bath baby swim courses - https://watermellow.ca/National Kids Running Series - https://healthykidsrunningseries.org/If We Were Riding Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/feisty-triathlon/id1265466545Find Jocelyn on her website and on Instagram @jwneill302 

This week on the podcast the main topic is the MAIN topic - how do you fit in workouts as a new mom. Aly is there to share her experiences getting in workouts – and choosing to not get in workouts – as a mom to a 4 month old and a 2 year old. In the early days when baby slept more it was easier to sneak away for a quick swim or hop on the trainer. Now Aly is focused on leaning in to the mom identity and this period as a time to focus on kids and fit in movement when it’s possible. The trio talk about the ways that breastfeeding has a huge impact on the ability to exercise, including feeding schedules and energy depletion. Other topics include sleep struggles, stroller runs, feet growth in pregnancy, Maddox’s second birthday, and maternity hand me downs. And they close with Go Mommas of the Week.

Aly is back for this special episode where we recap the incredible women’s World Championship Race in Kona last weekend. We celebrate Lucy’s win that it feels like everyone was cheering for. Jen and Aly, the swimmers, weigh in on which win meant more for them - Lucy or Chelsea. The trio recap some other notable stats, like having 3 moms and 5 Americans in the top 10. They also talk about what it meant that it was a women’s only race day in Hawaii and also where the coverage still fell short. In the opening updates Jen talks about deciding to take a personal day and Amy shares about her return to cyclocross. They close with Go Mommas of the Week.