Send us Fan Mail

Building a training plan isn’t just about adding more miles each week.

In this episode, we break down one of the most misunderstood concepts in endurance training: how to build volume the right way — without burning out, breaking down, or blindly following rules that don’t apply to you.

We walk through how coaches actually think about progressing volume, why increasing intensity and volume at the same time is a common mistake, and how to structure your training in a way that your body can actually absorb.

You’ll also learn why there is no such thing as a “perfect” training plan — and what actually matters if you want to make consistent progress.

Whether you’re training for your first race or trying to take your performance to the next level, this episode will help you approach your training with more clarity and confidence.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How to safely build training volume over time
• Why you shouldn’t increase volume and intensity together
• The difference between weekly volume and individual workout progression
• How to structure training using step-wise or block-based approaches
• Why “one-size-fits-all” training plans don’t work
• How to adjust your training based on real life and recovery

Timestamps:

00:00 – Why Volume Matters in Your Training Plan
02:30 – Assessing Your Starting Point as an Athlete
05:00 – How to Progress Volume Safely (Step-by-Step)
08:15 – Setting Peak Volume and Planning Your Taper
12:00 – Adjusting Volume Based on Experience Level
15:00 – The Truth About the 10% Rule
18:40 – Managing Volume in Multi-Sport Training
22:50 – Why the 80/20 Rule Doesn’t Work for Everyone
27:00 – Using Feedback to Adjust Your Training Plan
32:00 – Data vs. Feel: How Coaches Actually Plan Training
36:20 – The Art vs. Science of Coaching
41:00 – Why Communication Matters in Training Success
44:00 – When (and How) to Pivot Your Plan
48:00 – Key Takeaways: Build Smarter, Not Just More

Key Takeaways:

• Progression should be gradual — not forced
• Your training plan must adapt to your life, not the other way around
• The best plan is the one you can consistently execute and recover from

Join the Community:

💬 The Endurance Athlete Journey Podcast Facebook Group
(Search the name on Facebook and request to join)

If You Enjoyed This Episode:

Please consider leaving a review and sharing this episode with another athlete who could benefit from it. Your support helps more athletes find the podcast.

For coaching inquiries:

Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com

Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com

Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com

Send us Fan Mail

Triathlon 101 Series — Episode 7: The Mental Side of Your First Triathlon

Most athletes spend months preparing physically for their first triathlon—but completely overlook the mental side of race day.

And that’s where races fall apart.

In this episode of Triathlon 101, Coach Justin breaks down the mental challenges you’ll face before and during your first triathlon—and more importantly, how to manage them so you can execute your race with confidence.

This isn’t about motivation.
This is about understanding your thoughts, managing your emotions, and staying in control when things start to feel uncertain.

You’ll learn:

• Why race day nerves are normal (and actually useful)
• The 3 key moments where mental struggles show up most
• A simple framework to break negative thought loops: Acknowledge → Anchor → Execute
• How to avoid the comparison trap during your race
• Why confidence is not a feeling—and how to build it
• How to define success beyond pace, power, and finish time

If you’re training for your first triathlon, this episode will help you show up prepared—not just physically, but mentally.

Timestamps:
00:00 – Why Your First Triathlon Falls Apart
01:03 – Why Fitness Isn’t the Problem
03:02 – When Mental Struggles Show Up
06:03 – The Night Before the Race
09:03 – Race Morning Nerves
15:03 – The Acknowledge → Anchor → Execute Framework
22:03 – Using Training as Your Anchor
27:03 – Focus Only on What’s in Front of You
31:03 – The Comparison Trap
39:03 – Why Confidence Isn’t a Feeling
48:03 – Defining Success Beyond Metrics
57:03 – When Things Start to Feel Off
1:01:03 – Breaking the Race Into Segments
1:02:03 – Final Takeaways and Race-Day Mindset

🎯 Ready for more guidance?
Explore coaching and resources at Tabula Rasa Racing:
👉 https://tabularasaracing.com

🎧 Listen to more episodes:
The Endurance Athlete Journey Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more.

If this episode helped you, share it with someone preparing for their first race—and leave a review to help more athletes find it.

For coaching inquiries:

Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com

Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com

Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com

Send us Fan Mail

Most athletes think building a training plan starts with workouts.

It doesn’t.

In this episode, we break down what actually needs to happen before a single workout is written—the foundational decisions that determine whether your plan will work… or fall apart within weeks.

This is the first part of a 3-part series on training plan creation, where we walk through the exact framework we use as coaches to build sustainable, effective plans for endurance athletes.

In Part 1, we focus on the foundation:

The questions every coach should ask before building a plan
Why your available time is often misunderstood (and overestimated)
How injury history shapes your entire training approach
The difference between time availability vs. training capacity
Why recovery, mobility, and fueling must be accounted for upfront
The role of motivation—and why “surface-level goals” often fail

If you’ve ever:

Struggled to stick to a training plan
Felt like your plan didn’t fit your life
Or found yourself constantly adjusting or restarting

This episode will show you why—and how to fix it.

Because the reality is:

Most training plans don’t fail because of bad workouts.
They fail because the foundation was never built correctly.

📊 This is Part 1 of a 3-Part Series:

• Part 1: Building the Foundation (this episode)
• Part 2: How to Set Weekly Training Volume
• Part 3: How to Structure Your Training Week

Timestamps:
00:00 – Training Plan Series Overview (Start Here)
02:15 – Why Your “Why” Matters More Than Your Workouts
04:15 – The Questions Coaches Ask Before Building a Plan
08:45 – Athlete Background: Experience, Injuries, and Lifestyle
10:50 – Understanding Weekly Volume and Intensity
13:05 – How Sport Type Impacts Training Approach (Running vs Triathlon)
15:40 – The Truth About the 10% Rule and Recovery Limits
18:15 – Adjusting Training Based on Feedback and Real Life
22:35 – Why Subjective Feedback Matters More Than You Think
27:15 – When (and How) to Progress Training Volume Safely
33:15 – Managing Training Load to Avoid Injury
37:40 – Recovery Isn’t Optional: Building It Into the Plan
42:00 – Balancing Stress Across Multiple Disciplines
46:30 – From Foundation to Structure: Mapping Your Training Plan
49:35 – Building a Macro Plan: Peak Volume and Taper Strategy

⭐ Support the Podcast

If you found this episode helpful:

Follow / Subscribe
Leave a rating & review
Share it with another athlete who needs it

For coaching inquiries:

Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com

Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com

Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com