Simply Triathlon with Dina & Chris
Welcome to the Simply Triathlon Podcast and thanks so much for listening!
We're Dina & Chris, a couple of age group triathletes, coaches, and fitness enthusiasts. Our goal is to share our knowledge and experience in triathlon, nutrition, epic races, lessons learned, fun stuff, hard stuff, bizarre stuff, and more!
Dina Grimaldi is a triathlon coach, nutrition coach, and personal trainer who followed her dad's footsteps in picking up triathlon. She quickly found out that it's not all that cool to be the first person out of the water, because it just means everybody and their mother is going to pass you on the bike.
Chris Kopcha is a triathlon coach, nutrition coach, personal trainer, and yoga teacher who kind of stumbled into the world of fitness after deciding to change careers after spending 10 years as a teacher. Coming into the sport of triathlon as a runner, she found it's been a great lesson in patience at the pool so as not to have to make up so much time on the bike and run.
Enjoy!!
**We do drop the occasional expletive; be aware if sensitive or listening around kids!**
Episodes
93 episodes
Marathon Times Under Two Hours, Big Race Goals, Cat Appearances, and More!
In this episode largely featuring Chris's cat, we chat about several random topics including:-The new world record and sub 2-hour marathon at the London Marathon-A women's only world record and what that means-Chris's track...
The Meaning of Consistency: Persistence, Not Perfection
Today, we talk about consistency vs perfection, and how the two can often be conflated, especially among athletes. We chat about how, actually, part of consistency IS falling off track, and persistence despite inevitable adversity is much more ...
Age Group Athletes Beating Professionals, Sponsors Dropping Pregnant Athletes, Swim Meets, and More!
In this episode, we discuss a recent article centered on a large number of age-group triathletes finishing Ironman 70.3 Oceanside faster than professionals. We chat about the backlash from these pros, why it isn't a fair comparison, and how the...
Is AI Stealing Our Jobs as Triathlon Coaches?!
In this episode, we discuss AI in triathlon training.Yes, like in many other aspects of life, AI is writing training plans.What do we think about them? What are they lacking that human coaches can still provide? Why might athletes...
Growth as an Athlete: Staying Open to Learning and Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone
In this episode, we talk about growth as an athlete.Often, we want to figure everything out and have all the answers, whereas the reality is that there is no ceiling on growth and we can always strive to learn more and make progress. We ...
Marathon Runners Are Offered Finisher Medals at Mile 18?!
In this episode, we talk about the recent LA marathon, for which runners were offered the option to end their race early at mile 18...and still get a finisher's medal?We give our thoughts on how we feel about this. We also discuss the US...
Remembering Jeff Galloway and the Benefits of His Run-Walk-Run Method
In this episode, we give a tribute to Jeff Galloway, who passed away recently. He brought great popularity to his Run-Walk-Run method, helping runners use a run/walk interval technique to make running more accessible and enjoyable, and to minim...
Three Pieces of Gear We Highly Recommend Getting Before You Do Your First Triathlon
In this episode, we discuss three very specific pieces of gear we recommend athletes invest in prior to completing their first triathlon.Check out the episode to hear what they are! (Hint - not ALL of them are gear to use during an actua...
Why Local Races Are So Special, French Toast vs Pancakes, the Barkley Marathons, and More!
In this episode, in light of an announcement that the Professional Triathletes Organization combining forces with the Challenge Family, we chat about fun local race organizations and races. We've probably all got our local races we ...
Knowing When to Push Our Limits, Living in the Moment, and Staying Motivated in the Middle of Winter
In this episode, we talk about the Winter Olympics thus far and Lindsey Vonn's devastating crash and injuries. We discuss when to push the limits, how to assess the risk and if it's worth it, and staying focused and living in the present moment...
The Battle of Sleep and Training: Should We Sacrifice One for the Other?
In this episode, we talk about the struggle between getting enough sleep and getting workouts in.Many of us find that our schedules need us to sometimes pick one or the other - for example, we might only have time to get in a morning wor...
The Benefits of Joining a Triathlon Club, Whether You’re New to the Sport or Not!
In this episode, we discuss the benefits of triathlon clubs and why folks might want to join one.Chris shares the excitingly high number of new athletes at the club she runs, the Valley Shore YMCA Triathlon Club, and we talk about what c...
Should Ironman Extend the Bike Draft Zone for Pro Triathletes?
In this episode, we discuss the potential changes to Ironman's draft zone, from 12 meters to 20 meters.We chat about what the professional triathletes think about this, what the ramifications could be, and how Ironman handles change and ...
Staying in Your Own Lane, 100x100 Yard Swims, 108 Sun Salutations, Funny Christmas Stories, and More!
In this episode, we catch up a bit after our holiday break and share some stories - Dina's trip to CT, some bizarre stuff Chris has seen while out running, Dina's 100x100 swim and Chris's 108 sun salutations challenges, and a surprise event tha...
Swim Breathing Patterns, Bike Fits, Christmas Cookies, and More!
We shoot the breeze in this episode on a variety of topics today:-Christmas cookie baking-Chris's new bike fit-Different breathing patterns in the pool-T100 and Ironman recent news-Training-related Christmas p...
Moderation and Balance During the Off-Season and Holiday Season
In this episode, we talk about how to moderate training during the off-season, when training structure is loose and baked goods are abundant.We discuss the all-or-nothing mindset, how to choose whether to do a workout or skip it, reviewi...
Back to the Basics: The Simplest Exercises You Can Do in the Gym, and How to Progress Them
In this episode, we take strength training back to the basics. We go over six foundational movement patterns:-Squat-Lunge-Hip hinge-Push-Pull-Carry/coreFor each of these, we give examples of a su...
Guest Karen Mastella Rode Her Bike Across the USA in 47 Days!
Today, we speak with a special guest, Karen Mastella, who recently participated in Trek Travel's coast-to-coast bike adventure from Portland, Oregon to Portland, Maine!The journey took 47 days, covered 15 states, and averaged around 88 m...
Athletes: Are Your Supplements Safe?
In this episode, we discuss supplements in light of a recent Consumer Reports article that supposedly revealed dangerously high levels of lead in many popular protein powders.We discuss the fact that supplements are currently NOT regulat...
Running Safety 101: How to Stay Safe on the Roads and Trails During the Dark Winter Months
In light of the recent time change, today we discuss running safety as we get into the time of year when many of us might be running in the dark. We give tips on how to be SEEN, be ALERT, and be PROTECTED, in terms of apparel, light...
Dina’s Injury Comeback Race - A 25K on Trails!
In this episode, we recap a race...for Dina! Throughout over a year of dealing with the ramifications of her initial bone stress injury, she's finally been able to train for a race, and her first trail race at that!Dina recaps the race, ...
The New Ironman World Champs Qualification Process Is NOT Working for Women!
In this episode, we chat about the latest update regarding the new Ironman world championship qualification process...and how it is very much NOT working in favor of women.We discuss the most recent Ironman's performance pool awards (spo...
What to Do if You’re Feeling Lost During the Off-Season Without Structure
In this episode, we talk about how athletes, specifically those self-coached, can sometimes feel lost during the off-season without the training structure they're used to.How can we navigate this? How can we gently structure our training...
Ironman 70.3 New York Recap - Rule Regulation Concerns?!
In this episode, Chris recaps her experience racing her final 70.3 of the season at Jones Beach!Chris had an excellent performance, but also has a lot to share about how Ironman handled some aspects of the race, namely rule regulation an...
Ironman 70.3 Jones Beach Race-Specific Advice, and How to Efficiently Tackle Hills on the Bike
In this episode, we chat about the upcoming Ironman 70.3 Jones Beach including some race- and course-specific tips for any athletes who might be racing (including Chris!)We also touch on the Ironman World Champs in Nice for the men that ...