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The Endurance Athlete Journey
The Endurance Athlete Journey Podcast helps runners, triathletes, and endurance athletes train smarter, fuel better, and build long-term durability in sport.
Hosted by Coach Justin and sports dietitian Katie, the show explores the training, nutrition, recovery, and mindset challenges endurance athletes actually face—without the confusion and generic internet fitness advice that often leads to burnout, inconsistency, and frustration.
From first triathlons and swim anxiety to fueling mistakes, recovery, race-day expectations, and balancing training with real life, each episode combines practical coaching insight with evidence-based nutrition guidance and honest athlete conversations to help listeners better understand the “why” behind their training and fueling decisions.
Whether you’re preparing for your first race or trying to become a more complete endurance athlete, this podcast gives you clear, experience-driven guidance you can actually apply to your training, recovery, and performance.
The Endurance Athlete Journey
Episode 72: Road to Grandma's Marathon Week 1 With Coach Katie
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Road to Grandma’s Marathon: Week 1 – Laying the Groundwork
In this kickoff episode of Road to Grandma’s Marathon, Katie pulls back the curtain on her personal training journey as she prepares for the 2026 Grandma’s Marathon.
With 30 years of running experience, 12 marathons, a 50-mile ultra, collegiate competition at University of Colorado Boulder, and a career as a registered dietitian specializing in sports nutrition, Katie brings both professional expertise and real-life vulnerability to this series.
In this first episode, she shares:
- How she’s structuring this marathon build differently
- The mental and physical challenges she anticipates
- Lessons learned from past races
- Early struggles with sleep, stress, and fueling
- The balance of training, motherhood, work, and recovery
This series isn’t about perfection—it’s about honesty. Whether you’re training for a marathon, half marathon, 5K, or simply trying to build consistency, Katie hopes her process—wins and setbacks included—helps you navigate your own journey.
📝 Show Notes
1. Why This Series? (00:00)
- Introducing Road to Grandma’s Marathon
- Creating transparency around training, fueling, adaptation, and mindset
- Using personal experience to help others learn
2. Katie’s Running Background (5:00)
- 30 years in the sport starting at age 12
- 12 marathons + countless other races including a 50 mile ultra
- Competed in college at University of Colorado Boulder
- Transitioned briefly into triathlon
Key Theme: Longevity, evolution, and learning through experience
3. Nutrition & Professional Background (12:00)
- Undergraduate degree in kinesiology/exercise science
- Master’s in nutrition from Colorado State University
- Registered dietitian since 2012
- Specializes in sports nutrition and endurance athletes
4. Training Philosophy for This Marathon Build (18:00)
Overall Structure:
- Early block: Build speed (5K/10K focus)
- Later block: Transition to marathon-specific work
- Final weeks: Heavier emphasis on marathon pace efforts
What’s Different This Time?
- More progressive long runs
- Longer continuous blocks at marathon pace
- Focus on improving miles 20–26 resilience
Goal: Arrive at mile 20 feeling strong enough to hold pace—not just survive.
5. Current Weekly Training Snapshot (30:00)
- Mileage building toward 60–70 miles/week
- Alternation workout
- Progression run
- Speed ladder intervals
- Threshold sessions
- 15-mile long run
- 2–3 strength sessions weekly
- Introducing passive heat training (hot tub sessions 3x/week)
6. Early Challenges Identified (35:00)
1. Overtraining & Stress
- Triggered stress response and poor sleep cycle
- Managing Hashimoto’s thyroid condition adds complexity
Lesson: Cortisol + underfueling + life stress = recipe for recovery disruption.
2. Sleep Struggles
- Prioritizing wind-down routine
- Reducing news/social media at night
- Recovery is critical
3. Fueling Challenges
- Challenge: appetite suppression and busy schedule during heavy training
- Solution: proactive meal prep
7. Life Variables
- Six-year-old son and work
- Colorado spring weather unpredictability
Big Theme: Control what you can. Adapt to what you can’t.
For coaching inquiries:
Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com
Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com
Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com
