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IM Oceanside 70.3 for many, is the beginning of the triathlon season. This unique course has coastal winds and rough roads along the old Pacific Coast Highway. In this episode of Faster we discuss myths around wheel selection for coastal courses and help you pick your best wheels. We also discuss setting tire pressure on courses with sections of rough road and offer our advice on the ideal tire for this course. Listen to this episode to learn how to get set up for IM Oceanside or similar courses so you can become faster.Watt Points: 20Blog w/ Tire Pressure Calculation

We've become the official wheel partner of Alpha Win. Alpha Win runs a triathlon series across the USA and we are very excited to be partnering with them. You will be able to find FLO Wheels at upcoming events so you can get your hands on them. We will also have our new FLO Air Gage in transition so you can air up your wheels with accuracy. Make sure to reference our tire pressure charts to set your ideal pressure. 

I spent last weekend at Clash Miami running the FLO Wheel Pit for the pro races. While there I worked with a number of athletes setting pressures for a unique course like a Nascar track. The surface is rough and your pressure needs to drop. On this episode of FASTER I discuss the unique racing conditions seen on the Clash Endurance courses discussing tire pressure, tire size, and aerodynamics. Listen to this episode to learn pro tips for the Clash Endurance series so you can become faster. Watt Points: 10-20

Over inflating your tires may seem like a trivial issue but today we know that for every 1 psi you over inflate your tires you lose roughly 1 watt to rolling resistance. We also know that most standard floor pumps are only accurate to +/- 9 psi which means that a cyclist with a 200 watt FTP could be giving up close to 5% of their power to an inaccurate pump. It’s why we created a new product called the FLO Air Gage. This episode discusses, the FLO Air Gage and how it came to be. Learn more about the FLO Air Gage and setting accurate tire pressures so you can become faster. Watt Points: 9 WattsImpedance and Rolling Resistance Episode 

Life balance for most triathletes is a constant challenge. Throw in the last couple years over COVID and the return to our new lives and it’s been nearly impossible. Today, on FASTER we welcome back Max Jones to discuss his journey from owner at Elevate Sports Performance and a competitive triathlete, to leaving for many new careers, starting a family, losing a house in a fire, becoming a full time runner and back to a triathlete on the FLO Factory Team. Learn how he’s used his strength and conditioning background to make a comeback all while finding balance in a very busy, very wonderful life. Watt Points: 30

Ketones are naturally produced in the body when you enter ketosis. This happens when the body is burning fat as its primary fuel source. There’s been lots of discussion on ketosis for diet but what about performance athletes. Today on Faster we talk with Frank Llosa from KetoneAid who is making a Ketone Ester for performance athletes and Anthony Kunkel who uses KetoneAid and lives a life in Ketosis while being a two-time national champion ultra distance runner. Listen to this episode to challenge your belief on using carbs as a fuel source and to learn how to use Ketones to become faster.In exciting news FASTER Cycling has been listed in the 45 Best Cycling Podcasts by FeedSpot. Check out the list here.Watt Points: 10-30

FatMax is a popular topic amongst endurance athletes. While it’s a great number to improve, there’s a false belief forming that carbs are the enemy. The truth is, in order to perform at our highest level, we need to fuel our bodies with carbohydrates. The brilliant Scott Tindal from FuelIn joins us again for a fascinating discussion on training your body to use carbohydrates for your race. Along the way we cover lots of details on carbs vs. fat, carb loading, and the types of carbs to consume. Listen to this episode to learn how to use carbs to your advantage so you can become faster.Watt Points: Save yourself from going to 0 watts.

Training and aerodynamics are two the largest watt savings topics we hear about on FASTER. Today on FASTER we are talking with Sebastian Schluricke and Bjorn Kafka from Aerotune who are optimizing aerodynamics and performing metabolic testing in a web based software. On the aero side they allow you to upload ride data to determine your CdA. On the training side they’ve developed a user friendly metabolic testing protocol that gives the athlete tools to optimize both VO2 Max and VLamax. Later this year they will be releasing custom training plans based on your metabolic test results which will simplify a very complex field for the everyday athlete. Today’s show is broken into two halves. We talk about aero in the beginning and metabolic testing in the second half. Bjorn has a way of explaining metabolic testing like I’ve never heard before and my understanding is much clearer. If you’ve wanted to learn more about metabolic testing and why it’s important for you as an athlete, this is a must listen to episode. Listen to this episode to optimize your aerodynamic position and your metabolic efficiency so you can become faster.Watt Points: 70-80

What do you do with all of the data that you collect while riding your bike? Most cyclist upload it to Strava where they compare themselves to the leaderboard. In a lot of cases this can be demotivating. The Breakaway is using your data to help you compare yourself to yourself. They’re analyzing your power data and providing actionable next steps to help you improve. You’re given a ranking based on your age and sex so you can see where you stand with people that are relative to you. They also have an eight week rolling average on data analysis so you aren’t continually comparing yourself to what you could do in the past. The goal is to motivate you to be your best today. With integrations to most major platforms and workout recommendations, Breakaway is meant to be your cycling fitness dashboard when you’re not riding. Listen to this episode to learn how to use your data and results to motivate yourself so you can become faster.Watt Points: 30

If you’ve listened to our previous episodes on polarized training, Inscyd and Energy systems and have wondered how you could create your own training plan to implement this work, then this episode is for you. Today on Faster Ryan Kohler from Fast Talk Labs joins us to discuss building your own polarized training plan based on results from an Inscyd test. We walk through workouts for athletes with different profiles to help you understand what fits your lifestyle and how to structure training throughout the year. Listen to this episode to learn how to build your own polarized training plan so you can become faster. Watt Points: 30-40

Meditation has been making its way into sport more and more over the years. Historically a lot of people have thought of meditation as a spiritual or religious practice, but that is starting to change. Today on Faster we welcome back Nick Salazar to talk about meditation and his new company Stillside after making a transition from his company TriRig. We talk about the basics of mediation, meditation in sport and how it’s helping athletes, along with his new company and their flagship product the OM Chair. Listen to this episode so you can quiet your mind and become faster. Watt Points: All of Them

Breathing is something we all must do to survive. It’s also a major part of performance. Today, on Faster we talk with Dr. Dena Garner about a product called Airwaav. Their patented mouthpiece is helping athletes lower their respiration rate, cortisol levels, and lactate levels to improve performance. I was initially skeptical about the product and I found out that Dena was also skeptical. It’s why she set out to prove it wrong before realizing she couldn’t. Listen to this episode to learn about Airwaav and the science behind lower your respiration rate so you can become faster.Watt Points: 5-10 Watts

Groundedness, it’s a term that’s been used more in recent year than ever. Today, on Faster we talk with Brad Stulberg about his book “The Practice of Groudnedness” and how groundedness helps endurance athletes. If you’ve ever found yourself focusing on the goal without enjoying the journey, getting out of balance, or becoming obsessive out your workouts, this is a must listen to podcast. Learn about how presence, patient, vulnerability and community add up to make you a happier, more balanced, and faster athlete.Watt Points: Happier Watts

Have you ever been to a race and wished that you could have previewed the course beforehand? Wouldn’t it be great to get a feel for a course when you’re not close? When an athlete has this advantage, they enter race day with more piece of mind. Ben Nobury at myWindsock has been obsessing about this idea for some time. myWindsock provides a descriptive look at a course based on weather data, and rider data to help you understand that the hill your about to climb normally has a head wind. This data allows you the athlete to mentally prepare ahead of time for the course so you’re not adjusting on the fly. myWindsock also uses advanced algorithms to help you predict times on a course and tells you the right places to apply power for your race to optimize your time. Listen to this episode to learn how to cheat the wind and be prepare for your next event so you can become faster.Watt Points: 15-30

Sprinting, it seems easy right? Stand up and give it all you got. Well, that could not be further from the truth. Today, on Faster Jim Martin returns to discuss sprint finishes and the science behind making them faster.  Optimizing cadence, gear ratios, knowing when to shift, when to stay in the saddle and when to stand and how to stand all make massive difference to your sprint speed. Listen to this episode so you can add up to 100 w to your sprint and become Faster.Watt Points: 95 (In a Sprint)Jim's YouTube Video with supporting images and slides. 

This is a quick episode to recap 2021 and to welcome 2022 with our plans for the year. It's also to thank you the listener for being a part of FASTER.

Following a diet plan can be challenging at best. What starts off as a perfect pdf with meals planned out meticulously, usually ends up causing more stress. What happens if your buddies want to hang out and grab dinner but the restaurant doesn’t have the Salmon and Quinoa your meal plan calls for? What if you get called out to a work dinner or simply haven’t been able to get to the grocery store due to your busy schedule? Today, on Faster we talk with Co-Founder Scott Tindal of Fuelin who’s making performance nutrition plans for athletes easy and stress free. Scott years of experience working with professional athletes in triathlon, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Team Oracle are now the brains behind the app Fuelin. Fuelin not only optimizes your meal plans for your season but also helps you train your gut so that you can consume the calories you need on race day. Stomach issues during a race are so common but Scott’s athletes are finding this is a thing of the past. Listen to this episode to learn about optimizing your nutrition with Fuelin’s AI so you can become faster.Watt Points: 100

Cross training has been viewed in two ways, One, as the best thing for athletes who are looking to perform at a high level in their sport and two, as time taken away from further developing that sport. When considering children’s sports, the topic is even more debated. Today on Faster we talk with Matt Kritz who specializes in strength training athletes in multiple disciplines. His time with the New Zealand Olympic program lead, him to develop a movement screen and a prescriptive way to get athletes to progressively load their bodies with strength training to better prepare them for their sport. During that time, he’s also developed theories around cross training for athletes of all ages. Listen to this episode to learn what type of cross training can make you and your kids faster.Watt Points: 50 

What if someone were to take a practical vs a technical approach to training? What if you looked at how to fit training into your life instead of how to fit life around your training? Could you train less and achieve more? Today on Faster we talk with well-known coach Matt Dixon from Purple Patch Fitness who delivers high-performance triathlon training for time starved athletes. We discuss Purple Patches theories on training, movement analysis, nutrition & hydration, strength training, and much more. Listen to this episode to learn how taking a balanced approach to life and training can make you faster.Watt Points: 30-40 or... (101 with smile points )Extras from MattFree Training Resources HERE (includes Fundamentals of Running Form, Going Fast on a Flat Course, Free Strength Sessions, Off-Season Workouts, etc)Upcoming LIVE Events with Matt Dixon HEREWebsite - for detailed information on coaching, squad programming, bike fits, swim analysis, live and VOD bike classes, and moreInstagram: @purplepatchfitnessFacebook: @purplepatchfitnessTwitter: @purplepatch

There are several hundred thousand friction instances per minute in a chain when cycling. This creates a lot of friction and can waste up to 20 watts if your chain is not properly lubricated and maintained. Chain lubrication options have exploded over the last few years and many people find themselves confused when trying to understand what’s best for them. Unfortunately, there is also a lot of bad information around lubrication. Today on Faster we talk with Adam Kerin from Zero Friction Cycling who is leading the way in cycling lubrication knowledge and testing. We discuss all of the lubrication types and why immersion waxing is best and not as difficult as you may think. Listen to this episode to learn about chain lubrication and how to save up to 30 watts in your next race. Watt Points: 10-30