Age Grouper For Life Podcast

Liz Hickox's triathlon journey and mindset transformation.

Key Takeaways
Mindset Shift Unlocked Performance: Liz's breakthrough came from replacing a self-limiting belief ("I don't win races") with a performance-focused one ("Success is the only motherfucking option").

New Coaching Partnership was the Catalyst: A new coach (Colin Cook) provided the structure and accountability needed to break old habits, including inconsistent training and alcohol consumption.

Adversity Forged Resilience: Winning two major races (Happy Valley, Lake Placid) with broken toes proved the power of her new mindset and physical dedication.

Kona Podium Validated the Transformation: A top-5 finish at Kona, guided by a single bike-split goal, validated the new approach and solidified her identity as a top-tier athlete.

Topics
Early Life & Athletic Background
Upbringing: Athletic parents; a strict, driving father and a supportive mother.
Pivotal Event: A severe car accident at 19 caused a year-long school delay.
Wall Street Career: Started on the American Stock Exchange floor, then moved to a NASDAQ trading desk.
Running as Therapy: Began running after her father's death, using it as a mental escape from a high-pressure job.
Sailing Career: Won a One Design World Championship, leveraging a lighter weight for crew selection.

Triathlon Introduction & Early Struggles
First Triathlon (c. 2000): The Mighty Hamptons Tri, completed on a mountain bike with aero bars.
Result: Walked the run due to lack of training.
Return to Triathlon (c. 2017): Used training as a grounding force during a difficult marriage.
First Half-Ironman: Timberman, finished just outside the top 10.
First Full Ironman: Lake Placid (2017, 2018), consistently finished just outside the top 10.
Self-Limiting Belief: Realized she was subconsciously holding back to avoid outperforming her spouse, creating a "marginally well" identity.

The Breakthrough Season (2025)
Coaching Change: Switched to Colin Cook after her previous coach dismissed her Kona goal for Lake Placid, saying the race was "too competitive."
New Approach: Adopted a disciplined lifestyle, including consistent training, dialed-in nutrition, and full alcohol abstinence.
Happy Valley 70.3:
Adversity: Broke two toes ~10 days before the race.
Strategy: Wore a walking boot pre-race, then hammered the bike to compensate for a compromised run.
Result: Won her age group by over 20 minutes, securing a 70.3 Worlds slot.

Lake Placid Ironman:
Adversity: Raced on broken toes, causing pain on downhills and a gluteal tendinopathy injury.
Result: Won her age group by 26 minutes, finishing 50 minutes faster than her 2018 time.
Kona World Championships
Mindset: Approached the race with a focus on experience and enjoyment, not just results.
Bike Strategy: Focused solely on hitting the coach-set 6-hour bike split goal, ignoring all other metrics.
Result: Finished in 6:01.
Run Strategy: Removed socks mid-race to manage burning feet, running the rest of the marathon barefoot in her shoes.
Result: Finished 5th in her age group, achieving a podium finish.

Next Steps
Liz Hickox:
Race Happy Valley 70.3 and Lake Placid Ironman in 2026.
Compete in Unbound gravel race.
Attend the upcoming Tucson training camp.

A candid update on Colin's injury recovery and lessons learned from a challenging year.

Key Takeaways
Colin's 2025 was derailed by a sacral stress fracture, which worsened a pre-existing labral tear and advanced hip arthritis, making surgery the likely long-term solution.

A recent indoor ride caused severe pain, but Colin has since run 5-6 times comfortably, suggesting bike position is the primary issue.

Colin is exploring non-surgical options (PRP/stem cells, bike fit adjustments) to avoid a hip replacement, which would likely end his elite-level running career due to reduced hip flexion.

A major lesson from Endurance Exchange is the 50/50 rule for coach-athlete communication: data is half the picture; subjective feedback on feelings and pain is the other half.

Topics
Colin's Injury & Recovery
Background: A chronic left hip issue (labral tear, arthritis) from hockey was managed successfully in 2024 with consistent stretching.

2025 Injuries:
Sacral Stress Fracture: Caused by ramping up run volume too quickly post-hernia surgery.

Ribs & Lung: Four broken ribs and a partially collapsed lung from a mountain biking crash.

Current Status:
Running: Surprisingly strong; 5-6 runs completed comfortably at 7:15–7:30/mile pace.

Cycling: Indoor aero riding causes severe, nagging pain, but outdoor aero riding is possible.

Activation Exercises: Reduced, as some movements (e.g., deep squats) were causing irritation.

Treatment Options:
Non-Surgical: Regenerative medicine (PRP/stem cells) and bike fit adjustments with Todd Canyon.

Surgical: Hip replacement is the likely long-term solution.

Trade-off: Would likely end elite-level running due to reduced hip flexion.

Alternative: Hip resurfacing was mentioned as a potential intermediate step.

Mental & Life Balance
Perspective: The injury forced a physical and mental break, revealing burnout and prompting a re-evaluation of life balance.

Mindset: The goal is a "6 out of 10" average day—a sustainable, net-positive approach—rather than an unrealistic "10 out of 10."

Vulnerability: Sharing struggles builds more community connection than only posting successes.

Balancing Act: High-level training is a "Tetris" game of managing family, work, and sport.

Coach-Athlete Communication
Dan Lorang's 50/50 Rule: Effective coaching requires 50% data analysis and 50% subjective feedback from the athlete.

Danny's Example: Withheld knee injury info from his coach to avoid training modifications.

Coach's Role: Provide guidance and consequences, but respect the athlete's final decision.

Training & Data Insights
Sauna Use: Danny's Whoop recovery scores improved from yellow/red to green after adding 20-minute sauna sessions.

HRM Battery: Data accuracy can decline below 50% charge; keep rechargeable straps fully charged.

Data vs. RPE: During a race, Danny's HRM read 158–160 bpm, but his perceived effort (RPE) felt like 148 bpm. He trusted his RPE, which proved correct.

Key Takeaways
Florida 70.3 Success: Danny's 3rd place AG finish (2:16 bike, 1:34 run) validated a marathon-focused training block, proving high run volume can maintain bike fitness.

Houston Marathon Goal: The primary goal is a sub-3:00 marathon in Houston to secure a Boston qualifier (BQ) for the 45-49 age group (target: 3:07:30 to beat the ~7.5 min cutoff).

Injury Management: A knee injury from high run volume was resolved with a fluid drain and cortisone shot. The Lever system was discussed as a key tool for injury prevention.

Top Guns Update: The team has grown to ~60 athletes and partnered with Mauna for new kits. Ironman Marketing is producing a feature on the club.

Florida 70.3 Race Report
Context: The race served as a final 70.3 of the year, integrated into a marathon-focused training block with low triathlon specificity.
Training Block:
Run: 4 weeks at 50+ miles/week, followed by 4 weeks at 60+ miles/week.
Bike: 5x/week, mostly easy Zone 1/2 rides (~190 watts).
Swim: 1x/week (~3-4k yards) to maintain "feel for the water."
Race Execution & Results:
Swim: 28:00 (faster than expected on a slow, M-shaped course).
Bike: 2:16:00 (avg. 270 watts) on a fast but not flat course.
Strategy: Rode 5 bpm below normal 70.3 heart rate (145 bpm vs. 150 bpm) to conserve energy.
Run: 1:34:00.
Strategy: Ran at goal marathon heart rate (~150 bpm) instead of pace due to heavy legs.
Outcome: The high run volume provided significant durability, preventing the usual second-half fade.
Overall: 3rd place AG, ~30th overall.

Marathon Training & Injury Management
Houston Marathon Goal: Sub-3:00 to secure a Boston qualifier.
BQ Target: 3:15:00.
Effective Target: ~3:07:30 to beat the typical ~7.5 min cutoff.
Pacing: Recent 4x3k workout at goal HR (~150 bpm) yielded ~6:40/mile pace.
Knee Injury:
Cause: Fluid buildup from high run volume.
Resolution: 30 cc fluid drain + cortisone shot.
Recovery: Resumed training 5 days post-procedure with no issues.
Lever System:
Recommendation: Use as an injury prevention tool to add unweighted run volume.
Comparison to Alter-G: A cost-effective alternative that also helps with hip stability.

Top Guns Team Update
Growth: Roster now at ~60 athletes.
Partnership: New apparel deal with Mauna.
Media: Ironman Marketing is producing a feature on the club.
Florida 70.3 Performance:
World Slots: Matt Schuster and Tony Park qualified for the 70.3 World Championship in France.
Slot Decision: Danny passed on his slot, citing the high cost (~$1,200) and low likelihood of attending.

Coming Up!
Danny:
Execute the Houston Marathon on January 19, targeting a sub-3:00 finish.
Consider purchasing a Lever system for injury prevention.
Colin & Danny:
Resume consistent podcast recordings in 2026.
Dedicate the next episode to Colin's health and triathlon return.

Danny and Colin discuss the 2025 World Championships (Men's and Women's) and give their hot takes on the new Kona qualification system.

Key Takeaways
Norwegian Dominance: The Norwegian team's success (winning both men's and women's titles) is attributed to a high-volume training model (25–30+ hrs/wk) that prioritizes threshold work and year-round altitude training, contrasting with the lower-volume, high-intensity USAT approach.

Women's Race Drama: The women's race was an epic battle of tactics. Lucy Charles-Barclay's aggressive, race-dependent strategy led to a late-race DNF, while Taylor Knibb's controlled, course-dependent strategy collapsed ~3k from the finish due to heat exhaustion. Kat Matthews set a new run course record (2:49:00) to finish a close second.

New Kona Qual System Flawed: The age-graded qualification system is failing. It heavily favors the Men's 55–59 age group on flat courses (e.g., 9 of 40 slots at IM California) while making it nearly impossible for women to qualify without an age-group win. This creates an unbalanced championship field.

Topics
World Championship Race Recaps
Men's Race (Nice):
Winner: Casper Stornes (Norway), who executed a smart, patient marathon.

Norwegian Team Strategy:
Training: High volume (25–30+ hrs/wk) with a focus on threshold work, not VO2 max.
Support: Year-round altitude training and a strong team dynamic.
Youth Development: Encourages high volume from a young age, a direct contrast to USAT's approach.

Race Highlights:
Sam Laidlow: Overcame a poor swim to finish top five.
Matthew Marquardt: Finished top 11 despite cramping issues.
Amateur Course Issue: Roads were not fully closed to traffic, causing safety and performance issues on descents.

Women's Race (Kona):
Winner: Solveig Løvseth (Norway), who ran a consistent 2:55:00 marathon.

Key Performances:
Lucy Charles-Barclay: Aggressive race strategy led to a late-race DNF from heat exhaustion.
Taylor Knibb: Controlled race strategy (using a real-time CORE body temp sensor) collapsed ~3k from the finish.
Kat Matthews: Set a new run course record (2:49:00) to finish second, 35 seconds behind Løvseth.

CORE Body Temp Sensor:
Function: Provides real-time core temp data to a watch.

Application: Used by Taylor Knibb to manage heat; Christian Blumenfeld reportedly stayed in Zone 2 during his record-setting IM Texas marathon.

Recommendation: Prioritize core temp data over heart rate in hot races.

New Kona Qualification System
Mechanism: An age-graded algorithm ranks all athletes against a Men's 30–34 benchmark.
Younger athletes → time added.
Older athletes → time subtracted.

Impacts & Flaws:
Men's 55–59 Age Group: Heavily favored, especially on flat courses.
IM Maryland: Top 3–4 age-graded finishers were M55–59.
IM California: M55–59 took 9 of 40 slots (23%).

Women's Qualification: Severely limited.
Outcome: Women must win their age group to have a realistic chance of qualifying.
Projected Kona Field: ~15% women, with most being age-group winners.

Race Dynamics: Removes on-course racing relevance, as an athlete's adjusted time is unknown.

Proposed Solutions:
Gender-Specific Algorithms: Use separate benchmarks for men and women.
Proportional Allocation: Distribute slots based on the gender ratio at each race.
System Adjustment: Ironman should adjust the algorithm mid-season to fix the imbalance.

Colin and Danny discuss Danny's experience and lessons learned from his DNF at Ironman Chattanooga 2025.

Key Takeaways
-Danny's DNF stemmed from electrolyte imbalance (likely hypocalcemia) rather than fitness issues
-Mental approach of racing with expectations vs. focusing on process negatively impacted performance
-Support from team/community after DNF was more meaningful than typical race success accolades
-Danny plans to do Florida 70.3 in December and focus on sub-3 hour Houston Marathon in January

Pre-Race Preparation and Mindset
-Training leading up to race was consistently strong, especially run improvements
-Felt more nervous than usual, likely due to self-imposed expectations and pressure
-Underestimated difficulty of new bike course, didn't do sufficient due diligence

Race Day Experience
-Swim went well (43 minutes), felt good coming out of water
-Bike split was on target (4:49, ~245W avg), but course was harder than anticipated
-Run fell apart quickly due to electrolyte issues, leading to severe symptoms by mile 15
-Attempted to push through but ultimately collapsed and required medical assistance

Post-Race Analysis
-Likely suffered from hypocalcemia, leading to numbness, breathing issues, and eventual collapse
-Nutrition/hydration plan may need adjusting, particularly calcium intake
-Mental approach of racing with expectations vs. process focus contributed to issues

Moving Forward
-Taking time to recover mentally and physically before next race
-Considering Florida 70.3 in December as a fitness test
-Primary focus on sub-3 hour Houston Marathon in January 2026
-Signed up for Ironman Ottawa and considering Jacksonville, FL Ironman for 2026 season

Lessons Learned
-Importance of racing for oneself vs. external expectations
-Value of community support during setbacks vs. successes
-Need to balance pushing limits with intelligent decision-making during races

Next Steps
-Get blood work done to check electrolyte levels and overall health
-Work with coach to determine if Florida 70.3 fits with Houston Marathon training plan
-Continue mental work on racing for process vs. expectations
-Apply lessons learned to future race preparation and execution