Age Grouper For Life Podcast

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

Colin and Danny interview Mark Castrovinci co-founder of TopGunz Tri Team and recent finisher of the Leadville 100 mountain bike race experience.

Takeaways
Mark transitioned from rowing to triathlon, qualifying for Kona in 2021 after years of dedicated training

He recently completed the grueling Leadville 100 mountain bike race, overcoming severe GI issues to finish just before the cutoff

Mark balances training with family life and a career in the running shoe industry at Altra

His positive attitude and ability to suffer through challenges are key traits that have led to his success

Mark's Athletic Background
Started rowing after college, competed in club races in Boston
Transitioned to triathlon in 2011-2012 after moving to North Carolina
Qualified for Kona in 2021 at Ironman Lake Placid with a 13th place AG finish
Has completed challenging events like a 210-mile gravel ride with 20,000 ft of climbing

Career Path
Worked in finance at Fidelity, then chemical sales with his father's company
Made a major career change to pursue passion in running industry
Now works as a tech rep for Altra Running, covering the New England territory
Enjoys the active lifestyle and flexibility the job provides for training

Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race Experience
Entered via lottery, trained intensively for 3 months with coach Tim Snow
Battled severe GI issues throughout the race, repeatedly vomiting and having diarrhea
Considered quitting at mile 65 but pushed through with encouragement from volunteers
Finished just before the 12-hour cutoff in an intense sprint to the line
Describes it as one of the hardest physical and mental challenges he's ever faced

Training and Racing Philosophy
Emphasizes the importance of staying consistent during non-racing periods
Uses creative ways to fit in training around work and family commitments
Values the camaraderie and shared suffering of endurance events
Maintains a positive, fun-loving attitude even during intense challenges

What's Next
Mark plans to do some local half-ironman races in 2024
Will support his wife's marathon training for Boston and Chicago
Considering another full Ironman in late 2024 (possibly Cozumel)
May attempt Leadville 100 again in the future after more mountain bike experience