The Working Triathlete Podcast

Jack Harrel is a Working Triathlete coach and professional triathlete who recently made the jump from short course to long course racing. In this episode, we break down what actually changes when you move up in distance, what transfers from short course, what gets exposed, and what it takes to perform over 70.3 and beyond.

Conrad Goeringer, Mitch Ott, and Caroline Kaplan sit down to break down what actually moves the needle. They talk about bringing intent to every session, why consistency beats hero days, how pros approach recovery and fueling, and the common mistakes amateurs make. Practical, transferable insights you can apply immediately to train better and race smarter.

The 6 Most Important Movement Priorities for the Ironman Run
In this episode, we break down the real keys to Ironman run performance with a focus on movement quality. We dive into posture under fatigue, cadence control, pelvic stability, arm swing, and what really happens to your mechanics when glycogen drops and stiffness fades. This is not about looking pretty. It is about minimizing energy leaks and protecting pace when it matters most.
If you want to run strong off the bike and close instead of survive, this episode is for you.
1. Posture under fatigue
2. Cadence as a protective mechanism
3. Hip stability and pelvic control
4.  Form when glycogen is low
5. Arm swing/rhythm
6. Training movement quality in context

Everyone focuses on the epic long ride. The monster brick. The lung-busting VO2 session.
But the workouts that actually matter for Ironman are often the least glamorous.
In this episode, we break down the meat-and-potatoes sessions that build durability — the kind that determines who holds it together after five, eight, or ten hours of racing.
We cover:
• Frequent supporting runs that build resilience and protect the marathon
• Long, steady, form-focused swims that develop confidence and control at Ironman pace
• Cycling sessions that distribute tempo throughout the ride to build real fatigue resistance
None of these workouts are flashy or light up Strava, but they compound fitness over time.
Ironman rewards consistency.
It rewards durability.
It rewards athletes who fall apart the least.
If you can train in a way you could repeat for 20 weeks straight, you’re probably on the right path.

Ironman swim training is widely misunderstood. Many age-group triathletes assume they need more swim volume or harder swim sets, when what they really need is better, more efficient swimming that sets up the rest of the race.
In this episode, we break down the five factors that matter most for Ironman swim performance, especially for time-crunched athletes balancing training with work and life. We talk about why the Ironman swim is not a fitness test, why economy and calm matter more than raw speed, and how poor swimming quietly sabotages bike power and run durability later in the race.
You’ll learn why swim frequency often beats swim volume, how to make technique work actually transfer to racing, and which open-water skills meaningfully reduce energy cost on race day. We also discuss how swim training should be integrated with bike and run training, rather than treated as a separate performance goal.
This episode is about leverage. If you want to exit the water composed, preserve energy, and start the bike in control, this is the swim training framework that actually works for Ironman racing.