Emz and Tim preview Ironman Australia and 70.3 Port Mac for athletes racing that weekend, with a strong focus on course execution, weather risk, and how to make smart decisions under pressure. They also talk through pacing mistakes, bike setup, swim conditions, and the emotional side of backing out when an injury makes racing the wrong call.

In this episode:

• Emz explains why she withdrew from Ironman Australia after an ATFL ligament rupture made the run risk too high for the rest of the summer
• Tim and Emz unpack the emotional toll of delaying decisions and why gathering evidence matters, but so does committing early
• They discuss the Port Mac bike course, including Matthew Flinders Drive, rolling terrain, rough road surfaces, and why power capping matters
• Emz revisits a past Port Mac bike effort where she surged hard up Matthew Flinders late in the ride after being carried away by crowd energy
• The pair break down bike handling on rough chip seal, including bottle security, tire pressure, gearing, and why road surface changes demand a different setup
• They cover the run course, which is largely flat and scenic, but still punishes athletes who blow up on the bike
• They talk through the swim, including the possibility of cancellation, the Aussie exit, low visibility, boat traffic, and sighting strategy
• Emz shares how she has improved her open-water confidence in Noosa and how regular exposure has helped her adapt fast
• Tim gives practical race-week guidance: arrive prepared, do not leave logistics to Saturday, and use practice sessions to settle nerves
• The episode closes with a broader reminder that race day is the race of the day, whether or not the original swim goes ahead

Come find us Cartel Coaching — Swim. Bike. Run. Together.

Emz and Tim discuss motivation through the lens of Emz’s recent ankle injury and the emotional fallout of potentially missing an Iron Man race just under two weeks away. They explore how motivation rises and falls with fatigue, pressure, routine, and purpose, and why the goal is not to eliminate dips but to recognise them early.

This conversation also gets practical about overreaching, overtraining, and how athletes can tell the difference between a normal motivational dip and a warning sign. Tim frames coaching as the external rational voice, while Emz reflects on how injury, identity, and race goals can get tangled together.

Key topics

• Emz opens up about a ruptured tendon in the ankle and the risk of pushing through it so close to race day.
• Tim shares that his own motivation is high again because he’s back skiing and riding, showing how activity can restore drive.
• The pair discuss how athletes often attach extra meaning to a race, using Emz’s Iron Man as a bookend to a year of change.
• Emz admits to “rage training” and doubling down after the injury, even though she knew it was the wrong move in the moment.
• Tim explains that motivation is not linear and that healthy dips are part of training and life.
• They break down the difference between fatigue, monotony, internal pressure, and genuine loss of motivation.
• Tim warns about non-functional overreaching and overtraining syndrome, where poor recovery and rising pressure can lead to months away from sport.
• They note that mood state can be a stronger indicator of athlete wellbeing than blood markers or other physiological measures.
• Tim emphasizes purpose as the anchor: enjoying the sport, staying healthy, and building community, not just chasing performance.
• Emz and Tim talk about keeping the sport sustainable by mixing structure with joy, variety, and off-script activities.

Come find us Cartel Coaching — Swim. Bike. Run. Together.

Tim and Cal Emz break down running economy and why it matters so much for long-course triathlon. They also swap race-week stories from Sunny Coast, talk through recent injuries, and share practical cues and drills that can help runners become more efficient without overhauling their natural style.

Key topics

• In this episode, Cal and Emz give a quick update on recent race recovery, off-season plans, and the realities of juggling training with unexpected injuries.
• Tim explains running economy as the energy cost of running at a given speed, and why minimizing wasted movement matters more when athletes are already fatigued in a 70.3 or Ironman.
• The group discusses the main pieces of economy: metabolic efficiency, elastic return through tendons, muscular strength, and coordination.
• Tim points out that good running form is not always obvious visually and that some athletes look unconventional but still run very economically.
• Cal compares different elite runners and notes that speed, resilience, and injury resistance do not always show up in the same athlete.
• Emz shares what has improved her own economy lately: genuinely easy running, consistent strength work, and drills done as part of the program.
• The coaches talk through useful running cues like running tall, soft shoulders, light feet, and pelvis posture, and why different athletes need different cues.
• The discussion covers how drills, strides, and video feedback can help athletes notice changes in form over the course of a long run.
• Cal explains how arm carriage, relaxed shoulders, and posture can help on hills and when holding cadence under fatigue.
• The episode closes with a reminder that efficiency is about what a runner can sustain, not just how they look from the outside.

Timestamps

00:00 - Race updates, recovery, and the injury lottery

01:44 - Why random injuries happen outside hard training

03:17 - Port Macquarie logistics, accommodation, and race planning

06:37 - What running economy actually means for triathletes

08:25 - The four main ingredients of better economy

10:13 - Why some elite runners look efficient even when they do not look textbook

13:04 - Form is what you can see, economy is what it costs

14:01 - The sprint finish debate: line changes, fatigue, and kick speed

15:47 - Hayden Wilde, recovery, and backing up hard races

17:19 - Short course versus long course and what age might change

18:43 - Emz on the three biggest gains in her running economy

21:06 - Easy aerobic running, drills, and strength working together

22:46 - Why running tall and relaxed shoulders matter

23:46 - Cues for posture, light feet, and listening to foot strike

24:54 - The belt-buckle cue for hills and forward posture

25:20 - More cues: hips under the body, glutes, hamstrings, and cadence

26:46 - Using video to compare the first and last part of a long run

28:00 - Arm drive, core stability, and keeping the body compact

30:08 - Hill running cues from Pete Fitzinger

31:31 - Why some race photos are best left unseen

Come find us Cartel Coaching — Swim. Bike. Run. Together.