Does belief come first, or does training eventually convince you that you can do the thing?

In Episode 6, we talk about signing up for intimidating events on pure emotion, panic training, stacking hard experiences, and borrowing belief from partners, teammates, coaches, and the endurance community. Frank looks back at the people who helped him believe he could finish Leadville, while Shayna explains why she needs a 50K and a 100K mountain-bike race to make Marji feel possible—and how one immediate “yes” from Frank made a top-ten goal feel a little less delusional.

We also get into preparing for an overnight trail race, testing waist lights and headlamps, Midwest sweat problems, mountain-bike tire trust, a pack that has left actual scars, REI returns, Ironman curiosity, and whether being capable of something means you should actually pursue it.

Mentioned in this episode:
- Duo Athlete podcast and fan mail: https://podcast.duoathlete.com/
- Everyday Ultra: https://www.theeverydayultra.com/
- Wilderness 101: https://www.bikereg.com/73798
- Marji Gesick: https://906adventureteam.com/mountain-bike-events/marji-gesick/
We are not sponsored by or affiliated with the products, events, or shows mentioned above.

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Thanks for listening! We hope this is relatable and brings some value to your training and life. Please subscribe and share the show with another athlete balancing biking, running, relationships, work, and real life.

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How useful is AI for endurance training when you still have to supply the experience, context, and common sense?

In Episode 5, we share how we use AI to plan training, calculate DIY race fuel, analyze data, troubleshoot equipment, learn new software, and occasionally stop ourselves from making bad workout decisions. Shayna explains how she combines training history, race details, weather, spreadsheets, and her own experience to get useful answers. Frank shares how he uses screenshots and step-by-step prompts to make AI teach him in a way that actually sticks.

We also talk about privacy, fact-checking, hallucinations, chatbot loyalty, health data, WHOOP versus Garmin, AI coach versus human coach, and the great raspberry-powder fueling experiment that absolutely did not need to happen.

The takeaway: if you have something you want to explore but have no idea where to begin, AI can give you a starting point. Then use your brain.

Mentioned in this episode:

- Everyday Ultra: https://www.theeverydayultra.com/
- Flow Formulas: https://flowformulas.com/
Code: TRYFLOW
- Marji Gesick: https://906adventureteam.com/mountain-bike-events/marji-gesick/
- Some Work, All Play: https://swaprunning.com/
- SWAP Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/swap

We are not sponsored by or affiliated with the products, podcasts, or services mentioned above unless explicitly stated in the episode. Frank is a Flow Formulas ambassador and receives a discount.

This episode reflects our personal experiences and is not professional coaching or medical advice.

Questions? Feedback? We'd love to hear it!

Thanks for listening! We hope this is relatable and brings some value to your training and life. Please subscribe and share the show with another athlete balancing biking, running, relationships, work, and real life.

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How do two athletes train together when they have different strengths, different speeds, and different ideas about the perfect workout?

In Episode 4, we share the real bike, run, and strength plan we're using to prepare for Leadville, Wilderness 101, and the Marji Gesick duathlon. We talk about fitting six workouts into three days, protecting rest and sleep, reducing endurance volume while adapting to strength training, and preparing to run on tired mountain-bike legs.

We also dig into the relationship side of endurance training: giving up a favorite group ride, learning to slow down, deciding between structured workouts and riding with friends, training with a faster partner, and managing group-ride anxiety. Plus, Baxter the cat makes an unsolicited guest appearance.

Mentioned in this episode:

- Hevy: https://www.hevyapp.com/
- Janji: https://janji.com/
- Everyday Ultra: https://www.theeverydayultra.com/
- WHOOP: https://www.whoop.com/
- Garmin: https://www.garmin.com/
- TrainerRoad: https://www.trainerroad.com/
- Zwift: https://www.zwift.com/

We are not sponsored by or affiliated with the products and shows mentioned above.

Subscribe and share the show with another athlete balancing biking, running, relationships, work, and real life.

Questions? Feedback? We'd love to hear it!

Thanks for listening! We hope this is relatable and brings some value to your training and life. Please subscribe and share the show with another athlete balancing biking, running, relationships, work, and real life.

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In this episode of the Duo Athlete Podcast, we talk about the team side of endurance sports — from riding with teammates at Unbound, to leading a local race team, to organizing Dragon’s Back XC, to the very real stress of being someone’s crew on race day.

We get into what it feels like to build community through racing, why SAG stops are more complicated than they look, how couples make race decisions together, and why finishing one big event somehow leads straight into searching for the next one.

Bike. Run. Real life.

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Thanks for listening! We hope this is relatable and brings some value to your training and life. Please subscribe and share the show with another athlete balancing biking, running, relationships, work, and real life.

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In this episode, we recap Frank’s wild day at Unbound Gravel — a race that started strong and quickly turned into mud, mechanical chaos, roadside bike repairs, and eventually a tough DNF.

Frank walks through what happened when his drivetrain stopped cooperating, how he tried to turn the bike into a single speed, and the very unhinged moment of trying to straighten a bent chainring with a rock on the side of the road. Meanwhile, Shayna was attempting to crew remotely from home using maps, Garmin LiveTrack, Apple location sharing, and a whole lot of stress.

We also talk about the emotional side of a DNF, accepting help when things are out of your control, what it feels like to tell your friends the race is over, and why Unbound might now be unfinished business.

Plus, we get into a little bike-versus-run fitness talk, whether running helps or hurts bike performance, and what’s coming next with Wilderness 101, Shawnee Hills Night 50K, and Marji Gesick Duathlon training.

Bike • Run • Real Life

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We’re Shayna and Frank — partners and amateur endurance athletes . . . training for mountain bike races, ultra runs, gravel events, and some questionable ideas that sounded fun at the time.

In episode one, we talk about training for Marji Gesick 100 "Worst of Both Worlds," Shayna’s return to running and MTB skills journey, Frank’s Leadville 100 experience, and how cycling and running fit together when you love both.

We also cover Big Frog 65, Snake Creek Gap, Oak Mountain 50K, training as a couple, and the chaos of starting a podcast with no mic stands yet.

Thanks for joining us at the beginning.

Questions? Feedback? We'd love to hear it!

Thanks for listening! We hope this is relatable and brings some value to your training and life. Please subscribe and share the show with another athlete balancing biking, running, relationships, work, and real life.

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