I lost the Athena National Championship by just 22 seconds—and the winner passed me during one of my walk breaks.

But “I faded on the run” isn’t a diagnosis.

In Episode 7 of Coach Erin Says, I investigate my performance at the Olympic-Distance Triathlon National Championships. Instead of assuming I simply needed better run fitness, I look for evidence throughout the entire race.

Was it my aggressive swim start? The final climb on the bike? My fueling? The heat? Or did I abandon my run plan once the effort became uncomfortable?

In this episode, we explore:

• Why a triathlon run fade may begin before T2

• How bike pacing can affect the run

• How to determine whether fueling was actually the problem

• Strategic walking versus reactive walking

• How heat changes the cost of your planned effort

• What happened when I created a new heart-rate rule during the race

• The run-walk negotiation that followed

• What I’m changing before IRONMAN 70.3 Michigan

• How to investigate your own disappointing triathlon run

This is not a story with one simple explanation. It is an honest look at how pacing, fueling, conditions, fitness and race-day decisions can interact—and why “I’m just not a runner” is not a useful diagnosis.

Watch Episode 7 on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/8fABkRR_BHA

Read the companion blog:
https://www.3goalsmultisport.com/triathlon-run-fade-checklist/

Start with a free triathlon training plan:
https://www.3goalsmultisport.com/freeplan/

Learn more about 3 Goals Multisport Coaching:
https://www.3goalsmultisport.com/

Have a question for a future episode? Send it to erin.byrge@tridot.com.

Train with grit, give yourself grace, keep chasing your goals, and go make yourself proud.