Things are back to normal in Bend and Los Angeles. Paula's quads have finally recovered, training is back on, and we've got a full question bag to get through. We open with a food theme Rapid Fire, check in on what post-race blues actually feel like after something as big as Lake Placid, and get into the philosophy of fear in sport: before races, before hard sessions, and why accepting the thing you're scared of is usually what makes it less scary. Then your questions.

This week we discussed:

• Food rapid fire: favorite ice cream, juice, bagel, donut, and pasta sauce
• What post-race blues actually feel like after a big result — why the further you get from the day, the more you want to go back
• Fear in sport: how pro athlete fear differs from age group fear, what makes race morning dread feel inescapable, and whether doing hard training sessions produces the same feeling
• The best thing you can do to mitigate pre-race fear: start one month out, not the night before
• How much time should you spend in aero position training for a 70.3?
• Jedi mind tricks for hard sessions and long races
• Mountain bike and off-road race passing etiquette: whose job is it to get out of the way?
• Was the women's finish line box-out at San Diego International Triathlon bad sportsmanship?
• Youth sports and raising athletic kids: what Paula, Eric, and Nick each took from childhood sport
• Challenge Roth 2027: all three are Roth curious
• What influence has each other's racing had on what you want to do? Paula on Eric's ultras, Eric on Paula's Ironman

A big thank you to our podcast supporters who keep the podcast alive. To submit a question and to become a podcast supporter, head over to ThatTriathlonLife.com/podcast