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For Episode 100, Coach Justin and Coach Katie are tackling one of the biggest reasons endurance athletes fall apart on race day: fueling that was never practiced like training.

You may think your stomach is the reason your fueling fails. But for many endurance athletes, the real issue is simpler: the gut was never trained to handle the fuel being asked of it on race day.

In this episode, Coach Justin and Coach Katie break down why fueling falls apart during long workouts and races, how gut training actually works, and why your race-day plan is only as strong as what your body has practiced in training.

What You’ll Learn

• Why GI issues do not always mean you need less fuel
• How to progressively train your gut to handle more carbohydrates
• Why copying another athlete’s fueling plan can backfire
• How to practice race-day fueling before it costs you performance

Timestamps:

00:00 Episode 100 and the importance of gut training
05:24 Why higher-carb fueling can improve training and recovery
07:16 The fear of eating before workouts
11:19 Fasted training, weight loss, and performance goals
18:57 What gut training actually means
20:02 Justin’s experience building up to 60 grams of carbs per hour
23:38 Carb targets, elite examples, and realistic expectations
32:24 Why underfueling leads to bonking and late-race fading
39:36 Common fueling mistakes athletes make before race day
42:18 Real food, gels, and why race-day products must be practiced
51:00 What changes inside the gut when you train it
55:56 How to build a progressive gut training protocol

For coaching inquiries:

Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com

Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com

Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com

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Miles can make a training plan feel clear. But they can also make it easy to chase a number without understanding the actual cost of the work.

In this episode, Coach Justin and Coach Katie break down the difference between training by minutes and training by miles — and why the better choice depends on your experience, your goals, your sport, and the stress your body is already carrying.

If you are a runner, triathlete, or endurance athlete trying to follow a plan without overdoing it, this conversation will help you think more clearly about volume, recovery, long runs, heat, terrain, and when “just hit the miles” may not be the smartest answer.

What You’ll Learn

• Why mileage does not always reflect the true stress of a workout
• When training by minutes may be better for newer athletes, triathletes, and time-crunched schedules
• Why runners often get emotionally attached to certain mileage numbers
• How to choose the training structure that fits where you are right now

Timestamps:

00:00 — Minutes vs miles in training plans
02:27 — Why many runners prefer mileage-based plans
06:50 — The downside of chasing mileage
12:00 — Fueling long runs by time, not distance
20:24 — How heat changes the cost of a workout
28:00 — Why template plans can miss the bigger picture
38:14 — The problem with arbitrary mileage goals
47:12 — The case for minutes-based training
56:16 — Time-crunched athletes and training stress
1:03:20 — Why training by time can feel freeing
1:20:33 — The limitations of minutes-based plans
1:28:42 — How to decide which method fits you

For coaching inquiries:

Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com

Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com

Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com

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What happens when the goal you can’t stop thinking about is the one you’re afraid to pursue?

Whether it’s your first race, moving up in distance, returning from injury, or taking another shot at something that didn’t go well the first time, many endurance athletes find themselves stuck in the space between wanting something and actually committing to it.

In this solo episode, Coach Justin explores the relationship between fear, confidence, and action. Using his own struggles with returning to Ironman racing and pursuing Unbound Gravel, he breaks down why waiting to feel ready often keeps athletes from pursuing the goals that matter most—and why confidence is usually the result of action, not the requirement for it.

What You'll Learn

• Why confidence is built through action, not before it
• The difference between fear, danger, and uncertainty
• How past experiences can make returning to a goal harder than starting something new
• Why committing to the first step matters more than committing to the finish line

Timestamps:

00:00 – Why this conversation about fear matters
03:15 – The thing you want most often scares you most
08:10 – Fear vs. courage in endurance sports
10:00 – Fear, danger, and risk are not the same thing
16:00 – Returning after setbacks, injury, and disappointment
21:15 – Why growth lives outside of comfort
25:00 – The real reason athletes keep postponing goals
26:00 – Confidence comes from action, not certainty
37:00 – Fear, excuses, and waiting until you're ready
45:15 – Taking the first step instead of the final step
49:30 – The lesson every endurance athlete needs to hear

For coaching inquiries:

Coach Katie → https://fuel2run.com

Coach Justin → https://tabularasaracing.com

Podcast Email → theenduranceathletejourney@gmail.com