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Do you take a full rest day every week? Is it okay to do a swim only day instead of a rest day?

Consistency Trumps Rest Days: An Athlete's Perspective

Hey, Mandy, personally, I never scheduled in rest days. I would have an idea of when easier days might occur. And I made sure I took those easy days. Very easy. So I was ready for my hard days, but I didn't like days off. I didn't like the feeling of the next day trying to get the body moving again. So I generally an easy day for me would have been, you know, 5 to 10 km run. The morning may be followed by a 2 km swim and maybe even an easy bike in the afternoon, but I didn't I tried to have a training program. That was hard enough that I could get a lot out of myself, but not so hard that I couldn't stay consistent and doing work every single day. I think I went almost six years without missing a run day. It was just, but I never over did any one of those days. So I just I think that consistency mattered more than having one days. One day of full recovery. I think we're all different though. Some people are going to need to take more rest days than others. As I got older, I need to do. Probably take a little bit more time off the legs, and we're just do a swim day. But otherwise, I think the idea is, if you can keep turning up every day, consistently without doing one massive day and then having to take rest days. I think that's a better formula anyway, cheers.

I never scheduled in rest days, but would take easier days to give my body a break. I tried to make sure my training program was hard enough to get good results, but not so hard that I couldn't stay consistent with it. As I got older, I started taking more breaks and doing swim days instead to give my legs a rest.

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Personally, I never scheduled specific rest days in my training. Instead, I would have easier days where I took it very easy to prepare for harder training days. I didn't like the feeling of taking a full day off and then having to get my body moving again the next day. On my easy days, I would typically do a 5 to 10 km run in the morning, followed by a 2 km swim, and maybe an easy bike ride in the afternoon. I aimed for a training program that was challenging enough to push myself but still allowed me to stay consistent and train every single day. In fact, I went almost six years without missing a run day. Consistency was more important to me than having one designated rest day.

However, everyone is different, and some people may need more rest days than others. As I got older, I found that I needed to give my legs a bit more time off and would sometimes have a swim-only day. Ultimately, the key is to find a balance that allows you to consistently show up for training without needing to rely on one big day followed by rest days. Cheers!

If you had to compete in a triathlon relay, which leg would you do and who would you pick to take the other two disciplines?

Triathlon Relay: Peter's Secret Weapon Revealed - Why He'd Choose the Bike Leg

That's an easy one Peter. I think the bike for me. I feel like I could probably fake the bike pretty well these days still even though I'm not very fit compared to five, six, seven years ago. I think, although I would, if I had to travel anywhere, I wouldn't want to do the bike ride because I don't have to travel with my bike. So I probably picked the run or maybe the swim. But yeah, if I had to travel probably the run and if it was local, I do the bite. Cheers, mate.

If I had to travel, I would probably pick running over biking, but if it's local, I would choose biking.

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If I had to compete in a triathlon relay, I would choose the bike leg. Despite not being as fit as I was in the past, I still feel confident in my ability to handle the bike portion. However, if I had to travel for the event, I might opt for the run or swim instead, as I wouldn't have to deal with transporting my bike. If the event was local, I would happily take on the bike leg. Cheers!

What has been the biggest challenge in transitioning from a professional athlete to a post-sport career?

The Challenge of Finding Purpose after Retiring from Professional Sports

The biggest challenge that I faced after retiring from professional sport was actually finding purpose. I had spent 27 years as an athlete always having very ambitious goals and training plans and knowing exactly what races I was going to be getting ready for and who I was going to be racing. And every year I had a great sense of purpose and when I retired there was a little bit of a void there and along with that void was missing that cocktail of good feeling hormones that you get from sports. So I was missing the endorphins and dopamine and serotonin and oxytocin and all those incredible hormones were lagging and I was missing that cocktail of feel good hormones and I think that puts you in a bit of a funk and it takes you a while to rebuild yourself refocus and find a great sense of purpose again.

After retiring from professional sport, I was faced with the challenge of finding purpose and filling the void that was left. This resulted in me missing the cocktail of good feeling hormones I got from sports and being in a bit of a funk until I was able to refocus and rebuild myself and find a new purpose.

The biggest challenge in transitioning from a professional athlete to a post-sport career was finding purpose. As an athlete, I was accustomed to setting ambitious goals, following training plans, and participating in races. Each year, I had a clear sense of purpose. When I retired, there was a void and a lack of the positive hormones that come with sports, such as endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin. Missing that cocktail of feel-good hormones put me in a bit of a funk and it took time to rebuild myself, refocus, and rediscover a strong sense of purpose.

Should my husband Ed Baker race on Sunday even though he just had COVID?

Recovering from COVID? Don't risk it: Skip the race, focus on health!

Hey, Sarah, absolutely, not Ed should not raise an Ironman after just having covid, he needs to make sure he's fully recovered. There are plenty of other races, you can do in the future, but recover rest, make sure the body is 100% ready before going into what is it an incredibly brutal gay physical mental and emotional exhaustion, and it doesn't need to make himself worse. He has other responsibilities. And I would be encouraging him to stay home. Stay healthy, get healthy and help. Look help you looking after all the kids and everything else going on. Cheers.

Ed should not raise an Ironman after just having Covid. He needs to make sure he is fully recovered and that his body is 100% ready before participating in such a challenging race. It is important for him to take care of himself, and there are plenty of other races he can do in the future.

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Hey, Sarah. Absolutely not, Ed should not race in an Ironman after just having COVID. He needs to prioritize his recovery and ensure that his body is fully healed before engaging in such a physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding event. Participating in the race could potentially worsen his condition and hinder his overall health. He has other responsibilities, and it would be best for him to stay home, focus on getting healthy, and support you in taking care of the kids and everything else going on. Take care and best wishes. Cheers.

What are your thoughts on the new super shoes that are breaking all the records? 

Unbelievable Super Shoes: Unleashing Unprecedented Performance

Who I like this one. Ted you. And I could probably talk about this for quite a while. Fortunately, for me. These Super Shoes came after my career. So it was never really an issue. I do remember coaching an athlete and 2018 and he had a pair of the, the new ones that came out and I slipped them on and ran down the hallway. And I remember thinking, I got to make a comeback. It was Unbelievable. I don't care what anybody says. I've never been projected down a hallway running. Like these shoes did compared to what we were running before. I've since then got some for training, not the racing ones, but and they've allowed me to run on roads and concrete far more than I ever could before. So now my running miles and the damage on my body is just not there. I can run further with less damage, which means my heart and lungs can get more of a workout. So, I just think in terms of performance enhancing what we've seen, I just think they're beyond what anybody could have ever imagined. I don't know. It's to me. It's like the swimming suits and that we had, you know, in the 2006, 22 2010 kind of thing or even before that, but they really became bit neoprene and there was huge points. He effect with those and World Records have been broken from all of that swimsuit Euro, but it'd be amazing. If they ever decide to ban these Super Shoes. Is how long it would take for people to run as fast as they are in those shoes. Now? I'm not saying I'm Auntie them, it is what it is, but I'm kind of glad I didn't have to worry about that when I was racing. Cheers.

I think Super Shoes are amazing, and they have allowed me to run farther with less damage to my body. It's like the swimsuits from 2006-2010, and it would be interesting to see how long it would take for people to run as fast without them if they were banned.

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I find the new super shoes that are breaking all the records quite fascinating. Personally, they came after my career, so they were never an issue for me. However, I remember trying a pair in 2018 while coaching an athlete, and I was amazed by the difference. The shoes provided an unbelievable level of propulsion compared to what we had before. I even thought about making a comeback because of them.

I have since acquired a pair for training, not the racing ones, and they have allowed me to run on roads and concrete with less damage to my body. This means I can run longer distances while putting less strain on my body, allowing my heart and lungs to get a better workout. In terms of performance enhancement, these shoes have exceeded expectations.

It reminds me of the swimming suits we had in the mid-2000s, where there was a significant impact on world records. If these super shoes were ever banned, it would be interesting to see how long it would take for athletes to achieve the same speeds without them. While I'm not advocating for or against them, it's just something to consider. Personally, I'm glad I didn't have to worry about them during my racing career. Cheers!

How do you reduce non-physical stress to maximize performance?

Maximizing Performance: Reduce Stress, Embrace Nature

Well, good morning, Jamie. The sun is about to rise. I'm down by the ocean. I've just run over here after doing a little bit of gym workout this morning. And honestly, this is just such a wonderful way to start the day after I've already done a couple of hours of work this morning, but I come and Escape go for a run. Come down to the ocean. One thing I do is I don't watch any media any anything to do with traditional TV journalism. I don't include in my life for me. That's A lot of things that I can't control and I don't need to be influenced. It's amazing how you can keep up in the world even without having TV and media switched on in your house. Second hand comes around pretty quick and you learn what's going on in the world without all the media hype around it. So, that is a big one for me to just get myself to neutral and otherwise it's, you know, coming to the beach as often as I can. I'll flip the phone around. You can see the sun is just starting to rise. You got right over here. Let me see this. Is the moon, the satin just above it? Beautiful morning here. And if you consider just get yourself 20 everyday. I think you'll find that the stress is absolutely reduced.

I come to the beach every morning to start my day. I don't watch news or media to remain in control of what I'm being influenced by. It's peaceful and calming, and reduces my stress levels.

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To reduce non-physical stress and maximize performance, I have a few strategies that work for me. Firstly, I avoid consuming traditional TV journalism and media. I find that immersing myself in news and media can introduce unnecessary stress and influence that I don't need in my life. Instead, I stay informed about the world through other means, such as second-hand information or reliable sources, which helps me stay up-to-date without the media hype.

Another way I manage stress is by spending time in nature, particularly by the ocean. I make it a point to come to the beach as often as possible. For example, I enjoy going for a run in the morning and then heading to the ocean to relax. This connection with nature helps me find a sense of calm and balance.

Lastly, I prioritize taking time for myself every day. Whether it's through meditation, mindfulness practices, or engaging in activities that bring me joy, dedicating even just 20 minutes to self-care can significantly reduce stress levels.

By implementing these strategies, I have found that I can effectively reduce non-physical stress and create an environment that allows me to perform at my best.

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Triathlon Today

Greg Bennett is the Co-founder and Chief of Staff at AnyQuestion. He is also the podcast host of, “One Moment Longer with Greg Bennett” which dives into what makes a world-class athlete and High Performer. Greg is a retired professional triathlete. Greg grew up in Sydney, Australia and found a passion for triathlon at a young age. He competed for Australia at the 2004 Olympics and has raced over 500 international races and won over 100. Greg has won multiple World titles, the worlds largest prize purse wins, and been awarded the International Triathlon Unions President trophy. He has been named one of the “Top 15 Triathletes of all time” (Inside Triathlon, 2011) and “Triathlete of the year” on multiple occasions (Triathlete magazine). Greg had a strong desire to become better and set goals, which helped him reach the highest level in sport and sustain it for almost three decades.