Coaching insights
Dara's Blog
Training tips, race recaps, nutrition advice, and everything in between — straight from the coach.
Nutrition5 min read
Why Your Stomach Turns on You on Race Day — And How to Stop It
GI distress is one of the most common race-day complaints, and almost all of it is preventable. The culprits are usually the same: eating too much or too late the night before, loading up on fiber-rich fruits and vegetables in the 24 hours before the gun, mistiming pre-race meals, leaning too hard on caffeine, and — most importantly — never training the gut to handle fuel under race conditions. Your digestive system is trainable, just like your legs. Here's what to fix.
Swimming10 min read
A Comprehensive Guide to Triathlon Swim Training
USA Masters Swimming breaks down everything you need to get faster in the water — from open-water technique and sighting to structured workouts, gear, and how to build swim fitness that holds up when the bike and run come after.
Training4 min read
Make a Movie — Be the Star: The Power of Visualization
Mental rehearsal is one of the most underused tools in an athlete's toolkit. Dara breaks down how to use visualization before race day to prime your nervous system, sharpen focus, and show up ready to execute.
Nutrition8 min read
Nitric Oxide: The Performance Booster Most Athletes Overlook
NO relaxes blood vessels, improves oxygen delivery, and declines sharply after 40 — yet most athletes have never thought about it. Dara shares the science on why nitric oxide matters and how to optimize your levels through food and lifestyle.
Recovery5 min read
What Happens to Your Body When You Take Time Off Running
Forced rest can feel like a setback, but the science says otherwise. Outside Run breaks down exactly what happens — and what doesn't — when you step away from training, and why coming back smarter beats grinding through.
Training5 min read
Why Athletes Over 50 Need a Different Training Formula
Hunter Allen of Peaks Coaching Group breaks down why the hard-charging approach of your 20s and 30s stops working after 50 — and how smarter recovery, strength training, and fueling can unlock performance you didn't think was possible.
Nutrition50 min listen
Caffeine Timing: Endurance Athletes Take It Way Too Late
Scott Tindal and Dr. Lindsey Hunt (Precision Fuel & Hydration) break down why saving your last caffeine gel for the final hour is a costly mistake — and how to time your doses across a long race for maximum effect.
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