245 episodes
Managing Swim Start Panic, Trtiathlete-Specific Strength Training, and Training Around Your Menstrual Cycle | Ep 604
2026/08/19 | 29 mins.In this week's podcast:
Hyperventilating in the first five minutes of the swim (when you're a confident open water swimmer and it never happens in training): Listener Helen has had it wreck two 70.3 swims and wants Weymouth 2026 to be her comeback race.
Rob explains what's actually going on (it's a CO2 problem, not an oxygen one) and gives her the mental and physical fixes to stop it before it starts.
Also in this episode:
Why the adrenaline surge on the start line drives hyperventilation, and how "arousal control" lets you rehearse a calm swim start weeks before race day
The breathing-every-fourth-stroke and go-out-slower protocol, plus why swimming wide is worth the extra metres
How to practise close-contact swimming with club mates so bumped shoulders stop triggering panic
Rob's approach to strength work: small "s", big "C" conditioning to stay injury-free, not lifting to get bigger
Glute and hamstring activation for anyone who sits at a desk all day, and why hamstrings need so little work to stay healthy
Maintaining muscle mass as an older athlete: compound lifts at 50–70% of one-rep max, stopping well short of failure
How to periodise strength blocks around your FTP build so the gym work doesn't wreck your key bike sessions
Training around the menstrual cycle - why it has to be individual, and how syncing recovery weeks with your cycle takes the pressure off
Looking ahead at the race calendar so race day doesn't land at the worst possible time
A race report from Joe at IRONMAN Lake Placid: a 12:46 finish on a 6,700ft bike course
Cramping in the first mile of the run, and the electrolyte lesson from the med tent afterwards
Plus: Rob is having three and a half years' worth of hair cut off in mid-September and donating it to be made into a wig for a child with cancer. It costs around £700 to make the wig and he'd be so grateful for anybody that can share any amount - big or small - via this donation link
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SPONSORS
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Thinking about your first Ironman or 70.3 in 2026? At Team Oxygenaddict, we specialise in helping busy professionals fit high-quality training around demanding jobs and family life.
Book an application call today to find out if you'd be a good fit for Team Oxygenaddict here: https://team.oxygenaddict.com/consultation-call/
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precisionfuelandhydration.com
Precision Fuel & Hydration help athletes personalise their hydration and fuelling strategies for training and racing. Use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner to get a personalised race nutrition plan for your next event.
And then book a free 20-minute video consultation with a member of the PF&H Athlete Support Team to refine your strategy.
Listeners get 15% off their first order of fuel and electrolytes with Precision Fuel & Hydration. Simply use code OXYGEN26 at checkout to claim your 15% discountDealing With Cold Swim Starts, Smart Trainers vs Gym Bikes, and Tips for Racing IRONMAN Leeds in the Heat | Ep 603
2026/08/12 | 29 mins.This week Coach Rob Wilby answers two listener questions.
Elizabeth DNF'd at IRONMAN Lake Placid after standing on a cold beach for 40 minutes before the swim start.
Angie wants to know whether her gym bike is enough, or whether it's time to invest in a proper smart trainer setup.
Plus a preview for everyone racing IRONMAN UK in Leeds this weekend, where the bike course and the forecast are both going to test you.
Got a question for the show, or a first IRONMAN or 70.3 story to share? Send it to help@oxygenaddict.com
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SPONSORS
* * * * * * * *
Thinking about your first Ironman or 70.3 in 2026? At Team Oxygenaddict, we specialise in helping busy professionals fit high-quality training around demanding jobs and family life.
Book an application call today to find out if you'd be a good fit for Team Oxygenaddict here: https://team.oxygenaddict.com/consultation-call/
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precisionfuelandhydration.com
Precision Fuel & Hydration help athletes personalise their hydration and fuelling strategies for training and racing. Use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner to get a personalised race nutrition plan for your next event.
And then book a free 20-minute video consultation with a member of the PF&H Athlete Support Team to refine your strategy.
Listeners get 15% off their first order of fuel and electrolytes with Precision Fuel & Hydration. Simply use code OXYGEN26 at checkout to claim your 15% discountSpecial Needs Bags, Taper Week, Aero Gains & Raceday Mechanicals: Your IRONMAN Questions Answered | Ep 602
2026/08/05 | 22 mins.This week Coach Rob answers listener questions covering the details that trip up first-time IRONMAN athletes.
What actually goes in your special needs bags on the bike and run course?
Should you change kit in transition or race the whole day in a tri suit?
What does the final two-week taper look like after your last race simulation?
Rob also breaks down aero gains beyond clip-on bars - race wheels, tires, shaved legs - plus the essential spares and tools you need to fix problems yourself on race day, since mechanical support on course is limited.
We also hear listener race reports from a first full IRONMAN in Switzerland and a first 70.3 finish at The Lakesman.
Got a question or a race story to share? Email help@oxygenaddict.com — Rob reads every one and may feature yours on a future episode.
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SPONSORS
* * * * * * * *
Thinking about your first Ironman or 70.3 in 2026? At Team Oxygenaddict, we specialise in helping busy professionals fit high-quality training around demanding jobs and family life.
Book an application call today to find out if you'd be a good fit for Team Oxygenaddict here: https://team.oxygenaddict.com/consultation-call/
* * * * * * * * * * * *
precisionfuelandhydration.com
Precision Fuel & Hydration help athletes personalise their hydration and fuelling strategies for training and racing. Use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner to get a personalised race nutrition plan for your next event.
And then book a free 20-minute video consultation with a member of the PF&H Athlete Support Team to refine your strategy.
Listeners get 15% off their first order of fuel and electrolytes with Precision Fuel & Hydration. Simply use code OXYGEN26 at checkout to claim your 15% discountHeart Rate vs Power for IRONMAN Training + Altitude Training Explained | Ep 601
2026/07/29 | 26 mins.In this episode:
Racing without a power meter: why Rob thinks a power meter is a "worry removal tool" rather than a cost, and how to reframe the spend over your training block. If you're going with heart rate, he covers the five variables that distort it, the time-lag that trips you up, how to set functional threshold heart rate from a 20-minute test, and the thirds-based pacing method that accounts for cardiac drift.
Training at altitude for a sea-level race: why you need two sets of zones, not one. How to find your delta between altitude and sea level, and why heart rate gives you a bridge between the two while pace never will.
Shoulder pain in the aero position: normal adaptation or warning sign? Why "I've had a bike fit" doesn't rule out a problem, why pain in the water as well changes the picture, and why regular hands-on physio work beats pushing through it.
Success story: Listener Max takes on IRONMAN Switzerland in 30°C heat with 2,200m of climbing and comes home in just over 12 hours!
Got a question for the show, or a first 70.3 or IRONMAN story to share? Email help@oxygenaddict.com. No question is too basic, and we aim to answer every question.
* * * * * * * *
SPONSORS
* * * * * * * *
Thinking about your first Ironman or 70.3 in 2026? At Team Oxygenaddict, we specialise in helping busy professionals fit high-quality training around demanding jobs and family life.
Book an application call today to find out if you'd be a good fit for Team Oxygenaddict here: https://team.oxygenaddict.com/consultation-call/
* * * * * * * * * * * *
precisionfuelandhydration.com
Precision Fuel & Hydration help athletes personalise their hydration and fuelling strategies for training and racing. Use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner to get a personalised race nutrition plan for your next event.
And then book a free 20-minute video consultation with a member of the PF&H Athlete Support Team to refine your strategy.
Listeners get 15% off their first order of fuel and electrolytes with Precision Fuel & Hydration. Simply use code OXYGEN26 at checkout to claim your 15% discountTraining for IRONMAN on Shift Work, Carbon Plate Race Shoes & Swim Training in a Small Pool | Ep 600
2026/07/22 | 23 mins.Should busy age-groupers actually race in carbon-plated shoes? And how do you train for an IRONMAN when your job runs on four-days-on, four-days-off night shifts?
In this listener Q&A, Coach Rob Wilby answers real questions from athletes preparing for their first IRONMAN and 70.3. He covers how to structure training around shift work and disrupted sleep, why recovery has to come before more training, and how HRV tracking helps you know when to push and when to back off. He digs into whether carbon-plate race shoes are right for the paces most age-groupers actually run, why comfort and cushioning usually matter more than "free speed," and what to do when your only pool is 16 metres long. Plus a first-timer success story from Stephanie and Michael, who trained through Canadian winters and just finished IRONMAN Austria.
Topics in this episode:
Seven-day vs eight-day training cycles for shift workers
Using HRV to guide recovery (and why your feelings can lie to you)
Getting meaningful swim work done in a tiny pool
Carbon-plate vs cushioned shoes for 70.3 and full-distance IRONMAN
A first-time IRONMAN success story from IRONMAN Austria
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SPONSORS
* * * * * * * *
Thinking about your first Ironman or 70.3 in 2026? At Team Oxygenaddict, we specialise in helping busy professionals fit high-quality training around demanding jobs and family life.
We’ve just reopened for new athletes with only a handful of slots available.
Book an application call today to find out if you'd be a good fit for Team Oxygenaddict for the coming season here: https://team.oxygenaddict.com/consultation-call/
* * * * * * * * * * * *
precisionfuelandhydration.com
Precision Fuel & Hydration help athletes personalise their hydration and fuelling strategies for training and racing. Use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner to get a personalised race nutrition plan for your next event.
And then book a free 20-minute video consultation with a member of the PF&H Athlete Support Team to refine your strategy.
Listeners get 15% off their first order of fuel and electrolytes with Precision Fuel & Hydration. Simply use code OXYGEN26 at checkout to claim your 15% discount
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About Oxygenaddict Triathlon Podcast
Triathlon training tips and coaching advice for busy age-groupers training for IRONMAN & 70.3 triathlon.
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