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Where the real gains are made. This is a triathlon podcast dedicated to the big picture ways to get faster and develop as an athlete. Hosted by Marilyn Chychota head coach of Marilyn Chychota Coaching, and Jesse Vondracek the head coach of Top Step Training.
Where the real gains are made. This is a triathlon podcast dedicated to the big picture ways to get faster and develop as an athlete. Hosted by Marilyn Chychota head coach of Marilyn Chychota Coaching, and Jesse Vondracek the head coach of Top Step Training.
Episodes

2 hours ago
Episode # 147 The Carbs Question
2 hours ago
2 hours ago
Episode # 147 The Carbs Question
Sport Science has been through a lot of iterations with fueling. No eating, no carb, low carb, high fat, low fat, no fat, high carb, really high carb, really really high carb and so on. We chat about how we got here, and what we recommend right now...
We are joined by a Sarah Sullivan a dietitian for Racers Edge
with an audio clip and get to hear her expert opinion.

Friday Mar 20, 2026
Episode # 146 Body check for Ironman racing
Friday Mar 20, 2026
Friday Mar 20, 2026
Episode # 146 Body check for Ironman racing
How do you make choices when racing? When do you deviate from the plan? What do the signs mean that your body is telling you? How do you interpret them?
We dive into these questions! Listen to level up your race IQ!
Thanks Jesse and Marilyn!

Wednesday Feb 04, 2026
Episode # 145 scheduling triathlon in life
Wednesday Feb 04, 2026
Wednesday Feb 04, 2026
Episode # 145 scheduling triathlon in life
Today we chatted about fitting training into life. We chat about the value of routine and planning. We deep dive into how to best arrange your schedule in order to get the most out of yourself at the right time by how you arrange your workouts in a day and week with life. We also touch on the nutrition side of this fun game of Tetris.

Monday Jan 19, 2026
Episode #144 Pre season? What are we doing now?
Monday Jan 19, 2026
Monday Jan 19, 2026
Episode #144 Pre season? What are we doing now?
Today we chatted about what we are doing with our coaching groups now. We talked about trends that we have seen, some of the why we are seeing these trends and what we are doing to make sure the ship stays on course for our groups as a whole and our athletes as individuals.

Monday Dec 29, 2025
Episode #143 Goal Shaping and Tucson Camp!
Monday Dec 29, 2025
Monday Dec 29, 2025
Episode #143 Goal Shaping and Tucson Camp!
Tucson Camp Preparation
Goal Setting in Triathlon

Thursday Dec 11, 2025
Episode #142 Thriving as a triathlete during the holiday season
Thursday Dec 11, 2025
Thursday Dec 11, 2025
Episode #142 Thriving as a triathlete during the holiday season
Marilyn and Jesse discuss approaches to having a ton of fun, maintaining fitness and feeling good and ready to train on the other side of the holiday season. Meeting all of these goals when at odds with each other can be quite a challenge, have a listen to find out how!
Also join us in the fun by tagging @mrjessev and @marilyn_chychota in your reindeer ear running photos!

Tuesday Nov 18, 2025
Episode #141 Strength Training!
Tuesday Nov 18, 2025
Tuesday Nov 18, 2025
Episode #141 Strength Training!
Personalized Strength Training for Athletes
Strength Training Techniques and Safety
Endurance Athlete Exercise Recommendations

Tuesday Oct 28, 2025
Episode # 140 Racing your race!
Tuesday Oct 28, 2025
Tuesday Oct 28, 2025
Episode # 140 Racing your race!
In this episode we chat about the Women's race at the Ironman World Championships and what take aways athletes can use in any race. We explored the importance of adapting race strategies to environmental conditions and personal limits, emphasizing the value of pacing, self-regulation, and tactical decision-making during competitions. We also discussed the benefits of multi-sport training, shared experiences with recent races, and highlighted the need for athletes to develop strategies that balance fitness levels with race-specific demands.

Thursday Oct 02, 2025
Episode #139 Intensity control in triathlon training
Thursday Oct 02, 2025
Thursday Oct 02, 2025
Episode #139 Intensity control in triathlon training
In this Episode Jesse is joined by Cameron Lamont, Head coach of the Wildcats Triathlon Team. They chat about how they use intensity control with the team, and go into how each of them use it with there individual athletes they coach. They end up chatting about intensity control coupled with intuitive training, all in all a really fun chat!
Jesse Vondracek - https://topsteptraining.com/
Cameron Lamont - https://cams-world.de/

Thursday Sep 11, 2025
Episode #138 Triathlon Training through Pregnancy
Thursday Sep 11, 2025
Thursday Sep 11, 2025
Episode #138 Triathlon Training through Pregnancy
Jesse and Marilyn are joined by Emily Machiela-Leestman to share her story on training during pregnancy and postpartum. She is an open book and shares her story including miscarriages, pregnancy, and getting back to sport as well as offering advice for other women facing similar challenges. We know this process is extremely individual, but Emily offers great insights on what worked for her and she has some great take aways for daily practices for physical and emotional well-being that everyone can learn from!
