AGFL Ep 137: Nate Thomas, Uniq Endurance

Please enjoy our long form interview with Nate Thomas, newly minted member of Top Gunz Tri team. Nate is a Triathlon coach, small business owner, and teacher. In this episode, Nate discusses his training methods, his triathlon related business (Uniq Endurance), and what motivates him in the triathlon space. Thanks for listening and please enjoy. Don't forget to like, follow, and subscribe! Key Takeaways Nate qualified for Kona in 2019 after multiple attempts, highlighting perseverance in triathlon Cycling is Nate's strongest discipline, with impressive power numbers (384W 20-min test, 240-245W Ironman) Nate founded Uniq Endurance, an endurance sports apparel and gift company Nate's training emphasizes high-volume cycling with strategic intensity, minimal swimming off-season Topics Nate's Background Teacher for nearly 20 years Started triathlon in 2010 after doing P90X Completed 7 Ironman races, qualified for Kona in 2019 Became a triathlon coach with 4 athletes Family: Wife and two children (8 and 11 years old) Based in Bedford, Massachusetts New member of Top Guns Tri team Triathlon Journey First full Ironman: Beach to Battleship 2011 (sub-10 hours) Multiple close attempts to qualify for Kona (missed by 7 seconds in 2013) Focused on 70.3 distances in 2016-2017 to build speed Qualified for Kona at Ironman Norway 2019 (9:05 finish, 4th in age group) Completed Kona 2019 with a challenging experience (4+ hour run) Training Approach Cycling: Rides almost daily, 3 quality sessions per week Emphasizes VO2 max intervals (30/30s) and threshold/sweet spot work Long rides often 5-10% above race power to make race day feel easier Minimal swimming in off-season, focuses on 2-3 months pre-race Runs off the bike, typically 20-30 minutes after long rides Avoids complete rest days, preferring active recovery Uniq Endurance Business Apparel brand (t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies) Personalized canvas wall art for endurance events Recently added mugs with popular designs Uses Shopify platform and meta ads for marketing Offered 20% discount code for listeners: AGF4L Kona Experience Described the unique atmosphere and energy of the event Found the bike course challenging with headwinds Struggled on the run, finishing in over 4 hours Appreciated seeing pro athletes and the overall race experience Next Steps Nate to focus on injury recovery and prepare for Ironman Lake Placid 2025 Goal to break 9:30 at Lake Placid (targeting ~4:50 bike split, high 3:20s run) Continue developing Unique Endurance business Represent Top Guns Tri team in upcoming season Listeners encouraged to follow Uniq Endurance on social media and use discount code