AGFL Triathlon Episode 106: Lawyer and Triathlete, Amanda Quinlan

In this episode, we interview Top Gunz athlete, Amanda Quinlan. She began triathlon in 2015 signing up for sprint races for fun; by 2022, she took is a lot more seriously training for her first Ironman. In her first Ironman attempt she placed 4th in her age group at Lake Placid qualifying her for the Ironman World Championship in Kona! Enjoy the listen as we discuss her busy work life as a litigator, and how she manages her time for training. Amanda is also a team member of the newly formed Top Gunz Triathlon Team! Congrats and we wish you the best of luck at your races this year! --- Show Notes: Amanda provides a brief bio, outlining her background growing up in New Hampshire and athletic career in high school and college running and softball. Amanda's background and athletic history @ 1:00 Amanda details her athletic journey from playing various sports in high school to focusing on running in college, where injuries sidelined her from soccer and led her to join the cross-country team instead. Transitioning to triathlon and early races @ 2:49 Amanda began dipping her toes in triathlon in 2015 with sprint races for fun. By 2022 she was taking it more seriously, training for her first Half Ironman and enjoying the camaraderie of the local triathlon community. Notable triathlon performances and qualifying for Kona @ 13:21 Amanda placed first in her age group at her first Half Ironman and fourth at Lake Placid, qualifying her for the Ironman World Championship in Kona where she gained more experience at the highest level. Training approach and balancing work as a lawyer @ 20:09 As a litigator working long hours at a demanding job, Amanda shares her morning-focused training routine and use of scheduling tricks and supportive colleagues to carve out time for training while meeting work obligations. Topics in running performance and injury prevention @ 37:09 The discussion centers around whether triathlon training improves running performance and may help prevent injuries, using Amanda's own running PRs and injury-free career as an example compared to standalone runners. Differences in recovery from standalone vs. Ironman marathons @ 43:00 Amanda finds recovery much quicker after Ironman marathons compared to standalone marathons like Boston, attributing the difference to triathlon training's cross-training benefits and lower speeds in Ironman runs.