Average Age Groupers

In episode five of Average Age Groupers, Holly, Laura, and Maggie recap weekend gravel riding amid wild Wisconsin spring weather and apologize for episode four’s technical issues. Holly describes tackling the Dairy Roubaix gravel event while recovering from a concussion after a car accident, pivoting from the planned 111-mile route to the 70-mile option due to cold, intense wind, fear on technical descents, navigation problems, and under-fueling; she still finishes about 72 miles with roughly 6,600 feet of climbing, with Laura and Claire cheering and SAGing—famously including a rotisserie chicken stop—plus free espresso in Viroqua. They discuss practical gravel safety tips like descending technique, helmet replacement after crashes, and carrying essentials like tape, first aid, and reliable navigation/communication. Maggie shares her own 67-mile Northern Virginia gravel ride, a friend’s crash, and lessons on preparedness for Unbound.00:00 Welcome and Weather Whiplash00:48 Meet the Hosts and Episode Notes01:24 Dairy Roubaix Setup and Concussion Plan03:10 Storms Ruin the Travel Plan04:45 Race Morning Cold and Layering Up07:03 Navigation Fails and Rocky Start09:12 Brutal Climbs and Sketchy Descents11:18 First Checkpoint and Route Negotiations16:38 Coffee Shop Reset in Viroqua21:53 Wind Gusts and Surprise Singletrack26:33 Sag Stop Rotisserie Chicken Fuel28:45 Confidence Boost Then Headwind Again30:08 Terrifying Gravel Descent31:57 Practical Descending Tips35:40 Wind Tunnel Valley Grind36:59 Bathroom Break and Cramps39:03 Blurry Vision and No Stop40:34 Walking the Steep Climbs43:03 Pavement Headwind and Wrong Turn44:31 Wind and Wheel Setup Lessons46:27 Finish Line and Gravel Vibes49:12 Nutrition Debrief and Hydration Pack53:35 Recovery and Unbound Prep55:02 Maggie Gravel Ride Recap59:18 Crash Aftermath and Safety Gear01:03:10 Wrap Up and Call to ActionListen to the Pod here:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/average-age-groupers/id1889949099https://open.spotify.com/show/2LJ6G7l1oIRZUIa3lo7NFphttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUYFKP1OYAMiMR1Ve36fOAwhttps://www.instagram.com/averageagegroupers/

Holly, Maggie and Laura return for Episode 4 of Average Age Groupers, recording remotely after Maggie goes back to DC, and shift topics to “sherpaing” (supporting athletes). They discuss Laura’s upcoming role as Sherpa for the fully unsupported Dairy Roubaix gravel event—a 111-mile prep ride for Unbound—amid volatile weather and Holly’s concussion recovery. Using experiences from Oceanside and other races, they compare the logistics of supporting triathlons, gravel, and ultras, emphasizing packing, tracking, timing, race rules around outside aid, and the realities of carrying gear post-finish. They share practical Sherpa checklists (battery pack, layers, snacks, shoes, bags), lessons learned from mishaps like Boulder tracking issues, and which races are easy or difficult to spectate (Oceanside, Wisconsin, Santa Cruz, Chattanooga, Blue Ridge, St. George). They invite listener questions, encourage subscribing/reviews, and float starting a Strava club.00:00 Long Distance Pod Update00:41 Unsupported Gravel Sherpa Plan02:37 Dairy Roubaix Prep Ride04:05 Why Sherpas Matter10:01 Triathlon Sherpa Chaos17:16 Race Rules and Outside Aid21:57 Sherpa Checklist Essentials22:44 Sherpa Packing Checklist23:22 Post Race Comfort Items24:23 Phones And Tracking Lessons26:51 Finish Line Meet Up Plan28:42 Shoes And Bag Mistakes30:22 Timing Food And Multiple Athletes33:26 Race By Race Spectating Tips42:11 Course Maps Parking And Prep43:15 Listener Questions And Wrap Up44:39 Podcast Milestones And StravaListen to the Pod here:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/average-age-groupers/id1889949099https://open.spotify.com/show/2LJ6G7l1oIRZUIa3lo7NFphttps://www.instagram.com/averageagegroupers/

In Episode 3 of Average Age Groupers, Laura, Maggie, and Holly recap a windy Wisconsin race day where Dave ran a 50K and nine teammates paced him via a 100K relay on the hilly 6.2-mile RRB loop, a USA Track & Field championship and Worlds qualifier. They then share Laura’s endurance journey: from dancing and cheerleading to college running, an undertrained half marathon, and a net-downhill marathon, before pivoting to triathlon—signing up for a half Ironman before truly learning to swim, backstroking her first sprint at Door County, and building confidence through open-water sandbar swims during COVID. Laura finishes Ironman Wisconsin 70.3 in 2022, completes Ironman Wisconsin in 2024 after difficult bike training and scheduling around 12-hour nursing shifts, and races Chattanooga 70.3 in 2025. She’s now training for the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Redding in August.00:00 Windy Episode Intro00:37 50K Relay Recap01:42 Race Logistics Breakdown02:27 Fast Field And Course03:49 Hollys Sports Origin05:52 First Races And Half07:55 Marathon Training Chaos10:42 Marquette Marathon Day12:29 Bored Of Running13:12 Learning To Swim Late16:07 Mud Bath DNF Story18:28 Backstroke Sprint Era22:32 COVID Pond Swim Grind24:52 Signing Up For 70328:01 Nurse Schedule Training29:15 Solo Training Safety30:20 Monsoon Swim Breakthrough32:19 From Full to More Races34:39 Signing Up for Wisconsin36:48 Ironman Training Grind40:33 Wisconsin Race Day Recap44:00 Aftermath and Recovery45:28 Chattanooga and Blues47:35 Redding 70.3 Decision51:43 Coaching and Work Balance54:51 What’s Next and Wraphttps://open.spotify.com/show/2LJ6G7l1oIRZUIa3lo7NFphttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/average-age-groupers/id1889949099https://www.instagram.com/averageagegroupers/https://youtu.be/b-LEBOeGSm8

In episode two of the Average Age Groupers podcast, hosts Holly, Maggie, and Laura record from a hotel and dive into Maggie’s endurance journey, starting with competitive swimming at age nine (including burnout and a shoulder injury) and her early triathlon experiences at Boston University, where a rough Olympic-distance race and heat stroke led her to step away for years. Maggie returns to the sport by signing up for Ironman Wisconsin 2021 at age 24 with minimal training support, finishes, then joins a team and coach for 2022—an infamous cold, rainy race marked by mechanical issues and hypothermia risk, yet still a PR. She later races Boulder 70.3, Muscleman 70.3, Ironman Maryland (including flooded run sections and blisters) and qualifies for 70.3 Worlds in Marbella after Chattanooga’s swim was canceled. Maggie also discusses gravel riding toward Unbound, the Speed Project in France, work-life changes, and starting a PhD at the University of Minnesota.00:00 Episode Two Kickoff01:29 Hotel Setup Vibes01:59 Swimming Origins04:29 High School Burnout06:10 Triathlon Spark08:12 Cape Cod Chaos10:38 Nationals Heat Stroke12:28 Zero to Ironman15:11 Training Alone Lessons16:57 Team and Coach Upgrade18:30 IM Wisconsin 2022 Storm23:28 Mile 22 Comeback24:41 Worst Wisconsin Weather25:15 Two Year Reset26:30 Back Home Training Block28:40 Maryland Race Breakdown30:00 Run Course Flooding31:30 Tracker Panic Moment33:20 Worlds And Next Goals35:12 Gravel Riding Origins39:55 Work Life And PhD Shift44:51 Training Without A Coach45:52 Wrap Up And Whats Nexthttps://www.instagram.com/averageagegroupers?igsh=a250eG81dWg2bG4x&utm_source=qr

Recording from a California beach, hosts Laura, Maggie, and Holly launch the pilot episode of Average Age Groupers, a podcast focused on everyday age-group endurance athletes balancing training with full-time jobs and life, across running, triathlon, gravel, and more. They share their backgrounds in endurance sports, explain their goal of spotlighting “normal people” stories (and eventually guests on topics like nutrition and strength), and emphasize community and practical advice. Maggie recaps her 70.3 Oceanside race: nervous pre-swim energy, a flat saltwater bay swim, an unusually long transition, a narrow and rough bike course with fog, climbs and Camp Pendleton, and a sunny, no-shade two-loop run where early ice shortages and skipped nutrition hurt late miles; she still finished with a PR. They also preview upcoming plans including Unbound 200, a 100K relay, Ironman Lake Placid, and Laura’s evolving motivation after Ironman.00:00 Beachside Welcome00:29 Meet The Hosts02:03 Why This Podcast03:13 Community And Guests04:54 Backgrounds And Experience08:00 Oceanside Race Setup09:39 Swim And Transition13:02 Bike Course Highlights18:16 Run Course Heat19:28 Run Course Impressions20:12 Crowds and Loop Energy20:45 Run Mistakes Shoes and Fuel22:26 PR Talk and Course Dependence23:44 Would We Race Again24:15 Podcast Mission and Pros26:48 2026 Plans Gravel and Races30:29 Training Life and Athlete Stories33:58 Ironman Blues and Sacrifice36:58 Lowering Barriers Practical Tips37:37 Wrap Up and Call to Actionhttps://www.youtube.com/@averageagegroupershttps://www.instagram.com/averageagegroupers?igsh=a250eG81dWg2bG4x&utm_source=qr