This week, Feisty's resident sports psychologist Dr. Erin Ayala joins the pod to answer all of our questions about mental performance, mental training, and tips for dealing with the mental stress of the world right now.

First, the team tackles the latest news and the question: How do we keep the booming 20- to 29-year-old age group in the sport?

Then:

1. What mental skills you can practice on the treadmill or trainer
2. Why a race isn't a test — and staying curious will actually help you perform better
3. Ditching the comparison game
4. And is the correlation between mental health issues and endurance sports a coincidence?

Dr. Ayala is also the host of the brand new re-launched Feisty Women's Performance podcast, where she hosts experts each in week to dive deep into health and performance questions from women for women.

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Kelly O’Mara and Feisty CEO, Sara Gross, are coming to you straight from USA Triathlon's Endurance Exchange conference in Orlando, where the entire triathlon industry gets together to talk coaching, data, and where the sport is actually headed.

We went for a few reasons:

1. to run the first women-focused coaching workshop,
2. to launch the Feisty Women’s Performance podcast,
3. to catch up with friends and athletes,
4. and to hear what the numbers say about the future of triathlon.

And what we found? A sport in the middle of real change.

Lessons from the Feisty workshop: why coaching women isn’t just about hormones, but about context, communication, and the reality of women’s lives from pregnancy through menopause and beyond.

Then we head poolside to catch up with Taylor Knibb, who casually drops that she plans to race pretty much every distance this year — with Kona in the mix and the Olympics coming fast in L.A. Her coach Dan Lorang was also at Endurance Exchange, where people were (somehow) still telling him he should try heat training.

We also talk with Michelle Lake, coach of 80-year-old Kona finisher Natalie Grabow, about what it really takes to train older athletes — and why gratitude, communication, and consistency beat everything else.

And finally, USA Triathlon CEO Vic Brumfield breaks down the state of the sport:

1. Membership is close to pre-COVID numbers, but race starts are down
2. Events have stabilized after a big drop
3. The 20–29 age group is surging
4. But 40–49 participation is declining

Which raises the big question:

If younger athletes are showing up for short-course, one-day experiences, while older athletes used to be the repeat-racing backbone of the sport… how does triathlon evolve?

This episode is part behind-the-scenes, part coaching clinic, and part reality check on where triathlon is heading — Feisty style.

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Feisty Media Website:

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Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/maTzL

We’re kicking off the year with an absolute powerhouse: Rosie Wild—Major in the British Army, barrier-breaker, and the first woman ever to pass the legendary paratrooper regiment test joins Kelly, Katie, and Joanne for the first episode of 2026.

Rosie takes us inside her world: juggling an elite military career with pro triathlon, navigating brutal training environments, and chasing experiences that push the limits of what’s possible. From battling the elements at Ironman Wales to taking the win at the beautiful-but-brutal Patagonman, Rosie’s story is less about medals and more about grit, purpose, and what keeps you moving forward when everything hurts.

Rosie's rewriting the rules and also reminding us why we love triathlon: discipline, accomplishment, and FUN!

You'll leave inspired for your own challenges and for the triathlon season ahead!

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Leave us a Voicemail:

https://www.speakpipe.com/feistytriathlon

Follow us on Instagram:

@feistytriathlon

Feisty Media Website:

https://feisty.co/

Support Feisty Triathlon Partners:

Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/maTzL