Ethan Caldwell 
The first time I tried to run after a 40-mile bike ride, my legs felt like they belonged to someone else. They were heavy, uncoordinated, and completely unwilling to cooperate. I stumbled off the bike path and looked like a baby giraffe taking its first steps. That was seven years ago, and I have since … Read more
Every time I lace up for the run leg of a triathlon, I notice something interesting about my fellow athletes. Some land on their heels with each stride. Others seem to bounce along on the balls of their feet. The debate over heel strike vs forefoot running has divided the running community for years, and … Read more
When I first started tracking my running metrics, I noticed my cadence hovered around 165 steps per minute. Fellow runners told me I was overstriding. After three months of focused work, I brought it up to 175 SPM and my knee pain vanished. Optimal running cadence explained simply means finding the step rate that lets … Read more
Running cadence is the number of steps per minute (SPM) you take while running. It is one of the most important yet misunderstood metrics in running form. Our team has worked with hundreds of triathletes at the Nautica Malibu Triathlon over the past three years, and we have seen how understanding cadence can transform both … Read more
Nothing ruins a perfect ride faster than the hiss of escaping air and that sinking feeling when your tire goes flat miles from home. I have been there more times than I care to count, standing on the side of a winding road with grease-stained hands and a growing sense of frustration. The debate between … Read more
Here is something that might surprise you: I used to pump my road bike tires to the maximum pressure printed on the sidewall before every ride. I thought higher PSI meant less tire flex, less rolling resistance, and therefore more speed. I was wrong. After testing different pressures over hundreds of miles and reviewing data … Read more
There is nothing quite like the burning sting of post-race shower water hitting chafed skin. I learned this the hard way after my first half-Ironman, when I hobbled to the showers only to experience what felt like molten lava cascading over my neck and inner thighs. That was the day I committed to never letting … Read more
Chafing is skin irritation caused by repeated friction between skin and skin or skin and clothing, resulting in a painful rash or raw skin that can ruin your race day. Every endurance athlete needs to understand what causes chafing during a race because the combination of repetitive motion, heat, and moisture creates the perfect conditions … Read more
After finishing my first century ride, I spent the next week wincing every time I sat down. The saddle sores had won that round. Over the next three years and thousands of miles, I tested every prevention method I could find. Some worked. Many failed. This guide contains everything that actually kept me pain-free on … Read more
Every cyclist faces the same question at some point: should I train with a heart rate monitor or invest in a power meter? After 12 years of racing and coaching triathletes through the Malibu Triathlon and beyond, I have watched people agonize over this decision, often buying the wrong device for their goals and wasting … Read more