The Triathlete Beat: A Beginner Triathlon Podcast

Dan Eisenhardt is the CEO of FORM, the company behind the world’s first smart swim goggles. Dan is no stranger to swimming and emerging technology - before starting FORM, Dan swam competitively for 14 years and founded Recon Instruments, which introduced the world’s first smart eyewear for sports (skiing, cycling, running) in 2010.

Dan and I discussed his journey to creating FORM, all of the goggle’s features (metrics, build quality, open water functionality, etc.), their rigorous development and testing lifecycle, and other fun topics like Dan’s experience filming their promo commercial and his vision on the future of triathlon tech.

You might be wondering, what makes these goggles so special and...smart? Why should I ditch my Speed Vanquishers or Swedish goggles? Well at a minimum, the goggles are created with the highest quality of materials, giving you a swim companion that’s comfortable, durable, and built to last. In addition, the goggles can display all the swimming metrics that you’ll ever need, right in front of your eye as you swim, such as: split time, pace per 100, distance, interval time, rest time, total time, stroke rate, stroke count, distance per stroke, length count, calories burned, and even heart rate (with a Polar OH1). All those metrics you have while running and cycling? We have them now for swimming. That’s pretty cool!

It’s also 2020, which means YES, the goggles sync with Strava and TrainingPeaks and YES, the goggles come with its own app for both iOS and Android. The app breaks down all your metrics into easy-to-read tables and charts for you (and even your coach) to learn and improve upon for your next workout.

You can also follow other athletes with the goggles as well. I don’t remember seeing a “Share to Instagram Story” feature yet, but I’m sure that’s in the pipeline ;)

I’ve tested the goggles out in both the pool and open water, and I think they’re pretty amazing. They really do what they say they’re going to do, and work pretty damn well.

I had a great time with Dan, and it was a pleasure to have him on the podcast today! I really felt his passion and excitement for the goggles...and I hope that you do too.

Enjoy the chat!

|| Show Notes ||

OPEN WATER SWIM UPDATE (July 30, 2020): In the goggles, you’ll now see an “Open Water Swim” option in addition to the standard “Pool Swim” option! Prior to this update, you had to select “Pool Swim” and set an “Unknown” distance if you wanted to use the goggles in open water. This update formalizes FORM’s open water functionality in both the goggles and mobile phone app.

For open water functionality (as of July 30, 2020), with just the goggles itself - you get stroke rate, total time, calories, and heart rate (if you have a Polar OH1 +). For GPS features like distance and speed in the open water, you’ll need to pair your goggles via bluetooth with the following compatible smart watches: Garmin Forerunner 945, Garmin fēnix 5 Plus and fēnix 6 Pro, and Apple Watch Series 3, 4, and 5.

FORM Swim’s awesome commercial on YouTube

FORM Swim’s Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and website

Subscribe to my triathlon YouTube channel for triathlon tips, training/racing vlogs, and reviews: Jeremy Tri

Follow me on Instagram to keep up with my swim/bike/run adventures: @thetriathletebeat

Hit me up on Twitter for podcast topics, guest recommendations, questions, etc.: @triathletebeat

|| Thanks for listening! Cheers! ||

Today we dive into sweat and hydration - two essential but often overlooked aspects to any athlete’s training - with Andy Blow, the Co-Founder and CEO of Precision Hydration.

Andy is a Sports Scientist with a degree in Sports and Exercise Science from the University of Bath, UK. He’s an expert in sweat (swexpert?), dehydration, and cramping, and previously worked as the Team Sports Scientist for the Benetton and Renault Formula 1 teams. In his younger days, he was an elite level triathlete and finished in the Top 10 of Ironman and Ironman 70.3 races. He even won an XTERRA Triathlon World Title!

We discussed a variety of topics including salty sweaters, hydration for endurance training sessions and races, dehydration and hyponatremia (over hydrating), the effects of having a beer before/after a race, and so much more.

This was a really fascinating and fun chat with Andy. You’ll definitely learn a few things about hydration, and his tips will hopefully help you on your next swim, bike, run, walk, hike, workout, etc.

I found it pretty cool that in addition to endurance athletes, Precision Hydration has also worked with the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL. Being an NBA fan myself (#ballislife), I couldn’t miss this opportunity to ask Andy about hydration for NBA players!

Precision Hydration offers electrolyte supplements that match how you sweat, and have a variety of products that will benefit all levels of sweaters. I’ve tried their stuff during my training sessions in the 90F & 90% humidity conditions of South Florida...and they definitely WORK.

Their team was a delight to work with, and they were awesome enough to offer 15% off any of my listeners’ entire first order off their site, precisionhydration.com. Just use the code TRIATHLETEBEAT at checkout. So cool - I have my very own coupon code! Go order something...you won’t regret it!

I hope you enjoy the podcast!

|| Show Notes ||

The swimming resource that helped me out the most when I first started triathlon (I didn’t know how to swim prior): swimsmooth.com. Shoutout to Andy’s buddy, Paul Newsome!

Yes, you can use Precision Hydration’s products to cure a hangover ;)

Helpful PH blog posts:

--> How to estimate how much sodium you lose in your sweat

--> How to start hydrated (preload) and why that's so important

--> What is hyponatremia and how can you avoid it?

Book a free 20-minute video call to chat with one of PH’s Sweat Experts (they’re all athletes too) on their website, or click here.

Get 15% off your entire first order off their site, precisionhydration.com. Just use the code TRIATHLETEBEAT at checkout!

Check out Precision Hydration on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter

Subscribe to my triathlon YouTube channel for triathlon tips, training/racing vlogs, and reviews: Jeremy Tri

Follow me on Instagram to keep up with my swim/bike/run adventures: @thetriathletebeat

Hit me up on Twitter for podcast topics, guest recommendations, questions, etc.: @triathletebeat

|| Thanks for listening! Cheers! ||

On today’s podcast we have my very good friend, Jan Matt. Jan Matt is currently a Real Estate Finance Associate and loves running, cycling, and lifting weights. We’ve been close friends since meeting at our alma mater, the University of Florida, and while we don’t play basketball, eat froyo, and drink boba together like we did during college, we do try to go running and drink craft beer whenever we link up nowadays.

In this episode we discuss a bunch of topics, including how Jan Matt got into running and cycling, his first triathlon, his first 10k, and running with his puppy, Zuko. He’s also completed some very interesting and inspiring self challenges that include running 30 miles in 30 days, and running 13 miles in 13 hours. I thought these were really fun goals that anyone can set and achieve for themselves and do with friends, at any time of the year - especially during these times when pretty much all races are cancelled due to COVID-19.

Jan Matt is a great example of someone who follows his passions and interests, especially when it comes to physical fitness, and isn’t afraid to “taste something new”. He’s always stepping out of his comfort zone, keeping things fresh, and through this, always challenging and bettering himself as a person. This episode was filled with a lot of laughs, a lot of stories, and it was really just a great time catching up. I hope that you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

Do what makes you happy!

Do lots of research when looking to buy used bikes and/or bike gear online.

If you’re interested in a new sport or hobby, the only way to see if you really like it or not, is to try it out. Stop hesitating, and just do it!

How to Flip Turn in a pool

Follow Jan Matt on Instagram for some inspiration: @thejanmatt

Follow Jan Matt’s dog on Instagram: @doodleprince_zuko

Check out Jan Matt’s podcast: Take This Cup

Subscribe to my triathlon YouTube channel for triathlon tips, training/racing vlogs, and reviews: Jeremy Tri

Follow me on Instagram to keep up with my swim/bike/run adventures: @thetriathletebeat

Hit me up on Twitter for podcast topics, guest recommendations, questions, etc.: @triathletebeat

On today’s podcast, we have a very special guest - my long-time friend Kim Urmaza. Kim is the Head Athletic Trainer at a high school down here in South Florida, and is pursuing a Master's degree in Kinesiology with a double concentration in sports performance and orthopedic rehabilitation. She’s a certified personal trainer, a member of the USA National Duathlon Team, and a blackbelt in Nisei Goju Ryu Karate.

In this episode, Kim shares with us how in just one year, she ran her first 5k, bought her first bike, completed her first multisport event, and then went on to qualify for the Duathlon World Championships. Oh yeah, AND she ran her very first marathon. She’s had an absolutely tremendous year in multisport, and is a shining example that hard work, consistency, and dedication really pays off.

Kim gives plenty of key tips and insights into her training and racing for duathlon, and also imparts the mindset needed to endure some of the toughest moments when you’re out there, exhausted, in pain, and ready to give up, during a race.

Kim is an incredible athlete, one of the nicest and most driven people that I know, and is super passionate about the pursuit of seeking challenges that are greater than herself. You don’t want to miss this conversation, and I hope you enjoy it!

Follow Kim on Instagram for some athletic inspiration: @k.urmaza

Check out Kim’s blog for race recaps, injury prevention tips, and training updates: Uptempo

If you’re ever on the fence about signing up for a race, just HIT THAT SUBMIT BUTTON!!! You won’t regret it!

Subscribe to my triathlon YouTube channel for triathlon tips, training/racing vlogs, and reviews: Jeremy Tri

Follow me on Instagram to keep up with my swim/bike/run adventures: @thetriathletebeat

Hit me up on Twitter for podcast topics, guest recommendations, questions, etc.: @triathletebeat

Please don't forget to rate and subscribe to #TheTriathleteBeat podcast on whichever app that you listen on, and share with family and friends. It would mean the world to me if you left a review for the podcast as well.

Thanks for coming by :)

Jeremy Tri

On this episode, we are joined by competitive cyclist Simone Berger! Simone trains and competes throughout the year in both mountain bike and road bike races, all while working a full time job as the Marketing Content Specialist for Modernizing Medicine in Boca Raton, FL.

Simone and I met up after both of our work days and discussed a variety of topics, including how Simone got into cycling via Salsa lessons, the difference between mountain bike races and road bike races, and practical tips on how beginners can get into the wonderful sport of cycling.

When Simone isn’t shooting photos or videos or tearing it up on the bike trails, you can find her doing yoga and dancing salsa. Shoutout to ModMed for letting us use the “green screen room” to record this podcast! Simone is such a great person and is truly passionate about cycling...I think it really shines through in this chat. *Note: This podcast was originally recorded on May 2, 2019.

Follow Simone Instagram: @simoneinspandex

Download the best cycling (and swimming, running, etc.) app if you don’t have it already: Strava

Learn how to fix a flat tire a la YouTube

Find a legit video on how to fix a flat tire with a dollar bill, and send it to me on Twitter @triathletebeat!!!

Subscribe to my triathlon YouTube channel: Jeremy Tri

Follow me on Instagram to keep up with my swim/bike/run adventures: @thetriathletebeat

Please don't forget to rate and subscribe to #TheTriathleteBeat podcast on whichever app that you listen on, and share with family and friends. It would mean the world to me if you left a review for the podcast as well.

Thanks for coming by :)

Jeremy Tri