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Most triathletes are limited not by their physical capacity to train more or harder, but by being time-limited, so we’re constantly looking for ways to make more out of the time we have to train. Nowhere is this challenge greater than when training for Ironman or other full distance triathlon races on a limited time budget. In this episode, coach Natasha Van Der Merwe joins me to discuss how to deal with this challenge in the context of age-group triathlon training.

HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS: 

• How to maximize your triathlon training outcomes on a limited time budget - even if you’re training for an Ironman! 
• How do you know when you’re really just limited by time and training volume? 
• If you are volume-limited, how can you get around that when you don’t really have more time to spare. 
• Listener questions: effective microcycle structures in triathlon, how to become more efficient at training, and more

DETAILED EPISODE SHOWNOTES: 

• We have detailed shownotes for all of our episodes. The shownotes are basically the podcast episode in written form, that you can read in 5-10 minutes. They are not transcriptions, but they are also not just surface-level overviews. They provide detailed insights and timestamps for each episode, and are great especially for later review, after you've already listened to an episode. 
• The shownotes for today's episode can be found at https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts685/

LINKS AND RESOURCES: 

• Natasha’s website, Instagram and Youtube (NVDM Coaching)
• Training Talk with Natasha van der Merwe | EP#334 - Natasha’s first appearance on That Triathlon Show

WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO NEXT?

If you enjoyed this episode, I think you'll love the following related episodes:

• Tomasz Kowalski | EP#428 - another episode leaning heavily into time-crunched Ironman and triathlon training
• Jacob Tipper | EP#424 - a mix of coaching advice and case study on Jacob’s transition from elite cycling into triathlon, on a much tighter time budget
• Coaching Thoughts: 11 Overrated Factors for Triathlon Performance | EP#439 - a solo episode with yours truly. If you want to maximise the return on your triathlon training, you certainly don’t want to spend too much time on overrated aspects of performance. 

You can find our full episode archives here, where you can filter for categories such as Training, Racing, Science & Physiology, Swimming, Cycling, Running etc.

You can also find separate archives for specific series of episodes I've done, specifically Q&A episodes, TTS Thursday episodes, and Beginner Tips episodes. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON: 

• The Scientific Triathlon website is the home of That Triathlon Show and everything else that we do
• Contact us through our contact form or email me directly (note - email/contact form messages get responded to much more quickly than Instagram DMs)
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• Learn more about our coaching, training plans, and training camps. We have something to offer for everybody from beginners to professionals. 

HOW CAN I SUPPORT THAT TRIATHLON SHOW (FOR FREE)? 

I really appreciate you reading this and considering helping the show! If you love the show and want to support it to help ensure it sticks around, there are a few very simple things you can do, at no cost other than a minute of your time. 

• Subscribe to the podcast in your podcast app to automatically get all new episodes as they are released.
• Tell your friends, internet and social media friends, acquaintances and triathlon frenemies about the podcast. Word of mouth is the best way to grow the podcast by far! 
• Rate and review the podcast (ideally five stars of course!) in your podcast app of choice (Spotify and Apple Podcasts are the biggest and most important ones).
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SPONSORS: 

• Precision Fuel & Hydration produce our favourite gels, sports drinks, and electrolyte and carbohydrate products here at That Triathlon Show and Scientific Triathlon. Use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner to get a personalised plan for your carbohydrate, sodium and fluid intake in your next event, and get 15% off your first 2026 order by using the code TTS2026 at checkout.

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