The Athlete's Compass
The Athlete’s Compass Podcast is your compass for navigating endurance training and health. In this show, we explore the cardinal directions of training, nutrition, recovery, and mindset, delving into the dynamic relationship that drives athletic success.
Athletes are more than numbers; they're individuals with unique lifestyles and mindset challenges. Coaches who understand these personal nuances play a vital role in their athletes' journey. While training details and data are important, tools like Athletica provide a solution to streamline the technicalities, allowing coaches to focus on the human connection which makes the human coaches the best they can be.
Each week, renowned sports scientist and researcher Paul Laursen will be our teacher and guide as we break down training principles so you can understand how best to train for your sport! We take a no-bullshit and practical approach to support age-groupers, masters, and everyday cyclists, runners, and triathletes like you as you find your direction as an athlete.
The hosts are Paul Laursen, sports scientist and founder of the Athletica.ai training platform, Marjana Rakai, coach, sports scientist, and triathlete, and Paul Warloski, coach and cyclist.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 39 minutes
- Episodes
- 94
- Years Active
- 2023 - 2025
Ketones, Heat, and Altitude: Enhancing Your Training Regimen
Summary
In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, hosts Paul Warloski, Marjaana Rakai, and Dr. Paul Laursen address a listener question about the benefits of heat and altitude training for race…
Defying the Odds: Bart Buczek’s Incredible Athletic Transformation
Summary
In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, Paul Warloski interviews Bartolomew Buczek, an Ironman athlete from Poland who has overcome tremendous odds. Despite having no athletic backgro…
Muscle Cramps: Beyond Electrolytes and Hydration
In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, hosts Paul Warloski and Marjaana Rakai dive into the contentious issue of muscle cramps with sports science expert Dr. Paul Laursen. They explore two …
Heart Health in Endurance Sports: AFib Awareness
In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, hosts Paul Warloski and Dr. Paul Laursen, along with Marjaana Rakai, delve into the topic of atrial fibrillation (AFib) and its impact on endurance at…
Finding Flow: Ultra-Distance Cycling with Phil Whitehurst
In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, hosts Paul Warloski, Marjaana Rakai, and Dr. Paul Laursen talk with Phil Whitehurst, a prominent long-distance cyclist and key contributor to Athletic…
Finding Zen in Movement: The Unexpected Benefits of Endurance Training
Join us for an inspiring conversation with Phil Becker, an everyday endurance athlete from New Zealand, as he shares his passion for adventure, mountain biking, and sea swimming. Discover how he bala…
Listener Questions: Fat Adaptation and Training Acronym Overload
Summary
In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, Paul Warloski, Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai discuss how endurance athletes can transition to a low-carb, high-fat diet to become more fat-a…
Sweat Science: Mastering Heat Acclimatization for Athletes
Summary:
In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, hosts Paul Warloski and Dr. Paul Laursen, along with guest Marjaana Rakai, delve into the science and strategies behind heat acclimatization f…
Race Day Realities: Insights from Ironman and Gravel Racing
In this episode of The Athletes Compass, hosts Paul Warloski and Marjaana dive deep into their recent athletic endeavors. Marjaana recounts her challenging yet triumphant experience at Ironman Texas,…
Unlocking HIIT: Part 3 – Advanced Strategies and Listener Q&A
In Episode 3 of the Athletes Compass podcast, hosts Paul Warloski, Marjaana Rakai and Dr. Paul Laursen, delve into advanced strategies for high-intensity interval training (HIIT). They address a tria…
Unlocking HIIT: Part 2 – Customizing Intensity for Every Athlete
In this second episode of a three-part series on the Athletes Compass podcast, hosts Paul Warloski and Dr. Paul Laursen, with guest Marjaana Rakai, continue to explore the complexities of High-Intens…
Unlocking HIIT: Part 1 – High-Intensity Training Demystified
In this first episode of a three-part series on the Athletes Compass podcast, hosts Paul Warloski and Marjaana Rakai, together with expert Dr. Paul Laursen, explore the intricacies of High-Intensity …
Fueling Strategies for Athlete Training and Recovery
In this informative episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, hosts Paul Warloski and Dr. Paul Laursen, alongside guest Marjaana Rakai, delve into the intricacies of nutrition for early morning workou…
Journey of an Athlete-Scientist: Paul Laursen’s Path to Athletica
In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, hosts Paul Warloski and Marjaana Rakai engage with Dr. Paul Laursen, the multifaceted founder of Athletica, co-host of the HIIT Science podcast, and a…
Redefining Fuel: The Athlete's Guide to Low Carb, High Fat Living
In the second installment of The Athletes Compass focusing on nutrition, Paul Laursen and Marjaana Rakai guide Paul Warloski through the nuances of adopting a low carb, high fat (LCHF) diet. They del…
Endurance Nutrition: Exploring Low Carb, High Fat Diets
In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, hosts Paul Warloski and Paul Laursen, along with guest Marjaana Rakai, delve into the controversial yet increasingly popular topic of low carb, high f…
The Long Run: Nurturing Health, Fitness, and Strength for Lifelong Success
In this episode of The Athlete's Compass, hosts Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai delve into the topic of aging athletes, exploring the physiological changes that occur with age, th…
Beyond the Numbers: RPE and the Art of Listening to Your Body
In this episode of The Athlete's Compass, hosts Paul Warloski and Marjaana Rakai, along with special guest Dr. Paul Laursen, delve into the concept of Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and its critica…
Testing 101: A Guide to Optimizing Endurance Performance
Summary:
In this episode of the Athletes Compass, hosts Paul Warloski and Dr. Paul Laursen, along with guest Marjaana Rakai, discuss the significance of testing for endurance athletes. They cover vari…
Strength in Cycles: Understanding Female Athletes
In this episode, hosts Paul Warloski and Dr. Paul Laursen, along with guest Marjaana Rakai, delve into the intricacies of training female endurance athletes. They discuss the importance of understand…