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
Lung Training 101: Breathe Better, Perform Better
In this episode, Paul Laursen, Paul Warloski, and Marjaana Rakai tackle one of the least understood but critically important VO2 max limiters: the lungs. From the phenomenon of exercise-induced arter…
How to Train Smarter with VO2 Max Insights
In this episode of the Athlete’s Compass, the team—Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai—breaks down VO2 max: what it really means, why it's relevant for every endurance athlete (not ju…
Muscle, Longevity & Movement: Rethinking Strength for Endurance Athletes
In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, Paul Warloski, Marjaana Rakai, and Dr. Paul Laursen tackle one of the most hotly debated topics in endurance sports: strength training. They break dow…
Race Week Real Talk: Mindset, Mistakes, and Momentum
In this episode of The Athletes Compass, Paul Laursen, Marjaana Rakai, and Paul Warloski tackle the most overlooked but pivotal phase of race performance—race week. They break down everything from ta…
Train Smarter with Athletica: Busting Myths on Salt, Fueling & Fat
In Episode 70 of The Athletes Compass, hosts Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai bust major endurance training myths with science-backed insights. From the ineffectiveness of sodium s…
Turn Off the Fan: How Heat Training Boosts Endurance
This episode of The Athletes Compass explores the role of heat training in endurance performance. Dr. Paul Laursen, Marjaana Rakai, and Paul Warloski discuss how controlled heat exposure leads to inc…
Coaching in the Digital Era: Virtual Cycling with Velocity
This episode of The Athletes Compass explores the evolution of virtual cycling with Robbie Ventura and John Nichols from Velocity Cycling. Originally born out of necessity during the pandemic, Veloci…
Training Order Myths: Does Workout Sequence Really Matter?
In this episode of The Athletes Compass, Paul Laursen, Marjaana Rakai, and Paul Warloski tackle listener questions on endurance training. They discuss whether workout order affects performance, the r…
Training for an Ironman During Ramadan: How to Adapt and Thrive
This episode of The Athletes Compass Podcast explores two key listener questions: how to train effectively during Ramadan while fasting and how to navigate the ongoing debate around endurance nutriti…
From Rowing to Ironman: Martino Goretti’s Journey and Elite Training Insights
In this episode of The Athletes Compass, Olympic rower and world champion Martino Goretti shares his journey from competitive rowing to endurance coaching. He dives into the challenges of weight mana…
Breaking Nutrition Myths: Low Carb vs. High Carb for Endurance
Are you sabotaging your endurance performance by consuming too many carbs? In this episode, we break down a groundbreaking study on endurance fueling that challenges conventional wisdom. Does fat ada…
VO2 Max Gains: Insights from the Latest Endurance Training Study
In this episode of The Athletes Compass, hosts Paul Laursen, Marjaana Rakai, and Paul Warloski break down the latest insights on VO2 max training, interval strategies, and the importance of base trai…
Slow Down to Go Fast: With Guest Kimber Gabryszak
In this episode of The Athlete’s Compass, former skeleton racer and downhill mountain biker Kimber Gabryszak shares her incredible transition into endurance sports, tackling the challenges of long-di…
Exploring the Science of Pain and Performance with David Wadsworth
This episode of the Athletes Compass Podcast brings physiotherapist David Wadsworth to the mic for a deep dive into pain management, injury prevention, and the crucial role of strength training for e…
Athletica Insights: Overcoming the Stress Response in Training
In this episode of the Athletes Compass podcast, hosts Paul Warloski, Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai dive into the science and practice of zone 1 and 2 endurance training, emphasizing its pivotal r…
HIIT Without the Hurt: How to Avoid Overtraining with Smarter Workouts
This episode of The Athletes Compass Podcast explores essential training strategies for endurance athletes. Hosts Paul Warloski, Dr. Paul Laursen, and Marjaana Rakai tackle listener questions on topi…
Breaking Misconceptions About Endurance Sports with Athletica User Ben Lin
This episode of the Athletes Compass Podcast features endurance athlete Ben Lin, who shares his remarkable journey from being a smoker to running marathons and completing Ironman triathlons. Ben disc…
A Look into Athletica's AI-Assisted HRV Monitoring with Andrea Zignoli
This episode of the Athletes Compass podcast dives into the role of heart rate variability (HRV) in optimizing training readiness and recovery. Joined by Andrea Zignoli, co-architect of Athletica’s A…
Reflections and Goals: The Best of Athletes Compass in 2024
In this holiday special, The Athletes Compass hosts reflect on their favorite moments from 2024, discussing impactful episodes on menopause, heat training, and fat adaptation. They celebrate the insp…
Winter Training Essentials: Gear, Goals, and Mindset
In this episode, the Athletes Compass team tackles the challenges of winter training, focusing on how athletes in the Northern Hemisphere can maintain fitness when snow, ice, and cold disrupt routine…