Jordan and Jesse Sorrick are age-group triathletes from Columbia, Missouri. In this episode we discuss how they fit the triathlon lifestyle into busy lives and how they stay motivated and consistent.

• The importance of having a community. 
• Get up early to train: the key to consistency.
• How to stay motivated.
• How to become a faster swimmer. 
• Jordan's and Jesse's advice and learnings for triathletes newer to the sport. 

5:39 - 

• I started triathlon in 2013 when I was 23, at a small Sprint race which I did with my Dad.
• I really enjoyed the race, and ever since then I've continued racing.
• I predominantly do Sprint or Olympic distance, and typically do four races per year. 
• I met my wife though triathlon too! 
• I'm currently 28 years old. 

6:40 -

• I began racing triathlon in 2013 with our sports club, and ironically I started one month before Jordan joined us. 
• I enjoyed being part of a community of people of different ages, enjoying different adventures with them for the last five years. 
• The club has 250-400 people, it changes year by year. 
  • I think we're the biggest triathlon club in Missouri. 
  • St Lewis and Kansas City also have big triathlon clubs. 
• I work as a weekend night nurse in the ICU.
  • Jordan and I work together.
  • We work Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights and train during the week. 
• I'm working on my doctorate in nursing, so I do clinical and homework as well during the week.
• In terms of my schedule, Tuesday to Friday:
  • I normally wake up at 4:30 and go swimming with a group of people at 5:30.
  • I will try and do some weightlifting after that. 
  • After about 8am, if I have clinical I go there from 8-5, or go to the library and do homework. 
  • When I get off I'll spend time with Jordan, or find some other activity to do with friends. 
• I mostly try and do my activity in the morning, unless I have a longer bike ride which I'll do in the afternoon. 
• When I go to work I'll workout an hour before work, then work from 7pm-8am.
  • When I get home I'll sleep, then workout again before my next shift. 
• I do triathlon because I feel better, happier and healthier when I work out and have a purpose. 
  • I enjoy doing it with a group of people because I can spend time with others and develop friendships. 
• Running is more my forte, and I ran the Boston marathon. 
• With my age group for triathlon, I'm almost always the first or the second. 

11:07 - 

• My triathlon goals are a little different, I'm not quite as natural an athlete as she is. 
• My goal is to qualify for age group nationals and see if I can place well there.
  • I haven't gone yet so we'll see if I can do the first part! 
  • To qualify I need to be in the top 3 in my age group in an Olympic distance USAT sanctioned race. 
• Jesse and I work together in the same unit and work the same hours, so we can see more of each other. 
• I do some easier workouts during the weekend between my shifts. 
• After I sleep during Monday, I then do harder workouts Monday through Friday.
• I do bike rides with our group, and run about half the time with them. 
  • I tend to be more of a loner than Jesse.
  • I like swimming alone more in the pool. 
• We have an intervals evening with our club which I like going too.
  • I choose my harder workouts to be with the group.
• I have ankylosing spondylitis which is an autoimmune disease.
  • It tends to happen in males more, and starts in your late teens. 
  • I started having symptoms around the time I started doing triathlons.
  • I was always able to cycle, and found it helped me, but it became increasingly difficult to run. 
  • I was lucky if I could run once a week for a few miles. 
• My run training was therefore inconsistent, and I often times got passed by lots of people on the run. 
  • I wasn't conditioned for this. 
• I ended up getting on some medications which helped suppress certain aspects of my immune system and I was able to start running again. 
• It's completely back to baseline now, I can run as far as I want to and it feels like nothing ever happened. 
• It changed triathlon substantially for me because I've previously not been able to do whatever I want or follow a plan 100%. 

17:00 - 

• Jordan: I don't have a coach at the present moment but I do read a lot:
  • e.g. Joe Friel, That Triathlon Show podcast. 
  • I research on my own and make my own plans. 
• Jesse: I'm fortunate that I have a group of individuals that helps planning. 
  • With the people I workout with in the mornings we have a woman who plans a 3500m swim workout for us. 
    • We do this Monday, Wednesday and Fridays.
  • She used to be a collegiate swimmer and she just enjoys planning the workouts. 
  • Running in the morning on Tuesday and Thursday they always plan a 7 mile run to do, some flat some hilly. 
  • For the bike in the afternoons I workout with different groups of people. 
    • Sometimes I'll do hill repeats on Wednesdays.
    • Tuesdays is more of a hilly longer course.
    • Thursdays are intervals.
  • If I ever can on Saturday I'll go for a longer bike ride with people, usually 40-50 miles or longer. 
  • I sort of just go where the social opportunities take me! 

19:25 - 

• It didn't start great in the beginning! 
• I remember when I was doing Ironman and I was trying to get myself to swim 4000m each swim. 
• I heard about this swim group, and they met at 5:30 which felt horrendously early.
• But I found that having them there to hold me accountable and make me do the session was really beneficial.
• They always have different groups depending on your level. 
• Initially I was too intimidated to do the workout with everyone so I'd do it in the swim lane next to them and go at my own pace. 
• When I felt comfortable I went over into their lane.
• I noticed with them they had more of an experience of camaraderie. 
• It can be intimidating though, and swimming is the least social of the sports. 
• As a runner, I'm used to being able to talk to others throughout the workout, or get feedback on your form as you go. 
• Jordan has given me some pointers from his reading, and the other swimmers have also given me pointers. 
• I joined in the B group but I'm now in the A group. 
• It has been nice to have a feeling of something you're working at and achieving.
• Jordan laughs at me because I'm now working on my back and breast stroke which you don't really need in triathlon! 
  • It's the most painful but I want to keep up with them.

23:45 - 

• Jesse: I noticed that getting your workout in in the morning can give you a jumpstart on the day and get you set up for the day. 
  • I really notice the negative difference if I do not get to workout before going to clinical work. 
  • Working out with other people means I get to talk to 20 of my closest friends before I even start my day. 
  • It can be what's going on in their life to tips for improving your swim style.
  • Having those kinds of bonds and relationships will keep you coming back and training.
  • It also keeps you trying your best because you want to keep up with them. 
• Jesse: There are definitely days where we lack motivation. 
  • If I worked out every morning consistently and also worked weekend nights I'd never have a morning to sleep in/catch back up on sleep. 
  • There are unfortunately some days that I do sleep in. 
  • I can't kick myself for it, you do need sleep. 
  • As far as motivation, I look back on days when I'm a little bit tired but remember that I've never regretted going to training.
  • I always enjoy working out, which motivates me to keep on coming back. 

• Jordan: I agree with Jesse regarding motivation, and I always want to show up to at least half of the group sessions. 
  • I don't try to do everything because that would be too much.
  • They're good to see people and get the social aspect. 
  • You also get to see what other people are doing and ask them questions.
  • Doing a few races a year gives you something to work towards and have goals to attain. 
  • E.g. If the same people keep showing up at the races and they get better each time, it motivates you to get better to keep up with them. 
  • Going to races every year helps out with staying in shape and staying social.
• Jordan: Time management is important. 
  • My schedule isn't as tight as Jesse's is.
  • The main thing I find is getting adequate sleep, especially when you're switching back and forth between day and night schedules.
  • I find if I get adequate sleep early on, the rest of the week falls into place better. 
  • I find my whole day is more productive if I've slept well and done a hard workout in the morning. 

29:32 - 

• Jordan: Practicing transitions is really important. 
  • I actually lost a race because my transition wasn't as quick as it should have been.
  • Spend time getting into a pattern when you get on and off the bike. 
  • Practice transitioning every time you cycle and it'll become second nature. 
• Jesse: swimming and biking for me have been a learning curve. 
  • My swimming has come along well in the last year. 
  • Similarly with biking, I'm a runner and I wasn't as good at biking.
  • If you can find a good group to bike and/or swim with it will help. 
  • You can get feedback - e.g. sitting appropriately in the seat on the bike. 
  • If you really want to get better in those areas, hang out and train with people who are doing well in those areas. 
  • Jordan and I actually often bike with cyclists, not triathletes, which really keeps us on our toes. 
• Jesse: If you're new to triathlon, I'd definitely recommend joining a club.
  • I admire the people who can do it on their own, but the people who join a club seem to get so much more back. 
  • You can get advice and tips. 
  • We have a whole community you can reach out to - e.g. if you're selling a bike, or certain components. 
  • It means it's not all for yourself. 
  • Triathletes can easily just focus on themselves and their times etc, but I've found it more fun seeing your friends and how your club is doing as a whole.
  • When making it part of your lifestyle, it helps to be able to engage with an active community. 
• Jordan: I agree with joining a club, it's a big thing. 
  • Going to competitions with clubs can make it more fun too!

34:22 - 

Links and resources mentioned

Connect with host Mikael Eriksson

Hi! I'm your host Mikael,

I am a full-time triathlon coach and an ambitious age-group triathlete. My goal is podium at the Finnish national championships within the next few years.

I first started the website Scientific Triathlon in autumn 2015 as a passion project to share my learnings with a larger triathlon audience. Later on, in early 2017 I started the podcast That Triathlon Show. 

I sincerely want you to contact me to

• Send me feedback
• Give constructive critic​ism 
• Request topics and guests for the podcast
• Send me your triathlon-related questions 
• Tell me that you've rated and reviewed That Triathlon Show so I can give you a shout-out on the show and tell you how much it means to me!