About this episode

The episode discusses the need for only two training zones for triathletes: endurance and speed.

One of the issues with the established training zone systems out there is that, very often, there are more zones than we need, particularly for multisport training and racing. When zones were first established, most of the data came from road cyclists, who have more dynamic events and different demands placed upon them while competing. In a triathlon—even a short course triathlon—the goal is a steady, moderately-hard effort that you can hold for a long time. In this monologue episode of The Infirmary, I make the case that triathletes need just two training ranges: endurance and speed. I talk about how training actually works — oxygen delivery, blood volume, capillary density, mitochondrial function, muscle fiber recruitment, metabolic efficiency — and show why the moderate and heavy exercise domains can and should be collapsed into a single endurance range for multisport athletes. I also address why a seven-zone system can actually hurt your training as a triathlete, why "anaerobic threshold" is a misleading term, and why your threshold intervals shouldn't be killing you—they are part of the endurance side of things, NOT intensity. We wrap things up with a practical breakdown of…

People in this episode

Host: Campfire Endurance Coaching

Topics covered

• triathlon training
• training zones
• endurance
• speed
• metabolic efficiency

Keywords

• triathlon
• training zones
• endurance
• speed
• anaerobic threshold

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Kolie Moore, Ryan Bolton

More episodes of The Infirmary | Fixing Broken Endurance Athletes

• Episode 43: The Science of Sweat | How to Actually Fuel and Hydrate for Endurance with Tash Cooper-Smith · April 9, 2026 · 59 min
• Episode 42: Stress + Rest = Growth: A Guided Breathwork Session for Mental Toughness · March 27, 2026 · 30 min
• Episode 41: “‘Metabolic Efficiency’ is Just a Fancy Term for Getting Fit w/Elite Endurance Coach Ryan Bolton · March 12, 2026 · 59 min
• Episode 40: “Where Is My Mind? Flow State, Focus, and Interval Meditation” · February 26, 2026 · 25 min
• Episode 39: “10-Minute Guided Interval Meditation” · February 26, 2026 · 21 min
• Episode 38: From a Ten-Year Break to 9:03 at Roth: Ultraman World Champion Gordo Byrn · February 12, 2026 · 1h 7m

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