Race day is finally here. In Race Day of the Countdown to Dopey, Coach Jill Bartholomew offers calm, grounding guidance for athletes standing on the brink of the first start line of the Dopey Challenge. Whether you’re listening on the bus, in the corrals, or the night before, this episode is a reminder to breathe, stay present, and trust the work you’ve done. This episode covers: How to calm race-day nerves and channel excitement productively Why today’s 5K should be viewed as a warm-up for the days ahead How to manage humidity, weather, crowds, and unpredictable conditions Why comparison, bragging, and other runners’ confidence don’t matter How to respond when miles feel hard, boring, or uncomfortable Why running the mile you’re in matters more than thinking ahead How to adjust pacing without judgment if things feel harder than expected Why presence, patience, and trust are the most important race-day skills Race day isn’t about perfection or proving anything. It’s about showing up, …

The day before the Dopey Challenge begins can feel overwhelming — excitement, nerves, doubt, and anticipation all collide at once. In Day 1 of the Countdown to Dopey, Coach Jill Bartholomew walks athletes through exactly how to approach the final day before the first start line with calm, confidence, and intention. This episode focuses on letting go of last-minute stress, avoiding common race-eve mistakes, and setting yourself up to arrive at the start line steady and ready. This episode covers: What to expect on race morning, including buses, security, corrals, and character lines Why today is not about doing more — and how doing too much can hurt your weekend When a shakeout run makes sense and how easy it should actually be Why rechecking gear, scrolling forums, and comparing plans increase stress How to think about hydration without overdoing it What foods to eat — and what to avoid — the day before racing Why limiting walking and park time protects your legs How to approach sleep…

Marathon day during the Dopey Challenge isn’t just about the 26.2 miles — it’s about everything that happens before you reach the start line. In Day 2 of the Countdown to Dopey, Coach Jill Bartholomew breaks down how to properly recover after the 5K, 10K, and Half Marathon so your body is ready to handle marathon day. With four consecutive early mornings and accumulating fatigue, recovery becomes the most important “race” of the weekend. This episode covers: Why recovery between races must be treated as an active discipline How muscle soreness shows up differently for quad-dominant and glute-dominant runners Practical mobility and stretching strategies to reduce stiffness before marathon morning Why extra walking and park miles can quietly sabotage marathon performance How to think about celebrating without compromising your legs What marathon-morning stiffness really means — and why it’s normal How crowd density and early pacing affect execution on the runDisney marathon course The r…

Day 3 of the Dopey Challenge is where many weekends quietly unravel — not because athletes feel bad, but because they feel great. In Day 3 of the Countdown to Dopey, Coach Jill Bartholomew breaks down how to approach both the 10K and the Half Marathon with discipline, patience, and intention so you protect your body for Sunday’s marathon. After travel, adrenaline, and one race under your belt, confidence is high — and that’s exactly why restraint matters most. This episode covers: Why feeling good early in the weekend can lead to costly mistakes Why the 10K’s only job is to get you safely to the Half Marathon How racing the 10K too hard can sabotage the marathon Why Saturday crowds, pacers, and adrenaline make the Half Marathon deceptive How negative pacing protects glycogen, legs, and recovery Realistic pace adjustments for runDisney races Why running tangents, etiquette, and execution matter more than watch pace How to recover properly after the 10K and Half to prepare for the marat…

The 5K is the most underestimated race of the entire Dopey Challenge weekend. In Day 4 of the Countdown to Dopey, Coach Jill breaks down why the runDisney 5K deserves far more respect than most athletes give it — especially if you’re racing all four events. While experienced runners may feel tempted to treat the 5K like a free race, the way you approach this first start line can have a compounding impact on how your legs feel for the 10K, Half Marathon, and Marathon. This episode covers: Why the 5K feels deceptively easy at the start of Dopey weekend How racing it too hard can quietly affect later races Fueling and hydration considerations for a short race during a multi-day event Why restraint, not speed, is the real performance strategy Pacing guidance for different experience levels What to do after the 5K, including characters, recovery, and transportation logistics The goal of the Dopey Challenge isn’t to win Friday morning — it’s to show up with fresh legs for the days that foll…

Expo day is exciting — but for Dopey Challenge athletes, it can quietly become one of the biggest energy drains of the entire weekend. In Day 5 of the Countdown to Dopey, Coach Jill breaks down how to approach the runDisney expo strategically so you protect your legs, your nervous system, and your confidence before the races even begin. Long periods of standing, concrete floors, crowds, noise, and overstimulation add up quickly — especially when you’re preparing for four consecutive race mornings. This episode covers how to: Treat the expo as a logistics stop, not an endurance event Avoid common mistakes like over-walking, impulse gear purchases, and staying too long Manage time on your feet, hydration, and sensory overload Preserve energy for the 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, and Marathon Make smart decisions that support execution instead of draining it The expo is part of the experience — but it’s not the race. The strongest Dopey athletes are the ones who leave early, sit often, and rem…

Carb loading is one of the most misunderstood — and most stressful — parts of race week. In Day 6 of the Countdown to Dopey, Coach Jill Bartholomew breaks down what carb loading actually is, what it isn’t, and how to approach it calmly and intelligently without panic, force-feeding, or scale obsession. Drawing directly from research published in the Journal of Sports Sciences, this episode explains how carb loading works by increasing muscle glycogen stores, why glycogen is the primary fuel source at marathon and sub-marathon intensities, and how proper fueling allows athletes to access the fitness they’ve already built for longer. Jill also covers evidence-based carbohydrate intake ranges, why temporary scale weight changes are normal, and how much above normal intake is typically optimal for recreational endurance athletes. This episode walks through practical, real-world guidance for Dopey Challenge athletes, including: When carb loading actually matters during race week Why aggres…

With just one week to go until the Dopey Challenge, the focus shifts from training to execution. In this episode of the Countdown to Dopey, Coach Jill dives into one of the most overlooked — yet most powerful — race-week strategies: packing early and packing smart. We break down how early packing reduces decision fatigue, lowers stress, and protects your race-day energy before you ever step onto the course. From travel logistics and weather planning to race shoes, costumes, nutrition, and blister prevention, this episode walks you through a practical, athlete-tested system to make sure nothing important is left to chance. You’ll learn how to: Organize race-day gear for four consecutive race mornings Build a realistic, personalized nutrition plan (without overpacking) Prepare for Florida’s unpredictable race-week weather Protect your race kit, shoes, and body from avoidable issues Eliminate last-minute decisions that quietly drain performance Because most race-day stress doesn’t start …

Race week is here, and if your runs feel slow, awkward, or unimpressive — you’re doing it right. In Day 8 of the Countdown to Dopey, Coach Jill Bartholomew breaks down exactly what race-week runs should feel like and why pushing the pace now can sabotage your performance later. This episode explains the difference between taper and race prep, why hard efforts steal freshness, and how short, easy runs protect the fitness you’ve already earned. You’ll learn why race-week runs are check-ins, not tests, how travel, humidity, and sleep impact your body, and when it’s smart to cut a run short. Jill also covers confidence, acclimation, hydration, fueling, and why arriving calm matters more than pace. If you’re racing the runDisney Dopey Challenge (or any endurance event), this episode will help you stop second-guessing your fitness, trust your training, and show up at the start line rested, confident, and ready to execute.

At nine days out from the Dopey Challenge, many runners start to feel unexpectedly tired, emotionally flat, or overwhelmed — even though training volume is lower. In Day 9 of the Countdown to Dopey, Coach Jill Bartholomew explains why this is normal and why it doesn’t mean you’re losing fitness. This episode breaks down how stress, sleep, travel planning, emotional load, and race-week logistics all count as training stress, especially during taper. Jill walks through common energy drains during runDisney race week — including park time, over-scheduling, standing too much, and decision fatigue — and explains how protecting your energy now directly impacts race-day performance. You’ll learn how to recognize taper fatigue, why rest is not weakness, and how to use “strategic restraint” to arrive at the start line healthy, rested, and ready to execute across all four races of marathon weekend.

Day 10 – Travel & Logistics: Plan Early, Race Calm As runDisney Marathon Weekend approaches, most race-week stress has nothing to do with running — it comes from logistics. In Day 10 of the Dopey Countdown, Coach Jill Bartholomew explains why travel planning, packing early, and reducing last-minute decisions play a critical role in energy management and race-week calm. Stress isn’t just mental — it shows up physically through poor sleep, extra walking, decision fatigue, bloating, and increased fatigue, all of which can impact performance. This episode walks Dopey athletes through practical logistics considerations, including arrival timing for expo, planning for unpredictable Florida weather, race shoe selection, nutrition availability, transportation strategies, and why every unnecessary decision drains valuable physical and mental energy. Key takeaways include: Why logistics are part of race execution How stress and decision fatigue impact performance What to pack early to reduce ra…

Day 11 – Nutrition in the Final Two Weeks Before Dopey With just under two weeks to go before runDisney Marathon Weekend, nutrition anxiety often ramps up — and that’s exactly when runners are most tempted to make unnecessary changes. In Day 11 of the Dopey Countdown, Coach Jill Bartholomew explains why the final two weeks are not the time to overhaul your diet, experiment with new fueling strategies, or follow last-minute advice from social media. After months of training, your body has already adapted to how you’ve been eating — and changing that now can create more risk than reward. This episode covers why sudden increases in carbs, fluids, or supplements can backfire, how overhydration can be just as dangerous as underhydration, and why your gut craves predictability under stress. Jill also clarifies the difference between everyday carbohydrate intake and true carb loading, and why carb loading too early can cause more problems than it solves. Key takeaways include: Why the final …

Day 12 – Final Two-Week Training Priorities With just two weeks to go before runDisney Marathon Weekend, training priorities shift — and doing more is rarely the right answer. In Day 12 of the Dopey Countdown, Coach Jill Bartholomew explains what the final two weeks of Dopey preparation should actually look like, and why this phase is about protecting fitness rather than building it. After months of training, the goal now is consistency, recovery, and arriving at the start line healthy and confident. This episode covers why “last-minute confidence workouts” often backfire, how easy runs and reduced intensity support performance, and why athletes who show up slightly undertrained but healthy consistently outperform those who overdo it. Key takeaways include: Why fitness gains are no longer the goal What final two-week training should feel like Common mistakes Dopey runners make during this phase Why consistency beats intensity right now How to shift from training mode to execution mode…

Day 13 – What the Taper Is (And Why It Feels So Awful) Taper is officially here — and if your legs feel heavy, your pace feels off, or your confidence feels shaky, you’re not doing anything wrong. In Day 13 of the Dopey Countdown, Coach Jill Bartholomew explains what taper actually is, why it often feels uncomfortable both mentally and physically, and why those sensations are a normal part of preparing for runDisney Marathon Weekend. This episode breaks down the difference between losing fitness and gaining freshness, why athletes often feel worse before they feel better, and how reduced training volume can amplify self-doubt and anxiety. Jill also explains why the fitness tradeoff during taper is worth it — and how recovery, reduced fatigue, and injury prevention matter more than sharpness right now. Key takeaways include: Why taper feels bad before it feels good What heavy or flat legs during taper really mean How reduced training time increases mental noise Why freshness beats fitn…

n Day 14 of the Dopey Countdown, Coach Jill Bartholomew reminds athletes that the work is already done. After months of training, your job now is to manage energy, protect your body, calm your mind, and make smart decisions so you arrive at the start line rested, healthy, and confident. This episode tackles the anxiety many runners feel at this point — especially first-time Dopey athletes or those returning after a tough experience. Jill explains why nervousness is normal (and even healthy), why taper starts now, and why this two-week window is actually when athletes are most vulnerable to injury if they try to do too much. Key takeaways include: Why you can’t gain meaningful fitness in the final two weeks — and why that’s okay How recovery now offsets any small fitness loss Why taper feels uncomfortable mentally and physically Letting go of perfection and trusting the process that got you here Whether you followed a runDisney plan, worked with a coach, or trained on your own, this ep…

Run Disney races are known for the magic — but the Dopey Challenge is a whole different experience. In this episode of The Be Fierce & Tri Podcast, Coach Jill is joined by five-time Dopey finisher Tiff Gillota for an honest conversation about what the Dopey Challenge is really like. From early wake-ups and crowded corrals to pacing, recovery, and race-weekend fatigue, they break down what most first-timers underestimate. Whether you’re training for your first Run Disney race, debating Dopey vs. Goofy, or trying to balance racing with the Disney experience, this episode will help you set realistic expectations and show up prepared, confident, and fierce.

In this episode, Jill Bartholomew and Troy Theodosiou discuss the intricacies of selecting the right races for triathletes. They explore various factors such as personal goals, race logistics, costs, and the importance of finding joy in racing. The conversation also delves into the challenges of racing in different locations, the significance of course profiles, and the logistics of traveling with a bike. Throughout the discussion, they emphasize the community aspect of triathlon and the need for careful planning to ensure a successful race experience. In this engaging conversation, Troy Theodosiou and Jill Bartholomew discuss the intricacies of race day logistics, the importance of adaptability in training and racing, and the significance of community in endurance sports. They share personal anecdotes about their experiences with race selection, injury management, and the joy of participating in local races. The dialogue emphasizes the balance between competitive spirit and the camar…

In this episode of the Be Fierce and Try podcast, Jill Bartholomew and Thomas Skelton discuss the importance of the off-season for athletes, focusing on coaching strategies, goal setting, injury recovery, mindset, nutrition, and strength training. They emphasize the need for athletes to maintain a balance between training and personal life, the significance of setting realistic goals, and the value of having fun in the sport. The conversation also touches on the importance of skill development and avoiding common mistakes during the off-season.

In this episode of the Be Fierce and Tri podcast, host Jill Bartholomew and her guests discuss their experiences at the recent Run Disney Wine and Dine Marathon Weekend. They share insights on the various races, including the 5K, 10K, and half marathon, and delve into topics such as race registration, character interactions, and the importance of community among runners. The conversation also touches on training strategies, nutrition, and the unique challenges faced by participants. Overall, the episode highlights the camaraderie and excitement of participating in Disney races, as well as the personal stories and experiences that come with them.

In this episode, Jill Bartholomew and Thomas Skelton discuss their experiences at the 70.3 World Championships in Marbella, Spain. They cover various aspects of the race, including swim conditions, transition challenges, athlete performances, and the dynamics of the bike and run courses. They also share insights on coaching and the overall organization of the event, including their thoughts on the banquet experience and food quality. In this conversation, Jill Bartholomew and Thomas Skelton discuss their experiences at the Ironman race in Marbella, covering various aspects such as race day logistics, course feedback, travel challenges, and future race plans. They share insights on the support provided during the race, the condition of the course, and the importance of having tracking devices for bikes during travel. Despite some logistical issues, they express a positive overall experience and highlight the need for improvements in future events.

In this episode, Jill Bartholomew hosts a discussion with Cheryl and Jen, two triathletes who recently competed in the Ironman World Championships in Kona. They share their experiences from training, traveling logistics, the unique atmosphere of Kona, and the challenges faced on race day, including the swim and bike courses. The conversation highlights the camaraderie among athletes, the emotional rollercoaster of competition, and the importance of preparation and nutrition. In this engaging conversation, the participants share their experiences and insights from their recent endurance race, focusing on the challenges faced, mental strategies employed, nutrition and hydration tactics, and the importance of aid stations. They reflect on the balance between competition and enjoyment, the unique aspects of the race environment, and their post-race reflections, highlighting the camaraderie and support among athletes.

In this episode of the Be Fierce and Tri podcast, host Jill Bartholomew engages with triathletes John Sherman, Jeff Dorril, and co-host Troy Theodosiou as they share their personal journeys into the world of triathlon, particularly focusing on their experiences at the Ironman World Championship in Nice, France. The conversation covers their first races, the challenges of open water swimming, the dynamics of the bike course, and the psychological aspects of transitioning to the run. They also discuss the importance of equipment, the beauty of the course, and the camaraderie among triathletes, emphasizing that finishing a race is a significant achievement regardless of time. In this episode, the participants discuss their experiences with the Ironman race course, highlighting the challenges and memorable moments they encountered. They reflect on the supportive community within triathlon, the importance of overcoming obstacles, and their future racing goals. The conversation emphasizes t…

In this episode of the Be Fierce and Try podcast, host Jill Bartholomew and guests Elizabeth, Angela, and Cheryl discuss their experiences preparing for and participating in the Ironman Canada race. They share insights on training, nutrition strategies, swim conditions, and the challenges of split transitions. The conversation highlights the importance of preparation, the role of volunteers, and the camaraderie among athletes, providing valuable lessons for future races. In this conversation, the participants reflect on their experiences during the Ironman Ottawa race, discussing various aspects such as the bike and run courses, nutrition challenges, and the support from spectators. They share their highs and lows, emphasizing the importance of community and personal growth in endurance sports. The discussion also touches on future aspirations and the potential for the race to serve as a great entry point for new triathletes. Are you looking to up your Triathlon game to better meet yo…

In this special episode of the Be Fierce and Tri podcast, host Jill Bartholomew engages with the Ironman Foundation team to discuss their impactful community initiatives, youth sports programs, and the importance of coaching for triathletes. The conversation highlights the Foundation's commitment to giving back, the challenges athletes face, and the excitement surrounding upcoming events like Kona. The episode emphasizes the value of racing for a cause and supporting community-driven efforts. Also tune in for a special announcement and coaching offer from Be Fierce Multisport. Looking to level up your Triathlon Training? Let Jill and Be Fierce Multisport help you - sign up at http://www.befiercemultisport.com