How to Prevent Triathlon Injuries (And Recover When They Happen) with guest DPT Steph Peterson
Injuries are part of almost every endurance athlete's journey—but they don't have to define it. In this episode, Coach Jill Bartholomew sits down with physical therapist, triathlon coach, bike fitter, and longtime endurance athlete Dr. Steph Peterson to talk about preventing injuries, recovering from setbacks, and returning to training stronger. Steph shares her own experiences battling stress fractures, ankle injuries, underfueling, and navigating different seasons of life while balancing racing, coaching, physical therapy, and entrepreneurship. Together they discuss: • The biggest causes of endurance sport injuries • How to recognize the difference between soreness and real injury • Why many athletes are unknowingly underfueling • Strength training that actually helps prevent injuries • The role of bike fit in staying healthy • How coaches use training metrics without becoming slaves to them • Recovering mentally after disappointing races • Building resilience through every season of life Whether you're training for your first sprint triathlon, a marathon, Dopey Challenge, or your next IRONMAN®, this conversation is packed with practical advice to help you stay healthy and keep moving forward.
Have you ever wondered whether that lingering ache is just soreness—or the beginning of a real injury?
In this episode of the Be Fierce & Tri Podcast, Coach Jill Bartholomew is joined by physical therapist, triathlon coach, bike fitter, and fellow endurance athlete Dr. Steph Peterson for an honest conversation about injuries, recovery, and staying healthy for the long haul.
Steph shares her personal journey through stress fractures, underfueling, ankle injuries, and balancing triathlon through every season of life—from junior elite racing to motherhood, coaching, and opening her own physical therapy practice.
Together, Jill and Steph discuss what endurance athletes can do to reduce their injury risk, recognize warning signs before they become major setbacks, and build a training routine that supports long-term success.
In this episode you'll learn:
- Why injuries happen—even to experienced athletes
- The difference between soreness and pain that shouldn't be ignored
- Why underfueling is still one of the biggest mistakes endurance athletes make
- How strength training helps prevent common triathlon injuries
- The importance of proper bike fit and when it's time for a refit
- How HRV and other training metrics should (and shouldn't) guide training
- The mental side of recovering from injury and disappointing race performances
- Practical strategies to stay healthy while training for marathons, IRONMAN®, 70.3, and other endurance events
Whether you're training for your first sprint triathlon, your next marathon, the Dopey Challenge, or chasing a personal best at IRONMAN, this episode is packed with practical advice you can start applying immediately.
About Steph Peterson
Dr. Steph Peterson is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, endurance coach, professional bike fitter, and longtime triathlete. She works with endurance athletes to help them recover from injuries, optimize movement, and return to racing stronger than ever.
If you are training for a Triathlon or Run event of any distance from your first 10k to your first full IRONMAN and beyond, connect with Jill to talk about how to take your performance to the next level! Jill is the Head Coach and owner of Be Fierce Multisport is a full time, professional coach and works with athletes of all skill levels.
We also specialize in training for runDisney race, as Jill is an avid runDisney fan with 7 Dopey finishes and nearly 100 Disney races under her legs - she knows the courses and how to train for them!
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