Pro triathlete Carolyn Olsen breaks down her 4th place finish at Ironman Maryland: the choppy swim, 112 miles on a mantra, and the mile 22 moment her body started shutting down.

Carolyn joins Coach Jill Bartholomew on The Be Fierce & Tri Podcast to share what it really takes to race a full Ironman as a pro. It was her third full-distance race of the year after four years away from the distance, and she raced with no support crew. She finished in 9:22 with bike and run PRs.

In this episode:
• What the Ironman Maryland swim and bike course are really like
• The mental coaching trick that kept her neutral for 112 miles
• How to push through cramping late in the marathon
• Cooling strategies for hot races
• Road safety for triathletes and cyclists
• Advice for anyone considering Maryland as a first Ironman

⏱️ CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro: The results say fourth
0:48 Meet Carolyn Olsen
8:11 The Ironman Maryland swim
16:37 The bike
20:31 "The grass is green, the sky is blue"
24:37 The run
27:25 Mile 22: when her body started shutting down
32:55 Fueling and cooling on hot courses
36:46 The accident on the bike course
37:38 Road safety for triathletes
40:51 Everyone's on a hero's journey
42:55 Advice for new long-course athletes
46:08 Race kit shadow boxes and wrap-up

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