{"podcast":{"title":"The Athlete's Compass","slug":"the-athlete-s-compass-6705232","podcast_index_feed_id":6705232,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/the-athletes-compass/","website_url":"https://athletica.ai/the-athletes-compass-podcast/","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/4dbd3845-ccb9-4e3d-b182-c607e86995df/E6BVQxOpbOH8MGosAXCNjhy4.jpg","author":"Athletica","episode_count":138,"summary":"The Athlete’s Compass Podcast is your compass for navigating endurance training and health. In this show, we explore the cardinal directions of training, nutrition, recovery, and mindset, delving into the dynamic relationship that drives athletic success. Athletes are more than numbers; they're individuals with unique lifestyles and mindset challenges. Coaches who understand these personal nuances play a vital role in their athletes' journey. While training details and data are important, tools like Athletica provide a solution to streamline the technicalities, allowing coaches to focus on the human connection which makes the human coaches the best they can be. Each week, renowned sports scientist and researcher Paul Laursen will be our teacher and guide as we break down training principles so you can understand how best to train for your sport! We take a no-bullshit and practical approach to support age-groupers, masters, and everyday cyclists, runners, and triathletes like you as you find your direction as an athlete. The hosts are Paul Laursen, sports scientist and founder of the Athletica.ai training platform, Marjana Rakai, coach, sports scientist, and triathlete, and Paul Wa…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-24T08:21:02.703077+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-athlete-s-compass-6705232"},"episode":{"title":"Can You Be a Mom, Work Full-Time, and Train for an Ironman? with Dr. Iris Nafshi","slug":"can-you-be-a-mom-work-full-time-and-train-for-an-ironman-with-dr-iris-nafshi","published_at":"2026-06-11T19:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-athlete-s-compass-6705232/can-you-be-a-mom-work-full-time-and-train-for-an-ironman-with-dr-iris-nafshi","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-athlete-s-compass-6705232","url":"https://athletica.ai/the-athletes-compass-podcast/can-you-be-a-mom-work-full-time-and-train-for-an-ironman-with-dr-iris-nafshi","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/fe422074-b003-4d40-b90c-5e192b51b3b7.mp3","summary":"In this episode of The Athletes Compass Podcast , Dr. Iris Nafshi joins the team to discuss her research on “Iron Moms,” endurance athletes who train for Ironman while navigating motherhood, work, family expectations, and guilt. Drawing from her PhD dissertation, Beyond Grit and Guilt , Iris explains that athletic identity does not compete with maternal identity; it can expand it. The conversation explores how moms persist through complex schedules, emotional pressure, limited support, and societal expectations by reframing guilt, building systems, practicing self-compassion, and embracing the mindset that “something is better than nothing.” Key Takeaways Athletic identity and maternal identity do not have to be separate or competing roles. “Balance” may be the wrong word; integration and seasons of focus are more realistic. Mom guilt often comes from societal expectations that mothers should be endlessly selfless. Many Iron Moms reframe training as role modeling strength, commitment, and self-respect for their children. Grit helps athletes start, but it is not enough to sustain long-term training through real life. Iris adds self-compassion to the HERO framework — hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism — creating “SHIRO.” Support systems matter. As Iris says, nobody does Ironman alone. Flexibility is essential: shortening a workout, moving it, or doing something imperfectly is often better than skipping entirely. “Something is better than nothing” becomes a powerful mindset for training, work, creativity, and life. Children are watching, and they often notice the dreams parents pursue — and the ones they give up. Dr. Iris Nafshi Paul Warloski - Simple Endurance Coaching Marjaana Rakai | Nordic Performance Lab","meta_description":"In this episode of The Athletes Compass Podcast , Dr. Iris Nafshi joins the team to discuss her research on “Iron Moms,” endurance athletes who train for…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3441,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-athlete-s-compass-6705232/episodes/can-you-be-a-mom-work-full-time-and-train-for-an-ironman-with-dr-iris-nafshi/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-athlete-s-compass-6705232/can-you-be-a-mom-work-full-time-and-train-for-an-ironman-with-dr-iris-nafshi.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}