October 23, 2025 • 40 mins
Have you ever wondered if you’re too old, too slow, or too new to try a triathlon? Think again. In this inspiring episode of the Find Your Edge Podcast, Coach Chris Newport sits down with Hilary Topper—author, coach, and triathlete who started her journey at 53.
Hilary shares her path from never stepping foot in a gym (and not knowing how to start a treadmill!) to writing her second book on triathlon: Unlocking the Triathlon: The Beginner’s Guide to Competing in a Triathlon. Together, we explore:
- The inclusive spirit of triathlon—why it truly is a sport for every body
- Overcoming injuries, burnout, and self-doubt
- How community and friendship make all the difference
- Simple tips for new triathletes (including why you don’t need fancy gear to start)
🎁 Bonus: Chris is giving away one free month of group triathlon training (a $99 value) to the first three listeners who send proof of purchase of Hilary’s book!
👉 Don’t miss this mix of inspiration, laughs, and practical tips for your next race.
🥗💪🏃♀️ The 28-Day Nutrition Gut Reset is designed for active people and athletes who want better digestion, steadier energy, and stronger recovery heading into the new year. You’ll get expert guidance, simple structure, and live support three times per week. We start January 1st. Enrollment is limited and closes January 5th. Learn more at theenduranceedge.com/reset.
🎧 Thanks for tuning in to the Find Your Edge Podcast! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, subscribe, and leave us a review — it helps more athletes like you find the show. 💪✨
📚 Download our free resources:
- 🥗 Guide to High Performance Healthy Eating
- 🏊♀️ 6 Steps to Triathlon Success: Free Guide
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🌐 Find us here: TheEnduranceEdge.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (01:01):
All right.
Welcome back to the Find YourEdge podcast.
I am your host, Coach ChrisNewport, and today I have
Hillary Topper here, anacclaimed author, Trathly.
I cannot wait to get into thisconversation.
So welcome to the show, Hillary.
SPEAKER_03 (01:16):
Thank you so much, Chris, for having me.
SPEAKER_00 (01:18):
Yes.
So you just came out with a newbook.
So let's brag on it.
First of all, like hold it up,show it off.
Because this thing.
Look at that guy.
So unlocking the Bible.
Right?
Yes.
Unlocking the triathon.
But honestly, so she sent me thePDF version.
It's a really easy read.
(01:39):
It might look intimidating bythe size of it.
Uh 353 pages, I think,officially.
Yeah, which is awesome.
Uh, but I'm definitely sendingthis to all of my friends who
are thinking about Triathon.
So, and this is your fourthbook, right?
SPEAKER_03 (01:54):
Yeah, this is my fourth book.
My first two um were focused onsocial media.
You know, I had a publicrelations firm for about 30
years.
That's kind of how it all liketranspired.
Do you want me to just get likeright into it?
SPEAKER_00 (02:10):
Oh, yes.
So, yes, take it away.
SPEAKER_03 (02:12):
So, so I had a public relations firm for over
30 years, and I guess aboutmaybe 10 years ago, I started
feeling like I was working mybutt off to feed my staff, you
know, to feed my family, to feedmy feed my parents at the time,
(02:33):
you know, they were alive.
And it was just like, it wasjust too much.
Like I just, I couldn't, I I gotto the point where I was like,
you know what?
Enough is enough.
The clients were calling, blah,blah, blah.
You know, they want this, youknow, it's never not nothing is
ever good enough, right?
Like when you're working in thepublic relations field.
You get them in the New YorkTimes, and then they're like,
(02:55):
oh, what did you do for melately?
That's not good enough.
I want to be on Good MorningAmerica or whatever, right?
So anyway, so at that point, Isaid, you know what?
I'm getting heavy.
I'm I gained a lot of weight.
I decided to join a gym for thefirst time in my life.
And I joined a gym, a New Yorksports club.
(03:18):
And the I hired a personaltrainer, and the trainer said to
me, Go warm up on the treadmill.
Well, little did he know that Inever was in a gym before, so I
didn't know how to use thetreadmill.
So I asked this woman next to mewho's running, and she's like
sweating, drip, dripping sweat.
And she says to me, you know, Isaid to her, Could you help me?
(03:42):
And she stopped what she wasdoing.
She did help me, which wasreally super nice.
I mean, now I would never, butat the time I had no idea what
the protocol was, what wasright, what was wrong, you know,
how I anyway, so I started, um,you know, that was really my
first time on a treadmill.
(04:02):
And I started to slowly run alittle bit on the treadmill, and
eventually I decided to take itoutside.
And in the meantime, I meet thiswoman from a woman's group, and
she says to me, you know, welike we're all in like the PTA
and all this guy.
And she said to me, Oh, you're arunner.
Oh, let's run together.
(04:23):
She had just run the New YorkCity Marathon.
And I was like, I don't know.
I don't think you're gonna wantto run with me.
I'm a beginner.
I really, I don't even know whatI'm doing.
She's like, Don't worry, we'llbe fine.
So we start running together onthe on the Long Beach boardwalk.
It's about a 2.1 mile in eachdirection, so it's like 4.2.
(04:43):
And we start to do that once aweek.
And I guess about a month or twointo this, she says to me, let's
go run a half marathon.
And I said, A half marathon?
I I can't even run four miles,you know.
I'm dying over here.
So anyway, um, you know, so westarted, we we we we did our
(05:04):
first 5k together, our 10ktogether, and then we've
eventually did the halfmarathon.
But it wasn't until I guess wewere doing all of these race
cations together, me and thiswoman, and she said to me, um,
at some point during theBrooklyn half marathon, I don't
(05:25):
want to do this anymore.
I'm done with running events.
This is too long, it's too much,I don't want to do it.
So I said to her, I had justbeen to Fort Myers, Sanibel.
I was one of the original GoogleGlass Explorers.
It was like an augmentedreality, kind of like the
metaglasses that they havetoday, but it was Google.
(05:47):
And anyway, so I go to um FortMyers, Sanibel, and the tourism
woman says to me, Oh, you've gotto try this triathlon.
You're a runner?
Oh, you would love this.
So I I tell my friends, oh,there's a triathlon in Captiva,
and let's do it, you know, itshould be really fun.
(06:10):
Little did I know, I had tolearn how to swim and ride a
bike, and I barely knew how torun.
So it was all a learning curvefor me, you know.
I'm the type of person thatthroughout my whole entire life,
I never did anything athleticuntil the last, you know, 10, 12
years.
(06:30):
That was it.
Like nothing.
So this was completely new.
And I started buying all thesebooks.
This is what led me to this.
I started buying all these bookson triathlon and how to do a
triathlon and you know, zonesand what it all means, and you
know, how to buy a bike and all.
And I went out and I bought allthese books and I'm reading
(06:53):
them, and I have absolutely noclue what they mean.
Like I, it's just totally overmy head.
I'm saying to myself, there'sgotta be a book out there that's
easy to understand, that anybodycould understand, and you know,
and that's what led me to thisbook.
SPEAKER_00 (07:11):
That's amazing.
What what a phenomenal journey.
And I love that you said that,you know, uh and sort of backing
up a little bit, you you didn'thave a history in sport, you
literally didn't know how tooperate a treadmill, and then
suddenly it's almost like thisfriend came along and identified
you as a runner, and then it waslike, whoa, and then here you
(07:34):
are, like becoming a runner, andthen you sort of get tagged into
this traffete.
Now you're gonna do a traphon.
So, like, how where do you feellike this whole identity or
perhaps lack thereof played intothis journey?
SPEAKER_03 (07:51):
Well, at first, when I started to do this, I, you
know, you have that um, I forgetwhat it's called, like where
you, you know, where you dosomething, but you're you're
like an imposter, like you'rereally, you know, you don't
belong here, right?
But when I did my firsttriathlon in Captiva, I actually
(08:15):
felt like I did belong.
Like I loved it so much.
It was like for me, it was justthe best experience.
And then I like signed up foranother triathlon right away.
You know, that's how much Iloved it.
And then that first year, likeright after that, that first
(08:35):
year, I signed up for so manyback to back to back to back
because I just couldn't getenough of it.
Um, what I loved most was thateverybody's welcome.
You know, and you don't, and itdoesn't matter how old you are.
I started triathlons at 53.
(08:55):
You know, I'm 64 now.
I mean, it's not like, you know,and I'm still doing them.
I just saw an 85 I just met an85-year-old woman at an Alpha
Wynn triathlon in Hudson Valley.
She was incredible.
(09:17):
She had an I mean, she just wasincredible.
And it just motivated me,thinking, wow, if she could do
this, I could do this too.
And that's kind of what I mygoal here is.
If I could do this, you could dothis, you know, anybody could do
this.
I mean, I was somebody, youknow, my first book, From Couch
(09:39):
Potato to Endurance Athlete,it's it's the subtitle is
non-athletic triathlete, right?
I never thought I was athletic.
I was never, that wasn't me.
But there's something about thislifestyle that just you know
grabbed me.
It resonated.
SPEAKER_00 (09:59):
Yeah, that's so cool.
And I what I'm gleaning fromthis is that while I think a lot
of people can be intimidated bymulti-sport or endurance sports
in general, and sort of goingback to that identity piece is
that um a lot of it is a storythat we're telling ourselves.
Like, oh, triathlon is notwelcoming.
(10:20):
Like, no, make yourself fit.
Like, if it brings you joy, ifit's brings you a challenge, if
it's uh something different todo something for your health, do
it.
SPEAKER_03 (10:34):
Absolutely, you know.
I was watching the Jones BeachIron Man a couple of weeks back,
and I was just like, you know, Iwas with my running group.
We run, we go out every Sunday,and I was talking to them, and I
said, look at this, you see,everybody has a different body
shape.
Body shape, age, color,anything.
(10:58):
Like everything is accepted inthis sport, and that's one of
the reasons why I love it somuch.
Because you could, you know, youcould be an 85-year-old woman,
you could be a 300 pounds man,you know.
I mean, it doesn't matter aslong as you're out there and
having fun, everybody acceptseach other, you know.
(11:20):
It's not like, oh, you don'tbelong here, you know.
SPEAKER_00 (11:24):
Yes, which um when you first held up the book, so
she's gonna hold it up again.
There's a there's a bookmarkedpage because I I wanted her to
read a certain quote that Iloved out of it, which is
exactly what you're talkingabout.
So do you mind?
SPEAKER_03 (11:42):
So, yeah, so um, so after each chapter, I have these
quick tips.
And um, in the chapter where Italk about every shape, every
size, embracing diversity intriathlon, I say embrace who you
are.
No matter if you're overweightor underweight, you belong here.
They're all body types intriathlon.
(12:04):
Don't be ashamed or embarrassed.
We are one big family, and I Ireally feel like that's true.
SPEAKER_00 (12:09):
Yeah.
That just like gave me the warmfuzzies.
SPEAKER_03 (12:12):
I love it, you know, because it just you don't have
to be the fastest and thegreatest, you know.
It's just okay to be out there.
And even if you come in lastplace, like so what?
Other people are sitting on thecouch.
SPEAKER_00 (12:28):
Yeah.
I mean, this is a it's no smallfeat to do a travel.
I think there needs to be alevel of respect there, but to
your point, it doesn't matterwhat size or shape you are or
how old you are, you just haveto have the willingness to try,
right?
And just get out there.
(12:49):
Okay, so how long have you been?
How how long has it officiallybeen?
We're at the end of the season.
How long has it officially beensince you've been doing
draathlons?
SPEAKER_03 (12:57):
So it's just about almost 12 years.
Yeah.
You know, I got so into it.
Um, like you, I becamecertified, you know, in USA
Trathlon and USMS swim coach andRRCA run coach and you wow's a
(13:17):
open water coach.
You know, I just like keepgetting these certifications
because I love it so much.
And it's just something that Iwant to know as much as I can.
And there's always somethingnew.
SPEAKER_00 (13:31):
Yes, I that's also what I love about it.
The challenge of how many, howmany different variables there
are, and how our physiology isall just so unique, and how what
one thing, how one thing maywork for some people doesn't
necessarily work for the others.
So it's like the endless problemsolving things.
(13:52):
That's what I love about it.
SPEAKER_01 (13:53):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (13:54):
So but it can all be fun.
SPEAKER_03 (13:57):
It can all be fun, and it's also to me, it's life,
you know, because things gowrong in life, right?
Like that, that I think I talkedabout that in this book as well.
I think I talked about it, Iknow, in my From Couch Potato
book, how things happen, youknow, spontaneous.
I mean, just things just happenand you you have no control over
(14:19):
it.
And and you have to accept thatbecause sometimes you don't have
control.
So focus on what you cancontrol.
Like that's what I really wantpeople to take away from this.
SPEAKER_00 (14:31):
Which speaking of things you can't control, I
think you had a somewhat recentor you you definitely got
injured at some point.
Was this recent or not recent?
SPEAKER_02 (14:40):
I've got I've had so many injuries.
SPEAKER_00 (14:42):
Yes.
So talk about that because do weall have to like be in perfect
health to do multi-sport or justendurance sports in in general
to have the lifestyle, right?
SPEAKER_03 (14:52):
You know, I I know people who had heart issues.
I mean, gosh, I have I have afriend who actually had a heart
attack on an Iron Man course.
Can you imagine this?
And he just kept going andcompleted the course.
And then after he found out hehad a heart attack, I mean I
think maybe that's not thesmartest thing.
(15:15):
I think, you know, if you haveto listen to your body and you
know, like those um thoseprofessionals uh at Kona, um uh
I forget their names, but thosethere were two women
professionals at Kona.
Yeah, Taylor Nib, two just whatyeah, yeah, they but they knew
their body, yeah.
They knew that it was taunt tostop.
SPEAKER_00 (15:37):
And I think I think there's a level of there is a
level of knowing where your whyis.
So why are you doing this?
And what does it mean to eitherstop or not stop?
Right?
Like what what what's the levelof uh maybe we call it
sacrifice?
(15:57):
I I don't I don't know, youknow, of when you listen to your
body enough to say this is notworth it for me to to finish.
And that uh, you know, so a DNFis not a failure in life.
SPEAKER_03 (16:11):
It's not a failure.
It was like I I thought it waswhen it first started, you know.
Oh, she got a DNF.
Oh, you know, I mean, really,she got out there, and she, you
know, if you can get out therefor the start line, you won.
Like every single piece of therace, you won.
And if you finish the race, wow,more power to you.
SPEAKER_00 (16:33):
Like, and it's the a testament to the fact that the
training is the journey, likethe whole just deciding that
you're going to do a triathloncan be the start of the journey.
Like, okay, I am willing tolearn the things about what the
heck is a driller, and I'mwilling to learn, yeah, be
(16:54):
vulnerable and put on a bathingsuit that maybe I haven't put on
in 20 years and wear this likereally weird cap and goggles
that makes me look like a bug,and being like, you know what?
I am okay with it, and here Iam.
I'm just gonna, I'm just gonnatry.
Like, let's just absolutelyyeah, yeah.
So cool.
What were some of your favoriteparts of writing the book, and
(17:18):
maybe not so favorite parts ofwriting the book?
SPEAKER_03 (17:22):
I think that my favorite part was thinking about
what would make it easy forpeople to read and understand,
right?
Like that was, you know, and I Ithink that was my favorite part
because I I I'm like I'm likeyou, like I like to help people,
(17:44):
right?
So, and I and I want people tojust give it a try, you know.
I mean, you may love it, you maynot, but you know, if you love
it, great.
It's just something, it's agreat cross-training activity,
you know, to run uh especiallyfor runners, because a lot of
runners get into triathlon.
(18:05):
And there was one woman in thebook who I interviewed, um,
Jodie Robertson, she's aprofessional triathlete, and she
said that she was in the Olympictrials and she was doing like
almost, you know, I don't know,she said something crazy, like
120 or 140 miles a week ofrunning, and she was getting
(18:26):
injured all the time.
And then when she started doingtriathlon, she cut it down to
like 70 miles.
I mean, still 70 miles a week isa is a lot of miles, but you
know, I mean, and she said shewas getting injured less, which
I totally believe.
I mean, there's something aboutswimming.
(18:47):
Now, I was again not a swimmer.
I was I wasn't a runner, Iwasn't a cyclist, but I think
swimming for most is the hardestpart for me.
For some crazy reason, Iembraced it and and um I would
say that that's the thing that Ilove most about the sport is
(19:09):
swimming.
I actually just wrote an yetanother book.
It's at the publisher now, andit's uh it's specifically for
people to help them get in theopen water and feel comfortable
and all of that.
But um, you know, it just um Idon't know, I lost my train of
thought.
SPEAKER_00 (19:29):
I mean, it it's just it's a testament to the fact
that we just like love talkingabout the sport and want people
to get inspired and into it.
So I totally get that.
Okay, so now what's the hardpart about either writing a book
in general or specificallywriting about this topic?
SPEAKER_03 (19:48):
I think writing writing in general or even
writing about this topic, itdoesn't really make a
difference, but the editingprocess, you know, and just keep
going over and over and overeach and every paragraph and
sentence.
And yeah, yeah, it's a lot, youknow.
And then my first book, I stillhad my firm, my PR firm.
(20:08):
So I had an employee who washelping me, you know, with the
publicity and with, you know,marketing and stuff like that.
Now I'm like all by myself and Ihave to do this alone, and it's
like, oh my God, there's so muchto do, you know, and not enough
time.
And I'm gonna be travelingaround, you know, to different
locations.
Um, my first book, my firstendurance book from Catch
(20:31):
Potato, I was, you know, everymonth I was somewhere else.
I was like around the country.
I I just I went, I guess, as farwest as like Tennessee.
Um, you know, I did Chicago, youknow, and that, but I never like
went to California.
Like I just kind of stayed closeto New York.
This time I'm just I limited it.
(20:52):
Like um, I'm gonna be doing uhFlorida in February, Long
Island, obviously, because I'mhere.
I'm having a big kickoff eventon January 27th.
I'm going to Boston, Philly, umAustin, Texas, and Colorado.
(21:13):
You know, Colorado I found waslike a big hot spot for runners
and triathlons.
So, you know, that that madesense and it, you know, did
really well the last time I wentthere.
SPEAKER_00 (21:26):
Yes.
I mean, and you can't miss thescenery, right?
SPEAKER_03 (21:29):
Like gorgeous.
SPEAKER_00 (21:30):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (21:31):
Gorgeous.
My my cousin was like, okay, shelives there, which makes it, you
know, helpful.
And she said to me, Oh, let's goto Iron Springs.
You know, it's like thesenatural hot springs there.
I'm like, yeah, I mean.
SPEAKER_00 (21:45):
Yes, totally, totally.
That's awesome.
So, speaking of the multi-sportlifestyle, you're gonna be
traveling a lot.
And I'm sure there are peoplewho travel and they're like,
Well, I can't keep up with itbecause I, you know, may not
have access to a pool and I'mnot traveling with my bike, and
I may or may not have access toa bike in a hotel.
So talk about that a little bit.
(22:05):
Like, do we fail if we're ifwe're not swimming for a week?
We're off the trainer.
SPEAKER_03 (22:13):
You know, there are other things.
I mean, first of all, we allreally need to strength train.
I mean, especially as we getolder.
As we get older, you know, youlose muscle mass, and it's just
it's it's important, right?
So, you know, and maybe that'seven more important sometimes
than the actual endurance stuff.
(22:33):
I mean, just to to train and to,you know, get your muscles
strong.
So you could, there's usually agym at these places, and I
always, you know, bring like aband or two with me, you know.
You can always run.
And I what I do sometimes is Ilike juggle my schedule so that
I'll do like more um bikes andswims before I go, and then I
(22:58):
focus on running when I'm there.
You know what I mean?
So there's ways to juggle itaround.
I think the hardest part forpeople to get into the sport is
to figure out their schedule andhow they could fit it all in,
right?
Um, you know, for me, I I Ilearned pretty quick that
(23:19):
getting it in in the morning wasthe only time for me because
otherwise I I I can't I'm tootired in the afternoon.
There's just no way.
After work and everything,there's just no way I could do
it.
Now other people feel thatthey're invigorated after work
and they need like an outletjust to release, you know, and
(23:40):
that's okay.
So everybody's got their ownmethod to this madness.
For me, I just like I'll put allmy stuff out the night before so
that I have it, coffee's ready,get my clothes on, drink my
coffee, look at the socialmedia, see if anybody sent me
messages, and then I'm out thedoor.
(24:02):
You know, and I'm usually outthe door at like, you know,
depending on the time of year,you know, in the summer I'm out
the door by 4 35 o'clock.
In the winter, I'm out the door,you know, a little later because
of this, you know, the sun.
I mean, it's still dark when I'mout there, but yeah.
It's not, you know, it'sstarting to get light.
Yeah.
And then I see the beautifulsunrise, and it's like, oh this
(24:26):
energy is amazing.
SPEAKER_00 (24:27):
Yes, that is such a treat, uh, especially if uh 430
is giving anybody hives rightnow, you know, like it is lovely
to um to see that sunrise and tobe rewarded with that in in a
way.
And then I know you talked a lotabout like community and groups.
Are you out training withpeople?
(24:49):
Or are you just like one ofthose that I'm like, I'm just
doing it on my own, or is itmaybe a combination?
SPEAKER_03 (24:54):
It's a combination for me.
I do have a group that I trainwith, and I have my running
group, and then you know, whenwhen we go open water swimming,
there's always a spot we'rewe're so blessed, really.
We are so blessed living here onLong Island.
There's a spot at Tobey Beach,and you got to get there before
(25:15):
the beach opens because we allare not residents of this
particular community, but we getthere early, and there's always
somebody to swim with.
And even if you're swimmingalone, you're still out there
with people.
You know, it's not like you'realone, you're always with
somebody.
There's always somebody there,so it's nice, and you know, we
(25:37):
stop at the marina, everybody'schats, we stop at the Banza,
everybody chats, you know, soit's it's fun.
And then cycling, you know,sometimes I go, I have a uh a
cycling buddy, and you know, hegoes, he's much faster than I
am, so I kind of like start withhim and then say, okay, we'll
(25:57):
see you later.
SPEAKER_00 (26:00):
Yeah, and you talk about that a lot in the book in
terms of like community andfriends and finding people to
keep you engaged, because youknow, we're always thinking
about, at least I'm alwaysthinking about longevity.
How can we get people moving,whether it be swim, bike, run,
or just bike, or just run, orstrength train, or whatever.
How can we get people moving andget them social?
(26:23):
Yeah, so you know, I know someso many people are like, oh, I'm
introverted, I'd rather train bymyself.
Well, you know, let's do a funthing together.
SPEAKER_03 (26:31):
It definitely makes a difference.
Like even with my running group,you know, where we go very, very
slow, it's more of a socialgroup than anything.
It really is.
And we do the run walk.
So I've been I was trained by uhJeff Galloway.
He actually coached me for theNew York City Marathon, and then
(26:52):
I became a program director, andI was with that group for a
while before I got mycertification with Roadrunners
Club.
Anyway, so we do the run walktogether, and we always go out
this with the slowest person.
So no matter what.
I mean, and and the funny thingis, is that I've got people who
(27:13):
are running like seven-minutemile to uh 16-minute mile, and
we all run together, you know.
Somebody said, Oh, you runtogether, you know, like we're
gonna slow down.
Yeah, it doesn't hurt you toslow down.
And then after, we what we do iswe usually go out for breakfast,
and it's just a great way tolike end the week and relax.
(27:37):
And I'll tell you, I mean, Ifeel like my best friends are
friends that I met throughtriathlon training and through
running.
SPEAKER_00 (27:46):
I would have to 100% agree with that.
And you know, there are peoplethat I met when I first started
in the sport, and I still keepin touch with them, and they're
like my besties.
And there's just something aboutsharing a common value of health
and wellness that just makes itwork.
Oh, yeah.
And that, you know, it's likeTrahlon becomes your tribe.
(28:08):
And how cool is that that wehave people to lean on who
aren't sugarcoating anything,you know, we're doing hard
things, but also uh sometimeslife doesn't go the way we plan.
And there are injuries and thereare ups and downs, and there's
things to get through, andburnout, and all that kind of
stuff that those people arethere to support you.
SPEAKER_03 (28:30):
Absolutely, without a doubt.
Like after, you know, my sister,my sister had a brain aneurysm
um a few years ago, and it wastraumatic.
I mean, it was like one of thesehorror stories that you hear
about that you can't evenimagine that anybody's ever been
through, right?
Like she was in a she collapsed,she was in a coma for three
(28:52):
weeks, and then, you know, wentinto palatable care and she
passed away.
So during that time, I wascomplete, absolute, complete
mess.
I mean, here's my best friend,but the people in the group
really helped me to overcomethis.
I mean, not overcome, I'll neverovercome it because I'm always
thinking about her, but theyhelped me to get back to me.
(29:18):
You know, they were there forme.
And that was just amazing thatthey were there for me, you
know, and I always like ifsomebody my one of my friends in
the running group, her husbandjust had quadruple bypass
surgery, and she's like very,very upset.
I mean, obviously upset aboutthat, you know, and I've been
(29:40):
like bugging her like every day.
How you doing?
Can I help you with anything?
You know, I want to be there forher.
She was there for me, you know,like that.
Like that's the type of that'sthe kind of relationships that
you have with these people.
And it's just so incrediblyspecial.
And it's more special thanpeople that you've known all
(30:01):
your life, you know, like youjust you get this bond with them
that is very, very special.
SPEAKER_00 (30:09):
Yes, whether it's talking about supporting you
through the death of a loved oneor some sort of health crisis,
or on a lighter note, tellingthem that their bike shorts are
too thin to be appropriateanymore, right?
That's what I love about thecommunity is you've got that,
but like both ends of thespectrum, right?
Like bringing out the thesupportive and generous side of
(30:31):
people, but also like, you know,let's have a laugh every once in
a while.
SPEAKER_03 (30:37):
And believe me, there are things that you know
you just can't even believehappen.
You know, it just this is crazy.
Um I was training at Hofstra.
This I teach there.
Uh it's a university on LongIsland.
You know, I'm swimming along andI'm and all these lifeguards are
looking at me.
I'm like, what the f is goingon?
(30:59):
Why are they looking at me?
Like I'm thinking, oh, my strokemust be really good, or yeah, I
don't know what's going on,right?
And then I get to the turn, youknow, to the wall and I turn
around and I feel I feel likelike there's so much water on my
chest, my boob was like stickingout of my bathing suit.
(31:21):
I couldn't just stand.
I couldn't understand what wasgoing on.
And here I was like, oh, ofcourse.
SPEAKER_00 (31:27):
That you just made their day.
SPEAKER_03 (31:29):
I'm out of here.
I was like, I'm out of here.
I'm not coming back for a while.
SPEAKER_00 (31:33):
Hopefully they're that's yeah, yeah, you know, it
happens.
SPEAKER_02 (31:40):
Crazy, like you know, silly things like that.
SPEAKER_00 (31:43):
Oh, but I bet your group got a kick out of that.
Did you tell them that?
Oh my god.
SPEAKER_02 (31:47):
Oh, they loved it.
SPEAKER_00 (31:48):
That is so funny.
Oh, the things that happened tous.
That's amazing.
Okay, so now we talked about thefun and the warm side of
multi-sport, but then there'sthe part that maybe we don't
want to talk about so much.
Like what happens when you getburned out?
So, like when we came on thecall, we were talking about
like, oh, you know, I was gonnado this bike ride this morning.
(32:11):
So talk about that a little bitabout how you're feeling how
this season went, how you'refeeling, and and how may you
know, is this a normalexperience to have it it
actually is a normal experienceto have after a long season.
SPEAKER_03 (32:25):
I mean, uh my season started in May, and I had um
about a half a dozen thrathlons,and then I had two open water
events, one which went from FireIsland to Bayshore.
It was a 5.5 mile swim, and thenI did the Mackinac Island swim,
(32:46):
which is an 8.2 mile swim aroundto the island of Mackinac.
And it was it was a lot.
Like I went from that, then Iwent back to a triathlon, then I
got sick, like really sick, youknow, and it was like my body
saying, you know what, it's it,you know, you gotta slow down.
Um and the last couple of daysI've just been feeling like I am
(33:11):
so tired.
You know, yesterday I forcedmyself to go swimming, and I
just I wasn't really swimminglike I normally do, like I was
swimming much slower, and Icould tell that my body was just
saying, no, it's no.
And then today, you know, we hada little bit of misunderstanding
with the you know, with thetime, and I was gonna go out and
(33:35):
and um ride my bike, and youknow what?
I said, you know what, thisactually worked out for the best
because I didn't go out, Irested in the morning, which was
really nice.
I don't usually take thatopportunity to do that.
And yeah, you know, and youknow, I'm sure within the next
(33:55):
week or two.
I mean, I think the mostimportant thing once it's off
season is try to do somethingdifferent, you know.
Try to do something different.
Like, I love going skiing, youknow, that's something that I
just really enjoyed it, youknow, doing, or you know, just
do something that you weren'table to do during season, maybe
(34:16):
playing golf, or you know, stillbeautiful the weather, or
whatever.
Whatever it is that you like todo, just go to the gym three
times a week.
You know, you didn't get thatopportunity when you were
training, so yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (34:30):
I think that's a great tip for folks that you
don't have to keep up the samelevel of intensity, the same
level of structure that you doduring season in the off-season.
And oftentimes that makes youcome back fresher.
SPEAKER_03 (34:44):
Absolutely.
And it's actually nice like todo a race and not really have a
tunnel, or to go for a bike rideand not care that you're, you
know, that you're killing it onthe bike.
SPEAKER_00 (34:58):
I love uh oftentimes like pacing friends.
Like, hey, let's, you know, Iknow you said you want to do
your first 5k, like I'll runwith you.
Oh, but you're so much faster.
I'm like, nah, you set the pace.
I'll just talk you through itand keep you entertained.
SPEAKER_02 (35:13):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00 (35:13):
And it's so fun.
It's so fun.
SPEAKER_02 (35:16):
Yeah, it is fun.
SPEAKER_00 (35:17):
Yeah, that's so awesome.
All right, so Hilary Topper,what are two or three things
that you feel like you wantfolks who are listening to this
to walk away with tied intowhether it be your book or
whatever else to get intomulti-sport?
SPEAKER_03 (35:35):
Yeah, well, the first thing is don't get down on
yourself because you're notathletic, right?
Like just start to do something,and it'll make you feel better
mentally and physically.
And the thing about just gettingout there and doing something is
(35:56):
that it really clears your head,and that's huge, right?
So I would say that would be thestart.
You know, don't worry about yourbody type, don't worry if you're
overweight or underweight or oldor young or whatever, you know,
just go out there and do it.
And I would say the other thingis make sure if you if you do
(36:18):
your first triathlon, don't belike me and buy expensive
equipment.
Go just borrow, borrowsomething.
Gwen Gorgensen borrowed hermother's bike, and it was like a
used mountain bike she did forher first triathlon.
I mean, just borrow a bike.
(36:39):
My my training buddy he rode umhis bike, he borrowed a mountain
bike from a friend.
The seat was like half chewedoff by the dog.
I mean, the pl the bike was adisaster, but yet I'll tell you,
I'm on a tri-bike, and he was onthat mountain bike, and he
kicked my butt during that.
(37:00):
I hate to admit it, but he did.
SPEAKER_00 (37:03):
That's so awesome.
SPEAKER_03 (37:04):
Hey hell! I'm like, go and f yourself.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (37:13):
Oh my gosh, that's amazing.
So get out there, no matterwhat, just start doing
something.
Borrow instead of buy.
Any other anything else that youwant to leave folks with to
encourage them?
SPEAKER_03 (37:25):
You know, I don't think some people do this to try
to lose weight.
That's not really the right.
It's not really where you'regonna I mean you will lose
weight, but it you gotta watchwhat you eat.
You know, that's really thebottom line here.
Um, and I do have um StacyBlankett, she's a nutritionist,
(37:49):
she gave me like a a whole liketraining plan that's in the
book.
Um you know, and just do it,just get out there and have fun
and and don't don't worry aboutwhat other people think.
You know, I always find like I,you know, for years I felt that
(38:10):
way.
Like, oh, you know, I'm not goodenough, blah blah blah blah
blah.
No, you're good enough, youcould do this, you've got this.
And I guess the last thing is ifI could do this, you could do
this too.
SPEAKER_00 (38:22):
So good.
I love those uh final words.
Um, so I have a present forfolks.
If they buy your book forthrough the first three people
to buy their book, and you sendme a screenshot, I will give
them a one-month free grouptriathlon training.
Um, so$99 value.
(38:44):
So uh send me a screenshot ofthat.
I would because you guys got toget this book.
This is such a great way to getyour feet wet to understand some
of the more complicated languageand to just get people moving.
So I believe in the book somuch.
I think it's great.
And then um, hopefully they wecan add to the community
(39:05):
experience if they are in theNorth Carolina area.
Um, if you're not, uh send me ascreenshot anyway.
I'll send you, I'll send yousomething else.
So yeah, I got lots of tricks upmy sleeve.
SPEAKER_02 (39:17):
So that's wonderful.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_00 (39:21):
Awesome, Hillary.
Well, thank you again for comingon the Finder Your Edge podcast.
And how can people reach you orbuy the book?
SPEAKER_03 (39:28):
Um, so they could buy the book, Unlocking the
Triathlon, the beginner's guideto competing in a triathlon.
And this book is available onBonds and Noble.
It's available on Amazon, or ifyou go into your local
bookstore, ask for it.
They can get you a copy of it.
(39:49):
And you could reach me, I guess,on Instagram um at Hilary
Topper, and that's Hillary withone L.
So it's H I L A R Y Topper T O PP E R.
So good.
Awesome.
SPEAKER_00 (40:02):
Hilary, thanks again for coming on the Find Your Ed
podcast.
Thank you so much.
All right.
Welcome back to the Find YourEdge podcast.
I am your host, Coach ChrisNewport, and today I have
Hillary Topper here, anacclaimed author, Trathly.
I cannot wait to get into thisconversation.
So welcome to the show, Hillary.
SPEAKER_03 (01:16):
Thank you so much, Chris, for having me.
SPEAKER_00 (01:18):
Yes.
So you just came out with a newbook.
So let's brag on it.
First of all, like hold it up,show it off.
Because this thing.
Look at that guy.
So unlocking the Bible.
Right?
Yes.
Unlocking the triathon.
But honestly, so she sent me thePDF version.
It's a really easy read.
(01:39):
It might look intimidating bythe size of it.
Uh 353 pages, I think,officially.
Yeah, which is awesome.
Uh, but I'm definitely sendingthis to all of my friends who
are thinking about Triathon.
So, and this is your fourthbook, right?
SPEAKER_03 (01:54):
Yeah, this is my fourth book.
My first two um were focused onsocial media.
You know, I had a publicrelations firm for about 30
years.
That's kind of how it all liketranspired.
Do you want me to just get likeright into it?
SPEAKER_00 (02:10):
Oh, yes.
So, yes, take it away.
SPEAKER_03 (02:12):
So, so I had a public relations firm for over
30 years, and I guess aboutmaybe 10 years ago, I started
feeling like I was working mybutt off to feed my staff, you
know, to feed my family, to feedmy feed my parents at the time,
(02:33):
you know, they were alive.
And it was just like, it wasjust too much.
Like I just, I couldn't, I I gotto the point where I was like,
you know what?
Enough is enough.
The clients were calling, blah,blah, blah.
You know, they want this, youknow, it's never not nothing is
ever good enough, right?
Like when you're working in thepublic relations field.
You get them in the New YorkTimes, and then they're like,
(02:55):
oh, what did you do for melately?
That's not good enough.
I want to be on Good MorningAmerica or whatever, right?
So anyway, so at that point, Isaid, you know what?
I'm getting heavy.
I'm I gained a lot of weight.
I decided to join a gym for thefirst time in my life.
And I joined a gym, a New Yorksports club.
(03:18):
And the I hired a personaltrainer, and the trainer said to
me, Go warm up on the treadmill.
Well, little did he know that Inever was in a gym before, so I
didn't know how to use thetreadmill.
So I asked this woman next to mewho's running, and she's like
sweating, drip, dripping sweat.
And she says to me, you know, Isaid to her, Could you help me?
(03:42):
And she stopped what she wasdoing.
She did help me, which wasreally super nice.
I mean, now I would never, butat the time I had no idea what
the protocol was, what wasright, what was wrong, you know,
how I anyway, so I started, um,you know, that was really my
first time on a treadmill.
(04:02):
And I started to slowly run alittle bit on the treadmill, and
eventually I decided to take itoutside.
And in the meantime, I meet thiswoman from a woman's group, and
she says to me, you know, welike we're all in like the PTA
and all this guy.
And she said to me, Oh, you're arunner.
Oh, let's run together.
(04:23):
She had just run the New YorkCity Marathon.
And I was like, I don't know.
I don't think you're gonna wantto run with me.
I'm a beginner.
I really, I don't even know whatI'm doing.
She's like, Don't worry, we'llbe fine.
So we start running together onthe on the Long Beach boardwalk.
It's about a 2.1 mile in eachdirection, so it's like 4.2.
(04:43):
And we start to do that once aweek.
And I guess about a month or twointo this, she says to me, let's
go run a half marathon.
And I said, A half marathon?
I I can't even run four miles,you know.
I'm dying over here.
So anyway, um, you know, so westarted, we we we we did our
(05:04):
first 5k together, our 10ktogether, and then we've
eventually did the halfmarathon.
But it wasn't until I guess wewere doing all of these race
cations together, me and thiswoman, and she said to me, um,
at some point during theBrooklyn half marathon, I don't
(05:25):
want to do this anymore.
I'm done with running events.
This is too long, it's too much,I don't want to do it.
So I said to her, I had justbeen to Fort Myers, Sanibel.
I was one of the original GoogleGlass Explorers.
It was like an augmentedreality, kind of like the
metaglasses that they havetoday, but it was Google.
(05:47):
And anyway, so I go to um FortMyers, Sanibel, and the tourism
woman says to me, Oh, you've gotto try this triathlon.
You're a runner?
Oh, you would love this.
So I I tell my friends, oh,there's a triathlon in Captiva,
and let's do it, you know, itshould be really fun.
(06:10):
Little did I know, I had tolearn how to swim and ride a
bike, and I barely knew how torun.
So it was all a learning curvefor me, you know.
I'm the type of person thatthroughout my whole entire life,
I never did anything athleticuntil the last, you know, 10, 12
years.
(06:30):
That was it.
Like nothing.
So this was completely new.
And I started buying all thesebooks.
This is what led me to this.
I started buying all these bookson triathlon and how to do a
triathlon and you know, zonesand what it all means, and you
know, how to buy a bike and all.
And I went out and I bought allthese books and I'm reading
(06:53):
them, and I have absolutely noclue what they mean.
Like I, it's just totally overmy head.
I'm saying to myself, there'sgotta be a book out there that's
easy to understand, that anybodycould understand, and you know,
and that's what led me to thisbook.
SPEAKER_00 (07:11):
That's amazing.
What what a phenomenal journey.
And I love that you said that,you know, uh and sort of backing
up a little bit, you you didn'thave a history in sport, you
literally didn't know how tooperate a treadmill, and then
suddenly it's almost like thisfriend came along and identified
you as a runner, and then it waslike, whoa, and then here you
(07:34):
are, like becoming a runner, andthen you sort of get tagged into
this traffete.
Now you're gonna do a traphon.
So, like, how where do you feellike this whole identity or
perhaps lack thereof played intothis journey?
SPEAKER_03 (07:51):
Well, at first, when I started to do this, I, you
know, you have that um, I forgetwhat it's called, like where
you, you know, where you dosomething, but you're you're
like an imposter, like you'rereally, you know, you don't
belong here, right?
But when I did my firsttriathlon in Captiva, I actually
(08:15):
felt like I did belong.
Like I loved it so much.
It was like for me, it was justthe best experience.
And then I like signed up foranother triathlon right away.
You know, that's how much Iloved it.
And then that first year, likeright after that, that first
(08:35):
year, I signed up for so manyback to back to back to back
because I just couldn't getenough of it.
Um, what I loved most was thateverybody's welcome.
You know, and you don't, and itdoesn't matter how old you are.
I started triathlons at 53.
(08:55):
You know, I'm 64 now.
I mean, it's not like, you know,and I'm still doing them.
I just saw an 85 I just met an85-year-old woman at an Alpha
Wynn triathlon in Hudson Valley.
She was incredible.
(09:17):
She had an I mean, she just wasincredible.
And it just motivated me,thinking, wow, if she could do
this, I could do this too.
And that's kind of what I mygoal here is.
If I could do this, you could dothis, you know, anybody could do
this.
I mean, I was somebody, youknow, my first book, From Couch
(09:39):
Potato to Endurance Athlete,it's it's the subtitle is
non-athletic triathlete, right?
I never thought I was athletic.
I was never, that wasn't me.
But there's something about thislifestyle that just you know
grabbed me.
It resonated.
SPEAKER_00 (09:59):
Yeah, that's so cool.
And I what I'm gleaning fromthis is that while I think a lot
of people can be intimidated bymulti-sport or endurance sports
in general, and sort of goingback to that identity piece is
that um a lot of it is a storythat we're telling ourselves.
Like, oh, triathlon is notwelcoming.
(10:20):
Like, no, make yourself fit.
Like, if it brings you joy, ifit's brings you a challenge, if
it's uh something different todo something for your health, do
it.
SPEAKER_03 (10:34):
Absolutely, you know.
I was watching the Jones BeachIron Man a couple of weeks back,
and I was just like, you know, Iwas with my running group.
We run, we go out every Sunday,and I was talking to them, and I
said, look at this, you see,everybody has a different body
shape.
Body shape, age, color,anything.
(10:58):
Like everything is accepted inthis sport, and that's one of
the reasons why I love it somuch.
Because you could, you know, youcould be an 85-year-old woman,
you could be a 300 pounds man,you know.
I mean, it doesn't matter aslong as you're out there and
having fun, everybody acceptseach other, you know.
(11:20):
It's not like, oh, you don'tbelong here, you know.
SPEAKER_00 (11:24):
Yes, which um when you first held up the book, so
she's gonna hold it up again.
There's a there's a bookmarkedpage because I I wanted her to
read a certain quote that Iloved out of it, which is
exactly what you're talkingabout.
So do you mind?
SPEAKER_03 (11:42):
So, yeah, so um, so after each chapter, I have these
quick tips.
And um, in the chapter where Italk about every shape, every
size, embracing diversity intriathlon, I say embrace who you
are.
No matter if you're overweightor underweight, you belong here.
They're all body types intriathlon.
(12:04):
Don't be ashamed or embarrassed.
We are one big family, and I Ireally feel like that's true.
SPEAKER_00 (12:09):
Yeah.
That just like gave me the warmfuzzies.
SPEAKER_03 (12:12):
I love it, you know, because it just you don't have
to be the fastest and thegreatest, you know.
It's just okay to be out there.
And even if you come in lastplace, like so what?
Other people are sitting on thecouch.
SPEAKER_00 (12:28):
Yeah.
I mean, this is a it's no smallfeat to do a travel.
I think there needs to be alevel of respect there, but to
your point, it doesn't matterwhat size or shape you are or
how old you are, you just haveto have the willingness to try,
right?
And just get out there.
(12:49):
Okay, so how long have you been?
How how long has it officiallybeen?
We're at the end of the season.
How long has it officially beensince you've been doing
draathlons?
SPEAKER_03 (12:57):
So it's just about almost 12 years.
Yeah.
You know, I got so into it.
Um, like you, I becamecertified, you know, in USA
Trathlon and USMS swim coach andRRCA run coach and you wow's a
(13:17):
open water coach.
You know, I just like keepgetting these certifications
because I love it so much.
And it's just something that Iwant to know as much as I can.
And there's always somethingnew.
SPEAKER_00 (13:31):
Yes, I that's also what I love about it.
The challenge of how many, howmany different variables there
are, and how our physiology isall just so unique, and how what
one thing, how one thing maywork for some people doesn't
necessarily work for the others.
So it's like the endless problemsolving things.
(13:52):
That's what I love about it.
SPEAKER_01 (13:53):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (13:54):
So but it can all be fun.
SPEAKER_03 (13:57):
It can all be fun, and it's also to me, it's life,
you know, because things gowrong in life, right?
Like that, that I think I talkedabout that in this book as well.
I think I talked about it, Iknow, in my From Couch Potato
book, how things happen, youknow, spontaneous.
I mean, just things just happenand you you have no control over
(14:19):
it.
And and you have to accept thatbecause sometimes you don't have
control.
So focus on what you cancontrol.
Like that's what I really wantpeople to take away from this.
SPEAKER_00 (14:31):
Which speaking of things you can't control, I
think you had a somewhat recentor you you definitely got
injured at some point.
Was this recent or not recent?
SPEAKER_02 (14:40):
I've got I've had so many injuries.
SPEAKER_00 (14:42):
Yes.
So talk about that because do weall have to like be in perfect
health to do multi-sport or justendurance sports in in general
to have the lifestyle, right?
SPEAKER_03 (14:52):
You know, I I know people who had heart issues.
I mean, gosh, I have I have afriend who actually had a heart
attack on an Iron Man course.
Can you imagine this?
And he just kept going andcompleted the course.
And then after he found out hehad a heart attack, I mean I
think maybe that's not thesmartest thing.
(15:15):
I think, you know, if you haveto listen to your body and you
know, like those um thoseprofessionals uh at Kona, um uh
I forget their names, but thosethere were two women
professionals at Kona.
Yeah, Taylor Nib, two just whatyeah, yeah, they but they knew
their body, yeah.
They knew that it was taunt tostop.
SPEAKER_00 (15:37):
And I think I think there's a level of there is a
level of knowing where your whyis.
So why are you doing this?
And what does it mean to eitherstop or not stop?
Right?
Like what what what's the levelof uh maybe we call it
sacrifice?
(15:57):
I I don't I don't know, youknow, of when you listen to your
body enough to say this is notworth it for me to to finish.
And that uh, you know, so a DNFis not a failure in life.
SPEAKER_03 (16:11):
It's not a failure.
It was like I I thought it waswhen it first started, you know.
Oh, she got a DNF.
Oh, you know, I mean, really,she got out there, and she, you
know, if you can get out therefor the start line, you won.
Like every single piece of therace, you won.
And if you finish the race, wow,more power to you.
SPEAKER_00 (16:33):
Like, and it's the a testament to the fact that the
training is the journey, likethe whole just deciding that
you're going to do a triathloncan be the start of the journey.
Like, okay, I am willing tolearn the things about what the
heck is a driller, and I'mwilling to learn, yeah, be
(16:54):
vulnerable and put on a bathingsuit that maybe I haven't put on
in 20 years and wear this likereally weird cap and goggles
that makes me look like a bug,and being like, you know what?
I am okay with it, and here Iam.
I'm just gonna, I'm just gonnatry.
Like, let's just absolutelyyeah, yeah.
So cool.
What were some of your favoriteparts of writing the book, and
(17:18):
maybe not so favorite parts ofwriting the book?
SPEAKER_03 (17:22):
I think that my favorite part was thinking about
what would make it easy forpeople to read and understand,
right?
Like that was, you know, and I Ithink that was my favorite part
because I I I'm like I'm likeyou, like I like to help people,
(17:44):
right?
So, and I and I want people tojust give it a try, you know.
I mean, you may love it, you maynot, but you know, if you love
it, great.
It's just something, it's agreat cross-training activity,
you know, to run uh especiallyfor runners, because a lot of
runners get into triathlon.
(18:05):
And there was one woman in thebook who I interviewed, um,
Jodie Robertson, she's aprofessional triathlete, and she
said that she was in the Olympictrials and she was doing like
almost, you know, I don't know,she said something crazy, like
120 or 140 miles a week ofrunning, and she was getting
(18:26):
injured all the time.
And then when she started doingtriathlon, she cut it down to
like 70 miles.
I mean, still 70 miles a week isa is a lot of miles, but you
know, I mean, and she said shewas getting injured less, which
I totally believe.
I mean, there's something aboutswimming.
(18:47):
Now, I was again not a swimmer.
I was I wasn't a runner, Iwasn't a cyclist, but I think
swimming for most is the hardestpart for me.
For some crazy reason, Iembraced it and and um I would
say that that's the thing that Ilove most about the sport is
(19:09):
swimming.
I actually just wrote an yetanother book.
It's at the publisher now, andit's uh it's specifically for
people to help them get in theopen water and feel comfortable
and all of that.
But um, you know, it just um Idon't know, I lost my train of
thought.
SPEAKER_00 (19:29):
I mean, it it's just it's a testament to the fact
that we just like love talkingabout the sport and want people
to get inspired and into it.
So I totally get that.
Okay, so now what's the hardpart about either writing a book
in general or specificallywriting about this topic?
SPEAKER_03 (19:48):
I think writing writing in general or even
writing about this topic, itdoesn't really make a
difference, but the editingprocess, you know, and just keep
going over and over and overeach and every paragraph and
sentence.
And yeah, yeah, it's a lot, youknow.
And then my first book, I stillhad my firm, my PR firm.
(20:08):
So I had an employee who washelping me, you know, with the
publicity and with, you know,marketing and stuff like that.
Now I'm like all by myself and Ihave to do this alone, and it's
like, oh my God, there's so muchto do, you know, and not enough
time.
And I'm gonna be travelingaround, you know, to different
locations.
Um, my first book, my firstendurance book from Catch
(20:31):
Potato, I was, you know, everymonth I was somewhere else.
I was like around the country.
I I just I went, I guess, as farwest as like Tennessee.
Um, you know, I did Chicago, youknow, and that, but I never like
went to California.
Like I just kind of stayed closeto New York.
This time I'm just I limited it.
(20:52):
Like um, I'm gonna be doing uhFlorida in February, Long
Island, obviously, because I'mhere.
I'm having a big kickoff eventon January 27th.
I'm going to Boston, Philly, umAustin, Texas, and Colorado.
(21:13):
You know, Colorado I found waslike a big hot spot for runners
and triathlons.
So, you know, that that madesense and it, you know, did
really well the last time I wentthere.
SPEAKER_00 (21:26):
Yes.
I mean, and you can't miss thescenery, right?
SPEAKER_03 (21:29):
Like gorgeous.
SPEAKER_00 (21:30):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (21:31):
Gorgeous.
My my cousin was like, okay, shelives there, which makes it, you
know, helpful.
And she said to me, Oh, let's goto Iron Springs.
You know, it's like thesenatural hot springs there.
I'm like, yeah, I mean.
SPEAKER_00 (21:45):
Yes, totally, totally.
That's awesome.
So, speaking of the multi-sportlifestyle, you're gonna be
traveling a lot.
And I'm sure there are peoplewho travel and they're like,
Well, I can't keep up with itbecause I, you know, may not
have access to a pool and I'mnot traveling with my bike, and
I may or may not have access toa bike in a hotel.
So talk about that a little bit.
(22:05):
Like, do we fail if we're ifwe're not swimming for a week?
We're off the trainer.
SPEAKER_03 (22:13):
You know, there are other things.
I mean, first of all, we allreally need to strength train.
I mean, especially as we getolder.
As we get older, you know, youlose muscle mass, and it's just
it's it's important, right?
So, you know, and maybe that'seven more important sometimes
than the actual endurance stuff.
(22:33):
I mean, just to to train and to,you know, get your muscles
strong.
So you could, there's usually agym at these places, and I
always, you know, bring like aband or two with me, you know.
You can always run.
And I what I do sometimes is Ilike juggle my schedule so that
I'll do like more um bikes andswims before I go, and then I
(22:58):
focus on running when I'm there.
You know what I mean?
So there's ways to juggle itaround.
I think the hardest part forpeople to get into the sport is
to figure out their schedule andhow they could fit it all in,
right?
Um, you know, for me, I I Ilearned pretty quick that
(23:19):
getting it in in the morning wasthe only time for me because
otherwise I I I can't I'm tootired in the afternoon.
There's just no way.
After work and everything,there's just no way I could do
it.
Now other people feel thatthey're invigorated after work
and they need like an outletjust to release, you know, and
(23:40):
that's okay.
So everybody's got their ownmethod to this madness.
For me, I just like I'll put allmy stuff out the night before so
that I have it, coffee's ready,get my clothes on, drink my
coffee, look at the socialmedia, see if anybody sent me
messages, and then I'm out thedoor.
(24:02):
You know, and I'm usually outthe door at like, you know,
depending on the time of year,you know, in the summer I'm out
the door by 4 35 o'clock.
In the winter, I'm out the door,you know, a little later because
of this, you know, the sun.
I mean, it's still dark when I'mout there, but yeah.
It's not, you know, it'sstarting to get light.
Yeah.
And then I see the beautifulsunrise, and it's like, oh this
(24:26):
energy is amazing.
SPEAKER_00 (24:27):
Yes, that is such a treat, uh, especially if uh 430
is giving anybody hives rightnow, you know, like it is lovely
to um to see that sunrise and tobe rewarded with that in in a
way.
And then I know you talked a lotabout like community and groups.
Are you out training withpeople?
(24:49):
Or are you just like one ofthose that I'm like, I'm just
doing it on my own, or is itmaybe a combination?
SPEAKER_03 (24:54):
It's a combination for me.
I do have a group that I trainwith, and I have my running
group, and then you know, whenwhen we go open water swimming,
there's always a spot we'rewe're so blessed, really.
We are so blessed living here onLong Island.
There's a spot at Tobey Beach,and you got to get there before
(25:15):
the beach opens because we allare not residents of this
particular community, but we getthere early, and there's always
somebody to swim with.
And even if you're swimmingalone, you're still out there
with people.
You know, it's not like you'realone, you're always with
somebody.
There's always somebody there,so it's nice, and you know, we
(25:37):
stop at the marina, everybody'schats, we stop at the Banza,
everybody chats, you know, soit's it's fun.
And then cycling, you know,sometimes I go, I have a uh a
cycling buddy, and you know, hegoes, he's much faster than I
am, so I kind of like start withhim and then say, okay, we'll
(25:57):
see you later.
SPEAKER_00 (26:00):
Yeah, and you talk about that a lot in the book in
terms of like community andfriends and finding people to
keep you engaged, because youknow, we're always thinking
about, at least I'm alwaysthinking about longevity.
How can we get people moving,whether it be swim, bike, run,
or just bike, or just run, orstrength train, or whatever.
How can we get people moving andget them social?
(26:23):
Yeah, so you know, I know someso many people are like, oh, I'm
introverted, I'd rather train bymyself.
Well, you know, let's do a funthing together.
SPEAKER_03 (26:31):
It definitely makes a difference.
Like even with my running group,you know, where we go very, very
slow, it's more of a socialgroup than anything.
It really is.
And we do the run walk.
So I've been I was trained by uhJeff Galloway.
He actually coached me for theNew York City Marathon, and then
(26:52):
I became a program director, andI was with that group for a
while before I got mycertification with Roadrunners
Club.
Anyway, so we do the run walktogether, and we always go out
this with the slowest person.
So no matter what.
I mean, and and the funny thingis, is that I've got people who
(27:13):
are running like seven-minutemile to uh 16-minute mile, and
we all run together, you know.
Somebody said, Oh, you runtogether, you know, like we're
gonna slow down.
Yeah, it doesn't hurt you toslow down.
And then after, we what we do iswe usually go out for breakfast,
and it's just a great way tolike end the week and relax.
(27:37):
And I'll tell you, I mean, Ifeel like my best friends are
friends that I met throughtriathlon training and through
running.
SPEAKER_00 (27:46):
I would have to 100% agree with that.
And you know, there are peoplethat I met when I first started
in the sport, and I still keepin touch with them, and they're
like my besties.
And there's just something aboutsharing a common value of health
and wellness that just makes itwork.
Oh, yeah.
And that, you know, it's likeTrahlon becomes your tribe.
(28:08):
And how cool is that that wehave people to lean on who
aren't sugarcoating anything,you know, we're doing hard
things, but also uh sometimeslife doesn't go the way we plan.
And there are injuries and thereare ups and downs, and there's
things to get through, andburnout, and all that kind of
stuff that those people arethere to support you.
SPEAKER_03 (28:30):
Absolutely, without a doubt.
Like after, you know, my sister,my sister had a brain aneurysm
um a few years ago, and it wastraumatic.
I mean, it was like one of thesehorror stories that you hear
about that you can't evenimagine that anybody's ever been
through, right?
Like she was in a she collapsed,she was in a coma for three
(28:52):
weeks, and then, you know, wentinto palatable care and she
passed away.
So during that time, I wascomplete, absolute, complete
mess.
I mean, here's my best friend,but the people in the group
really helped me to overcomethis.
I mean, not overcome, I'll neverovercome it because I'm always
thinking about her, but theyhelped me to get back to me.
(29:18):
You know, they were there forme.
And that was just amazing thatthey were there for me, you
know, and I always like ifsomebody my one of my friends in
the running group, her husbandjust had quadruple bypass
surgery, and she's like very,very upset.
I mean, obviously upset aboutthat, you know, and I've been
(29:40):
like bugging her like every day.
How you doing?
Can I help you with anything?
You know, I want to be there forher.
She was there for me, you know,like that.
Like that's the type of that'sthe kind of relationships that
you have with these people.
And it's just so incrediblyspecial.
And it's more special thanpeople that you've known all
(30:01):
your life, you know, like youjust you get this bond with them
that is very, very special.
SPEAKER_00 (30:09):
Yes, whether it's talking about supporting you
through the death of a loved oneor some sort of health crisis,
or on a lighter note, tellingthem that their bike shorts are
too thin to be appropriateanymore, right?
That's what I love about thecommunity is you've got that,
but like both ends of thespectrum, right?
Like bringing out the thesupportive and generous side of
(30:31):
people, but also like, you know,let's have a laugh every once in
a while.
SPEAKER_03 (30:37):
And believe me, there are things that you know
you just can't even believehappen.
You know, it just this is crazy.
Um I was training at Hofstra.
This I teach there.
Uh it's a university on LongIsland.
You know, I'm swimming along andI'm and all these lifeguards are
looking at me.
I'm like, what the f is goingon?
(30:59):
Why are they looking at me?
Like I'm thinking, oh, my strokemust be really good, or yeah, I
don't know what's going on,right?
And then I get to the turn, youknow, to the wall and I turn
around and I feel I feel likelike there's so much water on my
chest, my boob was like stickingout of my bathing suit.
(31:21):
I couldn't just stand.
I couldn't understand what wasgoing on.
And here I was like, oh, ofcourse.
SPEAKER_00 (31:27):
That you just made their day.
SPEAKER_03 (31:29):
I'm out of here.
I was like, I'm out of here.
I'm not coming back for a while.
SPEAKER_00 (31:33):
Hopefully they're that's yeah, yeah, you know, it
happens.
SPEAKER_02 (31:40):
Crazy, like you know, silly things like that.
SPEAKER_00 (31:43):
Oh, but I bet your group got a kick out of that.
Did you tell them that?
Oh my god.
SPEAKER_02 (31:47):
Oh, they loved it.
SPEAKER_00 (31:48):
That is so funny.
Oh, the things that happened tous.
That's amazing.
Okay, so now we talked about thefun and the warm side of
multi-sport, but then there'sthe part that maybe we don't
want to talk about so much.
Like what happens when you getburned out?
So, like when we came on thecall, we were talking about
like, oh, you know, I was gonnado this bike ride this morning.
(32:11):
So talk about that a little bitabout how you're feeling how
this season went, how you'refeeling, and and how may you
know, is this a normalexperience to have it it
actually is a normal experienceto have after a long season.
SPEAKER_03 (32:25):
I mean, uh my season started in May, and I had um
about a half a dozen thrathlons,and then I had two open water
events, one which went from FireIsland to Bayshore.
It was a 5.5 mile swim, and thenI did the Mackinac Island swim,
(32:46):
which is an 8.2 mile swim aroundto the island of Mackinac.
And it was it was a lot.
Like I went from that, then Iwent back to a triathlon, then I
got sick, like really sick, youknow, and it was like my body
saying, you know what, it's it,you know, you gotta slow down.
Um and the last couple of daysI've just been feeling like I am
(33:11):
so tired.
You know, yesterday I forcedmyself to go swimming, and I
just I wasn't really swimminglike I normally do, like I was
swimming much slower, and Icould tell that my body was just
saying, no, it's no.
And then today, you know, we hada little bit of misunderstanding
with the you know, with thetime, and I was gonna go out and
(33:35):
and um ride my bike, and youknow what?
I said, you know what, thisactually worked out for the best
because I didn't go out, Irested in the morning, which was
really nice.
I don't usually take thatopportunity to do that.
And yeah, you know, and youknow, I'm sure within the next
(33:55):
week or two.
I mean, I think the mostimportant thing once it's off
season is try to do somethingdifferent, you know.
Try to do something different.
Like, I love going skiing, youknow, that's something that I
just really enjoyed it, youknow, doing, or you know, just
do something that you weren'table to do during season, maybe
(34:16):
playing golf, or you know, stillbeautiful the weather, or
whatever.
Whatever it is that you like todo, just go to the gym three
times a week.
You know, you didn't get thatopportunity when you were
training, so yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (34:30):
I think that's a great tip for folks that you
don't have to keep up the samelevel of intensity, the same
level of structure that you doduring season in the off-season.
And oftentimes that makes youcome back fresher.
SPEAKER_03 (34:44):
Absolutely.
And it's actually nice like todo a race and not really have a
tunnel, or to go for a bike rideand not care that you're, you
know, that you're killing it onthe bike.
SPEAKER_00 (34:58):
I love uh oftentimes like pacing friends.
Like, hey, let's, you know, Iknow you said you want to do
your first 5k, like I'll runwith you.
Oh, but you're so much faster.
I'm like, nah, you set the pace.
I'll just talk you through itand keep you entertained.
SPEAKER_02 (35:13):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00 (35:13):
And it's so fun.
It's so fun.
SPEAKER_02 (35:16):
Yeah, it is fun.
SPEAKER_00 (35:17):
Yeah, that's so awesome.
All right, so Hilary Topper,what are two or three things
that you feel like you wantfolks who are listening to this
to walk away with tied intowhether it be your book or
whatever else to get intomulti-sport?
SPEAKER_03 (35:35):
Yeah, well, the first thing is don't get down on
yourself because you're notathletic, right?
Like just start to do something,and it'll make you feel better
mentally and physically.
And the thing about just gettingout there and doing something is
(35:56):
that it really clears your head,and that's huge, right?
So I would say that would be thestart.
You know, don't worry about yourbody type, don't worry if you're
overweight or underweight or oldor young or whatever, you know,
just go out there and do it.
And I would say the other thingis make sure if you if you do
(36:18):
your first triathlon, don't belike me and buy expensive
equipment.
Go just borrow, borrowsomething.
Gwen Gorgensen borrowed hermother's bike, and it was like a
used mountain bike she did forher first triathlon.
I mean, just borrow a bike.
(36:39):
My my training buddy he rode umhis bike, he borrowed a mountain
bike from a friend.
The seat was like half chewedoff by the dog.
I mean, the pl the bike was adisaster, but yet I'll tell you,
I'm on a tri-bike, and he was onthat mountain bike, and he
kicked my butt during that.
(37:00):
I hate to admit it, but he did.
SPEAKER_00 (37:03):
That's so awesome.
SPEAKER_03 (37:04):
Hey hell! I'm like, go and f yourself.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (37:13):
Oh my gosh, that's amazing.
So get out there, no matterwhat, just start doing
something.
Borrow instead of buy.
Any other anything else that youwant to leave folks with to
encourage them?
SPEAKER_03 (37:25):
You know, I don't think some people do this to try
to lose weight.
That's not really the right.
It's not really where you'regonna I mean you will lose
weight, but it you gotta watchwhat you eat.
You know, that's really thebottom line here.
Um, and I do have um StacyBlankett, she's a nutritionist,
(37:49):
she gave me like a a whole liketraining plan that's in the
book.
Um you know, and just do it,just get out there and have fun
and and don't don't worry aboutwhat other people think.
You know, I always find like I,you know, for years I felt that
(38:10):
way.
Like, oh, you know, I'm not goodenough, blah blah blah blah
blah.
No, you're good enough, youcould do this, you've got this.
And I guess the last thing is ifI could do this, you could do
this too.
SPEAKER_00 (38:22):
So good.
I love those uh final words.
Um, so I have a present forfolks.
If they buy your book forthrough the first three people
to buy their book, and you sendme a screenshot, I will give
them a one-month free grouptriathlon training.
Um, so$99 value.
(38:44):
So uh send me a screenshot ofthat.
I would because you guys got toget this book.
This is such a great way to getyour feet wet to understand some
of the more complicated languageand to just get people moving.
So I believe in the book somuch.
I think it's great.
And then um, hopefully they wecan add to the community
(39:05):
experience if they are in theNorth Carolina area.
Um, if you're not, uh send me ascreenshot anyway.
I'll send you, I'll send yousomething else.
So yeah, I got lots of tricks upmy sleeve.
SPEAKER_02 (39:17):
So that's wonderful.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_00 (39:21):
Awesome, Hillary.
Well, thank you again for comingon the Finder Your Edge podcast.
And how can people reach you orbuy the book?
SPEAKER_03 (39:28):
Um, so they could buy the book, Unlocking the
Triathlon, the beginner's guideto competing in a triathlon.
And this book is available onBonds and Noble.
It's available on Amazon, or ifyou go into your local
bookstore, ask for it.
They can get you a copy of it.
(39:49):
And you could reach me, I guess,on Instagram um at Hilary
Topper, and that's Hillary withone L.
So it's H I L A R Y Topper T O PP E R.
So good.
Awesome.
SPEAKER_00 (40:02):
Hilary, thanks again for coming on the Find Your Ed
podcast.
Thank you so much.
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