Matt Hanson and Tim O’Donnell on Recovery, Life Balance, and Nutrition

Just a few days after stepping off the podium at Ironman Boulder, Tim O’Donnell and Matt Hanson joined Triathlete.com for our Facebook Live AMA show this week. Hanson, who won the race posting a new course record of 7:57:03, and O’Donnell, who finished third, answered live questions from viewers on topics as diverse as post-race recovery, mental focus, getting kids into triathlon, and coming back from injury. O’Donnell gave some insights into how his training has changed since he and wife Mirinda Carfrae had daughter Izzy and both athletes talked about the value of quality training over quantity, whether you’re a pro or an age-grouper. And top pro tip for staying on top of nutrition when traveling to an international race? Pack a rice cooker! Check out the highlights below and tune in next week for another great show!

Highlights

1:25 – Sleep is the number one thing to help your recovery after a race, O’Donnell says.

4:15 – Insights into saving your legs for the run.

6:05 – Nothing magic happens on race day – you get what you’ve trained for, Hanson says.

6:22 – The guys talk about super swimmer Lauren Brandon and how she caught the chase pack of male pros on the swim at Ironman Boulder, despite starting five minutes behind them.

8:05 – You only have $50 to spend on post-race recovery, what would you buy and why?

8:45 – Rice cookers, almond butter, frozen loaves of bread – O’Donnell’s top tips for staying on track with your nutrition when traveling to a race abroad.

10:30 – How do you stay mentally present during the marathon in an Ironman?

12:34 – O’Donnell talks about recovering from a bike crash earlier this year that left him with broken ribs.

14:07 – The guys discuss their preferred recovery methods.

16:50 – What’s your favorite part of an Ironman race?

17:27 – Sam Long and Rudy von Berg – the athletes talk about the biggest surprise performances of the year so far.

23:04 – How can we do more to get kids into triathlon? O’Donnell jokes that his daughter Izzy has raced more than he has this year!

26:30 – The art of tapering and how both athletes approach Ironman tapering.

27:12 – Tips for getting into triathlon without breaking your budget.

29:45 – If you skip a session do you move on or try and play catch-up later?

31:19 – The guys discuss their Kona podium picks, as well as Alistair Brownlee’s upcoming Ironman debut.

37:00 – Returning to training after injury – “Give yourself time to heal properly,” O’Donnell says.

38:54 – The importance of strength training and O’Donnell’s strength training app with strength coach Erin Carson.

42:20 – How the run unfolded at Ironman Boulder and their respective strategies and focus.

45:06 – Hot yoga, saunas, steam rooms – the guys discuss training for racing in the heat.

47:09 – How training has changed for O’Donnell and wife Mirinda Carfrae since having daughter Izzy.

50:25 – “You can’t fake fitness,” Hanson says, when asked if bikes and wheels make a difference.

50:57 – The best rivalries in the sport.

51:38 – Challenge Roth is on their bucket lists, but what are their favorite races so far?

54:20 – Skiing and off-season fun.