In this episode of The Nickolas Natali Show, Nickolas Natali sits down with endurance athlete and triathlete Austin Schneider to dive deep into the mental and physical demands of long-distance racing. From his first spontaneous ultra-style adventure running the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim-to-rim, to competing in marathons, 100Ks, and 70.3 Ironman races, Austin shares the mindset shifts, training strategies, and lifestyle adjustments that have fueled his growth. The conversation explores the cultural differences between ultrarunning and triathlon, the brutal honesty of endurance sports, and how consistent, incremental gains mirror the realities of building a successful business. Austin opens up about injuries, race-day mistakes, nutrition hacks, the role of coaching, and balancing his athletic pursuits with personal relationships and professional responsibilities. Whether you’re an aspiring endurance athlete, a business owner looking for mental toughness tips, or simply curious about the world of high-performance training, this episode delivers hard-earned lessons and candid insights you won’t want to miss.

Takeaways

• Building endurance is as much mental as it is physical, mindset drives performance.

• Big goals often start with small, consistent habits (e.g., running 5K daily).

• Exposure to high-achieving peers can make “impossible” challenges feel attainable.

• Ultra and triathlon cultures differ — ultras lean collaborative, triathlons are more competitive.

• Marginal gains over time are the key to improving in both sports and business.

• Race-day execution depends heavily on experience and preparation, not just fitness.

• Nutrition strategy matters — efficiency often trumps indulgence during events.

• Injuries can be reframed as opportunities to explore new disciplines (e.g., cycling during plantar fasciitis recovery).

• Pacing and strategy can prevent burnout and improve race results.

• Transition practice in triathlon can save significant time.

• Endurance training teaches honesty — there are no shortcuts to meaningful performance.

• Fulfillment comes from balancing your key “buckets” in life: relationships, business, hobbies, and health.

  
  

Chapters

00:00 How Austin Got Hooked on Endurance Challenges

02:30 From Daily 5Ks to the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim

04:30 Training for Ultras vs. Marathons

06:00 The Emotional Highs (and Lows) of Big Races

08:00 Injury, Recovery, and Discovering Triathlon

10:00 Ultra Running Culture vs. Triathlon Competitiveness

12:00 Lessons Learned from His First 70.3 Ironman

15:00 Race-Day Nutrition & Transition Time Secrets

18:00 Pacing, Strategy, and Avoiding Burnout

21:00 Mental Walls, Type 2 Fun, and Pain Tolerance

26:00 How Endurance Sports Mirror Business Success

31:00 Goals, Fulfillment, and Balancing Life’s Buckets

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Austin Schneider’s Website:

https://workshop.agencyu.co/agency-systems-workshop-v2