Unstoppable With Shangrila Rendon

Finish Your 1st Olympic Triathlon Strong

3 Key Strategies from a Busy Single Mom Who Trained for Her 1st Olympic & Full Marathon, in Just 7 Weeks

Most athletes know the feeling. Balancing training with real life, wondering if the big goal is just too far out of reach.

Kristen, a single mom with two kids and a full-time job, had her eye on finishing her first full marathon this year and was already planning to race a 70.3 next year.

When she told me her 70.3 goal, I said:
"Let’s boost your confidence for that by getting you a strong Olympic finish this year."

Then I asked,
“If it were possible, would you want to do both this year?”

She hesitated, unsure if she could handle an Olympic distance on top of full marathon training.
Then she said yes.

Before we started, the Olympic was in her “maybe someday” category.

In only 7 weeks, using 3 key strategies, Kristen was able to:
🏁 Finished her first Olympic triathlon with hilly bike course. 3h 21m, 5th in her division
🏅 PR’d her half marathon
🏃‍♀️ Her run threshold pace is 8:15 min/mile
🏆 Won her sprint triathlon
🚴 Biked 40 miles for the first time
🏊 Swam 2 miles for the first time

Crossing the finish line, she said:
"I didn’t feel like I was dying. I feel great.”

She’s feeling confident and strong

The biggest difference: She stopped guessing and started training with a plan built for her busy life.

If you’re ready to see what’s possible for you, no matter your schedule listen to this episode.

Why Am I Not Getting Faster Even With More Pool Time?

Why You're Not Getting Faster Even with More Pool Time | Swim Technique Mistakes

“Why am I not getting faster even though I’m swimming more?”

If you’ve been showing up, putting in the laps, but your swim pace hasn’t improved—this episode is for you.

Coach Shangrila breaks down the 3 most common technique mistakes adult swimmers make that keep them slow no matter how much they train.

✅ Learn how to spot these key swim errors 
✅ Discover what it really takes to fix your stroke
✅ Understand why swimming more isn’t always the answer

This episode is all about swimming smarter, not harder.

Finish Your 1st IM 70.3 from Zero in 5 months

Finish Your 1st IM 70.3 from Zero in 5 Months with your Spouse, and Stay Injury Free.

Ever wondered if it’s really possible to train for a Half Ironman while parenting, working full-time, and starting from zero?

Christine couldn’t swim 50 meters without shoulder pain.
Dre, her husband also had no triathlon background and had to travel a lot for his job.

Neither had finished a single triathlon before. Not even a sprint.

But in just 5 months, they crossed the finish line of a 70.3 together. They did it with no injury, in-person coaching and many years of triathlon experience.

This training is for everyday athletes, especially couples, parents, and late starters who want to do something big without sacrificing their health or family.

If you're nervous about your first 70.3
If you’ve been watching from the sidelines thinking,

“Maybe one day…”

Or If you're tired of training plans that don’t fit real life…

You’ll learn:
- How Christine & Dre made it work with two kids and full-time jobs
- How they trained smart despite knee and ankle pain, tight shoulders, and zero swim experience
- What helped them go from “I hope I survive” to “We actually did it!”
- Why you don’t need perfect conditions, just the right structure

Run Comeback in Your Late 50s (After Knee Swelling & Spinal Injury)

“My knee kept swelling even after resting it for weeks.”

Hil is in his late 50s. After 3 years of limited activity from a spinal injury, he was excited to start running again.

But every time he ramped up, his knee swelled. Rest didn’t help. Starting slow didn’t work either.

Most runners in his shoes would’ve walked away for good but Hil didn’t.

Instead, he used the Smart Training Method, a system that integrates training, injury prevention/body maintenance, nutrition, mindset, and race strategy. It's the exact system I used to complete 23 Ironman in 34 days (2nd Guinness World Record).

Hil’s Challenges Will Sound Familiar:

-- 3-year break from training
-- No structured pacing or run technique
-- No injury prevention or recovery routines
-- Long work hours, poor sleep, and inconsistent nutrition 

🔥 And in just 5 months, he ran TWO hilly marathons injury-free (San Francisco & Sydney) after failing to stay consistent on his own.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

-- The training shift that stopped swelling in just 1 month after 4 weeks of failed rest
-- What actually helped stop his knee, heel, & Achilles pain
-- How he trained through setbacks without injury
-- Why “just finishing” can backfire in comeback races especially for athletes over 50
-- What helped him drop from 10:43 to 9:36 min/mi pace safely 

Let’s get you unstuck for good.

How She Went From 5 Minutes to 40 Minutes Nonstop Swimming in 30 Days

“For 38 years this goal haunted Teddi.”

Not the bike. Not the run. The SWIM. 😟

She wanted to complete a triathlon for decades, but one lap left her exhausted. During our first conversation, she admitted: 

🗨 “I’ve been too afraid to swim and honestly didn’t think I could do this.”

That’s where many adult athletes get stuck. They’re disciplined, active, and mentally tough in every other area of life. Some have finished marathons, ultras, long hikes, or feel strong on the bike. But once they hit the water, it feels like all their endurance suddenly disappears.

In the pool, they’re stopping every 25, 50, or 100 yards depending on the day. Some can push through 500 or 1k but deep down something still feels off with their breathing. 

They fatigue so fast that a short swim session can leave them completely drained afterward. Breathing feels chaotic, the heart rate spikes, and confidence disappears. So they try harder… and usually end up even more exhausted.

Most beginner triathletes don’t need more distance or speed work first. They need to first feel calm, safe, and in control in the water. That’s exactly what we’re teaching in this episode.

You’ll learn:
➡ Why swimmers gas out after 25–50 yards
➡ How beginners build endurance without overexhaustion
➡ How to stay calm instead of panicking mid-swim

Using Teddi's story as an example: she initially worried she’d be expected to swim long distances or push hard right away. Instead, we met her where she was. She started by swimming one lap at a time, needing rest after every 25–50 yards just to recover. Thirty days later, she swam 40 minutes nonstop and completed roughly 1,350 yards continuously with controlled pacing.

This isn’t just about Teddi. There are thousands of adults avoiding triathlon because swimming feels overwhelming, and most are far more capable than they think.

Are Your Swim Technique Drills Helping or Hurting?

Are Your Drills Helping or Hurting Your Freestyle?

Ever do a swim drill and think, “That felt worse”?

You’re doing the work but your swim pace isn’t improving.

It’s not because you’re not trying hard enough. You’re just not fixing your stroke the right way.

What if the drill that’s supposed to help is actually locking in bad habits? What if you’ve been working hard on the wrong thing without knowing it?

In this episode, I’m teaching and breaking down:
- Why more reps of the wrong thing can actually make you slower
- How to identify the invisible limiter that’s really holding your stroke back
- How to use the Freestyle Fix Map to stop guessing and finally get faster

✅ This is for you if:
- You’ve been drilling but not seeing speed gains
- You want to swim smarter not just finishing laps
- You want a self-check tool to see exactly what’s stalling your stroke

❌ Not for you if:
- You believe effort alone = improvement
- You don’t want to change how you’re training
- You prefer winging it with YouTube and hoping for the best

Finish 1st Ironman 2.4 mi Swim Strong At Age 60

You’re confident on the bike. Crushing the run. You may even have already climbed the world’s highest peaks. Your lungs are strong. Your endurance is solid...

😣 BUT you can’t swim 50 yards without stopping.

Legs sink. Confidence drops. Panic sets in and race day keeps getting closer.

That was Aamar just 6 weeks before Ironman Lake Placid.

Despite being a Boston Marathoner and mountaineer, he said:
“In the pool, I couldn’t even swim 50 yards without gasping.”

At age 60, staring down his first full Ironman, Aamar faced his biggest fear: the 2.4-mile open water swim.

He’d already tried it all:

• Master swim class
• Private swim coach
• Watched hundreds of YouTube videos

But none of it solved the real issue. It was the same story every time:
😣 Sinking Legs
😣 Heart raced
😣 Mind panicked
😣 Couldn’t finish 50 yards without stopping in pool

Even after completing two 70.3s, including Muskoka 70.3 at 3:10/100y pace, he still felt anxious and behind in the water.

This is a man who’s run 36 marathons, including 5 World Marathon Majors, 9 Boston marathons and climbed the world’s highest peaks.

Yet just 6 weeks out, he told us:
“Swimming is my weakness. I can’t float. I’ve never gone past 2,000 yards in training even with fins.”

He's 60 and strong. But he was stuck.

We coached him 100% remotely, and in just 6 weeks, Aamar went from:
❌ Barely surviving 50 yards
✅ To swimming 2.4 miles at 2:50/100y, calm, confident, and panic-free

He gained endurance, implemented technique, and swam faster than he did in his half Ironman!!!

He crushed the Ironman Lake Placid swim and now a proud Ironman Finisher

If you're strong on the bike and run but dread the swim, this episode is for you.

When Should I Actually Start Training For My 70.3?

"When should I actually start training for my 70.3?"

If that question’s been circling in your head, it’s because you know winging it won’t cut it.

Right now, a lot of athletes are:

-- Trying to get momentum after the holidays
-- Managing training on top of an already packed calendar
-- Debating whether to wait for better weather... or freak out because it’s January. And they know time moves fast

Here’s what most coaches won’t tell you:
It’s not just about your race date.

It’s about what your life looks like right now and what your body actually needs.

-- If you're juggling real life, family, and a big race goal...
-- If the swim still feels like your limiter...
-- If training feels aimless, rushed, or overwhelming...

This episode is for you.

We’ll break down when should YOU start training, based on your race date, life, goals, and current fitness.

Why Are Swimmers With Terrible Technique Still Faster Than Me?

Why do swimmers with “bad” technique still beat you?

Because you’re focusing on the wrong things.

Most athletes judge what they see above the water and completely miss what actually makes someone fast.

If you’ve been doing drills, cleaning up your stroke… and still feel slow, this is why.

In this episode:
🏊‍♂️ Why copying faster swimmers doesn’t work
🏊‍♂️ The hidden skills like breathing, balance, streamline & catch that actually make you faster
🏊‍♂️ The exact order to fix your technique so you stop guessing
🏊‍♂️ How to build real speed with our Freestyle Formula, combining technique, open water skills, speed sets, and distance work

If you’ve been training hard but your pace won’t improve, this explains it.

 

From Swim Panic to 1st Sprint Triathlon & Boston Marathon in 50s

From swim panic & old injuries to Boston Marathon + 1st Triathlon... yes, even in your 50s

You’re signed up for races but part of you is scared.

“What if I panic again in open water?”
“What if my knee pain comes back mid-run?”
“What if I’m not ready?"

Whether it’s your first triathlon or your 10th marathon training while dealing with fear, injuries, and a busy schedule isn’t easy.

But it’s possible to finish strong, pain-free, and confident even with:
- Past near-drowning experiences
- Recurring knee or back pain
- Full-time work

In this episode, we’ll walk through how to:
- Build back smart after injury
- Conquer open water panic
- Recover fast between back-to-back races
- Train with limited time and still hit BIG goals

This is for runners, triathletes, and late starters who want to do hard things without falling apart.