In this episode

Stefania Agrimani coaches athletes and recreational exercisers alongside her own triathlon training. She started running to eat a little more, took up cycling after a muscle strain and entered triathlon without a sporting background when she moved to Athens in 2019.

She confirms eight 70.3 finishes. The episode focuses less on medals and more on the Czech half that hurt her, fuelling and power-meter mistakes, criticism and strength training for longevity.

Quick navigation

  • 00:00 — Athletes, recreational exercisers and balance
  • 13:39 — Running, muscle strain and entering triathlon
  • 19:15 — Eight 70.3s, still learning the distance
  • 27:48 — The Czech Republic, fuelling and a power meter
  • 48:18 — Criticism, social media and Messolonghi
  • 01:02:21 — Strength training and closing remarks

Detailed show notes

Athlete or recreational exerciser

She sees both in the gym. Athletes chase goals and numbers; recreational exercisers want movement in their lives. For longevity, she mentions an hour a day combining aerobic and resistance exercise. Progress is addictive: there is always another step, beyond splits alone.

She had no sporting background. She began running to burn energy and eat a little more, first 5 km, then the same distance under 30 minutes. A muscle strain moved her onto the bike to avoid missing sessions. In George Toulfekis’s group, she saw a video of Ironman preparation abroad and asked what it was.

Eight finishes, still learning the distance

She has completed eight 70.3-distance races, as she says herself; George clarifies they were not all Ironman-branded. She does not feel she has mastered the distance: halfway through the run, she tells herself she is not strong enough for the time in her head. She withdraws only for a serious health reason, preferring a slower finish.

She wants to maintain a level around 5.5 hours. She does not set 5:20 or 4:59 targets herself in the episode.

The Czech Republic as a turning point

Last year in the Czech Republic, after missing almost no training for nearly a year, she finished 30–35 minutes slower than planned. The next day, she was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection. Before the start, she feared pain, sat on the grass and could not get into the mood. It was her sixth half. Afterwards, she examined the mistakes: fuelling that did not follow the plan, treating running as a “weakness” rather than a sport, and no power meter until her sixth half. She rode the 90 km by feel and ended up struggling through the run.

She now has a power meter and works with Tasos Moustakis, focusing on running. At her latest 70.3 in Messolonghi, she felt she was racing for herself rather than meeting others’ expectations.

Social media, criticism and weights

She has received harsh criticism about training and racing and considered quitting two or three times. On social media, she shows setbacks as well as victories; otherwise, people cannot relate. Strength training is her profession: she sees it as a tool for longevity, functional support for sport and essential after 30–35 when muscle mass declines faster.

Key takeaways

  • Eight 70.3 finishes do not mean you feel you have mastered the distance.
  • Without a gel plan or power meter, a strong bike can become a debt paid on the run.
  • Other people’s criticism can undermine your race before the start.
  • As she puts it, an hour of daily exercise and strength training are about health, not just VO2.