Tor des Geants, Swiss Peaks & the Mental Game of Europe’s Hardest 200s with Nickademus de La Rosa

Learn about our Patreon Offers!: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/DistancetoEmptyPod ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get some free DTE Swag by supporting out sponsors! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://janji.com/pages/distance-to-empty⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and be sure to select 'podcast' > 'Distance to Empty' on the post purchase "How did you hear about Janji" page. Thank you! Check out Mount to Coast here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mounttocoast.com/discount/Distance⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Open Fuel: Code DISTANCE for 20% off Nickademus de La Rosa is back on Distance to Empty! Since his last visit in 2024, Nick has finished his master’s in sports and performance psychology, moved to Canada, and launched Imperfect Mental Performance. He and Kevin compare brutal European 200s like Tor des Géants and Swiss Peaks 360 with the US 200 scene. They cover why these races keep getting faster and why the “specialist” is dead. They also get into how training theory has shifted from pure vert to running economy to fatigue resistance. Nick shares his favorite sports-psych tools: separating self-worth from performance, racing from curiosity, and setting a goal your ego hates. Plus: Kevin’s 100-mile PR at Canal Corridor, Peter’s 73 untrained miles, and an updated take on whether Tor is harder than Barkley. Show Notes In this episode What Nick’s been up to: graduating from University of Western States, moving to Canada (and getting turned around at the border with a U-Haul), and working with endurance athletes on the mental game How Nick’s approach has shifted from Internal Family Systems toward CBT and behavior chains, using “the lower dose” when that’s all an athlete needs Kevin’s 18:21 100-mile PR at Canal Corridor, and why low-pressure races create room for curiosity, joy, and presence Hot takes from Tor des Géants and Swiss Peaks 360: faster finishing times, top 100-milers moving to 200s, and sleep strategies (early naps vs. 15–20 minute micro-naps) Mammoth 200: Kevin finished ninth in 58 hours with zero sleep, and the front of the pack is tighter than ever The culture gap: social media and the “hybrid athlete” crowd at US 200s vs. European races, plus thoughts on the Moab 240 cancellation Mental prep for long races: appraising your abilities accurately, managing expectations, and fighting the “existential pointlessness” of days three and four (“this inch still matters on day four”) Looking back at Kevin’s 2023 Tor: hitting an emotional low six miles in, and what he’d do differently Training evolution: big vert, then running economy, then fatigue resistance and durability. Can you still climb at the same pace in hour five of a six-hour day? Why the long descents are the hardest thing to prepare for in the US, and why training on the course is the real secret Nick’s litmus test for anyone eyeing Tor: a three-day block of steep repeats on 1,000 ft/mile climbs “If your ego hates the goal, you’ve appraised it correctly” Kevin’s upcoming Oslo Bergen Trail 500K Revisiting Nick’s claim that Tor is harder than Barkley: “easier to finish” vs. “easier” Coaching with Distance to Empty Full Tank tier on Patreon ($119/month): light-touch personalized coaching with a plan built for you, plus bonus episodes and Discord access. It’s the first link in the show notes. One-on-one coaching with Kevin for the 2027 season Sponsors & Swag TrainingPeaks: Sign up for a free account at trainingpeaks.com, show us, and we’ll send you bib boards. (Kevin works at TrainingPeaks in the Coach Match program.) Mount to Coast: Code DISTANCE for 10% off Open Fuel: Code DISTANCE for 20% off Janji: Choose “Podcast,” then “Distance to Empty” in the post-purchase survey. We recommend joining the Janji Collective ($25 one-time fee for 15% off for life). Screenshot your order and send it with your address to ⁠[email protected]⁠ or @distancetoemptypod on Instagram for free swag: hats, stickers, socks, bib boards, bib clips, or a “surprise me” pick.