Jess and Bex cover a bit of everything in this episode, from Lanzarote training conditions and Jess’s latest pregnancy update to a wide-ranging discussion on viral sports controversies and what injuries really mean. The main thread is a thoughtful conversation about how much control athletes actually have over injury, and how the mental side of rehab can be just as important as the physical side.
Bex is in Lanzarote with athlete Kate Curran, training at Club La Santa ahead of Kona-style conditions. They discuss the heat, wind, rolling hills, and the value of training alongside other people, including Jess’s first test ride on the Tri-Project virtual riding platform. Jess shares an update on her pregnancy after a stretch and sweep, explaining that she was 2 centimetres dilated but still managed a 40-minute run the same day.
From there, the conversation moves through a series of sports stories and controversies, including a Hyrox athlete who continued after soiling herself, the Putney pusher incident, the backlash around a Sydney Sweeney betting advert, and Raheem Sterling’s laughing gas case.They also reflect on performances at the 70.3 World Championships, including strong results from Georgia Taylor-Brown and Sam Dickinson, before turning to the episode’s main topic: injury. Inspired by Mark Matthews’ discussion of training load, recovery, nutrition, and responsibility, Jess and Bex explore where the blame for injuries should sit and how athletes can learn from them.The conversation looks at the difference between a niggle and an injury, using practical examples from Bex’s recent adductor and knee problems. They discuss when pain requires a change in training, the risks of ignoring worsening symptoms, and why athletes can sometimes understand their own bodies better than the experts treating them.
Finally, they explore the psychological impact of injury, including fear of re-injury, loss of confidence, Googling symptoms, and rebuilding trust in medical staff. They also talk honestly about how being unable to train can affect mood, identity, and relationships, and whether becoming grumpy and antisocial while injured is simply normal athlete behaviour or a sign of a more difficult relationship with exercise.
The Tri Project links
Website - https://thetriproject.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/the.triproject/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@The.triproject
Miles from Ordinary links
Miles from ordinary Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/Milesfromordinarypodcast
Jess's instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jesslearmonth/?hl=en-gb
Bex's instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bexmilnescoaching/