Training Motivation: My Top 5 YouTube Channels (2023)
Sometimes training is fun and rewarding, but other times it is daunting. In those daunting times, doing a training session can be one of the last things that I want to do. It just seems awful. Do I really want to push myself that hard? I could just continue to happily scroll through my phone or get a couple extra hours of sleep. Which if you have a full time job and kids at home, those extra hours of sleep are all the more tempting. One of the easiest ways that I have found to find motivation is to take a step back and enjoy a YouTube video. I find that once the video has ended, I cannot wait to tackle the training session that I have on my calendar. I start to remind myself of the bigger picture and can get myself out of my current wallowing and yearning for instant gratification. So here is a list of my go to triathlon related YouTube channels to give me that extra boost I need.
That Triathlon Life
That Triathlon Life, TTL, follows the life of pro triathletes Eric Lagerstrom and Paula Findlay. The thing that makes this channel pop is Eric’s storytelling abilities through film and music. Eric creates stunning videos that will make you want to immediately hit up your local trails. I also have to shout out their good friend and musician Nick Goldston for providing some great music to accompany the videos. You can see this for yourself with one of their videos that was part of the 2022 Mountainfil Festival.
Passion Project
A newcomer to YouTube, pro triathlete Holly Lawrence and her partner Sean Jefferson have created another great channel. Most of the videos are vlog style and follow Holly around as she trains and races around the world. Again Sean has a nice blend of Q&A and beautiful training shots. Go subscribe if you have not already.
Lionel Sanders
Lionel is always entertaining because he is never afraid to say what is exactly on his mind. In addition, Talbot Cox does a great job of mixing in some great training clips. Lionel is always full of insight and usually shares exactly what each workout is that he is doing. He is also very open and honest about where he is and where he wants to be.
GTN
GTN, Global Triathlon Network, is the GCN equivalent for triathlon. Sure there is some overlap between GCN and GTN, but I think that is only to the benefit of each. They have a number of videos where GTN competes against GCN, which is always entertaining. In addition, the GTN news show is a great way to keep up to date with all thing triathlon, not just North American long course athletes.
PTO Hub
When you want to get hyped for the upcoming PTO races or hear more backstory behind all of the big name pros, the PTO Hub is where you go. The PTO has done an unbelievable job of promoting and marketing the pros in order to bring more attention to triathlon. Everyone has a story, and they do a great job of making those stories accessible.
Conclusion
These are just a handful of my go to YouTube channels for inspiration. I am constantly looking for new channels to follow as well. Please share your favorite channels or videos in the comments below. With that being said, be kind to yourself and others.