Frodeno Going Mental
Welcome to Frodeno Going Mental. A podcast with me, Jan Frodeno, where I sit down with people who know what it feels like to hit the edge and sometimes go way past it. Physically, mentally, emotionally. In every episode, we dig into questions that don’t leave you alone: What actually drives us? What holds us back? And how do we grow beyond the person we thought we were? We talk about the search for meaning, identity and the tiny details that turn good into great. But also about the things most of us keep quiet: the setbacks, the doubt, the loneliness, the dark stretches that never make it into the highlight reel. This podcast is for anyone who wants honest conversations, real resilience, and stories that go deeper than results.
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Francesco Puppi: Logic, Pain, and the Reality of Ultra Running
Ultra running is often romanticized, but elite trail runner and physicist Francesco Puppi looks at 100-mile races through the lens of pure logic. Fresh off an incredible podium finish at the Western States 100, Francesco joins Jan Frodeno to strip away the sugar-coated heroism of endurance sports and reveal what it truly takes to survive the pain cave. From the psychological negotiation with extre
The Day After HISTORY - Sam Laidlow on Breaking the World Record
Sam Laidlow has just rewritten triathlon history.
Fresh off his record-breaking victory at DATEV Challenge Roth, the French triathlon superstar joins Jan Frodeno for an exclusive conversation on Going Mental.
Recorded less than 24 hours after becoming the fastest athlete ever over the full-distance triathlon, Sam opens up about the mindset behind his historic performance, the relentless pursuit
A Fighter’s Mind - Chris McCormack
In this episode of Going Mental, Jan Frodeno sits down with one of triathlon’s most iconic and polarizing figures: Chris “Macca” McCormack — 2x Ironman World Champion, 6x Triathlete of the Year, and one of the sport’s greatest storytellers.
From the fierce Kona battles against Norman Stadler and Faris Al-Sultan to the psychological warfare, self-doubt and relentless determination that defined his
Pressure, Panic Attacks and One of Cycling's Greatest Comebacks - Demi Vollering
Fresh off one of the most remarkable victories in professional cycling, Demi Vollering joins Going Mental to unpack the mindset behind her dramatic Giro d'Italia Women comeback. Just days after completing an extraordinary Grand Tour triple, Demi opens up about the final stage that changed everything, why she was willing to risk losing her podium place to win it all and the mentality that allows he
Why Success Feels Empty at the Top - Scott DeRue
Scott DeRue has climbed Mount Everest, completed the Seven Summits, led global businesses through crisis and now serves as CEO of Ironman.
In this episode of Going Mental, Scott shares the leadership lessons he learned on the world's highest mountain, why reaching the summit is often the easy part and how high performers navigate uncertainty, risk, and pressure.
We dive into Scott's journey from
Broken Bones, Tour Wins & Why Happiness Beats Pressure - Tom Pidcock
What does it take to win Olympic gold after breaking your collarbone just weeks before the Games?
In this episode of FRODENO GOING MENTAL, Jan Frodeno sits down with Tom Pidcock. The two-time Olympic Champion, Tour de France stage winner, Cyclocross World Champion and one of the most exciting riders in professional cycling reveals the mindset that helped him recover from devastating injuries, m
Henning Thrien: The Mind Games of Elite Athletes
In this episode, Jan opens up a deeply personal chapter by sitting down with his own sports psychologist, Henning Thrien. Henning has spent the last 15 years working at the intersection of human vulnerability and elite performance, including guiding athletes through the high-pressure cooker of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Pulling back the curtain on the raw emotional reality of world-class sports
Nino Schurter: Winning for 20 Years
Olympic Champion and MTB legend Nino Schurter joins Going Mental for a deep conversation about pressure, flow, motivation and longevity.
Nino reflects on a career that shaped modern mountain biking. From Olympic gold and World Championship titles to the mental challenges of staying on top for over two decades.
A fascinating conversation about mindset, resilience and what truly drives champions
From Oxford Mathematician to Cycling World Record Holder - Vittoria Bussi
In todays episode of Going Mental, Jan Frodeno sits down with cycling world record holder Vittoria Bussi. The first woman in history to ride more than 50 kilometers in one hour. But Vittoria’s story goes far beyond cycling.
A former Oxford PhD mathematician, Vittoria shares how losing her father changed the direction of her life, how she turned pain into performance and why obsession became her g
The Norwegian Method: Science vs. Soul – Kristian Blummenfelt
What drives someone to race four major triathlons across two and a half continents in just six weeks — and still come out sharper on the other side? In this episode, Jan sits down with Olympic Gold Medalist and World Champion Kristian Blummenfelt to decode the mindset of the "Norwegian Terminator."
Kristian opens up about his "kamikaze" racing schedule, the devastating mental basement of a bad
Eliud Kipchoge: The Philosopher of Running
For this conversation, Jan sits down with the greatest marathoner of all time, Eliud Kipchoge. They explore the mindset that led to the historic sub-two-hour marathon and why Eliud believes that records don't belong to individuals, but to the sport itself.
Eliud shares his profound wisdom on the purity of running, explaining why he still lives and cleans in a simple training camp despite his gl
Simon Squibb: Dream vs. Goal
In this episode, Jan connects with entrepreneur and visionary Simon Squibb to dissect the fundamental difference between a dream and a goal. Simon, who went from being homeless at 15 to becoming a multi-millionaire, shares his radical philosophy on why "monetizing your dream" is the only path to true fulfillment.
Together, they discuss the flaws of the modern education system, the trap of middl
Dandapani: The Mechanics of Mind and Focus
In this episode, Jan sits down with former monk and Hindu priest Dandapani to demystify the human mind. Drawing from ten years of monastic training, Dandapani explains why focus is a physical skill that must be practiced 24/7, rather than a fleeting state achieved through quick meditation. He and Jan dive into the distinction between awareness and the mind, the "Bruce Lee of distraction" trap, and
Kasia Niewiadoma: Suffering to Win
High performance cycling and mental toughness with Tour de France Femmes winner Kasia Niewiadoma. She shares the "pain cave" secrets that led to her Alpe d’Huez and Tour victory and how she handles extreme pressure. Discover why Kasia believes that without risk, there is no top-tier sport.
Get Your Own CANYON GRAIL
Ready to hit the gravel? Grab Jan’s bike of choice and save extra on your next
Lucy Charles-Barclay: The Price of Being #1
Athlete mindset and dealing with public criticism are daily realities for Lucy Charles-Barclay. Because her swim strength usually puts her at the front of every race, she is constantly under the camera's lens, meaning every mistake is broadcast to the world and judged by "armchair coaches". Lucy shares how she developed a "thick skin" to stay focused on her peak performance and why she ultimately
Vali Höll: Riding the Edge
How does a world champion handle the "terrible" feeling of the start gate? Downhill star Vali Höll joins Jan Frodeno to discuss the raw reality of racing at 80 km/h. From pre-race nausea and "survival mode" to navigating her team’s sudden bankruptcy , Vali reveals why she thrives under the pressure that makes her want to puke. It’s a candid look at the "handbrake" in her head and the mental shift
Sebastian Steudtner: The Risk of Sitting Still
What’s more dangerous: a 100-foot wave or a 30-year desk job? World record surfer Sebastian Steudtner joins Jan Frodeno to explain why he trained himself to pass out underwater just to "learn how to drown" without panic. From landlocked Germany to the massive swells of Nazaré, Steudtner reveals how he uses military-grade science to conquer the ocean’s most violent frontiers. It’s a masterclass in
Excellence Is a Process and Not a Result - Brad Stulberg
In this episode, Jan sits down with performance expert, author and coach Brad Stulberg to explore what it really means to pursue excellence — in sport and in life.
Brad shares the philosophy behind his work on performance and human flourishing, from coaching elite athletes to teaching self-coaching at the University of Michigan. Together, Jan and Brad dive into the psychology of high performance,
Olympic Gold, World Championships & The Power of Letting Go - Malaika Mihambo
What does it really take to win Olympic gold and why can it still feel empty?
In this episode of Frodeno Going Mental, Jan sits down with Olympic champion and two-time world champion Malaika Mihambo for a raw and deeply honest conversation about performance, pressure, identity and what success actually means when the lights go out.
Malaika shares how growing up in Germany and experiencing raci
How Do You Rebuild a Life? - Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong. Survivor. Champion. Fallen icon. Fighter.
In this raw and honest conversation, Lance Armstrong sits down with Jan Frodeno to talk about survival, obsession, rivalry, addiction, therapy, fatherhood and what winning really meant to him. This is not a rehash of old headlines. This is about mindset.
From being raised by a 17-year-old mother in Texas, to surviving cancer at 25, to do
From Center Court to Clarity - Andrea Petkovic
Andrea Petkovic has lived elite sport from the inside – the hype, the pressure, the injuries, the doubts and the moments that look like success from the outside but feel very different on the inside.
In this episode, Andrea and Jan talk openly about what happens when passion turns into expectation, why winning rarely changes what we think it will and how athletes build masks to survive on the bi
Holding Other People’s Dreams Without Losing Yourself - Dan Lorang
Dan Lorang has spent two decades at the highest level of sport - not as the one on the start line, but as the person holding the plan, the responsibility and often the pressure when everything is on the line.
In this episode, Dan and Jan talk openly about what elite coaching actually demands: trust, honesty, emotional control and the weight of carrying someone else’s career. They dive into the co
How an Olympic Mindset built HYROX & a Champion’s Mentality - Moritz Fürste
Most athletes spend their whole career chasing one defining moment. Moritz Fürste had dozens: double Olympic gold, world player of the year, nearly 300 caps, and a decade inside one of the most dominant teams hockey has ever seen.
But the real story isn’t just what he won. It’s what it cost him, what it taught him and how he rebuilt himself once the noise stopped. In this episode, Jan talks to a
Acting on the Mental Edge - Marie Mouroum
From martial arts world champion to Hollywood stuntwoman, Marie Mouroum has built a career in the shadows of the spotlight - doubling A-list actors, crashing through walls, flying on wires and performing high-risk action where mistakes are not an option.
In this episode live from Berlin, Marie sits down with Jan to talk about the mental side of extreme performance: trusting strangers with your li
From F1 Dream to IRONMAN world-record holder – Billy Monger
Billy Monger has been through a lot of things already: racing prodigy, double amputee, Formula 1 pundit, world-record-breaking Ironman and now a Paralympic hope for LA 2028.
In this episode, Jan and Billy talk about what it really means to reinvent yourself when life doesn’t give you a choice. Billy opens up about going from shy kid to “inspiration” overnight after his accident, why he hated th
Why Winning the World Cup Wasn’t Enough - André Schürrle
Andre Schürrle knows what it means to operate at the edge. World Cup finals, 80,000 people in the stands, a body and mind shaped for constant performance. But the real breaking points didn’t come in the stadiums.
In this episode of Going Mental, Jan Frodeno sits down with André to talk about mental and physical limits: where they are, how they shift and why he keeps chasing them long after foo
Inside the Mind of a Relentless Champion - Alistair Brownlee
Alistair Brownlee has achieved almost everything in sports: double Olympic champion, serial world-title collector and one of the most uncompromising racers the sport has ever produced.
In this episode Jan sits down with someone he’s shared two decades of rivalry, respect and occasional desert bike rides with - a relationship built on racing each other to the line and trying not to push each othe
Trailer - Frodeno Going Mental
Get your mind ready, tune in and take a deep breath, cause Frodeno is Going Mental.
Starting January 12th, Going Mental takes you inside the headspace of people who’ve been pushed to their limits and pushed themselves beyond them. Athletes, Musicians, Creators, Thinkers and above all: people, whose stories go far beyond results. Jan Frodeno isn’t stepping in as the champion here. He’s the one a
