Episode notes
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 career, Macca opens up like never before. Together, Jan and Macca explore the mindset behind elite performance, handling failure on the biggest stage and why the mental battle is often harder than…
Podcast
Frodeno Going Mental
Jan Frodeno, Podstars by OMR · Sport · English
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? Wha
More from Frodeno Going Mental All episodes →
-
14 Sep 2026 · 1 hr
Memory Loss on Everest and Three Years of Pain – Kilian Jornet
Kilian Jornet has spent decades pushing the limits of human endurance. But what happens when you actually reach them? In this episode of Going Mental, Jan Frodeno sits down with Kilian Jornet for a rare deep dive into the mind behind some of the most extreme performances in endurance sport. Kilian explains what happened when he pushed himself so far on Everest that his brain stopped forming memories and why he believes the ultimate limit of human performance is one we never actually want to reach. They talk about fear, pain, risk, ego and the psychology of pushing beyond what your brain…
-
7 Sep 2026 · 21 min
Jan Frodeno on What He Learned From Going Mental
For the first time on Frodeno Going Mental, there’s no guest. Just Jan Frodeno, a camera and 19 conversations worth looking back on. In this first solo episode, Jan revisits some of the moments from Season One that stayed with him long after the cameras stopped rolling. He reflects on how Alistair Brownlee once shattered his confidence and ultimately forced him to rebuild himself as an athlete. He explores what Demi Vollering taught him about daring to lose, why letting go of embarrassment can make you a better competitor and why his conversation about the Enhanced Games challenged some of…
-
20 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 13 min
Enhanced Games CEO Max Martin: Paying for Performance and the Future of Elite Sport
In this episode of Going Mental, Olympic champion and Ironman legend Jan Frodeno sits down with Max Martin, CEO of the Enhanced Games, for one of the most controversial conversations in modern sport. Together they explore whether the current anti-doping system is outdated, why Enhanced Games believes athletes should have the freedom to compete using medically supervised performance enhancement, and whether science should redefine what's possible in elite competition. Jan challenges Max on athlete safety, ethics, fairness, longevity, recovery, sponsorship, financial incentives and the true…
-
13 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 2 min
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 extreme physical agony to the bittersweet reality of being handed two world titles months late due to doping cheaters, this conversation exposes the raw mindset needed to conquer the extreme limits of…
-
7 Jul 2026 · 1 hr
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 of greatness, dealing with pressure, building an elite team, confidence, setbacks and why questioning conventional wisdom became his greatest competitive advantage. With Challenge Roth once again at…
-
22 Jun 2026 · 53 min
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 her to thrive when the pressure is at its highest. Jan and Demi dive into the defining moments of her career, including racing with a broken back at the Tour de France Femmes, dealing with panic…
-
15 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 11 min
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 a small town in North Carolina to becoming a professor, business leader, Everest climber and ultimately the CEO of Ironman. Along the way, we explore purpose, resilience, decision-making under…
-
8 Jun 2026 · 58 min
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, manage chronic knee pain and perform under immense pressure. He explains why he walked away from one of cycling's biggest teams, how he rebuilt confidence with his new team and what the Tour de France…
-
1 Jun 2026 · 55 min
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, he shares fascinating, extreme insights from his practice. Jan and Henning discuss Henning’s self-definition of being a "mental trash can" for performers, why true growth is fundamentally…
-
25 May 2026 · 57 min
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. Enjoy! PILLAR Performance provides science-backed, clinically dosed micronutrition designed specifically for endurance athletes. Their supplements focus on optimizing recovery, sleep, and immunity…
Take it with you
The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.
