We recently caught up with Sam Skold as she traveled home from a massive milestone: placing 4th in her professional 70.3 debut in Dallas.
But Sam isn't your typical pro triathlete. She is an active-duty member of the Air Force who balances her military career while living and training in the extreme environment of Alaska. We sat down with her to discuss how she manages her relentless schedule, overcomes imposter syndrome, and builds her fitness .. sometimes in the dark.
Training in Alaska presents wild challenges, but Sam credits the harsh environment for building her incredible tolerance and intensity. While growing up as a trail runner in Colorado laid her aerobic foundation, Alaska leveled it up. With longer ridge-lines, steeper mountains, and extreme weather, she became obsessed with linking trails and bike paths.
The real secret to her power? The brutal Alaskan winters. With temperatures remaining below freezing from November to May and only 4.5 hours of sunlight a day, her winter training is a masterclass in grit.
"100% of my riding is on the trainer, all speed work on the treadmill, and long runs with freezing eyelashes. This style of training has required my focus and tolerance for discomfort to increase."
Balancing the Air Force and Pro Triathlon
When asked what a balanced day looks like, Sam laughs it off. “I wouldn’t say my days are balanced, more like sprints.” A typical day is a training session prior to work, see patients for four hours, an exercise “lunch break”, back for another four hours of seeing patients smelling like chlorine and wearing goggle marks.
Working Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM, her schedule is relentless and meticulously planned:
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Early Morning: Pre-work training session.
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Morning Shift: Seeing patients for four hours.
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Midday: An exercise lunch break. This is crucial during the winter; if she misses this midday run, she won't see the sun until the next day.
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Afternoon Shift: Back to seeing patients for another four hours—often showing up smelling like chlorine and wearing goggle marks.
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Evening: A second session on the trainer or a short hike with her dogs.
Through it all, her military duty remains paramount. Over nine years of service in the Air Force, she has learned to adapt and manage her days with ruthless efficiency, noting that her duty always takes priority, no matter what is happening in her personal or athletic life.
Sam knows what it takes to win on the big stage, having captured the Overall Age Group title at Kona. But transitioning to the professional field in the past few months has brought new mental hurdles.
Going into Kona as an age grouper, she felt confident and just needed to execute her race. However, lining up for her 7th place Pro finish at Ironman Arizona was a different story. “I lined up terrified thinking I didn’t belong because I knew these women’s past achievements and splits.. it can fell intimidated lining up next to them,” she admits.
Despite any feelings of imposter syndrome, she clearly belongs. Reflecting on her recent 4th place finish at the 70.3 in Dallas, she noted the stark differences of racing as a pro:
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The Pace and Tactics: The speed is significantly faster, and race strategy carries heavier weight given the elite competition and weather conditions.
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The Isolation: It was actually a much lonelier race. Going 20 to 50km without seeing another competitor can be common. But as Sam notes, "This loneliness makes the cheers from the other racers, supporters, and fans hit harder."
Tactical Breakdown: The Pain Cave and Nutrition
How does she survive those endless indoor winter sessions? It comes down to high-quality gear and strict spatial boundaries. Sam's ultimate survival strategy for her pain cave includes:
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Reliable Gear: "When you spend a quarter of your day on the bike, get the trainer that is quiet and easy to use." Good gear leads to feeling and performing better.
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Separation of Space: She keeps her pain cave in the garage, separate from her living space. When she steps into the garage, it's time to focus on the pain. When she steps inside the house, her focus shifts entirely to family and friends.
When she finally hits the race course, Sam dials in her fourth discipline..nutrition. While she is still refining her strategy based on specific racing conditions, her current baseline targets are precise:
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Sodium: 1000mg per hour
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Bike Carbohydrates: 105g per hour
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Run Carbohydrates: 65g per hour
Sam Skold’s journey from the dark, freezing trails of Alaska to the top tiers of professional triathlon is a testament to discipline, duty, and extreme resilience. Here at TTL -we can't wait to see what she conquers next!
If you made it this far- please take a moment and give Sam a follow on instagram! She's got a really cool story to tell!
