There is a fine line between "dedicated athlete" and "person standing in a puddle with tinfoil in their shoes." For Vancouver-based triathlete Marley, that line usually depends on how hard it’s raining.
An electrical engineer by trade, Marley brings a refreshing, analytical perspective to the 70.3 grind. Whether it's "engineering out" rookie fuelling mistakes or meticulously stacking morning pool sessions, the focus is always on the long game. But don't let the technical background fool you... Marley is the first to admit that while the data matters, the ability to laugh at a "less than heroic" training moment is what actually keeps the engine running.
We caught up with Marley to talk about the transition from a single-sport background to the "adult-onset" swim struggle, the reality of balancing a professional career with high-volume training, and why consistently good will always beat sporadically great.
1. You mentioned taking the work seriously, but not yourself. Can you share a funny, humbling, or completely unglamorous training moment from this past year?
Vancouver winter definitely keeps you humble. We had a stretch of nonstop rain this winter and I got a bit stubborn about staying outside. I even started putting tinfoil in my shoes to try and keep my feet warm. One day I did hill intervals in the rain instead of riding indoors, and when I got home I had to sit there for 45 minutes before my brick run because I couldn’t feel my hands or feet. Felt tough in theory, but less heroic in practice.
2. What was the biggest "rookie mistake" you made when you first started triathlon that you’ve since engineered out of your routine?
The biggest mistake early on was not eating enough, and especially not timing it properly. Coming from a single-sport background, I didn’t adjust my fueling for multiple sessions in a day. I’d get to my second workout and just fall apart halfway through for no good reason (or so I thought). I also wasn’t practicing race fueling at all. Once I started working with a dietician and planning carbs before, during, and right after sessions, things shifted pretty quickly. I could actually hit my targets, recover between workouts, and stack consistent days instead of just getting through them.
3. It seems you've got the bike and run progressing nicely. What is the biggest step you are taking to improve your swim?
As an adult-onset swimmer, it’s been about volume and feedback. I’m in the pool about 5x/week, usually four 90-minute sessions with a mix of aerobic, threshold, and VO2 work, plus one shorter technique-focused swim. That’s been the sweet spot for me to progress without overdoing it. I also try to get as many eyes on my stroke as possible. I swim with a masters group a few times a week where there’s constant feedback, video, and correction, which has been huge. Then in the summer, I shift a lot of that into open water. Last year I added a weekly 4–5k aerobic ocean swim, and I’m lucky to have access to a 137m outdoor pool that mimics open water pretty well, which keeps things interesting.
4. Balancing the intense demands of 70.3 training with life outside of sport is tough. What does a typical mid-week day look like for you?
During the week, I’m up at 4:45, quick snack, and at the pool by 5:30AM for a 90-minute swim. I start work around 8:00, I’m an electrical engineer working from home, and will usually sneak in a short run or some strength at lunch. The main session is after work, around 5:00PM, typically a longer bike or run with some quality. Dinner around 7:30, a bit of physio, and in bed by 9:00, then it’s rinse and repeat the next day. I try to line up easier sessions with friends or plan dinners to stay social, since most of the day is pretty full-on.
5. What is one specific piece of advice you’ve received that completely shifted your perspective on the sport?
My coach Brent always says, “consistently good beats sporadically great.” That’s stuck with me. It’s easy to chase big sessions, but the real gains come from stacking solid weeks over time. Keeping that long-term view has been huge for both performance and actually enjoying the sport. I try not to get too high or too low off any single session.
Whether she’s engineering a new PB or just surviving a Vancouver downpour, Marley is proof that the best gains are built one "consistently good" day at a time. Follow her journey over on Instagram
@[InstagramHandle] to keep up with the training, the races, and future metallic footwear designs.
