# Laura Philipp Joins Us + A Big Name Might Be Out Of Kona?

An episode of [The Triathlon Hour](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1595443343), 8 Oct 2025, 1 h 06 min.

Audio: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2640942/episodes/19698020-laura-philipp-joins-us-a-big-name-might-be-out-of-kona.mp3

Day 3 of the Kona Daily pods is here and the boys + Vicky are joined by the defending Ironman World Champion Laura Philipp to discuss her race, her preparation and her rivals! They also read your Spotify comments, talk about some of the lesser talked about athletes racing, give you a top 5 ways to ruin your race during race week list and attempt to predict the top 10 fastest bike times this weekend! GET YOUR PRETENDER T-SHIRTS - CLICK HERE TO BUY THEM!!! (If you’re in Australia this link won’t work. Send us a message on Instagram and we’ll put whatever shirt you want aside for you) Lever: Use the code TTH for 20% off your Lever system Lever Pillar: Use the code TTH to get 15% off your first order with Pillar Performance at Pillar Performance or use The Feed for North American customers Patreon: We put a lot of time & energy into bringing you this podcast every week and have done for 4 years now. If you appreciate what we do, we would love your support and you can do so for less than the cost of a coffee per week on Patreon - Patreon link

## Transcript

[0:27] SPEAKER_00: Yes, Pretenders, welcome back.
[0:29] SPEAKER_00: It's day three of the daily podcast leading into the Women's Iron Man World Championships at Kona.
[0:35] SPEAKER_00: Okay, exciting one off the top of the show.
[0:37] SPEAKER_00: Before I introduce anyone who's on this podcast, the Pretender t-shirts, they are live.
[0:44] SPEAKER_00: They're here.
[0:45] SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna leave the link in the description of this podcast episode.
[0:48] SPEAKER_00: So as soon as you hear this, I suggest pausing the podcast, going down, clicking on that because I think there's about 150 t-shirts and it's like size dependent.
[0:58] SPEAKER_00: So there might be like 10 medium black ones in a certain size.
[1:02] SPEAKER_00: Um, so yeah, jump on, go and get that now.
[1:05] SPEAKER_00: I'll also post it on the Instagram stories over on the Triathon Hours.
[1:08] SPEAKER_00: So, yep, exciting news.
[1:10] SPEAKER_00: The Triathon Hour Pretender t-shirts are live right now.
[1:13] SPEAKER_00: Go and get them.
[1:14] SPEAKER_00: We got the cost down by about 20 US dollars, so they're also a lot more affordable than what they were gonna be.
[1:20] SPEAKER_00: Okay, day three of the daily pods, and for it, I'm joined by the only potential contender, although more and more a pretender every day, especially after 70.3 Augusta, and the 20-time Iron Man 70.3 champion Sam Appleton.
[1:32] SPEAKER_01: It's good to be back.
[1:33] SPEAKER_01: Um, I just want to, you know, I have been sick this week, and I'm just wondering if I was racing a little bit under the weather at a at Augusta, and uh, you know, I'm gonna use that as my uh my excuse while I was forced.
[1:45] SPEAKER_01: Perfect.
[1:45] SPEAKER_01: So Ari Clare, you know, when I'm healthy, we'll go back to back, we'll uh have another standoff.
[1:53] SPEAKER_00: And the most opinionated man in Trithlon, although Apo's catching him every single time we do one of these daily podcasts, Greg Harper.
[2:00] SPEAKER_02: Good to be here, Jack.
[2:01] SPEAKER_02: And uh yeah, for my sake, I hope it doesn't he doesn't keep catching up because then I'll just be kicked off the party, I'll have nothing to contribute.
[2:08] SPEAKER_00: So well, I think uh there was a few comments on the Spotify yesterday almost calling for your sacking because they think we found a better option and we didn't think that she was going to join us again today, but then 15 minutes before the podcast, we get a WhatsApp message and she's available.
[2:24] SPEAKER_00: So Vicky Holland joins us again.
[2:26] SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I'm back.
[2:27] SPEAKER_04: The kid's in bed, so let's go.
[2:30] SPEAKER_04: Let's talk Trahlon again.
[2:31] SPEAKER_04: I'm I'm ready for some more.
[2:33] SPEAKER_00: And just one more exciting thing before we get into the podcast, Vicki.
[2:37] SPEAKER_00: We've got an interview with the Defending Iron Man World Champion coming at the end of today's podcast.
[2:43] SPEAKER_00: So, yeah, uh, if you don't want to listen to myself, Apo, Vicky, and Greg talk for an hour, just skip through to the end and go and listen to Laura Phillip because she's coming on the podcast and we're really excited about that.
[2:54] SPEAKER_00: Okay, we're gonna start today's podcast like we do every single one of the daily podcasts for the world championships by reading your Spotify comments.
[3:02] SPEAKER_00: And by the way, we were talking about it before the podcast.
[3:04] SPEAKER_00: Insane how many of you comment on the Spotify.
[3:06] SPEAKER_00: It makes these uh daily podcasts so much funner.
[3:09] SPEAKER_00: Uh, the first comment is from Dildog, and he says, if you have never seen a picture or video of Greg Harper before, don't bother.
[3:18] SPEAKER_00: He looks exactly like whoever you are currently picturing in your head.
[3:22] SPEAKER_00: My question's to Apo and Vicky.
[3:24] SPEAKER_00: Is that a compliment to you?
[3:26] SPEAKER_04: I don't really know because actually I didn't know what Greg looked like until a couple of months ago, I guess, until basically you started doing this part.
[3:34] SPEAKER_04: And uh I thought you'd have less hair.
[3:38] SPEAKER_04: So in my head, you had you yeah, you didn't have much hair.
[3:42] SPEAKER_04: I don't know why, but you do.
[3:45] SPEAKER_04: So I I'm not on board with this comment, dil dog.
[3:48] SPEAKER_04: I'm sorry.
[3:51] SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna say that's not a compliment.
[3:53] SPEAKER_01: Usually when somebody says something like that, they don't have good intentions.
[3:57] SPEAKER_04: Sorry, Greg.
[4:01] SPEAKER_04: Okay, okay.
[4:02] SPEAKER_04: Should we move on?
[4:04] SPEAKER_04: Before I put my foot any further in my mouth.
[4:06] SPEAKER_04: Okay, Marcus says, Sam Laidlow recently said that if you don't take a risk at the Iron Man World Championships, you can't podium.
[4:14] SPEAKER_04: What do you guys think about that?
[4:16] SPEAKER_00: I found this really interesting.
[4:18] SPEAKER_00: And I was thinking about it in relation to the women's race this weekend in Kona.
[4:23] SPEAKER_00: I kind of disagree.
[4:24] SPEAKER_00: I think maybe for the men's racing it's true, but I actually think that if you take too many risks in this women's race, you might find yourself blowing up on the marathon.
[4:33] SPEAKER_00: And I kind of think that one of Lucy and Taylor is going to take one too many risks and end up having a poor marathon.
[4:40] SPEAKER_00: Whereas I think one of probably Kat, Laura, Solvig, and Lisa Pertera won't take any big risks and will have a really, really consistent strong day and end up in somewhere between first and third.
[4:54] SPEAKER_04: So do you think it's more of a case that you've got to take a risk to win as opposed to podium?
[4:59] SPEAKER_04: Or do you think actually just because it's Kona and the unique conditions, you've just got to be but steady all day?
[5:04] SPEAKER_00: I think it depends who you are in the women's field.
[5:07] SPEAKER_00: Whereas I think in the men's field, probably yes.
[5:09] SPEAKER_00: I think in the women's field, Lucy doesn't have to take a risk.
[5:12] SPEAKER_00: She has to, she only has one way she can win.
[5:14] SPEAKER_00: Whereas I think someone like Taylor Nib has to take a risk.
[5:17] SPEAKER_00: Like Taylor Nib has to go and get off the bike in front, I think.
[5:20] SPEAKER_00: I don't think she can take Lucy, Kat, Laura, even Solvig, Rither to the front of the race in T2.
[5:27] SPEAKER_00: So I think someone like Taylor has to take a risk.
[5:29] SPEAKER_00: Someone like Lisa Pertera definitely has to take a risk, like a big, big risk.
[5:33] SPEAKER_00: But people like Kat and Laura, they don't have to take a risk to win.
[5:37] SPEAKER_00: I think they just have to be the fittest person out there and be strong for the last hour and a half of the marathon.
[5:42] SPEAKER_02: Mike Albarico says, heard Ari used mortal hydration when he beat Apo in Augusta 70.3.
[5:50] SPEAKER_02: I mean, Apo just called him out.
[5:52] SPEAKER_02: Think how much faster Ari could go if he didn't use it.
[5:55] SPEAKER_02: So I'm scared for Apo for the future.
[5:58] SPEAKER_04: Bianca Kate says, Don't forget Patrick Langer took the practice swim easy last year because he didn't want anyone to know how well he was swimming.
[6:06] SPEAKER_04: I reckon Kat used the same tactic.
[6:09] SPEAKER_04: She'll come out of the water much higher on race day.
[6:12] SPEAKER_04: And you know what?
[6:12] SPEAKER_04: I actually had a similar thought to this after we recorded yesterday because I was quite sort of of the opinion that I don't know if Kat knows how to back it off because she's such a racer.
[6:23] SPEAKER_04: So I kind of thought, hmm, I think she's probably tried pretty hard there in that practice swim, but yeah, she's savvy as well.
[6:30] SPEAKER_04: So maybe, maybe it's just a bit of game face, poker face.
[6:34] SPEAKER_00: Tom Kruper says Vicky on the podcast is gold.
[6:38] SPEAKER_00: You should keep her on the pod, even if it would only be for the occasional geography lesson.
[6:43] SPEAKER_00: By the way, there was just lots of Vicky as the best person, probably in the Triton world comments.
[6:47] SPEAKER_00: For example, Manuel Torrenta said Vicky is so great, the most opinionated woman in Triton, more of her.
[6:55] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, but seriously, there was just so much love for Vicky Holland in the Spotify comments of yesterday's podcast that I think from now on, if Vicky's ever having a bad day, she can just always go back and read the comments on that episode.
[7:06] SPEAKER_00: And uh yeah, but we all agree as well here.
[7:09] SPEAKER_00: We talked about it myself, Greg, and Apple after the podcast yesterday, and that's why she's here again today.
[7:14] SPEAKER_00: But I do have to call her out on something.
[7:16] SPEAKER_00: Don't actually think her geography's as good as she thinks it is.
[7:19] SPEAKER_00: I think she's probably if we're gonna do a top four best at geography list on this podcast, I think she's fourth.
[7:26] SPEAKER_04: You are putting me behind you.
[7:29] SPEAKER_04: I mean, that is so insulting, but hey, I am not sure whether to be flattered or a little bit worried that I've become the most opinionated woman in triathlon.
[7:38] SPEAKER_04: That's absolutely not my intention, and uh the people pleaser in me is not happy about that.
[7:43] SPEAKER_04: I might have to rein it back in, guys.
[7:46] SPEAKER_00: It's the triton our way, Vicky.
[7:48] SPEAKER_00: Sam Appledon used to sit on the fence like nobody else, and now he's quickly becoming the most opinionated man in Trithlon.
[7:54] SPEAKER_02: I'm fading to the I'm fading to the back.
[7:58] SPEAKER_02: All right, Kat says, Love the podcast series for world champs.
[8:03] SPEAKER_02: Thanks for all the content.
[8:04] SPEAKER_02: My hot take is is Lucy's running much stronger than everyone anticipates.
[8:09] SPEAKER_02: I really don't think Laura or Kat are gonna run much more than two to four minutes into her.
[8:15] SPEAKER_02: And yeah, I mean we've seen Lucy run this year.
[8:18] SPEAKER_02: If Lucy has the fastest run split, I wouldn't be like, that's crazy.
[8:21] SPEAKER_02: I mean, she she outran some of the best runners on the planet in T100 already this year.
[8:27] SPEAKER_02: So yeah, I think it's a good comment.
[8:28] SPEAKER_02: And the world is Lucy's oyster this weekend, and if she wins the race by seven minutes, I wouldn't be surprised, to be honest.
[8:36] SPEAKER_01: I think Lucy can win, but there is no way that she's gonna have the fastest run split.
[8:40] SPEAKER_00: I agree.
[8:40] SPEAKER_02: I know you think Taylor can outrun her runner, though.
[8:43] SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
[8:44] SPEAKER_02: Alright.
[8:44] SPEAKER_04: Well, Taylor's gonna win, so Stephen Knight says, I think it's going to be a Taylor nib and LCB one, two.
[8:52] SPEAKER_04: I don't think Taylor's previous Iron Man runs have been anywhere near her best.
[8:56] SPEAKER_04: I'm shocked that you have been doubting her.
[8:59] SPEAKER_04: Loving the podcast.
[9:00] SPEAKER_04: It's fantastic hearing the banter between you all.
[9:03] SPEAKER_04: So I had this exact conversation again with my husband yesterday, where we said, we don't think Taylor has yet shown anything close to what she's capable of on the Iron Man run.
[9:14] SPEAKER_04: And she's been preparing for this race all year.
[9:18] SPEAKER_04: She's been pretty open and unapologetic about that.
[9:22] SPEAKER_04: Do we really think Taylor Nib is gonna turn up there and be worse than she was two years ago, or like at least significantly better?
[9:31] SPEAKER_04: I just think she's probably gonna lay down an Iron Man run that maybe we're uh we're gonna we're gonna say, that was something.
[9:39] SPEAKER_01: Ben Peaver asks a simple one.
[9:41] SPEAKER_01: If Kat and Laura get off the bike together in first and second, who wins?
[9:46] SPEAKER_01: Oof.
[9:47] SPEAKER_01: I you have to give it to Laura because in the head to head, the last few times they've raced, Laura has got the better of Kat, but I just think Kat is so hungry.
[9:58] SPEAKER_01: I she will literally kill herself, I think, to try and beat Laura.
[10:03] SPEAKER_01: Um but that would be a great spectacle.
[10:05] SPEAKER_01: I hope they get off the bike together and I hope they're running together because that would be great for everyone watching.
[10:10] SPEAKER_01: But I'd probably have to give it to Laura in a head-to-head battle just going off previous uh the previous few times they've they've been locked in to that tussle.
[10:19] SPEAKER_00: I think Kat's the more like outwardly obvious killer, and Laura Phillip comes across as this really nice person, happy go lucky.
[10:27] SPEAKER_00: But I think on race day, head to head in the marathon, I actually think Laura is a bigger killer.
[10:33] SPEAKER_00: And I don't know if there's anyone who beats Laura mentally on the marathon if they're running shoulder to shoulder with her.
[10:38] SPEAKER_00: So yeah, for me it's Laura until I see uh something that that makes me think otherwise.
[10:43] SPEAKER_04: Corp asks, do you think the pro series plays a factor in Kat Matthews' mind during the race?
[10:48] SPEAKER_04: E.g., not going all or nothing to win the race, but instead ensuring she doesn't blow up and has the fastest time possible.
[10:56] SPEAKER_04: Now, very quickly from me, no, I think Kat wants to win the Pro Series, but what she wants more than anything in the world is the Iron Man World title.
[11:05] SPEAKER_04: So for me, it's a it's a no-brainer.
[11:07] SPEAKER_04: I don't think it plays into her mindset at all.
[11:08] SPEAKER_00: At T100i Betha last year, Vicky, I had a conversation with Kat Matthews about how she thought she'd raced too much in 2024, um, and that next year in 2025, she didn't care about anything else.
[11:21] SPEAKER_00: She would do other races, but all she cared about was winning the Iron Man World Championships in Kona, and she was going to plan her whole year around that and go all in for it.
[11:29] SPEAKER_00: So I guarantee you, Kat Matthews will will not leave anything on the table trying to win it.
[11:33] SPEAKER_04: And I think it's also really important to mention that as amazing as Kat has been over the last few years, she's had multiple world champs podiums, she's never podium in Kona.
[11:44] SPEAKER_04: So that's a big kind of monkey on the back, I think, that she's got to she's got to get rid of that and to go straight in with a win there.
[11:51] SPEAKER_04: I think that that that's everything to her.
[11:54] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, one of the few people who can say that they've they've been on the podium twice at an Iron Man World Championships and it never be at Kona.
[12:01] SPEAKER_00: Quite unbelievable, really.
[12:02] SPEAKER_00: Uh, Sophia Rose says, we need a women's version of the GOAT Benjamin Zorg Notti, a dark horse to uplift and root for.
[12:11] SPEAKER_00: I I don't know if you can purposely recreate the legend of Zorg Notti.
[12:15] SPEAKER_00: Um, we are going to do the country rankings tomorrow, like the best to worst countries that are in the race tomorrow, which is where we all learnt, and probably I think I speak for all of us first heard the name Benjamin Zorgnotti in the lead up to Nice on the Daily Pod.
[12:29] SPEAKER_00: So if that happens again, then it's meant to be.
[12:31] SPEAKER_00: But I reckon for now, Sophia, let's just leave it in the hands of the Trithon gods.
[12:36] SPEAKER_01: Paul Hillier says, one mention of Taylor Nib and Apo is straight back to Mr.
[12:40] SPEAKER_01: Angry.
[12:41] SPEAKER_01: Does he have some post-traumatic nib syndrome from getting his ass handed to him in the pool?
[12:46] SPEAKER_01: You know, I'm trying to leave that one behind, uh, Paul.
[12:50] SPEAKER_01: So uh, you know, move on and uh after Kona, I'll uh I'll get back in the pool and uh dust Taylor up in that uh that easy session that it was supposed to be.
[13:00] SPEAKER_04: Hey, Apo, we all have a bit of post-Taylor Nib syndrome from when we've been nibbed at certain times in our life.
[13:08] SPEAKER_04: I mean, there's been some races where you're you're in a different postcode to Taylor Nibb, put it that way.
[13:14] SPEAKER_01: Yep, exactly.
[13:16] SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
[13:17] SPEAKER_00: Do you know who's been nibbed more than anyone else on the planet?
[13:19] SPEAKER_00: And this is you have to be a true triathlon core fan to know this.
[13:23] SPEAKER_00: But Alex Payne, the like host presenter for the T100, there was a stage where he was like too afraid to interview Taylor nib because every time he I think he still is, she would just correct everything he says and like stare at him for like five seconds after he would ask a question and he'd always get off it and he'd come over and ask you, he goes, Did I say something wrong there?
[13:42] SPEAKER_00: Like, was that was that question I asked wrong?
[13:44] SPEAKER_00: He he just got nibbed for like a whole year, basically.
[13:49] SPEAKER_02: All right, Chris Chambers says, Don't worry, Greg.
[13:52] SPEAKER_02: I haven't seen over 200 watts on my power meter either.
[13:55] SPEAKER_02: Long live the pretenders.
[13:57] SPEAKER_02: Well, Chris, welcome to the club.
[13:59] SPEAKER_02: And uh, I expect that you'll be buying a t-shirt that Jack just launched.
[14:03] SPEAKER_02: And hopefully we can sync up at a race and take a picture in our pretenders' t-shirts and our low-reading power meters.
[14:10] SPEAKER_00: And last uh Spotify comment for the day, maybe the best Spotify comment of the week so far.
[14:15] SPEAKER_00: And I was thinking about this, uh boys and Vicky.
[14:17] SPEAKER_00: At the end of the week, let's do a top five list, the top five best Spotify comments of the week, five to one.
[14:24] SPEAKER_00: Uh, and I think this so far, this is my favorite for leading it.
[14:28] SPEAKER_00: Uh and it's kind of one you've got to go and read yourself, I think, because it makes a lot more sense reading it than what it's going to with me saying it.
[14:35] SPEAKER_00: So everyone head over to those comments and have a read of it.
[14:38] SPEAKER_00: But Maddie Roo says Solvig GlovSeth can't be a coincidence.
[14:45] SPEAKER_00: And basically what she's saying that in the middle of the name Solvik Loves Seth, the word glove is there.
[14:52] SPEAKER_00: And we all know what's potentially happened with Solvik lost Seth and a glove in the build-up to Kona this year.
[14:58] SPEAKER_00: So very well picked up on Maddie.
[15:00] SPEAKER_01: I think we move on from that one.
[15:02] SPEAKER_05: No comments here.
[15:05] SPEAKER_00: If Christian's listening, he started to sweat.
[15:09] SPEAKER_04: On to the next topic, then.
[15:12] SPEAKER_04: So we've spent a lot of time talking about the really big names, Lucy Charles Barclay or Regina George, Kat Matthews, Laura Phillip, Taylor Nibb, Sylvia Glovseth, Lisa Pertra, Chelsea Sodaro.
[15:25] SPEAKER_04: But what we're gonna do next is talk about some of the maybe lesser talked about, but still super capable of impacting the race athletes.
[15:34] SPEAKER_04: So I will say a name, then we'll discuss them, give them a pass or fail mark, and then maybe move on to the next person.
[15:42] SPEAKER_04: So pretty straightforward.
[15:44] SPEAKER_04: Starting us off, we've got Holly Lawrence.
[15:48] SPEAKER_00: Okay, so I want to bring a bit of a question mark to the table.
[15:52] SPEAKER_00: And this might this might change by the time this podcast comes out.
[15:55] SPEAKER_00: But boys, is is something going on with Holly Lawrence?
[15:58] SPEAKER_00: She hasn't been posting on Instagram, she's not on the big island yet.
[16:01] SPEAKER_00: It hasn't been announced that she's not racing, and I I don't know what's going on, but she's showing up awfully late considering it's a world championships in the heat of Kona.
[16:11] SPEAKER_00: I know she's got a kid back home, but is this like a little bit of a watch this space with Holly Lawrence?
[16:15] SPEAKER_01: Do we know she's not on the island?
[16:17] SPEAKER_01: Maybe she's just, you know, taking a bit of time away, just enjoy the moment, be on the island, and uh soak in the atmosphere, do you think?
[16:25] SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
[16:26] SPEAKER_01: She does like to post quite a bit on social media, so it is a little bit um yeah, a little bit out of the out of the norm for her, but uh yeah, we don't have anything confirmed at the moment, so it's hard to comment.
[16:39] SPEAKER_02: I mean it makes it doesn't make sense, but she had a big Kona camp, right?
[16:43] SPEAKER_02: Gets home, the posts the day after and hasn't posted since.
[16:46] SPEAKER_02: Like if you were gonna have something go wrong, it's probably after your big camp in Hawaii, you travel, you go home, and then something maybe pops up.
[16:53] SPEAKER_02: So we hope that's not the case.
[16:54] SPEAKER_02: And we hope Holly's uh racing because we want to see her out there, but yeah, it's definitely a watch the space uh type situation.
[17:01] SPEAKER_00: And so let's just assume she is racing for now.
[17:03] SPEAKER_00: I think if Holly Lawrence is racing, she's a major threat to this race.
[17:08] SPEAKER_00: She's a very good swimmer over the full distance, she doesn't really get dropped from that lead group.
[17:12] SPEAKER_00: I think her bike is one of the most underrated weapons in triathlon.
[17:16] SPEAKER_00: And I actually have full confidence in her running a pretty good marathon in the heat of Kona.
[17:20] SPEAKER_00: I think she's a massive top five threat.
[17:23] SPEAKER_01: She's just solid across the board.
[17:24] SPEAKER_01: And I think Lake Placid was her first Iron Man uh a few months ago, so she's undoubtedly learnt so much from that and will be able to execute a better Iron Man in Kona, I believe.
[17:35] SPEAKER_01: And yeah, I think she's a threat for a top five on a good day for sure.
[17:38] SPEAKER_01: So is that the pass fail for her?
[17:40] SPEAKER_02: I I'm gonna go like a a a pass would be a top ten, um, like in in total, because she is she is new, but I I agree with both of you guys.
[17:49] SPEAKER_04: I'm with you, Greg.
[17:50] SPEAKER_04: Top ten for me.
[17:51] SPEAKER_04: And actually, if I'm honest, it might even be lower than that because she is on debut.
[17:56] SPEAKER_04: She's one year since she gave birth.
[17:59] SPEAKER_04: I think it's all about possibly just trialling the Iron Man and the Kona experience for her this year.
[18:05] SPEAKER_04: So I'm not actually sure she's got like a hard pass veil mark for herself.
[18:10] SPEAKER_04: So I think she's easily capable of that top 10.
[18:13] SPEAKER_04: Uh, but I'm not sure how hard she'd be on herself if she didn't didn't make that.
[18:17] SPEAKER_00: She she is a new parent, like you said, Vicky, and that can go one of two ways for mothers.
[18:22] SPEAKER_00: I think you get that huge increase in blood volume, so you can come back much stronger than when you left, even if you do miss like a year of good training.
[18:30] SPEAKER_00: But then for some for some women, it's just such a life stress that they're they they get worse.
[18:35] SPEAKER_00: So it's it kind of is a bit of a lottery, but I think Holly Lawrence is the type of professional that might come back better post baby, which is saying something because she's a 70.3 world champion.
[18:44] SPEAKER_00: But for now, top 10 pass pass or fail mark for me.
[18:48] SPEAKER_04: Okay, next up we've got Jackie Herring.
[18:50] SPEAKER_01: Jackie, I think, is fine under the radar a little bit.
[18:53] SPEAKER_01: She she had a great year.
[18:56] SPEAKER_01: Was it last year when she just came out and she was um right up there in the pro series rankings?
[19:02] SPEAKER_01: This year it hasn't been as smooth sailing as last year, but she did win Iron Man Cans, um, and this is her first time coming back to Kona since 2014.
[19:12] SPEAKER_01: So she hasn't been she hasn't raced Kona in 11 years.
[19:15] SPEAKER_01: So it's a long time between drinks, but I think Jackie is just aging superbly, and I hope she doesn't mind me saying this, but aging like fine wine, and she's just getting better and better as she goes.
[19:26] SPEAKER_01: And I think Jackie could definitely um sneak into that top ten, and I think that would be a great result for her.
[19:32] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I mean, it would be, but she did get ninth at the Iron Man World Champs last year.
[19:37] SPEAKER_02: So, you know, I feel like once you your your Jackie, she doesn't want to just be this eighth or ninth, you know.
[19:43] SPEAKER_02: I bet she expects a lot from herself coming into this race, and you know, especially up in the pro series.
[19:48] SPEAKER_02: So I'm gonna put a pass fail for her as like a I'm gonna say top seven.
[19:53] SPEAKER_00: And I think the key for Jackie Herring this weekend is to get working with a good bike group.
[19:58] SPEAKER_00: I think if she gets dropped from a bike group and gets isolated, it becomes a very, very long day for Jackie Herring.
[20:04] SPEAKER_00: But she's the kind of athlete who's not gonna have a bad marathon if she does find herself in a good bike group.
[20:09] SPEAKER_00: So for her to have her best day, she needs to get get working in a team on the bike and then let her marathon do the talking.
[20:16] SPEAKER_04: Okay, next up, Hannah Barry.
[20:18] SPEAKER_01: We touched on Hannah a little bit yesterday.
[20:20] SPEAKER_01: I said she'd quietly been having a good year, and not many people have made too much fanfare about her, but yeah, what was it, sixth, sixth, and a fifth in the T100s?
[20:29] SPEAKER_01: And then um I think the Iron Man actually suits her strengths a little bit better.
[20:34] SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think she can definitely challenge for that top eight.
[20:38] SPEAKER_01: Um, and it wouldn't surprise me for her to be even a little bit higher up.
[20:42] SPEAKER_00: And just to correct Apple, it was fourth at Singapore, six, six, and fourth.
[20:46] SPEAKER_00: And I think that's why I correct you there instead of just letting it slide, is I think that's a pretty relevant result to Kona.
[20:52] SPEAKER_00: If we get a high humidity day at Kona, I think that's the kind of conditions that really suit Hanna Berry.
[20:58] SPEAKER_00: She always does well in humid, hot conditions because she's very smart.
[21:02] SPEAKER_00: She's not those that kind of athlete who goes and like sends it beyond like her limit and then blows up.
[21:09] SPEAKER_00: She's very quick to go, this is too hot, let me drop off and be smart in this race.
[21:13] SPEAKER_00: She did it, she's done it in pretty much every one of her big races in the past two years.
[21:17] SPEAKER_00: Um I think the thing that Hannah Berry has on her side is that her swim is very good right now.
[21:22] SPEAKER_00: So she's going to find herself in a good group.
[21:25] SPEAKER_00: Like, I think she'll find herself in a position where she could potentially try and hang on to a Lisa Purder, a Solvik Losseth in the bike, maybe even a Taylor nib.
[21:34] SPEAKER_00: And then that can just set her up all day.
[21:36] SPEAKER_00: I do think she's going to have multiple times where she has to make a decision on the bike to let a group go or let an individual go, or risk risk kind of blowing up her race.
[21:45] SPEAKER_00: But I think if she does do that and makes the right decisions, I think she's gonna have a very strong race.
[21:50] SPEAKER_00: And for me, a pass mark for Hannah Berry is top six.
[21:55] SPEAKER_04: Okay, next up, Penny Slater.
[21:57] SPEAKER_01: Yeah, Penny.
[21:58] SPEAKER_01: So she was seventh at Nis.
[22:00] SPEAKER_01: Last year.
[22:01] SPEAKER_01: Do we think we can take the results from Nice though and just superimpose them onto Kona and just say if they don't improve on that, it's a fail?
[22:10] SPEAKER_01: Because such different courses, could different conditions, and I also think that every year the sport, the level of the sport's just getting higher and higher, right?
[22:20] SPEAKER_01: So, you know, you can execute a better race but potentially not be not beat your position from last year.
[22:26] SPEAKER_01: So I think I don't think coming in that anything seventh or less is bad for Penny.
[22:33] SPEAKER_01: I think she can sneak into that top ten.
[22:35] SPEAKER_01: Her year has been a little bit up and down.
[22:37] SPEAKER_01: She's had a couple of DNFs, but um yeah, it looks like she's coming through with a podium after Sunshine Coast.
[22:43] SPEAKER_01: So I think I think Penny will be up there, but I don't I don't know if she's gonna better her score from last year and be higher than seventh, in my opinion.
[22:52] SPEAKER_00: On Apo's point about can you take the results from Nice and transfer them to Kona, clearly you can't, because if you look at the men's 2024 Iron Man World Championships in Kona, like we talked about on the Nice Daily podcast, only one of the top ten went on to finish in the top ten at Nice this year, and that was Patrick Langer in ninth.
[23:10] SPEAKER_00: So the entire top eight at Nice this year for the men's Iron Man World Championships didn't finish in the top ten the year before at Kona, which is really interesting and probably suggests that we're going to have a quite different top ten in the women's race this year compared to what we we had at Nice last year.
[23:25] SPEAKER_00: Uh, and I think Penny is probably a perfect example of that.
[23:29] SPEAKER_00: I don't think she's capable of finishing top ten.
[23:32] SPEAKER_00: I think the race, I think for Penny to have a good race, dynamics have to just work out in a way that suits her on the race, and and she's almost not in control of it.
[23:41] SPEAKER_00: I think her swim is way off the level it needs to be, and it wouldn't be a surprise to me if she was five to seven and a half minutes down on Lucy Charles Barclay.
[23:49] SPEAKER_00: And she's just got to get lucky and hope that there's someone to work with on the bike.
[23:53] SPEAKER_00: Because if there's not, she's gonna have to ride really hard and therefore suffer probably the last 40, 50k of the bike and probably not have the marathon she's capable of.
[24:02] SPEAKER_00: But if she does find some alliances out on the on the bike course because of you know who came out of the swim with her, like I look at someone like Ann Reichman, that could be a really good ally for Penny.
[24:12] SPEAKER_00: If that, if that if that plays out like that, then she can have a really good day.
[24:16] SPEAKER_00: But yeah, if she has to do too much work on the bike, it's not gonna, it's not gonna be a good day for Penny.
[24:21] SPEAKER_00: I probably have a pass valve for Penny at like 10th to 12th, probably 12th place, I'd say, is a pass.
[24:25] SPEAKER_04: Well, there you go.
[24:26] SPEAKER_04: 12th is what I was about to say, Jack.
[24:28] SPEAKER_04: So there we go.
[24:29] SPEAKER_04: Um I I I agree with what Apo said.
[24:32] SPEAKER_04: Penny is the really first one that we've had on the list where I don't think you can necessarily go, she did this in Nice, therefore she can do this in in Kona.
[24:42] SPEAKER_04: I think the Nice course was great for Penny.
[24:44] SPEAKER_04: I'm not sure the Kona course is as good for Penny.
[24:47] SPEAKER_04: Um, I think on a great day she could still get in that top 10, but that doesn't mean that's the pass or fail mark.
[24:52] SPEAKER_04: So I think 12, maybe even a little bit lower, would still be uh a pass for Penny.
[24:59] SPEAKER_04: Next one is Sky Munch.
[25:02] SPEAKER_04: And just before I hand over to you guys, I'm just gonna add this is her first race back since she had her daughter.
[25:09] SPEAKER_04: So she rolled over her qualification from two years ago and is now racing, having not raced since her daughter was born.
[25:17] SPEAKER_04: So I don't think you come in with expectations in that scenario.
[25:20] SPEAKER_04: I don't I don't know how you have a past fail mark for someone who literally hasn't raced.
[25:26] SPEAKER_01: Yeah, her last race was um in March of 2024.
[25:31] SPEAKER_01: So it's been 18 months, really.
[25:34] SPEAKER_01: Um, so and Skye, before having her daughter, she's was one of the best US Iron Man athletes, in my opinion.
[25:42] SPEAKER_01: She she used to win one or two Ironmans every single year.
[25:45] SPEAKER_01: Like she was just so consistent.
[25:47] SPEAKER_01: It is tricky to kind of judge where she's gonna be at because she hasn't raced in so long.
[25:52] SPEAKER_01: So no one really besides her has any idea of her form.
[25:57] SPEAKER_01: But um, she looks like she's just love and life, you know, she's fully embraced motherhood, and um yeah, I think she's probably coming in with no expectations and just stoked to be back racing.
[26:07] SPEAKER_02: That's the pass, isn't it?
[26:08] SPEAKER_02: She made it there.
[26:09] SPEAKER_02: Like that's awesome.
[26:10] SPEAKER_02: So and like you said, yeah, ninth in 2022 in Kona and seventh in Hawaii.
[26:16] SPEAKER_02: I mean, we don't have no idea if she could she could get a top ten, we don't know, right?
[26:20] SPEAKER_02: Like that that wouldn't be surprising though.
[26:22] SPEAKER_02: But yeah, I mean, without a race and how many months is that?
[26:25] SPEAKER_02: 18, almost 18 months.
[26:27] SPEAKER_02: Um, so yeah, it's a pass that she's just there.
[26:30] SPEAKER_04: So next up we've got Marta Sanchez.
[26:32] SPEAKER_01: I'd probably think another kind of outside shot at a top 10 for Marta Sanchez.
[26:37] SPEAKER_01: Um she has been trying to balance both the T100 tour and Iron Man racing.
[26:43] SPEAKER_01: So it'll be interesting to see how she's done that and whether she's coming through um, you know, kind of a little bit over raced.
[26:51] SPEAKER_01: But I think I think she can definitely threaten with a uh with a top ten.
[26:54] SPEAKER_01: She's got a great bike and run, and um, yeah, she's coming off two podiums at Iron Man South Africa earlier this year, and then third at Lake Placid.
[27:02] SPEAKER_01: So yeah, she's had some good results, and I think I think she can challenge for that top ten.
[27:06] SPEAKER_00: I think Marta is like one of the wild cards of this race.
[27:10] SPEAKER_00: I honestly wouldn't be surprised if we see her finish top five or six, but I also wouldn't be surprised if we see her finish like 18th.
[27:17] SPEAKER_00: I I really don't know where she's at.
[27:19] SPEAKER_00: If she's in the same shape she was around Nice last year, where she came, she came sixth and then went on to win Barcelona and then dominated Iron Man 70.3 busso in Australia, like that that kind of Marta Sanchez is a top five threat.
[27:32] SPEAKER_00: She's got a really good bike, her bike is her weapon for sure.
[27:35] SPEAKER_00: Her run can be great, it also can be kind of a weakness.
[27:38] SPEAKER_00: It's it's weird.
[27:39] SPEAKER_00: Like she can have great runs and bad runs.
[27:41] SPEAKER_00: So I I kind of think Kona suits her, and I think she will find herself kind of like inside the top 10 most of the day.
[27:49] SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna put a pass bail mark for Marta as eighth.
[27:52] SPEAKER_02: I'm gonna go go tenth.
[27:53] SPEAKER_02: I'm looking at her race sheet.
[27:55] SPEAKER_02: She raced way more last year than actually this year since on the T100.
[27:59] SPEAKER_02: So maybe that plays into her cards a little bit and she she prioritized this race a little bit.
[28:04] SPEAKER_02: I mean, she hasn't done all the T100 races, right?
[28:06] SPEAKER_02: So she's obviously focused on this.
[28:08] SPEAKER_02: And uh yeah, uh, like Jack said, top five.
[28:11] SPEAKER_02: I wouldn't be surprised, but I'll put it at a top 10 pass fail.
[28:14] SPEAKER_04: She's someone who could easily get even a bit higher than she did last year on a really, really blistering day.
[28:21] SPEAKER_04: But it also could be that we don't see her in the top ten.
[28:24] SPEAKER_04: Like I just I don't I I struggle to place her.
[28:27] SPEAKER_04: Struggle to put her.
[28:28] SPEAKER_02: Are we all sitting on the fence right now?
[28:30] SPEAKER_04: We're being a bit fancy.
[28:32] SPEAKER_01: I feel like I've just said I've just said chance of the top ten for everyone.
[28:37] SPEAKER_00: Okay, we've got four more names on the list.
[28:39] SPEAKER_00: Let's all like group agreement.
[28:41] SPEAKER_00: Let's not sit on the fence for these last four.
[28:43] SPEAKER_00: So apologies to the next four athletes.
[28:45] SPEAKER_04: Oh gosh, brutal.
[28:47] SPEAKER_04: Here we go.
[28:47] SPEAKER_04: Next one is Danielle Lewis.
[28:49] SPEAKER_00: I'll lead us off the fence.
[28:51] SPEAKER_00: Danielle Lewis, her time of finishing top five, top ten even at an Iron Man World Championships is done.
[28:57] SPEAKER_00: Her swim is too much of a weakness.
[28:59] SPEAKER_00: She's a good bike rider, she's a good runner, but she's going to be too isolated.
[29:02] SPEAKER_00: She will not finish inside the top ten.
[29:04] SPEAKER_00: A pass mark for her would be like 12th or higher, but I'm thinking, yeah, 12 to 15 is where Danielle Lewis will finish.
[29:12] SPEAKER_01: She's a great runner, though.
[29:14] SPEAKER_01: If she looks after herself on the bike and run, we see every year how many people blow up at Cona.
[29:19] SPEAKER_01: And if you just look after yourself, you can you feel like you can come into T2 way out of the race.
[29:25] SPEAKER_01: But then if you run to your ability, and if Danielle can run to her ability, like she's got a 248 at Roth, she did a 252 at Plasted last year, like they're pretty fast runs.
[29:36] SPEAKER_01: So I don't know.
[29:37] SPEAKER_01: I think she could sneak into that top ten.
[29:42] SPEAKER_04: Apple's back on his fence.
[29:44] SPEAKER_04: Good.
[29:44] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I'm going top 15 is the pass.
[29:46] SPEAKER_02: I just think, like Jack said, the swim is a liability at this point.
[29:50] SPEAKER_02: And for if I was her and she knows she knows she needs she has to go into the offseason thinking I need to find three or four minutes here if I want to get back in that top ten on a world stage.
[30:00] SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I've gone top 12 because you know I'm still on my fence.
[30:05] SPEAKER_02: Okay.
[30:06] SPEAKER_04: Next one is Rebecca Andbury.
[30:08] SPEAKER_04: She is a debutante at Kona.
[30:12] SPEAKER_04: My girl who I'm hoping is gonna rip it up on the bike because then that just validates what I've said and I don't look stupid.
[30:18] SPEAKER_04: Um, but yeah, with it with it being her first Kona and having, I think she's on her third season, she's maybe done two seasons as a pro.
[30:26] SPEAKER_04: I think this is her third season.
[30:28] SPEAKER_04: Again, is there a pass or fail mark when it's your first go?
[30:33] SPEAKER_04: I'm I'm I'm not sure.
[30:36] SPEAKER_01: I don't know too much about Rebecca, to be honest, but I know that she's been setting some blazing fast bike splits, and I looked at her some photos of her on the bike, they came up in my um Instagram, and she looks incredible on a bike.
[30:50] SPEAKER_01: So it wouldn't surprise me if she just comes in and she's like, you know what, I'm just gonna send it and try and go for this bike course record.
[30:56] SPEAKER_01: Like that wouldn't surprise me at all.
[30:57] SPEAKER_02: From her perspective, come into this race, send it, put your name on the map, then she can come back the next few years and race a bit smarter, right?
[31:07] SPEAKER_02: But this is my could be a coming out party for her.
[31:10] SPEAKER_02: And like Vicky said, if she goes and gets near that bike course record, there's gonna be some serious notoriety from that, even if she's not on the broadcast, you know, kind of after the fact, and uh that could be good for her.
[31:22] SPEAKER_02: So I think you heard it here first.
[31:25] SPEAKER_02: If she doesn't set the bike course record, it's a fail.
[31:28] SPEAKER_00: I think if she tries to go for the bike course record and ruins her race and doesn't get it, then I'd probably agree it is a fail, Greg.
[31:35] SPEAKER_00: I think the thing with Rebecca is her swim is very ordinary for this level, especially in a race where you've got Lucy Charles Barclay trying to win it.
[31:42] SPEAKER_00: I reckon there's a world where she finishes 10 or more minutes behind Lucy Charles Barclay in the swim and is super isolated and kind of like what we talked with with Penny.
[31:51] SPEAKER_00: She might need to get lucky and find some company out there on the bike.
[31:55] SPEAKER_00: But I do think it's gonna be a long kind of solo day for Rebecca because I think she'll be a better cyclist than everyone else around her and just have to try and work her way through the 180k by herself.
[32:06] SPEAKER_00: And I think it's gonna be a long day on the marathon.
[32:08] SPEAKER_00: I think there's like some future talent here for Rebecca.
[32:11] SPEAKER_00: I don't think I don't think what we're gonna see from her on the weekend is even close to the finished product.
[32:16] SPEAKER_00: So I think like top 15 would be a great day for Rebecca.
[32:19] SPEAKER_00: Putting any more expectation on her than that would be kind of crazy, in my opinion.
[32:23] SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I think I agree.
[32:25] SPEAKER_04: Okay, next, Jocelyn McCauley.
[32:27] SPEAKER_02: I'll I'll lead it, Jack's bias in this one.
[32:30] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, you know, Jocelyn's obviously had some injury in running consistency um over the last maybe even two years.
[32:40] SPEAKER_02: So, you know, it's it's tough.
[32:42] SPEAKER_02: I mean, she's in a hard position.
[32:44] SPEAKER_02: Like, how do you put too much expectations on yourself when you haven't been in the run fitness, knowing that I mean Kona is the place where you get exposed the most.
[32:53] SPEAKER_02: Um, if she's healthy on the start line and feels strong, I would say that would probably a pass for her at this point.
[32:59] SPEAKER_02: And you know, sneaking into that top 15 would probably be a great mark.
[33:02] SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think I agree with you, Greg.
[33:04] SPEAKER_01: It's yeah, she has been injured.
[33:06] SPEAKER_01: She did get second at New Zealand, which you know is not the highest tier Iron Man, but um she does love that race in New Zealand, and she's had some great results in the past, but I think I think the sport is just moving at such a rapid pace, and um yeah, I just struggle seeing Jocelyn sneak into that top ten.
[33:25] SPEAKER_00: So Jocelyn's swimming and riding very well, and she's actually running pretty well as well.
[33:30] SPEAKER_00: Um she did, she barely ran for like 18 months.
[33:32] SPEAKER_00: Like, literally, if you look at her training peak, she like wasn't running for the better part of two years, um, and that's like in the lead up to this year, and she has really like put things together in this block into Kona.
[33:44] SPEAKER_00: She hasn't missed any runs, she's not injured at all.
[33:47] SPEAKER_00: She's been out on the island for a month, so I reckon she's probably the person who's been out there the longest.
[33:52] SPEAKER_00: Um and she's she's done lots of speci specific work out on the course, so I think she feels super confident in her potential to race well.
[34:01] SPEAKER_00: Uh, from my perspective, I kind of I kind of have higher expectations than you guys of her.
[34:06] SPEAKER_00: I think that she's going to swim in that kind of chase pack, like the somewhere between Taylor Nib and Kat Matthews, I think is where we'll find Jocelyn in the water.
[34:16] SPEAKER_00: On a great day, if she can be in that in that like front chase group, then no one really is going to be able to drop her on the bike.
[34:21] SPEAKER_00: She's a she's an absolute weapon on the bike, and she's riding really well, and she's super arrow.
[34:26] SPEAKER_00: And then it just comes down to the marathon.
[34:28] SPEAKER_00: For me, um, yeah, I think it like a top ten is is the pass fail mark for Jocelyn.
[34:34] SPEAKER_00: And I think she's capable of more than probably what most people think she is.
[34:37] SPEAKER_00: Um, despite being a veteran, I think she's got plenty of life left in in the sport.
[34:42] SPEAKER_04: Well, I didn't know all of that before Jack went into it.
[34:45] SPEAKER_04: So I was kind of going more along the lines of what both Apo and and Greg said.
[34:49] SPEAKER_04: And so for me, I was kind of not putting too much pressure on Jocelyn, knowing that she's had such a rough time with injuries, and for me the pass fail was actually top 15, but now I feel like I might have gone a bit uh bit too easy now we've had Jack's assessment of the situation.
[35:04] SPEAKER_04: Okay, final one, Indy Lee.
[35:07] SPEAKER_01: Indy's a bit of a wild card.
[35:08] SPEAKER_01: She had a great Iron Man a few months ago where she won by like 30 minutes or more.
[35:15] SPEAKER_01: I think I do think a top five is a big ask, but I do think top ten is too easy for her.
[35:23] SPEAKER_01: I think around that eighth is that pass fail.
[35:26] SPEAKER_02: I like that too.
[35:27] SPEAKER_02: And you know that we we talked about the Benjamin Zorgnati of the women's race.
[35:32] SPEAKER_02: Not that Indy's in the same way.
[35:33] SPEAKER_02: I mean, she's won big races, but I feel like she's almost the people's champ.
[35:37] SPEAKER_02: I mean, I just love watching Indy like laugh and have fun.
[35:40] SPEAKER_02: So like I'm really rooting for her, and now I'm gonna be hard on her too.
[35:43] SPEAKER_02: I'm saying top five pass fail.
[35:44] SPEAKER_02: You won a T100 race, you haven't been there quite yet, like step up on this big stage and perform and do what we all know you can do and get that top five.
[35:54] SPEAKER_00: I like the I like the jumping off the fence there, Greg.
[35:57] SPEAKER_00: I couldn't disagree more.
[35:58] SPEAKER_00: I think Kona doesn't suit India Lee.
[36:00] SPEAKER_00: I I have really high expectations of India Lee.
[36:03] SPEAKER_00: Like every time she has a poor race, I'm like, come on, India, you're better than that.
[36:06] SPEAKER_00: Like, that's the kind of expectations I have of her.
[36:09] SPEAKER_00: I just don't think Kona suits her.
[36:11] SPEAKER_00: I don't think anything about how the day's gonna play out suits her.
[36:14] SPEAKER_00: I don't think the conditions really suit her.
[36:16] SPEAKER_00: I I think if she finishes in the top ten, it's a massive pass.
[36:19] SPEAKER_00: I I would even extend it.
[36:20] SPEAKER_00: I think top 12 is a pass for India Lee.
[36:23] SPEAKER_00: Now, if this race was at Nice, I've got higher expectations.
[36:26] SPEAKER_00: I'm probably more in line with you, Greg, thinking top five is a pass, but Kona, yeah, about 12, I think is the pass fail mark for my.
[36:33] SPEAKER_04: Well, I went top ten for similar reasons.
[36:36] SPEAKER_04: I'm not sure it's her ideal course.
[36:39] SPEAKER_04: And she's only done three Ironmans ever, and she was in Nice last year and she didn't even finish the race.
[36:45] SPEAKER_04: So I think this year finishing, I think, would be great.
[36:48] SPEAKER_04: Give us some Iron Man World Champs experience, you know, just made it for you.
[36:54] SPEAKER_04: Um, and yeah, because I don't think this is her ultimate course, I've gone top ten.
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[38:00] SPEAKER_00: Lever is lightweight, it's portable, and connects with a digital scale so you can dial in exactly how much load you want to take off while you run.
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[38:17] SPEAKER_00: Um, to do that, just visit lever movement.com and start running smarter today.
[38:22] SPEAKER_00: Get consistent in your running.
[38:24] SPEAKER_00: It's the main thing that will get you running faster.
[38:29] SPEAKER_01: Topic number three, I've got a list for you guys and girls.
[38:35] SPEAKER_01: Top five ways to cook your race on race week at Kona.
[38:40] SPEAKER_01: So uh there's plenty of ways that you can cook your race, right?
[38:42] SPEAKER_01: But uh I think Kona is unique in the fact that it's like so many people go and do so many things that they would never usually do before any other race.
[38:54] SPEAKER_01: But because it's Kona, for whatever reason, everybody decides to change up what works and experiment with different things.
[39:01] SPEAKER_01: So I've come up with a list of top five.
[39:04] SPEAKER_01: So number five, race week tinkering.
[39:08] SPEAKER_01: So I have a bit of a funny anecdote here.
[39:10] SPEAKER_01: Um in 2000 and what was it, 2015, I was rooming with uh Tim Reed at the 70.3 World Championships, and um we were the night before the race at like 8 p.m., Tim's bike is literally in pieces because he wanted to change his saddle height, his saddle position, and it this is like eight hours, twelve hours before the race, and he's just completely upended his whole bike setup um in preparation for this race.
[39:41] SPEAKER_01: And, you know, spoiler alert, it didn't go well for him the next day, but that is one thing that can ruin your race race week tinkering.
[39:48] SPEAKER_01: Just set it, forget it, and what you're used to is what's going to be best on race day.
[39:54] SPEAKER_01: Number four is accommodation choice.
[39:58] SPEAKER_01: Um I was in Kona last year and we got, you know, we tried to save a little off the top and uh book a bit of a cheaper place and it didn't have air conditioning.
[40:10] SPEAKER_01: So uh just make sure you're doing some thorough research on your accommodation choice into Kona because it's hot there, it doesn't really cool off in the night.
[40:20] SPEAKER_01: You want to make sure that you're getting a nice, comfortable bed, you're comfortable sleeping, and not having ACOM in Kona.
[40:27] SPEAKER_01: I'm not saying it ruined my race, but it can definitely can affect the performance on race day.
[40:32] SPEAKER_00: Apo, when Jan Fredino used to go to Kona, he would have a rule in the house that the air conditioning was banned.
[40:38] SPEAKER_00: So you weren't allowed to use air conditioning in his house.
[40:40] SPEAKER_00: It didn't matter how hot anyone else staying in the house got, if they didn't like it, they could go find another house.
[40:45] SPEAKER_00: There was no air con in Jan Fredino's house, and he won it three times.
[40:48] SPEAKER_02: No way, dude.
[40:50] SPEAKER_02: I don't even believe what you're saying.
[40:52] SPEAKER_01: That's just untrue.
[40:54] SPEAKER_01: Number three, excessive race weak nervous energy ruining sleep mood, etc.
[41:01] SPEAKER_01: And I think this one's hard, right?
[41:04] SPEAKER_01: Because you can't control your emotions.
[41:06] SPEAKER_01: And as a generally pretty anxious person myself, I have had instances where races have been ruined because I haven't been able to sleep properly.
[41:14] SPEAKER_01: I've just been too wired, too anxious, too nervous in the days leading in.
[41:18] SPEAKER_01: And it can definitely ruin races.
[41:20] SPEAKER_01: So I think yeah, most people though, that are anxious or tend to have that nervous energy probably have ways to deal with it.
[41:29] SPEAKER_01: And I know I do, and you know, come equipped with tools to manage that stress and anxiety in race week.
[41:35] SPEAKER_01: So, but yeah, undoubtedly it can ruin races.
[41:39] SPEAKER_01: Number two, too much volume in race week, or conversely, not enough volume in race week.
[41:47] SPEAKER_01: Um, I think it's easy to look at the numbers in training peaks and not want that uh chronic training load to decline too much and you hesitate and um err on the side of doing too much volume in race week, and generally all the work's been done, right?
[42:02] SPEAKER_01: You want to maintain a little bit of muscle tension, just yeah, maintain a little bit of fitness, but not too much, and then conversely, not doing enough, you can get stale, you can get a little bit lethargic.
[42:14] SPEAKER_01: So you've got to strike that balance, I think.
[42:17] SPEAKER_01: And um, but you know, these people, uh the pros, they all know what works for them.
[42:22] SPEAKER_01: And I think when you're dialed in, you know what works and you try and stick to it.
[42:26] SPEAKER_00: Apo, we literally had a conversation on the group chat the other day about a race that you won in Cairns, iMan70.3 Cairns in 2015, where you didn't train at all during the week and you stayed in your hotel room and played COD on the PlayStation all day.
[42:42] SPEAKER_01: Yeah, but it was raining, you know.
[42:45] SPEAKER_01: I didn't want to get my bike dirty, you know, didn't want to catch a cold.
[42:50] SPEAKER_01: Um well, like, and everyone's individual, right?
[42:53] SPEAKER_01: More rest works for some people, more volume works for others.
[42:56] SPEAKER_01: You just got to find out what works for you.
[42:58] SPEAKER_01: I generally prefer the school of thought that I'd prefer to be 10% underdone than 1% overdone.
[43:06] SPEAKER_01: I think it's better to be too fresh than not fresh enough.
[43:09] SPEAKER_01: So if you are hesitating, I would err on the side of doing less.
[43:15] SPEAKER_01: Number one, overdoing the race week heat prep.
[43:20] SPEAKER_01: So everybody gets to Kona and it's just such a different environment, right?
[43:26] SPEAKER_01: We've seen it on Lionel Sanders YouTube.
[43:28] SPEAKER_01: We know it's um it can ruin races.
[43:31] SPEAKER_01: If you spend too much time out in that heat, you just deplete yourself.
[43:35] SPEAKER_01: And I think a lot of people come from their kind of colder climates and expect to be holding the same power for heart rate that they held at home that they're gonna hold in Kona.
[43:47] SPEAKER_01: And it just doesn't work like that.
[43:48] SPEAKER_01: The heat stress is so much more on the body, you just need to kind of adapt and be flexible with your numbers and not try and panic too much and do too much volume in that heat because that's just gonna leave you super flat forever.
[44:00] SPEAKER_00: From a physiological point of view as well, Apple, you're not really getting much benefit that close to a race.
[44:06] SPEAKER_00: Like there is small amounts of acute heat benefit, but really, and researchers back this time and time again, it's like eight to ten days out from a race, is where you can basically stop doing your heat prep and your blood volume um increases and your hemoglobin mass increases won't change.
[44:25] SPEAKER_00: So you don't have to.
[44:26] SPEAKER_00: Like physiologically, there's no real benefit.
[44:29] SPEAKER_00: Now there might be some psychological benefit, like we just touched on with the air con situation, but yeah, from a from a blood point of view, it doesn't really matter.
[44:38] SPEAKER_04: Leading on from that, Jack, I have a real bugbear with heat prep stuff because I think so many people do it wrong.
[44:45] SPEAKER_04: I think so many people think that they can just go there 10 days out and that'll be enough.
[44:49] SPEAKER_04: I think a lot of people do at-home heat prep where they don't actually stick to a protocol that's gonna give them the right heat preparation, the right adaptations.
[44:59] SPEAKER_04: I think for anybody who actually really wants to do heat prep properly, you have to look into it.
[45:05] SPEAKER_04: You need to know exactly the levels that you're trying to get your core temperature up to, you have to do the right amount of sessions for the right amount of time, and then I think you need to be in situ for more, I think, psychologically than anything for two weeks beforehand.
[45:19] SPEAKER_04: And I agree with you completely, Jack, you're not doing it in the last 10 days before the race.
[45:23] SPEAKER_04: It's earlier than that, it's all got to be done earlier than that.
[45:26] SPEAKER_04: And there are so many people who just say, Oh yeah, I'm going out to Kona two weeks early.
[45:31] SPEAKER_04: That's gonna do nothing.
[45:32] SPEAKER_04: You're you're gonna be in trouble.
[45:36] SPEAKER_00: I personally think that all triathletes or endurance athletes in general should be taking creatine daily.
[45:42] SPEAKER_00: However, not all creatines are created equal, and in the case of pillar performances creatine monohydrate, it features a single-origin creepure made in Germany, which is the purest form of creatine monohydrate available on the market.
[45:54] SPEAKER_00: And unlike most brands, it's informed sports certified.
[45:58] SPEAKER_00: So, as a triathlete, why should you be taking creatine daily?
[46:02] SPEAKER_00: Well, firstly, energy production.
[46:04] SPEAKER_00: Creatine helps but replenish ATP, which is the body's primary energy source.
[46:09] SPEAKER_00: This means higher anaerobic capacity and better overall athletic performance.
[46:14] SPEAKER_00: Enhanced recovery is the second thing.
[46:16] SPEAKER_00: Creatine reduces muscle damage and inflammation while promoting faster glycogen replenishment.
[46:22] SPEAKER_00: This leads to quicker recovery between training sessions and races.
[46:25] SPEAKER_00: It's it's probably, in my opinion, the main reason why you should use it.
[46:29] SPEAKER_00: Just the hugely enhanced recovery that it it it leads to.
[46:33] SPEAKER_00: And then thirdly, is the cognitive benefits.
[46:36] SPEAKER_00: Creatine supports brain function, reducing mental fatigue and improving focus throughout endurance events, but also just day-to-day in your life.
[46:43] SPEAKER_00: If you're trying to get up early and train and then go to work and then um look after your family and spend quality time with the people you care about, maybe even train a second time.
[46:52] SPEAKER_00: I mean, you just need to have the cognitive ability to do so, and creatine definitely helps that.
[46:57] SPEAKER_00: So if you would like to try some creatine monohydrate for yourself, which I highly recommend you do, then head to pillarperformance.shop or for North American listeners listeners, head to thefeed.com and enter the code TTH for 15% off all first purchases.
[47:12] SPEAKER_00: That's code TTH for 15% off all first purchases.
[47:17] SPEAKER_00: Okay, moving on.
[47:18] SPEAKER_00: We've got an interview coming up with Laura Phillip in about five minutes, maybe even about four minutes.
[47:23] SPEAKER_00: So I've got a list that I'm gonna bring to the table.
[47:26] SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna just go for go through it as quickly as I can.
[47:28] SPEAKER_00: We're gonna chat to Laura, and then that's day three done.
[47:31] SPEAKER_00: So my quick fire list is I'm gonna try and predict the top ten fastest bike splits in order from the race.
[47:38] SPEAKER_00: So I've got a little list of people who might make me look silly.
[47:42] SPEAKER_00: I think the main main probably two are Marjolaine Pierre and Hannah Berry.
[47:46] SPEAKER_00: I don't have them in the top ten.
[47:48] SPEAKER_00: India Lee, Daniela Lewis, Holly Lawrence, and Penny Slater are also don't have in the top ten and could make me look silly.
[47:54] SPEAKER_00: Coming in at number 10, Marta Sanchez.
[47:57] SPEAKER_00: Number nine, Solveg Loth Seth.
[48:02] SPEAKER_00: I mean it doesn't actually have a glove in it.
[48:04] SPEAKER_00: Oh yeah, it doesn't.
[48:05] SPEAKER_00: Sorry.
[48:06] SPEAKER_00: Number nine, Solve Glove Lof Seth.
[48:09] SPEAKER_00: Number eight, Rebecca Anderberry.
[48:11] SPEAKER_00: Number seven, Jocelyn McCauley.
[48:13] SPEAKER_00: Number six, Anne Reichman.
[48:15] SPEAKER_00: Number five, Laura Phillips, number four, Kat Matthews, number three, Lisa Perderer, number two, Lucy Charles Barclay, and number one, Taylor Nib.
[48:24] SPEAKER_00: So I've gone all in on Taylor Nib and Lucy Charles Barclay having to do something special out there.
[48:29] SPEAKER_00: I think that the next big three favourites will follow them.
[48:32] SPEAKER_00: And I've gone a bit of a mix up from six to ten, but I wouldn't be surprised if none of them were right or if all of them are right.
[48:38] SPEAKER_00: Who really knows?
[48:39] SPEAKER_00: Okay, so we've got Laura Phillip coming in in 30 seconds time for right now.
[48:43] SPEAKER_00: We've got to make time for the defending Iron Man World Champion, Laura Phillips.
[48:46] SPEAKER_00: So uh we'll we'll throw to Laura now and then we'll talk to you quickly before we end the show.
[48:51] SPEAKER_00: Yes, pretenders, it's a big one today.
[48:53] SPEAKER_00: We're joined by the one and only the defending Iron Man World Champion, Laura Phillip.
[48:59] SPEAKER_00: Laura, coming in as the defending Iron Man World Champion, how has your mindset changed, if at all, compared to last year?
[49:06] SPEAKER_03: Well, I think winning the Iron Man World Champion title last year in Nice was just a really big self-confidence boost, I guess.
[49:16] SPEAKER_03: Um, I'm always someone who's more doubting myself and my abilities, and uh I have this mantra with what if I fly, which means you know that I'm always asking myself the question, what if I fail or fall?
[49:31] SPEAKER_03: many times, and I keep on reminding myself that uh I can also fly and I can do this, and um I think I've gotten way more better in believing that uh I can actually, you know, win big races and be strong in tight battles and just believe in my abilities, even though I'm not coming out in the front of the swim, you know, like uh I'm not in the perfect position, like someone like Lucy, for example.
[50:00] SPEAKER_03: So my race plan and is very different, and I think I really have to have a strong belief for a long time that I can turn things around and put myself into a position in a race to win.
[50:15] SPEAKER_03: But I got better at it, definitely.
[50:17] SPEAKER_03: The win in Nice definitely helped, and also having undergone another battle in Hamburg, for example, um, also helped me to grow as an athlete.
[50:25] SPEAKER_03: But first of all, thanks for having me.
[50:27] SPEAKER_03: Sorry, I didn't say hello.
[50:30] SPEAKER_03: Just jumped straight into it.
[50:32] SPEAKER_04: Hi Laura, it's really great to have you with us.
[50:35] SPEAKER_04: Um, given the big, big differences in the courses between Nice and Kona, what, if anything, did you change in your training for the race here in Kona compared to last year in Nice?
[50:48] SPEAKER_03: So last year, I think the main focus was definitely on the hilly bike course.
[50:52] SPEAKER_03: And um, I did focus a lot more on making sure I climb and descend a lot on the bike and really be good uh, you know, in that.
[51:02] SPEAKER_03: Uh, and this year it was way more likely that you find found myself on the turbo trainer, for example.
[51:09] SPEAKER_03: As soon as the sun wasn't shining, I was like, oh, turbo riding is good for Kona.
[51:14] SPEAKER_03: I stay inside.
[51:16] SPEAKER_03: So I think that was a difference that I didn't focus so much on my skills on the bike, for example.
[51:22] SPEAKER_03: I still obviously enjoy outdoor riding, but um I put that aside a little bit, knowing that here it will be a lot more about staying aero, putting the power down, and you know, um being able to ride a long time in a kind of uncomfortable aero position.
[51:39] SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, it's always uh a balance between being aero and comfortable.
[51:44] SPEAKER_03: And then uh we also focused way more on um heat training, obviously.
[51:50] SPEAKER_03: Like uh Nice was kind of nice temperatures, and um here I really tried to focus on uh getting more used to heat.
[52:00] SPEAKER_03: I think those are the main differences, and I included way more hills in my run training, that's also something I did.
[52:06] SPEAKER_03: Um, in uh comparison to the lead ups I did the years before.
[52:11] SPEAKER_03: Um, I did a lot of hill reps, um, also uh pretty close to race day, um, like over the last weeks.
[52:18] SPEAKER_03: Uh I still did a lot of hill reps um because uh yeah, I think that's hopefully something I can um profit from when uh entering all those climbs here.
[52:28] SPEAKER_02: Okay, Laura, I'm gonna put you on the spot here.
[52:31] SPEAKER_02: Are you in better shape right now or this time last year before Nice?
[52:36] SPEAKER_03: Um I would say I'm in better shape now because I also had longer to prepare for, and um the only thing that I don't know is you know, at the end it's about the shape, like the how you feel on race day.
[52:54] SPEAKER_03: And it's I think like this one percent that maybe decides if you have a good day or a bad day, and uh it will be difficult to handle the next few days, right?
[53:05] SPEAKER_03: Uh it's still um four days, and uh to find the right balance between recover and uh then be ready.
[53:15] SPEAKER_03: But I would say uh number wise, I'm I'm doing good, I'm I'm confident, um but at the end I don't know what that will mean for race day.
[53:24] SPEAKER_01: Laura, do you feel more or less pressure coming in as the defending champion?
[53:29] SPEAKER_01: You already won Nice last year.
[53:30] SPEAKER_01: Does that in some ways take the pressure off?
[53:33] SPEAKER_03: Yeah, surprisingly, I do feel like I have less pressure.
[53:37] SPEAKER_03: Um I know many people think differently about this, but um I feel like, you know, I have won a world champion title, and this is already so insane and makes me so happy that everything that comes now is like on top, right?
[53:54] SPEAKER_03: And uh I feel like it's a huge privilege and something I'm super proud of to come here and put the number one sticker on my bike and my helmet.
[54:03] SPEAKER_03: But I feel like there are other athletes that are still, you know, need to show they can win a title.
[54:11] SPEAKER_03: And uh I also see Lucy as the defending champion on on the island, you know.
[54:18] SPEAKER_03: So um I don't actually see myself as the biggest favorite to win here, but still I um you know sat down after Nice and I was wondering like what is something that really motivates me to um for for the next year, and I was uh thinking like, yeah, like actually it's really motivating to know you've won the title, but then go to Kona on a different course that maybe on paper doesn't suit me as good as Nies, but just try what you can do, you know.
[54:50] SPEAKER_03: I'm grown as an athlete, I feel you know stronger mentally, and um I had a good preparation, and I feel like in a way I have nothing to lose, and uh I feel that that this will put me into a powerful position because we have three kind of uh defending champions on the line, right?
[55:12] SPEAKER_03: I think that is special in itself, and none of us has two titles yet, so um it's a cool situation to be in, and there are also other athletes like Kat, for example, I think who are really eager to win one.
[55:28] SPEAKER_03: Um so I see more pressure on her side, for example.
[55:32] SPEAKER_03: Um, but um, yeah, that's how I see it.
[55:37] SPEAKER_00: Laura, speaking of your rivals, you talked about Kat Matthews, Lucy Charles Barclay, Taylor Nib, you just also referenced Chelsea Sodaro, maybe the young the young guns in Solvik Lovseth.
[55:48] SPEAKER_00: Is there anyone that you've been thinking of more than your other rivals?
[55:51] SPEAKER_00: Is there anyone potentially that you fear this weekend?
[55:54] SPEAKER_03: Um no, I don't fear anyone.
[55:56] SPEAKER_03: I have huge respect for all of them.
[55:59] SPEAKER_03: Um I know we all work extremely hard for it, and uh, I'm if they have done similar training as I did, is it hasn't been beautiful all the time, you know.
[56:08] SPEAKER_03: So I at the end I'm also someone who has to remind myself that I'm here to win because I think they all deserve to win, right?
[56:17] SPEAKER_03: So that's also the um on a human side, like a tough part because uh everyone deserves to win.
[56:25] SPEAKER_03: And um, to then switch your mind to hey, but I want to do it, uh, you need to kind of come into like some sort of killer mode, right?
[56:34] SPEAKER_03: Um, and this is something I have to push myself into to not be too nice and friendly.
[56:40] SPEAKER_03: Um, but yeah, I think you already mentioned the the athletes that are also the main favorites, in my opinion.
[56:50] SPEAKER_03: Um, I think someone like Lisa Pertera is probably someone who can have a really strong race as well.
[56:57] SPEAKER_03: Um, and then so much depends on the dynamics, right?
[57:02] SPEAKER_03: If there's a huge swim group, um, I think if some girls can have like an easier ride in a big group, then obviously that will all of a sudden turn things around uh on the run side as well.
[57:16] SPEAKER_03: But I think as soon as we got some more wind from the side, for example, and uh the groups maybe break up a little bit, it's also a completely different game.
[57:24] SPEAKER_03: But I think at the end um this race has shown that even in Nice, I think it wasn't a surprise who came out on like the top step, right?
[57:35] SPEAKER_03: I think at the end it's always like the athletes that are the strongest, the fittest, and the most consistent that will most likely also put together a good performance here on the island.
[57:46] SPEAKER_03: So um, yeah, but at the end, uh it's hard to predict.
[57:50] SPEAKER_03: I think the only thing we can predict or I can predict is that Lucy will be in front and we will all try to chase her and hopefully give her a tough time uh yeah, to trying to win it again.
[58:03] SPEAKER_04: Well, with that in mind, Laura, it's obviously all gonna come down to the marathon at the end.
[58:08] SPEAKER_04: Have you got in your mind a number that you think you're gonna have to run to win?
[58:14] SPEAKER_03: It's funny that you ask me this because yesterday I asked Philip, hey, we never talked about what pace I should run in the run or try to run.
[58:22] SPEAKER_03: And he was like, Yeah, yeah, but uh, we need to sit down and talk about the race tactics, so we haven't.
[58:27] SPEAKER_03: Because the funny thing is that I usually don't train at race pace.
[58:31] SPEAKER_03: So all the training that I did was like either faster or slower.
[58:36] SPEAKER_03: And obviously, when I did my intervals, this would nicely be my dream race pace, but I'm well aware that it won't be like this, so it's tough to get um a feeling because I'm someone like as soon as my feet hit a race course, I'm like so motivated and it's so easy to go hard that it's it's in at the moment hard to make a decision.
[58:59] SPEAKER_03: But um I'm also curious what he will tell me.
[59:02] SPEAKER_03: I don't know yet.
[59:03] SPEAKER_03: Um and obviously at the end, um it's about what you have left after the bike.
[59:08] SPEAKER_03: Um, I will most likely, you know, my mantra for the bike is close the gap.
[59:14] SPEAKER_03: I think I'll have to ride that on my bar somehow to just uh keep pushing, and then I have to see what the legs say for the run.
[59:23] SPEAKER_03: Um the good thing is that I really have trained a lot on Hawaii for over the last week, so I think that really helped me to get a good feeling also for you know doing longer runs with tempo.
[59:35] SPEAKER_03: I think they teach you a lot on how your body reacts, what you need to be careful about, and um, it was good to get those sessions as a reminder again for race day.
[59:46] SPEAKER_00: Laura, would you rather win this race by having a battle, say, side by side with Kat Matthews or Lucy Charles Barclay or Taylor Nibb?
[59:53] SPEAKER_00: Or would you rather a stress-free race where you're out in front for the majority of the marathon like you were in this?
[59:58] SPEAKER_03: So, knowing that professional sport is also about entertaining the people that are watching, I think the first scenario would definitely be the one that is more entertaining for everyone, will most likely help grow the sport even more, you know, and have more people tune in for the women's race.
[1:00:15] SPEAKER_03: So I will go for that.
[1:00:17] SPEAKER_03: Um, and to overcome like a battle like this and come out as uh the winner, I think would feel extra sweet.
[1:00:25] SPEAKER_03: But then on the other side, if you win a world champion title and you can actually enjoy your last kilometer, I think that is very special.
[1:00:33] SPEAKER_03: But maybe we can agree on that.
[1:00:35] SPEAKER_03: I can enjoy the last 500 meters, I think that would be enough.
[1:00:41] SPEAKER_00: And if you were side by side with one of your big rivals on the marathon, would you try to play any mind games to get an edge?
[1:00:49] SPEAKER_00: Would you say anything, or would you just be silent terminator type, just try and outrun them?
[1:00:54] SPEAKER_03: Well, maybe you got a glimpse of my personality.
[1:00:57] SPEAKER_03: I think I leave that part to Kat.
[1:01:00] SPEAKER_03: And at some point, I feel like it's also wasted energy in a way, you know.
[1:01:07] SPEAKER_03: Uh, when you're constantly putting thought on how to interrupt someone who's running next to you or something, I I don't feel like uh that's how I race.
[1:01:19] SPEAKER_03: Um, but uh you I would never say uh that I don't find out a new side of myself uh in in a tight battle on race day, you know.
[1:01:28] SPEAKER_03: Um but um this is not something I prepare for or focus on.
[1:01:34] SPEAKER_00: Well, like you said, you're generally like every time that I've met you, you're a super nice person, but you said it yourself earlier.
[1:01:40] SPEAKER_00: When it comes to the race day trying to win an Iron Man World Championship in Kona, you kind of have to find the killer side of your personality that's a little bit different from you know every other day of the year, Laura Philip, don't you?
[1:01:51] SPEAKER_03: Absolutely, and that's what I have my team here for.
[1:01:54] SPEAKER_03: Um, I have uh quite some uh a cool team with me, and they prepared um, I think a lot of messages that they will shout at me um to hopefully um get me into killer mode at the right time.
[1:02:08] SPEAKER_04: So the very last question from us, Laura, is a podium or a top five still a really successful day for you this weekend, or are you here to win and everything else is just not gonna be good enough?
[1:02:22] SPEAKER_03: I think um the first what you said, so um to cut to podium or even top five, I think at the end it depends on how the race went and how my effort was and how you know what what I was able to put together.
[1:02:38] SPEAKER_03: I think that will define um how how satisfied I am with my result.
[1:02:43] SPEAKER_03: But um, you know, only one person can come away with the win here, and it will be so hard, and I'm well aware how strong the others are, and I will give my very best.
[1:02:53] SPEAKER_03: And if I if I'm succeeding at that, I think I have to be happy.
[1:02:59] SPEAKER_03: And to get a spot on the podium at a world championship in a tough race is uh something you can be really proud of, and uh to come away with the win would be I think yeah, a dream come true.
[1:03:14] SPEAKER_03: But um I would also be very happy with a podium finish here.
[1:03:20] SPEAKER_00: Alright, Laura, thank you so much for joining us and good luck this weekend, all the best.
[1:03:25] SPEAKER_03: Thank you guys.
[1:03:25] SPEAKER_03: Thank you, Laura.
[1:03:26] SPEAKER_03: Thank you.
[1:03:27] SPEAKER_03: Thank you, Babe.
[1:03:28] SPEAKER_00: Thanks, Laura.
[1:03:28] SPEAKER_00: Good luck, Laura.
[1:03:29] SPEAKER_00: Okay, that was an amazing chat with Laura Phillip.
[1:03:32] SPEAKER_00: Uh she seems like she's in a great headspace.
[1:03:34] SPEAKER_00: I I think she you couldn't see her, but we had her on video.
[1:03:37] SPEAKER_00: She looked very happy, she looked very healthy, and I think I've walked away from that quick chat with Laura thinking she's pretty dangerous this weekend.
[1:03:46] SPEAKER_00: What did you guys think?
[1:03:47] SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
[1:03:48] SPEAKER_01: Cool, calm, and collected.
[1:03:49] SPEAKER_01: That's what I gathered.
[1:03:50] SPEAKER_01: She was confident and just yeah, she just seemed to be really happy and stoked and happy athletes, fast athlete in my eyes.
[1:03:58] SPEAKER_02: She seemed grateful for like the moment she's in right now, too, and the training she says gone pretty well.
[1:04:04] SPEAKER_02: So yeah.
[1:04:05] SPEAKER_02: I mean, we knew she was gonna be a killer, but yeah, I got I got good vibes from her.
[1:04:08] SPEAKER_02: So uh I'm excited to s to see her out there.
[1:04:11] SPEAKER_04: Yeah, she was definitely pretty relaxed and and confident and happy, wasn't she?
[1:04:15] SPEAKER_04: I mean, no surprise to hear her say that she's in better shape than last year.
[1:04:18] SPEAKER_04: I don't think you can come on a podcast a few days before the world champs and say anything other than that.
[1:04:23] SPEAKER_04: But I'm I'm gonna believe her.
[1:04:25] SPEAKER_04: I'm gonna believe that's what she says.
[1:04:27] SPEAKER_04: I mean, she she admitted that she doesn't think the course suits her as much on paper as the Nice course, but at the same time, you know, said she thinks that there's more pressure on the other girls who aren't the defending champion or haven't won there so far.
[1:04:42] SPEAKER_04: So I think she's really taking that kind of positive, relaxed feeling into Saturday.
[1:04:46] SPEAKER_00: And I think it's obvious she has respect for her rivals, but she did, and I don't know if you guys picked up on this, there was a little dig at Cat Matthews, not at not at Lucy, not at Taylor, not at Solvig, just at Cat Matthews.
[1:05:01] SPEAKER_00: And so if you think that rivalry with Laura Phillips and Cat Matthews doesn't exist, you're kidding yourself, because Laura's the nicest person on the planet, and she even she threw a little barb there, I felt.
[1:05:11] SPEAKER_01: Yeah, well, we touched on it yesterday, right?
[1:05:13] SPEAKER_01: There um I know they both have such huge amounts of respect for each other, but yeah, there's no love lost, and I think they both really, really want to beat each other.
[1:05:21] unknown: Yeah.
[1:05:21] SPEAKER_00: Okay, like I said off the top of the show, uh the Pretender shirts are live.
[1:05:26] SPEAKER_00: So um they're over on the Hoob website if you just want to search that.
[1:05:30] SPEAKER_00: But I think the easier way is jump onto the description of this podcast episode.
[1:05:34] SPEAKER_00: The link to buy them is there.
[1:05:36] SPEAKER_00: Jump over and get them first in, best dressed.
[1:05:38] SPEAKER_00: Um, these shirts aren't coming back, so it's a it's a one and done drop for the Pretender t-shirts.
[1:05:42] SPEAKER_00: So yeah, head over and buy yourself one now.
[1:05:45] SPEAKER_00: Uh, and like I like we talked about off the top of the show, the Spotify comments, the top five best Spotify comments is gonna be a segment on the last episode of the Kona Daily Podcast.
[1:05:55] SPEAKER_00: So, yeah, try and get clever and creative with your Spotify comments.
[1:05:58] SPEAKER_00: And uh, like always, we're gonna start the show tomorrow by reading the best ones uh on today's episode.
[1:06:03] SPEAKER_00: Apo, Vicky, Greg, thanks for joining us for day three of the daily pods into the women's Iron Man World Championships at Kona.
[1:06:10] SPEAKER_00: We'll do it all again tomorrow.
[1:06:11] SPEAKER_01: Sounds good, Jack.
[1:06:12] SPEAKER_04: Thanks for having me again.
[1:06:13] SPEAKER_04: Loved it.

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