# Kristian Blummenfelt & Gustav Iden’s 5 Secrets To Success + Controversial T100 Opinions.

An episode of [The Triathlon Hour](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1595443343), 19 Oct 2025, 1 h 24 min.

Audio: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2640942/episodes/19698016-kristian-blummenfelt-gustav-iden-s-5-secrets-to-success-controversial-t100-opinions.mp3

We’re back and today’s podcast is jam packed. What annoys us about Strava, the T100 2026 updates, T100 Wollongong, The Norwegians exclusively reveal to us for this episode what their top 5 secrets to success are, we do our Kona report cards and finish by reading your Spotify comments! Precision: Use the code TTH25 to get 15% off your first order with Precision at Precision Fuel & Hydration or subscribe to the Patreon and access the link that will save you 20% on every order, not just your first Patreon 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 Nord VPN: Take advantage of a great deal with Nord VPN use the code triathlonhour or visit nordvpn.com/triathlonhour to get a huge discount in the 2 year plans PLUS 4 extra months! It is risk free with Nord's 30 days money back guarantee! 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_02: Yes, pretenders, we are back.
[0:30] SPEAKER_02: And just like when the Nice Daily Podcast finished, the come down from the Kona Daily Podcast has been insane.
[0:36] SPEAKER_02: It's felt like it's been six months since we've done one of these podcasts, and we've got to completely remember how to do them again.
[0:42] SPEAKER_02: I'm joined by the usual crew.
[0:44] SPEAKER_02: As always, the 20 times 70.3 world champion, the second greatest triathlete of all time, Sam Athelden.
[0:51] SPEAKER_03: It's good to be here.
[0:52] SPEAKER_03: It's good to get that intro again, Jack.
[0:54] SPEAKER_03: Thank you.
[0:54] SPEAKER_03: Just uh, you know, when spirits are falling falling down, I come on the podcast and hear you read out my uh, you know, my accolades and I'd pumped back up again.
[1:03] SPEAKER_03: Thanks, mate.
[1:04] SPEAKER_02: I'm your hype man.
[1:05] SPEAKER_02: And the most opinionated man in triathlon, apparently becoming friends with Christian Blumenfeld as well, Greg Harper.
[1:12] SPEAKER_04: Thanks for having me, Jack.
[1:14] SPEAKER_04: And uh yeah, I wouldn't say friends, but hopefully a blossoming friendship, and basically that's a life goal uh you know accomplished.
[1:20] SPEAKER_04: So uh thanks for having me again.
[1:22] SPEAKER_02: No more details on that story.
[1:24] SPEAKER_02: We'll keep that one secret.
[1:25] SPEAKER_02: And the most opinionated woman in triathlon, but also probably the most empathetic woman in triathlon, the former Olympic bronze medalist, the 50-time champion of all these different short course events that no one's ever heard of.
[1:38] SPEAKER_02: Vicki Holland.
[1:40] SPEAKER_00: I mean, I think you were trying to be nice, but I think it ended up insulting.
[1:45] SPEAKER_00: But I'll take it.
[1:46] SPEAKER_00: Thanks, Jack.
[1:47] SPEAKER_00: Yes, I am back.
[1:48] SPEAKER_00: I'm here.
[1:49] SPEAKER_00: No baby means more podcasting.
[1:51] SPEAKER_02: Well, we were just talking directly before we started this podcast about the short course racing that happened over the weekend, and Vicki was trying to convince us that it's the best racing in triathlon, and we decided that we're not actually going to talk about it on the podcast this week.
[2:04] SPEAKER_02: But Vicki, just let everyone know who won the grand final in the men's and the women's races.
[2:08] SPEAKER_00: Sure.
[2:08] SPEAKER_00: So in the women's race, it was Lisa Tirsch who jumped up from fourth in the rankings to become world champion.
[2:14] SPEAKER_00: And in the men's racing, it was Matt Hauser of Australia winning on home soil and becoming the first man to ever win with a perfect score.
[2:22] SPEAKER_04: Wow.
[2:22] SPEAKER_04: Jack, I can't believe we didn't want to talk about the Australian winning the most competitive triathlon series on the planet.
[2:29] SPEAKER_04: I mean, that's crazy from you.
[2:30] SPEAKER_04: Apple, obviously, you're not Australian, so he don't care.
[2:34] SPEAKER_03: We need to give Matt his flowers.
[2:35] SPEAKER_03: That's uh that's an unbelievable season.
[2:37] SPEAKER_03: And uh, we don't talk talk about short course too much, but yeah, we'll make an exception for the uh the Aussies.
[2:42] SPEAKER_03: Go, Matt.
[2:43] SPEAKER_03: Well done, mate.
[2:44] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, big fan of Matty Hauser, but just want him to step up into long course so we can finally start talking about him.
[2:48] SPEAKER_02: I have heard he's pretty good though.
[2:50] SPEAKER_02: Okay, guys, to start the podcast, I just had a few little things I wanted to talk about before we get into the meat of the of the discussion for the day.
[2:57] SPEAKER_02: But my first thing, I've got back on Strava this week, and I just wanted your opinion on something.
[3:03] SPEAKER_02: Is it acceptable to post your yoga and gym sessions on Strava?
[3:07] SPEAKER_02: Because I followed Cam Worth during the week and I found out that he does nothing but post yoga sessions on Strava and I just hate it.
[3:15] SPEAKER_04: That's how he gets his 40 hours a week, huh?
[3:17] SPEAKER_04: It's just like 10 hours of yoga, one hour dog walk.
[3:21] SPEAKER_04: Uh, you know, if you track all your training in there, I get it, but yeah, no one wants to see that.
[3:27] SPEAKER_04: So just keep it private.
[3:28] SPEAKER_00: Totally agree.
[3:29] SPEAKER_00: Who needs to see it?
[3:30] SPEAKER_03: It's the same with sauna.
[3:31] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, like why putting that stuff on?
[3:33] SPEAKER_03: You don't need to put sauna in there.
[3:35] SPEAKER_03: I don't even think you need to put Jim in there, really.
[3:38] SPEAKER_03: Like, what are you doing?
[3:39] SPEAKER_03: You're going around, you're picking up most triathletes are doing some calf raises on the step anyway.
[3:44] SPEAKER_03: You don't need to record your heart rate at 67 beats a minute doing some calf raises.
[3:49] SPEAKER_03: Like, come on.
[3:49] SPEAKER_00: It's it's not training peaks, though, right?
[3:51] SPEAKER_00: Like, why are you putting it on Strava?
[3:53] SPEAKER_00: Or is it because you want to link it to your Instagram or your Facebook and just show everyone what you've been up to?
[3:59] SPEAKER_00: But yeah, I've never really been one to log everything on Strava.
[4:02] SPEAKER_00: My stuff always just went on training peaks, coaches could see it, whatever.
[4:05] SPEAKER_00: But the thing I do see because people, again, they share these rides and things across onto other social media platforms, is these really elongated titles of what their workout has been.
[4:17] SPEAKER_00: And it'll have something in it like, oh, didn't feel great today, 20 kilometre long run, had to go solo, hilly efforts wasn't the best.
[4:28] SPEAKER_00: And then you'll look at the details of it and then run like four minutes per K or something that's like way too hard for the athlete that you know they are, and you're like, oh, they're just after attention.
[4:39] SPEAKER_00: Like, I hate that.
[4:41] SPEAKER_00: And then equally, when they're all a bit passive aggressive, you know, when they're like, oh, training partner let me down today, had to do the 101ks on my own, but tick them off.
[4:51] SPEAKER_00: Hashtag solo, hashtag committed, you know, like why are you using Strava to get at people?
[4:59] SPEAKER_00: Like, just don't.
[5:01] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, the other one is when they go for a run with like their boyfriend or girlfriend or like their slow friend, and they like go like, oh, just the like recovery run with and then insert that person's name to make it known that they were only going slow because they were with that slow person.
[5:16] SPEAKER_02: They're not actually slow.
[5:17] SPEAKER_00: How rude! You're that person, you're like, we ain't running together anymore, mate.
[5:21] SPEAKER_04: Uh Vicky's like, I don't go on Strava.
[5:23] SPEAKER_04: Meanwhile, she has like a bunch of gripes about the horse.
[5:26] SPEAKER_00: This is why this is exactly why.
[5:30] SPEAKER_03: Vicky's account got banned.
[5:33] SPEAKER_00: Now we're getting to the truth of it, Apple.
[5:35] SPEAKER_00: Don't let people know.
[5:36] SPEAKER_00: I'm too angry for Strava.
[5:39] SPEAKER_02: And the the other thing I wanted to bring to the table before we get into the podcast is I want to play a quick game with you.
[5:45] SPEAKER_02: And it's just a quick fire.
[5:46] SPEAKER_02: You don't have to go into details if you don't want to, but you you also can.
[5:50] SPEAKER_02: It's which person is more likely to become a serial killer?
[5:54] SPEAKER_02: Someone who can do a long run on a treadmill or a like a big session on a treadmill that's say an hour plus with no headphones, no TV, no nothing, just staring at a wall, or someone who goes to the movies by themselves.
[6:09] SPEAKER_00: These are the only two types of people who could become serial killers.
[6:13] SPEAKER_00: Is that what we're saying?
[6:15] SPEAKER_02: No, I think other people can become serial killers.
[6:18] SPEAKER_02: It's just out of these two, who is more likely?
[6:20] SPEAKER_04: Is this the movie person logging their movie on Strava?
[6:23] SPEAKER_04: Is that why we're bringing it up?
[6:25] SPEAKER_02: No, the movie person's APA.
[6:27] SPEAKER_03: So Jack brought this up because before we hit record, I had a rare weekend where the wife and son are out of town, and I was like, you know what?
[6:36] SPEAKER_03: I've got the afternoon off, my training's done, I'm gonna go to the movies by myself, packed some uh peanut buttercups, packed an IPA, went to an empty theatre, sat in the back row, and it was magical.
[6:48] SPEAKER_03: You haven't lived if you haven't gone to the movies by yourself, I'll tell you that.
[6:52] SPEAKER_03: Phone was off, nothing buzzing in my pocket, oh, take me back.
[6:56] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, but then you added that you do it once a week.
[6:58] SPEAKER_02: Like you're acting like, okay, the way you just painted it was fine and acceptable because you're like, oh, I've got a break from the family, and then you go, Yeah, I do it like once every week.
[7:07] SPEAKER_03: Maybe that was an embellishment.
[7:09] SPEAKER_03: Once every two weeks.
[7:11] SPEAKER_02: And the treadmill one was because I did a run with Yallagins and he did like 15k on the treadmill with 12 by 1k as completely no music, no TV, no nothing.
[7:20] SPEAKER_02: He just stared at himself in a window the whole time.
[7:23] SPEAKER_00: But Jack, I get both of these things.
[7:25] SPEAKER_00: I get both of them.
[7:26] SPEAKER_00: One is self-care.
[7:27] SPEAKER_00: Have you not heard of this, Jack?
[7:29] SPEAKER_00: It's a big thing these days, looking after your mental well-being.
[7:32] SPEAKER_00: Totally get it, Apo.
[7:34] SPEAKER_00: I'm with you.
[7:34] SPEAKER_00: You go to that movie theater on your own and zone out.
[7:37] SPEAKER_00: That is fine.
[7:38] SPEAKER_00: And the other one, like, I don't love a treadmill, but uh, I can it's it's self-discipline, it's a session.
[7:45] SPEAKER_00: Get it done.
[7:46] SPEAKER_00: Like, I get both of them.
[7:47] SPEAKER_00: I don't think we've got any serial killers here.
[7:50] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, Goggins, like I said this to Yellow.
[7:53] SPEAKER_02: I said he's got like that's Goggins approved, just no headphones on the treadmill.
[7:57] SPEAKER_02: But I don't know, it's either gonna make you really tough or really violent, and I don't think there's any in between.
[8:03] SPEAKER_04: I feel like doing a session is easier though, because you're like focused on something.
[8:07] SPEAKER_04: But if you're gonna like, oh, I did a two-hour long run easy on the treadmill with nothing, it's like, all right, you're a serial killer.
[8:13] SPEAKER_02: Okay, let's get into the the actual triathlon discussion.
[8:17] SPEAKER_02: So the first thing we want to talk about on today's show is the T-100 announcing some 2026 updates to their kind of race schedule and their race dynamics and how they're gonna go about everything.
[8:30] SPEAKER_02: So what's changed is that in 2025 they did nine races with the grand final in Qatar.
[8:38] SPEAKER_02: And in 2026, they're doing nine races still, but instead of doing mixed gender races, so both genders doing nine races, both genders are gonna do four races only.
[8:49] SPEAKER_02: So there's gonna be four female races, four male races, and then they're gonna come together for a grand final.
[8:54] SPEAKER_02: So the same amount of races, but far less races per gender or sex or whatever word we're gonna use.
[9:00] SPEAKER_02: Um, the other kind of changes to it are the prize money changes.
[9:05] SPEAKER_02: So they've increased the prize money, so it's 50k if you win one of these races now, which I guess is the big thing.
[9:11] SPEAKER_02: Like, does anyone really care about what you get if you you finish second or third?
[9:15] SPEAKER_02: The big thing that everyone looks at is what does the winner get?
[9:17] SPEAKER_02: And the winner gets$50,000 for each of the races in 2026.
[9:21] SPEAKER_02: Um, and then apart from that, they the uh the only other really big thing, in my opinion, is that they're going no contracts.
[9:28] SPEAKER_02: So the way that athletes are going to become part of T100 races next year is either through the road to the grand final rankings, the PTO rankings themselves, um, and some wild cards.
[9:41] SPEAKER_02: So it's it's a few changes.
[9:43] SPEAKER_02: What do we make of it all, guys?
[9:44] SPEAKER_03: So basically Hayden Wilde's gonna win 250 grand in prize money next year alone.
[9:50] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, or actually I should say that the points to to go towards your grand final tally are uh your best three races plus the grand final.
[9:57] SPEAKER_02: So you can miss one of the races.
[9:59] SPEAKER_03: Okay.
[9:59] SPEAKER_03: So only 200 grand for Hayden.
[10:01] SPEAKER_00: Well he could do he could do all of them if he wants to.
[10:04] SPEAKER_00: He still gets the prize money, right?
[10:05] SPEAKER_00: So he might just clean up.
[10:07] SPEAKER_00: And I don't know, is there an overall bonus like there is this year?
[10:11] SPEAKER_00: Because if so, then that'll go on top of it as well.
[10:13] SPEAKER_02: They haven't announced it if there is.
[10:15] SPEAKER_00: Which makes you think there probably isn't.
[10:17] SPEAKER_03: I think these changes are good.
[10:19] SPEAKER_03: Um it seems like a bit of a half step to me, though.
[10:22] SPEAKER_03: Like, I think we have spoken at length on this podcast before about that nine races this year in 2025 was too many, right?
[10:30] SPEAKER_03: We saw how diluted some of the fields were.
[10:32] SPEAKER_03: We saw at Wollongong on the weekend, like that was a fairly weak T100 field, I would say.
[10:40] SPEAKER_03: Um and I think splitting it down to four races plus the grand final for um each gender is good, I think.
[10:48] SPEAKER_03: I and you're you're likely going to get better quality fields at those four races, right?
[10:54] SPEAKER_03: It's not gonna dilute as much as it did this year.
[10:56] SPEAKER_03: And that's what we've wanted.
[10:57] SPEAKER_03: We have spoken about the T-100 and PTO races were at their best when they had those, the opens, right?
[11:03] SPEAKER_03: The US Open, European Open, Asian Open, etc.
[11:06] SPEAKER_03: And we wanted that back.
[11:08] SPEAKER_03: I was hoping that they'd open up the field size a little bit more to more than 20, and I don't know if it's been confirmed with how many people are going to be racing next year on at each race, but I would like to see 40 to 50 like it was for those opens a few years ago.
[11:25] SPEAKER_03: So I think it's a good step, but I still think there needs to be a little bit more refinement in terms of making it really, really appealing from my end.
[11:35] SPEAKER_04: Yeah, well, the splitting of the races between the men and women is interesting.
[11:39] SPEAKER_04: They kind of framed it like it was something that the athletes wanted, and I'm just curious if that's like really the case, or maybe they kind of wanted revenue from nine age group races as well, which obviously money is a big factor in and what what they can do.
[11:54] SPEAKER_04: So I don't love that, but then you know, we've seen it with Kona and knee split, like the women get their own day, and that's great.
[12:01] SPEAKER_04: And you know, shutting down cities for an extended period of time is challenging, right?
[12:06] SPEAKER_04: So I'm not exactly sure what went on behind the scenes.
[12:09] SPEAKER_04: Something I don't love right off the bat, but I mean, I guess that's more of an athlete perspective.
[12:14] SPEAKER_04: Like if I was gonna go to a T100 race and race, it'd be cool to have like the women and the men there, like in the hotel doing their thing.
[12:20] SPEAKER_04: But I guess from a spectator point of view, or you know, even an age grouper shows up, like, oh, I want to see Kate Wah and Hayden Wilde this week.
[12:28] SPEAKER_04: Well, you can't.
[12:29] SPEAKER_04: You can only see one of them.
[12:30] SPEAKER_04: So I think that might be a negative draw in terms of the age groupers coming to the race.
[12:34] SPEAKER_02: On that point, Greg, I sent some messages out to people on the athletes board.
[12:38] SPEAKER_02: I didn't get replied to by all of them, but I sent some out, and I can pretty much categorically say that this wasn't an athlete board-driven decision like the T100 have made it out to be.
[12:49] SPEAKER_02: They've kind of said through an Instagram comment is where I've read, I'm sure I'm assuming that's where you saw it too, Greg, that it seemed like the athletes they made it seem like the athletes are the ones who suggested splitting the races.
[13:01] SPEAKER_02: But here like what what's actually happened is they had nine races last year.
[13:05] SPEAKER_02: They wanted to keep more races for commercial reasons.
[13:08] SPEAKER_02: It's it's a decision by the hierarchy at the at the T100, as we believe we need more races to make money from this thing, whether it's from broadcasting or age group races or whatever sponsorship.
[13:20] SPEAKER_02: And then instead of just saying that, they've kind of done what what Apo said, it's a half measure, and they've gone, well, let's just keep the nine races and see if we can sell this like it's only four races, you know, like it's four races for the men, four races for the women.
[13:35] SPEAKER_02: Everyone is crying out for us to do four or five kind of races, bigger prize money, like it used to be.
[13:41] SPEAKER_02: And they've just gone halfway between those two things.
[13:44] SPEAKER_02: They've tried to they've tried to keep the nine races, tried to paint it like it's it's less races, and then tried to say that it's an athlete-driven decision.
[13:52] SPEAKER_02: This wasn't an athlete-driven decision.
[13:53] SPEAKER_02: This was a T100 commercial decision, and it's a half measure to try and get back to when the T100 and the PTO were their biggest and their most relevant, in my opinion.
[14:02] SPEAKER_00: I don't love the splitting of the men and the females.
[14:05] SPEAKER_00: And to go to your point, Greg, I think the athletes really like being all there together, and there's definitely a really nice atmosphere with the males and females at the same races.
[14:15] SPEAKER_00: Not to mention, I mean, this shouldn't necessarily be a factor, but a lot of them are actually dating one another.
[14:20] SPEAKER_00: So it actually makes their year quite a lot harder when they're actually having to go to different places.
[14:26] SPEAKER_00: Um, one of the things I really didn't like that they had this year was almost like a penalty against anybody who turned down their contract.
[14:33] SPEAKER_00: So anybody who didn't want to race the whole series was never allowed to get a wild card.
[14:38] SPEAKER_00: And I didn't love that.
[14:39] SPEAKER_00: Whereas that's gone now.
[14:41] SPEAKER_00: So we will hopefully see some of those superstars back racing T100 who've declined their contracts this year.
[14:47] SPEAKER_00: And for me, that's a great thing.
[14:49] SPEAKER_02: To me, it's like, I don't know, it just feels like it's kind of the same old PTO doing PTO things, and it's like, will the will the Singapore and Vancouver dates they've uh announced actually be the dates?
[15:01] SPEAKER_02: Who knows?
[15:02] SPEAKER_02: History would say it's a probably about a 50-50 chance, and then like who actually knows what's going on with the other races right now?
[15:09] SPEAKER_02: Like, who knows what's going on with the Gold Coast?
[15:12] SPEAKER_02: Will that even go ahead?
[15:13] SPEAKER_02: No one knows, you know.
[15:14] SPEAKER_02: Like, there's just still this kind of stench with the the PTO that hey, you can't fully trust the things we say, and they might happen how we're saying they're gonna happen, they might not.
[15:25] SPEAKER_02: And I really think that's something they need to try and fix because trust is really important in in a sport like this where people have to book ahead of time, they have to plan all their travel.
[15:35] SPEAKER_02: They want to feel like this like things are rock solid.
[15:37] SPEAKER_02: And I don't know, this this announcement to me, while there is some positives in my opinion, it still kind of reeks of like just disorganization to a degree.
[15:47] SPEAKER_03: It pisses me off.
[15:49] SPEAKER_03: It pisses you off, Greg.
[15:51] SPEAKER_03: Um, if you compare it to Iron Man, who announced their 2026 schedule, and you've got dates for every single race, right?
[16:00] SPEAKER_03: You can plan, you can go on to Iron Man Pro membership now and plan your whole year, and you can pretty much guarantee that all those races are going ahead on those dates, you know, barring weather and things like that.
[16:14] SPEAKER_03: But you can pretty much guarantee that there's not going to be too much shake up in the Iron Man calendar, and you can plan your whole 2026 season m you know well in advance.
[16:23] SPEAKER_03: Definitely.
[16:24] SPEAKER_04: And this is why it pisses me off because we've been talking about transparency the whole year with the T100.
[16:30] SPEAKER_04: They're just not being forthright with all their decisions.
[16:33] SPEAKER_04: I mean, you had freaking Sam Renouf on the podcast.
[16:35] SPEAKER_04: He he's like, Oh, we're I'm back.
[16:38] SPEAKER_04: I'm I'm forward-facing again.
[16:39] SPEAKER_04: We had a tough time, here I am, I'm back.
[16:41] SPEAKER_04: He didn't mention any of this type of stuff, and we just never know what they're gonna do and if the races are gonna be on the day they say or whatnot.
[16:49] SPEAKER_04: And look, I'll give him some credit for listening to the general public about a few things, but in the end, I I don't feel the transparency in exactly what they're doing, and we want to, we want to build trust.
[17:02] SPEAKER_04: The age troopers want trust, and that's how we have to keep moving forward with this brand if they're gonna succeed long term.
[17:08] SPEAKER_02: But do you think that they have this secrecy kind of vibe about them, Greg?
[17:12] SPEAKER_02: Like, like they they clear they really do, don't they?
[17:14] SPEAKER_02: They have this like, we're keeping things from you, we'll announce it when it's ready, vibe about them.
[17:19] SPEAKER_02: Do you think that that's because they actually are just secretive?
[17:23] SPEAKER_02: Or do you think it's just because they don't really have things organized and they're just constantly like a duck swimming on a lake, you know, trying to remain calm, trying to appear like we're calm, but underwater everything's just like chaos.
[17:35] SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I mean, I think they would it would history would show us when they're changing dates a month out from the race that the second thing you just said, duck swimming underwater is what's going on.
[17:45] SPEAKER_04: But that's okay.
[17:46] SPEAKER_04: Like, I'm okay with that, and I think everyone else is too.
[17:49] SPEAKER_04: Just like keep us a little more in the loop.
[17:51] SPEAKER_04: Like, hey, we're struggling a bit, but like these are what we want to do.
[17:54] SPEAKER_04: Here's here's the dates.
[17:56] SPEAKER_04: It could be the weekend, it could be it.
[17:57] SPEAKER_04: I think everyone would be okay with that as long as you're like just being a little more transparent.
[18:02] SPEAKER_04: You can build trust through you know the truth.
[18:05] SPEAKER_04: It doesn't have to be a perfect, well-polished machine.
[18:08] SPEAKER_04: You can't be Iron Man yet.
[18:09] SPEAKER_04: Like they've been here for too long, and they are a well-oiled, perfect machine.
[18:14] SPEAKER_02: Not perfect, but pretty well oiled.
[18:16] SPEAKER_04: In terms of a business, though.
[18:17] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, they're a good business.
[18:19] SPEAKER_02: Okay, so can we just try and have like a little bit of a group vote?
[18:22] SPEAKER_02: I just want to like good or bad, and then like so just one word, good or bad.
[18:28] SPEAKER_02: Increase prize money to fifty thousand dollars for first place.
[18:32] SPEAKER_02: Good.
[18:32] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, good.
[18:33] SPEAKER_02: Good.
[18:34] SPEAKER_02: Splitting the men's and women's races so that we have four men's, four women's, and we come together for the grand final.
[18:40] SPEAKER_03: My initial knee-jerk reaction is bad.
[18:43] SPEAKER_00: Also bad, I think good for PTO maybe as a business, but bad in terms of viewer and uh participant experience.
[18:51] SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I totally agree with Vicky.
[18:53] SPEAKER_04: Bad.
[18:54] SPEAKER_02: Scrapping contracts and doing it so that it will be a blend of the 2025 race to guitar rankings, the PTO rankings, contender rankings, and wildcard selections versus the the 20 contracted athletes like we've had, good or bad.
[19:07] SPEAKER_04: I think scrapping the contracts is good.
[19:09] SPEAKER_02: Good.
[19:10] SPEAKER_04: I'm gonna go on the other side and say bad because I think pro athletes need a little stability, and I think those contracts did provide that.
[19:17] SPEAKER_02: Keeping the field size at twenty athletes per race instead of opening it to pretty much be as many athletes as we can get on it.
[19:24] SPEAKER_02: Bad.
[19:25] SPEAKER_00: Well, bad because I think it should be more, but I don't think it should be as many athletes as possible.
[19:29] SPEAKER_00: I think there's a middle ground there.
[19:30] SPEAKER_00: I think it's probably somewhere between 40 and 50 is the absolute maximum.
[19:34] SPEAKER_04: Yeah, bad.
[19:34] SPEAKER_04: More more, please.
[19:36] SPEAKER_04: More athletes.
[19:36] SPEAKER_02: Okay, so I would say from that, given that they're the kind of big announcements, there was more bad than good.
[19:43] SPEAKER_02: So that's not really a very positive sign, is it?
[19:46] SPEAKER_02: And and it we we keep saying this word half measure, and it's taking me to breaking bad, which I've been watching at the moment.
[19:52] SPEAKER_02: And for all of you out there, I assume you've probably watched Breaking Bad.
[19:56] SPEAKER_02: If you haven't, you might want to skip ahead like 60 seconds so that you don't get anything spoiled for you.
[20:01] SPEAKER_02: But I was just watching the episodes, one of them's called Half Measures, and then the very next one's called Full Measures.
[20:07] SPEAKER_02: And it's basically this like really chaotic point in the show where Mike Ermintrout has a conversation with Walter White and he says, No more half measures, Walt.
[20:16] SPEAKER_02: And so Walt then goes on a crazy killing spree, he runs over two people, he gets Jesse Pinkman to shoot Gail Bedeker in the head, and he just fully adopts this no more half measures approach.
[20:28] SPEAKER_02: And it's just so such good timing where this announcement came out.
[20:33] SPEAKER_02: And I just wish that Mike Ermintraut could sit down with Sam Renof and say, look, Sam, no more half measures.
[20:39] SPEAKER_02: We don't need we don't need these half measures.
[20:41] SPEAKER_02: Go all in on one thing or all in on the other.
[20:44] SPEAKER_02: And I feel like 2025, they went all in in one direction.
[20:48] SPEAKER_02: Pretty much I would say most fans thought the T100 went backwards in 2025 compared to where it had been in, say, its peak in 2023 from a fan perspective.
[20:56] SPEAKER_02: And so then instead of changing things to go fully the other direction, they've just gone halfway.
[21:01] SPEAKER_02: And so I just wish instead of doing the nine races, splitting the men's and women's, they just said fuck it.
[21:06] SPEAKER_02: And they went four races plus a grand final, everyone in, took the prize money from the the four races they got rid of, and then it could be a hundred thousand for the win, not fifty thousand.
[21:15] SPEAKER_02: And if you've if you've got that, then athletes like cat, you know, the Norwegians, Kat, Laura, Magnus, they're all gonna show up.
[21:22] SPEAKER_02: So I feel like they have kind of gone right down the middle, and I don't actually think they're that great changes.
[21:29] SPEAKER_02: Like I'm not that excited about it.
[21:31] SPEAKER_02: Um, so yeah, that's that's that, I guess.
[21:34] SPEAKER_04: Yeah, so Sam Renof, just if they say no, just kill them, okay?
[21:38] SPEAKER_04: And then all your athletes will be part of the T one hundred, okay.
[21:41] SPEAKER_04: So that's what Jack's getting at.
[21:43] SPEAKER_00: That's what I took away from it too.
[21:44] SPEAKER_00: That was that's what I got as well, Greg.
[21:46] SPEAKER_04: So they need the Norwegians at the races.
[21:49] SPEAKER_04: Can we all disagree on that?
[21:51] SPEAKER_04: Like the men's races need Norwegians next year, and however you're gonna get them to the race is what you should do.
[21:57] SPEAKER_00: They put a pretty good step in with saying No contracts necessary and better prize money because yes, okay, these people might be focusing on the pro series, or they might be focusing on just the one-day events, the Iron Man World Champs, the 70.3 World Champs, but they are going to be drawn to a race that's got a 50k pool of you know of 50k winning amount attached to it.
[22:19] SPEAKER_00: That is attractive.
[22:21] SPEAKER_00: And so hopefully that will bring in those names.
[22:24] SPEAKER_04: I totally agree.
[22:24] SPEAKER_04: And I can see a world where some of these athletes do three, maybe four T100 races, a 70.3, and the Iron Man World Championship.
[22:33] SPEAKER_04: Like it seems like maybe that's what they're kind of going for.
[22:36] SPEAKER_04: And I see a world where uh that happens because the Pro Series pays drops off, right?
[22:42] SPEAKER_04: So if you can go nab a couple podiums in a T100, you might make more money in the end than you could have in the Pro Series, which is a little bit more up in the air with the Iron Man and just being a little bit more unpredictable.
[22:52] SPEAKER_02: What do you guys think, though, about the idea that all of the races have to be even?
[22:57] SPEAKER_02: I still feel like there was space for them to go, let's have like three or four marquee races, keep nine races, and instead of doing nine races at 50 grand for the win, you know, doing three or four that they call their opens, and then all the others have different names, and the opens have, you know, 150,000 for the win or something, but then the other races only have, you know, 25,000 for the win.
[23:20] SPEAKER_02: Why is that not an option?
[23:21] SPEAKER_02: To me, that's kind of if you're gonna go a half measure, that seems like the better half measure.
[23:27] SPEAKER_03: Like the Iron Man method, like Iron Man have their pro series, which are their big races, then and then you have the tier down Iron Man's and 70.3s and things.
[23:36] SPEAKER_03: I just think that they I think they're struggling with the event management side as well.
[23:42] SPEAKER_03: Um, they're finding that a lot trickier, I think, than they anticipated.
[23:47] SPEAKER_03: So yeah, putting on more events is probably more of a challenge to them that they didn't want to undertake, is my guess.
[23:54] SPEAKER_02: But it's keeping the events the same, right?
[23:56] SPEAKER_02: They've got nine events in 2026.
[23:58] SPEAKER_02: And instead of going four men, four women, one grand final, why not go three opens and then you know, six like whatever they they're gonna call them, contender series races or whatever.
[24:09] SPEAKER_02: You know, and then the contender series races are less prize money, you probably get a little bit of a different field, which I think we saw in Wollongong can kind of be quite fun.
[24:18] SPEAKER_02: It does you don't need the best all the time, but then those three races are always gonna dominate the the space that they're in, like the date that they're on.
[24:26] SPEAKER_02: So I don't know.
[24:27] SPEAKER_02: I just feel like if you put$150,000 on the on the line for three of them, you're gonna get pretty much everyone showing up.
[24:32] SPEAKER_02: Whereas I don't think 50 gets it done.
[24:34] SPEAKER_02: I don't think I don't think 50 draws Christian Blumenfeld and Lionel Sanders and Kat Matthews, you know.
[24:39] SPEAKER_02: Uh but 150,000 I think does.
[24:40] SPEAKER_03: Lionel doesn't get out of bed for more than 50 grand, does he?
[24:45] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, less than I guess this this takes us into our next topic, which is T100 Woolingon.
[24:51] SPEAKER_02: So I don't know.
[24:53] SPEAKER_02: I think the the T 100 uh in Wollingong this weekend was always gonna be tricky because it was supposed to be Las Vegas, it got changed last minute.
[25:01] SPEAKER_02: It's so far across the world, so it's hard for athletes to shop.
[25:04] SPEAKER_02: So it became like a wildcard heavy race.
[25:06] SPEAKER_02: I think we all knew that Hayden Wilde and Kate Wolf were going to win the races before they happened.
[25:11] SPEAKER_02: So look, there was some things about it that made it tricky, but I think it did kind of sum up the need for change for the T-100 because although if you watched it, it was still quite fun racing, and you know, the commentary was good, the broadcast was good, the crowd looked good, I think the event weekend was really fun.
[25:29] SPEAKER_02: But I just think it lacked the kind of pop that a T100 race should have in terms of hype and and build up to the race.
[25:36] SPEAKER_02: And I think the week after Kona is also tricky, right?
[25:39] SPEAKER_04: It just lacked a lot.
[25:41] SPEAKER_04: And it wasn't partnered with the the World Triathlon Grand Final, right?
[25:45] SPEAKER_04: So this was on the calendar for a long time.
[25:47] SPEAKER_04: You just can't have a T100 the week after.
[25:49] SPEAKER_04: I mean, we saw it with the Spanish race, the the week after Nice.
[25:53] SPEAKER_04: I mean, did we even care to watch that?
[25:56] SPEAKER_04: I mean, the it it's it's really hard.
[25:59] SPEAKER_04: You've got to do the calendars the right way, and it's challenging.
[26:03] SPEAKER_04: I mean, putting on events is challenging, but I think that's a big factor.
[26:06] SPEAKER_04: There's always gonna be a hangover from a race like Kona when it is the biggest race of the year, and you want to get eyes on these races.
[26:13] SPEAKER_04: And we know Australia is the weakest trath on country in the on earth, and it's just an Aussie local race.
[26:19] SPEAKER_04: So, you know, no one wants to watch that.
[26:21] SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna ignore the Aussie digs because obviously they're not aimed at me.
[26:25] SPEAKER_00: Um but I think before the other two bites, I'll just jump in and say, I didn't watch them live either because obviously it's a terrible time if you're in the UK.
[26:37] SPEAKER_00: I know what happened, I've seen bits of it.
[26:39] SPEAKER_00: I haven't yet watched the whole thing.
[26:41] SPEAKER_00: I will do.
[26:42] SPEAKER_00: Um, I think everybody knows I'm pretty invested in PTO and the T100.
[26:46] SPEAKER_00: I work for them, not exclusively contracted.
[26:50] SPEAKER_00: So I didn't, I'm not, you know, my voice is not buttoned, I can say what I want, but I didn't think this was the best example of T100 racing.
[26:58] SPEAKER_00: I totally agree with you.
[27:00] SPEAKER_00: Having it the week after Kona showed in terms of the quality of field.
[27:05] SPEAKER_00: And I think the unintended consequence is that it dilutes what it takes to win one of these races.
[27:11] SPEAKER_00: We want these races to be the pinnacle, the best thing, the hardest thing to win in triathlon.
[27:17] SPEAKER_00: It's not when the start list gets so diluted and it really takes away from what it means to win a T-100 race.
[27:25] SPEAKER_00: And so I didn't love that.
[27:28] SPEAKER_00: Um, I would also say that I think this was a role reversal of what we saw in French Riviera.
[27:34] SPEAKER_00: So in the French Riviera, I think that the world triathlon event, the short course event, benefited from having the T-100 there.
[27:42] SPEAKER_00: They got more crowds, more spectators that were really invested in that world tramathlon event because they hung around after the T-100.
[27:50] SPEAKER_00: The T-100 felt on the ground.
[27:52] SPEAKER_00: That was the it felt like the main event.
[27:55] SPEAKER_00: And then the world tramathlon event sort of felt secondary.
[27:58] SPEAKER_00: I think if it wasn't for the world tramathlon grand final that was this weekend, with all the age groupers that were there for that, with the excitement of it being the grand final, and I think that's what brought the crowds in to Wollongone.
[28:10] SPEAKER_00: And I think that kind of saved the event for T-100, that they actually got some spectators and there was a bit of a buzz around it.
[28:17] SPEAKER_00: I think they got that from partnering with the grand final.
[28:20] SPEAKER_00: So I guess on that side, you can say that maybe it was a smart move for them to have it at this weekend, but equally maybe they just got lucky.
[28:29] SPEAKER_02: No, I think that's right, Vicky.
[28:30] SPEAKER_02: I think that the T100 have world triathlon to thank there because the short course race was by far and away the main event, not even close.
[28:39] SPEAKER_02: Um, and it was popping.
[28:41] SPEAKER_02: Like the crowd there was was incredible.
[28:43] SPEAKER_02: And it takes me to a question I asked you guys earlier in the year, which is do you think that the T-100 should should scrap the big cities, iconic cities thing and go towards more local communities?
[28:56] SPEAKER_02: Because we've seen it with like Topar in New Zealand or Wollongong on the weekend.
[29:01] SPEAKER_02: You get the the locals come out and they're they're not like if you go to big cities, you're kind of not drawing a crowd in a sport this small because it's not something that people travel for.
[29:12] SPEAKER_02: You know, like you're not going to London to watch Triton in the same way you are to watch Manchester United play Manchester City.
[29:20] SPEAKER_02: I don't know, I don't know if they're the two big teams at the moment.
[29:22] SPEAKER_02: Vicky, correct me if I'm if I'm wrong on that.
[29:24] SPEAKER_02: But you know my point.
[29:25] SPEAKER_02: And then we saw Wollingong.
[29:26] SPEAKER_02: So Wollongong's not it's not close to the biggest city in Australia.
[29:29] SPEAKER_02: It's not Melbourne, it's not Sydney.
[29:31] SPEAKER_02: But I think you got a bigger crowd at Wollingong than what you would have at Melbourne, for example.
[29:35] SPEAKER_02: And so do we need to rethink that?
[29:37] SPEAKER_02: Like, do we need to rethink the idea that the big iconic cities are the best place for triathlon?
[29:42] SPEAKER_02: Because I feel like triathlon's a community sport and bigger crowds happen when we go to local communities.
[29:47] SPEAKER_03: Well, Sam said that in your podcast, right?
[29:49] SPEAKER_03: He wants big city races.
[29:52] SPEAKER_03: But correct me if I'm wrong, but a lot of the T100 races haven't happened in big city races.
[29:58] SPEAKER_03: Like, I haven't heard of most of the like I haven't heard of Oropesa in Spain.
[30:03] SPEAKER_02: But that was supposed to be Valencia, can remember.
[30:05] SPEAKER_03: I I'd never heard of Fresjus in France.
[30:08] SPEAKER_03: Like Wollong like I know where Wollongong is because I'm Australian, but people outside of Australia don't know Wollongong as a big city.
[30:15] SPEAKER_03: Like I just feel like what Sam said on your podcast about big city races hasn't transpired anyway in 2025.
[30:23] SPEAKER_00: I think it can work in certain cities.
[30:26] SPEAKER_00: For example, look at Hamburg.
[30:28] SPEAKER_00: Hamburg has a big Iron Man racer, it's a huge city in Germany, it's always well supported.
[30:34] SPEAKER_00: It also has a brilliant short course race.
[30:36] SPEAKER_00: Sorry, we've been very short course heavy today, aren't we?
[30:38] SPEAKER_00: But it does have pretty much the best short course race on the circuit.
[30:42] SPEAKER_00: That's always incredibly well supported, amazing crowds.
[30:45] SPEAKER_00: So when done well in the right big city, it can be brilliant and it does draw in the crowds and it looks amazing.
[30:53] SPEAKER_00: But the danger they have a lot of the time is that it gets lost.
[30:56] SPEAKER_00: It's this huge city, this transplant's happening.
[30:59] SPEAKER_00: A lot of the locals don't care about it.
[31:01] SPEAKER_00: All it does is cause inconvenience to them as far as they're concerned.
[31:04] SPEAKER_00: And so it doesn't have that same impact.
[31:07] SPEAKER_00: So I think it's the biggest issue for them is just finding the right big cities to host these events in.
[31:14] SPEAKER_04: We all kind of said that we wanted big city, but I think maybe more of a hybrid approach where we do community focused first, no matter what kind of city it is, is probably the right approach long term.
[31:24] SPEAKER_02: I also think that Wollongong reinforced something I'd been thinking, and I've had a lot of conversations with Fred Funk about, actually, because we both agree with this.
[31:31] SPEAKER_02: Triathlon is really big in certain locations and really small in other locations.
[31:36] SPEAKER_02: I've been to Singapore three times now.
[31:38] SPEAKER_02: Triathlon's not a big sport there.
[31:39] SPEAKER_02: The locals don't give a fuck about triathlon.
[31:42] SPEAKER_02: And they might try and tell you that it's this massive event.
[31:44] SPEAKER_02: It's not.
[31:45] SPEAKER_02: There's no one there.
[31:45] SPEAKER_02: They have a fun run that draws a lot of people, and there is a bit of an age group vibe, but for the pro race, no one's there.
[31:51] SPEAKER_02: And Vicky can probably attest to this.
[31:53] SPEAKER_02: And and this happens a lot with PTO events, and I've been to quite a few of them now, is that no one really cares about the races.
[32:00] SPEAKER_02: You know, like you go to like say the first year I was at London, I would I would have said no one really was there for the pro race.
[32:06] SPEAKER_02: And then when I was at Vegas, no one was there.
[32:08] SPEAKER_02: Like that was literally empty, and and Singapore, like I said.
[32:11] SPEAKER_02: But then you go to a place like Wollingong that no one's heard of, and heaps of people there because Australia is a massive trython country and they have trython fans.
[32:20] SPEAKER_02: And you know where else does?
[32:21] SPEAKER_02: Germany.
[32:22] SPEAKER_02: Germany is like the biggest trython country in the world, and Vicky used Hamburg as the example.
[32:26] SPEAKER_02: Hamburg works as a big city because Germans love triathlon.
[32:30] SPEAKER_02: Like, look at Roth, look at Frankfurt, look at Hamburg.
[32:33] SPEAKER_02: Why do the T-100 not have a race in Germany, but they have a race in Qatar or Dubai or Singapore?
[32:39] SPEAKER_02: You know, like it's it's absolutely crazy.
[32:42] SPEAKER_02: It makes no sense.
[32:43] SPEAKER_02: If the T-100 really want to kick off, one of their main priorities should be hey, if we're gonna have nine races, what are the nine biggest triathlon countries or cities in the world?
[32:53] SPEAKER_02: We do everything we can to get into them.
[32:55] SPEAKER_02: Like if they're not doing that and they're going to Qatar, where come on, there's gonna be no one watching the race or caring about it.
[33:01] SPEAKER_02: Or if they are, they've been forced to go there.
[33:03] SPEAKER_02: Like, like let's just be realistic about this.
[33:05] SPEAKER_02: Why are they not doing that?
[33:07] SPEAKER_02: And Wollingong reinforced that for me because Wollingong is not a place the T-100 would have thought to go to, and yet it was probably the most popping crowd of the year.
[33:14] SPEAKER_03: It's because Hamburg doesn't have the uh the oil money that uh Qatar and Dubai have, Jack.
[33:19] SPEAKER_03: I think that is one of the main uh the main reasons I would imagine.
[33:24] SPEAKER_04: It would be great to have like maybe two races in Australia like a month apart, so these athletes can go and make a base, like make a trip out of it too, rather than a one-off.
[33:34] SPEAKER_04: Because, like you said, and here I'm actually gonna praise Australia here.
[33:38] SPEAKER_04: You're right that it's a triathlon-focused country, and that crowd was sick.
[33:41] SPEAKER_04: And the announcing, the whole broadcast was fun, and people were like waving their shirts, you know, no no shirts on.
[33:48] SPEAKER_04: The the the camera angles of Wollongong look like a nice city and might have to take a trip.
[33:52] SPEAKER_04: So I think you're spot on with all of that, Jack.
[33:55] SPEAKER_03: It's nice there.
[33:56] SPEAKER_03: I lived there for um a couple of years, Greg.
[33:58] SPEAKER_03: I'm not going.
[34:01] SPEAKER_02: And look, I just think off the top of my head, I agree, Greg.
[34:04] SPEAKER_02: Two in Australia, two in America, one in Germany, probably one in London.
[34:09] SPEAKER_02: And then look, if they need their oil money, they need their oil money, like Apo says.
[34:12] SPEAKER_02: I think even like yeah, I don't know.
[34:14] SPEAKER_02: I just think like St.
[34:15] SPEAKER_02: George doesn't have an Iron Man race anymore.
[34:17] SPEAKER_02: T100, why are they not doing a race in St.
[34:20] SPEAKER_02: George in 2026?
[34:21] SPEAKER_02: Why are they not trying to infiltrate Topar?
[34:23] SPEAKER_02: Why are they not doing two in Australia?
[34:24] SPEAKER_02: Why are they not doing two in Germany?
[34:26] SPEAKER_02: I think it's just so obvious.
[34:27] SPEAKER_02: You get massive crowds, they're so fixated on trying to get crowds, you're not gonna get them in Singapore.
[34:31] SPEAKER_02: Hate to break it to you, it's not gonna happen.
[34:33] SPEAKER_02: So, yes.
[34:34] SPEAKER_04: Or honestly, America in general.
[34:36] SPEAKER_04: I mean, I can't really, I mean, maybe Boulder, but I don't think these communities rally around the races like maybe you would think.
[34:43] SPEAKER_04: Like the people aren't like, oh, St.
[34:44] SPEAKER_04: George triathlon, let me go watch.
[34:46] SPEAKER_04: I live in St.
[34:46] SPEAKER_04: George.
[34:47] SPEAKER_04: It's like uh Americans care about football.
[34:50] SPEAKER_04: Like, they don't care about triathlon.
[34:52] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, you still have to have it in America though, because it's the biggest market in the triathlon world, even if even if if fans don't show up.
[34:58] SPEAKER_02: But I think if you go to local communities in America and then market them there, you're still more likely to get a crowd than what you are in Las Vegas or in San Francisco, which San Francisco is pretty dead as well.
[35:09] SPEAKER_02: Um, we should touch on it that the podiums from the races, Hayden Wild won.
[35:13] SPEAKER_02: So he he's won five from five T-100 races now, and he's making T-100 extremely boring because he's jogging these runs and still winning it.
[35:20] SPEAKER_02: He hasn't been he hasn't been tested yet.
[35:22] SPEAKER_03: Yeah, Hayden's laughing and joking with the crowds when he's running.
[35:26] SPEAKER_03: It just like yeah, it's boring, isn't it?
[35:29] SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and the camera like I just want to see these head-to-head races where they're having this ding-dong battle, but Hayden just makes it boring.
[35:37] SPEAKER_03: He's too good.
[35:38] SPEAKER_02: And so Mikanut came second.
[35:40] SPEAKER_02: So he won the race if Hayden wasn't there, and Yuri Kulin back on the podium in third.
[35:44] SPEAKER_02: And for the women, Kate Woth won really, really impressive, like dominant victory from Kate Waff, which she's done for the second time this year, following on from Singapore.
[35:53] SPEAKER_02: Like made everyone else look like they were in a different race.
[35:55] SPEAKER_02: Ash Gentle, the the old queen of the T100 in second, and Sarah Perez Salah in third, which that's got to be the best result of her career, even though, like, yeah, sure, it's a weak T100 race and falls off after Kate Nash.
[36:07] SPEAKER_02: But you know, Ash only just caught Sarah and and and you know, on a different day, Sarah beats Ash there.
[36:12] SPEAKER_02: So that was uh that was an impressive race by Sarah Perez Salah.
[36:15] SPEAKER_04: She raced that morning too, um, and guided and and won.
[36:18] SPEAKER_04: So yeah, shout out to her.
[36:19] SPEAKER_04: That's like that's a really impressive uh weekend for her.
[36:22] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think just before we potentially wrap up on this topic, I think the big takeaways that I've taken from everything we've said with all our analysis of T100 and PTO and all of that, is that I think the two big things they need to get sorted are dates, get them locked in early, let everybody know.
[36:40] SPEAKER_00: That'll get trust from both the professionals and the amateur athletes to get their everything booked and so they know they're gonna get a race and look for the right locations, whether that's a big city that they know is gonna hit or whether that's a smaller location that they also know has got history, like Topo, like Wollongong, go for those places, get your dates locked in, and they're gonna they're gonna improve so much just with those two things.
[37:04] SPEAKER_02: Vicky, you said before that you're employed by the T100, but you know, it's not you're not a T100 sellout.
[37:10] SPEAKER_02: You can say whatever you think.
[37:12] SPEAKER_02: Do you think there's ever a world where you get muzzled by the T100 and can't say anything negative about them?
[37:17] SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
[37:18] SPEAKER_00: I haven't never happened so far, but then equally, I don't I've not been podcasting for very long, Jack.
[37:24] SPEAKER_00: So I'll I'll keep you updated.
[37:26] SPEAKER_00: Um, I don't think so.
[37:28] SPEAKER_00: I think they're pretty open to hearing stuff.
[37:31] SPEAKER_00: And, you know, I think they've been pretty good with you, Jack.
[37:34] SPEAKER_00: You weren't um banned for speaking your opinions and stuff.
[37:38] SPEAKER_00: So I like to think they're pretty receptive.
[37:41] SPEAKER_00: And and also I like to think everything I've said's been pretty constructive.
[37:44] SPEAKER_00: Like I want to see it succeed.
[37:45] SPEAKER_00: It's also in my interest for it to succeed if I work for them, right?
[37:48] SPEAKER_00: So I don't I don't want to pan them.
[37:50] SPEAKER_00: I don't want it to go down the drain.
[37:52] SPEAKER_00: I want it to just be better because I think our sport deserves it as well.
[37:55] SPEAKER_00: I want our sport to be seen by more people, enjoyed by more people, more participants, all of that, more prize money, more professionalism.
[38:02] SPEAKER_00: I want all of that, and it only happens if everything just keeps raising the bar.
[38:07] SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
[38:08] SPEAKER_02: Sam Renouf once said to me, Vicky, that he purposely goes on slow twitch because he knows it's going to be negative comments about him and the T-100 and it motivates him.
[38:16] SPEAKER_02: So sometimes he'll like be drinking his morning coffee and just reading slow twitch to get him fired up for the day.
[38:21] SPEAKER_02: So I think he secretly actually likes it when you say negative stuff about the T100.
[38:25] SPEAKER_04: But Jack just doesn't have a job with them this year.
[38:27] SPEAKER_04: So watch out, Vicky.
[38:30] SPEAKER_00: Just a just a coincidence, Craig.
[38:32] SPEAKER_04: Vicky's been getting lucky because we've only been talking about Iron Man.
[38:35] SPEAKER_04: Now is our kind of our first podcast, whether she's talking about T100.
[38:38] SPEAKER_04: I'm I'm scared.
[38:39] SPEAKER_04: I'm scared.
[38:40] SPEAKER_02: And Vicky knows the real story, which is that I was fired rather than um you know anything else.
[38:46] SPEAKER_02: So she she knows that that I've been lying about that all year.
[38:51] SPEAKER_03: Hey everyone, Sam Appleton here.
[38:53] SPEAKER_03: You know, one of the biggest lessons I've learned over years of racing is that hydration isn't a one size fits all approach.
[39:00] SPEAKER_03: Early in my career, I used to grab whatever sports drink was on course and ended up cramping, bloated, or bonking halfway through.
[39:07] SPEAKER_03: Then I started working with the team at Precision Hydration and everything changed.
[39:11] SPEAKER_03: They helped me figure out exactly how much sodium I lose in my sweat, and it turns out it's a lot less than average.
[39:17] SPEAKER_03: Once I started fueling based on my numbers, my performance and recovery went through the roof.
[39:22] SPEAKER_03: Whether you're training for your first triathlon or chasing a cone slot, getting your hydration strategy right is just as important as your training plan.
[39:30] SPEAKER_03: The good news is you can take their free online sweat test in just under five minutes and get personalized recommendations right away.
[39:38] SPEAKER_03: So if you want to stop guessing and start performing at your best, head to precisionhydration.com and use the code TTH25 for 15% off your first order.
[39:48] SPEAKER_03: Trust me, once you dial in the hydration, you'll feel the difference.
[39:53] SPEAKER_02: Okay, our next topic for the uh for the podcast.
[39:57] SPEAKER_02: I was talking to Harold Feighton during the week about the fact that the Norwegians won both Iron Man World Championships.
[40:04] SPEAKER_02: So Solvig Lovseth won the women's Iron Man World Championships, and uh Kasper Stoin has won the men's Iron Man World Championships, and they obviously clean sweep to the men's Iron Man World Championship podium with Gustav Eden in second and Christian Blumenfeld in third.
[40:16] SPEAKER_02: And I said, Look, Arald, the Norwegian method's back, and it's because they've gone back to your system.
[40:22] SPEAKER_02: They've moved away from the glove system and they've gone back to the Harold Titan, um, Christian Blumentfeld, Gustav Eden, Mikhail Eden system.
[40:30] SPEAKER_02: What are the secrets?
[40:31] SPEAKER_02: What are the secrets?
[40:32] SPEAKER_02: And he said, I'll give you a top five list of like the reasons that the Norwegian method works, which is awesome.
[40:39] SPEAKER_02: Um, and so I've got his permission to read these out on the podcast.
[40:42] SPEAKER_02: And he even gave me them in order of like least to most important.
[40:46] SPEAKER_02: But these are the five most important things.
[40:48] SPEAKER_02: And he said, There's lots else, but these are the top five.
[40:51] SPEAKER_02: And so what I thought I'd do is I'd read the list and then you guys can have a little group discussion about it.
[40:56] SPEAKER_02: So at number five, identify talent, not by physical measures, but by assessing how hard the athletes want to train and do they want to do it day in, day out for years on end.
[41:08] SPEAKER_02: You don't need any other talent ID measures like time trials or you know, lab testing when they're juniors, or you know, whatever talent testing it is.
[41:16] SPEAKER_02: All you need to identify in your junior athletes or in your athletes in general is how hard do they want to work and do they want to do that every day.
[41:24] SPEAKER_02: At number four, extensive use of altitude camps.
[41:29] SPEAKER_02: And so I was talking to Harold about this.
[41:31] SPEAKER_02: The Norwegians at times have spent about 11 months on altitude camps, but in on any given year they're there for like eight to twelve months of the entire year.
[41:39] SPEAKER_02: So they basically live at altitude and they have very, very short stints at home away from altitude.
[41:46] SPEAKER_02: At number three, very little true anaerobic work as a percentage of overall training.
[41:53] SPEAKER_02: At number two, extensive threshold work is critical, but it must be controlled threshold.
[42:01] SPEAKER_02: And number one, high volume training.
[42:04] SPEAKER_04: Well, thanks for bringing us that list, Jack.
[42:06] SPEAKER_04: Now, I got a question because you're Mr.
[42:08] SPEAKER_04: Physiology, and you know, Vicky raced short course for many a number of years.
[42:13] SPEAKER_04: Number three, like the anaerobic work as a percentage of overall training.
[42:17] SPEAKER_04: Like, if your VO2 max is super good, like some of you know, Christian and Gustav, I mean you can get away with it less.
[42:23] SPEAKER_04: And maybe if you're not quite as talented, you'd have to do a bit more, or is that more am I kind of am I right with that?
[42:29] SPEAKER_04: Or maybe short course, you need a little bit more.
[42:31] SPEAKER_04: What do you what do you guys think about that whole system for like an athlete who maybe doesn't have the genetic talent of these people of these guys?
[42:37] SPEAKER_02: Well, keep in mind, Greg, when it comes to VO2 Max, most of it is genetic, and then another component about it is just time training.
[42:45] SPEAKER_02: So for true VO2 max changes, they kind of have to be structural changes in your body, so your heart and lungs, and that takes a lot of time.
[42:53] SPEAKER_02: So this is where it's quite interesting in that they're saying identify talent not based on genetic markers, like VO2 Max would be a really important one historically because VO2 Max doesn't change much.
[43:04] SPEAKER_02: You kind of got what you got when it comes to VO2 Max, unless you've been doing, you know, aerobic training for 10, 15 years, where you've had time for your heart to have structural changes so that your VO2 max does increase.
[43:16] SPEAKER_02: Like you can only make really acute changes to VO2 Max.
[43:19] SPEAKER_02: Chronic changes to VO2 Max are are quite um are quite a drawn-out process and not something that you can just do like in a year's time, for example, or it a very, very small amount.
[43:29] SPEAKER_02: So I think I think that's an interesting question.
[43:32] SPEAKER_02: But clearly that they're just saying like we don't really value you doing VO2 Max training as part of it.
[43:40] SPEAKER_02: And we don't really value your VO2 Max being this super high thing.
[43:45] SPEAKER_02: We just want you to be able to work really hard and be motivated to work hard, and whatever your VO2 is, we'll make it work.
[43:50] SPEAKER_00: It was interesting listening to the podcast you did with him, Jack, where he spoke about how it was so different to what he'd been seeing other companies.
[44:00] SPEAKER_00: Countries do where they often go very high intensity but very low volume for the youngsters.
[44:06] SPEAKER_00: And he sort of went completely the opposite way because that's sort of what they already knew in Norway for other endurance sports that they're very good at, predominantly things in winter sports.
[44:17] SPEAKER_00: And I guess I was probably more down the what I would call traditional other countries line when I was a youngster, but I've also never had a naturally high VO2 max.
[44:29] SPEAKER_00: That's always been my limiting factor, is that my VO2 wasn't especially high.
[44:33] SPEAKER_00: I had very good economy and efficiency, but I didn't have great VO2 max.
[44:39] SPEAKER_00: And so perhaps if I had been doing a lot of volume and just continually doing that for 10, 15 years, maybe I could have made those sorts of changes.
[44:49] SPEAKER_00: And you know what?
[44:49] SPEAKER_00: I do think it improved towards the end of my career when I did have that amount of time under my belt.
[44:55] SPEAKER_00: But that was, yeah, something that I didn't have.
[44:58] SPEAKER_00: And so maybe the Norwegian method was something that I could have used.
[45:01] SPEAKER_03: Do we have a kind of a threshold on where high volume sits at?
[45:07] SPEAKER_03: Because what's high volume for some is low volume for others, right?
[45:12] SPEAKER_03: Like I think in the professional sports triflon realm, like that 20 hours or below would kind of be considered on the lower end, I would say.
[45:22] SPEAKER_03: And then 25, 25-ish, like that mid-20s is medium, and then anything close to 30 and above is high.
[45:31] SPEAKER_03: Would you guys agree with that?
[45:33] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think that they're the figures.
[45:34] SPEAKER_02: 20 or less is low, 25 is medium, 30 or high is high.
[45:38] SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
[45:39] SPEAKER_03: Is that um do we know what Arold has kind of quantified as high volume there?
[45:44] SPEAKER_03: And obviously it's going to change.
[45:45] SPEAKER_03: If you're a if you're a talent ID for juniors, you know, 14, 15, 16-year-olds, you can't expect them to be doing 30 hours a week.
[45:54] SPEAKER_03: Like I'd imagine 20 hours of training for a 16-year-old is would be considered high volume, right?
[45:59] SPEAKER_02: Well, I had this exact conversation at a cafe with Arold about three months ago or two, about two months ago.
[46:05] SPEAKER_02: And he no, Apo, he believes, like when he says that high volume is the number one secret to the Norwegian method, he means it as a junior as well.
[46:14] SPEAKER_02: So they they start doing high volume young.
[46:16] SPEAKER_02: And I asked him that exact question, what is high volume?
[46:19] SPEAKER_02: And he said, 28, 30, 35 hours, you know, like just casually said that.
[46:23] SPEAKER_02: And I said, even as juniors, and he goes, as high as you can, like just as high as you can, where they still want to train, they still love it, you know.
[46:30] SPEAKER_02: And he just said the way they do it is by doing everything really easy.
[46:34] SPEAKER_02: Like they just go, they go for a jog, and if you have to walk up a hill, do it.
[46:38] SPEAKER_02: If you go for a hike while you while as part of your jog, do it.
[46:41] SPEAKER_02: You know, like they don't do BO2 max swim sessions five days a week like we would in Australia.
[46:46] SPEAKER_02: They they really do just go and train very easy and a lot as part of the Norwegian method from a really young age.
[46:53] SPEAKER_02: And yeah, he said that even as juniors, they did weeks of 30 hours per week.
[46:57] SPEAKER_02: So it's pretty different thinking, but but he thinks the high volume as a junior athlete and then continuing that into your time as a as an adult athlete is the number one secret to the Norwegian method.
[47:07] SPEAKER_00: And do you know who else was doing that at a young age?
[47:10] SPEAKER_00: Alistair and Johnny.
[47:11] SPEAKER_00: Alistair! There we go, Greg.
[47:13] SPEAKER_00: Here we go.
[47:14] SPEAKER_00: Alistair and Johnny Brownley, they were doing big volumes, probably not quite as high as that, but I think they were going like 25 hours a week.
[47:21] SPEAKER_00: They were using, for example, like a towpath to ride to school so that they could get the ride volume up and they could they could do all that.
[47:30] SPEAKER_00: And you know, we've had talent ID coaches in the UK try and tell them when they were younger, you're doing too much, you're gonna be injured all the time, because it was so unheard of.
[47:39] SPEAKER_00: No one was doing that.
[47:40] SPEAKER_00: But you know, Alistair's Alistair, he knows best, and let's be honest, it's paid off pretty well for him.
[47:47] SPEAKER_03: You've also seen it with the Kenyan marathon runners as well.
[47:50] SPEAKER_03: I'd um I'd throw out there.
[47:52] SPEAKER_03: Like they do a lot of volume at quite easy intensities as well, and that's I think the success of um of Kenya in the marathon and long distance running in general.
[48:03] SPEAKER_03: Might also be the drugs and some other things, but you know.
[48:08] SPEAKER_02: Easy to do high volume when you when you're doing a lot of drugs over in Kenya.
[48:12] SPEAKER_02: Um, so with this, I mean the the VO2 Max question and then this high volume chat kind of intertwines in that you you people think about VO2 Max training a little a little wrong.
[48:27] SPEAKER_02: You know, like it's not just by doing VO2 Max work that your VO2 max improves, it's actually by training over time.
[48:34] SPEAKER_02: So like a high volume athlete for a long period of time is going to see increases in their VO2 Max, even if they do know VO2 Max training, which is a concept that is kind of lost a little bit.
[48:45] SPEAKER_02: But it makes sense that if you start doing this at 14 or 15, and then by the time you're 24 or 25, which is when Christian and Gustav and Kasper and Solvik have all kind of started to win their world titles.
[48:57] SPEAKER_02: So they've done 10 years of high volume aerobic training with very little percentage of that being anaerobic work and lots of it being threshold, they've started to win big races, world world championship races.
[49:08] SPEAKER_02: So it kind of makes sense, doesn't it?
[49:09] SPEAKER_02: It kind of backs the point that you just need like 10 to 15 years of lots of training, most of it being aerobic, and you will get good in this sport.
[49:18] SPEAKER_04: I'm curious, and this is happening in swimming too.
[49:22] SPEAKER_04: You know, there are 14-year-olds swimming 80k weeks out there.
[49:27] SPEAKER_04: I'm just so curious.
[49:28] SPEAKER_04: It seems like there's a new generation of athletes who are in their mid-20s who have been doing high volume since they were a teenager.
[49:34] SPEAKER_04: What is 35 gonna look like for them?
[49:36] SPEAKER_04: Are they gonna still be in the sport?
[49:38] SPEAKER_04: Like, are they gonna be loving it?
[49:39] SPEAKER_04: But it seems like Norwegian method, like you guys talked about, is kind of a culture thing.
[49:44] SPEAKER_04: And they're having fun as kids.
[49:45] SPEAKER_04: They're just out there exercising, walking up hills, doing doing hikes or whatever it might be.
[49:51] SPEAKER_04: Like there's not less pressure.
[49:52] SPEAKER_04: So, you know, maybe they just they fostered a love that will actually let them have really long careers, even though they've been training at a long or high volume for for already a number of years in their mid-20s.
[50:02] SPEAKER_02: Carbs and culture, like Jan Bradino said.
[50:06] SPEAKER_02: I personally think that all triathletes or endurance athletes in general should be taking creatine daily.
[50:12] SPEAKER_02: However, not all creatines are created equal, and in the case of Pillar Performance's creatine monohydrate, it features single origin creepure made in Germany, which is the purest form of creatine monohydrate available on the market.
[50:24] SPEAKER_02: And unlike most brands, it's informed sports certified.
[50:28] SPEAKER_02: So, as a triathlet, why should you be taking creatine daily?
[50:32] SPEAKER_02: Well, firstly, energy production.
[50:35] SPEAKER_02: Creatine helps replenish ATP, which is the body's primary energy source.
[50:39] SPEAKER_02: This means higher anaerobic capacity and better overall athletic performance.
[50:44] SPEAKER_02: Enhanced recovery is the second thing.
[50:46] SPEAKER_02: Creatine reduces muscle damage and inflammation while promoting faster glycogen replenishment.
[50:52] SPEAKER_02: This leads to quicker recovery between training sessions and races.
[50:55] SPEAKER_02: It's it's probably, in my opinion, the main reason why you should use it.
[50:59] SPEAKER_02: Just the in hugely enhanced recovery that that it it it leads to.
[51:03] SPEAKER_02: And then thirdly, is the cognitive benefits.
[51:06] SPEAKER_02: Creatine supports brain function, reducing mental fatigue and improving improving focus throughout endurance events, but also just day-to-day in your life.
[51:14] SPEAKER_02: 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.
[51:23] SPEAKER_02: I mean, you just need to have the cognitive ability to do so.
[51:26] SPEAKER_02: And creatine definitely helps that.
[51:28] SPEAKER_02: 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.
[51:42] SPEAKER_02: That's code TTH for 15% off all first purchases.
[51:48] SPEAKER_02: Okay, gonna move on to our next topic.
[51:50] SPEAKER_02: We're gonna do a bit of a quick fire Kona report card.
[51:53] SPEAKER_02: This will probably be our last Kona chat, um, apart from the Spotify comments, which are coming to end the show.
[51:58] SPEAKER_02: But we just wanted to go through most of the top 10 and then some other big names um and give them a grade from A plus all the way through to F and maybe a short reason why.
[52:08] SPEAKER_02: We don't have to give a reason for everyone, but if you feel compelled to give a reason, go for it.
[52:12] SPEAKER_02: So let's start with the Iron Man world champion, Solvig Lofseth.
[52:15] SPEAKER_03: It's an A, right?
[52:16] SPEAKER_03: She won the world championships.
[52:17] SPEAKER_03: You can't A plus.
[52:19] SPEAKER_03: Can't get any better than that.
[52:20] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think A plus, I mean, possibly could have swam a tiny bit better, but yeah, A plus.
[52:25] SPEAKER_00: I'm being picky there.
[52:27] SPEAKER_04: A plus.
[52:28] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I don't know.
[52:29] SPEAKER_02: I actually struggle with it.
[52:30] SPEAKER_02: I think it's A plus.
[52:32] SPEAKER_02: I think it's A plus.
[52:33] SPEAKER_02: But considering the Taylor and Lucy thing, is it just an A?
[52:36] SPEAKER_02: But no, I think you have to because she won it, it's an A plus for Solvig.
[52:39] SPEAKER_02: Uh Kat Matthews.
[52:41] SPEAKER_03: B plus.
[52:42] SPEAKER_00: I've given her a B because I think I think she still played it a bit safe.
[52:47] SPEAKER_00: Even though she said she had more she didn't have any more, I think she played it a bit safe.
[52:51] SPEAKER_04: Uh I'm getting A.
[52:53] SPEAKER_04: She got second place.
[52:54] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, A from me.
[52:56] SPEAKER_02: Kat exceeded my expectations.
[52:57] SPEAKER_02: That marathon was proper insane.
[52:59] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, she played it a bit safe on the bike, but I don't know what else she could have done.
[53:02] SPEAKER_02: Like, I think she probably just blows up more if she does any more.
[53:05] SPEAKER_02: So an A from me as well.
[53:06] SPEAKER_02: Uh in third, Laura Phillip.
[53:08] SPEAKER_03: I'm gonna say B minus.
[53:11] SPEAKER_01: That's exactly what I'm gonna do.
[53:13] SPEAKER_01: That's exactly what I'm gonna do.
[53:16] SPEAKER_03: What do you mean?
[53:17] SPEAKER_04: Why are we outrageous?
[53:18] SPEAKER_04: I didn't have Apo and Vicky as like the harsh critics, like, oh yeah, third in the world champions.
[53:23] SPEAKER_04: Oh, that's a B minus for you.
[53:24] SPEAKER_04: Better like next year.
[53:26] SPEAKER_03: B is still good.
[53:27] SPEAKER_03: Okay.
[53:27] SPEAKER_03: It's through to F Greg.
[53:29] SPEAKER_03: We've gone all the way to F to go.
[53:31] SPEAKER_03: Where are the top echelons doing?
[53:33] SPEAKER_00: Okay, my explanation as to why I've gone B minus is because I don't think she had the bike or run that she's capable of.
[53:42] SPEAKER_00: I think she did a lot of, she was brave, she took on a load of the work on the bike, but they lost 14 minutes.
[53:49] SPEAKER_00: And I think that's why I've had to grade her down a little bit.
[53:53] SPEAKER_00: I might fence it to Greg.
[53:55] SPEAKER_04: A minus for me.
[53:56] SPEAKER_04: I mean, she's on the podium, and I'm the minus because she won last year, she probably wants to win.
[54:00] SPEAKER_04: But like I if you're on the podium in a world champs, it's A minus is the lowest you can go.
[54:04] SPEAKER_04: Um that's that's as low as you can go.
[54:06] SPEAKER_04: You're all wrong.
[54:06] SPEAKER_02: It's a B B from me, just a straight B, no plus or minus.
[54:10] SPEAKER_02: I just think that Laura, I think she she took all the risks necessary and she probably got the highest finishing result she could have got.
[54:18] SPEAKER_02: But I would have liked to have seen her just go, you know what?
[54:21] SPEAKER_02: Fuck this, cat, you do some work.
[54:23] SPEAKER_02: You know, Lisa Pertra, you do some work.
[54:25] SPEAKER_02: I'm gonna go chill on the back here.
[54:26] SPEAKER_02: And if if the race gets away from me, it gets away from me.
[54:29] SPEAKER_02: I didn't think she had to take the responsibility of the race on her shoulders as much as she did.
[54:33] SPEAKER_02: And I think chasing down Marjolaine Pierre was the worst thing Laura Phillip did for the day.
[54:37] SPEAKER_02: I still think Laura could have finished for higher than third.
[54:40] SPEAKER_02: I think um I think she didn't run close to her potential.
[54:42] SPEAKER_02: That's how good she is.
[54:43] SPEAKER_02: Uh Hannah Berry.
[54:44] SPEAKER_03: A.
[54:45] SPEAKER_03: I've got an A plus.
[54:46] SPEAKER_03: I just think she had a great race.
[54:48] SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
[54:48] SPEAKER_03: I just think she had a great race.
[54:50] SPEAKER_03: She was off the podium.
[54:51] SPEAKER_03: Greg's Greg's flabbergasted.
[54:55] SPEAKER_04: The people ahead of her have B minus a dragon room in her and A.
[54:59] SPEAKER_03: I get what you're saying.
[55:01] SPEAKER_03: She raced out of her skin.
[55:02] SPEAKER_03: It's the best result she's ever had.
[55:04] SPEAKER_03: You know, like when you've won the world championships, like Laura has, I don't think she raced as good as she did at Nice.
[55:12] SPEAKER_03: So that's why I gave her a B minus.
[55:14] SPEAKER_03: But I think Hannah had probably the race of her life, and that's why I've given her an A.
[55:17] SPEAKER_00: And I totally agree with everything Appo said for those exact reasons.
[55:20] SPEAKER_00: We're not comparing them to each other.
[55:22] SPEAKER_00: We're comparing them to how amazing or bad was that race for them.
[55:27] SPEAKER_00: And so for me, that's why for Hannah, I don't I don't know how she got better than that.
[55:32] SPEAKER_00: An A plus, that was she was exceptional for the level of athlete she is, four foot world champs.
[55:37] SPEAKER_00: I think she did everything right.
[55:38] SPEAKER_04: I gave A minus because the minus because she didn't get on the podium.
[55:44] SPEAKER_02: I'm gonna give her an A.
[55:46] SPEAKER_02: I think that will go down as the greatest day of Hannah Berry's career.
[55:49] SPEAKER_02: And Hannah can use that as motivation, and and that could be considered writing her off for next year and the years going forward.
[55:56] SPEAKER_02: It's not meant to be like that.
[55:57] SPEAKER_02: I just don't think Hannah will ever have a day where she finishes fourth at the Iron Man World Championships again.
[56:02] SPEAKER_02: I I can't believe she did, but she did.
[56:05] SPEAKER_02: Um I I I thought she could finish fifth at absolute, like perfect, perfect day if everything went right and she finished fourth.
[56:12] SPEAKER_02: So A plus plus for me.
[56:14] SPEAKER_02: Uh Lisa Perderer.
[56:15] SPEAKER_03: I'm gonna say a B.
[56:16] SPEAKER_03: I think it was a good solid result.
[56:19] SPEAKER_03: B.
[56:19] SPEAKER_00: I've actually gone for an A because I think a top five on debut is really good.
[56:24] SPEAKER_00: I know we did chat about could there be could there have been more, but we were we were speculating.
[56:28] SPEAKER_00: We didn't have any evidence that she could go better than that.
[56:31] SPEAKER_00: And I just think, yeah, I think she was really solid.
[56:34] SPEAKER_04: It's not about placings, it's about how she did for herself.
[56:37] SPEAKER_04: You're just comparing her to others.
[56:39] SPEAKER_00: Whoa, whoa, whoa.
[56:40] SPEAKER_00: Don't you throw that in my face, Boldy.
[56:43] SPEAKER_04: Okay, I'm gonna I'm going A minus, uh yeah.
[56:48] SPEAKER_04: I mean, obviously just really, really good race, like first time there, top five.
[56:52] SPEAKER_04: That's uh that's great.
[56:53] SPEAKER_02: A B from me.
[56:54] SPEAKER_02: I've got high expectations of Lita, Lisa Purder.
[56:56] SPEAKER_02: Um, I think if you went back and looked at Iron Man Lake Placid, I think she was closer to Solvig than what she ended up being at Kona.
[57:03] SPEAKER_02: I think I uh going into the race, I thought that wherever Solvig finishes, Lisa can be probably within two minutes of her.
[57:09] SPEAKER_02: And and she just wasn't.
[57:11] SPEAKER_02: And I felt like Lisa didn't take any risks on the bike, which I'm kind of saying Laura Phillips shouldn't have, and then saying, well, Lisa should have, which maybe doesn't make sense.
[57:20] SPEAKER_02: But I know Lisa has a better day on the on the Queen K out in the bike than that.
[57:23] SPEAKER_02: So a B.
[57:24] SPEAKER_02: Uh Holly Lawrence.
[57:26] SPEAKER_03: I'm gonna go B plus a year after giving birth.
[57:28] SPEAKER_03: I think it's a great comeback, only her second Iron Man.
[57:31] SPEAKER_03: Great race.
[57:32] SPEAKER_00: For the same reasons, I've gone for an A minus.
[57:35] SPEAKER_00: I think pretty damn good.
[57:37] SPEAKER_00: I don't I don't know what more really she could have done on debut.
[57:40] SPEAKER_04: Yeah, B plus for me.
[57:42] SPEAKER_02: B plus from me.
[57:43] SPEAKER_02: Uh Jocelyn McCaulay.
[57:45] SPEAKER_03: A.
[57:46] SPEAKER_03: I think that was a great race by Jocelyn, and I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was, and I didn't really have her in my top ten, let alone seventh.
[57:55] SPEAKER_03: So great race.
[57:56] SPEAKER_00: I've got an A star because when we know the context of what we do now know about Jocelyn's previous 18 months and all the rest of it to have an absolute career best result in Kona, again, I don't know what she could have done that was better.
[58:10] SPEAKER_00: So for me, for her, against herself, Greg, I think A plus or A star depends on what you would call it.
[58:17] SPEAKER_04: Well, she could have ran better, so that's why I'm giving her a B plus.
[58:20] SPEAKER_02: Yep, I'm with you, Greg.
[58:22] SPEAKER_02: I think B plus.
[58:23] SPEAKER_02: I think many people are surprised about Jocelyn's result, but I actually think she has way more to give, and I fully expect her to finish top five next year.
[58:30] SPEAKER_02: Um this one kills me to bring up, but Sarah Spenx.
[58:34] SPEAKER_03: A plus plus plus plus I'm gonna say A minus, B plus.
[58:44] SPEAKER_03: I think, yeah, great race.
[58:45] SPEAKER_03: Um eighth ran from way back.
[58:49] SPEAKER_03: Um she was a pretty far back off the bike, but had an awesome run.
[58:52] SPEAKER_03: One of the I think fourth fastest run to run into eighth.
[58:55] SPEAKER_03: Great race.
[58:56] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, same reasons I've given her an A.
[58:58] SPEAKER_00: She was like the Terminator coming through that field.
[59:00] SPEAKER_00: So yeah, A.
[59:02] SPEAKER_04: Yeah, B plus for me.
[59:04] SPEAKER_04: Swim letter down a little bit.
[59:06] SPEAKER_02: Same as Hannah Berry, A plus.
[59:08] SPEAKER_02: I think this will be the the best day of Sarah Sphinx's career, the pride of Sweden.
[59:11] SPEAKER_02: Um Taylor Nib.
[59:14] SPEAKER_03: That's such a hard one because she was at like A plus all day until the last two miles.
[59:24] SPEAKER_03: So what do you like what do you give that?
[59:26] SPEAKER_03: Do you then she DNFs or do you go ahead and make a decision, Alpo.
[59:32] SPEAKER_04: Your decision, Alpa.
[59:35] SPEAKER_03: I mean, I'm gonna say a B.
[59:40] SPEAKER_03: I just think she raced well all day, lost it, lost a few points at the end in the last couple of miles, which was a shame to see.
[59:48] SPEAKER_03: So I've docked her a few points for the for the D and F, unfortunately.
[59:54] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I I think the same.
[59:55] SPEAKER_00: I was like, she either gets an A star or she gets an F because she didn't finish.
[1:00:00] SPEAKER_00: Like, how do we how do you balance that out?
[1:00:03] SPEAKER_00: But yeah, I've I've gone for a B on the basis that three more kilometres, and we would we wouldn't have been questioning any of those other little things that she did.
[1:00:12] SPEAKER_00: Um, but because of the the unfortunate DNF, yeah, B for Taylor.
[1:00:17] SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I'm going F.
[1:00:18] SPEAKER_04: Like she didn't make it to the finish line.
[1:00:20] SPEAKER_04: So I don't know how you can give her anything else.
[1:00:23] SPEAKER_04: Like in the end, she showed up to finish a race, she didn't.
[1:00:26] SPEAKER_04: That's an F.
[1:00:27] SPEAKER_04: Obviously, there's amazing things she did out there, but based on this grade, F.
[1:00:31] SPEAKER_02: I'm gonna give Taylor an A plus.
[1:00:34] SPEAKER_02: And the reason why isn't that much about the race.
[1:00:37] SPEAKER_02: It's the fact that Taylor was sick leading into the race, and I don't think anyone knows that.
[1:00:42] SPEAKER_02: And we've seen other people who might be leading the Iron Man World Championships at 39k and collapse on the side of the road.
[1:00:49] SPEAKER_02: They might go to Instagram and post a long story about how they got sick, all of their symptoms, why that was the reason they collapsed.
[1:00:56] SPEAKER_02: Taylor hasn't done any of that.
[1:00:58] SPEAKER_02: She hasn't talked about it once.
[1:00:59] SPEAKER_02: I don't think she's publicly said it once, and so I'm saying it for her.
[1:01:03] SPEAKER_02: She was sick before that race and she made it to 39 kilometres in the lead.
[1:01:07] SPEAKER_02: So yeah, I just give her an A plus for not mentioning that she was sick leading into the race and just falling on her sword.
[1:01:12] SPEAKER_02: Um, Lucy Charles Barclay.
[1:01:15] SPEAKER_03: I mean, it's a B again.
[1:01:16] SPEAKER_03: Whatever I give Taylor, I give Lucy sort of B for the same reasons.
[1:01:20] SPEAKER_00: Um I went half a barc lower, B minus, because I really feel like she raced Taylor too much.
[1:01:27] SPEAKER_00: I think she got too caught up in racing Taylor rather than sticking exactly to her plan.
[1:01:32] SPEAKER_00: I'd be completely wrong on that, but that was just the feeling I had watching her.
[1:01:36] SPEAKER_04: It's gonna be an F from me, dog.
[1:01:39] SPEAKER_03: In the words of Simon Cal.
[1:01:41] SPEAKER_03: No, that's that's a Randy.
[1:01:43] SPEAKER_03: Randy.
[1:01:44] SPEAKER_03: It's Randy, it's Randy, sorry.
[1:01:47] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, Lucy Charles Barclay, I think, is a oh, I think it's a C because I think Lucy should have won that race, especially knowing that Taylor probably was there for the taking by Lucy.
[1:01:59] SPEAKER_02: I don't know.
[1:01:59] SPEAKER_02: I just I feel like I feel like Taylor's going to win next year and he's the best athlete in that field, but I think Lucy Charles Barclay was the healthiest, fittest athlete on that day.
[1:02:09] SPEAKER_02: So a C from me.
[1:02:10] SPEAKER_02: Um let's quick fire these next names.
[1:02:12] SPEAKER_02: We won't give reasons, we'll just give quick fire ones.
[1:02:14] SPEAKER_02: So Jackie Herring.
[1:02:16] SPEAKER_03: C minus.
[1:02:17] SPEAKER_03: C.
[1:02:18] SPEAKER_03: C plus.
[1:02:19] SPEAKER_02: C minus.
[1:02:20] SPEAKER_02: Penny Slater.
[1:02:21] SPEAKER_03: C minus.
[1:02:22] SPEAKER_00: D, sorry, Penny.
[1:02:24] SPEAKER_02: F D and F.
[1:02:26] SPEAKER_02: D.
[1:02:26] SPEAKER_02: India Lee.
[1:02:28] SPEAKER_02: C.
[1:02:29] SPEAKER_00: B minus.
[1:02:30] SPEAKER_02: C.
[1:02:31] SPEAKER_02: D plus.
[1:02:32] SPEAKER_02: Marjolaine Pierre.
[1:02:33] SPEAKER_03: C.
[1:02:34] SPEAKER_00: D.
[1:02:37] SPEAKER_03: B minus.
[1:02:39] SPEAKER_02: D minus.
[1:02:40] SPEAKER_02: Marta Sanchez.
[1:02:41] SPEAKER_03: I mean it was a D and F, so probably a D.
[1:02:46] SPEAKER_03: Sorry, Marta.
[1:02:47] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, C minus.
[1:02:48] SPEAKER_00: This is horrible if you could see our faces.
[1:02:52] SPEAKER_03: I'm fine with it.
[1:02:53] SPEAKER_01: F.
[1:02:58] SPEAKER_03: I can't wait.
[1:02:59] SPEAKER_03: I fucking can't wait till Greg races Kona next year.
[1:03:01] SPEAKER_03: I pray he qualifies.
[1:03:05] SPEAKER_02: Martha's my first F as well.
[1:03:06] SPEAKER_02: Chelsea Sidaro.
[1:03:08] SPEAKER_03: D.
[1:03:08] SPEAKER_00: Same.
[1:03:09] SPEAKER_00: D.
[1:03:10] SPEAKER_02: F.
[1:03:11] SPEAKER_02: D minus.
[1:03:13] SPEAKER_02: Tamara Jewett?
[1:03:15] SPEAKER_02: C.
[1:03:16] SPEAKER_00: Gone for an E.
[1:03:17] SPEAKER_00: Sorry, Tamara.
[1:03:18] SPEAKER_04: A what?
[1:03:20] SPEAKER_00: An E comes after D.
[1:03:22] SPEAKER_00: It's before F.
[1:03:25] SPEAKER_04: We don't do E's in America.
[1:03:27] SPEAKER_04: It's D, then.
[1:03:28] SPEAKER_01: What is in your alphabet?
[1:03:31] SPEAKER_04: Yeah, what is like uh well, C is average and then D is like below average, but you didn't fail and then fail.
[1:03:36] SPEAKER_04: Like what is E?
[1:03:37] SPEAKER_04: Like you just like extra stuff.
[1:03:40] SPEAKER_00: Just a letter in the alphabet that comes between D and F.
[1:03:43] SPEAKER_00: You're reading too much into this.
[1:03:45] SPEAKER_04: Alright, alright, alright, alright.
[1:03:46] SPEAKER_04: I get it.
[1:03:46] SPEAKER_03: Wait, that's me is I didn't know that.
[1:03:48] SPEAKER_03: I was with you, Vicky.
[1:03:49] SPEAKER_03: This is news to me, Greg.
[1:03:51] SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
[1:03:51] SPEAKER_04: So you know how we do it.
[1:03:52] SPEAKER_04: We're we're the greatest co training earth.
[1:03:54] SPEAKER_04: Alright, D for Tamra for me.
[1:03:55] SPEAKER_02: Freedom, baby.
[1:03:56] SPEAKER_02: Uh F for me for Tamara.
[1:03:58] SPEAKER_03: I'm gonna change mine to D.
[1:04:00] SPEAKER_03: Sorry, Tamara.
[1:04:01] unknown: All right.
[1:04:02] SPEAKER_02: Danielle Lewis, the last one.
[1:04:03] SPEAKER_03: Yeah, probably D again.
[1:04:05] SPEAKER_00: Saying D.
[1:04:06] SPEAKER_00: I thought we might see more on the run.
[1:04:07] SPEAKER_00: Sorry, Danielle.
[1:04:08] SPEAKER_03: D.
[1:04:09] unknown: No.
[1:04:09] SPEAKER_02: C from me.
[1:04:10] SPEAKER_02: Exactly what I kind of expected.
[1:04:13] SPEAKER_02: Okay, so a quick break from the show to talk about something that's a game changer.
[1:04:18] SPEAKER_02: Not for your training, but for your online life.
[1:04:21] SPEAKER_02: And that's Nord VPN.
[1:04:23] SPEAKER_02: As triathletes, we're constantly on the move.
[1:04:25] SPEAKER_02: Training camps, races, overseas trips, airports, hotel, Wi-Fi.
[1:04:30] SPEAKER_02: And let's be honest, not all of those connections are secure.
[1:04:33] SPEAKER_02: That's where NordVPN comes in.
[1:04:35] SPEAKER_02: It protects your data and keeps your online activity private no matter where you are in the world.
[1:04:41] SPEAKER_02: I use NordVPN every single time I travel.
[1:04:44] SPEAKER_02: It's fast, it's reliable, and I can even use it to access my favorite streaming services and race coverage from anywhere in the world.
[1:04:50] SPEAKER_02: It's like having a secure internet connection that travels with you wherever you go.
[1:04:54] SPEAKER_02: Okay.
[1:04:55] SPEAKER_02: So if you want to stay safe online and stay connected wherever your trython journey takes you, head to NordVPN.com forward slash trython hour for an exclusive deal.
[1:05:05] SPEAKER_02: Plus, there's a 30-day money-back guarantee if you want to try it completely risk-free.
[1:05:11] SPEAKER_02: So that's NordVPN.com forward slash trython hour.
[1:05:15] SPEAKER_02: Protect your data, protect your privacy, keep training smart and watch those movies, TV shows, or race streams wherever you are in the world for free.
[1:05:25] SPEAKER_02: Okay, and now to finish off the show, it's our favorite part of every show.
[1:05:29] SPEAKER_02: On the daily podcast, we always start the show with your Spotify comments.
[1:05:33] SPEAKER_02: And we can confirm we are going to do daily podcasts leading into the Iron Man 70.3 World Championships in Marbella in a few weeks' time.
[1:05:41] SPEAKER_02: But when we don't have the daily podcast, we're going to do Spotify comments at the end of every podcast.
[1:05:47] SPEAKER_02: Just because we think it's so fun.
[1:05:48] SPEAKER_02: So we think ending with it will be the funnest thing to do with all of our episodes.
[1:05:53] SPEAKER_02: So if you want to have your Spotify comment read out and discussed or picked apart next week, then just Jump on today's episode that we release and leave a comment.
[1:06:02] SPEAKER_02: It can be about anything.
[1:06:03] SPEAKER_02: It can be about an opinion we've given on the show.
[1:06:06] SPEAKER_02: You can give us an opinion about anything we've said on the show, or you can just say something random or take the piss out of one of us.
[1:06:11] SPEAKER_02: We we welcome it all.
[1:06:12] SPEAKER_02: So um, Vicky, did you want to start us off today?
[1:06:14] SPEAKER_00: Yeah, sure.
[1:06:15] SPEAKER_00: So Katie Dickerson said, I feel like you guys owe Love Seth a t-shirt that says, I won the Iron Man World Championships, and all I got was this stupid nickname.
[1:06:25] SPEAKER_00: And that really made me laugh.
[1:06:27] SPEAKER_00: And I thought, yeah, Seth, you've won the Iron Man World Championships, and all these boys can talk about is a bloody glove.
[1:06:37] SPEAKER_02: Don't you dare put this on us.
[1:06:39] SPEAKER_00: I've not used it once.
[1:06:41] SPEAKER_00: You listen back.
[1:06:42] SPEAKER_00: I have not.
[1:06:44] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, but that's that's not what's happening when we when we hit stop on the records.
[1:06:49] SPEAKER_00: Throwing me under the bus.
[1:06:51] SPEAKER_04: Drew Fulk says, as a mortal hydration slut myself, I find it quite an interesting coincidence that Lucy Charles Barclay walked through the marathon aid stations.
[1:07:02] SPEAKER_04: The only cup she didn't take were the mortal cups.
[1:07:05] SPEAKER_04: Now, I'm not saying mortal could have saved Lucy or Taylor's race.
[1:07:09] SPEAKER_04: I'm just saying we'll never know.
[1:07:12] SPEAKER_04: And I I just it's it's about time we get some mortal love on the pod, you know?
[1:07:17] SPEAKER_04: They just don't get any love.
[1:07:18] SPEAKER_04: And obviously Drew is a mortal slut, so that's a plus one for mortal.
[1:07:21] SPEAKER_03: And I famously declined the mortal hydration at Augusta and was beaten by Ari Clare.
[1:07:26] SPEAKER_03: So uh and that's rock bottom.
[1:07:28] SPEAKER_02: Imagine if mortal was just this like magic supplement that we're all shitting on.
[1:07:33] SPEAKER_02: But if you drink it, you just have these great races.
[1:07:35] SPEAKER_02: Can we try that in can Apo in your next race, which is Iron Man Bustleton?
[1:07:40] SPEAKER_02: I think we've announced that already, haven't we?
[1:07:42] SPEAKER_02: If we haven't, then Apo's gonna race Iron Man Bustleton.
[1:07:45] SPEAKER_02: Can you drink Mortal at all the run aid stations and just report back?
[1:07:49] SPEAKER_03: I might try it at like in the last 5k.
[1:07:51] SPEAKER_03: So if I do shit my pants, I've only got 5k to go.
[1:07:53] SPEAKER_04: I've drink Immortal, by the way, on the bike uh in Boulder, and I qualified for worlds, so whatever.
[1:07:59] SPEAKER_04: Best race ever.
[1:08:00] SPEAKER_02: There we go.
[1:08:01] SPEAKER_02: That is a miracle.
[1:08:02] SPEAKER_03: Mike Marshall says, I don't know another podcast that would have me tracking Regan Holyoke all day and watching with excitement when she finishes 13th.
[1:08:10] SPEAKER_03: And uh Mike, I was tracking it probably more intently than the podium all day.
[1:08:17] SPEAKER_02: Get stuffed, Ma.
[1:08:20] SPEAKER_02: And by the way, I am getting that tattoo.
[1:08:22] SPEAKER_02: Jared says, with the heat prep, I can't help but wonder if the training creates adaptation that actually prevents one from recognizing the early stages of heat stress and going by feel can put you over the edge.
[1:08:34] SPEAKER_02: Jack, let's get an expert on the pod to break down what we saw with Lucy and Taylor.
[1:08:39] SPEAKER_02: A lot of us pretenders are dipping our toes into heat prepslash heat adaptations in training, and with the risks involved, it would be amazing to hear from an expert Dr.
[1:08:48] SPEAKER_02: Glove could be the perfect man for the job.
[1:08:50] SPEAKER_02: And then Maddie Roo replied to that comment and said, but not Dr.
[1:08:53] SPEAKER_02: Hareg Scarpa.
[1:08:56] SPEAKER_02: I I actually really like this.
[1:08:57] SPEAKER_02: We'll do this for sure.
[1:08:58] SPEAKER_02: We'll get a heat uh like a heat expert on, we'll do a little 10 to 15 minute segment rhythm.
[1:09:03] SPEAKER_02: It will not be the glove and it won't be Dr.
[1:09:05] SPEAKER_02: Hareg.
[1:09:07] SPEAKER_04: Okay, this one's like a little bit more serious and something I wanted to talk about.
[1:09:10] SPEAKER_04: John Saun says, Anyone think the litter zones were insanely short after the last table on both bike run?
[1:09:17] SPEAKER_04: It looked like it was a limiting factor in what athletes could get in, especially on the bike.
[1:09:22] SPEAKER_04: And I just think I don't know about the last table, but it seems on the bike, if you grab something at the last table and you're trying to chug something and then you have to throw it, it's just so short.
[1:09:31] SPEAKER_04: And especially with the the speeds of the pros, uh, I I just think these littering zones need to be a bit longer.
[1:09:38] SPEAKER_04: You know, extending it 50 meters, is that really gonna put that much more strain on the volunteer?
[1:09:42] SPEAKER_04: So I think that's something that needs to be uh tightened up for next year in Iron Man Racing.
[1:09:46] SPEAKER_03: Yeah, you almost need to discard your bottles and the ones you take from the aid station are then going on your bike.
[1:09:51] SPEAKER_03: Like some of the aid stations are too short for you to grab it, take a drink, and then throw it again.
[1:09:56] SPEAKER_03: You almost need to grab it, take a drink, and put it into your bottle holder.
[1:10:00] SPEAKER_03: Mathieu Chavez, I've butchered that name.
[1:10:03] SPEAKER_03: Sorry, Meth Matthew.
[1:10:05] SPEAKER_02: I feel like Greg Hart, it's like um Greg Welch trying to pronounce Solvig offset at Kona.
[1:10:12] SPEAKER_00: Which we haven't there was some comments on that, and obviously we've not mentioned it, but I'm not sure we can.
[1:10:17] SPEAKER_02: We purposely stayed away from it.
[1:10:19] SPEAKER_02: But yes, before we recorded the last daily podcast in Kona, we were laughing about how we don't think what Welshie said Solvig's name the same once for the day.
[1:10:27] SPEAKER_02: And then there was a lot of things.
[1:10:28] SPEAKER_02: There was a comment, yes, exactly.
[1:10:32] SPEAKER_01: I know.
[1:10:33] SPEAKER_02: But we're trying to uh piss less people off, so Okay.
[1:10:36] SPEAKER_03: Matthew says, I feel all alone in this, but I decided I don't really like Kona and think it's shit.
[1:10:43] SPEAKER_03: Boring flat bike and then a game of who dies.
[1:10:46] SPEAKER_03: I won because others got heat stroke.
[1:10:48] SPEAKER_03: That's not my definition of cool of a cool world champion.
[1:10:52] SPEAKER_03: I understand it's the Kona way and people get super hyped about what happened, but I'm just unimpressed.
[1:10:57] SPEAKER_03: Yeah, at the end it was exciting with Kat and Solveg, but no, Kona is shit.
[1:11:03] SPEAKER_03: A little disclaimer, I really wanted Lucy to win, so maybe I'm just bitter.
[1:11:08] SPEAKER_03: And I think you're you're not entirely wrong there, and but I think that's what makes Kona exciting, right?
[1:11:14] SPEAKER_03: It has like being out there in those desolate lava fields, it's got some like weird masochistic appeal in some way.
[1:11:24] SPEAKER_03: Like the being it it's so challenging and so difficult, and I think that's what attracts people to Kona.
[1:11:31] SPEAKER_03: Yes, the course isn't that exciting, but the bike isn't flat.
[1:11:35] SPEAKER_03: The bike is actually quite hilly.
[1:11:36] SPEAKER_03: You'd be surprised at actually how much elevation is in that Kona bike course.
[1:11:40] SPEAKER_03: The run is just along a highway, it's quite boring, but yeah, I think that loneliness and yeah, desolation of the lava fields kind of make it unique.
[1:11:49] SPEAKER_02: But this we like this comment from Matteo, though.
[1:11:52] SPEAKER_02: Like the like this is just a strong take, and we need more really strong takes on the Spotify comments.
[1:11:57] SPEAKER_02: Like, if you give a strong take, I can almost guarantee you that's what'll get your comment read.
[1:12:02] SPEAKER_02: We love a strong take.
[1:12:03] SPEAKER_02: And whether he's right or not doesn't really matter.
[1:12:06] SPEAKER_02: But like you said, Apo, there is elements of that you almost can't argue with, but it just depends what your opinion is.
[1:12:12] SPEAKER_02: Do you think that's the the whole draw of the sport?
[1:12:16] SPEAKER_02: Because I think the thing with T100 is it feels quite achievable.
[1:12:20] SPEAKER_02: There's nothing that you watch and go, wow, this is crazy.
[1:12:23] SPEAKER_02: But if you watch Kona on the weekend as like a half triathlon fan or a non-triathlon fan, sorry, two weekends ago, and you can't help but be like, Wow, this is one of the craziest things I've ever watched in my life.
[1:12:34] SPEAKER_02: How do these people do that?
[1:12:35] SPEAKER_02: And I feel like that's what at some point drew all of us to long course triathlon.
[1:12:40] SPEAKER_02: So I don't think you can take away from that being a big factor as to why Iron Man is as big as it is, just that this is insane, like this is crazy how a human's doing this element that Kona provides.
[1:12:51] SPEAKER_02: Herbster 12 says, I wonder how much time Taylor gave up by choosing non-Aero socks, a non-Aero helmet, and stopping for special needs.
[1:12:59] SPEAKER_02: Now, Apo, we actually had this as something we were going to talk about on the last of the daily podcast, but we just scrapped it from the running sheet.
[1:13:06] SPEAKER_02: But what do you think?
[1:13:07] SPEAKER_02: Because you were big on this, but leading into the race, uh, and then you didn't really get a chance to talk about it after the race.
[1:13:13] SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and I mean I don't want to sit here behind my microphone and tell Taylor how to how to race and how to ride and what equipment she should be using.
[1:13:21] SPEAKER_03: But I think if you're taking the time to put on socks for the bike, it just makes sense to me to make them aero socks.
[1:13:28] SPEAKER_03: Like if you're spending that 10 seconds, you may as well use the big long socks that pull up halfway up to your knee, or even the full ones that go all the way up to your knee and get that aero benefit, right?
[1:13:39] SPEAKER_03: And I think the same can be said about the aero helmet.
[1:13:42] SPEAKER_03: If you're losing 10 watts choosing a slower helmet, yes it's cooler, but then if you're riding 10 watts higher, you're also generating more body heat, right?
[1:13:54] SPEAKER_03: So does is that a net neutral?
[1:13:56] SPEAKER_03: Um and I mean Taylor did some wind tunnel testing, I'm sure she tested the different helmet setups, but it is a little bit interesting to me that she chose slower tires as well, something a little bit more puncture resistant and yeah, not putting on aeros.
[1:14:13] SPEAKER_03: Like I counted about 10 to 15 watts pretty easily that she could have saved, but um yeah, I mean I don't want to sit here and tell her what equipment and things to use.
[1:14:22] SPEAKER_03: Like she's a professional, she's done the testing and she made those decisions.
[1:14:26] SPEAKER_02: Hard to give advice to someone who nibs you every Wednesday morning as well.
[1:14:29] SPEAKER_02: Um and then I just want yes or no for these two points that herbs to twelve makes in this same comment.
[1:14:35] SPEAKER_02: Cat wins the race if Laura wasn't there, yes or no?
[1:14:39] SPEAKER_02: No.
[1:14:39] SPEAKER_02: No, no, no.
[1:14:42] SPEAKER_02: And then Lucy or Taylor win the race if the other wasn't there.
[1:14:47] SPEAKER_03: Yes.
[1:14:48] SPEAKER_00: Lucy, yes, Taylor, no.
[1:14:50] SPEAKER_02: No, yes.
[1:14:51] SPEAKER_00: Lewis W.
[1:14:52] SPEAKER_00: L.
[1:14:52] SPEAKER_00: Williams says, You all saying Taylor Nib might take all year to get fit again, and then 2026 she's going to win.
[1:14:59] SPEAKER_00: What's going on?
[1:15:00] SPEAKER_00: Get on the fence.
[1:15:02] SPEAKER_00: And then there was a uh another similar comment from Sean V12 that said, Tri hour, he's quoting us.
[1:15:10] SPEAKER_00: Once your body shuts down after a heat episode, it takes months or years to recover, and your body will never let you reach near that level again.
[1:15:17] SPEAKER_00: Also, the try-hour.
[1:15:19] SPEAKER_00: My favorite for Kona 2026 is tailoring it.
[1:15:22] SPEAKER_00: We've been called out, guys, and they may have a point, but I I would like to start by defending us by saying we're saying potentially, potentially going that deep and having a heat episode could write you off for a year.
[1:15:36] SPEAKER_00: It might not do, they might be absolutely fine, but it could really write you off for a long time.
[1:15:40] SPEAKER_00: So I think in our hypothetical 2026 situation, we're talking about if all's okay, if they take it steady, if they get back into things in the right process, they do all the testing, then yeah, they then Taylor could have a chance of winning.
[1:15:54] SPEAKER_00: Now Taylor, we think, is going to win next year, but we don't yet know what the long-term effects are going to be for her.
[1:16:00] SPEAKER_02: Also, the loss of consciousness is a really important factor.
[1:16:03] SPEAKER_02: So if you lose consciousness because of it, aka Johnny Brownlee or Emma Pallant Brown, it's just known that you're not going to be the same in the heat again.
[1:16:11] SPEAKER_02: But Taylor uh well, we're talking about Taylor here because that's kind of the where we've contradicted ourselves.
[1:16:16] SPEAKER_02: Taylor didn't lose consciousness.
[1:16:18] SPEAKER_02: So you you might not know that subtle difference, but that is a very important difference.
[1:16:23] SPEAKER_02: And right now, as long as she stays healthy and looks after herself, she can come back as strong as ever.
[1:16:28] SPEAKER_03: Keith Murph says, long time listener, many time commenter, all unread.
[1:16:34] SPEAKER_03: So here you go, Keith.
[1:16:36] SPEAKER_03: That uh, you know, that little little comment there got me attracted, so uh I decided to read it.
[1:16:42] SPEAKER_02: That's also untrue though, Apo.
[1:16:44] SPEAKER_02: We did read one of Keith's comments on the Daily Kona podcast.
[1:16:46] SPEAKER_03: Oh, Keith, you've lied to us to get on the show again.
[1:16:51] SPEAKER_02: Pretty smart.
[1:16:52] SPEAKER_03: The fans want to know with how much crap the pod gives the commentators on the live stream, all justified, will we be getting an alternate stream of the last T100 race?
[1:17:02] SPEAKER_03: And I've thought about it and I've always wanted to do a um alternate stream.
[1:17:07] SPEAKER_03: Um But you weren't invited, so well yeah, Jack didn't invite me on the first one, but um I've always thought it would be fun to like crack a couple of beers and just uh, you know, let loose a little bit, but then I'd also be exposing myself to all the ridicule that I've given all the commentators over the many uh many years.
[1:17:26] SPEAKER_03: So I don't know.
[1:17:26] SPEAKER_03: Maybe we could work something out, Jack.
[1:17:28] SPEAKER_03: We could get us uh get us on another alternate stream.
[1:17:31] SPEAKER_02: I'd like to do one for the T100 grand final.
[1:17:34] SPEAKER_02: I don't know if they'll like uh let us after the first half of this podcast.
[1:17:37] SPEAKER_02: Nick and Sam, they listen to the podcast.
[1:17:40] SPEAKER_02: They might uh they might renege the the offer for us to do the alternative streams after hearing it.
[1:17:45] SPEAKER_02: But I don't know if it's something we want to do every race.
[1:17:48] SPEAKER_02: It's a lot of work, it's kind of it's hard to to to organize it all.
[1:17:52] SPEAKER_02: I don't know if it's actually worth all the effort that goes into it, but I would like to do it for the big ones.
[1:17:57] SPEAKER_02: So, like Qatar, the grand final this year.
[1:17:59] SPEAKER_02: I think it would be fun if all of us, obviously excluding Vicky, um could could do it.
[1:18:04] SPEAKER_02: Uh but let's wait and see.
[1:18:05] SPEAKER_02: Chantel Woodock says, absolutely no one in my family understood why I was shouting no at my TV at 1 a.m.
[1:18:13] SPEAKER_02: in the morning.
[1:18:14] SPEAKER_02: That's the definition of pretender behavior from you, Chantel.
[1:18:17] SPEAKER_02: Uh, and we absolutely love it.
[1:18:18] SPEAKER_02: So that's what we're here for.
[1:18:20] SPEAKER_02: Your family don't need to understand you, just tune into us every week and know that we understand you, except Vicky, because she was asleep at that point for Kona and at that point for Wolling Gong.
[1:18:30] SPEAKER_02: So Vicki making a habit of not not joining you as a pretender.
[1:18:33] SPEAKER_00: I know, and I've been called out for it a couple of times in the comments as well.
[1:18:36] SPEAKER_00: Sorry guys, but sleep is golden right now.
[1:18:39] SPEAKER_00: I'm probably not gonna sleep for the next year, so uh I need it.
[1:18:45] SPEAKER_02: Vicki is one of the most dedicated triathlon fans and experts in the game, but she is about 45 weeks pregnant.
[1:18:51] SPEAKER_02: True story.
[1:18:52] SPEAKER_02: She's got her excuses.
[1:18:53] SPEAKER_02: Um, and then the last comment, I think the most interesting one, but maybe I'm a little biased.
[1:18:59] SPEAKER_02: Nikki Rigaby says, Thoughts on Colin Chartier coming back to triathlon.
[1:19:05] SPEAKER_02: So just some updates.
[1:19:07] SPEAKER_02: It's 158 days from when this podcast released until Colin Chartier's band's done.
[1:19:13] SPEAKER_02: Um, so that's March 26, I think.
[1:19:17] SPEAKER_02: March 26, 2026.
[1:19:19] SPEAKER_02: It's something like that.
[1:19:20] SPEAKER_02: So what's that, like 25 weeks, give or take?
[1:19:23] SPEAKER_02: What do we think, guys?
[1:19:24] SPEAKER_02: Should Colin return to the sport uh in March, April next year?
[1:19:27] SPEAKER_02: Should he come and race Oceanside?
[1:19:29] SPEAKER_04: No.
[1:19:30] SPEAKER_04: Is he planning to?
[1:19:31] SPEAKER_04: Or is this just speculation?
[1:19:33] SPEAKER_02: Nikki's just asking what our thoughts are on Colin coming back.
[1:19:36] SPEAKER_03: No, get him out of here.
[1:19:38] SPEAKER_03: I I I don't think Colin would come back.
[1:19:40] SPEAKER_03: I think he expressed that he's done, right?
[1:19:42] SPEAKER_03: I mean things can change, but um I would not be a fan of it if I had to race Colin because if you've been doping, you have like I feel like you have those benefits for life.
[1:19:55] SPEAKER_03: Like you have you've had that period of where you've been training at above what your body has allowed you to do.
[1:20:02] SPEAKER_03: Like that doesn't just go away when you stop doping.
[1:20:05] SPEAKER_03: Like you have You have those benefits, I think, for the rest of your life.
[1:20:11] SPEAKER_04: If we could get him on the pod to do an exclusive interview and actually tell what the whole thing was happening with the doping and who was helping him and all that, I'd welcome him back.
[1:20:21] SPEAKER_04: But you know, it doesn't seem like any podcaster can actually get him to do that.
[1:20:26] SPEAKER_00: For me, it's as simple as you make that kind of decision and you forfeit your right to come back to elite sport.
[1:20:34] SPEAKER_00: I know that's not the way the rules work, but for me, that's how it works.
[1:20:38] SPEAKER_00: Doesn't mean that you are the worst person in the world and you don't deserve a second chance at life and all the rest of it.
[1:20:44] SPEAKER_00: You can have all that, but for me, it excludes your right to be back in elite sport, and I I would love to see that as a as a blanket rule.
[1:20:52] SPEAKER_00: So for me, it's pretty simple.
[1:20:53] SPEAKER_00: No.
[1:20:54] SPEAKER_02: Can we have a group vote on this?
[1:20:56] SPEAKER_02: And also, can we have a Spotify comments vote?
[1:20:58] SPEAKER_02: And just whatever answer gets the most votes will do.
[1:21:02] SPEAKER_02: So should I send Colin Chartier a message and say, Colin, come join us on the podcast for 15 minutes and we'll talk about do you want to come back?
[1:21:11] SPEAKER_02: Do you plan on coming back?
[1:21:12] SPEAKER_02: You know, you can ask him any doping questions that you want, whether he gives you the honest answer or not, I'll at least ask.
[1:21:18] SPEAKER_02: So we'll do a group vote now and then combined with uh a Spotify comments vote.
[1:21:23] SPEAKER_02: So whatever you want, if you want him to come on for 15 minutes and hear us ask him questions or um uh ask him whether he's gonna return to racing or his plans for for coming back to Triton or if they exist at all, then just comment, yep, we want Colin, or no, we don't want Colin in the Spotify comments, and it'll literally just be a popular vote.
[1:21:40] SPEAKER_02: So Apo.
[1:21:42] SPEAKER_03: If he has new information that is not out there, because he's he admitted to doing it all by himself, right?
[1:21:49] SPEAKER_03: But if I hesitate to believe that, so if he has new information that he could bring to light, I think it would be good.
[1:21:55] SPEAKER_03: So yes.
[1:21:56] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, but we can't control what he's gonna say, so you can't put it dependent on that.
[1:21:59] SPEAKER_02: It's just got to be a yes or no, no matter what we get from him.
[1:22:03] SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
[1:22:03] SPEAKER_00: For me, then it's a no.
[1:22:04] SPEAKER_00: Because I was gonna say the same as Apple.
[1:22:06] SPEAKER_00: I was like, if we're gonna get something from him, then yeah, but actually, you know what?
[1:22:10] SPEAKER_00: I don't think we need to hear it.
[1:22:11] SPEAKER_00: So no.
[1:22:12] SPEAKER_02: What if he would say what if he says, Vicky, yes, I'm gonna return to racing?
[1:22:16] SPEAKER_02: That would be pretty interesting to know.
[1:22:17] SPEAKER_00: Be interesting to know, but I don't want to have it publicized.
[1:22:21] SPEAKER_00: Like I don't think he deserves the publicity, like I said, to come back to elite professional sport.
[1:22:28] SPEAKER_00: To be a professional athlete, as far as I'm concerned, is a privilege.
[1:22:31] SPEAKER_00: And I think you forfeit that when you make that decision to dope.
[1:22:35] SPEAKER_00: And so I don't want to give extra attention.
[1:22:39] SPEAKER_00: Like I said, I'm sure he's a nice guy.
[1:22:41] SPEAKER_00: Plenty of people who've been caught for doping are nice people and they deserve to have a nice life, but they don't deserve to come back into elite sport and have publicity and all the rest of it.
[1:22:50] SPEAKER_00: So for me, no.
[1:22:51] SPEAKER_04: Yeah, this might sound contradictory to what I just said, but fuck no, you should not have him on the podcast.
[1:22:57] SPEAKER_00: That was a more concise answer of what I said.
[1:23:03] SPEAKER_02: That's what Vicky meant.
[1:23:05] SPEAKER_02: Hey Apo, doesn't he live just down the street from you?
[1:23:07] SPEAKER_02: Do you ever see him?
[1:23:08] SPEAKER_03: He lives in Denver, I think.
[1:23:09] SPEAKER_03: He's a real estate agent.
[1:23:10] SPEAKER_03: I haven't seen him since the whole thing happened.
[1:23:14] SPEAKER_03: Um but uh maybe I could do a one-on-one, Jack, if you want to uh tee it up.
[1:23:21] SPEAKER_02: The fence sitter and the doper.
[1:23:23] SPEAKER_02: The one-on-one the world's been crying out for.
[1:23:28] SPEAKER_02: All right.
[1:23:28] SPEAKER_02: Uh, pretenders, that's the the show done for the week.
[1:23:32] SPEAKER_02: Like I said, it feels weird only doing one show a week, but can confirm we are going to be doing the daily podcast leading into the iMan7.3 World Championships in Marbella, which low key is going to be probably the most stacked field of the year.
[1:23:44] SPEAKER_02: Um, and like I said, if you want your Spotify comment read out and discussed or talked about on next week's podcast, then make sure you leave one on this week's episode.
[1:23:53] SPEAKER_02: Vicky, Apo, Greg, thank you as always.
[1:23:56] SPEAKER_02: Let's do it all again next week.
[1:23:58] SPEAKER_03: Thanks, Jack.
[1:23:59] SPEAKER_03: Thank you.
[1:23:59] SPEAKER_01: Cheers, Jack.

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