Podcast appearances and mentions of simon lessing

In the second of our holiday shows we have our Legends of Triathlon interview with Simon Lessing. You can follow Simon here.

Simon Lessing truly is a Triathlon Legend. Before we had Gomez, Frodeno, or the Brownlee Brothers, we had this man. If you ever debate who is the greatest of all time Triathlete, his name must be in the conversation.   Hailing from the shores of Cape Town, racing for Britain, and dominating the European and world circuits, his legacy is so remarkable that it has inspired a generation of triathletes. With five ITU World Championship titles, Nice long distance, a string of Ironman 70.3 victories, and a record-breaking performance at Ironman Lake Placid, wins at big nondrafting classics at Chicago and Alcatraz, and his domination of the French Iron Tour, his excellence in the sport is unquestioned. Beyond the race courses, his influence continues to shape the future of triathlon through his coaching endeavors. He was appointed an MBE in the 2000 New Year Honours for services to triathlon. When I look back at my career as an athlete, few have had this man's impact and sheer dominance.

Last weekend the N. American IM season kicked off with Oceanside 70.3 and this weekend Super League Pros race in the London Arena Games. Bill, how's Carbondale, Colorado?   Show Sponsor: UCAN Generation UCAN has a full line of nutrition products powered by LIVESTEADY to fuel your sport.   LIVSTEADY was purposefully designed to work with your body, delivering long-lasting energy you can feel. LIVSTEADY's unique time-release profile allows your body to access energy consistently throughout the day, unlocking your natural ability to stay focused and calm while providing the fuel you need to meet your daily challenges.   Use UCAN in your training and racing to fuel the healthy way, finish stronger and recover more quickly!  Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co   In Today's Show Discussion - Life Hacks for the Time Crunched Athlete Endurance News - 70.3 Oceanside Pro Results, Arena Games London Saturday, What's new in the 303 - Pro Tips for Boulder 70.3 and What Up in Carbondale? Video of the Week - 70.3 Oceanside Highlights and Lowlights   Discussion: Life Hacks for the Time Crunched Athlete: I was recently invited to be a guest coach on the TriDot podcast. Every week they have a Warmup, Main Set and Cooldown with a TriDot coach. I was asked to describe my coaching specialty, which I feel is helping beginner to experienced triathletes overcome plateauing factors, overcome confidence issues and work/life/train balance, especially for long course athletes.   Life Hack 1 - During one of my IM training long rides, I took off at 9am and told my wife I'd be back at 4. When I got home, my wife said 'I thought you would be back in 4 hours'. I reminded her that I said 'back at 4pm' and we decided to agree to disagree. I went to the Office Max and bought one of those "Will Be Back At" window clock with the plastic hour and minute hand that the pharmacist or barber puts on the door at lunch hour. We put that on the garage door to make sure I was setting expectations. Life Hack 2 - When I was in the peak of IM training I had tight windows of time to squeeze in my workouts like a 1 hour swim in the morning. If I didn't get to the pool right at 5, I wouldn't have time to complete the swim before 6am in time to get home, showered and ready to take the girls to school on my way to work. When you get to the pool at 5am and realize that I left my swimsuit at home I would be devastated. My house is only 10 minutes away, but it would be 30 minutes before I could be back at the pool. I learned to keep a spare swimsuit in my glovebox and that saved my workouts that I otherwise would have lost.   Endurance News:   Oceanside Corrections Taylor Knibb was in the broadcast booth instead of toeing the line It was an in water start in the bay and not a beach start into surf as it was in 2022   9 Takeaways From the Pro Race at 70.3 Oceanside TIM HEMING    Ironman 70.3 Oceanside marked the start of the North American Ironman season. Located just up the coast from the birthplace of triathlon, and with a packed field of professionals, expectations for Oceanside were high – and the race delivered.   It might have been a cold morning, but the action soon became heated. After two enthralling races, we were left with some red-hot run splits and two deserving new champions. Leo Bergere carried out his plans for a smash-and-grab win in California, breaking the tape in 3:45:25 on his long-course stopover en route to Paris 2024, while Tamara Jewett laid down a blazing-fast run to push her way to the top podium step in 4:08:09.   Here are nine things we're taking away from the race as we blast off into the 2023 season.   Missed the action in Oceanside? Outside Watch has made the replay of the race broadcast free for all. See the race from start to finish by hitting the button below:   1. No one made the same (freezing) mistake twice. The weather in most of the United States has been miserable of late, and despite it being Southern California, the early start of the day – with the pro men going off at 6:40 a.m. – made for chilly conditions. The water temperature was just 57 degrees F, and the ambient conditions not much more. But whereas a host of athletes were caught out (and near-hypothermic) in similar conditions at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Utah last year, lessons had clearly been learned.   Notably, Holly Lawrence ditched her normal high-cut racing suit for additional layers, and swapped blue lips for blowing past a chunk of the men's field. Perhaps the decisions of 70.3 world champion Taylor Knibb had been noted from St. George, where the the number-one priority for the now reigning 70.3 world champion was to be cozy for the start of the bike leg. (Although there were no such considerations for Knibb here, as she wasn't racing – instead, was wrapped up in the Ironman commentary booth.)   https://twitter.com/IRONMANtri/status/1642188291368787969   2. The payout isn't as big as you think. This was a high-profile curtain-raiser to the North American Ironman season, with almost 100 names on the pro start list, 3,500 amateurs and a live broadcast to boot. Yet the prize money at just $50,000 was derisory, especially compared to other pro prize purses offered by other race organizers. Some quick math on the $1,200 Ironman pro license shows that if they race on average four times a year, then around $30,000 poured into Ironman's coffers for this race from their license fees alone. Essentially, the pros are funding much of their own prize pot. The age-old problem is that although there is huge value in the pros for below-the-line marketing of the Ironman brand – i.e., the pictures that sell these races – Ironman prize purses may not necessarily align with that value.   3. 5-star performances are the norm, not the exception. https://twitter.com/IRONMANtri/status/1642188291368787969 (Photo: Donald Miralle/Ironman) From early on, it was clear that there were only ever five women in this contest, and all of them had a chance at the win. Paula Findlay led early and faded late, while Tamara Jewett held on early and hammered through at the end. There were no surprises in Chelsea Sodaro, Kat Matthews and Holly Lawrence, either – they were in the mix, and moves from all three made for more exciting racing. The pro women's field has some bona-fide superstars right now. The rest of the season, whether it's PTO racing or Ironman, comes laced with anticipation. The rest of the pack must work out how to catch on and catch up.   4. Bergere was brilliant – but won't be back. As was befitting a reigning World Triathlon Championship Series champion, Bergere was a class act from first to last in Oceanside, leading the swim, staying upfront on the bike leg and then leading through the half-marathon. We shouldn't be surprised. We found out before the race that he's done the work dialing in his position on the time trial bike, he's won over this distance before, and he's an Olympic medal favorite for Paris – so speed isn't a problem. That's even true with Jason West marauding through the field. The 26-year-old Frenchman just stayed cool, checked his watch, looked over his shoulder, and eased to the tape.   But if you're looking for more non-drafting action from Bergere, you'll have to wait. It's now full focus on Olympic qualification and a return to the World Series. The French short course men have the strongest depth of talent in the world currently, and he needs to make sure he's on the team for next summer on the banks of the Seine. If people weren't sure of his name in Oceanside, it's likely to be a household one after Paris.   5. The runners are getting into position. There has never been any doubting the running pedigree of USA's Jason West and Canada's Tamara Jewett. For many observers, they are the two quickest runners in middle-distance triathlon right now. If they're in the mix come T2, they're strong favorites for the win. Even a 30-second blocking penalty on the bike for Jewett was shrugged off as a minor inconvenience as she plowed her way out of T2 and into first place. With superbly executed swims and bikes, the case as contenders has been well and truly proven for both. If the dime hadn't already dropped, the idea of them being allowed to (legally) sit in on a paceline without being attacked in future has dissolved just as fast.   6. About those run splits… In the 13.1 mile run leg, West clocked a 1:07:41, and Jewett 1:13:00. West and (particularly) Jewett's half-marathon splits blew up on social media with no filter to the hyperbole that was flowing. They were fast and deserved the praise, no doubt, but take a look at the historic performances of both athletes and you can see it's in the same ballpark as they've regularly been clocking for 70.3 runs over the past three years. All it proves is that this isn't a one-off, and in many ways, that makes it even more exciting for what's to come.   7. Three minutes is not enough between pro fields. Having the professional women start three minutes after the pro men, when the men's field is saturated and the threshold for being a pro man isn't high enough, is a recipe for a mashed-up mess, with pro women forced to swim and bike through the back end of the men's race. Getting separation between the two races may not always be easy, but there has to be a better option than than a measly three minutes.   8. Emotion is rocket fuel. Oceanside was awash with emotion even before the cannon went. Particularly, Matthews – returning from a bike crash that almost took her life before Kona – and Sodaro, who admitted to debilitating mental health struggles in the wake of her Ironman title triumph in October. Emotion has long been the intangible dimension that adds jeopardy to the result. How both Matthews and Sodaro, and even Sam Long – who saw this as a redemption race after a controversial penalty in St. George – responded showed they have the maturity not just to process emotions, but harness them into a performance to be proud of.   9. Chelsea has the final word. After 4 hours of intense racing, Sodaro used the post-race interview to reaffirm her pre-race commitment to give her prize money ($5,000) to Moms Demand Action, a grassroots movement trying to address the nation's culture of gun violence. Her simple message: “I just want to be able to drop my child off at school with the knowledge that I'll be able to pick them up again.”     American Couple McQueen and Sereno Both Hoping to World Championship Titles in London April 5, 2023   /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – American golden couple Chase McQueen and Gina Sereno are hoping to complete a unique World Championship double as they race in the final of Arena Games Triathlon powered by Zwift in London on Saturday (April 8).   McQueen, one of the USA's greatest short course hopes, and Sereno, who also holds down a full-time job at the jet propulsion laboratory at NASA, had the dream day when the Colorado based couple both won at Arena Games Triathlon Montreal.   That means they sit joint top of the World Championship standings alongside Arena Games triathlon Switzerland winners Henri Schoeman and Zsanett Bragmayer heading into the final at the London Aquatics Centre at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (17:30 local time).   If they can master the short, sharp and intense unique hybrid race format of real life and virtual racing one more time each then they could boast a pair of World Championship titles to take back home.   Chase McQueen said: “To see Gina win and execute the perfect race I was just so proud of her. I don't know if it was excitement or happiness and pride, but it took a lot of pressure off of me and I would go out there and do what I could and I would still be really happy because of the race that she had. To both come home with gold medals in a race like that…it's rare to have a good day like that in the sport, and to have a good day on the same day as her in the same spot is really special and for sure a memory I will remember for the rest of my life.   “I am heading to London with the expectation to try and win a world title, but to manage that together helps a lot. There are a lot of really good people there and people that aren't competing for the overall Series but we are both going there to win and hoping to come home with world titles.”   Gina Sereno said: “I was so excited to win (in Montreal). I didn't know if that would be possible but as the rounds went on I felt relaxed and felt comfortable in the heats. Chase did so well in his heats and I felt he could win as well. Watching him bike so hard and his face and thinking about all the times we ride on our trainers together I knew he was going hard.   “It will be really fun to be in the finals in London and see what I can do at this next level. I didn't get to leave it all out there in Montreal so being in an environment where there are better people and more challenges I am really excited to see what I can get out of myself and my goal is to win.”   Schoeman's story is also a remarkable one as the 2016 Olympic bronze medallist and 2018 Commonwealth Games champion from South Africa battles back from nearly three years out of the sport with health and injury issues which almost forced him into retirement.   Hungary's Bragmayer, meanwhile, is looking to go one better than her runner-up spot in 2022 and will again race alongside her teammat,e 15-year-old Fanni Szalai, who produced a sporting fairytale to make the podium in Switzerland at her first ever elite level event.   Also competing in London but not in contention for the title are the likes of British star Beth Potter, Cassandre Beaugrand of France who won this event in 2022, and Gustav Iden, the current Ironman World Champion.   What's New in the 303: Learn From the Pros: Set a PB in Boulder Brittany Vermeer IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder is a classic race set at foot of the Flatiron Mountains. Here's how to race your best. An oldie but goodie, IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder will celebrate its 21st anniversary this year. On June 10th, triathletes from around the world will gather at the triathlon mecca of the US to compete on a challenging course set at the foothills of the iconic Flatirons.   Nobody knows this area better than the triathletes who live there, so we have two local pros and a coach to give us the inside scoop on everything you need to set a PB at IRONMAN Boulder 70.3.    Endurance coach Lauren Vallee has competed at IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder once and IRONMAN Boulder three times.   “You can't beat the views at this race,” she says. “Even though I've lived here for seven years now, I'm still awestruck when racing this course. The other thing that's unique is the community support. It's likely you'll see legendary athletes like Dave Scott, Joanna Zeiger, or Simon Lessing cheering on athletes.”   Professional triathlete and IRONMAN Now commentator Dede Griesbauer also calls Boulder home. “The whole experience of being in Boulder for a race is a memorable one, from swimming in ‘the Res' to biking and running on its iconic roads,” she says. “Once your day is done, athletes will often take a dip in the Res to cool off, tell stories of the day, and cheer other athletes across the line for hours on end.”   Another Boulder local, professional triathlete Justin Metzler has raced IRONMAN Boulder 70.3 three times and IRONMAN Boulder once. “In 2021, I was fifth at the IRONMAN 70.3. Last year, I was second. Now, I have to come back in 2023 for the win. If I don't win this year, I'll keep coming back until I do, because this race is a big one on my bucket list.”   Athletes begin their journey with a one-lap swim in the Boulder Reservoir, aka “the Res,” before exiting by the boat ramp and heading into transition. Metzler anticipates the June swim will be chilly—between 60 and 65 degrees F.    “Boulder Reservoir is a calm, safe body of water, but the one thing I've made critical errors with in the past is going out too hard,” he says. “Even though I live here at altitude, it's easy to go above threshold early, and you end up paying the price five times over.”   Gaining an extra 30 seconds in the swim isn't worth putting yourself in the hole at the start of a four to six-hour race. To resist the temptation, Metzler suggests taking the first two buoys as a warm-up and building in effort.   Concerning swim gear, Vallee recommends using tinted goggles because athletes will be swimming directly into the bright Colorado sunshine.    The new and improved bike course will take athletes on a two-loop, fast, rolling bike course. From Diagonal Hwy towards Foothills Hwy, athletes will have some short rollers until they make a right onto rural Hygiene Rd. towards 75th St. At that point, it's downhill and fast.   Once you find your way back onto Diagonal Highway, continue past the Reservoir gates for the second lap, with one more loop of the above rollers and fast descents. After athletes complete their two loops, they will merge back into the Boulder Reservoir through the gates along Diagonal Hwy and into transition.   The route features 2,700 feet of elevation gain, complete with stunning views of The Flatirons. Despite the climbing, our experts described this as a fast course.     “Be prepared to time trial, climb, and descend,” Vallee says.   Because Boulder is at altitude, expect your heart rate to be higher than normal and your power numbers to be lower. Metzler says rate of perceived exertion is the best method for pacing this course.   “One advantage we have at altitude is there's less wind resistance, so the bike times are notoriously quite fast,” he says. “Despite the challenging conditions, it's a good place to try for a PB, as long as you have all your ducks in a row with preparation and pacing strategy.”   This two-loop course is unique because the majority takes place on hard-packed dirt and gravel roads. Because of the varied terrain, Vallee cautions runners not to get frustrated if their pace fluctuates.    “The road conditions can mute the ‘pop' runners normally feel on concrete or blacktop,” she says. “Though the run looks fairly flat, it's deceiving. While running the out-and-back on Monarch, you can easily have a 20-second per minute mile swing in pace. Don't let that get in your head. Trust your plan and stay confidence in your pacing.”   Also, be thoughtful in your footwear selection. “Super high stack shoes without any stability will be more challenging because the road is mostly on crushed gravel and dirt,” Metzler says.    Although there's not much gain (318 feet), it can be hot on Dam Rd., so having a well-planned hydration strategy is a must. “This run is one of the more challenging on the circuit with the uneven terrain and the heat,” Metzler says. “I've raced here in June and August, and we've had very warm days.”   However, the spectator-friendly nature of the two-loop course will provide a motivational boost for athletes. “The run is a course that athletes love to hate and hate to love!” Griesbauer says. “For the bits around the Res itself, you're fully exposed with little shade, so if it's a hot and or windy day, prepare to put up a fight. But the amazing Boulder crowds will carry you through.”   In June, the average air temperature in Boulder is 86 degrees F and the water temperature is 66 degrees F, so athletes should expect a chilly start and a hot finish. On top of that, Boulder sits at 5,318 feet above sea level, so altitude is another factor to take into consideration.   “Don't panic if you're coming to altitude from sea level,” Vallee says. “Simply keep in mind that it will take longer to recover from surges, so be smart with pacing.”   Metzler has a tip for those who train at lower elevations and will be traveling to the race. “Everyone responds differently to altitude, but my recommendation would be to come up as late as possible, if you're coming from sea level, to try to retain some of that sea level oxygen you have in your day-to-day training,” he says.    Finally, when racing in Boulder, Metzler has one cardinal rule: respect the heat. “It's something I've always had to manage here. The sun is really oppressive, so you have to stay on top of core body temperature, fueling, hydration, and sodium.”   Lauren Vallee: “Be prepared for hot, dry, and exposed conditions. Don't panic if your run pace is slower than other IRONMAN 70.3's you've done.”   Dede Griesbauer: “There are few roads leading into the Boulder Res, so pack your patience and leave a lot of time on race morning.”   Justin Metzler: “Use rate of perceived exertion, rather than the numbers you see.”     Video of the Week: Ironman 70.3 Oceanside 2023 Highlights and Low light!   The Crawl - Sian Welch & Wendy Ingraham (1997)   Closing: Thanks again for listening in this week.  Please be sure to follow us @303endurance and of course go to iTunes and give us a rating and a comment.  We'd really appreciate it! Stay tuned, train informed, and enjoy the endurance journey!

These days in the sport of Triathlon we love to throw around names like Jan Frodeno, Alistair Brownlee, Javier Gomez as being the greatest of all time, and obviously, they're all in the conversation.   But, when I rewind the clock there are other names that we need to start throwing into that discussion, Simon Lessing, Scott Molina, Greg Welch, Brad Bevan, Mike Pigg.... and the list goes on.   And then there are two that I look at, that influenced my desire to become a professional Triathlete more than anyone else. And I believe, They have impacted the sport as a whole more than anyone else. They have been on this show separately in episodes 5 and 7. But today I'm joined with both of them on the show together.   What a privilege it is to have Dave Scott sit with me in the studio and Mark Allen call in.   We discuss the Collins Cup from the past week, Ironman Kona – or lack thereof, the sport of Triathlon as a whole, and well, anything and everything. We end with some fun rapid-fire questions.   Discount Codes and Deals   Athletic Greens - a FREE year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase by visiting athleticgreens.com/greg   Hyperice - Click https://bit.ly/3jzyFDa for exclusive offers on all Hyperice products or visit at hyperice.com and use the code mentioned in the show   FormSwim Goggles - formswim.com/greg for $15 off - The coupon will be automatically added to the cart. Or use code GREG2021 at checkout.   Athletic Brewing - AthleticBrewing.com  

How do you follow the last episode?  With another legendary character from the sport of Triathlon - Kate Charlton & Paul Jones talk to Steve Trew "A pioneer of the sport."Steve Trew is one of the best-known names in the world of triathlon as a coach, race commentator, broadcaster and journalist. He completed his first ever Triathlon in 1983.He's a journalist, writing for triathlon, cycling & running magazines, he has had two fictional Triathlon books published.He has coached at European and World Championships and has been at the last five Olympic and Commonwealth Games as coach, team manager and/or commentator for triathlon and swimming. Steve was BBC commentator at the 2012 London Olympic Games for the sports of triathlon. In other words, he has seen it all in Triathlon Kate & Paul are incredibly grateful to Steve for giving up his time and talking so passionately.  Its an inspiring tale and full of historical anecdotes about legends of the sport, Helen Jenkins, Simon Whitfield, Simon Lessing, Flora Duffy and many many more.Seriously, you don't want to miss this one!  Sit back and listen.

From our Breakfast with Bob: Stay Home Edition show, enjoy this interview with Spencer Smith Spencer Smith from the UK had a great career and his personality left an indelible mark on the sport. His long-time rivalry with Simon Lessing was epic! It was awesome to catch up with Spencer and take a walk down… The post Spencer Smith: Breakfast with Bob Stay Home Edition appeared first on Babbittville.

Another episode of the PK Triathlon Podcast, another amazing guest... this time Kate Charlton and Paul Jones are joined by Paul Newsome from Swimsmooth.In this candid chat we talk about everything, Paul's history in the sport, what beer you shouldn't drink, wedding photography (yes we went there), how Swimsmooth came about, how Paul ended up in Perth Western Australia and how football really should not be called soccer in Yorkshire!As a typical swim kid at his swimming club, he hammered out tough freestyle and butterfly sets through his teenage years in blissful ignorance of stroke technique work.At 17 he was introduced to the sport of Triathlon and switched to elite triathlon competition. He joined the UK's World Class Potential program at Bath University whilst studying for his Sports Science Degree. Notable training buddies during this time were Simon Lessing, Richard Allen, Richard Stanard, Stuart Hayes and Julie Dibens.Whilst studying for his Sports Science Degree, Paul discovered his real passion for teaching and coaching, finding that he loved sharing his knowledge with friends and training partners.Grab a cup or tea, a glass of wine, a beer... whatever you like and enjoy the episode.Read more: http://previous.swimsmooth.com/paul.html#ixzz6SSvY5HDb

WORKOUT OF THE WEEK: (00:17:51) The sleep tech industry – devices to aid sleep. HOT PROPERTY INTERVIEW: PAUL NEWSOME (00:27:16) Paul is the founder and head coach of Swim Smooth – he’s also a long-time swimmer, triathlete, and long-distance swimmer in his own right and trained back in the day with UK triathlon legends Simon Lessing and Julie Dibens. We talk to Paul about the development of his Swim Smooth business and his plans for the future. SID TALKS: (01:33:24) Sid’s back in NZ and we chew the ‘tri goss fat’ around the Collins Cup and the Triple Crown. LINKS: Swim Smooth at https://www.swimsmooth.com/ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Swim-Smooth-The-Worlds-Most-Passionate-Swim-Coaching-336910292072/ More about Laura Siddall at https://laurasiddall.com/ Pushys at https://www.pushys.com.au/ Pilates for Sports at https://www.pilatesforsports.com/ Sweetcheeks NZ at https://www.sweetcheeksnz.co.nz/ Ross Tucker Sports Scientist at https://sportsscientists.com/ 8 Year Ban article at https://sportsscientists.com/2019/01/44-and-jemima-sumgong-gets-an-eight-year-ban-oh-and-dubai-was-super-fast-again-in-painted-shoes/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FcJKs+%28The+Science+of+Sport%29 More about the Collins Cup at http://www.thecollinscup.com/ CONTACT US: Learn more about us at http://www.fitter.co.nz Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/fittercoaching for the latest news and information Mikki Williden can be found at https://www.facebook.com/mikkiwillidennutrition

This raw, lengthy (2h45m!) and in-depth interview with Simon Lessing, 5-time ITU World Triathlon Champion - and Head Coach, Paul Newsome's former training partner - is over 18 years in the making and over a decade since he gave his last audio interview, so be ready for something really special as we dig into the following areas: Simon's background growing up in Apartheid South Africa - what he witnessed and experienced and how this shaped his early years His coaching role model, David McCarney, and his first experiences with swimming one of the world's most prestigious open water swims (the Midmar Mile) at the tender age of 9yrs old and how his stroke technique (which he also terms "Swinger" interestingly enough) really suited him well for open water swimming. We discuss the importance and relevance of this vs the commonly held view that many people are blinded by aesthetics when it comes to understanding what truly makes someone economical in the great outdoors Moving to Europe to race the prestigious French Grand Prix series but the reality and brutality of doing this on zero funds with very little support which Simon attributes positively to his approach to his "do or die" attitude to having to commit and do everything possible to make the best of his talents, hard work and opportunities A run-down of his 5 ITU World Triathlon titles starting in 1992, through 1995 (x2 - Standard and Long Course), 1996 and 1998. Simon also finished 2nd (and denied a 6th title) in a sprint with the Kazakhstan athlete, Dmitry Gaag, who was later banned for the use of EPO Arriving in the UK and how he wasn't universally accepted as being "British" especially up against his great rival, Spencer Smith, who between the two of them, won 8 world titles throughout the 1990s. Simon's mother is British and he is always proud to claim that he never raced for any other country, including his birth country of South Africa. It's easy to look at the 2009 to 2016 period in British triathlon history with the dominance of the Brownlee Brothers and say "that's when Britain really took off in triathlon!" but that would in fact be totally incorrect - Simon's supreme dominance in triathlon over every distance over a period of 20+ years is what truly paved the way and gave everyone in Britain the belief that we could be a true force on the world scene Moving to Bath University as part of the World Class Performance team as funded by the National Lottery in '98/'99 in the build-up to the 2000 Sydney Olympics Games. How effective was this move? How effective was the environment? Was it necessarily the best place for Simon to have been? How did various personalities and agendas play out in arguably the world's leading triathlon training facility at that point in time. Simon's raw and unfiltered look at this period is highly refreshing and gives Paul a wee kick up the bum to boot! Preparing and racing the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. What was the new draft-legal environment like? Did it suit Simon? What was the game plan? How did it unfold? History shows Simon's place of 9th overall was a huge disappointment for himself and everyone that supported him (including Paul Newsome on his couch in Bath with his student mates - including a young Leanda Cave - watching in eager anticipation in the wee hours) and Simon candidly digs into this whole period as we also reflect on the adjustment to Simon's training methodologies to prepare for what was essentially a brand new sport (draft legal) where everything was very new tactically Life after competing and what Simon brings these days to the athletes that are lucky enough to be coached by him You can read more about what Simon is up to these days at www.bouldercoaching.com It is with great appreciation that we thank Simon for this excellent interview!

In the first of our holiday season shows we have interviews with John Hancock and Simon Lessing. John goes over everything you need to know then getting into Swim/Run races then we put up an old interview with legend Simon Lessing. Here are the links to John’s amazing PDF about Swim/Run, and here is his Facebook group.

Go to www.legendsoftriathlon.com for this months show notes. 

Overview .... Chasing Ironnman Points as a professional Panama 70.3 - Oscar Galindez at age 43 throwing it down! Peter Robinson coming out of retirement Sebastian Kienle goes to Orbea? Lance Armstrong Pay Off's & Race Fixing Swimmers Olympic Distance V's Ironman speed differences The first 10k of the bike at Kona + wheel changes for pros The evolution of Iron distance racing ... how much faster it's getting Ironman Japan Prize Money ... WTF? Sanchez Gone! Yet another drug cheat. Effects of Energy Drinks Geelong Long Distance Triathlon 2013 Predictions Questions from the MaccaX VIP Group - Join Here www.MaccaX.com (pricing going up at 500 members, capped out at 1000) 1 legged cycling on the trainer .... does this really help? How do you balance training, traveling, racing and family life? What's more important building the base or doing high intensity work? How do we fire our glute muscles, balance between quads and glutes for cycling and running. Mentions: Heather Wertell, Kelly Williamson, Oscar Galindez, Paul Ambrose, Lance Armstrong, Van Halen, Richie Cunningham, Paul Matthews, Clayton Fettell, Brad Kahlefeldt, Peter Robertson, Emma Moffatt, Craig Walton, Darren Smith, Annabel Luxford, Melissa Rollinson, Sebastian Kienle, Craig Alexander, Beyonce, Ray Lewis, Brett Sutton, Mark Allen, Dave Scott, Alister Brownlee, Scott Tinley, Spencer Smith, Craig Walton, Simon Lessing.

Episode 79 Ironman Talkwww.ironmantalk.com This weeks news Results: Elbaman, Lake Barkley FullOdyssey off road, ChesapeakmanComing up: Lomboktri Entry process NA sports events changes.        Interview with Simon Lessing  Bevan did his P’s and managed to hook up an interview one of the best triathletes ever Simon Lessing. We covered so much info, check out the show to hear this wicked interview, thanks Simon. Check out his great website: www.simonlessing.net  This weeks discussionWhich is more prestigious a ITU long distance Champs medal or a 70.3 champs metal? If you want to add a comment click here: add comment then open the discussion.    Age grouper of the week Jim Hurrell from Stirling Virginia is this weeks age grouper. Had a shoulder injury leading into the race and issues with cramp from previous IM’s.  In 3rd IM of the season he did a PB on the slow Wisconsin Course. “I’ve finally learned that I need to slow down to get faster?.Well done Jim, you are our age grouper of the week!  Website of the week Yogamazing is the website I mentioned in last weeks show. It’s a free weekly 20-35min video podcast. It’s great because it’s achievable without being to time consuming. Check out their website, there’s a link to itune to subscribe. www.yogamazing.comGlenn sent through this weeks club website: www.omantriathlon.comIt’s great to see the sport is taking off all round the world. We’re sure Glenn is making the most of the club.  Questions and Answers    A chance to win from Chance!    Ironman Stories.  This weeks websitesRace Results: Lake Barkley Full, Odussey, Espirit, Chesapeakman, ElbaMan. Coming up: Lomboktri. NA sports entry, www.omantriathlon.com 

Episode 52, Time with a virgin. Your weekly Ironman fix. www.ironmantalk.com News for this week This weekend’s race results, plus what’s up next week.Simon Lessing is selling his Tri Dubai kit for charity. 20 Questions with Erin Baker on Xtri.Geelong to become Australian home of 70.3.101 has sponsors.Interview with Chris RoseChris completed his first ever Ironman in  New Zealand. We got his insight as a first timer. He shares what he learnt on his big day. Website of the Week Now John has a ipod Matthew sent through this link. It’s a website where you can buy your favorite triathletes song list from itunes. It raises money for charity, great idea. The website is: ironfly.comBlogIt’s coming up to our first year of Ironman Talk. We want you to put forward your 3 favorite moments from the show. We’re going to make a big thing out of these answers during the first year show.Age Grouper of the weekJack Lynch stuck to the traditional Ironman plan by having an easy swim, bike and hammered the run. We also mentioned some Japanese guy who managed to just stay in front of the clock the whole day. Coach’s CornerJohn covers cramping in the swim. Why it happens, what we can do to avoid it and how to deal with it in the race.  John’s going to covering how to run Epic like training over the next few shows. Next week we have Peter Reid.We have skype, check out our website.