1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:04,200 In the beginning podcast here it is the first Road to Noosa 2 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:07,160 triathlon episode. You enjoyed the Road to the Gold 3 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:09,440 Coast Marathon series so much. We have brought it back, 4 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:13,280 Courtney, but in triathlon mode. We're adding cycling and 5 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:17,560 swimming to the agenda. Excited Courtney, because this 6 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:21,040 series gives us an opportunity to dig into your past as well. 7 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:23,760 How many times, Noosa? I'm just looking at the results 8 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:25,720 because my memory is so shit. Yeah, 3. 9 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:27,680 Three time Noosa Triathlon champion. 10 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:30,000 Well, obviously we're going to tap into your expertise 11 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:32,600 throughout this series as well, but it is a true pleasure to 12 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:34,320 welcome. As we did with the Gold Coast 13 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:37,320 Marathon, we brought Benita Witless in house to provide us 14 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:38,680 her experts. Well, bring the experts. 15 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:42,640 We absolutely do. We welcome in the national 16 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:45,800 triathlon coach the coach of Australia's current #1 male 17 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:49,160 triathlete, Matt Hauser. Dan Atkins, how are you always? 18 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:52,520 Thanks, I'm glad yous are finally talking triathlon. 19 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:57,480 No the big fan of the pod and really excited to be able to put 20 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:01,240 my spin on what is my sport triathlon and and hopefully pump 21 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:05,480 some athletes up before Noosa. You're on a high because this 22 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:07,960 will come out in a few weeks because you've got to travel 23 00:01:07,960 --> 00:01:10,280 overseas with Matt to go to the thing. 24 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:12,480 But he's just come off a massive win yesterday, right? 25 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:15,360 Yeah, yeah. Look, he's he's doing so well 26 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:18,600 and it it's a series now, the World Championships. 27 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:23,480 So post Paris where he got 7th, which was a great result. 28 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:26,560 But obviously you walk away wanting that little bit more. 29 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:29,240 You wanna get that medal. We haven't we haven't had a male 30 00:01:29,320 --> 00:01:29,800 winner. He's. 31 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:32,800 In the box seat now, I mean, with worlds coming up in 32 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:35,880 Australia, so down in Wollongong, Yep, I mean we're 33 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:39,160 gonna it's been a long time since Australia's had a had a 34 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:41,080 world champion and it's it's looking really good. 35 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:43,680 So congratulations. Thanks straight off thank. 36 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:46,200 You we're gonna get into there's lots to talk about. 37 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:48,280 We do want to unpack Matt as an athlete as well. 38 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,600 Braden Mercer is another one of the great Aussie males that you 39 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:53,520 train as well. Let's just jump straight into 40 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:55,720 the Noosa course though, because there'll be people listening to 41 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:58,680 this who be who'll be challenging themselves for PB 42 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:00,480 this year. Maybe they're tackling Noosa 43 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:02,040 Triathlon for the very first time. 44 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:06,120 First thought Noosa Triathlon. How should they be approaching 45 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:09,400 this? I prefer athletes not to just 46 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:13,240 get through the distance. So the distance 1.5 K swim, 40K 47 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:16,280 ride and a 10K run. You need to break it down to the 48 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:18,520 specifics of the course. Now you've got to understand 49 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:21,600 it's a potentially a surf swim. Well, it is a surf swim. 50 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:24,600 It's in the surf. Now, we don't know yet what the 51 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,200 water's going to be like. So there's so many variations in 52 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:31,040 what that could be. It could be maybe swell out the 53 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:34,320 back, it could be tidal assisted, it could be anything 54 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:37,240 running up the beach. You know, there's nothing worse 55 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:41,520 than standing up the first time out of a swim and having to run 56 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:43,520 across that God awful yellow sand. 57 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:46,120 Straight into the soft noosa noosa sand this. 58 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:49,080 Is heart rate just? Quickly you you would have never 59 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:51,000 raced Noosa. As a surf swim, no. 60 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:52,520 We were over with the sharks and the. 61 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:55,720 I can't believe I've actually got some expertise over Courtney 62 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:59,400 Atkinson talking about Noosa Triathlon quickly, because I am 63 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:01,920 A and for everybody out there, this isn't just gonna be elite 64 00:03:01,920 --> 00:03:04,160 level stuff. I can bring the proper amateur 65 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:06,040 triathlon stuff to this. How many have you done? 66 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:09,600 So I've done 10, I've done 10. So I swam in the canals with the 67 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:12,720 bull sharks and both experiences and I and I Bunny hopped around 68 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:14,720 the edges because I'm not great at swimming. 69 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:17,360 And then I've also had the experience one year, a couple of 70 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:19,920 years back where they had to shorten the swim because of the 71 00:03:19,920 --> 00:03:23,160 current out the back. People just could not get back 72 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:25,560 in or they, the plan was to swim back up the beach. 73 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:27,120 They're like the average swimmer's not going to be able 74 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:30,480 to swim back up the beach. So I have experienced all of it 75 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:33,400 out in the ocean and the canal. So the I can you know, and you 76 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:36,880 talk about running. I almost sorry, I'm unity off 77 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:37,840 track for a moment. Yeah. 78 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:41,240 There was an event in Sydney called the Splash and Dash 79 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:42,720 Reedy. It was Reedy's event, the Splash 80 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:44,680 and Dash first year he ever held it at Bondi. 81 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:45,040 I. Did this. 82 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:48,520 I did this the first year I possibly could have even won. 83 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:52,040 The one kilometre run along the soft sand of Bondi and then you 84 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:54,120 went out the back and swam A kilometre and then it was 85 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:57,280 another kilometre. I I was one of the people that 86 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:00,240 almost had to get be saved by the the ski paddlers out the 87 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:05,280 back because US amateur swimmers had no concept of how much the 88 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:09,000 lactic acid would would build up during that 1K soft sand run and 89 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:10,640 then a kilometre swim back up the beach. 90 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:13,600 It was a nightmare trying to get back into that South end of 91 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:15,760 Bondo Beach. The way we're going to run this 92 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:18,839 whole series is we're going to the next episode we do is going 93 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:20,279 to be really focused on the swimming. 94 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:21,519 So we're going to get really direct. 95 00:04:21,519 --> 00:04:24,760 So we want that overview of this, but just on that swimming 96 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:27,360 stuff now, we'll get into this in the next episode. 97 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:30,680 There is the rolling start, which changes it for everything, 98 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:32,520 so we're going to get into that in the next episode. 99 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:34,480 So join in along the whole series. 100 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:36,960 But yeah, back to the course. So we're running across the sand 101 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:37,840 bloody. It's hard. 102 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:40,680 It's 2 minutes. It's 2 minutes from the water's 103 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:42,200 exit. If you're good, that's your 104 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:43,560 need. For a try, is there any other 105 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:46,960 triathletes around the world? I'm just trying to think, Escape 106 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,680 from Alcatraz, you got to run. You know, there's a few that 107 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:51,800 you've probably got big transitions, but most of them, 108 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:54,040 you know, not really 20 seconds, right? 109 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:57,480 No, it's, it makes it iconic. I mean, you're out there in 110 00:04:57,480 --> 00:04:59,600 front of Noosa Surf Club. Stunning. 111 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:04,200 OK, sorry, I've got to jump in. OK, we just said Noosa Surf Club 112 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:06,120 running up the beach. Iconic. 113 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:08,760 Dan, where do you see it? Where should the Olympic 114 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:10,960 triathlon be? Gold Coast, Oh. 115 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:13,440 Good question. Look. 116 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:17,440 Gold Coast or Noosa sunshine you'd have to be. 117 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:19,760 You know what? I love Mooloolaba. 118 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:22,320 Really. That's tough course. 119 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:28,000 That's a very tough course, yeah, Noosa Mooloolaba are my 2 120 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:30,840 favourite triathlons on the planet, along with Hamburg. 121 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:34,960 But both of them, they're just stunning. 122 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:37,920 But for me, Mooloolaba's got the hills, it's got the surf swim 123 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:41,840 which could be pumping. Gives hopefully the Aussies an 124 00:05:41,840 --> 00:05:46,240 advantage. But Noosa, I think from a 125 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:50,920 collective for for the everyday Joe Blue, I think's a little bit 126 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:52,440 more achievable. OK, there we go. 127 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:56,280 So if we if we're going to give the Sunny Coast the the 128 00:05:56,280 --> 00:05:58,080 triathlon, then. We get back the marathon. 129 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:00,080 Gold Coast, Well, no, we've decided Brisbane's going to have 130 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:01,920 the truth. Let's we, we, we're drifting 131 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:04,920 back into running Jack. So the noose, of course it's the 132 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:07,360 surf swim. You've got to incorporate that 2 133 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:11,080 minute plus run from the ocean back to transition. 134 00:06:11,840 --> 00:06:12,800 Talk to us about the bike league. 135 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:15,840 Well, you've got to be careful the 1st 5 minutes you're going 136 00:06:15,840 --> 00:06:18,240 to be so full of adrenaline. You're going to see your friends 137 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:20,840 and family. The the, the crowds are packed, 138 00:06:20,840 --> 00:06:24,280 the the club tents are packed. Everyone's pumping you, so 139 00:06:24,280 --> 00:06:26,280 you're going to be really mindful not to go too hard. 140 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:28,480 And you got to think I've been in the salt water, so you want 141 00:06:28,480 --> 00:06:30,800 to get your hydration in. You got to start that process. 142 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:33,840 So you got to have a good, good system there in place to be able 143 00:06:33,840 --> 00:06:35,440 to get yourself ready for the 40K. 144 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:37,760 But for me, the race doesn't start till the hill. 145 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:41,440 So the first 10K out of town, it's nice and rolling downhill 146 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:43,760 and then you hit the hill. Garmin Hill. 147 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:46,080 Garmin Hill. How long is Garmin hill? 148 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:48,920 I'm just having I was going to look it up. 3K3 Ki. 149 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:51,440 Think. They used to have that split 150 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:53,680 when they used to have the race. Did they still do that? 151 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:54,960 Yeah, they still do. They do. 152 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:56,600 As in the timing split at the top. 153 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:58,680 Yeah, because they're still sort of king of the Garmin Hill. 154 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:01,000 Queen of the Garmin Hill. But it is it is the point of the 155 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:04,680 race where it kind of if there's still a pack or if you're in the 156 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:08,440 the age group race and there's packs together and there's, you 157 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:10,280 know, everyone trying to stay out of each other's way. 158 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:13,200 It's the one place that it can break everything up 100%. 159 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:14,320 Yep. And I think everyone. 160 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:18,920 Thinks that the hill is the game changer and and I know that the 161 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:23,200 elite athletes I work with, we obviously focus on having that 162 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:26,000 after 10K in in a training session. 163 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:29,600 So we specifically train for it to be able to go right. 164 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:31,800 The race starts at the base of the hill. 165 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:34,200 Now again, you mentioned we're going to do this with with 166 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:36,480 swimming and we'll do this with cycling in the running as well. 167 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:39,080 But we so obviously Dan will be able to give us some more 168 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:42,200 specific here's how you could train within your own training 169 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:44,520 to tackle that hill. But that's really interesting to 170 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:48,760 hear that within the elites that that is still you like, hey, 171 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:49,800 you've got to train for this hill. 172 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:51,560 That's going to be 10K deep into this ride. 173 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:54,280 It's it's cool to hear quick story about the hill. 174 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:57,920 Last year my wife, as she entered during the race, not 175 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:00,920 only had did she have the hill to tackle, she also had a snake 176 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:02,880 come out right. Because you're in Bush. 177 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:03,760 Good. Old Aussie race. 178 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:06,320 So good old Aussie race. So she's starting to think about 179 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:08,520 tackling this Garmin Hill and then all of a sudden the snake 180 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:10,040 just comes across the front of her bike. 181 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:13,040 The other thing that happened last year, because over the last 182 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:15,600 couple of years my friends and I, we would meet on the Saturday 183 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:18,880 pre race and go for a ride out to just check it out. 184 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:23,480 We were almost at the Crest of Garmin Hill and this poor woman 185 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:26,240 behind me, she's just hit a stick because you're going quite 186 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:29,840 slow by that stage. She's hit a stick, legs, feet 187 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:33,120 obviously clipped into the pedals straight over on the 188 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:35,679 shoulder handlebars of the bike snapped. 189 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:38,280 And I was just like, oh, this woman has looks like she's done 190 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:41,320 a lot of training to get ready for this day and there's a race 191 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:43,200 gone 24 hours out from the start line. 192 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:47,560 It's a hard sport trust it's it's actually we're talking 193 00:08:47,560 --> 00:08:49,320 about bikes. Bikes is the hard part of it 194 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:50,240 right? Well, we. 195 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:53,200 Saw it last year with Ray, yeah in the in the legends race, 196 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,240 Rihanna Cran who? Yeah, she was preparing for an 197 00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:58,000 Iron Man, and then in the Legends race, she's. 198 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:00,320 Gone down well, I reckon that's the thing that catches everyone 199 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:03,840 out at Noosa 2 is the uphills. You know the part you can train 200 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:07,640 for the downhill. It's all about speed coming back 201 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:11,120 as you we'll get let you go away to the the turn around in a 202 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:12,880 minute. But coming down there, I mean, I 203 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:16,640 can recall countless times being on a new time troll bike, new 204 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:19,520 disc Wheeler hadn't really ridden a lot and those bloody 205 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:26,080 death wobbles. I and I used to race like sorry. 206 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:29,040 We're going to talk a bit about nostalgia in this series as 207 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:31,680 well, right, and then we've got a got it. 208 00:09:31,680 --> 00:09:35,480 Probably the most I think winning male of all ever at 209 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:38,360 Noosa is going to come on in the series as well, which is great. 210 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:41,560 So Craig and I race Craig a lot down there and like he weighed, 211 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:45,600 he probably weighed what, 8090 at the time I was with used to 212 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:50,480 race around 60 fives, give or take, and there's no way I could 213 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:53,280 keep up with him down that hill. So I would be trying for my life 214 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:55,720 on a new bike. Hadn't ridden it all year and 215 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:59,720 those I had. A lot of stuff was in. 216 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:02,880 Let's just say I was crapping myself down that hill. 217 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:05,280 Always. And for the average cyclist as 218 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:08,440 well, for the average triathlete, there's nothing less 219 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:10,680 comforting than seeing the ambulance parked at the bottom 220 00:10:10,680 --> 00:10:13,480 of the hill and the hay bails just in case someone comes off 221 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:15,960 like that is as equally disconcerting as the speed 222 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:17,520 itself. Do the athletes these days, are 223 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:21,280 the new time trial bikes more stable or less stable do you 224 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:23,520 reckon? They're more stable, OK, but 225 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:25,240 it's how much time they spend on them. 226 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:28,480 Yeah, right. It's it's like Christmas for the 227 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:30,440 elites. So the short course elite guys, 228 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:32,600 they don't race time trial bikes. 229 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:36,880 So the way that I get them up for it is you get a time trial 230 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:40,200 bike, you get a new. Company's flicking in a new 231 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:41,800 bike, yeah. Absolutely. 232 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:44,800 And I, I try to forget them to focus on working that into their 233 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:47,640 sponsorships because you have to have it. 234 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:51,200 And the speed that these guys ride these bikes at nowadays, 235 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:55,320 they're just phenomenal, like the thirty $40,000 bikes and 236 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:59,320 getting on those going down. When we speak about iconic parts 237 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:02,960 of the course, the running up the beach, that downhill is, 238 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:06,440 there's not another downhill like it in the world. 239 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:10,880 Straight line, 2K down or 1K down, whatever it is. 240 00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:15,720 You know, Waldo one year got clocked at a reckon 120K an hour 241 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:18,320 and I think there was some cream that he had with zip. 242 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:20,080 I reckon. I reckon there's some cream on 243 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:23,480 that too. That's a bit I do too, but even 244 00:11:23,520 --> 00:11:25,920 even cruising you cruise AT80K an hour. 245 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:27,920 We don't want to probably scare. People. 246 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:29,400 No, no. But what just, I mean, it's, 247 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:31,120 it's just to be aware. We're just talking about the 248 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:33,640 course and what to be aware of. I mean, you know, the easy thing 249 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:36,560 is you tap your brakes and you go slower down the hill and it's 250 00:11:36,560 --> 00:11:38,440 all safe, right? But it's those who are after all 251 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:40,720 the speed they can get. So we talked just quickly on the 252 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:43,760 bikes there and that downhill and you and you said just how 253 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:45,760 much slippery of the bikes are these days. 254 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:49,800 Like I'm looking at Hayden Wilde when he did win two years ago 255 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:52,400 and he now has the court record at 141. 256 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:54,960 Most of that time. That is where they're getting 257 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:57,280 the time back now is on the bike, right? 258 00:11:57,280 --> 00:12:00,160 They're riding probably well quicker than Waldo did back in 259 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:01,760 those days. And he was, you know, the bike 260 00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:06,000 camp. You can buy speed, speed on the 261 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:08,280 bike, you can buy it. You can buy it, You can buy it 262 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:11,680 if you've got a pretty thick bank balance, you can buy the 263 00:12:11,680 --> 00:12:14,200 bike that Hayden Wild rides. You may not have it set up quite 264 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:16,880 the same way, but you can invest into speed. 265 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:20,120 And that's what these guys have and that's what companies want. 266 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:21,640 They want them on the fast bikes. 267 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:24,120 And, and I remember before that race, Hayden and Matt were 268 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:26,240 talking it up, saying this record's going to go, we're 269 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:29,920 going to take it down. And, and those two have a thick 270 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:33,760 rivalry that stems back 10 years now, probably 5-6, seven years. 271 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:36,440 And, and it's a good one. It's another Australia, New 272 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:42,800 Zealand iconic banter lead and and I'm all for it because keeps 273 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:46,400 the sponsors happy and chase chasing those times is 274 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:48,360 excellent. And some inside information this 275 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:51,880 year for everyone got listening and going up to Noosa because 276 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:54,800 worlds are in here in Australia. There's some chatter, some 277 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:58,000 chatter, Liam, about internationals, like he's 278 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:00,520 probably been a bit light on in internationals for the past few 279 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:02,080 years. But because they're all gonna be 280 00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:05,480 in town, there's a few reaching out kind of, you know, pricks 281 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:07,480 their interest. And I cannot give the Noosa race 282 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:10,240 both in the men and the and the women races, yes. 283 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:14,640 This is and again, look for those we're we're looking 284 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:16,400 forward to news here. But if you look in your rear 285 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:19,920 view just a moment at the Sydney marathon for that. 286 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:23,400 And I know it was a major, but to have Kipchoge and Safan 287 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:26,360 Hassan come down and the and the energy that that generated the 288 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:29,520 and the interest from Pat potentially your casual running 289 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:32,400 fan. If we start to attract big 290 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:35,160 internationals here, it just changes it slightly, ever so 291 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:36,720 slightly. It brings a bit more energy, it 292 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:39,520 brings a bit more a few more eyeballs and I'm all for it. 293 00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:42,160 So Dan, getting back to it again, we're going to give 294 00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:44,280 people specifics around swimming in a later Rep. 295 00:13:44,280 --> 00:13:46,800 We're going to give people specifically around cycling in a 296 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:50,680 later Rep. Is there anything unique about 297 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:53,040 the run course? Because to my eye, it's just a 298 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:55,760 pretty flat 10K. Is there anything you see as a 299 00:13:55,760 --> 00:14:00,200 coach? It's 4K out, six K back, so 300 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:04,280 that's tricky. So when you get to the 4K, turn 301 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:08,480 around, you think I'm on my way home, I'm on my way home. 302 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:10,360 Here I go. But then you go in those goddamn 303 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:13,600 cul de sacs and you, you, you're sort of running back and you're 304 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:15,520 along the same path. And then all of a sudden you go 305 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:18,840 in a bloody cul de And then you come out of the cul de SAC and 306 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:23,560 there's no one. Well, there are There's unique 307 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:26,040 characters sitting out the front of their houses with hoses and 308 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:29,080 who are several cans deep by the time I get there anyway, I. 309 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:31,240 Advise Try not to get the water on your feet. 310 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:33,840 Try try not to as hot as you are. 311 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:35,480 Try not to keep the. Shoes. 312 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:37,000 Light. Keep the shoes light. 313 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:40,120 The blisters come on as soon as you're wet and then it can be a 314 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:43,120 painful last couple of K. Especially when you have little 315 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:45,080 tricks. Where were you 10 years ago 316 00:14:45,080 --> 00:14:46,320 mate? I was probably coaching the 317 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:50,840 elite. This is really exciting. 318 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:53,000 Look, this series as we're going to get into more specific 319 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:55,040 coaching stuff with you, really, really exciting. 320 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:58,880 Taking a step back though, you're coaching the pointy end 321 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:00,200 of the sport. What is your, do you have an 322 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:03,400 overarching coaching philosophy when it comes to dealing with 323 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:05,880 these elite athletes across 3 disciplines? 324 00:15:05,880 --> 00:15:08,480 It's not as straightforward as as coaching other sports where 325 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:09,840 it's one thing and one thing only. 326 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:12,000 What's your Do you have an overarching coaching philosophy? 327 00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:15,640 Look, I think that there there's two main things for me, it's 328 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:20,080 consistency and communication. So if you can be consistent and 329 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:24,480 put your plan down every week, and I mean every week, hit every 330 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:26,800 session. Now every session when I say hit 331 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:29,680 it, hit it to the prescription that's given to you from your 332 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:31,640 coach. I'm very fortunate that the 333 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:34,440 people I'm currently coaching are very coachable. 334 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:38,600 So they still want the input. They still want to communicate 335 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:42,520 about what to do, how to do it. And that to me is the type of 336 00:15:42,520 --> 00:15:44,560 athletes I'm looking for. I'm looking for someone that 337 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:48,840 wants to take the input, that wants to take on advice, but 338 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:52,480 also happy to lead themselves when it matters. 339 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:54,720 Because at the end of the day, I'm only as good as the athletes 340 00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:58,760 that do what I say to do. So the consistency is the 341 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:01,320 biggest thing. Like it's an endurance sport and 342 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:04,520 for better part it's an hour to two hours for what we do. 343 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:06,760 So you've got to put the work in. 344 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:10,920 There's no, you can't not do this sport well unless you put 345 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:15,120 in 25 hours plus a week. And that's the relentless 346 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:18,240 pursuit of excellence for us is through consistency. 347 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:21,720 And how did you? I mean, I've known you, Dan. 348 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:24,120 How long now? 30 years what? 349 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:27,600 Would I be when we first met? I probably was 15. 350 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:30,160 Yeah. 1416, yeah, give or take. Yeah. 351 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:33,360 Probably rolling down Noosa Hill in a drunk in a garbage bin, not 352 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:36,760 racing myself. That was pretty getting into the 353 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:39,720 racing days. We used to have a great time at 354 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:42,760 Noosa. But give us a bit of background 355 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:46,680 into how, you know, because I met you as an athlete, you were 356 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:49,920 racing yourself. And then obviously we've, you 357 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:52,480 know, had different paths throughout our time in 358 00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:55,840 triathlon, but how have you got to, you know, where you are now 359 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:58,720 literally coaching the number one Australian male Olympic 360 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:01,040 athlete. And where'd you start? 361 00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:03,520 Give us the whole well, I think the Co give it. 362 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:04,720 What is it? What do we say? 363 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:08,079 The coaching coach school. Yeah, give us your coaching. 364 00:17:08,079 --> 00:17:09,920 What was your Yeah? When did you go to coach school? 365 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:12,280 Well, I think I've always been a coach. 366 00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:15,200 I started triathlon when I was 14. 367 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:19,400 I swam in Lake Ore at Bon Uni. You wouldn't swim in, which you 368 00:17:19,400 --> 00:17:22,720 wouldn't do now. And that was my first ever 369 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:25,000 triathlon. When I was cross training for 370 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:27,599 rugby league. I was a rugby league player and 371 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:30,800 I was obsessed with with training and staying fit. 372 00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:34,840 Even at 14 and I was playing over age at 14 and up to 16 I 373 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:37,720 was playing under nineteens and playing under 20s when I was 374 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:40,280 still under 18. But I was just getting bashed 375 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:43,440 and I loved training and I loved running. 376 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:47,360 I ran to, I was, my parents were broken up so my mum couldn't 377 00:17:47,360 --> 00:17:50,480 drive me to training every day. So I'd run to training, I'd ride 378 00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:52,560 to training and that's just the way you did it. 379 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:54,880 So I was cross training from a very early age. 380 00:17:54,880 --> 00:17:58,440 But I think even back then I found myself wanting to work 381 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:03,080 with other people a lot. And I was never going to be an 382 00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:05,360 Olympic triathlete. I knew that early on. 383 00:18:05,360 --> 00:18:09,400 But I loved being around the quality of athletes. 384 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:12,680 Like with Courtney, you know, I remember waking him up in the 385 00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:15,760 morning some days and you'll have gone for a ride because he, 386 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,720 I, he needed a bit of a bit of motivation to get out of out of 387 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:20,480 bed. And I was probably that guy to 388 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:23,280 help people on their journey. And I've always been that 389 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:24,880 person. So I think it was a natural 390 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:28,280 evolution for me to go away from being an athlete to myself to 391 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:31,000 when my coach said, Hey, listen, what don't you think about 392 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:33,360 coaching? And I guess the rest is history. 393 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:37,680 25 years ago I started started doing it and and here I am. 394 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:40,560 Now, and what was what was the, you know, the stages, I suppose 395 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:43,080 because you don't go from, you know, I'm I'm just going to 396 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:46,400 start coaching to suddenly, you know, I'm being with him saying, 397 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:48,520 hey, coach, yeah, I'll give you a crack. 398 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:51,400 There's there's got a what, what are the key moments, I suppose 399 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:54,200 that change things for you and, and, and who would maybe some of 400 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:55,560 those mentors that helped you in that? 401 00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:59,480 Yeah, I think early on I started as a swimming coach and I was 402 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:02,320 fascinated with swimming and the technical aspect of it. 403 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:05,480 And I coach Learn to Swim. I had two businesses that were 404 00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:08,880 based around Learn to Swim and Juniors and all of a sudden 405 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:11,840 through cross training, through my triathlon experience, which 406 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:15,040 was sort of unheard of. We were doing running and doing 407 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:17,960 obstacle courses, you know, we were doing all sorts of things 408 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:20,080 to try and stay fit. And then I had athletes sort of 409 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:24,000 starting to win pretty quickly. And, and from that I, I'd have 410 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:27,920 some of my mates triathletes, Levi Maxwell's and, and and so 411 00:19:27,920 --> 00:19:31,640 on, turning up and riding on the side of the pool while my 412 00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:34,120 athletes were swimming and they'd be curious as to what was 413 00:19:34,120 --> 00:19:36,040 going on. They knew I was a triathlete and 414 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:39,320 they knew I had a had a history with the sport and, and one by 415 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:41,400 one they got bored with swimming and they just got into 416 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:43,680 triathlon. So it was just this evolution 417 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:47,720 from coaching at a school to to getting kids into triathlon. 418 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:52,080 And I I still remember getting my first athlete on a a national 419 00:19:52,080 --> 00:19:55,160 team, which was Ryan Fischer back in 2009. 420 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:57,360 We then went on to race Rio Olympics Rio. 421 00:19:57,400 --> 00:20:00,200 Olympics Yep, that's right. And and I remember him coming to 422 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:02,920 me at 16 saying I need you to help me get there. 423 00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:05,280 And I looked at him and he couldn't keep up with our 12 424 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:07,880 year old. Girls in the pool, which I'm 425 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:11,520 sure he won't mind me saying, but we had a an amazing sort of 426 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:16,040 career and relationship together as coach athlete that stemmed 427 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:18,160 now to me going to his wedding in four weeks, which is just 428 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:20,480 amazing. So, you know, for me, I think 429 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:23,000 it's building relationships and that's how I've evolved as a 430 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:26,280 coach. It's funny you say people were 431 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:30,600 getting into triathlon as swimmers then watching riders on 432 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:32,480 the side of the pool on will probably win trainers, I'm 433 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:35,240 assuming. So my way into triathlon, 434 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:38,080 they're like, I had a few different mentors that got into 435 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:39,720 triathlon. I'll always say the main one was 436 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:42,400 through my school. But even then when I used to 437 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:45,200 swim down here at Miami swimming pool, Brett Sutton. 438 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,880 So he's probably, you know, the most would have coached the most 439 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:53,200 female winners at Hawaii Ironman ever and Olympic champions and 440 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:56,080 everything else. My first exposure was to him 441 00:20:56,560 --> 00:21:00,640 coaching his athletes on wind trains at the pool, him skipping 442 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:04,480 with half a helmet on. And I looked at it and I can 443 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:07,960 remember as a kid, Yeah, the you 'cause you ought to remember 444 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:09,320 triathlon. And this is going back. 445 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:13,560 So Noosa, let's see what Noosa is now 42 years. 446 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:17,920 So 1983, Noosa started with 180 people. 447 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:21,040 It was just, you know, this sport was just being slapstick 448 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:22,960 together. It was an idea. 449 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:25,120 And this is, you know, a little bit on from that. 450 00:21:25,120 --> 00:21:30,560 But these were the early days where I suppose triathlon was 451 00:21:30,560 --> 00:21:33,560 really just a Guinea pig because no one really knew how to put 452 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:36,560 the puzzle together, right? So there was all these eccentric 453 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:39,640 characters who were, you know, pushing training to the limits. 454 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:40,800 You know, there's some great stories. 455 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:44,640 I spent my first time overseas under Brett, Brett Sutton as 456 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:46,960 well. Literally, you know, and you 457 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:50,280 want to talk some training stories, like as a 17 year old, 458 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:52,840 I was turning up to a pool in Germany doing the swim session. 459 00:21:53,120 --> 00:21:55,160 You get out of the pool, think you're going for croissants. 460 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:57,840 And we probably didn't drink coffee back then, but some 461 00:21:57,840 --> 00:21:59,960 croissants and whatever down the bakery and then suddenly, no, 462 00:21:59,960 --> 00:22:03,360 you got to run the 16 K home. Jeez, put your bag in the car 463 00:22:03,360 --> 00:22:06,240 and go for it. You know, So we were learning 464 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:09,000 now and if you come all that time to where you are today 465 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:12,520 coaching, which I'm fascinated to hear more about coaching and 466 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:18,080 at Olympic Games in where we're going to go to Los Angeles next. 467 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:20,800 You know, just what's changed and how much more science has 468 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:23,080 come from the swimming, how much more data is out there and all 469 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:25,240 that driven. You know, we've come a long, 470 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:27,720 long way. Can we unpack it now while we're 471 00:22:27,720 --> 00:22:29,560 here? Because I come from a, a 472 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:34,520 football background and I look at AFL, which I commentate now 473 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:39,520 and there's no secrets like we're we're about, we're talking 474 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:43,920 while it's in finals. You'll hear the coaches say, 475 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:46,840 well, we know what they do and they know what we do. 476 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:49,240 There's nothing hidden. Everyone has seen enough of one 477 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:52,280 another to know exactly what the game plan of the teams is. 478 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:56,520 It just comes down to executing who executes their game plan 479 00:22:56,520 --> 00:23:00,800 best on the day. Courtney's just spoken about the 480 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:03,680 wild, Wild West days of triathlon and and people trying 481 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:05,800 to figure out that jigsaw at the elite level. 482 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:10,320 Now, is the jigsaw complete? Is it just about, you mentioned 483 00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:13,720 consistency, Is it just about which coaches can get their 484 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:17,280 athletes to train and perform most consistently or or were 485 00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:22,000 they still kind of trade secrets that you keep away from other 486 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:25,400 elite coaches? It's constantly evolving and 487 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:27,760 it's still a young sport. Like we've only been in the 488 00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:32,520 Olympics since 2000 and we're still learning and there's, I'm 489 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:35,240 sure there's things that I do that are unique to what other 490 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:37,720 people are doing. But everyone has their 491 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:40,760 philosophy. And, but I think the, the, the 492 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:44,240 biggest philosophy that we all abide by is consistency. 493 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:48,320 It's still a 2 hour event. You've still got to train 10 494 00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:54,200 times the hour that it takes. So for me personally and what 495 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:57,200 Matt and I do or the rest of the squad does, he puts everything 496 00:23:57,200 --> 00:24:00,280 up on Strava. So it is no real, there's no 497 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:01,880 real, well, riding and running anyway. 498 00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:04,120 He doesn't necessarily put the swimming up. 499 00:24:04,120 --> 00:24:08,360 But certainly for us what we do is it's not a secret. 500 00:24:08,360 --> 00:24:10,320 We have an open door policy. If you want to come and see us 501 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:13,240 train, come down. But the nuance with any kind of 502 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:16,920 training is you can see it, you can even tell the session, but 503 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:19,800 it's how you do the session is going to make all the difference 504 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:22,080 exactly how you prescribe the. Session and it's it's how you 505 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:24,560 communicate. But I think that the trick for 506 00:24:24,560 --> 00:24:26,520 me is that I'm a face to face coach. 507 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:29,840 So even though the boys are overseas at the moment, I'll go 508 00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:31,320 and catch up with them later this week. 509 00:24:32,160 --> 00:24:35,080 It's it's me understanding how they're operating, how they're 510 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:37,640 moving when they walk through the pool gates, what are they 511 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:40,280 looking like, how they're carrying themselves and having 512 00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:43,960 those conversations about how did you think this morning went? 513 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:45,480 How do you think today is going to go? 514 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:47,480 This is what we're doing. And just having that 515 00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:50,320 relationship with them that you can talk about how they're 516 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:52,840 feeling. And I think that's something the 517 00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:55,720 art of coaching that I hope never dies. 518 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:58,400 I know there's so much AI going on and all this sort of stuff 519 00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:01,480 that's that that worries me for face to face coaching. 520 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:04,520 It's killing off the face to face coach, but I'll live and 521 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:06,360 die by it. Well, I think we've given, I 522 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:09,200 mean, through the running series we've done as well. 523 00:25:10,120 --> 00:25:13,480 We've shown there's there's no substitute for in real life 524 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:16,120 coaching, there's no substitute. They can get the best 525 00:25:16,120 --> 00:25:18,920 information for sure. However, not everyone's going to 526 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:21,520 have the ability to have access to that and not everyone's going 527 00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:24,280 to have the ability and maybe they don't want to spend the 528 00:25:24,280 --> 00:25:26,840 money to have access to that and something's just good enough for 529 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:28,600 them. But if you're sitting here 530 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:31,360 listening and you're the, you're going to Noosa for the first 531 00:25:31,360 --> 00:25:33,400 time because we're going to get the stats on this. 532 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:35,920 But I'm, I'm pretty sure like there's a high number of people 533 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:38,360 who go to Noosa and it's their first Olympic distance race for 534 00:25:38,360 --> 00:25:40,000 maybe even their first triathlon. 535 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:42,880 What would you suggest they go and do? 536 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:44,440 Because they're not going to have access straight to an 537 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:46,520 Olympic Games coach. You're getting that access here 538 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:48,840 on the podcast. But where would you actually 539 00:25:48,840 --> 00:25:52,080 send them first up? I don't think there's an area in 540 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:55,000 Australia that doesn't have some connection to triathlon. 541 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:58,920 So whether you're out West, whether you're up north, down 542 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:01,000 South, wherever you are, Australia knows triathlon, 543 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:03,840 Everyone knows Noosa. Like I'd argue that it's 544 00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:06,680 probably in the top five endurance sports in Australia 545 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:10,080 that people are aware of and it brings communities together. 546 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:13,640 So there's gonna be someone in your area that has done the 547 00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:17,960 event, whether it just as a beginner, as a 10 year veteran 548 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:21,000 like you, Liam, three year, three time winner like you, 549 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:23,520 Courtney, it doesn't matter. I think there's always going to 550 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:25,400 be someone in your area that's done the event. 551 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:28,840 So just just reach out to those. The local area, the swim club, 552 00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:33,080 they might shoot can triathlon a little bit deep in your soul. 553 00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:36,080 You know that they respect the sport and what we do. 554 00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:39,360 So there's going to be someone, there's, there's, we have 555 00:26:39,360 --> 00:26:42,440 websites we have, there's so many avenues you can do to reach 556 00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:44,240 out to people and they'll give you some advice. 557 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:47,320 The the Tri clubs as well. I mean as someone who went 558 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:49,040 through that exact process you're starting about. 559 00:26:49,040 --> 00:26:52,840 My wife and I signed up to spot Andersons Tri Club back down in 560 00:26:52,840 --> 00:26:55,040 Sydney when he was there. He's up the bit further up the 561 00:26:55,040 --> 00:26:57,440 Central Coast these days, but he was running a Tri club. 562 00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:01,560 We joined up to his programme with the goal of of Racing Noosa 563 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:05,160 and it was fantastic. And it was that you meet like 564 00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:06,840 minded people. It's a bit like run clubs but 565 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:09,960 without as much dating going on. But it was it was, you know, we 566 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:12,280 jumped in and and we had an amazing time and that's what 567 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:16,840 kept me coming back every year now, because it is for me. 568 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:20,840 Noosa is fit people Christmas more so than more so than 569 00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:26,200 marathons because I think the it's smaller than the major 570 00:27:26,200 --> 00:27:31,200 Maras, but just the vibe at Noosa try every year it is fit 571 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:33,480 people Christmas there. The energy is high, the 572 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:35,880 endorphins that you can almost reach out and touch them. 573 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:37,960 They're everywhere. It is just such a look. 574 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:40,680 The location helps so it's not being that's not deny it. 575 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:44,760 Noosa is a beautiful spot, but the vibe from whenever you turn 576 00:27:44,760 --> 00:27:50,280 up the Expo, the the fun races that they have, the criterion, 577 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:53,000 the the 5K races they have on the Saturday through the event 578 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:55,880 itself on the Sunday, it cannot be beaten for atmosphere. 579 00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:59,680 What, what do the the male and female elites these days think 580 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:02,360 of news? Because like back when, like go 581 00:28:02,360 --> 00:28:07,080 back maybe 15 years ago or so, it was probably the most 582 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:11,040 important race on the calendar for an Australian, not just an 583 00:28:11,040 --> 00:28:13,800 Australian triathlete, but it's probably one of the most 584 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:16,600 important races on the calendar for the Australian runners and 585 00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:19,600 the cyclists even would come back from the tour and, and the. 586 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:21,440 Surf athletes were giving it a crack, too. 587 00:28:21,480 --> 00:28:24,280 Swimming and I think the swimming's still right up there 588 00:28:24,280 --> 00:28:26,200 as that standard. The best over water swimmers 589 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:29,160 still will come to Noosa. But has that changed over time? 590 00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:32,120 Is it still as important to them that do you think it still holds 591 00:28:33,120 --> 00:28:35,680 in Australian sport? The same type of, you know, 592 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:37,920 kudos I suppose, that it had back then. 593 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:40,920 I do. And it's, you've got to 594 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:43,560 understand that I guess for the World Championship Series that I 595 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:46,880 focus on is it's still going when Noose is on. 596 00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:50,000 So there's still a couple of Asian races, the back end of 597 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:53,720 Noosa, but it's still in everyone's conversation. 598 00:28:54,040 --> 00:28:57,320 And the plan generally is get through the year as good as you 599 00:28:57,320 --> 00:29:01,680 can so you can go to Noosa so you don't have to do the at 600 00:29:01,680 --> 00:29:03,760 races at the end of the year. Because for us it's all about 601 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:08,080 points and, and, and and so on. And this year having Wollongong 602 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:10,760 2 weeks. Two weeks, everyone's going to 603 00:29:10,760 --> 00:29:13,040 be in peak. Everyone already is. 604 00:29:13,120 --> 00:29:15,200 I can't wait to see the start list so. 605 00:29:15,280 --> 00:29:17,200 Are those records going down, you reckon? 606 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:19,280 Wollongong is 2 weeks pre or post. 607 00:29:19,280 --> 00:29:22,680 Pre Wollongong is 2 weeks free but also the T1 hundreds there 608 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:26,520 so you've got a mix of the longer course guys, you've got 609 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:30,000 everyone doing noose. Sorry Wollongong. 610 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:36,200 There's 13167 Australians selected for the Australian team 611 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:39,560 for Wollongong while. We're staying with this two 612 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:43,880 weeks pre How long does it take to recover from a triathlon at 613 00:29:43,880 --> 00:29:46,040 the Elite? Level no nooses 2 weeks after. 614 00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:48,240 Yeah, so that's what I mean. So if they go down and race 615 00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:53,280 Wollongong, an athlete like Matt or whoever other athletes you 616 00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:56,280 got racing in Wollongong, is 2 weeks enough time for them to go 617 00:29:56,280 --> 00:29:58,120 again and be at their pointy end? 618 00:29:58,120 --> 00:30:00,480 Plenty. OK, yeah, they've got a full 619 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:03,200 year of training under their belt, but more than that, 620 00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:04,840 they're going to get on their time travel bikes. 621 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:07,080 And I said it earlier, it is. It is. 622 00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:08,720 You said it too, Liam. It's Christmas. 623 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:11,560 Yeah, it's so good. I don't think there's an event 624 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:15,760 in Australia that brings together every every part of our 625 00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:18,520 community together. You've got kids, you've got 626 00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:21,920 Olympic swimmers, you've got, you've got triathletes, runners, 627 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:25,360 cyclists, you've got legends coming in on a junket. 628 00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:30,240 You've got, you've got everyone coming to, you've got every club 629 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:31,840 in Australia wanting to put a tent up. 630 00:30:32,400 --> 00:30:34,920 It's just huge. It's such a community event that 631 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:38,040 I know for me I missed last year. 632 00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:41,240 It was the first event I haven't been at since 94 really. 633 00:30:41,240 --> 00:30:43,040 And. And it was. 634 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:46,640 It was the year that I finally had an athlete I work with win 635 00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:48,720 it. So let's talk about that. 636 00:30:48,720 --> 00:30:51,680 So Braden Mercer, the defending men's champion, yes, is an 637 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:53,200 athlete that you coach. Yes. 638 00:30:53,320 --> 00:30:55,480 And you weren't there. Was not there. 639 00:30:55,640 --> 00:30:57,760 So did you expect Braden to win? Did you? 640 00:30:58,320 --> 00:30:59,560 No. We can tell the truth, No. 641 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:02,600 No, no, no, I, I didn't. And, and and he didn't either, 642 00:31:03,040 --> 00:31:07,080 but he went down there with or up there, sorry, having great 643 00:31:07,080 --> 00:31:09,720 family ties up there. His family felt entrenched in 644 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:13,920 the Noosa Surf Club there as as well as his, you know, mother 645 00:31:13,920 --> 00:31:16,600 down here on the coast. And he went there. 646 00:31:16,600 --> 00:31:18,960 We were sort of thinking, oh, you know, top five would be 647 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:22,160 good. And I remember watching it and I 648 00:31:22,160 --> 00:31:25,880 just felt this sense of I was just so pissed off at myself. 649 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:28,360 I was like, are you kidding me? I'm not there and he's going to 650 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:29,720 win this. And I had Matt out on the 651 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:31,200 course. Matt was running up and down the 652 00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:33,920 course running, trying to give it encouraging and bringing me, 653 00:31:33,920 --> 00:31:34,960 God, he's going to bloody win this. 654 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:37,520 This is amazing. And he had two Olympians chasing 655 00:31:37,520 --> 00:31:40,960 him who just come off Paris. So it was a proper win. 656 00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:44,720 It was a proper, it was a proper we, we spoke about it that week 657 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:47,160 because I was, I mean, I've obviously had a little bit to do 658 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:50,400 with Braden and I was, I was absolutely stoked the kid. 659 00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:54,600 But then when we started looking at how fast he ran, it was full 660 00:31:54,600 --> 00:31:57,040 legit like I was. And how's he been going? 661 00:31:57,200 --> 00:31:59,080 Give us a bit of an update. How's he been travelling this 662 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:00,120 year? Because we wondered, how will 663 00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:01,760 this, Yeah, you know, how will he roll? 664 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:04,600 Off this yeah, well, he's he's kicked on, which is great. 665 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:06,720 I mean, he had a fantastic front end of season. 666 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:10,640 So you've got to understand that Noosa for, for these athletes, 667 00:32:10,640 --> 00:32:13,400 the World Championship Series athletes, it's pretty much the 668 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:16,880 last race of the year. So you then go to the surf club 669 00:32:16,880 --> 00:32:20,040 and that's where you rock up, which is, which is part of the 670 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:22,040 event. We've all been there and it's 671 00:32:22,040 --> 00:32:24,640 it's wonderful to be there. If you're not there, it's you. 672 00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:26,600 You should, you should got to be there. 673 00:32:26,600 --> 00:32:27,360 Yeah, yeah. Anyway. 674 00:32:28,280 --> 00:32:31,480 And then he kicked on and he got a silver medal in a World Cup in 675 00:32:31,480 --> 00:32:35,840 February. So he carried on that that 676 00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:38,880 result. And then from there got his 677 00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:41,480 world spot. He he ticked his world spot for 678 00:32:41,480 --> 00:32:45,240 under 20 threes early in Devonport, which was which was 679 00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:49,120 amazing and and now he's he's getting ready to to do that. 680 00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:52,120 So he'll race under 20 threes at Wollongong and then rolling as 681 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:55,840 defending champion and that's. That's the plan and he knows 682 00:32:55,840 --> 00:32:57,880 he's going to have some heavy hitters around him and the 683 00:32:57,880 --> 00:33:00,440 banter in the squad. Funnily enough, it's not so much 684 00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:02,320 about Jalong Wollongong, it's about NUSA. 685 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:04,480 NUSA. Yeah, that's right, the chat is. 686 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:07,200 Is can we confirm, Dan, will you be there this year? 687 00:33:08,760 --> 00:33:14,840 I think without a doubt. This is again, you mentioned 688 00:33:15,040 --> 00:33:17,480 just because we look, we're going to wrap this up very 689 00:33:17,480 --> 00:33:21,960 shortly because next week the first, I guess real coaching 690 00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:24,360 episode of this series is going to drop when we're talking about 691 00:33:24,360 --> 00:33:27,480 swimming. But the event as a whole, I 692 00:33:27,480 --> 00:33:30,800 think, I mean, if you if you if you get to the end of this 693 00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:33,640 episode and you're not excited about no story, if even if 694 00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:35,800 you're not going, if you're not interested in going next year, 695 00:33:36,920 --> 00:33:41,680 that surf club part of it. And I look, I gave this away 696 00:33:41,680 --> 00:33:43,720 when we did the run the Gold Coast series. 697 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:45,680 I'm going to they need a beach club. 698 00:33:46,120 --> 00:33:48,920 They need to find a way to extend the surf club out onto 699 00:33:48,920 --> 00:33:53,240 the sands of Newsome Main beach so that that Sunday post race 700 00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:56,000 event can get even bigger because that's the problem they 701 00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:57,880 now have. That surf club has reached 702 00:33:57,880 --> 00:33:59,840 capacity. They need to find a way 703 00:33:59,840 --> 00:34:02,080 Courtney, to extend the celebrations onto the sands of 704 00:34:02,080 --> 00:34:04,240 Newsom Main Beach. Some of your ideas go places. 705 00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:07,120 Some of them do. We're I don't want to forget the 706 00:34:07,120 --> 00:34:10,560 women too, because we've obviously you're the athletes 707 00:34:10,560 --> 00:34:11,920 you're talking about are mostly the men. 708 00:34:11,920 --> 00:34:14,560 So in the women's field this year, obviously Ashley Jandal 709 00:34:14,560 --> 00:34:17,719 has won the queen, however many, I mean too many now. 710 00:34:17,719 --> 00:34:20,120 I think it was 10. I think it was 10. 711 00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:22,280 I think it was 10 last year. I've got this in front of me. 712 00:34:22,280 --> 00:34:25,040 I. The statue has to go up soon 2. 713 00:34:25,040 --> 00:34:28,440 1012 she won her first one, then Emma Moffett, and then she's won 714 00:34:28,440 --> 00:34:30,920 ever since 2014. There you go. 715 00:34:30,960 --> 00:34:34,719 So yeah, she's 10 / 10 so but the statue needs to go up of ash 716 00:34:34,719 --> 00:34:36,760 gentle. Has so will there be 717 00:34:36,760 --> 00:34:38,960 internationals coming out in the same in the women? 718 00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:40,040 Is that I really? Hope so. 719 00:34:40,080 --> 00:34:42,840 I don't know. I'm not, I'm not 100% sure, but 720 00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:45,560 I don't see why they wouldn't. Why wouldn't you? 721 00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:48,440 It's it's at Noosa. You can finish that race and 722 00:34:48,440 --> 00:34:52,120 then have a holiday in Noosa Sun beating down on your back. 723 00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:54,520 And let's not forget that's what we're shouting out different 724 00:34:54,520 --> 00:34:57,720 categories and everything else. One of our favourite categories, 725 00:34:57,720 --> 00:35:01,040 Clyde Sales. Clyde Sales, they call them 726 00:35:01,080 --> 00:35:04,920 women Athena or something. Athena Athena, this is a this 727 00:35:04,920 --> 00:35:06,880 was a big. Push from from Courtney and I. 728 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:08,840 We want the marathon. We want to see this more in 729 00:35:08,840 --> 00:35:11,080 running. We believe there's a space for 730 00:35:11,080 --> 00:35:14,160 this in running, but Noosa do this better than anyone. 731 00:35:14,160 --> 00:35:16,040 Couldn't agree more. I was thinking just on the the 732 00:35:16,040 --> 00:35:19,240 other week with the Sydney Marathon, in the commentary in 733 00:35:19,240 --> 00:35:21,880 the broadcast, Kurt Fernley, Bruce Mcavainey, Thames and 734 00:35:21,880 --> 00:35:24,000 Lewis the commentary team referring to the wheelchair 735 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:26,680 races, the wheelies. It's not a derogatory thing. 736 00:35:26,680 --> 00:35:29,000 It's a celebration of who they are as athletes. 737 00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:31,680 And that is what Noosa does so well with the Athena and the 738 00:35:31,680 --> 00:35:34,120 Clydesdale category. They celebrate these people as 739 00:35:34,120 --> 00:35:36,360 athletes by allowing them a category to shine. 740 00:35:36,360 --> 00:35:38,400 They. Celebrate and the and the guys 741 00:35:38,400 --> 00:35:42,240 and girls in this category it's. You want to be in it, I want to 742 00:35:42,240 --> 00:35:43,560 Benny Hannon. It's still every time. 743 00:35:43,560 --> 00:35:45,920 This is a man who's won NRL premierships and he still tells 744 00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:48,000 me that he's the Noosa Clydesdale champion. 745 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:50,720 We may have to get some inside information from some of these 746 00:35:50,720 --> 00:35:53,400 Clydesdales as their tricks and tips. 747 00:35:53,400 --> 00:35:56,120 Yeah, yeah. How they make weight or get 748 00:35:56,120 --> 00:35:58,000 their weight? And they still do the weigh in 749 00:35:58,000 --> 00:36:01,360 coach that the event the the. Wood ceremony, right? 750 00:36:01,400 --> 00:36:03,920 Which is which probably gets the biggest cheer of the lot, I 751 00:36:03,920 --> 00:36:07,600 reckon, when you may wait. This is so good, this event, it 752 00:36:07,600 --> 00:36:09,880 is fit People Christmas, the Noosa Triathlon. 753 00:36:09,880 --> 00:36:13,440 It is so exciting then to have you on board for this Road to 754 00:36:13,440 --> 00:36:16,600 Noosa Triathlon series. We're seriously excited about 755 00:36:16,760 --> 00:36:19,240 helping anybody that might be doing their first one, might be 756 00:36:19,240 --> 00:36:22,280 doing their 10th one or might be interested in the world of 757 00:36:22,280 --> 00:36:25,480 triathlon because with all the run boom, this is another sport 758 00:36:25,480 --> 00:36:28,080 that I think it's on the up. I think there's a real 759 00:36:28,080 --> 00:36:32,360 excitement with this sport. And, and look, with the T100 760 00:36:32,480 --> 00:36:34,760 coming to the Gold Coast next year event as well, there's so 761 00:36:34,760 --> 00:36:37,160 much around that. You mentioned that what's going 762 00:36:37,160 --> 00:36:39,360 on in Wollongong? This is a sport that Australia 763 00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:43,360 has such a rich history in and with an Olympics on the horizon 764 00:36:43,360 --> 00:36:46,800 as well, it's a sport that we we could be celebrating medals in 765 00:36:46,800 --> 00:36:48,240 Brisbane. Yep, I'm looking forward to 766 00:36:48,240 --> 00:36:50,520 hearing more about the specifics what we're doing. 767 00:36:50,600 --> 00:36:52,800 All right, there it is. The first in the Road to Noosa 768 00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:57,160 Triathlon series Episode 1 next week, How to swim.