He is the man who completed 105 full distance triathlons in 105 consecutive days, breaking the world record for the most consecutive full Iron distance triathlons. He became the first person to swim the length of Britain, a 900 mile journey from Land's End to John o' Groats. 

He has cycled 4,000 miles self-supported across Europe from Portugal to Russia faster than anyone before him. He completed the world's longest triathlon, a continuous 4,200 mile ultra triathlon around the coast of Great Britain. He has cycled around the world, yes around the world, completed multiple marathon and ultra runs including 15 marathons in 15 national parks in 15 days. And that is only a tiny snapshot of an extraordinary endurance resume he has achieved since first delving into the wonderful world of endurance sport.

Born in Zimbabwe and raised in South Africa on vast wildlife conservation parks, Sean didn't grow up sporty. His first dream was to travel the world as a National Geographic photographer. When that ambition didn't materialise, he pivoted, choosing endurance as his vehicle for exploration and purpose. 

In doing so, he wrote himself into the record books on multiple occasions, becoming the first person to complete an Endurance Grand Slam; achieving a world's first, world's longest, world's fastest and world's most.

Inspired by boundary breakers who redefined what endurance could look like, Sean has not only chased records himself, he now coaches, mentors and encourages others to test their own limits. A motivational speaker and author of multiple books, in this episode, we explore his philosophy of deliberately choosing difficult paths, what fuels his fear of living an ordinary life and how he continues to test what he's truly capable of.

This is an incredible conversation on resilience, reinvention and building a life exploring the hard road, on purpose. An episode well worth tuning into. To find out more about Sean and his incredible achievements go to www.seanconway.com

Owners of Wheelworx, they are well known faces at triathlon and multisport events as both athletes and event support.  In this episode, Rob and Aisling reflect on their individual paths into triathlon, from early beginnings as novices to competing on the world stage. 

Rob shares his long journey through IRONMAN racing, including early doubts and how his training approach has evolved over time, whilst Aisling shares insight into her transition from running into triathlon and the challenge of overcoming a deep fear of open water swimming. 

A key focus of this episode is their 2025 season, where they embraced a whirlwind World Championship Tour that saw them race and support each other at the IRONMAN World Championship in Nice where Rob raced, Kona where Aisling raced and Marbella with both of them racing the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship where their season culminated in the Costa Del Sol. 

They offer insight into the demands of each event, from race conditions and strategy to the emotional impact of lining up in Kona. Both Aisling and Rob reflect on what these experiences mean to them beyond results, highlighting gratitude, perspective, enjoyment and the journey to the start and finish line of each race they embraced. 

The conversation also explores how they balance commitment to their training with running a successful and busy business whilst maintaining a strong personal relationship. Training together, supporting each other through setbacks and simplifying routines have become central to their approach.

This is a great chat with Aisling and Rob, with reflections on what triathlon has given them and how they look ahead to future races with curiosity rather than pressure, emphasising teamwork, resilience and the importance of enjoying the journey. This renewed energy and perspective on triathlon racing, a far cry from the years of 'Chasing Kona' as detailed in Rob's book published almost a decade ago. 

Natalie's journey into sport began in a very different era, growing up at a time when opportunities for women in sport were limited. Despite a naturally competitive spirit, it wasn't until later in life that she found her way into endurance sport, first discovering running in her late thirties before taking on triathlon at the age of 59. 

In this inspiring episode Natalie reflects on her late start in triathlon, her love for cycling and the mindset that carried her through years of training and competition. She shares insights from her multiple appearances and podium finishes at the Ironman World Championship, including her historic race in Kona this year, where consistency, patience and experience proved just as important as physical strength.

Natalie also speaks openly about the obstacles and challenges she's faced along the way, from managing injuries to balancing the demands of training whilst caring for her husband. With the unwavering support of her family, coach and community, she has continued to show up, race and pursue ambitious goals, continuing to challenge expectations and redefine what's possible in endurance sport. 

This episode is a powerful and uplifting reminder that age is not a limitation, that it's never too late to begin something new and that perseverance, passion and consistency can carry us further than we ever imagined. Natalie Grabow's story is one of inspiration, wisdom and perspective and one that will resonate far beyond the world of triathlon and endurance sport. 

She then went on to take her first IRONMAN win in only her second appearance at the distance, breaking the tape and the course record at IRONMAN Lake Placid. With her sights firmly set on the sport's most iconic race, Solveig arrived in Kona in October and raced with remarkable grace and composure amidst the heat, humidity and pressure she endured. 

From the early miles to the final stretch down Aliʻi Drive, she delivered a masterclass in execution, breaking the tape on triathlon's biggest stage to be crowned the 2025 IRONMAN World Champion. In this episode, Solveig takes us through her extraordinary season as we unpack what it truly takes to get to and perform at the highest level of the sport. 

Beyond the results, this conversation explores the person behind the athlete. The 2024 Olympian opens up about her early years in sport and the transition from swimming to triathlon, the lessons learned from short-course racing and the patience required to move successfully into middle and long distance events. She also reflects on the loss of her father and how that experience reshaped her perspective on sport, resilience and life, bringing deeper meaning to every opportunity she has to race.

Solveig Løvseth's story shows us that the path to greatness is rarely straightforward. Defined not by obstacles, but by determination, resilience and self-belief, her journey is thoughtful, humble and refreshingly honest, centred on patience, perspective, passion and the importance of carving your own path to success.

Swimming an average of four hours a day, often in harsh, unforgiving conditions, Daragh carved a path through jellyfish, relentless chafing, and the wild moods of the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to complete his 'North Star' Challenge, Swim Éire. 

This expedition however was never a solo endeavour. At its heart was a dedicated support crew, led by boat captain Dara Bailey, whose seamanship, insight and unwavering presence kept the ambitious 27 years old swimmer safe and steadily moving forward. Together, their journey became a celebration of community, tradition and the deep cultural ties that connect Ireland's coastal communities to the waters that surround them.

In this episode, Daragh reflects on the physical and mental resilience needed to push through tough conditions, the key moments that shaped the expedition, and the sense of purpose he found in the water. He discusses past endurance challenges that prepared him, the unconventional fuelling strategies that sustained him and the emotional homecoming that closed this monumental chapter.

This is a story of courage, coastline and community and of the magic that unfolds when a daunting, unpredictable idea pulls you far beyond your comfort zone and grows into something far greater than you ever imagined. 

More than a tale of endurance, it is a testament to the human spirit and the unshakeable power of self-belief. Swim Éire stands as a bright beacon proving that with vision, determination and teamwork, even the most formidable challenges can be overcome. 

A lifelong runner, inspired by his father's love of athletics, Loughlin's path to sporting success was abruptly interrupted a number of years ago when he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis; a chronic illness that brought daily struggles, physical setbacks and mental health challenges. For a time, his future in sport seemed uncertain as he grappled with fatigue, stress and the impact of a condition that literally turned life upside down.

With the support of family and friends, when Loughlin finally found his way to remission he began rebuilding his life around new sporting challenges. Triathlon became his focus, providing an opportunity not only to reignite his passion for running, but to push himself further than he ever imagined. His return to competitive sport has been remarkable. He completed IRONMAN Italy last year in 8:54, finishing in the top 20 on debut at the distance, earning his slot for the 2025 IRONMAN World Championship in Nice. 

Whilst race day in Nice tested every ounce of his preparation and resolve, from the technical bike course to nutrition strategies and mishaps, Loughlin embraced and surmounted each challenge, ultimately crossing the finish line in a superb time of 9:34:44. The performance cemented his status as the fastest Irishman at the IRONMAN World Championship, a milestone that spoke not only to his athletic ability but to his perseverance in the face of adversity. 

His story shines a light on the challenges of living with chronic illness, the importance of support networks, and the power of determination in rewriting what is possible. As he looks toward new goals, whether improving his run speed or preparing for future IRONMAN races, Loughlin's story reminds us that every setback is a setup for a comeback, and that every finish line, no matter how big or small the occasion, deserves to be celebrated. 

This year Luke set out to complete "Mission Possible" which includes completing all five IRONMAN races in the UK alongside additional running and cycling events to support and raise awareness of Andy's Man Club. 

Having already completed three of the five events; IRONMAN 70.3 Bolton, IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea and IRONMAN Leeds, Luke was invited to race at the Men's IRONMAN World Championship in Nice next month as an athlete ambassador and will swap out IRONMAN 70.3 Weymouth to race in Nice before heading back to the UK to tackle IRONMAN Wales one week later. Unphased by the challenges that lie ahead, mission possible has already made a significant impact within and beyond his immediate circle and community. 

Throughout this insightful conversation, Luke reflects on the strong parallels between sport, mental health and resilience, the support of family and community and the power of open conversations.  His athletic achievements and success to date with Mission Possible are certainly inspiring, but it's his commitment to creating lasting change through Andy's Man Club and beyond that truly sets him apart. From building communities to conquering IRONMAN races, Luke's journey shows that with purpose, resilience, self-belief and passion, anything is possible.

Since retiring from professional sport late last year, Alistair leaves behind a legacy few can match. His career has been defined not just by medals and milestones, but by how he raced, with heart, grit and an uncompromising will to win. From Olympic dominance to middle and full distance triathlon success,  his relentless pursuit of excellence has left an indelible mark on the sport of  triathlon and triathletes all over the world. As he transitions into life beyond professional racing, Alistair's influence on the sport of the triathlon continues to have significant impact. 

In this conversation, Alistair reflects on life after professional sport. From running and cycling with friends for fun, to embracing gravel racing and other sporting pursuits, leading business ventures and charitable work.  He's navigating a new phase with the same passion and purpose that defined his career. From his work with truefuels and his commitment to the Brownlee Foundation, we hear how lessons from his sporting career now inform his entrepreneurial mindset.

He opens up about the highs and pressures of Olympic success, the physical and mental challenges of injury and why simplicity in training still brings him joy. This is a conversation about discipline, transition and perspective. 

Whether you're chasing a podium or just looking to enjoy the ride you will enjoy this deep dive into the life, legacy and next chapter of Alistair Brownlee as he continues to push boundaries and inspire a whole generation of triathletes. 

Lizzie had a breakthrough in 2022 with a surprise win at the Outlaw Half in Nottingham, an achievement that allowed her to secure a professional triathlon license. Since then, she has raced with and against some of the best middle distance triathletes in the world. In 2024 in just her second season as a pro, she took the tape to win IRONMAN 70.3 Portugal, Cascais in a hugely exciting sprint finish.  She went on to race at the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Taupo New Zealand last year, rounding out her year with a 16th place finish on the world stage. 

This year she has already finished twice on the podium with a 3rd place finish at IRONMAN 70.3 Valencia and a second place finish at IRONMAN 70.3  Pays d'Aix, steadily building her profile and trophy cabinet with some super results and performances. 

This episode delves into Lizzies' training routines, fuelling strategies and goals for future races. Her sporting story to date is a testament to her approach to performance, perseverance and progress in achieving athletic excellence. 

Although Lizzie is relatively new to the professional ranks of the sport of triathlon she is already making her mark and undoubtedly has a bright and podium filled career ahead in the sport. 

An unlikely career for a man who grew up on a farm in Co. Meath where Gaelic Football was the sport of choice and sailing was something he watched on TV dreaming of one day sailing the high seas. But dreams do come true and for Tom, although it was an unconventional career path and to say the least a hard graft learning all the skills, insights and intricacies of sailing he earned his stripes from the ground up. 

Relentless in his pursuit of excellence, his grit, determination and resilience to embrace his passion for sailing saw him follow his heart and love of the sport to France over a decade ago. Immersing himself in one of the world's most competitive sailing environments it provide the perfect playground for Tom to flourish, hone his craft and gain vast experience to become one of the best off-shore sailors in the world. 

Known as 'The Flying Irishman,' Tom's journey has been anything but smooth sailing. In this episode, he shares the highs and lows of his career, offering insight into the technical and mental demands of elite level racing, the toll of sleep deprivation and hallucinations at sea, and the vital role of a strong support team. His story is not just one of overcoming odds, but of staying true to a passion, trusting the process and proving that with commitment and belief, even the wildest dreams can become reality.

A former competitive Irish dancer and outdoor enthusiast, Laura found her way back to the activities she loved and discovered new passions along the way. From learning to walk again with crutches and AFOs to abseiling and climbing the iconic Rathlin Wall at Fairhead, she has redefined what it means to overcome adversity.

Today, Laura is a passionate advocate for accessible outdoor adventure, working with organisations including; Mountaineering Ireland, Tollymore, and Accessible Adventures Ireland to create inclusive opportunities in climbing, paddle sports and hiking. She's raised thousands for The Outdoor Partnership, earned multiple climbing qualifications, and is now leading the way in organising major inclusive and adaptive expeditions, this past weekend she was part of a paddling and camping adventure on Lough Erne. 

As if that wasn't enough, Laura is also making her mark on the court as a wheelchair basketball athlete for Northern Ireland, with her sights set firmly on the Commonwealth Games in 2026. Her motto, "Say yes to everything," captures the spirit of a woman who isn't just surviving trauma she's thriving and inspiring others to believe that their limits are only the starting point.

Nono's sporting success spans far beyond football, with remarkable achievements across many sports including Gaelic football, camogie, badminton and more. Her dedication and contribution to Irish sport has been recognised nationally and locally with her induction into the FAI Hall of Fame last year, and more recently, she received the prestigious Galway Sports Stars Hall of Fame Award.

Nono takes us on a heartfelt journey through her life, sharing vivid stories from her early days growing up in the Claddagh, her adventures in sport both at home and abroad, and the challenges of balancing athletic ambition with personal responsibilities. She reflects on the power of sport to shape identity and build community, offering her signature wit and wisdom along the way.

Now in her 70s, Nono remains as active as ever, swimming daily at Blackrock in Salthill, going to the gym, and staying deeply connected to her local sporting communities. She's a firm believer that staying active and finding a supportive and encouraging community is key, especially as we age.

Despite her incredible athletic accomplishments, Nono's humility shines through, for her, the greatest reward is the pride and recognition of her family. This episode is more than a celebration of Nono's life in sport,  it's a powerful reminder that passion, perseverance, and a sense of community matter at every stage of life. No matter your age or ability, there's always a place for sport in your story.

A high achiever from a young age his sporting talent saw him embrace many sports from soccer and gaelic, to cricket, athletics and swimming before field hockey became his sport of choice.  Playing it to a high level he represented Ireland at U16 in the European Championship. Off the field of play Philip's academic ability saw him graduate from Queen's University in Belfast with a first class honours in Medical Science and a Medical Degree  

It wasn't until a decade or so ago that Philip first took up rowing, whilst at university, the former Abercrombie & Fitch model took to his new sport like a duck to water and it wasn't long before he was winning races and excelling in his new found sport. 

In this podcast Philip shares a snippet of his life as an elite athlete, the rigorous training routines, mental fortitude and nutritional strategies required to perform at his best, all whilst balancing a demanding medical career. Additionally, he shares his recent experience of competing at Ironman 70.3 Marbella and his future aspirations in both rowing and medicine. 

Balancing his passion for elite sport with the demands of a medical career, Philip exemplifies extraordinary dedication, discipline, and a relentless drive to push boundaries in both arenas. This is a compelling episode offering a window into the life of an elite athlete and medical professional striving to excel in both fields.

Her professional career took off after taking victory at IRONMAN 70.3 in Mallorca in 2016, and since then, Laura has consistently climbed the ranks, securing  titles and podium finishes around the world.  She is a multiple IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 Champion, the 2022 Ironman European Champion, the 2023 IRONMAN African Champion and IRONMAN 70.3 European Champion, she finished in 3rd place in Kona last year and this year she achieved her dream of becoming the IRONMAN World Champion.

Laura shares lots of insight about many aspects of her life as an athlete from the importance of aligning her training to her menstrual cycle, to balancing her fuelling needs as a vegetarian with the demands of her training and racing schedule. With her number one supporter; her husband Philipp by her side every step of the way taking on multiple roles as husband, coach, business partner and bike mechanic to name a few, she shares some snippets into life together chasing goals and the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between professional and personal life.

Laura's happiness is infectious, she believes a happy athlete is a fast athlete, her enjoyment of a piece of cake every day important in ensuring she gets the balance right in life even at the highest level of sporting success. Her 'train smart, have fun and kick ass' mantra is one that we could all benefit from embracing as we each strive to pursue our own ambitions in sport and in life. 

This episode is packed with fun and laughter, motivation and actionable insights for athletes and fans alike. Whilst we don't go into the specifics of her World Championship victory in Nice, we do get to know Laura on a personal level and discover just some of the formula of what it takes to become an IRONMAN World Champion

His background in broadcasting and his passion for sport has seen him carve out a career in the endurance industry that saw his hobby turn into his profession and since pivoting into his role as an IRONMAN announcer he has played a significant role in raising the game for others to follow in elevating the athlete experience on race day at IRONMAN events all over the world. A two time IRONMAN, Paul returned to racing this year taking part in IRONMAN 70.3 Belgium last month.

In this episode he reflects on the transformative power of sport and of IRONMAN specifically, sharing deeply personal stories of overcoming challenges and highlights the importance of having a profound 'why' to push through adversity. The episode is filled with motivational insights and underscores the unifying and life-changing impact of IRONMAN on both individuals and communities alike.  

Picked up by a triathlon talent ID programme in the Netherlands on the back of his running and biking ability, his dream of becoming an Olympian never materialised and shortly after Tokyo 2020 he parted ways with the Dutch National team. 

Switching distances to take on his first middle distance race at IM 70.3 Maastricht in 2021 he was the fastest overall age grouper on the day, a few weeks later he made his pro debut at Challenge Peguera Mallorca and came fifth.  Since then he has gone from strength to strength with some stand out performances including; Winning IM 70.3 Rapperswil -Jona in 2022. He finished in 6th place at last year's IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship and  followed that up with a win at Challenge Peguera Mallorca and Challenge Barcelona.  Earlier this year he came fourth at the T100 in Miami before a stellar performance saw him break the tape to win the Singapore T100 which changed the game for the young athlete and catapulted him into the triathlon spotlight globally. 

Youri shares insight into his life as a professional athlete, the importance of surrounding yourself with people who have the same vision and drive for you as you have for yourself, and also what his plans and aspirations are not only to the end of 2024, but beyond the next few months. 

A wise mind on young shoulders, Youri is excited about his future in the sport and is committed to being not only the best athlete he can be, but also the best triathlete in the world, whilst also hoping that his sporting endeavours will inspire future generations of young athletes at home and abroad.

With a special connection to Ireland, through his girlfriend, former professional cyclist Imogen Cotter, Youri loves coming to Ireland and indeed loves the game of hurling, especially when Clare win.

A successful gaelic footballer from a young age, she took up triathlon during her college years when she went to Atlanta on a one year student exchange. It wasn't until the pandemic struck that a real passion for cycling was ignited and from there she has excelled in the sport at home and abroad. From National Road Series winner in 2021 to becoming the first Irish woman to complete one of cycling's Grand Tours – La Vuelta Femenina in 2023, Fiona has truly embraced life as a professional cyclist. 

Using Girona as her base she travels and races with her team Cynisca Cycling and when the opportunity arises and time permits she loves to come back home to Limerick to spend time with her family and friends. Still relatively new to professional cycling Fiona continues to go from strength to strength and has her sights firmly set on success in the sport, and with her French heritage it is no surprise that the Tour De France is on her bucket list!

Cathal is the most experienced road cyclist of the four, cycling for over three decades with multiple race and stage wins under his belt and a Man of the Rás, this was his first time experimenting with an event of this nature. Ronan, an avid competitive road racer in recent years and Rás rider last year, had never ventured into the world of endurance cycling. Liam, a former competitive swimmer and Kirill are both fans and participants of multiple disciplines of cycling, however they were also completely new to this format of team and endurance racing which was both exciting and daunting in equal measures. 

Embracing the unknown of the 24 hour challenge, the team cycled themselves into the history books of the Mondello24 Cycle event with a performance to be extremely proud of.  Managed by two time Solo Champion at Mondello24, Karen Cassidy, the team were in safe hands as she expertly steered them successfully to the finish line on Sunday midday and to a new course record. Completing 260 laps of the 3.5km track to finish with 902.2 km on the clock was a massive achievement.

Whilst their endurance racing experience going into the event might have been lacking, their passion, determination and willingness to give full commitment across the 24 hours, to support, respect and learn from each other was in abundance, as was the desire to succeed, to give as much as they each individually could to the team, supporting each other on and off the track, epitomising the "all for one and one for all" spirit throughout the event.

If you thought the challenge of Mondello24 was a step too far outside of your comfort zone to consider for yourself, then this chat will most definitely change your mind and give you plenty of food for thought, of what might just be possible when you gather a team of like-minded people with the same goal willing to go the distance collectively and individually.

Retiring from professional sport, Greg started to dip his toes into the exciting world of endurance sport, from cycling a stage of the Tour de France, to completing a UTMB race, he completed IRONMAN Barcelona as his first ever triathlon last October and in April of this year he completed his first IRONMAN 70.3 and only his second triathlon at IRONMAN 70.3 Valencia.  It is fair to say that the bug for endurance racing has firmly been caught. His passion for chasing goals, fitness related in particular and for inspiring people to follow their own fitness journey has seen him set up his Bettr App designed to improve the mental and physical health of its users.

Whilst all might seem perfect from the outside looking in at the life that Greg has carved for himself, as an athlete, presenter and recognised name at home and beyond, a darkness descended on him not so long ago where his mental health was significantly affected. Thankfully Greg sought the help and professional guidance needed to find his way through a very difficult time to come out the other side in a much better place.  Greg now uses sport and exercise as one of his five pillars to keep him on track with his mental health. 

This is a great chat with Greg who has worked hard to get where he is today, his perseverance, determination and focus have paid dividends personally and professionally, the future is bright and the world his oyster as he pursues his passions in sport, love and life! 

Annie's journey in sport and in life is one of resilience, determination and courage, her positivity and passion for life and triathlon spills over through her bubbly personality despite the challenges and obstacles her health can put in her way. 

With stress and fatigue a key factor in triggering an epileptic fit it is a wonder she is able to get to the startline of a race in once piece, fit and ready to tackle the swim, bike and run adventure that lies ahead, never mind get herself to the finish line of the most iconic IRONMAN race in the world in Kona. 

This really is an inspiring chat with Annie, who shares a snippet of her life, living and thriving with a hidden disability, one that when it strikes, and it can strike at any time, can be so debilitating, frustrating and cause havoc to her daily living, never mind her training for triathlon which she simply does for fun and because she loves it. 

It was my sister Michelle who asked me to get Annie as a guest on the podcast after Kona, she herself inspired and in awe of Annie's ability to live her life to the full despite her epilepsy. For those of you who don't know, Michelle has had epilepsy since her early teens and coupled with her cerebral palsy and the nature of her epilepsy can struggle to live life to the full.  For Michelle and I think for many of us, Annie offers a beacon of hope into what is possible if you can find the adaptations to enable you to thrive despite your own individual challenges and when you find the sport or activity that ignites such a passion in you, it can help you to pursue a life brimming with fun and adventure. 

If you enjoy this episode and want to follow Annie's upcoming adventures go to her website www.talesofanniebean.com you can also follow her on instagram @itsanniebean

Professional triathlete Nikki and her partner Bex Milnes supported Lucy's endeavours with Bex capturing images and updates of Lucy on the Pennine Way, meanwhile, Nikki turned the images and information received into an exciting socials storybook of tales from inside the race, capturing the imagination and hearts of everyone eager to follow Lucy's progress as she embarked and conquered one of the toughest foot races in the world. 

Stretching 268 miles or 431km from Edale in Derbyshire, England to the village of Kirk Yetholm on the Scottish Border on the Pennine Way, if you don't know where that is, then get out your map and check it out. 

Lucy gives us a glimpse of just what her preparation for an endeavour of this nature entailed as well as great insight into how her race unfolded, although we gloss over some of the intricate and technical aspects of the race, we still get to understand the remarkable journey undertaken by the 14 time IRONMAN Champion as she ventures beyond her comfort zone into uncharted mental and physical territory, pushing her limits to the brink to discover her true capabilities.

In this episode, Bex and Nikki share their own version of Lucy's journey with some snippets of what it was like for them to follow the race as they closely and cautiously tracked her progress to the finishline.  As the race proceeded on the Pennine Way for Lucy, another story was unfolding behind the scenes which, when unravelled, would have heartbreaking consequences for Lucy. Resilient and robust as she is, she faced the situation head on and began picking up the broken pieces one bit at a time as she concurrently recovered from what she had put her body and mind through to reach the finishline of the Spine Race.  

As you can expect, bringing the four of us together for a chat, resulted in lots of high energy, fun and laughter, the power of sport and friendship between these three incredible women as they share their personal stories of this epic adventure will certainly put a smile on your face and I have no doubt inspire you to step well outside your comfort zone! 

If you enjoy this show and want to find out more insight from Lucy about her Spine Race be sure to pop over to her website www.lucygossage.com

If you wish to support Move Against Cancer you can click on Lucy's Just giving page  https://www.justgiving.com/page/lucy-gossage-spine-move and while you are here tuning into the podcast, why not check out the chats I had with Lucy (Ep 26) and Nikki (Ep 8) for the podcast in 2020 and 2019 respectively!

The young athlete from Mayo has been involved in the sport of triathlon on and off since he was a teenager. Moving to Perth just seven weeks before his IRONMAN race, with his committed return to the sport and his professional licence secured he is dedicated to keeping his passion for triathlon ignited and delivering performances in the sport to the best of his ability on the International stage. 

No stranger to success in triathlon, the 2022 National Long Distance Champion has a trophy cabinet full of silverware with multiple podiums from his seasons of racing in 2017, 2018 and 2021. In 2016 he represented Ireland at European Cup Level and prior to that he represented Ireland at Junior European Cup Level in 2013 & 2014.  An accomplished cyclist some of his most notable cycling results include winner of the 2021 edition of the Wild Mayo 300k Ultra and back in 2017 he was the overall Rás Maigh Eo winner.

A graduate of University of Limerick with a degree in Sport and Exercise Science, his interest in sport goes deeper than just his own performance in triathlon. In this episode, we dive right into Aichlinn's record-setting race getting insight into both his training in the lead-up to race day and race day itself. With his eyes set on racing on the world stage in 2024, we look forward to seeing how his season unfolds over the coming weeks and months, and if you are interested in financially supporting his journey in triathlon please do get in touch with Aichlinn directly.  

A member of the IRONMAN Hall of Fame, USA Triathlon Hall of Fame, Co Founder of Competitor Magazine and the Challenged Athletes Foundation, Bob has been involved in the sport of triathlon for almost five decades and shows no sign of stopping or hanging up his trisuit. 

Host of the hugely popular Breakfast with Bob he shares the incredible stories of athletes chasing their goals and dreams providing a much loved global platform to inspire others to take up the sport he so dearly loves and has dedicated most of the past fifty years to.

Trailblazer, innovator, entrepreneur, storyteller, author and multiple IRONMAN, Bob is one of the greatest historians of our sport with a thirst for knowledge and a curiosity that sparks a flame within him,  his passion for triathlon isn't passive, its infectious and the entertaining stories shared about his own life in sport insights from the people he has interviewed through the years and those he has helped through the Challenged Athletes Foundation are truly inspiring. 

Lucy has finished in second place in Kona every time she has raced there before finally breaking the tape as the IRONMAN World Champion in a World's best time of 8:24:31 last month, on a day that will be remembered in sporting history for many years to come for a whole host of incredible achievements by the over 2,000 women who participated in the first ever Women's only IRONMAN World Championship race. 

Lucy has been on an incredible journey in sport throughout her life, an impressive and driven athlete at a young age, her sights were always set on being the best in class in her chosen sport, whether that was swimming as her first love, to triathlon where she has excelled to become one of the most loved and best triathletes in the world.

The 2021 IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion, and 2022 World Triathlon Long Distance World Champion hasn't been on an easy road to becoming a Multiple World Champion. Two major injury set-backs in recent times saw her and her team seek out in genius ways to keep her on track and ensure her journey to the IRONMAN World Championship finish line this year was not derailed but was kept firmly on track all the way to the top step of the World Championship podium. 

Lucy's rise to sports superstar is hugely inspiring, her commitment to her craft, her tenacity, focus, determination and her resilience in the face of disappointment and adversity is something one can only admire whether a fan of the sport of triathlon or not.  It's hard not to be a fan of Lucy Charles Barclay as we  follow her life's journey in awe of her ability to continually push her mind and body to the limit in pursuit of success and achievement of her dreams. 

This is a great chat with Lucy who shares incredible insight into her life and loves as she regales us with stories of her journey to the top of the world.

Athlete, adventurer and all round awesome human, Helen has a special way of interacting with and interviewing people to get the best stories and most out them for her show.  It's no surprise that away from her love of media and meeting people she has carved a career for herself that she loves as a Cancer Rehabilitation Specialist with Move Charity supporting young people who are going through a cancer journey to get back to sport and exercise. 

Helen has been involved in triathlon since 2011 which has seen her take on lots of races and challenges including IRONMAN Austria and IRONMAN Wales.  Her most recent adventure saw her complete the Pan Celtic Race earlier this year.  This episode was recorded in the weeks prior to IRONMAN Wales which Helen was due to participate in last month, but unfortunately her plans got side lined through appendicitis in the days leading up to the race. She does however have big plans for 2024 across triathlon, adventure and her podcast which she talks about on the show. 

This is a lovely chat with Helen who simply loves sport and loves her job! Take a listen and be uplifted, inspired and energised by her outlook on life and her tenacity and commitment to achieving her goals whether personal or professional. 

Coach, coach developer and a driver of change, she has worked in the area of triathlon development with clubs, schools, juniors, age group athletes and coaches to develop and grow the sport of triathlon in Ireland. Anna has been central to the development of the Tri Heroes and Tri Captains programmes for young athletes.  With a particular passion for women in sport she leads the women in sport programme for Triathlon Ireland and was elected to the Europe Triathlon Development Committee three years ago, subsequently leading on a number of European projects. 

As an athlete Anna enjoyed a wealth of success; National Duathlon Champion in 2011, she was the 2013 winner of Hell of the West and winner of the Triathlon Ireland National Series in the same year.  Racing at home and abroad she clocked up an impressive number of podium finishes across a variety of duathlon and triathlon races over the years, her most recent podium finish was at Lough Cutra Castle Triathlon Sprint Race in May of this year. 

Away from triathlon, Anna and her husband Máirtín have a busy household with three children, Saoirse, Jude and Annie all under 8 years of age.  Sadly in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, Anna endured profound personal losses and grief, losing her mum to cancer and shortly after baby Joseph was unexpectedly stillborn at 38 weeks, both devastating losses for Anna, Máirtín and their extended families. 

In this episode of the podcast Anna courageously shares her story with us on how she coped with the compounded trauma following the death of her mum and her baby, turning to sport and physical activity as a means of healing and dealing with the grief she experienced. This episode may be triggering for some listeners, but Anna's resilience and story is very powerful and may be of help to others. 

His sporting career as an elite athlete saw him make history when he won Ireland's first sprint Gold Medal in 76 years at the 2005 European Indoor Championships.  He retained that title in 2007 and in 2008 he fulfilled his dream of becoming an Olympian. The following year he competed at the Berlin World Championship finishing 6th in the 400m final, fulfilling another significant goal he had set himself in sport. His successful athletics career was speckled with some disappointment and injury along the way and, when you consider the minute margins between winning a race and not winning over 400m you can only imagine the intense pressure cooker within which athletes at this level perform. 

Wrapping up his career as an elite athlete in 2013, David moved from the bubble of his life as a full time athlete with all the structure, routine and training that his life involved, into the 'real world' and struggled to come to terms with his life beyond sport. He has openly shared his struggles with his mental health and the importance of getting back to sport for him and back to running, to what he really loves.  This October he will take on his second marathon at the Irish Life Dublin City Marathon. 

Winner of Celebrity Masterchef and one of three finalists in RTE's Ultimate Hell Week, the father of three is a two time best selling author who is passionate about sport, food, promoting a healthy body and mind and has become a vocal advocate on mental health. This chat with David is both insightful and enjoyable as he provides a glimpse into his life in the world of sports and beyond.

Taking part in his first marathon in 2015, it wasn't long before the Welshman became captivated with endurance sport, in particular, triathlon and more specifically with IRONMAN. Somewhat cajoled into taking on his first ever IRONMAN, he didn't have far to travel to take on his first full-distance race at IRONMAN Wales in Tenby, which he has gone on to complete five times, first hearing the words Shane Williams You are an IRONMAN, in 2015. 

It may come as a surprise to hear that on an IRONMAN Wales race morning, he is more nervous than lining up to play for Wales in the Principality Stadium. But, the goosebumps and passion he feels as he hears the Welsh National Anthem resound on North Beach in Tenby is one that fills him full of the same pride, excitement, and emotion he had as a professional rugby player and, when the gun goes he is more than ready, willing and able to race. 

A high achiever in sport and competitive by nature, he is as passionate today about triathlon as he was for rugby during his playing days.  Always looking to get the best out of himself and his performance in sport, life, and in business, triathlon has opened up a whole new world for Shane Williams, and in his own words says 'I'm hooked, it makes me feel so good'.

Stepping up to full distance racing at IRONMAN UK in Bolton last year he finished in 4th place on debut at the distance. This year he moves from age group athlete into the professional ranks aiming to debut as a professional athlete at IRONMAN 70.3 Staffordshire in June.  He will continue to work fulltime as an engineer for the foreseeable future whilst he also pursues his passion for sport. 

Prior to racing across the IRONMAN events in the UK last year, Ben had racked up a series of super results in recent years.  In 2021 he was the British Standard Distance Duathlon Champion, Helvellyn Triathlon Winner and Welsh Middle Distance Champion, his success coming on the back of his commitment and dedication to being the best athlete he can possibly be. 

Although he was sporty as a child, as he moved through his teens he left sport behind in favour of time in the virtual world and in his own words became  addicted to gaming.  Enjoying and embracing his gaming a little too much, it was in his final year of university that he ditched the virtual world for reality and has risen steadily in the sport of triathlon.

Coached by Nathan Forde as part of Team NFT, Ben's star continues to rise and I expect we will see a lot more success as Ben navigates through the world of professional sport.  Watch this space!

No stranger to podiums or winning races, Indie is a three-time IRONMAN 70.3 Champion, taking the win in Weymouth in her first outing at middle distance racing in 2018, she went on to defend her title in 2019 after breaking the tape at IRONMAN 70.3 Finland earlier in the season. Since switching her focus from sprint and Olympic distance racing to middle distance racing she has found another gear that has seen her continue to excel as a professional triathlete. Racing her first IRONMAN in Israel last year she finished in sixth place which considering her short turnaround after the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Utah in October was an even more impressive result than at first glance. 

Indie has been immersed in sport from a young age with running most definitely on her radar, her early success in sport saw her move to the US on a college scholarship to pursue her passion for sport. It is triathlon that she has now found as her sport of choice, having raced successfully as an age group and elite athlete, the 2016 European Triathlon Champion has gone from strength to strength as she has journeyed through the sport of triathlon as a professional athlete.

This is a super chat with Indie who shares great insight into her career, her struggle at times with her own self belief and confidence all whilst embracing a career that she simply loves. Indie has an exciting future in sport ahead of her, watch this space as she continues to rise to achieve her goals in life and sport. 

Not shy of taking on a challenging race he has completed multiple extreme events including  the Celtman on three occasions,  he finished with a black jersey in the Norseman and has also taken part in The Brutal Xtreme Triathlons. 

Paddy has completed over 20 full distance triathlons including multiple IRONMAN events, was the winner of the Irish Double IRONMAN in 2013 and as well as completing four marathons in four days around the Inishowen Peninsula in Donegal, he took part in the first edition of The Race Around Ireland in 2009. 

Sport has been in his life from a young age from karate, kickboxing and rugby to triathlon, he is passionate about sport not only as an athlete himself but in supporting his coached athletes achieve their goals and potential, it is no surprise that he was Triathlon Ireland Coach of the Year in 2015. 

Shying away from the spotlight generally, he is not afraid of pushing himself outside of his comfort zone when it comes to participating in sport himself or setting lofty goals and challenges that push him physically and mentally all the way to the finish line. 

With her appetite for a challenge and travel, she took up triathlon just before she turned 40 and has raced at five IRONMAN events and a multitude of middle distance races since then. She makes a conscious effort to rarely return to the same place for a race, always seeking new locations to explore and enjoy. She recently raced at IRONMAN 70.3 Oman, finishing third in her age group stamping her ticket to race at the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Finland in August of this year. 

Triathlon and indeed cycling is a huge part of her life, the friends she has amassed over the years through sport becoming her tribe and a very important ingredient in her success in sport and beyond.  With her vibrant, energetic personality and can-do attitude you cannot but be motivated to keep moving forward, chasing and achieving goals when in Tricia's company. 

This is a great episode of the podcast, slightly different to many of our other episodes but the perfect guest choice to celebrate International Women's Day

He has had huge success in the sport and his star continues to rise as he performs intricate, technical and fast paced routines on the pommel horse.  With a trophy cabinet bursting at the seams he was Ireland's first gymnast to win medals at European and World level and to reach an Olympic final. 

Some of his key achievements include; becoming World Champion on the pommel horse and winning a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games last year.  In 2021 he competed in his first Olympic Games in Tokyo finishing seventh in the final. Prior to that Rhys has won bronze in the World Championships in Germany and won Gold at the World Cup in Slovenia in 2019. In 2018 he became European Champion and Commonwealth Champion.  In 2016 as a junior gymnast he won the first European Championship medal in history for Ireland, taking silver on the pommel horse at the Junior European Gymnastics Championship.

Based in Dublin, Rhys along with his coach Luke Carson, have one golden goal in mind over the coming months, that is winning gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.  At 24 years old Rhys is determined, committed and dedicated to his craft, his love of gymnastics and passion for success driving him to strive every single day to be the best gymnast he can possibly be. 

In addition to her Ultra Running success, Caitriona has also racked up wins and podium finishes at the marathon distance, breaking the tape at the 2022 Great Limerick Run she also finished third at the Hong Kong Marathon in 2021 and has over the years secured multiple national titles across a range of running distances. 

By her own self-admission, it took Caitriona a long time to get over her performance in London, where she endured a stress fracture during the race, despite the injury it is no doubt her grit, determination and inner drive to succeed saw her cross the finish line on the day.  Her finish time was far from where she had hoped or expected, but it's that steely determination, unwavering focus and commitment to her craft that has seen her take ultra running in her stride and deliver results that 10 years ago she couldn't even have imagined.  This is a super episode of the podcast with a shining star that I have no doubt will continue to excel for many years in the sport she loves. 

The mum of two now back home in Kerry after a decade of living in Meath lives in the foothills of the Kerry Way, the perfect training ground for the athlete who loves to push the boundaries of her comfort zone and relishes the opportunity to compete at the best of her ability. At the time the podcast was being recorded the Art O'Neill Challenge was on the horizon, Ellen went on to win the 2023 edition of the arduous running and hiking challenge defending her 2022 title in style, kick-starting her season this year on the top of the podium! 

With an appetite for adventure and success in sport and in life, a steely determination and herself confessed stubbornness, I expect we will see many more podiums and wins for Ellen Vitting in the future! 

The sisters have a form of albinism which affects their vision but does not affect their commitment or dedication to their chosen sport. Taking up triathlon only a few years ago they have gone from strength to strength. Having participated in sport from a young age in Karate and then in para-rowing whilst at University, the sisters have found their forever sport in para-triathlon and are giving it everything so they can to make it to the Paralympics in Paris in 2024. 

They are each other's sisters, best friends, inspirations, advocates and rivals, supporting, encouraging, inspiring and motivating each other to be the best athletes they can be, all whilst providing much inspiration to the people around them as they embark on this exciting journey in sport. This is a great episode and one in which at the end of it you will definitely be inspired to simply give something that may be out of your comfort zone a try. 

With a background in football she took up running in her late teens, excelling in cross country and track running however,  it was an injury to her foot that sidelined her running and saw her take up swimming whilst recovering from that injury.  Dedicated to getting stronger and faster in the water with an unorthodox make-shift swimming pool at home during the pandemic, when the pools reopened and life started to get back to normal, she got picked up by the Triathlon Ireland Talent ID programme and her sporting success continued to flourish. 

An all round high achiever across her studies and sport it is no surprise that Shauna has excelled in triathlon, her success coming on the back of consistent commitment, dedication, drive and discipline in her quest to achieve her goals whether academic or in sport.  

It hasn't been an easy road for the young athlete who has her sights set on achieving significant success in sport in the coming years. In this episode Shauna shares some insight into her life, from the injuries and health battles she has faced and overcome to become the athlete she is today, to the sheer elation of crossing the finish line of a race and everything in between. 

Considering she couldn't swim when she took part in her very first triathlon in 2013, she has come a long way and spent a lot of time in the pool to become competitive in the water, instead of hanging onto the toes in front of her she is regularly the one leading the pack and pushing the pace at the front of the race.

Coached by her partner Dan of Performance Science Ireland, Ciara has embraced sport as a way of life, consistently training and racing to the best of her ability whilst juggling her job as a teacher, her commitment and dedication to her life in sport is quite inspiring. 

In this episode Ciara shares some insight into her life as an athlete, the highs as well as the lows of  training and racing, it's rarely plain sailing in sport and some days simply getting to the finishline of a race is a victory in itself! 

Battling physical and mental struggles with food and her health it is a wonder she is still training and racing, however she simply loves triathlon, it is part of her DNA as is sport. Grit, stubbornness, determination and passion are key attributes required for success in sport and Ailbhe Carroll has all of this in abundance, add in her positive outlook, fun and bubbly personality and it's a great recipe for success. 

This episode provides a powerful insight into her life as an athlete and the struggles she faced with her health both in the past couple of years and also as she recovers from two bike crashes in quick succession in recent weeks which ended her 2022 season prematurely. 

One of the greatest ever triathletes, his softly spoken and gentle manner give no indication of the level of tenacity, commitment and determination it took for him to reach the top of the sport and stay there for many years. From his first professional race in 1995 right through to his retirement in 2014, Craig found another gear, another level and was not afraid to dig deeper and deeper into the hurt locker to succeed in a sport that he is eternally passionate about and grateful for the career and success it has afforded him.   

Now retired from professional sport, he still races, albeit sparingly and maintains a high level of fitness.  In 2019 he won the Australian Long Course Championships aged 46, twenty years after capturing his first National Championship Title. He spends his time with his family, supporting them and many of his children's sporting endeavours as a father and a coach. He is an author, broadcaster and shortly after retirement from professional sport launched his own training, health and lifestyle brand, Sansego which keeps him busy, as well as being an ambassador for a variety events, brands, charitable causes and foundations, his passion for sport knows no bounds. 

This is a super chat with a simply incredible person, the show is longer than normal so maybe fill the kettle rather than just making one cuppa and chill out whilst you are inspired, educated and motivated by one of the all-time greats of triathlon and sport. 

Cherie truly embraces the life of an athlete, living and breathing the sport of triathlon. When she is not training for her own races she is using her passion, dedication and commitment to triathlon to help change the lives of children in inner-city San Bernardino in California. The Exceeding Expectations Foundation which Cherie founded has for 20 years been encouraging at-risk children to move their lives in a positive direction, using the sport of triathlon as the vehicle. 

Cherie is softly spoken, yet her tenacity, courage and determination is stronger than many people half her age. She is a shining star in sport and in life, her age may be slowing her down physically in sport but her appetite for life and for success shows no signs of slowing down. She may have made her final appearance on the finish line in Kona in 2022, but we can expect to see her on plenty more finish lines before she stops racing altogether. This is a truly inspiring episode of the podcast and if you ever thought you couldn't do something or that you are too old to try something new then, Cherie is the epitome of 'you can do anything you set your mind to, you just have to give it a try'. 

Told by doctors he would never walk again the prognosis for Nathan was bleak, he spent over half a year in hospital, 14 weeks of that time in a halo brace.  At times the will to give up was stronger than the will to survive, but somehow he managed to pull himself out of the darkness. Inspired by his wife Catrin, his athletes on Team NFT and the huge outpouring of support received from at home and abroad, Nathan found the courage and strength to fight back, to fight for his life to fight to be the best version of himself for the future whatever that future might hold. 

Fast forward to a little over a year after his accident and Nathan is working hard, extremely hard EVERY Day to make improvements in his mobility, dexterity and  aspects of life that many of us take for granted. His tenacity, fighting spirit and determination have paid off as he is every day defying the odds and is quite literally a miracle man, his athlete mindset driving him forward bit by bit every day. 

This is a fascinating episode of the podcast and may for some be upsetting in parts, Nathan is incredible, there are few words that can do him justice in describing what he has achieved in his fight for his life, he really is a true inspiration. If you would like to support his journey to recovery and help him please check out his go fund me page on the link HERE. 

Taking up triathlon seven years ago or so, he raced IRONMAN UK in 2015, as a 'one and done' but he is far from done! He did take a bit of a break from racing triathlon to focus on cycling in recent years, where he has also had significant success, however, he missed the fun, camaraderie and friendship of training and racing with his friends and teammates at Tri Preston and so has returned to triathlon. With consistency in training some great training partners and steely determination Tom has enjoyed super fast times and significant improvements in performance in recent years. 

2022 was a big year for Tom, despite a late start to his triathlon season, it has been his most successful to date, breaking the tape at IRONMAN 70.3 Cork was the icing on the cake.  In this episode, we get some insight into Tom's approach to training and racing whilst working a forty-hour-a-week job as well as balancing family life with his wife Kerry and two children Evelyn and Sophie – who join us on the show for a couple of minutes. 

Together Tom and Kerry are embracing triathlon as a way of life for their family, Tom may be the athlete standing at the start line of a race but Kerry is a key part of Tom's success and together they enjoy and endure the sport of triathlon and long-distance racing as a team. 

Mike has called thousands of athletes across the finish line across a multitude of triathlon and endurance events around the world over the past 40 years but the four words that mean the most and have inspired athletes around the globe are those sacred ones he says after an athlete completes an IRONMAN of a 3.8k swim, 180k bike ride and 42.2k run - You are An IRONMAN. 

In this episode, Mike gets a lovely surprise to see and hear some familiar faces from his IRONMAN Announcer Ohana (Family) who drop in from around the world to share some memories and stories of fun times with Mike over the years.  Huge thanks to Paul Kaye, Eric Gilsenan, Pete Murray, Whit Raymond, Alain Cyr and Tony Lugo for joining the live show and making it extra special.  

Mike may be hanging up his IRONMAN microphone at the end of this season, but his legacy on the IRONMAN finish line will go on forever. 

All four athletes have been successful in the sport of triathlon from race wins, to overall age group podiums, World Championship qualification and everything in between. Deidre, Ellen, Graham and Enda are all high achievers in sport who have worked hard to get that sporting success whilst holding down full-time jobs and balancing life outside of triathlon, which for many age group athletes is very difficult to achieve. 

This is a great episode of the podcast giving you a flavour of what it takes to not only race well in Cork and beyond but also how to enjoy the experience of stepping up to middle and long-distance triathlon and get the most out of yourself and your performance for a result that you can be proud of regardless of the distance.

Similar to the hills of Donegal, Patricia's training ground; her life before cycling was filled with massive ups and downs, but the biggest uphill battle for her was becoming sober and building a new life from the depths of depression and despair. 

In this episode, Patricia bravely shares some insight into her life, her resilience and courage shining through. The friendship, camaraderie and sense of purpose the whole new world of cycling has given her, it is no surprise that she loves being on her bike and part of such a supportive community, and in her own words, she says 'Cycling Saved My Life '. 

Humble in his approach, taking adversity in his stride, he is one of the good guys and, if you are planning to take on your own adventure or step outside your comfort zone to achieve something you previously thought impossible, then this episode might just be the one to encourage you to go and find your self confidence and belief in yourself that you can do anything you set your mind to. 

Racing her bike as part of the All Human VeloRevolution cycling team since 2020, her cycling trophy cabinet is also bursting at the seams with the Team prize at The 2020 National Cycling Championships.  In 2021 she was second in the Cycling Ireland National Road Series, the Irish National Hill Climb Championships, and took home runner-up in the Best Irish Rider Classification at Rás na mBan.  

Coached by Olympian Gavin Noble of HupHup, a former guest on the show on episode number 50,  Becky is thriving in triathlon and with her spot secured for the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in UTAH in October, her eyes are firmly on a solid performance in the States and similar to her training partner Hilary Hughes, Becky may seek to secure her pro card post World Championships.  An exciting prospect not only for Becky but also for the sport of triathlon in Ireland as these female athletes represent not only themselves, their club and country on the International stage but they provide the inspiration and example for others to follow as they embark on their own personal journeys in sport.  

Becky's passion for life, sport and fun is infectious, her positive outlook and determination to succeed coupled with her desire to never stand still,  has seen her thrive and achieve her sporting goals and ambitions from a young age, and I have no doubt there is a lot more success to come for Becky Woods in the future. Watch this space.

In this episode you will meet our team riders: Emma, Keela, Sharon, Hannah, Dearbhlá, Laura and Grace along with our team managers Alison and Colin who share lots of insight to our weekend of racing from the build-up and training to logistics, fuelling, racing full gas, recovery and of course the craic from the track! 

It was one of the best weekends of the year so far,  as you will hear on the show, the cycling was intense but the laughter and camaraderie was mighty! We had a great weekend of fun, friendship and fast racing. A big shout out to all the riders and crew who support them, to take part in the second edition of Mondello24.  The event this year was just as exciting as the October edition of last year with lots of riders returning to test their metal over 24 hours as a solo or two-person team having participated in larger teams last year, others participated for the first time this year and embraced the challenge that lay ahead! 

Congratulations to everyone who took part in the event with a special mention to the solo riders and especially to the girls racing solo at the event! There was great excitement on and off the track, I was very lucky to experience both sides of the track this year as a rider and as part of the Mondello crew announcing the event and taking over their Instagram for the 24 hours of the event. There was lots of talking and cycling done over the weekend. 

If anyone tuning in to the show is interested in taking part next year please get in touch and we can share more insight and tips on how to enjoy rather than endure this super ultra-cycling event! Well done again to everyone who raced, roll on Mondello24 in 2023!

She took up rowing in 2013, after successfully rowing for a number of years she took a break during her college years and upon her return has once again begun to excel in the sport.  She won a bronze medal at the 2019 World Rowing Championships in Linz, prior to that she finished 6th in the A Final in the World Rowing Cup in 2013 in Eton, she has also won gold at the Henley Women's Regatta and at the Home International Regatta and has also set two world records on ERG, the first in 2015 over 1km the second over 2k in 2021. 

Katie's positive attitude and passion for success sees no stone unturned in the pursuit of her goals in sport and in life. Her determination is fierce and her focus is fixed, there is no stopping her, she is a star on the rise and this Galway girl is going all in on her pursuit of a gold medal at Paris 2024. 

In recent times, Annalise has been tearing up the tarmac, trails and gravel on her bike taking podium spots across a variety of bike races, she is one to watch  as she has already demonstrated a natural talent for cycling, racing and going full gas on two wheels. Her cycling successes include finishing 5th in the National TT Champs in 2021.  She also finished second in the Galway Classic behind Eve McCrystal a few weeks ago and last week was crowned champion of the Orwell Wheelers Women's League. 

Currently studying for an MBA in Trinity, removed from the constraints of life as a full time athlete, Annalise has been embracing her love of sport, adventure, fun and people to the maximum.  Highly competitive in nature, dedicated and committed to her craft, tenacious and ambitious, yet humble in her success, the world is at her fingertips.  In this episode she shares a fascinating insight into her life that will give you plenty of food for thought as you embark on your next challenge or adventure, whatever that may be. 

Coupling her passion for medicine and her love of sport Hilary has been on a journey of juggling time, training and energy in recent years to be the best she can be in both her professional and sporting career. Taking time out from medicine to focus on her sporting career was a big decision and one she didn't take lightly but one that clearly has paid dividends in terms of her racing performance. Her passion for sport is infectious as is her laugh, this episode of the podcast provides a glimpse into Hilary's life as she shares plenty of nuggets of inspiration that are sure to fire up your own passion and energy for your chosen sport. 

We laughed our way through this episode, but behind the laughter and the fun stories, Hilary Hughes is a determined, courageous and spirited athlete who will leave no stone unturned or any preparation to chance as she goes all in to be the best athlete she can be! Watch this space, there's a whole other chapter to be written by Hilary as she embraces her life in sport in the coming years. 

Hampered by a niggling injury over the past few years, the pandemic brought about an opportunity for Mick to step back and take time out to get the strains and at the time an unknown stress fracture healed. He is now getting back into his stride and is on track to being back at full tilt in time for this year's Dublin Marathon in October where he will aim to defend his National Marathon Championship title and go faster than his marathon PB of  2:13:19 set in Dublin in 2019.  

With a young son at home and new arrival due in July, Mick loves spending time outdoors with his family, with his running clients for whom he is a coach, or with his club mates on a run, or more likely competing against them in a race.  The key to his success? Consistency in training, getting the balance right in terms of training, racing, lifestyle and having fun. Mick alongside his coach Dick Hooper work in partnership to deliver the results we consistently see Mick achieve and, although not every race has gone his way, when Mick Clohisey is on the start line of a race you know you are going to see some superb running and a great result. 

He has coached multiple IRONMAN finishers, World Championship qualifiers, race winners, ITU national representatives and some of the most talented age group triathletes across the country.  Dad to 4 children he juggles daily life with his wife Roisin in Newry who is a coach and member of Newry Triathlon Club.  He is the resident coach on the Team RWB Monday night social Zwift spins where we spin away an hour on the turbo every Monday night from 7:30pm. 

In this episode, Oliver shares his journey in sport, his passion for chasing goals himself and supporting his athletes to do the same.  He gives us some top tips for embracing your race, from training and race day prep to getting your fuelling right and the importance of having fun and enjoying the process of getting not only to the race start line but most importantly the finish line. 

It's not just triathlon that James has excelled, his swimming and running results are also very impressive.  From a young age he has shown great depth and power to his performance and ability in sport.  In 2020 he was both the Ulster and Northern Ireland 5k and 10k Champion, which are both impressive in their own right, however it hasn't been plain sailing to the podium for James. Having endured no less than eight, yes eight stress fractures in his foot in recent years it is a wonder he hasn't thrown in the towel on sport or indeed on triathlon, but he continues to remain highly motivated, committed and determined to succeed in the sport that he has in recent years fallen in love with. 

We have seen some great results from James Edgar but I believe the best is yet to come and with the amount of 'hard graft' as he says himself, consistency in his training, his approach to life as an athlete, coupled with his can do and will do attitude, we will see his appetite for success building to deliver many more great days and results across swim, bike and run.

Together Damian and Fergus are a formidable force, focused and determined, they have left no stone unturned in their quest to row home from America.  With one eye on the successful crossing of the ocean the other eye is on a World Record that although hasn't been broken for over 100 years could just be within their reach. Regardless of the record, with a little luck and some kind weather from mother nature, a successful row across the 4937.47km of the North Atlantic will see them enter the ocean rowing history books and they will be the talk of their home town of Galway for many years to come, leaving a lasting legacy for others to follow and be inspired by. 

Alice a former National Irish Road Champion in 2019 and Mia who won Bronze in the Individual pursuit in the U23 European Track Championships in 2020 are part of the Irish Team who claimed a bronze medal in the 4km Women's Team Pursuit at the European Track Cycling Championships in Switzerland last year setting a new National Record in the process along with team mates Kelly Murphy and Emily Kay. 

Currently based in Belgium, Mia and Alice are living, training and racing together as they pursue their passion for cycling and focus on getting to Paris in 2024. The team mates have a friendship and camaraderie that sees them encourage, inspire and support each other to be the best that they can be in sport and in life.  Watch this space! The Irish girls are powering up the pedals to go full gas pursuit of their goals and dreams. 

Other impressive results include Sprint Triathlon National Champion Elite and Junior Women in 2019, she finished 3rd in the Triathlon Ireland Aquathlon National Championships in the same year.  In 2018 she took home the silver medal in the Triathlon Ireland Elite Women's  Sprint Triathlon National Championships and claimed the bronze medal in Bucharest in the ETU Triathlon Junior European Cup. 

Balancing her training, college life and working to support the pursuit of her ambitious sporting goals is almost a full-time job itself, but she has fully committed to chasing her goals and living the lifestyle to support them.  Erin Mc Connell is a dedicated and determined athlete, behind her steely determination is also a desire to have fun and enjoy the process, embracing the opportunity to follow a passion for a sport that she enjoys to the full. Watch this space, Erin, has the world at her feet and is ready to soar and fly the flag for her club and country on the International stage.

From mountain running to adventure racing, marathons to multi-day endurance running events, Eoin Keith has firmly placed himself as a name synonymous with success in endurance sport and a name to be reckoned with.  When you stand on the start line up against Eoin it's not just his fitness, running and endurance ability that you are battling, you are racing against an athlete who tactically and strategically is one of the sharpest on the circuit. His mental resilience, preparation and attention to detail, coupled with his ability to suffer make him the strong and successful athlete he is today. 

This is another great episode of the podcast packed full of insight with a glimpse into what it takes to go to battle on some of the toughest running races in the world and come out on top! 

Starting in the dark at 06:56 on the morning of the 14th January, they made land in Scotland as the Flower of Scotland boomed from the boat after 12:51:35 of swimming. A poignant, emotional and historic moment not only for the swimmers but for their crew on board, on land, their families at home and the many supporters powering every swim stroke with their well wishes and generous donations to the Gavin Glynn Foundation who as of today have generated over €45,000 from the swim which in itself is an incredible achievement.  

This episode is both insightful and entertaining, the positivity, camaraderie and can do attitude of the six swimmers, make it no surprise that they successfully crossed the North Channel in Winter becoming the first team ever to do so. 

Following the disappointment of the cancellation of IRONMAN Cork in 2021 due to Covid19 and on the back of a cancer diagnosis received by his dad last year,  Mark turned his disappointment of the race cancellation to dedication and spurred on by the opportunity to raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society, he set about training for his biggest and most difficult endurance event to date. 

A multiple Dublin Marathon finisher he stepped into the world of triathlon and long distance triathlon when the inaugural IRONMAN Ireland took place in Youghal in 2019.  Bitten by the triathlon bug he had big plans to race the event again along with his fellow tri club members at South Coast Triathlon the following year, but alas it was not meant to be. 

As we all know Youghal and its people embraced IRONMAN in 2019, the spectator support at the event was incredible.  Despite the weather with athletes battling the conditions capturing the hearts of the gathered crowds, the people of Youghal provided the warmest of welcomes on a day where you would have been drier and warmer had you stood in the sea for an hour!

This New Year it was Mark Coady who captured the hearts of the local community with his 24 hour triathlon as people came out to support his efforts.  Battling horrendously wet and cold weather conditions his mind and body, although tired, were strong to the end.  Supported by a wonderful crew of family, friends, fellow tri club members and the wider community he completed his challenge with a smile on his face despite what he had just achieved. 

In this episode we catch a glimpse of those 24 hours of swim, bike and run, getting the inside track on the training and preparation required to embark on the challenge with details on how the day unfolded as Mark went all in to deliver a very special day not only for himself and his family but for the people of Youghal. 

In 2015 she was the first woman from Europe to complete the 430 mile Yukon Arctic Race by bike.  She has completed adventure races, 24 hour races, obstacle races, relays of many different kinds, 10ks and half marathons since first dipping her toes into the world of endurance sport.  She has also won her age group in the 100m freestyle at the GB Winter Swimming Championships in 2017 and 2018, one of her personal sporting highlights.  With plans to race at the Yukon Arctic again and complete an ice mile she has some big goals on the horizon for 2022. 

But it's not just participating in sport that Pat has embraced, with a very strong faith she has coupled her love of God with her love of sport and has for many years been the woman behind the IRON PRAYER at IRONMAN UK and now she supports numerous events as the chaplin at home and abroad, something that brings her great joy and connection with fellow athletes. 

Pat's fun and unassuming nature shine through in this episode as we talk about some of her adventures in sport. Underneath it all she is a tough cookie with an incredible amount of steely strength and determination. With her own personal battles, she continues to find ways to adapt and endure so she can embrace her love of sport and adventure.  At 65 years of age Pat Cooke -Rogers is not slowing down, she's only getting started!

Since this episode was recorded Nico has been announced as a participant in this year’s Dancing with the Stars in Ireland, swapping his bike for his dancing shoes and lycra for some glitter, getting his retirement from professional cycling off to a dazzling start!

With such a high profile, lots of Nico's life, results and success on the bike has already been documented and aired extensively.  In this episode we take a road slightly less travelled in getting to know Nico whilst also getting an insight into his life both on and off the road.  

After some time he was able to return to the sport he loved and aim for intercounty hurling success once again.  However, it was during this part of his sporting journey that his story takes another twist and despite his aspirations and appetite for sport, an eating disorder that developed over years stopped him in his tracks.  Thankfully Cormac sought help for his illness this year and after some intensive treatment was given the go ahead to take on his mammoth trek from Achill to Athens with his cousin Stephen Ryan and great friend Niall O' Donnell.

In this episode we get an insight into Cormac's life in sport, his honest account of his eating disorder and how it affected him mentally, physically and emotionally in recent years. We also get a glimpse of what life was like on the road for 58 days on the bike, the highs and lows of the journey and what he is most proud of in accomplishing that epic adventure. 

Cormac was part of an RTE documentary two weeks ago called Unspoken where he alongside two others shared their story and battle with an eating disorder, it is well worth checking out if you can.  As mentioned in the podcast Cormac is raising funds for Bodywhys: The Eating Disorders Association of Ireland and Pieta House, you can support his fundraising on the link HERE. I really enjoyed chatting with Cormac and learned a lot from the episode, I hope you do to. I look forward to meeting Cormac in person at some stage and sharing the road with him on a cycling adventure in the future, although maybe not one that lasts for 58 days!

It was a difficult journey physically, emotionally and mentally and despite some of the medical professionals giving him little hope of ever returning to a 'normal life', Robson has defied the odds to pursue his passion for sport and insatiable appetite for life, crossing the finish line of IRONMAN Portugal on Saturday the  23rd of October this year,  2,074 days after his world almost stopped turning.   I met Robson for the first time in Cascais and was fascinated by his story, tenacity and sheer determination to never give up.

Sometimes inspiration can come into your life at the most unusual of times and in an array of situations, and I know, I know it's such a cliché to say but Robson is the epitome of anything is possible and although we only scratch the surface of what his road to recovery was like in this chat, this is a super episode of the podcast.  If you, like me, are fascinated by his story, be sure to check out his 8MM squad on www.8MMSquad.com. 

The catalyst and driving force behind the set up of our Galway Baybes cycling team with myself, Bríd Neachtain and Marie Boyle she has embraced endurance cycling in the past few years and has really focused on going solo and going long since our Race Around Ireland and Donegal Ultra success in 2017 and 2018.  

Balancing her home, work and training life in a busy household, to get to the startline in great shape was as much a challenge as getting around the 24 hour race.  But, her meticulous planning, dedication and focus on her goal along with the unrelenting support of her husband Noel, her sons Cormac, Dylan and Jack along with her colleagues at Fat Tony's and fellow Galway Tri Club members saw her in the shape of her life to fly solo in Mondello and successfully soar to be crowned the queen of the track. 

Rounding up her experienced crew of Padraic Benson, Pat Dirrane, Damien Moloney, Brid Neachtain and myself she was in great hands for her first solo adventure and we had plenty of fun during the Mondello 24 Cycle. I know that we are all incredibly proud of what Karen has achieved and are looking forward to finally getting together to celebrate her success. 

Some of her key results this year include; triathlon wins in Sligo, Rosslare & Ballyhass, finishing within the top 10 male standings in all races.  She took Silver in the National Elite Sprint Championship and Bronze in the National Elite Olympic Distance Championships, as well as winning the aforementioned King of Greystones Triathlon. 

Last year as she returned to racing post-illness, she had success on the bike and the running track.  Taking to ZWIFT she competed in Cycling Irelands' first-ever national ZWIFT league,  won numerous races in the league and held the women's jersey for multiple weeks. She also competed in Cycling Ireland road races taking wins at Knockaderry and Corkagh Park. She competed in the Athletics Ireland Track Nationals last year in the 5km placing in the top 15 in the country.  Rounding off her 2020 season she raced her first international race in Germany for Team Hagen in the Bundesliga Elite Triathlon league where she placed 35th overall. 

With big goals and aspirations for the future both in sport and with her medical career, the future is bright and busy for Shannon Kelly, with a strong belief in working hard and reaping the rewards of that hard work she is fully committed to achieving those goals and in her own words she says ' I go get it, I love racing, I love triathlon, I love sport' 

With a 2nd & 3rd place in both the Full and Ultra events at Race Around Ireland, he has his target set to make it to the top step of the podium in the Ultra race in 2022 after what might be considered a breakthrough season this year. 

Crippled with stomach issues and a knee that gives him plenty of bother whilst racing, that has both, in turn, affected his performances over the years, he has through the intervention and guidance of performance nutritionist Jillian Mooney found some relief for his stomach issues that have seen him perform at the level this season that he knew he was capable of.  This Summer, Seán won the Donegal Atlantic Way Ultra 555k Unsupported Race and the TJB Coastal 330 mile race before going on to set a new record for the 571k route from Mizen Head to Malin Head in a time of 17:20. That's an average of 33kph over the distance which included around 4,500m of climbing. 

With his eyes on the prize of the top step on the podium in the Race Around Ireland Ultra in 2022, a possible faster record attempt for that Mizen to Malin Route and the expected arrival of a new addition to the Hernon household early next year, there are exciting things to come for the man referred to fondly as the 'Bear' Hernon. 

For now, she is focusing on triathlon as her chosen sport with her eyes firmly focused on being the best she can be, with a desire to train, race and represent her country at the highest level. This is a great chat with Maeve who at such a young age is an inspiration not only to her own age group, but also to those of us who are older than her and to those who may follow in her footsteps for years to come. 

The vivacious 28 year old has her eyes firmly on the World Championship prize and with the IRONMAN 70.3 Worlds taking place in St. George Utah this month, the podium is within touching distance for the steely determined athlete. Salthouse by name and salt of the earth by nature, the future is bright for this sparkling athlete. 

She has had her fair share of injuries over the years but through her infectious positivity, commitment to her craft  and her patience she has bounced back to deliver some performances she can be very proud of including her win at IRONMAN 70.3 Barcelona just one week after a bike crash in France which resulted in a DNF and stitches. 

With an abundance of drive and determination coupled with natural talent and a thirst for success, the quietly spoken athlete lets her ability and performances do the talking.  Still in her twenties, on the cusp of a new decade,  Fenella has lots more fun to have in the sport of triathlon and there are plenty of podiums and medals in her future.

Moving to France with his family as a young child he grew up embedded and engrossed in triathlon as his parents set up Sancture Sportifs Triathlon Training Camps in the South of France. Surrounded by sport, meeting a wide range of athletes from different cultures and backgrounds his passion for triathlon was fuelled and the fire ignited to pursue a life in sport where anything is possible. 

Sam has a drive, focus and commitment to the sport that many of us can be inspired by, he is still very young in age but he is very much dedicated to his craft.  He may have big goals and dreams but I fully expect that those goals and dreams will become a reality and Sam Laidlow is one to watch for the future!

Coupled with the overall wins at Outlaw and IRONMAN 70.3 Staffordshire recently the phoenix is most definitely rising as she embraces her life in sport not only as an athlete but as a business woman and proud owner of Phoenix Evolution Bike Fitting Consultancy. 

He raced The Rás in Ireland 12 times within a 30 year period,  raced abroad for a period of time, holds multiple race titles and coaching accolades, is a race director for triathlon and cycling events and has recently completed an off road Everesting Challenge on the side of Croagh Patrick with some fellow cycling enthusiasts in Mayo. In addition to this he won Gaelforce in 2010 and was the All Ireland adventure race champion in 2011, the list of accolades and achievements are vast and diverse, his versatility as an athlete evident in his success in sport. 

In some ways, the bigger and more obscure the challenge the greater the excitement for Padraig, however in 2014, Padraig faced his biggest challenge of them all.. a fight for life.  Thankfully he has come out the other side of this challenge and continues to inspire, encourage and motivate the people around him and beyond, young and old to enjoy the life long skill of cycling and all its joys and jubilations. 

Brian gives us some insight in this episode to his journey in sport, from his days as a footballer to a keen marathon runner before taking up triathlon and excelling in the sport. It hasn't been plain sailing for Brian to get to where he is today but with courage and commitment he has embraced the opportunity to be the best athlete he can be all whilst balancing a busy work and home life, in his own words ' exercise is my drug' 

As an age group triathlete she quickly excelled in the sport winning the 25-29 Age Group at the 2014 World Triathlon Championships in Kitzbuhel Austria.  Stepping into the world of professional racing she claimed her first title at IM 70.3 Buenos Aires in 2016 and also finished on the podium at IM 70.3 Staffordshire and IM 70.3 Sweden in the same year.  

Since then she has been on the podium at a variety of IM 70.3 races, raced multiple full distance races including the IRONMAN World Championships in 2019 where she finished 26th. She has already stamped her ticket for the IM 70.3 Worlds in Utah this year and for Kona, so there are an exciting few months ahead for the Norfolk based athlete.  

Already in 2021 Kim has claimed silver in the National TT Circuit Championships in the UK, in addition to this she had a 5th place finish at IM 70.3 Texas and an 8th place at IM Tulsa and also finished 5th at the Lake Dorney Triathlon last weekend in a stacked field featuring some of the UK's top female professional triathletes. 

Kimberley's sporting success continues to rise, with her positive attitude, great perspective, tenacity and passionate focus on being the best athlete she can be, I expect we will see her on many a podium over the years to come with a number of bike and race course records added to her name in the process. 

He embraced running with Alanna and now has pushed beyond what he ever thought possible by taking on some mammoth Ultra Running Events.  It wasn't an easy road to running success for Keith in fact he hit rock bottom after Alanna passed away before he began to pick up the pieces of his life again and realise that he had a reason to not only survive but to thrive. Running is his recovery and his therapy on a road that has hit some heart breaking obstacles and challenges. 

But Keith is not afraid of these obstacles he now faces as a runner, in fact he embraces them, the bigger and tougher the better for the man from Navan who was a participant in RTE's Special Forces - Ultimate Hell Week in 2019,  he has his eyes set on success at the Marathon Des Sables in the future and Big's Backyard Last One Standing World Final in Tennessee this October, just don't ask him to get back on a rowing machine anytime soon! 

Coming home to Ireland, she took time to recover, rebuild and reignite a love of running. A New Year's resolution to run the Cork City Marathon in 2015 paved the way for her to commence her marathon running journey which has seen her return to the top step of the podium and build on her achievements in running. With some key race successes, coupled with changes to her career and her training in recent years,  Aoife Cooke has run her way into the history books and has ambitious and exciting plans to excel even further in her chosen sport of marathon running. 

This was a fun chat with Aoife, her humility and positivity shines through in this episode, we get some incredible insight to her journey in sport and once again are reminded that our dreams and goals are never too far out of reach with courage, commitment and a desire to succeed. 

It hasn't been an easy road for Ger at times with some DNF's at a number of races early in his endurance racing journey, but rather than knock him down, he tuned his mindset to the idea that 'failure is feedback,'  These disappointments he endured in sport,  they drove him forward, to strive for more from himself mentally and physically, building confidence, resilience and a determination to succeed that is iron clad. 

In 2018 Hannah was electrocuted in a freak accident whilst out training on her bike, resulting in life-changing injuries that have curbed her life professionally and in sport. However, just like every obstacle she has faced in achieving success as an explorer, adventurer and athlete, Hannah’s courage, determination and positive attitude are strong armoury in conquering this mountain in life she is currently ascending in returning to full health.

She has won multiple national titles in triathlon across all the distances is a five-time duathlon National Champion, at one stage she was National Duathlon Champion, Sprint, Olympic and Middle Distance Triathlon Champion at the same time.  Heather continued to race nationally in cycling whilst successfully competing at triathlon, she was part of the winning county team in Ras Na mBan a few days after winning the Middle Distance National Championship at the Lost Sheep Triathlon in 2016.

Married to Desi with almost 8-year-old twins Grace and Oliver, Heather maximises her time to try and strike a healthy balance across all areas of her life in a busy household.  By profession, she is a hospital pharmacist and has raced internationally whilst continuing to work, and produced some of her best performances since the twins came along.  Heather is not afraid to work and race hard, with some gutsy performances, lots of grit, determination, natural talent and strong work ethic, her results in endurance sport speak for themselves.

She loves swimming and loves ice swimming even more, her immersion in cold icy water is her sanctuary from daily life.  Ice swimming coupled with the social aspect of swimming has had a huge impact on her life, resulting in a whole new world of adventure and exceptional achievements.  Cath’s passion for her sport is infectious, the vivid description of her adventure in Antarctica is fascinating, she may hate cold showers but pop her in an ice bath and she is a magnificent mermaid and incredible advocate for going after your goals with perseverance and dedication.  

Studying Sports Marketing at University set him up for life during and after elite sport going down the road of working in sponsorship for a few years in the States before returning home to work in an agency in Dublin and now as part of Team Ireland and HupHup. 

Before retirement as an athlete, Gavin had a stellar career in a sport he is extremely passionate about. In fact even though he has retired as an elite athlete, he lives and breathes the sport through his athletes.  He brings his passion, experience and self confessed competitiveness to the next generation of athletes chasing goals, dreams and podiums. In the most recent full season of racing in 2019 some of the HupHup coached athletes results speak for themselves. 

Having raced at the highest level in the sport of triathlon Gavin is utilising his experience to bring the best out of not only his coached athletes but also to ensure the Olympic Experience for Team Ireland Athletes is the best it can be. There is enough material is this episode to have two shows, but as Gavin has promised to do a follow up for the 100th episode this is going out as one show. 

In this episode, Daire candidly chats about the highs and lows of life on the road. The impact and importance of your environment and its effect on your physical and mental wellbeing. Returning home to Roscommon in 2020 Daire is now flourishing as a rider and is enjoying his role as a coach. He has gained much as the recipient of a hoard of advice from mentors and his support circle over the years that giving back to the sport and connecting with people as a coach is something he is embracing at full speed. 

The journey to his success has been peppered with some disappointments along the way. But rather than throw in the towel, Joe has continued to embrace his passion for professional sport and chase his triathlon and cycling goals all whilst having fun and showing great resilience and determination in chasing that top step of the podium in sport. Joe Skipper is not your average Joe, and certainly not another average Joe, he is dedicated, committed and more resilient than most, with many more great performances to come, watch this space because Skipper is reaching for the stars in sport and they are certainly within reach. 

She took the plunge to the professional ranks in 2016 and has enjoyed much success against some of the best athletes in the world.  2019 was a superb year for Annah, winning the IM 70.3 South Africa and taking 3rd place at IRONMAN South Africa later in the year, which secured her place to race in Kona as a professional athlete. Annah finished in the top 20 at the Ironman World Championships in 2019 which was the highest position of the female South African athlete on the day something that she is immensely proud of. 

Annah’s success comes off the back of managing a busy life in finance and in sport, finding the balance to both is key to her success. She is by her own admission disciplined, but she is also determined and dedicated to both of her careers.  Her positivity and resilience in the face of adversity coupled with her passion to succeed and be the very best she can be, sees her live her life with gratitude and humility for the opportunities she has both forged for herself and been given in life. 

Having taken up triathlon in 2012 she spent some time on the ITU circuit before making a move to longer distance racing. She has worked hard to get where she is today but she has made the sport her own, embracing and adapting quickly to the triathlon lifestyle and although running is still her favourite discipline when added to her swim and bike she is a force to be reckoned with.  Some of her notable achievements include being a Double World Champion in Duathlon, she also has a World Aquathlon Title, she finished second in the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in 2017 which saw her make her mark at the distance whilst the world was watching. 

Since then she has podiumed in countless triathlon races at a variety of distances across the world including a 3rd place spot at IM Austria in 2018 where she stamped her ticket to race in Kona.  In 2019 she had a podiumed packed season and in early 2020 she finished IM 70.3 South Africa in second place. Last year was not the season she was expecting but making the most of her opportunities she packed a punch at all her racing efforts in the virtual world and in real life. 

Michelle raced at all distances of triathlon as a successful age group athlete and in 2019 dipped her toes into the world of being a professional triathlete, racing at IRONMAN Ireland was a very proud day for her and her family when mental grit, digging deep and sheer determination saw her finish as 4th professional female on the day. 

Ready to embrace this whole new world of being a professional athlete in 2020, it was not to be due to Covid19 and instead of training and racing her way through the year and around the world she is embarking on an adventure of a different nature with the birth of her baby due early in 2021. 

Her passion for life, resilience in the face of adversity and her ability to face a challenge head on is both inspiring and uplifting. Life dealt Nikki some difficult circumstances and challenges at a young age but she has embraced those challenges, risen above them and now empowers others to do the same. As a motivational speaker and advocate for following a passion for sport, adventure and the outdoors, she has coupled this interest with her profession in her current role as The Ulster Development Officer with Triathlon Ireland.

She has been the IISA Ireland chairperson since 2018 and firmly believes in the importance of giving back to her sport and her community.  Her vivid description of her swimming adventures and her infectious lust for the water is fascinating. She does say that her number one reason for swimming is so that she can eat more cake but there’s a lot more to it than that, the community and people she has surrounded herself with have helped her to not only believe in herself but also helped her to continue to strive for success in swimming every day.

Gerard Turbitt has also risen to the top step of the podium in triathlon in recent years, now aged 67 he is as focused and ambitious in sport as any man or woman half his age. Last year, Gerard also raced at the IRONMAN World Championships in Kona. Narrowly missing his slot in Lanzarote in 2018 he raced IRONMAN Wales a few months later, just a week after racing the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in South Africa. In Wales 2018 he won his age group to secure his place for the Big Island in 2019 finishing 8thon the day. 

Both June and Ger are multiple Triathlon Ireland Age Group Champions across a variety of distances, they are humble, proud and passionate about a sport that has given them so much and is proof that age is just a number, it’s how you choose to embrace your life regardless of age that makes the difference, they epitomise the idea that growing older is not a barrier to enjoying a successful and happy life of sport and triathlon.

Mark shares lots of insight into his fascinating journey in sport, but I think more importantly he shares insight into the mindset of a champion with lots of nuggets of advice and practical lessons that we can all take away and use in our daily lives regardless of our sporting aspirations and goals, and now more than ever we can all do with an injection of inspiration that we can use daily to keep us both motivated and mindful in these turbulent times. 

Pauline Murray from Galway Triathlon Club who took up running in her mid 30’s, last Saturday completed a 50k run to celebrate her 50th birthday. I chatted with Pauline about the run, her training, her running buddies 'The Dangan Girls’ her move from running to triathlon and how joining Galway Triathlon Club has led to her living a life she would never have considered 20 years ago. With marathons, triathlons and long-distance swimming in her sporting CV and now a 50k run under her belt, her can do and will do positive attitude shine clearly throughout in this episode. 

Both of my guests give us an insight into their journey’s in sport, what it means to them to have an active lifestyle and what drives and motivates them to pursue their passion for the outdoors and sport. 

With a keen interest in exploration and experiencing new cultures and places, she has travelled the world and participated in some great races.  From the World's Toughest Race - Eco Challenge Fiji to the Marathon De Sable, The Maya Mountain Challenge - Belize Adventure Race and Slovenia Adventure Race. Closer to home she has tackled the Race in Donegal, The Beast Adventure Race and Coast to Coast Ireland, no mean feat by any stretch of the imagination.  Added to this impressive list her ultra-distance cycling and trail running success is also hugely impressive, her trophy and medal haul is hugely inspiring.

In this episode we get an insight into Rachel’s training for the TransAtlantic Way, we hear some funny stories from her recent epic adventures at home and abroad and, we also get a snippet into the mindset of an athlete who’s positivity is endless. Although we didn’t discuss this in the show it is incredible to think that when Rachel took part in the OCC in Chamonix a number of years ago, she ended up in a coma for over 40 hours after suffering from hyponatremia, luckily she woke up without suffering any brain damage. Rachel's energy, passion and commitment to her office outdoors and to her life of adventure is evident right from the start of our chat on the show. 

Her sporting CV is a lengthy one some highlights of her success include; representing Australia at the ITU Triathlon World Championships from 2001-2005, earning silver medals in 2002 & 2003 before stepping up to long-distance racing. She won the Nice Long Course Triathlon in 2004, was second at the ITU Long Course World Championship in 2005, finished third at the IM 70.3 World Championships in 2006 before claiming the world title at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in 2007. She has clocked up over 50 wins at major races across the world during her career to date. 

Married to fellow World Champion triathlete, Timothy O’Donnell they welcomed Izzy to the family 3 years ago and are expecting baby number two at the very end of this year. They along with Izzy announced this news on the Tim and Rinny show much to the delight of their followers and were also appointed global brand ambassadors for Aqua Sphere in recent weeks. 

Despite the lack of races now taking place due to the global pandemic, Rinny is as focused as ever, we shoot the breeze in this episode, chatting about her career in sport, juggling training, racing and motherhood all whilst tenaciously and passionately chasing her dreams and goals.

The ETU Elite Middle Distance Champion of 2019 added a British National Cycling title to her trophy cabinet last week winning the 100 mile TT in a time of 3:55:22. 

With a positive can-do attitude, her passion for her profession as both an athlete and physiotherapist shine through in this episode. She has set some lofty goals for herself in the past and exceeded them, her goals for 2021 and beyond are well within her reach, we can expect to see a lot more from Katrina Matthews in the future. 

There were murmurs after the first record that maybe there was more in the tank, that he could go faster and possibly set a new world record.  He quietly went about his business in the intervening weeks, reviewing his performance, his bike, the route and made some changes to seek out those marginal gains that would see him set a new Everesting World record in a time of 7:04:41, almost 23 minutes faster than Alberto Contador’s time of 7:27:20 which was set just three weeks earlier.  

We chat about that World Record and about his life on two wheels from the early days of cycling after school to his time as a professional rider. He has raced with some of the best riders in the world on the professional scene represented club, county and country on his bike for numerous years.  

 Returning home after his professional career he has taken the domestic scene by storm with many podiums and race wins to his name including a double Shay Elliott win in 2018 and 2019, his plans for a three in a row scuppered by Covid 19. He has also won the Donegal Ultra 555 twice and has set his sights on winning this year's race and breaking the course record in the process. 

This is a great chat with an athlete who leaves no stone unturned in his race preparation and training, at all times seeking out the best performance from himself and his equipment with meticulous planning and number crunching, passionate, dedicated and committed are just some of the words we can use to describe the man from Donegal who now sits at the top of the World. 

In 2018 Joe returned to and won Race Around Ireland covering 2,200 kilometres in 104 hours and 3 mins, with just 3.5 hours sleep. He beat some of the world’s toughest competitors in what is considered one of the most intense races on the world circuit. 

In 2019 Joe won his age category in Race Across America the nonstop 3,070-mile race from the west coast of America to the east coast.  It is considered the toughest race in endurance. Joe is the only Irish rider to have finished RAAM twice.  

Russell has been training and racing all over the globe in pursuit of an Olympic dream. With multiple podiums and top finishes in races across the world, significant results include the joint highest WTS finish by an Irish male when he finished 10th in Leeds in 2016, he achieved the highest WTS Grand Final finish by an Irish male when he finished in 15th place at Rotterdam Grand Final in 2017 and then went on to claim the silver medal at the Karlovy Vary World Cup in 2018.   The two time Commonwealth Games athlete gives us an insight into his life on the road pursuing his passion for his chosen sport in this episode.  

Injuring his collarbone whilst in the USA just before Covid19 restrictions came into effect in Ireland, the injury was undoubtedly a setback to his training, but if it was to happen, it happened at the best time as the world almost stopped turning and he could focus on recovery and rest for body and mind without the pressure of chasing precious Olympic qualification points.  

Spending time at home in Ireland over the past few months was not something he expected to happen when setting out his plans for this year, but he has embraced the return home, his recovery and his return to training on the local roads at home in Banbridge. 

Deciding to turn his life around shortly after his release from prison, the passion he had as a child for sport was reignited when he supported a friend taking part in an IRONMAN.  That coupled with the tragic death of another friend was pivotal to his decision to change the course of not only his own life but that of his five children.  In less than two years of making the decision to leave a life of crime behind,  Ger had achieved his lofty goal of becoming a professional triathlete with a sub 9:30 IRONMAN finish and has raced multiple IRONMAN events including Maastricht, Lanzarote, Wales, Cork and Barcelona. 

Ger’s story is one that will have you on the edge of your seat as he brings us through his life and how he will stop at nothing to achieve his goals sporting or otherwise. He does not, by his own admission ‘Do Excuses’ believing that no matter where you come from or your circumstances, through hard work and consistency you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

She was part of the Cycling Ireland National Track programme for 18 months, moving to Mallorca for a period to train with the team and try her hand at team pursuit. However, in 2018 she decided to switch to road cycling moving to Belgium to pursue her passion for sport and master her craft. 

We get an insight into her life during COVID at home in Co. Clare, some tips on taking the fear out of bike racing in a bunch and why she simply loves to train and loves the thrill of bike racing. With plenty more miles and races ahead she is one to watch for the future. 

Her journey and success in triathlon has been matched by her success in her career with Lloyds, both of them going hand in hand with many hours of consistent work and dedication. Ruth has excelled as an endurance athlete, with 2019 being one of her biggest years in the sport and also a roller coaster of a year with injury lows, racing highs and big life changes and decisions. None the less Ruth encapsulates the epitome of working hard to chase big goals.  Committed, dedicated and passionate about her sport there is no stopping Ruth Astle and I think we can undoubtedly expect to see her breaking the tape and topping the podium of races as a professional athlete for many years to come. 

With a strong sense of purpose and a passion for adventure that has seen him travel the world his story is one that should help to lift you up, motivate you and encourage you to believe that you can be anything and achieve anything you want in life. 

In this episode we find out how working with her coach Cam, reconstructing her swim and keeping her support team tight have played a pivotal role in her sporting success at IRONMAN, added to her dedication, tenacity and commitment to her craft as well as her joy of triathlon has seen her on a sporting journey that many of us will only ever dream of!  

Playing football with Leeds United, Dundalk and Newry City to name a few he moved into cycling after some time and effort spent running the roads around Dundalk. As a cyclist, he clocked up some great results at the Des Hanlon Memorial, Ras Mumhan, the Tour of Ulster and in 2016 was second in stage two of the Ras which was an incredible achievement and testament to his work rate and consistency as and athlete. In the same year he also raced at the IRONMAN World Championships in Kona. 

Switching in and out of the professional ranks of triathlon in recent years, supporting his family business, his wife Karen and children Rían and Eire he is now racing as a professional triathlete and brings us in this episode through some key insights to his success, the highs and lows of racing and how he aspires to be the best athlete that he can possibly be. 

An incredibly determined, passionate and dedicated athlete and oncologist it is no surprise she has been successful at every turn.  Her mindset and focus is strong, in fact she credits much of her success to her mindset. But, she is also a very talented athlete and very much enjoys the sport of triathlon. With a spirit of adventure she wants to have fun with what she does in sport and with that smile and positive attitude she has captured the hearts of many with her #doingalucy dancing, smiling and celebrating in style down the finish line of many a race.

However, with a number of bumps in the road towards qualification it wasn’t a smooth ride all the way, but he made it. In 2017 he raced at the IRONMAN World Championships, IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships and Challenge The Championships in the same year. 

Injury has set his plans to become a professional triathlete on the back burner for the moment but that has not stopped him from pursuing his passion for triathlon and helping others in the process. 

Setting aside his plan to be a physiotherapist, he has set up a coaching business and WattsUp Studio providing support, motivation and encouragement to others in achieving their own sporting goals. 

The rugby star turned swimmer in recent years was the first person to swim in swimming togs the 38km of Lough Derg solo in 2014 before going on to swim the 21 miles across the English Channel solo from England to France, also in swimming togs. 

She swam the Straits of Gibraltar in swimming togs in September of last year, was inducted into the UL Sports Hall of Fame in 2018 and was recently awarded the ILDSA Paraic Casey Munster Swimmer of the Year 2019 sponsored by John Edwards at Wild Water Adventures Tralee. 

This episode of the show is filled with positivity and inspiration, if also tinged with a little bit of sadness, but it is jam-packed with inspiration, practical positivity and a few hearty laughs along the way.

In this episode we chat about their background in sport, how they came together as a team, their success as a duo and we also get an insight into the commitment, passion and dedication they have, not only to their sport but their individual roles as part of this dynamic duo as they chase their goals with a clear, focused and very resilient attitude. 

Lizzie is a busy mum of 3 young children and runs for fun, as she says herself. In this episode we get a glimpse into her life before sport, her support networks who have helped to shape her success and hear how one pivotal conversation led to her life-changing decision to pursue some lofty sporting goals and make them a reality. 

We are joined on the show by Eamonn and Dave Tilley who give us an insight into the role of a guide with the paratriathlon team and some snippets of insight into the history of triathlon in Ireland. Marc O'Dwyer also joins us, hosting the episode in his offices of the Big Red Cloud in Dublin, he is one of Donnacha’s proud sponsors and like the rest of us inspired by Donnacha’s resilience, determination and sporting success to date. 

Sarah Hartmann has coupled her passion for helping others with her love of triathlon and has paved her way to the role of Executive Director of the IRONMAN Foundation spearheading the delivery of a multitude of programmes in communities across the world from the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Women For Tri movement to name just a few, she has completely changed her career moving from technology to triathlon. 

Triny Willerton is an athlete and an advocate for triathletes worldwide aiming to make the roads safer for all of us who use it.   Following a serious collision with a truck in 2018 she is campaigning to change laws and create awareness of the vulnerability of cyclists on the road through her #itcouldbeme movement. The softly spoken athlete has tenacious plans to bring her campaign far beyond the reach of the US. 

Aaron, the younger brother of the two is currently studying in the University of Limerick, he has transitioned from running to triathlon, turned his hand to professional cycling and has come full circle to return to triathlon. He is the 2019 Triathlon Ireland BMW National Series Champion and the Junior Elite National Champion and continues to race as a cyclist domestically. 

I also chatted with Gordon Harold, who tells us about some of the plans for 2020 for KBC Dublin Marathon to focus and support mental health initiatives and managed to grab a few minutes with Frank Greally on the stage who talks about his passion projects across running, music and poetry.  

I had a the pleasure of meeting Paul Moran who is the new chairperson of the marathon committee, he took some time out to talk about his role in this anniversary year and the importance of volunteers to the event, and speaking of volunteers, I bumped into Ann & Amelia from Waterstown Warriors who were volunteering on the Friday of the Expo and had a busy few days ahead and finally I have a quick chat with Declan Byrne Regional Director of IRONMAN UK and Ireland about his ambitions for his race day Sunday. 

Setting big scary goals and devising his own training plans to complete them, there are some fabulous insights into how his mindset, determination, resilience and attitude have been central to his success an athlete and adventurer.  

Amongst her string of racing successes, she is a three-time IM Australia Champion after taking the title once again in May of this year.  She was looking forward to another busy season of racing before disaster struck this Summer when she came off her bike fracturing her collar bone. She has spent the past few months recovering from the injury and getting back into training and racing. 

Her first race post-injury was IM 70.3 Dun Laoghaire in August where she finished in 5th place, she took on and tamed the dragon in Tenby finishing in 3rd place at IRONMAN Wales this year. 

The episode gives some great insight into Nikki’s life, the high’s the low’s, the pressure to perform and the consistency, confidence and determination it takes to make it to the top step of the podium as a professional female athlete. 

Fergal is also a proud Galwegian and one of the founding members of Atlantic Masters Swimming Club. He took up swimming at the age of 29 and is proudly supported in his endeavours by his wife Norma and three children Ella, Jack & Saoirse. Although Fergal couldn’t swim back then he stubbornly battled through many a swim lesson so that he could earn a PADI diving qualification.  His swimming career and success was built on the back of this initial interest in diving, he now has numerous long distance swimming and ice swimming events under his belt with big plans for the future. 

Both swimmers provide fantastic insight, information and inspiration in this episode in telling their personal story of how they conquered the Channel. 

In this episode we delve into his adventure across America, the planning, training, logistics and his life on the road during the American tour. We chat about the highs, the lows and the inspiration to keep pushing his limits in moving towards the end goal of reaching Brooklyn Bridge within 36 days. 

We chat about all things triathlon from training to racing and everything in between. His passion and drive for success is second to none, with his high standards across performance in training and racing he believes he has plenty of results yet to come as he seeks out his best ever race performance. 

Ray is not only a runner he is also the founder of Marathon Club Ireland and  RunIreland.com. He is race director to a number of running events including Run Galway Bay, Forest Marathon Connemara 100 and has the license to deliver Tough Mudder Ireland.  We get a flavor of his passion for running and events over the course of this episode. 

An amateur endurance athlete Joanne has raced at all distances and levels of triathlon since dipping her toes into the sport in 2009, she has completed the New York Marathon on two occasions and the 6k Warrior Swim in Sligo.

She is co-founder and captain of the Galway Baybes endurance female cycling team who hold the Irish Record for the 2,250k Race Around Ireland (2017) and the Race Record for the Donegal Ultra 555k (2018). The Galway Baybes won the Outsider Magazine Audience Choice Award in 2018 for their Race Around Ireland performance. 

A keen advocate for Women in Sport and Women in Business Joanne is one of four Global Ambassador’s for the IRONMAN Foundation’s Women for Tri Initiative and is the newly appointed President of the Business and Professional Women’s Club, Galway (2019)  

Joanne has delivered keynote presentations on her role as a female in sport and business to a diverse range of audiences across Galway, she is currently an Ambassador for Windsor Galway Renault.

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