EP70 – CHEATING, APEX ATHLETES & THE BUNNINGS MARATHON

[00:00] In the beginning episode 70 and Courtney, we got to start with the biggest story in sport right now. It's quite huge, Liam. Ski jumpers are putting acid in their genitals. Penis problems? You can't. It's like it's click bait to the Max isn't it? It's just this the article I saw. Ski jumpers injecting acid into penises to gain advantage. How can you not click on that? And you know what, in defensivenews.com that has

[00:31] published this article, often their headlines are pure click bait. They manufacture on the word outrage or even when there's some rain around, it's called a storm cell or a Thunder catastrophe. They do ramp it up to get you to click on an article. This is literal. Let me run you through just the first opening lines of this Ski jumping bosses are tackling a penis enlargement saga which threatens the integrity of the

[01:01] sport ahead of the Winter Olympics in February. Some jumpers are suspected of injecting hyaluronic acid into their genitals in order to get to gain a competitive advantage. Layman's terms. Ski jumpers want to stay in the air as long as possible. They want to act like a sugar glider does when they jump from branch to branch and you see sugar gliders spread their arms out and they have that webbing that comes out here like Red Bull wingsuits. A. 100% they want more surface area, right? That's what it comes down to. And they have gone to the extent

[01:32] where they've tried stuffing the crotch area to extend the suit. So. So they're allowed bigger measurements here, yeah. And now it's gone to the point where the FIS, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, have been made aware that some athletes are injecting this acid into their penises to quote game the system. And then later in the article that says some have been using silicon condoms to manipulate their measurement.

[02:05] There's a couple of questions I want to ask you. These are Olympians, right? This is the top of the sport, and we've got the Winter Olympics coming to Milan next month. Never thought this was a drug problem we'd be having into the Winter Olympics. Let me just take a before we talk about the specifics of it. You went to 2 Olympic Games. Did you ever find yourself? Wanting to inject my penis no. Wouldn't make it. Well that's no useful for triathlon. Wow, you want Lycra?

[02:35] You want a reduced. Drag. If anything you want to take stuff out. No. But did you ever find yourself even just from a contemplating perspective, thinking, are there any corners I could cut? I mean, there's a line, right? There's a legal line and you do everything you possibly can up to that legal. Line OK, that's that was your attitude. That's how you approach attitude. Do you know of anybody in your sport that I don't, I don't wanna say flat out cross the

[03:05] line? I to be? The answer is I don't know. OK, but historically the answer is yes, people did cross the line. And I mean, beyond drugs, yes. Were there other things that happened in your sport that you're aware of or you know, because this is or this is probably drug, this is probably drug cheating, but it's actually more about. If this is technical gaming, this is technical. Yeah. Was there any of that in triathlon? Just trying to think, I mean the

[03:36] only thing I can really think of, and again, it wasn't crossing the line because it was within the rules. When they started doing the real short relays in the Olympic stuff, instead of clipping in shoes, some people would use shoes where they could just get their running shoes on and ride on a flat platform like you would on the old school cycles. So some people, you got a race where some people are riding on flat, flat pedals, right? And other people are effectively going through their normal triathlon. That caused a bit of, and I'm not sure actually not even sure

[04:06] if they've rectified that or they just allow it. But as far as that, I mean, I never saw it. Yeah. But I just look at cycling and you go, you know, if you just got to go to YouTube to look at motorised bikes, magnet, magnetic wheels was, you know, one that was magnetic wheels. Magnetic wheels again, just from my understanding, watching stuff is where, you know, obviously 2 magnets have opposing opposite effect. Yeah. So it creates force by having magnets within the wheel. So that would almost act like a

[04:38] motor and we didn't correct. Yeah, accelerate the wheel. So there, there has been Tor, yeah, there has been torque where suddenly obviously the purpose of having bikes was to get your bike right on the legal limit because there's a weight limit on bikes in at the top level. And then suddenly there were some bikes that were just coming in for no reason heavier, you know, 900 grammes heavier than they could at the time. And I mean, this is all hearsay. No, no, but it's. No one physically got caught with those wheels that I know of.

[05:08] However, if it was happening in cycling, could it have been happening in triathlon? But this is to this point, There's this going back to the ski jumping story, I don't believe there's been any athletes caught doing this. But as you say, it's the hearsay, it's the speculation that this is the extent they're going to. Is there a part of you as an Olympian that sympathises with the attitude? In what way?

[05:38] What do you understand that these are athletes that are so desperate to win and to oh. Yeah, I like, I don't. Sympathise. No. Empathise mate, Do you understand? I understand it right. 100% So the answer to my question your, your original question was there's a line. So if you're not you're gonna do everything in your capacity to maximise your performance.

[06:08] And if in this sport it's like, so this is comparable to a good example in triathlon or cycling is the angle of your aerobars. So over time, remember the Flying Scotsman movie? Yes, behind the back. Fantastic movie for those that are interested. In Graham, Graham Obree I think believe it was Scotsman obviously went to extreme lengths with his position to break the Hour record. It was Graham Obree, Wildman

[06:39] and. I mean, they banned that because of safety. In the end, it's a really dangerous way to ride. But in a similar situation is there was a period where, and this was actually through the funny enough, through the drug period in cycling where Floyd Landis - yes, the one who got done for doping, wasn't he? He was involved in that, yeah, in the whole saga, but he was riding positions where literally he had his. If you think of your two, you know your thumbs nearly into

[07:10] your helmet, right? So the drag your arms are actually creating a drag pattern around your head. OK. Then they made rulings on, no, you have to have your arms at a certain angle, which are flatter, which opens up more of your chest area and body, which obviously isn't as arrow now in triathlon. Again, if you actually look, that was what what Floyd would have been over I think 15 years ago or so. Now, if you look at triathletes right now, they're back riding in that position. Right. The reason is aerodynamics. It's faster and it's more

[07:43] effect, you know, efficient to get through the air in that way. And that's no different to what's happening here. They've got a rule, you know, until they make a rule on it and they go, people are going to try and get around it. This is it's surprising. So the question. You're asking is it illegal? I'm like. Yes, it is. They must be within their rules. You can't manipulate your. So last year, coming up in 2025, five Norwegian jumpers and three staff members were suspended for modifying suits with the sewing machine, and a Slovenian jumper was then excluded from a

[08:15] tournament because his suit was too short. But that's modifying the suit, or you got caught with the suit too short. But this is like before the rule. Here's the rule in place. This is what you've got to make the measurements of and then manipulating. They're using a quicker method to manipulate their body. But I mean, they could, you could go and hang weights on it, mate. And it's I don't know. I do, you know what, I've changed my mind a bit on this. I kind of hope we see it at the

[08:45] Olympics. I kind of hope, I mean, I'm putting, I just put myself in there in a in the position of the commentators for Channel 9, the host broadcaster for the upcoming Winter Olympics. Whoever's doing the ski jumping, I'd love to be speculating it's. Going to be a different commentary this year isn't it? What do you think? All him. Is he's broken the rules or what's he what's his methods? Oh, this.

[09:15] It's a fantastic story. I guess hearing you talk as well. The other thing that I think of listening battles and thinking about all this, it's surprising more athletes don't cheat. Or is it surprising more athletes don't get caught? Cheating. No, that's a That's a good point. It's surprising that, yeah, we don't know who cheats and who doesn't. Ultimately, some get caught, some probably don't. But what I mean is that when you

[09:46] see the extent, when you hear about ski jumpers injecting acid into their genitals. Pretty extreme, isn't it? I mean, so I just looked up that acid you I'm not going to try and. Pronounce it that metal hyaluronic. Supplement for skin and health obviously look it. It is actually designed to deliver ultimate hydration firmness, an anti ageing boost.

[10:18] It's taking all the wrinkles out there smoothly. It's. Pretty much going to be a face cream for most people but they're they're going all right and I this. Will be the new This will be the new Ozempic we're going to. Stay on some fun stuff this morning. Yes, if you haven't heard about Apex athletes, have a listen. 110 bench for 10 reps and a 250 marathon. And ChatGPT reckons only 50 people in the world can do those two things at the same time. And the beauty of this is it's not going to be your

[10:50] Cristiano Ronaldo's or your or your Tom Brady's. It's going to be some farmer in Texas, right, who's like been wrangling cattle his whole life, who's insanely strong, who also loves running. And I came up with a little idea to call them apex athletes. I know it's kind of, I know it's overdone, obviously apex athletes and I want to try and find these 50 people. I so far I don't know anyone that can do both. Where are you placing yourself in this fifty? I'm not in the 50. OK, but your goal is to try and get get to the 50?

[11:20] Yeah, I think I could. I think I could get to the into the 50. Yeah. And before you think this is completely built around me, it's not. It's an egotistical like where the crowd, I can, I can, I can bench 110 for 10 OK. And I reckon I've got a 255 marathon in me. But shaving those 5 minutes is like is months and months of work. For those not aware, this has come out of the Untapped podcast. This is a fella by the name of Spencer Matthews who used to be

[11:52] on and you might not remember the show Made in Chelsea. It was like one of the early. I've heard of it I. Don't it was one of the early kind of fly on the wall follow Kardashians, follow rich people around in London and he was a party boy. He's now reformed. He's a battled addiction and all the rest of that. He now recently just completed, I think it was 7 Iron Man's on 7 continents. He raced in Busselton. He's he's full blown into fitness now and this is his

[12:24] untapped podcast. Let me just say I love this as content. I think this is a grade fitness content. Yep, I love the fact that he's created this so. What what do you these benchmarks like? I mean, because I've got I've got more than just my opinion, I. Guess all I have. Well, you go first. No, because I. Know you go forth like I mean you look at it from your. Perspective back and forth you love it as content. I back and forth yeah. So to talk about it purely as a content play outstanding this

[12:59] this now becomes a series. This now becomes Spencer looking for these athletes and seeing if they can meet the challenge that he has created of the apex athletes. So tick and I'll and I will pay attention to see if people can do it. Now if too many people start doing it, I'll probably drop off my attention of it. That's just where I said. But maybe it holds my attention and I'll watch every time someone attempts it. Is that the plan? Is he looking for people? Yeah, yeah, he genuinely wants to search these people out.

[13:29] Yeah. Can it be done? Is the number that chat cheap ET spat out of 50 people accurate? What's your thoughts? Initially I thought you've completely underestimated how many people could do this 50 Like how many people in the world? 3 billion? Yep, I know you're telling the story here. I think there's, sorry, there's, I've just looked it up. There's 8 billion people in the world. OK, now marathon statistics came

[14:01] out last year. Let's deal with the running side of it. Last year estimated that less than 1% of the global population will run and finish a marathon in their lifetime. So what's 1% of 8 billion? I don't know, I mean, I see it as being, it's more of an elite, not elite. But I mean, we always talk about 3 hours being the running mark of a marathon. Like, yeah, everyone's got that go like runner, if you're a

[14:31] runner, you've always got the goal of going sub three, right? For the, for an amateur runner, that seems to be the point. And then you take, OK, well, you could be 10 minutes quicker than that. So. Is so is 250 an elite marathoner? No. No, I wouldn't say it's an elite marathoner, 1% of 8 billion, we're talking, let's break it down mathematically, 8 billion people on the planet, 1% of them will finish and run a marathon, run and finish a marathon in their lifetime. That's 80 million.

[15:01] OK, Still a lot of people, OK, The reports are the statistics say that two point, let's say 2 1/2% of marathoners will break the three hour barrier. OK, so if there's 80 million people on the planet who run a marathon, 2 1/2 percent of that is do the maths quickly. Two, you're welcome. To send of 80 million is 2 million people.

[15:33] OK, so 2 million people will break 3 will break 3. 2250 is a long way from 3/2. 50 is harder than three. OK, so let's conservatively say that of the 2 million people that can break 3 hours in the marathon. Even go half. Let's say half. Let's say there's a million people every year that can. You've got a million people on the planet right now that can run sub three hour marathon. Yep. Or just to two. 50 Have you got any stats on the lifting? How a. 110 kilos is a lot of weight.

[16:03] What do you bench out of curiosity? I don't know when. Was the last time. Don't. I don't bench. I bench my body weight because I do a push up. Okay, you do a push up. Okay. Actually I did push ups the other day with 15 KG on my back. So there you go. So. But I don't, I haven't I actually would believe I'm never even benched. A study said in the US reveals that less than .5% of Americans can lift 100 kilos. .5% of. Americans .5% of Americans. I think we're talking, OK, I'm going to stop here because we're going down.

[16:33] We're going. I get where you're going by the numbers, by the numbers. So what I'm saying is when you first heard that number of 50 people, I went, oh, there's got to be more than that. Then when you go through the numbers, my point is I think 50 might be right. OK, I have no idea. I think 50 might be. Right, I have no idea, but here's here's what I'll say. I never trust my judgement because I have Jackal knowledge of what it takes. What is it 110? Kilos. 110 kilos. By 10 reps 10 reps Now here's

[17:04] the caveat, because I was reading through the comments. This has to be done at the same time you can't concurrently have been like it's a broken 250 as an elite runner. So this is this is key, yes. You can't have broken 250 as an elite runner and then jacked up for a few years no. And then gone and done this. Is like today you're talking about simultaneously being an incredible aerobic athlete and then having the power to bench press 110 kilos whilst

[17:37] maintaining that aerobic. It's probably. I hate to say it, but we're probably talking about this hybrid range of athletes, right? It's right in their wheelhouse. I have no like to me, a lot of people can break 250 in the marathon. OK. And then I've got no context at all of what it means to lift that. Like 0 context. It means nothing to me, but I got a message from Alex Rigby you mentioned and Alex as you walked in my. Performance boss of the Sydney of the Gold Coast Suns.

[18:07] Of the Gold Coast Suns so every day is a mess. Mind me saying this but he was in he sent me this before you did correct and he's like this or this interest. This is interesting. It is OK if you came from an elite running background. 110 by 10 is super solid now. He went more to say he doesn't think anyone in his list possibly could do that at the moment. So this is the Gold Coast Suns AFL list. He doesn't think anyone on that list could achieve that.

[18:40] Someone. 'S going to go and prove him wrong now, but that just let's take a general point of view of someone who knows he's lifting a lot better than me. I'm going to take his word for it. He's saying I've got got. Well, we know what that list looks like. Some big fellas in there. Well, there's some good runners in there too. There is, but just let's just concentrate on the lifting for the moment. And he's saying, I'm not sure whether anyone in our list can do that lifting. Oh, so he's, oh, he's not even talking about the Apex athlete overall. He's saying straight up, the lifting, the lifting he doesn't think anyone could do.

[19:11] That's how. I'm reading it. We'll yes. Wow. Because I'm now I am thinking about the list and I'm thinking Christian Petracca, I'm thinking Touk Miller, I'm thinking Sam Collins, I'm thinking. Yeah, Wow. OK, I'll, I'm gonna, I'm gonna walk my walk myself back here because I read this was just a message. I read it as that it was the lifting component. So I'm gonna, I'm gonna do a double check on this. OK, I love it like I and I love this as a thought

[19:42] experiment. It's fascinating. Sam Collins could. Well, Sam Collins is a fantastic athlete who's strong. Let's just keep. I'm going to. Message Sam. You message Sam because here's the other question. I want to while you message Sam and again. It's a great thought experiment. It's a training anyway. To do it's a great thought experiment with your friends. What do you think? I think I agree with what Alex is saying there, that you're the best chance. To achieve this, to be classified as an apex athlete is

[20:13] if you come off a running base, because I think it's easier to build up to benching 110 for the 10 doing the lifting component than it is to get down to the 250 running it the lifting. Component's harder. I think the lifting, well, I think the lift. Sorry, No, no, no, I think the running component's harder. Oh, I think the running components. It depends on which where you come. From right, let me ask you this question. Out of you and I, who could get

[20:45] there first? You're gonna like, get a competition. Of course I am. We're gonna finish our golf competition. First, who could get there first? Again, I have no context I'm I'm assuming I can't bench anywhere. So he because I've thought about this, right? Apex athlete Liam V Courtney. OK, you're OK. You're halfway there. Forget, forget that level, but you're you're. Halfway there, do you want to by the end of the Gold Coast Marathon? We can meet in the middle. I'm not lifting that heavy at

[21:17] the moment but I'm in the gym doing upper body weight. Stuff. OK, So what do you what What? The thing is, I will be coming off 100 mile A by the time the Gold Coast Marathon rolls around. Yeah, but. My body might still be broken, no? No, we'll we can give you a month or two, but we don't start walking, don't start walking back. Now you could you could run a sub 250 marathon now. Yep. Yes. Yep. How much could you bench? How much can you bench?

[21:48] No idea. How much are you weighing at the moment? 72 OK, let's say. My wife might call me out on that have a say. A bit bit heavier let's, but let's say you could conservatively, do you think you could do 10 reps of 85? I don't know, are you asking? Let me let me consult some people, Liam. OK. And then and maybe maybe maybe I might have a lift in the gym. This. Week. Yeah, I do because of Strava I My personal best marathon time is

[22:19] 321, so I'm half an hour off. Yeah, the running component lifting my working Max for one Rep is 110. So you can bench 110 once once, OK, but that's. But this is context. So this is what I mean. That's the closest I've got to context. I can, I can bench 110 once for one Rep. OK now I don't know what I could.

[22:50] I obviously I've never tried 110 for Max reps but that I could I think I could work to 110 if I focused I could get to that 110 lifting requirement. Not quickly but I could get there soon. OK, well, if this is the case, then yeah, I mean. May, here's the thought I'm going to. Say more people can do this in 50 in the world he listening to listen but then how many the

[23:23] difference between 1 Max Rep and 10? I've got an idea. OK, I've got to finish my message. All right, you finished writing your message to Sam Collins. Tell. Us the idea. Here's the idea. Gold Coast Marathon weekend. You break 250, I'll bench ten. 110th and this show can be classified as an Apex Athlete Show, no? It can't. It can. No it can't. I think if on Gold Coast marathon weekend you run a sub

[23:55] 250 I'll bench 10 reps of 110 and this show can be rubber stamped Apex athlete adjacent. No, no, no, that's that's full. That's we talked about penis cheating. It's a real life that's cheating. That's a real life you. Go you now you are sounding like a Hyroxer. It's a, you know, I can't do the, oh, I can't do the elite, so I'm gonna do the double S or this or that or whatever. Do you speak? Do you wanna can we go to something hierarchical? I did now just quickly. Well, because we can it we do

[24:27] can it a little bit and we have fun with that. And as I've admitted, I will do Hyrox at some point just because I'm now. Well, now I know you can bench 110. Yeah, that should be. You should be in there. So I just wanted to quickly run people through the numbers of Hyrox and the I saw this slide came up the other day. Hyrox in a relatively short span of time has turned into a an absolute monster. Listen to these numbers that Hyrox is doing.

[24:59] Hyrox currently generates annual revenue for 2025 a 140 million dollars. 90% of that comes from entry fees. Yep. That's like the $126 million a year in entry fees. So how many people raced? It's an event typically breaks even at 1500 athletes, while the average event hosts 7800 competitors. So there's the average event will host just shy of 8000 competitors, which basically means that and there, there's a

[25:32] bit of a financial jargon here, but Hyrox is already potentially operating in terms of pure profit at kind of 30 to 40% their, their profit annually is in excess of well near around the $50 million mark. Yeah, it's an incredible, it's an incredible bubble there's. No doubt when it comes to, let's say, endurance, well, let's say fitness activities besides

[26:04] marathoning, yeah, it is by far the highest participation I'd have to be. It'd have to be have to be the. How big? How big are like some of the big grand fondo rides I wonder? That's a good question. There's A to that point where you look up those participation numbers for the grand fondo, thinking about high rocks, thinking about evolution. They need to individualise the events. The events need to take on identity. Now obviously what makes it

[26:35] fantastic and so universal is its uniformity, The ability, it's the same. Well, yeah, I just, I think I read something similar and they just said the whole idea was we've created a race. Yes. The race is the key to all of these. People want to race. Now, well, and the listening to reading some stuff about what the founders wanted to intend is they're like fitness was a fitness was a thing for everybody. All these gyms all around the world, but you can't compete in fitness or you couldn't compete in fitness. Now they've created something

[27:06] where you can compete in fitness. Do you think, do you think Crossfitters would argue with that? Probably, yeah. I think Crossfitters would definitely argue with that. But CrossFit seemed that elite. I think this has given the everyday gym goer I. Suppose it's different to get into it, did you know when it comes to the simplicity events CrossFit obviously had, you know, has and had massive following in events and all that, but there was always that the uniqueness of it was it changed? Yeah, yeah, you're always changing from work.

[27:37] Out. So there was never a consistency that you could compare. You compared yourself around the globe to that week and it changed again from my understanding when they went off to their world champs or whatever their CrossFit is. The CrossFit Games. Yep, they. Didn't know what was coming so they. Were like they got told it on the morning. Yes, so whole different where this for the average person is like I know what I need to train for. I know what I need to do I can I've I've tried it in training. So there's the barrier to entry is just so much lower to this. What I would like to see, or what I wonder if we will see

[28:08] with High rocks, I'll use live golf as the example. Live golf, the format's the same everywhere they go around the world and yet Adelaide is their best tournament. It's the only tournament that for the live golf tool that's really caught fire from a fan party atmosphere. They're trying to replicate Adelaide everywhere. I wonder if you'll start to see certain High Rocks events separate themselves from a from an experience level from because we hear it with the marathons. It's all about the experience.

[28:40] So what can the organisers do of the individual High Rocks races? Like would you ever see somebody from Melbourne that I'm going to compete in the Brisbane High Rocks? Not well, the race isn't any different, but it's what Brisbane does around the race. Yeah, that I want to be a part. Of maybe Auckland, I mean I'm not across it as much but I believe the Auckland 1 went outdoors. Look, if there's if there's somebody who who listened to the pod who's competed in multiple Horux or has a better understanding, tell us, because I'm, I think it's a fascinating

[29:11] fitness world. I love it. Just on those, because I just stupidly threw out a number grand fondos around Europe. Obviously we're cycling stronger and massive, so in South Africa, so there's 30,000 riders in the Cape Town Grand Cycling Tour. 30,050. They get 15,000 plus at French events and down in the Dolomites in that area as well, 10,000 plus. So don't ever, I mean, we talk a lot about running here, but cycling is still, you know, from a participation point of view,

[29:42] still one of the biggest on the planet. Let's talk some running. Yeah, I know you've got an update for us on a big event that's happening here on the Gold Coast, but before we get to that, I've got a couple of marathon related things I want to throw at you. Firstly, I came across we are in the running bubble. We are afloat. It is it is big as as popular as it's ever been and this notion of running multiple marathons, we're seeing people going I'm going to do all 7 majors in one year. We're seeing people going, it's, we've talked about this, it's always further and more.

[30:13] And I saw one comment and apologies, I don't have your name up at the moment, but when we talked about things that we might not see in 2026 or things, yeah, people who've never run before deciding to run across the country. I think that was saying we hope this cease. No, it was things that we. Things that we don't want to see in 2026 is people with no running experience saying I'm going to run across the country. Yeah, the reason I bring it up is because I saw this post from a fellow by the name of Alex Harvey. Now Alex was.

[30:46] It jumped out of me because he ran 2 hours and 15 minutes for his first ever marathon. Yep. OK, where's? Where's? Who was it? Alex Harvey is his name. He's from. He's either. He might. I think he's from Australia, I think earlier on New Zealand, OK. What's this? What's? But the reason I bring him up is because I had a this is his post. He said. I had a pretty specific approach to achieving this and it was

[31:16] always my intention. I started running at 26 years old. Most people nowadays would get straight into running 1/2 or a marathon. For me, my first front run was 5 kilometres of virtually no training. I ran about 18 minutes. OK, so he's got a, he's got a natural base, so it made him think he had potential and he just needed to train. But this is the interesting part of it. Remember his first marathon? He runs 215. He slowly increased his running volume, averaging about 40

[31:46] kilometres a week for the first year. Then in year 2, he was averaging 80 kilometres a week. Year three, he started averaging 130 kilometres a week. For the first two years. During this volume increase, he only ran 5K races. Yeah, right. He never went. He got APB, he got his PB down. Remember he ran in 18 minutes. First time he ran, he got his PB in the 5K down sub 15 minutes. Then he ran a 10K race and he

[32:16] got his PB down. His first 10K race. After that two years of only doing 5 KS, he ran at 3059. Yep, and then he ran his first half three months later and ran a 6645. So he's essentially found he's got a predisposition for running up the volume slowly focused on shorter distances. 2 1/2 years before he jumped into a half marathon and ran a 6645. And then he said he wouldn't run a marathon until he could run A1 O3 4:30 and a half years of

[32:47] running. He ran a one O 356 in Japan and then he entered his first marathon, entered the marathon that came eleven months later. So he five years he spent building the base, building his speed, ticking off things, climbing the ladder before he entered his first marathon to post a 21550. Six obviously got some good, good genes. Good genes, right? But I thought this was the reason I found this so interesting is because we are Marathoning has never been more

[33:20] popular. Everybody wants to get into it. Everyone wants to tick off these marathons. And I love that amongst all that, there's this guy who's been diligent, being intentional, being purposeful and has achieved an incredible result as a non professional athlete. Yeah, as far as I can tell. Yeah, I was obviously someone looked through his Instagram. I for first place at the Noosa. He first place at the Noosa Marathon. Oh wow, so he's a OK but there I

[33:50] think. What do you? What do you think of that approach? Pretty much semi professional right? If he can win the. What do you think of that approach the? Newsome marathon, I think, I mean, I don't really think too much either way, OK. I mean, I think it's smart, right? The building into something makes sense. It just depends on what he's obviously very, very focused on driven by times and performances. So with that mindset, like having that is like, you know, I mean, even when you're at school, remember when I say small goals, reach that goal, then get to the next goal and

[34:22] get to the next goal. So I think, you know, it's a very smart way to do it and progress over time. Majority of people aren't that a type that they want to go through all that either. They just want to like take off some things as a recreational runner. So I always think to get to that standard and be at that level, you're probably approaching things quite differently and have a different mental. So you don't reckon that's a realistic approach for the everyday runner? I think it's a realistic approach if you want to go down that road. I just don't think a lot of people kind of are going, I'm

[34:54] going I with I don't, I don't believe majority of the average runner is going to have the foresight to go five years down the track. You know, that's a very, very specific targeted performance goal that I'm going to do this and I'm not going to run until I do this. And then vice versa. Most people are like, well, I just want to get out there and run a few park runs. That's my 5 KS. I'll take that off. Then I might do a 10K. But you know, my goal is to run a marathon. But I don't think they have that directive of time. OK up there. But this is yes. I mean, it's great hearing all

[35:26] the different ways people, when I say people, I mean you attack different goals. Yes. And that's the key, right, Working out what do you want out of it and go after it. But yeah. I've got one more marathon before we get to this awesome race. One more marathon conversation I want to have with you. Yep, Kyoto. I was there recently over the break. You sent me some trails. Great city to run in. We talked about the popularity of the Ekinen relay in Japan,

[35:57] the Kyoto marathon this year, the naming rights partner Nintendo. Game Boy is for everyone. Nintendo is where Kyoto, sorry, is where Nintendo began. Yeah, right. It began out of the city of Kyoto. I love this. Why do you love it, Liam? I love it because it's a non traditional athletic brand getting involved with athletics. So I would like to ask you Courtney, because I've got some thoughts. OK, Some brands you'd like to

[36:28] see in Australia partner with the marathons. Yep. OK. Can you think do any jumps of mine for you? Let me bounce some off you. I think Ko Ko Mara. I think Ko should partner with one of the marathons here in Australia. That makes sense, would like the new way to live stream it. How do you do? It that lime green Yep colour way they've got would look amazing activated You've you've you've built in with all your athletes that are already partnered with KO all the

[36:59] sports. You could do some incredible activations. I think KO. Yep. I think KO is a good one. KO is too. That's that's my, that's my most likely. OK, here's a premium brand that I think could do it. R.M. Williams. Oh yeah, that's an interesting one. For marathon, I really sell running shoes. Too. No, they don't. But the prestige of it, the Australianness of it, I feel like R.M. Williams could partner with could become it.

[37:30] Could the naming rights of a marathon? Perhaps Adelaide? Adelaide the R.M. Williams. The R.M. Williams, the R.M. Williams Adelaide Marathon. Yep. Anyway, this is the one I think that. That one I'm I'm struggling a little bit more with, but yeah. This one I think would be the most fun. Can I have a guess? Sure. KFC no Oh has to be an Australian brand. Oh, OK, OK. OK, has to be an Australian brand. This one would be the most fun. Bunnings Bunnings Marathon 100%. Bunnings needs to become the naming rights partner of a

[38:01] marathon here in Australia. If Bunnings see where I love you, where you're going with this is left field. Yeah, I'd get around Bunnings Marathon. Of course you would, just because it's Bunnings course you. Would you like the running shirt you get? Would be the uniform like the Bunnings uniform? Like it's it's a red with the green apron over the front. You finish sausage sizzle sizzle, just bang in line. The Bunnings Marathon, again, you could the act, The finishing shoot, the starting shoot.

[38:32] It could look like you're running out of a Bunnings or indoor Bunnings. Yeah, I like this one. The aid stations imagine. Better yet, imagine if they converted and we're using Gold Coast, an example here because this is where we are, But imagine if you finished into a Bunnings and they've cleared out the floor and that's the recovery zone. That's where you finish and you've got the ice bars and everything else in there and all your Bunnings staff are there to help bring your drinks and look after you. They could just sell as they go. Just set up areas like we're selling the ice bath saunas over

[39:02] here. What do you want? Bunnings Marathon. Bunnings Marathon. You're welcome. You can have it for free. I mean, yeah, brands, brands. Branding's branding, but I do love the idea. Of it would get me more interested in something when it doesn't align. Yes, I think I spoke about this when we were talking about those 2026 predictions where I said brands within the space is become so saturated you there is no cut through anymore and I'm

[39:35] and I'm strong on that point. There is no cut through for brands anymore because yeah, at that event you noticed maybe maybe not in the next week the next big marathon's by you know sponsored by someone else on the next big event or the next activation done. There's just it's just overload. But when someone comes in really left field, you'll notice. Sunday, the 15th of February is the date for the Kyoto Marathon. I can't wait to see. What Nintendo? What it looks? I can't wait to see how it looks

[40:07] how they activate all they do using the Nintendo brand around a running event. Yep. Do you think it's it could also just be the case of if they came from Kyoto, they're just like supporting their local, you know, this is our town we're supporting. Exactly, exactly. It's. Actually, not so much about. Yeah, exactly. It's a natural, it's a non natural, natural fit. Yes, for the Nintendo brand to support the Kyoto Marathon.

[40:37] By that it would be like. Well, we'd be. Like, and they're not Australian, but it'd be like one of the mining companies coming out and just going a, of course, Iron Man. It's now the Rio Tinto Cairns Ironman. Yeah, exactly. Now, the branding of Rio Tinto? Not quite as much fun as Nintendo. Sure, but yeah, Bunnings opened their first Bunnings warehouse in Melbourne. OK, so why not? I mean, the Melbourne Marathon Bunnings. Do I make a play for it? I'll make a play for it. Imagine.

[41:07] You could get on get, why don't you go in and sell it, Liam? Get a big Commission out of it. Bunnings. Oh my gosh, I've got the idea too. Where does the Melbourne Marathon finish? In the stadium. In the MCG, imagine if you use the wrap and wrap the MCG so it looked like a Bunnings and they run into that. You gotta stop. How do I get? Make money from these ideas. I'll stop telling everyone they're out loud on the podcast is #1. Again, if you if you, if you see where it. Oh, by the way, can I quickly tell you about another revolutionary idea I had at the

[41:39] horse races last weekend? It is racing your. Life was the track. I was at the track, Yeah, the magic millions. There was a big protest in the big race. Now, I don't know a thing about horse racing, but I was, I just happened to be standing with connections of the horse that got kind of bumped out of the way and finished second. And there was, it was intense. And I just, I was trying not to upset anybody with my questions. I had lots of questions. And then I said to them all, and I said this to trainers, I said this to jockeys, I said this to owners. I said this race is worth $1.7

[42:09] million. What happens in the protest? They're like, oh, basically the jockeys just explain what happened. I'm like, and that's, that's it. Like that's all that gets discussed. And I look at the footage, I'm like, why this horse is running the horse that wins the race, shunts it out the way, takes its line and runs it off the track essentially. And they're saying, yeah, but it was 3/4 of a length was the ending month. I'm like, why aren't there trackers in the horse's saddles or on the jockeys that show the speed they're travelling at like they do in the pool when the swimmers and you see it on the screen?

[42:39] Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, and it shows the impact that this move has on its speed. And you extrapolate the finish line with 100 metres left. It was travelling at this seat, Da da, da, da everyone. That's a really good idea. So I'm just saying if you. Horse racing, once you see GPS on TV and there's going to be speeds on all the horses. You know where that came from. Yeah, another idea of giving away for free. Anyway, we can move on now. Bunnings Melbourne Marathon, I'm calling it now. So before. We get to our running. I want to make sure I get this out today because we've been

[43:11] thinking Red Bull Race, the Sun, the event every year that goes on that out the back of the Gold Coast here. That'll help. One of the most interesting races on the Aussie running calendar it is. Live again. So people have been, you know, writing and asking, you know, when's it coming out, is it coming back and all of those things. The answer is yes, it's coming back. It's going to be on May the 29th to 30th. So always start at sunrise on a Friday morning and finish out at Hennerfield on a early Saturday morning before we had dinner out

[43:43] there that night. So just a quick, quick refresh for anyone who hasn't heard me talk about this before. So this will be the 4th year. It's a, it's 345 kilometres in distance, nearly the elevation of Everest at that time. So it's over 7000 metres of elevation. Within that, you're in teams of 6, you need at least two females in that team as well. And the whole idea is between that team of six, you can swap runners as much as possible. But your goal is to beat the 24 hours to do 345 kilometres.

[44:16] And we throw in some surprises. So there's obviously some trail in there and but go to the website just if you just type in Red Bull Racers Sun, so that's Red Bull Racers Sun into Google, it'll take you straight to the site and you can register your interest to put a team in there. It is such a. And the good thing is, it's free. If you're one of the selected teams. If you, yeah, if you're one of the teams that is on the start line, yeah, it's you've got to get yourself there. Yeah. But once you're there, dinner's probably dinner's all put on, Everything's provided.

[44:48] You know, it's not like it's it's free. You just got to get yourself there. I. Think what I love about the concept and quick note, I will not be competing. There are people who've been hitting me up about doing it this year. This will be two weeks after the 100 mile. I'm no chance you're. Not going to have legs. What I love about it, though, is that it's the natural stopwatch of the sun. Yes, that's the fascinating part of it. That's the unique. That's the hook is that? Can you beat the sun? Can you beat the sun? And you beat the sun there and it's, it's, there's no, I can't

[45:19] think of other races like that. I'm sure there are overseas. I'm sure there's races are there, but I can't, Yeah. I mean, using the sun as your yardstick is. It's such a cool idea. And you know what, last year, this probably isn't selling it, but last year we got out there in the morning and when we were sitting around waiting for the, you know, different teams to finish because I think it's about negative too. So we've got a bit of we've got a bit of frost across the ground. So you start on the beach at the Gold Coast barmy barmy kind of

[45:49] winter conditions here, you know, like no jumpers even. And then by the time you get out there, that's how far you're running. You're pretty much in like snow. No, not quite snow, but you know what I mean. Redbull.com/AU Yeah, basically just Google Red Bull red or Red red racing. It's the first thing that comes up, yeah. Get involved. I'm, I might. Register your interest and. Yeah, I might just come along as a spectator this year. I just want to see people do it if anyone needs me to jump in their car and be a support person.

[46:20] I always think the driving, the drivers deserve most of the kudos. Well then, if there's kudos up for grabs, I'll come. Because think about this, at least when you're running, you're out there doing something. You get in and out of the car. You can sit in the back, you can close your eyes a little bit, have a nap. The drivers 24 hours. They're racing the snooze. I mean, the runners help out and have a bit of a drive too, but you know, small teams, if you've got a club or anything like that's a great way to get together. But yeah, so we're live again.

[46:51] How's your running been going? Gangbusters. No, that's a, that's a, that's a very strong exaggeration. We're ticking along. It's ticking along. Yeah. Each week at the spit doing the fart lick, they don't really have a session for anyone. This week it was pretty standard, but you're. Not due to a few sessions from you only come first. First episode of every month. OK, so you're actually you're, you've got a session due next month for everybody. OK, that's, that's cool. But yeah, like each week just

[47:22] slowly improving. The big thing is, and I mentioned that last week around the gym, the gym's improving. So I'm getting it's all, it's all. If you take the running on the my right hand over here and the Jim on the left hand, it's slowly all coming together to the point where we hope it comes. So you know what I did? I called out Tim. We're talking about the T100 race. Everyone who's coming along, you've actually, oh, jeez, actually, by the way, haven't they come for me?

[47:52] I called out one person. I called out everybody you've got. There's a few people that really. No one. I haven't got anyone else coming saying I'm right, I want I want you, I'm racing you. But Liam anyone who's you know he is copping mess. I'm copping even but personal messages to my messages. To you know what I might do? Do you know what? I've just had a thought. I'll take them all on, right? And here's what I'll do. I'll run with my own balloon. I'll run with a pacer like balloon. It's got a :) on it saying

[48:24] catch. Me, if you can, can you beat me? Can you beat me? Yeah, a few people noticed. I called out Tim last week and it's got, it's got serious. It's getting spicy, it's getting spicy. What was the feedback has have you spoken to Tim? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I've been in the gym with Tim. What's he said? Oh, taking it on board. Taking it on board invited me to a session. So OK, here's the truth in it. After we had a chat last week and they said, he said a few of his mates who must listen to the pod said hey, he called you out. I was doing a session on the

[48:57] Tuesday morning and my I was with the Gold Coast run crew and I was, at the moment I'm using Aspen as my yardstick. So yeah, one of the young female triathletes. OK, Like, so I couldn't keep up. And then, you know, this week it was a little bit better. Right. Does she? Sorry, does she know you're using her as a yardstick? Yeah, OK. Yeah, yeah, it's all. It's all. It's all. It's all. No, I just love the idea that suddenly like she's like, I didn't even know we were racing. Oh, no, no, I think she, I think she knows we're racing. Well, probably not racing.

[49:28] No, no. No, but yeah. OK, it's not really, you know, 1 to 1 here, but I've been going like I need to get past you before I can start thinking about Tim. Gotcha. The same morning Tim was out doing a session, he was using Madhouse or is his yardstick OK? So he's going, it's not really fair at the moment. It's a bit. Different. Yeah, yeah. But yeah, so there was that last week I got over to but the so where I'm going with my running is holidays are over. Yes. So my new it's not new because the challenge every year is travel. Like, I'm back, yeah, moving around and I'm playing some, you

[50:01] know, yesterday I was over at Tangalooma doing some filming. So over in the sand dunes with Brisbane 2032. Actually, I'm gonna, I'm gonna jump around heaps here. Go for it. Can you remember this guy? This is picture. I'm gonna show you a picture. OK, Bullshit. Yeah, why does that look familiar? Look, I've cheated because I've seen the name Trampolinist. Yeah, Joe Wallace, Joe Wallace,

[50:33] Olympic Trampolinus does not look like that now, doesn't he? No. So he got, he was silver medalist at the Sydney, got a silver medal OK at Sydney for those who are around to remember, but no longer like good dude. But when you look at him, I just, I didn't see the picture of him until this morning when I was having a look at looking on Google when I saw what he looked like in Brisbane, Brisbane in Sydney 2000.

[51:07] Completely different fella. Well, I would imagine that's like, that's probably the case. Here's a guess. If you took every Olympic athlete and then you extrapolate them out. Just been 20. 26 years? I suppose so, from when they were competing at their athletic peak. I mean, not everyone like you, Corny, remains A whippet for their entire lives, OK? Some people. No, no, no, no, he's in, he's fit as a fiddle. Like he just talk about doing 10100I reckon he could do the 10110.

[51:39] Kilo bench, he got big. Oh yeah, strong. Oh yeah, I reckon he could. He just. Really. Okay, power lifter. Power lifter, yeah, but yeah. So why? Did you bring Joe Wallace up? Because I was with him. Yesterday, I knew he said you were gonna jump around a lot, but I thought we were playing a game of think of the most obscure Olympian you can. I was getting ready to come back with Grigor Dimitrov, the pole vault. No, no, I was with him. We've been filming this thing for the Brisbane Olympics organisation and I've just been

[52:10] with it like just, yeah, random, a random was very random. That's where I was. So, yeah. So didn't get to run yesterday early morning, got caught up doing that and that's going to be a little bit of the nature of my next two months. Quickly, I know Benita, the guru, Benita Willis, Lace Up Running said that you're any Gold Coast marathoners out there really shouldn't be beginning

[52:40] their block until April 19th, I think was the exact date. Do you have any races aside from the T100? You've got the T100 happening in. Yep, none planned. OK, but I am doing, you know, remember Bonita said about the 90 minutes long run? So I mean, I've been probably tipping over that just slightly, but I have been doing my long run each week and just getting up to 90. So I'm at a stage where the reality is I'm running fine, but I can't I'm not going to get away with 4050 KA week. Of course not.

[53:12] That is staying going to cut it. So I've got to start. So you're you're I've got to start to pull the finger out. Okay. So you're a base camp? I'm at that stage. You're a. Base camp. Now it's time to start climbing. That's cool. But the other thing I was over at a new sports fan of SailGP. You know what happens, right? You never really are too, you know, you never see anything too much. I was I got I was able to go over to Perth before they raced and the team was doing some stuff with them, but got the full tour of the boat and

[53:45] everything. And then obviously I got back home and I was watching it on TV and the and understanding just a little bit of like the people in it one. But then the tactics and everything else. I can see how quickly you can be converted into a sport. Subscribed on YouTube. I'll be watching every race this year. You know, like full fully in the deep end. It's that is that's F1 on the water. Yeah, this foiling thing. Oh. So when I first got there, so I was over at Freo and I arrived, went to the hotel and then I just walked down to the waterfront and they were doing

[54:16] their just warm ups for the day. And you just hear this like this is like this can't even explain it. It's just like this wind noise cutting through. So it's not like normal sailing where you hear like sails was actually like a blade, Yeah. You mean the new foils these days? No, the new sails here as well, but I don't I'm I'm not sure it's a question I gotta ask next time I go. I'm not sure what makes the noise, but it's just, it's nearly like a whining noise that you're just hearing that from the boats all out there and they're probably like AK away from you and that's all you

[54:47] hear. So really the way they set it up with the Grandstairs and that you're right in the action. Yeah, that's awesome. Yeah, that's cool. Yeah. If you haven't watched SailGP, No, I haven't, I haven't. So I'll have to give it a give it a look, give. It a check up. Trail running update. Yep. What's going on? Prepare yourselves team because this is about to get full on. So on the chat group I'm in with a bunch of the guys that are also doing the Miler, they've all been saying that because there's a few people with some back and forth and going on and some some accounts being shared

[55:18] of people saying my training for the mall is in full flight. And the response has been, it shouldn't be. We're a long way out. We're 16 weeks out. Have you got help yet, Liam? I haven't, but what I will say is I was told that the Australia Day weekend is where you block rent, but this is where you go. Who told you that? People that have run miles before. I've got 2 successive weeks of 556KS in the in the bank. This week will be 60 plus.

[55:49] In fact, this morning if you're out on Keegan Hip Graves Trail, run in the Border Trail. Good morning. I'll be out there. He's doing an event with LSKD in a coffee mob from down in Tweed Sun level. That's what they're called. I'm going to get out there and have a little run around there. So I am spending a lot of time out in the trails. I am speaking to Holly Ranson. Good, Greg. Yep. I'm I'm speaking to Holly Ranson, who is Australia's record holder over. 24 hours. Yeah, she's basically a weapon.

[56:22] So Holly Holly and I believe it's a partner have been listening to us from the beginning. So they she came out to rebel race the Sun in one of the early years and, you know, done some great things, but obviously credentialed on knowing how to go long. So Holly lives in on the Sunny Coast and right now we're we're talking, Yep, we're going to organise time to have a chat. I'm going to try and record it for the pod so we can share some of that conversation. She's actually, she said she's

[56:52] at the moment don't bother trying because she's prepping for Tarawera. OK, so she's got work, she's got study and she's training her ass off for Tarawera. So I am in contact with Holly. We're chatting, I'm reaching out to some other people as well because the other thing I want to bring not only my experience with this, but also I want to kind of share the expertise and the experiences of other people that have done these Miler Plus races. So that aside, my body feels great. OK. I feel I feel great touch wood

[57:23] because. What? OK. So my question is you feel great. What do you reckon? What's the mix that's making it feel great at the moment? Because it's just been holidays and you haven't been getting up as early as you usually. Well, no, I'm back to early mornings at the radio. Now you are, but you've just been off, what, 6 weeks? Four weeks I had a month off I don't. The rest in Japan like you just had a few weeks off. Yeah, I had a few weeks but I was still running a little bit. I think honestly I think that gym work pre Christmas. Yep.

[57:53] And I'm back in the like I've been back and done just before I came here, I went solo, not in within class or anybody and just did some really simple fundamental strength training. So it was — it's like 110 KG. I didn't do any bench, no, but it's bent-knee calf raises, reverse lunge single-leg with the bar across the shoulders, and goblet squats. And it's also and the other thing, the other that I'm making

[58:26] a conscious effort on is recovery and recovery in foam roller. I am really concentrating on rolling out my ITBs and rolling out my calves and with intent. I'm having a massage probably once every month at the moment just to get just that extra release, particularly around my calves, which I know of my problem spot. And then I am going to Riggs Recovery in Currumbin. They've opened a cracking one behind me there and using the sauna, using the hot and cold pools. Now I know people will say, oh,

[58:58] that's, that's a bubble that's already been around for a while. But for the case I'm running at the moment, I'm finding it really useful. That long run of mine on a Sunday is now that is a trial run. So how long have you got to? So at the moment, time wise, and that's what I'm measuring is time on feet out there because this mile of race I'm trying to do the maths on how long I might end up taking. I'm looking at, I'm working back from a friend of mine who raced at last year and took 29 hours. Now he broke his knee, got in all sorts of troubles. He really struggled in the back. Half.

[59:28] That's fine. That's a good. But it might happen to me as well. So 29 hours is what it took him. I'm at the moment running my weekend run out in the trails was too a little over 2 1/2 hours. With a solid. Yes, I'm getting about 1000 metres of elevation over those 2 1/2 hours and I'm doing a little over 18 case, but I'm gonna, that's what's gonna gradually stretch for me like I need just now this weekend, tomorrow when you're listening to this or Sunday if you're listening to this. My plan is to be out there for three hours plus and to stretch that distance out by three. 4K to stretch that elevation up.

[01:00:02] And it's the gradualness is what my body's appreciating the build, yeah, rather than the sudden growth. Do you have any spots you like now that you're running a bit further like that? I know you went down with roads here to do that trail. Yeah, yeah. Have you got any spots you're like, oh, I've never run there and because I'm running so long I'll mix it up and I'll go and have a Have you thought about that? I. Haven't. No, no, I mean for me the my 2GO to trails of Nerang and the Border trail now and I'm actually, I will say I'm loving becoming familiar with the border trail.

[01:00:33] Yeah. That's because you're a local. Because it's there, it's so close to me and so easy. Yeah, yeah, I'm enjoying it. My plan is to get out into Nerang a little bit more for some of those long runs. I haven't really explored the idea of create a trail running. I mean, I could, it's just. No, Well, it's a mindset, right? Like you might not need it. You might be happy just to the consistency of being in that same trail week in week out. It suits you the. Thing that makes it easy for me in the border trails, I can literally go from home. There's no need to pack the car, there's no need to wake early to drive half an hour or an hour to get somewhere.

[01:01:05] Probably once you get to more, you know, some of those key really long runs, you might go, well, actually I can't. Just let's go. Out to Mount Barney and let's do a, you know, 6 hour mission. A day, yeah, yeah, yeah. Those ones right now while I'm running kind of three sub three hours, it's probably not worth driving for three hours to run 3 hours, but I would love to. And I think look, I'm looking forward to the Noosa trail run that I've got to run in March, OK, Because it'll be different terrain, it'll be different it's

[01:01:37] and it's a lot flatter. Do you? Know when we should do, we should do the rail trail down at Wooloomba, Yeah. It's funny you say that because my family went out and ran and rode that couple of weeks back. Did you? Yeah. And you ran it. No, I didn't go because I was awfully I'll the night prior. I didn't end up going. I was quite sick. But yeah, let's go run the rail trail. Yeah, that's one. I'm I haven't been down there but I'm assuming. Not going to get a lot of elevation on that, but. Not true. How far down is it? 20K back, 20K up and back or something.

[01:02:07] I think it's 20. I think the whole thing's about 28 K. If you return. As well. Oh, no, no, no, no 28 one way. Yeah. So if you ran down 20 and back 20, you're going to get 4 quick 40. Quick forty. I'm not running 40K with you. You're in the process of training for a God awfully fast marathon time quickly because I know you there's a local event you want to talk out. I just want to shout out everybody that's jumped on as a subscribe subscriber. Our subscriber numbers continue to climb and keep them coming.

[01:02:39] If you're again, the listener numbers are still higher than our subscriber numbers, which means some of you are listening to this and you're not subscribe, subscribe. Please do us a favour and subscribe because it helps us. It helps the podcast and it helps us continue. To for things that we're not coming up this week's been really had a few just in different locations like crew just run past go in the beginning. Yeah cool love the podcast and that's it's that is nice to

[01:03:09] hear. It's amazing the thing because it's cool. Yeah, it is local, but you know, yeah, it's really nice to hear. But but. Yeah, if you're not subscribed, please do. The event I want to cause our our #1 fan or #1 listener Ryan Kelso, he's got his hands in running the Armidale Running Festival and. Not not just got his hands in, he's got his feet in, he's got his knees, he's got his shoulders, he's got his ass. It this man, he's doing a lot. Back, so yeah, and does a lot for the community down there. And at the moment he's got the F-45 in town, got some training

[01:03:39] out there and everything else. But with this Armidale Running Festival, 14th of March to the 15th, it's the weekend of the 14th of March. There's a lot going on. I know. I mean, there's all different distances you can go and run. But as far as I just talked about Red Bull races, son, heading out to Tenterfield and the experience of being out there, same thing. Armidale country town. I think from the Goldie, if you're going to drive, it's like 5 1/2. You go up through the think, you go through the Wash Pool, National Park. There's some like really nice

[01:04:10] places if you're going to make a weekend of it and you just gotta get that different experience running. So if you're looking for something different at the moment, you want to have to test yourself out, obviously, over some distances. Yeah, I definitely recommend having a look at the Armidale Running Festival. Just go on that make it a family weekend. The Armidale the kids fun run is free. Yep. So the half marathon is 65 bucks to enter, which is as cheap 1/2 marathon as you'll find.

[01:04:40] A 10K run is a $55 race to. The 5K run is 45 and the 3K run is 35. As Courtney said, there are distances for everybody here and. They're going to have all, you know, they're not, they're not doing it on No Frills. Oh no, no, no. They're going to have all the family stuff around. Music. Yep. Food market stalls this is a region event. This is, and I don't mean regional, you know, I mean rinky dink, not much going on. I mean, this is the region getting behind an event. Yeah, it's great.

[01:05:11] So Armidale Running Festival, 14th and 15th of March coming up. It's going to be a fantastic event. And we tip our cap to Ryan because this is a fella that is what is good about the running boom. Bloody oath. It's what is he is what is good about the running boom. He's someone that is falling in love with the idea of running. So much so. And not just because he wants to put it on his Instagram, but he's doing it for his community now. So well done. He's brought the Armidale Running Festival back to life this year, 14th, 15th March. If you can get there and you want to have a run, you will not regret making the effort to get

[01:05:42] to a great little town here in Australia. Yeah. Because it's, man, the drive's running. I went down there to pick up that motorbike and the drive's amazing. Yeah, yeah. National parks, bit of everything down there. There you go. Hey quickly, I want to shout out to everybody taking part in the Burleigh swim run on Australia Day. Yes. Can I quick quick story, quick story because the great tie Dalker just just a ripping bloke and another one who's who who's

[01:06:13] passion and commitment for the sport, the loves of surf sport. He's taken, he's created this event. I've registered my daughter and my niece. So you're. Going to be down there. I'm going to be down there in the morning. Absolutely. I can't wait. I raced in it last year. I actually said to Wade Lees who runs Momentum Gym that I'm not doing the swim, but I might come and run the 4K self sand with him. I registered my daughter and my niece. Now they both they're nine years of age and they both do nippers and I registered them and then my sister in law messaged me and

[01:06:43] said is this a joke? I said what I said, you realise you've registered Quinn and Stevie for the 400 metre swim 4K soft sand run and I just went, oh, that's a mistake. He. Said there's obviously kids races. There, that's a mistake. There's a there's a kids 400 metre wide, 400 metre right soft sand run. So I emailed Ty and said hey, I've made a bit of an error here because if I asked my niece to run 4 KS she would she'd do well to finish before next Australia. No, she ain't run in four KK. So the so the 4K main run is

[01:07:16] soft sand. Soft sand. You're on the sand of Burleigh. You're on the sand of Burleigh. You don't get to run on like they keep you up. You're on the sand on Burleigh. Oh, well, you. Well, you can duck down to the shoreline. Oh, OK. But you still have to. You're on. It's a sand run, Courtney. Have to have a chat to me, they'll let let you off. But yeah, good. And to anybody that's down there on the on the morning come. Over and say your day. Great morning. It's such a great morning down there. They've got, I think they've got over 500 competitors like they have. Over 500 I can confirm that. Come on down, they'll have stuff going on there too.

[01:07:47] I. We'll see. I've got Australia Day. It's gonna be huge. It's gonna be huge. I'm gutted for, I'm gutted for friend of the podcast, mate of mine, Reedy, who runs the Splash Dash in Sydney. Oh yeah, he's had to cancel. Because of the shark. Because of the shark. Stuff that's going on, Rick. So he was doing that one at. Stride on the beach. No, no, he does that in the harbour and yeah, it's. That's where. So that's prime position. Of course it is and. And it wasn't a case of him choosing to cancel it.

[01:08:18] The City of Sydney had cancelled. It I'm right I wouldn't want to be jumping in there probably at the moment. That's where when Red Bull Cliff the world champs after the Cliff diving yeah literally is in that same spot. They he's a good we used to. I don't know if I've told this story on the pod before, but when I was, when we were racing our TV series, we would race at the Opera House every year. So the bike, this is a little bit after the Brisbane Olympics,

[01:08:48] but literally we'd go up the Main Street a little bit. I forgot, what's the Main Street up from the Opera House? Macquarie or Yeah, one of them. You go up the hill from the Opera House, we'd do a little bit of a turn, we'd come down and we'd come under the Opera House. So you'd do a sharp turn around there, come through the forecourt, and that was pretty much the bike and the run legs for the ladder race work, which you do 3 races. We start with 24 guys and we jump off the pontoon there in front of the Opera House in the water. Holy hell. First one's OK, you got 24 guys,

[01:09:19] you know your safety in numbers. Then they knocked it. Then I can't remember the exact numbers, but they say, let's say they knock out half an eliminator. So the next one, you're 12. But in between these races, you there were short races, say that would take, you know, 12 to 15 minutes. You'd have a 10 minute break. And what you want to do is keep the body moving. So you either jog or you jump back in and have a bit of a swim. So with 12 guys, you'd then jump back in and you'd be like, OK, OK, the last race I believe I can put my memories right. We got down to maybe 4. Nah, do you jump in the? Warm up there.

[01:09:51] Yeah, we used to. What are you doing? Now I think about it, you're. Wearing a wet suit or in your you're in your. Nah, we're in budgie smugglers back then. We're in just and fluoro budgie smugglers, so probably. 'Cause there's that seal that comes and hangs out on the steps of the opera. House there mate, Thinking of it now, like there's no way I'd be wanting to jump in, especially there like deep water, right? Yeah, bigger fellas hanging out. We're not talking about the big triathletes. Yeah. Oh, no, that's yeah. Yeah, no, sorry Reed, look into you.

[01:10:22] Great news, but at the moment you better be safe and. Sorry, it's just not worth it right now. So yeah, anyway, anyway, alright, happy Australia Day everybody. Enjoy your long weekend. Get out there. Use. Here's what I say to everyone as well. Use a long weekend to go for a different run. Go find a different run or a good run or a unique run. Go somewhere you haven't run before. Run a bit further than you might have before. Or just have a Barbie. Nah, have a run. We'll see you next week. See you next week.