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The truly exceptional triathlete, Matthew Marquardt, sat down with Mike & Michelle to recap his experience racing the 2022 Ironman World Championships in Kona where he dominated his age group (25-29) with a time of 8:35, 1st place finish and an over 8-minute lead over 2nd place.
Marquardt shares about his athletic upbringing, new-found success in triathlon, and how he balances training as a full-time student in his second year of medical school at Ohio State University.
Highlights:
4:14 – “I train on the third floor of my house because as a medical student, it is incredibly important to be efficient and optimized almost every second of your life”
10:49 – “For the first time in my life I had this big opportunity to do something. I don’t know what it is, but I have a month.”
22:57 – “There's no specific place goal. It's just like, try and hit the target numbers and whatever happens, happens.”
51:43 – “…my hope is use triathlon as a vehicle to improve cancer screening, awareness, general well-being, help fundraise for cancer research and other related causes”
56:06 – “I think just having the consistency of making every workout and doing every workout to the best that you can and trying to execute it is really crucial to being able to build the success”
58:10 – “I hope that you will see me at Kona next year. As a pro athlete. That is the goal.”
Erin Oliphant blasted into the triathlon space in 2021 competing in her first 70.3 Arizona finishing 1st in the 18-24 age group. Next, she tackled a full distance Ironman Texas in 2022, also placing 1st in her age group and securing her spot to Kona. Though Erin might be new to competing, she knows a lot about the world of triathlon from her mom who also competes at a high level.
Erin has a crazy-strong background in swimming, which you might guess from her smoking-fast swim in Kona (53 minutes!), which ranked 1st in her age group and 5th overall for women, INCLUDING the professionals. Erin shares some injuries she’s dealt with over the years, hitting plateaus in swimming, but ultimately finding her way to triathlon where she could finally see that hard work and endurance build over the years paying off.
Erin is an assistant swimming coach for Arizona State University and a triathlon coach with Where Your Feet Take You. You can often find her with a bowl of ice cream after a hard swim session. Our conversation with Erin was filled with hope, emotion, and a focus on mental strength.
We are so excited to see where Erin’s journey in triathlon takes her!
6:50 – “I loved the fact that it was mostly on me and how hard I worked and that was going to kind of be how successful I was going to be. It was dependent on me and I loved pushing myself in the endurance sport way, for sure.”
10:30 - “I missed competing so much. I love competing. I love training for something.”
14:51 – “But having a coach who structures it for you, so it takes the thinking out and your daily decision making… someone to hold you accountable, and it's someone for me just to talk through everything and kind of help me gain confidence”
30:25 – “I was like, okay, let's go get on the bike course. And there's this beautiful rainbow….this going to be a good day.”
37:50 - “I think those last 30 miles of the bike after I got the flat [was the hardest part of the race]. Mentally trying to keep myself in it without being super angry and letting things be and trying to just be okay with it, being in the moment.”
48:02 - “It is the coolest finish of anything in the world. You're running and you get to a Ali’i and the crowd just starts going. And when you get to the red carpet, it's just all lined with people”
56:05 - “…my biggest piece of advice and something I've really learned for myself in the last year, is that training smart is just as important as training hard.”
Erin is a self-proclaimed ice cream enthusiast! Her favorite ice cream: Rainbow Sherbet
This is an introduction episode where you get to learn a bit more about Mike & Michelle, how we got into triathlon, what goals we have for the future... oh, and a few fun facts as well!
We hope there are pieces of our ongoing story that you can relate to or learn from. We are lifelong learners and by no means experts in the sport of triathlon. However, we find inspiration and purpose in the training and love going after challenging but worthwhile goals.
Enjoy getting to know us! And reach out anytime so we can get to know you, too!
Shyanne McGregor - wife, mother of 3, physical therapist, coach, IRONMAN - from Duluth, Minnesota chats with Mike & Michelle about her success in triathlon right out of the gate. After an age group win in her first ever Ironman (Florida 2019), she shares the indescribable JOY that followed as well as the pressure that can accompany such an EPIC race day.
We can all relate to the ups and downs in the sport of triathlon, and Shyanne is open and honest about the challenges she has faced. Her strength and perseverance shined through in her most recent race at the 2022 Kona Ironman World Championship where she finished in under 11 hours (racing WITH a stress fracture)! I think we can all agree she got a BOOST of energy when she got ice on the course from none other than Jan Frodeno!
Shyanne is truly talented across all 3 disciplines, but also values strength training and mobility in her workout regimen. She lives a busy life, and does it with true grace! She credits consistency to much of her success.
Keep an eye on Shyanne - she's a fighter!
5:20 - "I bought a used road bike for like, $250 or something like that, in the summer of 2018, and just kind of fell in love with the sport from there."
12:13 - "I don't feel like I can ever top that as far as the feeling of it, because, the first one, I had no pressure, no expectations."
31:05 - "[I was] excited to get off the bike and be on my own two feet, and I was a little nervous. I just don't even know if my body is going to hold up for this long."
31:54 - "...and I look up and there's Jan Frodeno handing out water. And I'm like 'Can I get that water from you?' and he's like, yeah... so that was definitely a highlight of my race."
39:15 - "...you have to stay consistent. There's no secret key to any training program... it's just doing it day in, day out."
Matt Jackson, 25-29 age group, recently competed in his first Ironman World Championship in Kona. First entering the triathlon world at the age of 23, the past few years have shown an incredible progression with a top 3 finish in his age group at Tulsa Ironman in 2021 and a 2nd place age group finish at Wisconsin Ironman in 2021.
There’s no denying that Matt has an innate ability to dig deep and persevere through tough moments. Matt ran his very first marathon in college (a 3:14) on 2 weeks of training when he took over a race registration from a friend who was injured.
It’s safe to say that his first experience racing on the big island was a good one, finishing the Ironman in a fantastic time (9:29). Matt shares his training leading up to this long-awaited race and what the day was like: 1) a fast, but chaotic swim 2) a straightforward bike ride, and 3) a HOT run.
What’s next for Matt? We see big things ahead!
13:50 - “So that was the first thing that [my coach] tweaked for me. I was going way too hard all the time.” 17:18 – “One of the main differences in my training was massive weekends”41:45 - “It's warm, but to me, that just means you just need to drink more fluid. You got to hit all the aid stations.” 54:38 - “…probably the moment in the race where if I were to say the race broke me, it was mile 18.” 55:38 - “I remember I was running in the say, the shadow of the guardrail. It was putting shade on my shins. I thought that that was making a difference.” 1:02:43 - “…be consistent with your training, be patient and try to find a good coach” 1:03:07 - “I said, I need to improve my bike. He said, how are you going to do that? I said, I don't know. I guess I need a coach. And he goes, there you go. We ended up working together again, and he took me all the way up to Kona.”
Mike & Michelle’s favorite coffee beans - Bareknuckle Blend Boxcar Coffee Roasters, Boulder, CO www.boxcarcoffee.com
Matt’s favorite piece of gear this season: Zone 3 Swim Skin
Devin Volk - a name you WILL see again in Ironman racing.
Devin currently competes in the 25-29 age group and dipped his toes into the triathlon world when he joined the college triathlon club team his freshman year at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo.
Devin took a bit of an unusual route to his Kona qualifying. Having seen a lot of success at the 70.3 distance, he competed in Ironman Hawaii 70.3 in 2021. He finished 2nd in his age group and earned his Kona spot there, having not yet raced at the full ironman distance. In this episode, he shares why he opted to race the World Championships in St. George in 2022 and how he ended up in Kona this October.
Devin talks through his 2022 season with us and how he really put his head down to focus and train for those two key races. You'll love his recap in Kona - it almost makes you feel like you were right there alongside him! You may even remember seeing a clip shared by Mike Reilly, the voice of Ironman, where a fellow athlete at the 2022 Kona Ironman World Championships helped another female competitor across the finish line. Devin is the one who came to her aid - while also finishing 2nd in his age group.
We enjoyed this honest and real conversation with Devin - you will, too!
Professional Triathlete he'd love to train with: Chelsea Sodaro (Spoiler! He shares how he DID train with her)
When Olivia, a Wisconsin native, set out on her triathlon journey she was largely inspired by her dad who was an avid road biker. When her dad's brain cancer returned in 2018, Olivia pushed up the timeline to do her first Ironman in 2019 as a fundraiser for brain cancer research while hoping her dad could see her race. Even though his health had declined, he was there to see her finish that glorious day in September 2019.
Since that day, though her Dad is no longer here, Olivia has continued to fight, stretch herself outside of her comfort zone, and rise to the top of her age group through grit, a lot of hard work, and a special angel watching over her every step of the way.Olivia has had some incredible performances over the past couple of years, including a 70.3 OVERALL WIN at Michigan in 2021 and many podium finishes in full Ironman distance races in 2021 and 2022. It's safe to say that she has GUTS and knows how to power through some truly terrible conditions.
You'll learn a lot about her unique approach to training (hello altitude mask) and fueling, and how her day in Kona was a challenging one. Olivia emphasizes that if you love the journey the races don't have to go perfectly to learn and keep moving forward.
Where will we see Olivia next year? Look for her in the PRO FIELD!
9:12 - "...and my dad really enjoyed biking, and so he was, like, pestering me, like, alright, let's go for a bike ride! Let's go for a bike ride!"
22:40 - "Some of the races that things went terribly and I had to adjust are probably ones where I'm more proud of my effort"
28:25 - "By the time I got to Kona, it was seven weeks of no running."46:10 - "That's what it was mentally so tough because I felt so good and wanted to run, but I kept pulling myself back like, no, let's be smart."
47:55 - "the finish line experience was absolutely amazing. I think the coolest part was seeing my family after it because they definitely didn't think I was going to finish."
54:10 - "So many of those things are out of your control and the only thing you can really control is what your training looks like and what your attitude is like"
Tom de Bruyn recently competed in the 2022 Kona Ironman World Championships finishing FIRST in the 35-39 age group.
Originally from Belgium, Tom resides in San Francisco where he gets to train in the beautiful weather year round. Tom shares with Mike & Michelle his path to triathlon, the importance of community and having FUN, and what a DREAM race in Kona looks like!
He's truly an exceptional athlete - but this didn't happen right away. In fact, some of Tom's best advice includes making sure your first time in Kona is not about have the fastest race possible, but rather enjoying the experience for what it is. You did the work to GET to Kona, make the race a celebration of all that effort and dedication to a sport you LOVE.
If you like the data and technical side of triathlon, Tom goes deep into lactate, effort, and pace. He also shares the importance of making your easy days EASY.
Listen in to hear about Tom's unbelievable race in Kona! In fact, you may want to listen to it over and over!
4:55 - "I needed some kind of social network, I needed to find friends, and that's why I decided to give triathlon a try."
11:49 - "I think I was pretty naïve in my whole journey and I ramped it up pretty quickly. I ended up going to Ironman Los Cabos [for my first Ironman], but through circumstances emotionally, not much physically, I ended up only doing the swim and then DNF."
13:15 - "I think [Kona] wasn't necessarily a goal, but it was maybe a dream from the beginning onwards, because the way I got into it, my friend, inspired me by going to Kona and qualifying for that race."
24:59 - "In one of the practice swims, I saw dolphins, and you can see a million fish, so it's very beautiful. Of course, during the race, you're not really focused on that."
48:40 - "I looked back, and everyone else was gone. And then I was ready to start counting bikes at the Hawi turnaround, and there was no one coming back. So at that point, I was like, oh, my God, we're leading this thing."
55:03 - "I got really excited coming in first. It was just kind of wild. I wasn't expecting that."
1:00:35 - "So I think it was not until the finish line where I really started to enjoy it. I started to kind of soak it in and really slow down in the finishing shoot. But before that, I think it was all this worried feelings and anxiety around cramping or blowing up or just passing out that was mentally and physically pretty destroyed at that point."
1:05:55 - "...just have fun when you finally get to Kona and forget about all your ambitions or times and just soak it all in."
Amy Farrell, a physical education teacher and coach from Tupper Lake, New York, just recently competed in her 8th Ironman race in Kona. Yes, EIGHT TIMES racing that epic course, where she crossed the line with an incredible 2nd place finish in her age group.
A high school swimmer and runner, Amy knew all about triathlon at a young age and she would watch the annual coverage of the Kona World Championship race start to finish. She competed in her first triathlon just after college. Her first Kona qualification race came soon after.
Amy's most recent race in Kona was a long time coming as she earned her qualification at Ironman Lake Placid in 2019 - one she considers a "HOME" race - just about 30 mins from her front door!
We admire Amy's commitment to the sport of triathlon where she continues to perform at a high level while also balancing being a mom (human and dog!). She brings a high level of energy and fun to all she does - and truly captures why she is still so passionate about the sport.
Also, Amy claims to be FUELED BY PIZZA - and can definitely give the best pizza suggestions on the big island!
5:03 - "So back in the old days, you could qualify at some Olympic distance because there were very few [full Ironmans] around. "
30:15 - "...with Kona, it is so much about the weather. And this day, I just felt so much hotter than I ever had."
31:57 - "I got in a really dark place coming off the bike and I was like, it's just too hot, I don't think I can finish. And I came into transition and I had made a deal with myself to at least run Ali'i, so get like 6 miles in before I made a decision. And I got off the bike and friends were screaming at me that I was at first in my age group and I was like, oh, no. "
39:32 - "...being able to see the women's pro race as we're going out and they're running in and seeing them really being featured was amazing. And I feel like even all of the media outlets that evening and the next day, [the women] just got more attention than they normally would if we were sharing the day. "
45:18 - "Allow yourself to have fun and remember that you get to do it instead of have to do it."
We are excited to welcome Lori Hopper, coach and owner of Reframe Mental Fitness, to the podcast for a discussion with Mike & Michelle around what it means to be mentally fit and how having a positive mindset can truly change the game for athletes of any ability.
What is mental fitness? How do I grow my fitness in the mental space? Why is mental fitness the true game changer when it comes to endurance and competition? Who can help me on my mental fitness journey?
Listen in to hear about how each one of us can add this practice into our daily routine, and the advantages that come with being mentally fit.
8:15 - "I noticed that in between my music selection that I was using to run with, I would add some affirmations. So I would say, my body was made to run. I can do this. I really like running. "
12:45 - "the biggest takeaway of mental fitness, whether you're an athlete or not, is the fact that it increases the likelihood that you're going to make the best decisions under pressure. "
21:26 - "...if you think about it, when you train for a race, you train ahead of time. So on the day, you are ready physically. So mentally is the same way. We can be proactive with our mental fitness."
24:50 - "You know, all of the athletes that are able to endure some of the hardest competition have a very strong mental fitness aspect in their workouts."
There's a good chance you've heard the official news from Ironman that the men's race in Kona for 2023 will not happen on the big island in October - instead the men's race will take place in another location on another date (to be determined in January). The women's race, however, will continue to take place in Kona as originally planned.
With this announcement, we thought it would be a good opportunity for us to sit down, lay out the facts as they are, and chat about what this means for Mike (and others who had already qualified), what it means for our podcast, and how to navigate the uncertainty of it all.
We also wrap up this episode talking about what our off season training has looked like and what goals we have for next race season!
We hope you enjoy this "solo" episode! Or rather, "dual" episode? ;)
Scott Iott & Mission Kona Co-Host, Mike Payne, join forces to talk through Ironman Wisconsin 2022 - the rain, the wind, the cold... but even more important the preparation, mental toughness, and fortitude to keep moving forward.
Scott Iott finished 3rd in the 45-49 age group at Wisconsin. His 25th full Ironman event and 13th time qualifying for the Ironman World Championships. Scott considers IM Wisconsin his "home course" having raced it 6 times. He works in education outside of Chicago, IL and resides with his wife and 2 sons. He is also a triathlon coach - and actually - he's Mike's coach!
There's a ton of information packed into this episode from Scott's start in triathlon, connections to some pretty cool people, and how his unique coaching style paired with knowledge of the Ironman Wisconsin course has translated into some spectacular results for himself and his athletes.
Both Scott and Mike share the perspective on how your consistency in training and commitment to enjoying the process can make a terrible weather day work in your favor. Don't misunderstand - the day was brutal - but dealing with less than favorable conditions is just part of the game.
Connect with Scott via email scottiott1102@gmail.com
This episode kicks off our new series - Couples Who Tri!
As Mission Kona Podcast co-hosts and a couple who does triathlon, Mike & Michelle thought it would be really interesting to hear how other couples navigate the sport together, what training looks like, how they came to the same sport... and SO MUCH MORE.
Our first couple, Nicole & David Levenson, recently completed 2022 Ironman California. And when we say completed, we actually mean CRUSHED it! Nicole finished 2nd in the 35-39 age group with a time of 10:00:50 in her second ever ironman distance race! This also secured her a spot to Kona in 2023. David finished 18th in the 35-39 age group with a time of 10:11:47 in his very first Ironman!
We enjoyed chatting with Nicole and David about their exposure to the sport, strengths, setbacks, successes, and failures that led them to an incredible race at Ironman California. You'll learn more about the course in CA, the unfortunate cancellation in 2021 due to extreme weather, and what makes it so special to share the love of the sport with your significant other.
Fun fact: Nicole is ALSO a sugar cookie decorator like Michelle! There could have been a whole podcast about that, but alas this is Mission Kona ;)
Stephanie Melkonian lives and trains in Albuquerque, New Mexico and is by no means new to Ironman. One might say she was not an overnight success in the sport - but what Stephanie DOES have is dedication, grit, and undeniable passion which FINALLY led her to earning that coveted Kona spot at Ironman Chattanooga in 2022.
Stephanie shares her journey - the ups and downs and the "almosts" - which created the path she was destined to follow. You may find many parallels to your own triathlon journey in her stories.
We also enjoyed hearing about the awards ceremony at Ironman Chattanooga where so many women were able to accept Kona spots for 2023. Stephanie shares that the room was full of energy and the women were SO excited. This is what it's all about - lifting up each other in sport and sharing in the joy of all the hard work day in and day out to reach dreams that were not possible until now.
We are excited to bring you the second episode of the Couples Who Tri series where we sit down with couples who are both active in the sport of triathlon. Do they train together? Race together? Did triathlon unite them or did it come to be after the fact? And WHAT will a world championship race in 2 different locations look like for competitive triathlon couples?
There's a TON of good stuff packed into this episode with Kerry Girona and Andreas Moraitis. Living in Florida, both Kerry and Andreas have had a lot of success in the sport of triathlon - including many podium finishes at the 70.3 and full Ironman distances, AND an overall age group WIN for Kerry at Gulf Coast 70.3.
We really enjoyed hearing how they balance training and supporting one another in their goals as they keep learning, growing, and pushing themselves to new levels - whether that looks like getting faster and stronger, or doing the most with what they have.
Kerry also had the opportunity to race Kona in 2022 - her 2nd ever full Ironman distance race! She shares her build, how she was MORE than ready, but unfortunately didn't get to have that race day she dreamed of. Redemption forthcoming?!
Be sure to listen in to hear their plans for 2023. Exciting things ahead for both of them!
Mike & Michelle share some racing highlights from the 2022 season including huge PRs and dreams reached! Listen in to hear what races went to plan and setbacks did we have to navigate over the past year.
...also - what's ahead personally AND for the podcast in 2023!!!
We are excited to bring you the third episode of the Couples Who Tri series where we sit down with couples who are both active in the sport of triathlon. Do they train together? Race together? Did triathlon unite them or did it come to be after the fact? And WHAT will a world championship race in 2 different locations look like for competitive triathlon couples?
Amy & Seamus Woods live and train in Cape Cod, Massachusetts and race in the 45-49 age group. They are parents to 2 kids, so we spend some time chatting about how they manage busy lives and schedules, and how staying active has been a part of their relationship from the very start.
Seamus raced Ironman Kona in 2022 and shares a recap of how he got there and how the day played out for him (SPOILER: his finish time of 9:59:59 might be the best thing ever!).
Amy (fellow @iracelikeagirl teammate to Michelle!) most recently raced Florida 70.3 in 2022 after a year of battling injury. With a finish time of 5:20:33, I think it's safe to say she's BACK and more than ready for her 2023 season!
Both Amy & Seamus have some great advice for busy athletes and parents, and we appreciated their honesty when it comes to balance and staying true to your own goals and dreams.
We are bringing you a special episode this week around the 4th discipline of triathlon: NUTRITION
You'll enjoy this conversation with Kathleen Oswalt, a registered dietitian who gives nutritional guidance and support to endurance athletes who want to follow a plant focused diet. Together with her husband Don, a 2x World Championship qualifier, they own eatloveTriathlon where they focus on plant-based nutrition and mindset to empower endurance athletes to fuel their body for sustained energy, endurance and quicker recovery.
Kathleen shares her wisdom and experience around developing positive habits with nutrition to support your workouts and your lifestyle. As endurance athletes it's common to under-fuel or be overwhelmed with trying to eat "perfectly" - THANKFULLY there are resources available (eatloveTRIATHLON!) to help us navigate this process, support our bodies, and reach our goals.
Nick Modrzejewski is a name you'll remember - perhaps have difficulty pronouncing (MA-JE-SKI) - but memorable indeed!
Nick resides in Champaign, Illinois, is husband to Amy, father to two, a Pastor at Illini Life, a triathlon coach at SuperFly Coaching, and a competitive age group triathlete.
He has completed Ironman Florida FIVE times with finishes in the top 10 of his age group each time. His best finish at Ironman Florida was in 2021 where he finished 2nd in the 35-39 age group- this after an incredible 1st place age group finish at Wisconsin in 2021 where he secured his spot to Ironman World Championships in Kona this past October 2022.
The Ironman Florida race has been a highlight race for Nick - one he likes to finish his season with. It's warm, flat, and fast! His race in 2022 may not have been all he hoped for, but with a finishing time of 9:49, it's one to be proud of - especially considering how he felt on race day, just coming off of Kona a few weeks prior, and a new baby at home! If you're considering racing this course you'll learn a lot from his Nick's experiences over the years.
One thing you cannot deny - Nick has a true love and passion for the sport of triathlon... "a good day is getting to swim, bike, and run." Simple as that. He shares how the pressures of a big goal can and DO weigh him (us) down; rather success is found when we let those expectations go and show up as our very best that we have to give on race day.
Follow Nick's training and racing on Strava, or reach out via Super Fly Coaching.
BALANCE: an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady
Eva Frieden joins us on this episode to share how she has found BALANCE in the sport of triathlon. We had an impactful discussion on all the elements that are important to finding sustainable success as an age group athlete. SPOILER! Having fun and enjoying what you do = LESS chance of burnout and injury! Perhaps no surprise there, but this was a really good reminder for us.
Eva resides in Santa Monica, California and has been in the sport for a handful of years. Formerly a collegiate rower, she grew up very active playing a variety of sports and finding that the social aspect was something that really fueled her and kept her engaged. Now, she has completed over 10 Ironman and Half Ironman distance races! In 2022 she finished 2nd in her age group at Ironman Alaska and also earned her Kona spot, racing Ironman Hawaii in October!
There's no denying that Eva is a strong athlete - mentally and physically. You'll learn a lot from how she's navigated her race schedule, her approach to training with athletes often outside of the triathlon community, and really dialed into the things that bring her joy! She's a fan of good food, good coffee, and good company!
Up Next: Eva is racing the 2023 Boston Marathon - a first timer at a home race of sorts for her!
On this Host Episode, Mike & Michelle share 5 Reasons to Hire a Coach.
There's no doubt that triathlon is a journey. What may start as some easy cross training from a run or sport injury can lead to a full on obsession with the sport of triathlon. Somewhere in there most of us have tried to coach ourselves. We pull a plan off the internet or piece together what we "think" we should be doing to get stronger. With this approach, we can quickly find ourselves overtraining, spending too much time in the wrong zones, burnt out, overwhelmed, and not seeing results.
Listen in to this short episode on the 5 reasons we feel a coach is important to your progression in the sport. Some you may have heard many times from athletes we have chatted with... some may surprise you!
Jennifer Vollmann may not have been the first pick on the playground for a game of elementary school kickball, but what she (and others!) didn't know at that time was that she was BUILT FOR ENDURANCE!
Jennifer is a mom, a triathlete, and a coach - residing in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona. Having entered the sport as a novice, Jennifer shares how her hands-on coach guided her to fully understand the sport and most importantly, to LOVE the sport. Now as a coach herself, Jennifer has a similar approach with her athletes. Building a strong foundation leads to a longer and more enjoyable triathlon career/hobby!
Jennifer began racing the half ironman distance in 2017, building to the full ironman distance in 2019. She most recently finished 5th in her age group at 70.3 Indian Wells 2022 and also raced Ironman World Championships St. George and Kona in 2022! Adding arguablely the most epic achievement of the year: Jennifer WON the Starvation xTreme Triathlon in July of 2022!
Ironman Texas 2023 is quickly approaching and is the first race of the year on Jennifer's calendar - she is eyeing a Kona slot. Listen in to hear how her build is going, why she loves training in AZ, and what additional plans she has to ensure she shows up to Texas stronger than ever!
We're back for season 2 of Mission Kona Podcast! In this episode, Mike and Michelle share some big life updates, how training and racing has looked for the past 6 months, and what's ahead for the podcast!
As many know, Ironman World Championships for the women just took place in Kona on October 14, 2023. It was a fantastic race day for many ladies, a bucket list checked for others, but in all seemed to be a very positive experience to have a field of all women competing on such an epic course!
In this episode, Mike shares a quick recap of his race at 70.3 Arizona (HOT!) and then we chat a bit about the 2024 Kona slot allocations at upcoming races for the men.
Some fun places to grab a coffee or bite to eat if you visit the Tempe/Phoenix area for the full ironman in November:
Hava Java - Cold Foam Cold Brew in their fall flavors (YUM!)
Peixoto Coffee Roasters - Best coffee we've had in a while, cold brew of course!
Pita Jungle - this is right downtown near race, fresh & tons of healthy options!
Hundred Mile Brewing Company - also downtown near race, food and beer options were excellent! BONUS - we are friends with the owner as she is originally from Iowa :)
Elyse Gallegos, a force to be reckoned with in the 35-39 age group, recently competed at the Ironman Women's World Championships in Kona, finishing 2nd in her age group and 10th female overall!
As a busy mom of 2 young boys and recently relocating to Alabama, Elyse has had to adapt her training to work with her busy schedule while also finding her way in a new community. You will appreciate how laid back her approach is, the truth behind that "mom superpower", and how consistent hard work can set you up to have an epic race on the big stage!
2023 was Elyse's 4th time competing on the big island. She shares many tips about how to race the course, what to expect, and how it all played out for her this year.
Ava Warfel finished FIRST in the 18-24 age group at the 2023 Women's Ironman World Championships in Kona with a time of 9:47. In her first race on the island Ava dominated the course, finishing with a 3:10 marathon, the 19th fastest run of the day including the professional women. What an incredible performance!
Hear about Ava's introduction to triathlon, how and where she trains, as well as the areas she still strives to improve upon. She will be one to watch going forward!
We are back with episode 3 of the Women Crushing Kona series featuring Vanessa Murray who finished FIRST in the 35-39 age group and 4th overall at the Women's Ironman World Championships with a time of 9:34:27.
A native of New Zealand, Vanessa currently lives and trains in Melbourne, Australia. She finally had the opportunity to return to Kona ten years after her debut ironman on the big island. Though she had qualified many times during those ten years, it was important for her to be ready to give it her all when she returned. It's safe to say - she crushed it!
Listen in to hear about Vanessa's race day, the consistent work she has put in over those 10 years, and why being a well-rounded athlete in all three disciplines earns her a spot on the top of the podium time and time again.
We are back for SEASON 3 with a focus on highlighting the male triathletes competing in the 2024 Kona Ironman World Championships in October!
Our first episode of the season features Andrew Hall, a standout athlete competing in the 35-39 age group. Andrew is by no means new to the sport of triathlon, but he has been very calm and calculated in his approach to racing and performing at the top level.
Living and training in Salt Lake City, Utah it's safe to say that the Ironman Texas course was a bit different than his usual terrain. After some unexpected changes in his schedule, demands with work and life, Andrew worked hard to pull together a successful training block and so he could be ready to race in April. One huge goal he had was to secure his Kona slot, and that he did! Andrew executed on all disciplines on race day with a finishing time of 8:32 securing the overall age group win!
Enjoy our conversation about Andrew's journey, his training leading up to race day, and how Texas Ironman unfolded! Stay tuned until the end to hear his podium predictions for Kona!
The countdown is ON! The 2024 Ironman World Championship in Kona is 6 weeks away! This solo episode with podcast host Mike Payne highlights his training and racing over the past few months in his build to Kona.
Fun fact: This episode is also going live on the 2-year anniversary of Mike accepting his Kona qualification slot at Ironman Wisconsin in 2022 after finishing 2nd in the 35-39 age group!
Mike & Michelle were excited to sit down for this conversation with Alfredo Ramirez Pinho who just won 2024 Ironman Wisconsin! This was a hometown race for Alfredo, which means the win was extra special. Not to mention the race took place just days after the birth of his 3rd child!
As a 35-39 age grouper and member of the Every Man Jack team, Alfredo shares how Ironman Wisconsin was a key element in this Kona build and a clear demonstration of where his fitness is at going into these final weeks of training before race day. Hear how he secured his spot to the World Championships and gain some insight into what a typical training week looks like for Alfredo.
You will definitely want to add him in the tracker for race day!
We're bringing you another fantastic conversation with athlete Adam Holz! A now resident of Boulder, CO, Adam grew up in Pennsylvania where he began his triathlon journey less than 5 years ago.
Adam secured his Kona slot at 2024 Ironman Texas finishing 7th in the 25-29 age group after an incredible performance in a very stacked field. What began as a dream 8 years prior to race on the big island is coming to fruition in a just a few short weeks!
We enjoyed this casual chat through Adam's Kona build, what a week of training looks like, and how triathlon is truly a way of life for him. Living and training in Boulder provides access to some of the most scenic spaces for quality bike rides and runs, while also being surrounded by so many like-minded athletes to encourage him achieve his big goals!
Be sure to follow along with Adam as he races the 2024 Ironman World Championship in Kona!
Another exciting Kona Build Up episode coming at you this week!
Mike & Michelle had the pleasure of chatting with Lars Wichert, currently the age group record holder for the Ironman distance! Lars raced 2024 Ironman Hamburg finishing 1st overall with a time of 7:50:42! And over 5 minutes ahead of 2nd place, in a truly incredible performance!
Lars lives and trains in Germany and shares everything from his athletic background to the balance of being a parent, husband, employee, and triathlete. While his path and training schedule may be a bit unique, there's no denying the incredible talent and determination he has.
Interestingly, Lars did not accept his Kona slot at Ironman Hamburg, but decided to race Ironman Frankfurt where he finished 2nd overall and did take his slot for 2024 Ironman World Championships in Kona. Listen to the episode to hear about why he made this decision and what his goals are for returning to Kona later this month.
Follow along with Lars on Instagram at @lars_wichert
· Do you know an age group athlete who has a great story to share? Send us a message on Instagram!
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