The way Matthews bounced back from that challenge, though, pretty much personifies her season – she got on a plane and flew to San Francisco, where she took second to Taylor Knibb at the T100 event the following weekend. She followed that up with yet another IRONMAN win at Vitoria-Gasteiz, then bounced back two weeks later to take third at T100 London.

Racing well week in and week out is one thing, but Matthews also proved to be at her very best when it counted, taking second at both the IRONMAN world championship events. So, while she is thrilled to have taken the Pro Series title (along with fourth in the T100 Triathlon World Tour), she was rightfully proud of her ability to race well when it really counted.

“This is the first year that the (Pro) series has been running,” she said. “I think in future years it will just grow and grow and grow and it will really draw people into this sort of multirace series. “I think to get second here (in Taupo) and second at the full IRONMAN (Nice), I think that’s what I’m really proud of.”

“I think consistency isn’t always super sexy, but … I’ve really peaked for the big races,” she continued, referring to her runner-up finish to Laura Philipp in Nice and then her second-place finish behind Taylor Knibb in Taupo. “So this race I really trained for and to come 1:15 behind Taylor, that’s a sort of PB for me, so it’s not just the consistency. I’ve been able to see those significant, key races as my pinnacle, key races.”

Comeback

It’s hard to believe that just a few years ago we were all wondering if Matthews would ever return to the highest levels of the sport. Just 10 days before the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, Matthews was hit by a car.

“She fractured her skull, two vertebrae in her neck, her sternum, a rib and she recently also discovered she’d fractured her hip socket,” the Daily Mirror reported as she prepared to return to racing in April, 2023. “By her own admission she could have died in that crash.”

While we might all be amazed at her impressive return to the highest levels of the sport, she has very much moved on.

“You know, the first six months of recovery was more about getting back to professional racing,” she said. “Now I’m better than I ever have been. That was a PB run, you know, this year I’ve put down PB bike power, PB swim, so it’s not about getting back.  It’s more about genuine gratitude for being able to race and to have this as my job, and to be around so many people who love the sport – this is literally my dream.

Second Career

Matthews has surged to the top of the triathlon world after having served in the British Armed Forces for many years. It remains a key part of what drives her in triathlon.

“That community, and the support from the British army, it is fundamental and it makes me really believe I’m not just fighting for myself as an individual, I’m fighting for for everybody to get behind that ethos of trying to be your best,” she said. “It really motivates me. And we even have people here who are posted from the British army overseas in New Zealand coming to support the race. So it really fills my heart.” 

2025 Racing

At the post-race press conference, Matthews made reference to trying to figure out what changes needed to be made in order to beat Knibb. I couldn’t help but ask if she thought that a reduced race schedule might help.

“To be honest, I actually feel like I’ve got fitter after every race,” Matthews said. “For this race, I don’t think I was disadvantaged by a busy racing schedule. Perhaps you could say for the full IRONMAN I need to commit to slightly different training or, you know, change something up in terms of my preparation, especially for Kona, so that’s definitely something I’m going to take into 2025, but for this specific race, no, I don’t feel like my schedule impacted it.”

All of which means we’re likely to see Matthews at a lot of races again next year. Consistency might not be sexy, but it sure can make for an impressive, and it sure doesn’t hurt the bank account.

The post Kat Matthews: Consistency Might Not Be “Super Sexy,” but it Pays Off in the End first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

No, it is not a name that you typically associate with Italy. The son of a couple from the UK (mom from London, dad from Bristol), Gregory Barnaby was born in Verona, Italy, 33 years ago. He did his first triathlon in a swimming pool in 2000, and has pretty much been hooked ever since. All that devotion has really paid off in 2024 – Barnaby heads into the final two races of the IRONMAN Pro Series with a shot at the overall title.

Formerly a member of the Italian national team competing at draft-legal World Triathlon events, Barnaby had already decided he would be moving to long-course racing at the end of 2019, realizing that he wasn’t likely to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.

“I thought it (long-distance triathlon) was more for me,” Barnaby said in an interview near the famous Busselton Pier a few days before the IRONMAN Pro Series race in Western Australia. “I always suffered with the really, really fast pace, especially on the run. I was a lot better over the long distance, even in training, so I probably could have switched before, but I mean, even short course has taught me so much that I take into long course.”

After competing in numerous half-distance races in 2021 and 2022, Barnaby’s big breakthrough came at IRONMAN Israel in 2022. The Italian ran alongside Patrick Lange for 25 km before the German was finally able to drop him. Barnaby ran a 2:35:33 marathon split (compared to Lange’s 2:30:31) and would finish third. (Denmark’s Daniel Baekkegard was able to hold him off.) In 2023 Barnaby made his IRONMAN World Championship debut in Nice, finishing eighth.

Based on those results, it should hardly be a surprise that Barnaby is now in the running to take the IRONMAN Pro Series. At the start of the season, though, the Italian didn’t appear to be on track for the success he’s enjoyed. He found out after pulling out of T100 Miami that he had a broken rib, which meant he couldn’t get started on the Pro Series races until IRONMAN 70.3 Mallorca in May. He surprised himself and his coach, Luca Zenti, with a third-place finish there. In June Barnaby had a tough day in Cairns, finishing eighth. Things really turned around, though, In Frankfurt, where Barnaby finished third at the IRONMAN European Championship. He then moved up two spots at this year’s world championship, finishing sixth in his Kona debut.

IRONMAN Pro Series

With only one “counting” 70.3 on his IRONMAN Pro Series resume for 2024, Barnaby is just a few points behind American Matthew Marquardt and a couple of hundred points ahead of Kristian Hogenhaug (who also have a race in hand) heading into the final two series races. Hogenhaug is also here in Busselton, and all three will be in Taupo in a few weeks, too.

You can see the standings here.

“My goal at the beginning of the season was to finish in the top-five of the series,” Barnaby said. “I’m there now – I’m fifth – but now my goal is to finish higher because the season has gone so well.”

Barnaby was aware that giving himself a couple of shots for a decent score would be advantageous, which is why he and girlfriend Giorgia Priorone came to Australia after his race in Kona. It also provides some insurance in case something goes wrong at either race.

So, what would it mean for Barnaby to take the inaugural IRONMAN Pro Series and the US$200,000 bonus cheque for the winner?

“It would mean the world to me,” he said. “I’ve been in the sport for almost 25 years now, and doing it professionally for the last 12 years. It can be tough at times. The sport is changing and there’s more money involved, but it hasn’t always been like that. It wouldn’t just be the money, it would be an amazing achievement for me.”

Lest you think the pressure might get to him, it is worth noting that Barnaby has a reputation for being calm heading into races.

“Yeah, its a lot of money, and, yeah, it’s a big, big ambition to win the Pro Series, but I’m normally pretty relaxed before races and I think that is one of my strengths,” he said. “Now I’ve trained well and I can perform well. I know I’ve done the work and I don’t let the pressure get to me. I just want to race my best at each individual race. I already put a lot of pressure on myself, so I don’t feel too much pressure from the outside.”

So, to answer the question posed in the headline of this story, yes, it would appear that Gregory Barnaby is a likely contender to take the IRONMAN Pro Series this year.

Gregory Barnaby’s Bike (Training Set Up)

Since we caught up with the Italian a few days before the race, his bike hasn’t be completely set up for race day.

Frame: Trek Speed Concept
Wheels: Vision. (On race day he’ll use a 91 SL on the front with a Vision Disc.)

Cockpit: AeroCoach (Minini is one of his sponsors!)

The post Can Gregory Barnaby Win the IRONMAN Pro Series? Meet the Italian Contender first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

Last year marked the first time that the IM World Championship was split up into two locations, with the women remaining on the Big Island and the men heading to Nice.

As the men’s race drew nearer last September – and the Norwegians were notably absent – names like Patrick Lange, Magnus Ditlev, and Jan Frodeno (who was competing in his final IMWC) began making the rounds with regards to who might cross the finish line first.

Frenchman Sam Laidlow had come in second place in Kona in 22, but had a tough early 2023 season with a DNF at IM Lanzarote and a slew of nutrition-related difficulties at other races. His name was mentioned here and there, but rarely in the vein of having a chance to win in Nice.

Then, Laidlow shocked most of the triathlon world by claiming first in Nice in a time of just over eight hours, crowning him IM World Champion.

Laidlow has found success in 2024 at the T100 races, with two podiums at that distance, but a contested disqualification at IM Vitoria-Gasteiz left Laidlow in the lurch for a moment, thinking he would not validate his spot for Kona. In the end, IRONMAN allowed Laidlow a slot to compete, and he’s now back on the Big Island and aiming for a two-peat.

Another Podium Finish for Laidlow?

ST: How do you feel being the returning IM World Champion heading into Kona? Do you feel as though you have a target on your back, or are you more relaxed knowing you’ve already achieved the highest podium finish in all of IRONMAN triathlon?

SL: I feel happy and content with where I am right now, of course there will always be pressure in triathlon, but I feel like it’s being overridden by the joy of being healthy, fit and in contention for another title. It’s not about the outcome right now, I just need to keep making sure I do everything I can to be the best – that’s what success is to me.

ST: What did it mean to you to have back-to-back years of podiums at IMWC, in 2022 and 2023? 

SL: It’s a good question; on the one hand, I feel like I’ve been doing this a very long time already, and on the other, I feel like I have a lot more to give in the sport. I have a deep, profound belief that I can be the best in the world at IRONMAN, and so long as I have that belief I will keep wanting to win world titles. I’ve raced three IRONMAN World Championships and had great days, I just hope I can make it four.

ST: This year has had its ups and downs for you with two podium finishes in T100 races and then the disqualification at IM Vitoria-Gasteiz. On the whole, how do you feel about your season thus far? 

SL: This season was a bit of a slow start, which was of course hard to accept, but in reality this was always the plan. I’ve been so committed these last two months [and that effort] simply isn’t sustainable all year. It’s been a slow build up to this point and I can happily say I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been. Whether I can translate that to the race course is another question.

ST: Kona is a very different course than Nice, and you’ve shown you can have success at both. Can you share any broad strokes of information about how you’ll change your approach for Kona vs. your approach for Nice last year? 

SL: The course in Kona is of course very different to Nice, but both are extremely honest: the fittest guy will win. It’s that simple. On paper, I think Kona probably suits me slightly better; I’m one of the heavier athletes out there and this course favors big power riders more than Nice. The run in Kona is also hillier which suits me more than an all-out fast flat course like Nice. In terms of preparation, there isn’t much difference – I’ve spent a month here which I didn’t do in Nice so naturally riding on the course is probably the biggest difference.

ST: Which course do you ultimately prefer as an IRONMAN World Championship course – Kona or Nice? Why?

SL: Nice was amazing, the course and crowds were spectacular. However, Kona is where my heart lies and will always lie. I’ve watched this race since I can remember on TV and I’ve committed my whole life to trying to win this race in particular.

ST: Who are your sponsors this year?

SL: Hoka, Canyon Bicycles, Ekoi, Oakley, Red Bull, Breitling, HVMN, AG1, Valfidus, Fusion Sportswear, Favero Electronics, Compressport, Maurten, HED Cycling, Sailfish, Ceramic Speed

Photo Courtesy of Baptiste Vignaud 

The post 2023 IRONMAN World Champion Sam Laidlow Wants a Two-Peat in Kona first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

As speculations continue as to which women will find their way to the Nice podium on Sunday, one name seems to come up again and again: Laura Philipp.

The German has always had strong showings at the IRONMAN World Championship. In 2022, despite a drafting penalty on the bike, she still finished in fifth place. Last year, Philipp rounded out the women’s top three finishers alongside first place Lucy Charles-Barclay and second place Anne Haug.

It’s clear that this year, Philipp is all-in on going for the win at this weekend’s IM World Championship in Nice. She has spent nearly all of her year training in the mountains and spent time in Nice this past spring testing bike equipment and setups to optimize for the IMWC.

She’s had a slew of successes to build up her confidence as well: Second place at Challenge Roth, third place at the San Francisco T100 race and fourth place at the London T100 race, as well as three top-five finishes at IM-brand 70.3s this year.

And though Philipp is saving her mental and physical energy ahead of race day, we were still able to sit down with the IMWC podium finisher for a few quick questions ahead of race day.

Laura Philipp Shares Her Thoughts on Her Season and Nice

ST: How has your training gone for Nice? 

LP: My training has gone well and mostly according to plan. I did a big block of altitude training in St. Moritz over the last few weeks and rode many of the big climbs to get ready for the challenging bike course [in Nice]. We focused a bit more on improving some specific skills for the climbs and descents, but otherwise the volume and intensity remained similar to any other race preparation I would typically do.

ST: What excites you about an IM World Championship in Nice?

LP: The bike course in Nice is the most amazing bike course. It’s super tough, challenging and will most likely bring a lot of separation into the women’s pro field. I like the fact that bike skills are a necessary part of nailing this course, and that it is not only about physical power output. It was also really nice to prep [for the IMWC] closer to home and avoid another big trip [such as to Kona]. I am excited about my first racing experience in Nice and I am sure that this location is very World Champs-worthy.

ST: What are your thoughts on the IRONMAN Pro Series? Have you enjoyed partaking in it?

LP: I think the IM Pro Series is a great addition to the pros’ racing calendar and has definitely increased the strength of the field at the races in the Pro Series, which is awesome and what fans want to see. I have only participated in one IM Pro Series event so far at 70.3 Mallorca, but enjoyed the experience. I like the inclusion of Race Ranger and will definitely try to race more races of the series in the future if IM decides to continue the Pro Series.

ST: What other races will you prioritize this year after IMWC?

LP: I will continue to race the T100 series.

ST: Who are your sponsors this year?

LP: Hep Solar, Canyon, New Balance, Castelli, Spa, AG1, Whoop, Shook, SwissSide, Schwalbe, Ergon, Mnstry, Incylence, Soprema, Kickass Sports, Lever Movement

The post A Quick Check-In with Laura Philipp ahead of the IRONMAN World Championship first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

These days, it seems like every age group triathlete is an “ambassador” for some product or brand, from nutrition to apparel. 

And this is a good thing: it fosters connection between athletes and niche endurance sports companies. 

But it seems like some ambassador teams come and go, making a big splash for a year or two before fading into the ether. 

Not Team Zoot. 

Since 2008, Team Zoot has been hard to miss at triathlons across the nation and the globe. Their flashy kits and cacophony of cheers for each other make quite the statement at both local and IRONMAN-branded races. 

Now, with more than 5,000 members globally, Zoot Marketing Director Mark Goddard walks us through what makes Team Zoot so enduring and so special. 

Get to Know Team Zoot

ST: What is the background of Team Zoot? How did it come to be?

MG: So the team was actually started in 2008, and it was an elite team. It was called the Zoot Ultra Team, and it was for age groupers who were trying to go pro – at one point we even sponsored Beth McKenzie.

But eventually we knew we wanted to expand the team to be more of an ambassador team for all levels, and that’s when I took over team management duties in 2014. At that time, we had about 300 age groupers under the Team Zoot umbrella.

Today, we operate as one team, but we have about 20 team captains spread around the U.S. who help on a local level with the team and organize group rides and meetups and events. 

As we started growing the team, we’re really thinking about how the best part of being on an ambassador team, especially from a brand ambassador team, is the built in support on race day. 

And so what we wanted to do is we wanted to expand the team in a major way. Just like any business, we keep needing new people to get this triathlon foot in order for us to survive and grow, while at the same time wanting to provide a supportive space for age groupers to connect and train and race together. The goal of our team and why we want it so big is so that people can connect organically with each other within the same team and become friends, training partners, all that kind of stuff. 

Today, we have 5,000 team members in the U.S. and about 1,000 members across Europe.

ST: Who is the “typical” athlete on Team Zoot?

MG: We’re not one thing. We’re not a team trying to dominate in Kona every year, we’re not a team just for women or just for men. We’re truly for everybody. We launched a para division of our team this past year, too.

We do have a lot of fast people on the team, but we also have a lot of people who are doing triathlon just for fun without concern for time or placement. But that’s the thing – everyone on the team has to be here for the fun. 

We only have two real rules on the team: be cool and don’t be a prick, and wear the team kit for racing. 

ST: What are some of the perks of being on Team Zoot?

MG: First, I think there are a lot of misconceptions about Team Zoot. Many people think this is just a money-making opportunity for Zoot. And yeah, of course it is to some extent. We are indeed a business.

However, we don’t charge a membership fee to be on Team Zoot. We own our own factory, which means we own our supply chain. This means we can offer a 40% discount on all our Zoot apparel to our team members, and we have some great partnerships with brands like Quintana Roo, Rudy Project, Garmin, and Hed Wheels. 

We don’t require our team members to buy products from our team partners. You can use the equipment you want to use. We do pass everything down to the team member – Zoot does not make any money when a Team Zoot member purchases from a team sponsor.

And because we are such a big team, we often get free IRONMAN-branded race entries to give out to team members throughout the season, too.

ST: Anything else we should know about Team Zoot?

MG: My favorite thing about the team is the people and the friendships that I’ve made from people that I meet once at a team event and then see them again the next year. As big as Team Zoot is, it can be as personal as you want it to be. 

We don’t ask people to be on social media. There is no requirement to post a certain number of times a month. If you think something about the team is cool, post about it and share it with friends. But we want that to happen organically, not because we’ve required you to post about it.

Truly, the two rules of Team Zoot are: be cool and race in the Team Zoot kit.

ST: How can people apply to be on 2025 Team Zoot?

MG: Applications are open from September 7 through September 22 on the Team Zoot Website

Image credit: Mark Goddard

The post Team Zoot Has One Major Rule: Be Cool. first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

Beth McKenzie (née Gerdes) is a name that’s hard not to know in triathlon.

McKenzie was a top American professional triathlete* for many years, racking up multiple podium finishes and becoming one of the first long course pro women to have a baby and successfully return to Iron-distance racing (which she did just four months after the birth of her first daughter, Wynne, in 2014).

McKenzie and her husband Luke also founded popular triathlon, running and cycling apparel brand WYN Republic in 2017 all while juggling a now family of four.

And while many retired professional endurance athletes move towards more leisurely recreational activities and launching a coaching business, McKenzie hasn’t hung up her racing shoes just yet – instead choosing to remain among “the coached” in a budding elite trail running career.

After a slew of road racing wins and personal bests in the past few years, McKenzie made her way into the trail world and has achieved podium finishes at events such as the 2024 Tarawera Trail 100km race and most recently, winning Ultratrail Australia in the 100km distance.

We sat down with McKenzie to talk about everything from the elephant in the room (her doping sanction in 2016) to her newfound elite racing career in trail running to how she balances her love of competition with being a loving mom of two and a business owner.

The Elephant in the Room: Doping

McKenzie served a two-year doping ban for Ostarine, a performance enhancing substance, after testing positive for it in May 2016. McKenzie has always maintained her innocence and openness to speaking about the doping ban she served. McKenzie and other athletes are currently embroiled in a lawsuit with the salt pill manufacturer whose supplements are what McKenzie believes contained Ostarine.

While McKenzie’s two-year ban from 2016 to 2018 may be old news in the triathlon world, her rise to notability in trail running has reopened the discussion around McKenzie’s doping accusation – and reopened some mental wounds for McKenzie.

BM: After living through the trauma of my doping ban both internally and externally eight years ago, I've finally come to a place where it didn't impact my day-to-day life and I've truly risen above and beyond it and I am so proud of that because it did utterly destroy me. I trudged through it all and finally came mostly out the other side, very much in part due to the support of my peers.

I'm not coming to the trail world to hide. I fully believed I would be drug tested at the UTMB series (and treated every morsel and sip that went in my mouth and even night cream that went on my wrinkles for two months like it could be contaminated) because now I hugely struggle with the anxiety of the liminal state between drug testing and results. The whole reason I only had Coke and chips on course is because I'm deathly afraid of ingesting anything else that is not mine.

I am not existing to spite people or to come and win races that people don't want me winning, and that's the crux of what has been mulling through my mind. I only want to be at races where I am welcome. My worst nightmare is competing against a woman who believes I have cheated, or am cheating her out of a podium.

Navigating Elite Racing Post-Sanction

While McKenzie acknowledges she may always be tried in the court of public opinion when it comes to her doping sanction, this hasn’t stopped her from taking part in a new athletic community – trail running – where she feels welcomed and challenged by the ruggedness of the demands of each race course.

BM: The reality for me is that the fire to push my body and my edges and compete at a high level never stopped. However, my life just couldn’t sustain the 25-30hrs of training a week I needed (not even counting all the bike and swim prep and commute time) to race at the highest level in triathlon. As our business, WYN Republic, was growing and our two daughters were as well, triathlon just wasn’t a sustainable endeavor for me anymore.

It’s no secret that running was always my strength in triathlon, so after retiring from triathlon in 2020 (thanks, COVID), I hit the roads and trails on foot. I thought an Olympic Trials Qualification time for the marathon might be in reach, so I chased the elusive 2:36:59 for about 18 months. I got super close, running under 2:40 three times, including my closest 2:37:47 at CIM in 2022…but no cigar! At 43, I knew I had squeezed what I could out of my marathon training and probably wouldn’t get much faster, so I started exploring trails more.

Only my ex-husband will know this (shoutout to James!) but I was actually a “trail runner” before I ever tried a triathlon back in 2007. I raced the Xterra SoCal trail run series and a few other events and have always loved the dirt.

I’ve been racing “ultras” since 2021, but gradually dipped my toes into the more rugged and longer events. In 2021, I raced my first 50km, which was mostly on the road in a solid 3 hours and 18 minutes and loved the distance. I then raced a true trail 50k in March 2022.

In 2023 I watched some friends race the Tarawera 100km trail race in New Zealand and it was absolutely epic racing: beautiful scenery, true grit, high-level fast women… it captivated me! I decided to sign up for the 2024 Tarawera 100km and then there was no turning back! In 2024, I’ve completed my first two 100kms (Tarawera and UltraTrail Australia) and I’m definitely hooked. Though, at 44, I’m not sure how many more 100kms my body can take at that intensity. If I slow down, sure, but that’s not really me.

The Differences Between Triathlon and Trail Running

BM: I’ve found the trail running and triathlon communities very similar in their overall passion and love of sport and how it brings us together. There is a huge collective ‘WE’ and ‘in it together-ness’ at all triathlons and trail runs and that is my favorite part. I will say that trail runners are, generally, much more chill and low key. The preening that happens at triathlons among age groupers doesn’t really exist – at least from what I’ve seen – in trail. ‘Dig Me’ beach would never be a thing in trail, lol.

the leadup and win at UltraTrail Australia 100km

BM: For my first 100km in February at Tarawera, the build was shaky and very basic. I had a hamstring injury in early December which stopped my running for a few weeks. After that, I built up volume and did some hills, but nothing fancy and no speed work. Just easy running. But Tarawera still went well (I placed second) because I had years of running and base fitness.

After Tarawera, I knew there was “time on the table” if I could just incorporate a bit more specific work and some speed work into my training. I’m coached by Meg Roche (who, along with her husband David are THE coaches in trail running. Lucky me, I’ve followed them for 15 years, so they took me in despite their overflowing coaching load!). Anyway, Meg’s plan was amazing and we executed a pretty flawless 10-week training block with everything (volume, tempo, hills etc) and I knew I was as fit as I could possibly be leading into UltraTrail Australia. I rarely get to say that, as things never go to plan, so I know how special that lead-up was and was confident in my fitness.

Lucy Bartholomew, who came in second in the 100km distance at UltraTrail Australia, is a legend in trail running and has won UltraTrail Australia a few times. I knew that with her grit and experience, I could never count her out. I built up my lead in the opening 50km which played to my strengths (running and flowy terrain), but the back half definitely played to hers (experience, technical, etc) . From 65-75km, I actually lost about six minutes to Lucy and had that trend continued, she would have caught me by the finish. At the 78km aid station, I really took my time to regroup. From 78-86 km there was a long dirt road downhill which I knew I could smash (along with my quads, RIP quads), so I did just that and regained my momentum.

By the time we reached the 100km finish, I had extended my original lead, so that aid station was really a turnaround point for me. Never underestimate the power of taking a breather, regrouping, and getting your sh*t together!

On the Titles of Mom, Business Owner, and Elite Athlete

BM: I think with savvy coaching, run training for ultras is possible, even with a very busy work and family schedule. During the week, we never do super long runs, but double up on run sessions about twice per week. On weekends though, it does take a little extra time as we need to drive quite a bit to get trails with enough elevation change to train with specificity. I’ll always have that “pro athlete” mentality and I know that sometimes you need to invest in yourself to get the best out of yourself. So, we will hire a babysitter or the girls will spend Saturday morning at grandma’s so that I can get my training in.

I’m so fortunate that my work is in endurance sports apparel, because even training is product testing, right? (And, I’d be remiss if I didn’t say: go buy WYN Active for all your running needs – I ran 100km with no chafing and I’m here to tell about it, lol!) …But really, I work a ton, including early mornings and weekends, but that also allows me to be flexible when I need to be. I am able to train and recover in pockets throughout the day, while others are reserved for deep work and it all works. My cup is overflowing in the best possible way.

Especially for the moms, there is so much value in showing your children that you can do hard things, and that in turn, they can do hard things. I want my girls growing up thinking that reaching for the stars and having crazy goals is normal, because it should be.

The products that contributed to “no chafing” over 100km

BM: My motto is ‘sponsor yourself! I make promoting my brand WYN Republic front and center because I truly love and believe in all of our gear. Our run stuff is amazing and I love getting to show that to the trail world. I raced in a lightweight thermal base layer and my favorite “PR shorts” from WYN and my kit was perfect. Other than that, I have supporting friends at Pillar Performance (love the triple Magnesium!), AG1, and Precision Hydration and I’m so grateful for their help in keeping me healthy and fueled. The PF90 gels are a game-changer for ultra racing (Ironman included) as they are so easy to get down and contain so many carbs!

Where in the world is Beth heading next?

BM: The first half of the year has been an amazing and fulfilling run focus for me, but now it’s work-focus time (it’s always family-focus time). I don’t have any races planned but am open to suggestions!

We have tons of travel for WYN triathlon events coming up including several Ironmans, Challenge Roth, and all three Ironman World Championship events (Nice, Kona, Taupo)…so if anyone wants to go on a rugged run off the beaten path with me at any of those – hit me up!

Photos: 1 – Tim Bardsley-Smith
2, 3 – Korupt Vision

The post Beth McKenzie on Elite Trail Running and the Elephant in the Room first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

IRONMAN 70.3 Chattanooga was the 5th stop on the Pro Series Tour. One name, Corey Bellemore, towards the top of the Age Group competition really caught our attention. Hey, isn’t that the Beer Mile World Record Holder guy? Is he a triathlete now? Is that the same person?

No, you did not make a mistake either if you saw Corey’s name in the results. The Windsor, Ontario native just completed his first triathlon. Corey is known for his beer mile prowess. He can drink 4 beers and run 4 laps of the track in 4 minutes 28 seconds. He has competed at the Canadian Olympic Trials and the Canadian National Championships on the track in the 1500m. He has represented Canada in international competition at the NACAC U23 World Championships in the 800m. He boasts 3:39 1500m and 3:57 mile personal bests. Now we can add the title of triathlete to that decorated resume.

Corey is friends with Canadian superstar Lionel Sanders. He joined Sanders in Kona for his final training block before the IRONMAN World Championships in 2018 and knew that he would eventually want to give triathlon a shot. He signed up for Chattanooga at the end of January and finished in 6th place overall in the age group race. We chatted with Bellemore about the beer mile, his training, the race, and so much more. Enjoy!

ST: Hey Corey – It’s great to have a chance to chat with you after 70.3 Chattanooga. You’re the Beer Mile World Record Holder and just turned in quite the performance over the weekend. Can you introduce yourself to our readers? When did you start running? Did you play any other sports as a kid? When did the beer mile come along?

CB: Thanks a lot David! Lots to work on for sure but a solid experience for my first triathlon. To the readers, my name is Corey Bellemore, I am 29 years old and have focused primarily on running since I joined my first track club in elementary school. My first love was actually basketball and I am still a big fan of the sport today (also, I was a lot shorter when I played travel)! I swam during the winter months in high school and have always used it as a method of cross training for athletics. The beer mile came about after my second year of university when our team decided to do one in the off season for fun. It wasn’t a thought to do another until they started hosting competitions around the world and I saw more news about the event. I thought maybe I could break the WR at the time (knowing I had a strong stomach, could chug well and run fairly well, too). So two years after the first one, one of my good friends Joe, and twin brother, Justin, convinced me to try one at a local track. I set the world record there and have been doing one (maybe two) a year ever since. It’s not something I train for (other than the running aspect) but is something I do.

ST: How would you describe a beer mile to our readers and what makes you so good at it?

CB: A crazy event that exists and incorporates things that should never be mixed together. You are running at a maximum effort, dealing with loads of carbonation, chugging while out of breath and trying to hold the 3lbs of beer down without puking. You start with 355ml of beer 9m back from the start line of a standard 400m track. You chug a beer within those 9m (called the chug-zone) and can’t leave until it’s finished. You run 391m until you get around to the chug zone again for your next beer. You repeat that 4 times. 4 beers, 4 laps total. The beers must be 355ml which can be out of a can or bottle as long as it’s 5% abv and not a cider or anything like that. It’s a very uncomfortable event that I want to get done as quickly as possible. Burping is important to get the carbonation that builds up out of your stomach. Would not recommend to anyone haha

ST: When did you start swimming/biking? Did you compete in either of those sports as a kid?

CB: I swam for 4 years in high school, during the winter months (November-March) and then occasionally mixed it in throughout university when I felt injuries come about or needed some time off my feet. In 2021 I lived with Lionel Sanders who is one of my good friends and someone I look up to. We were swimming 5 x a week at Aquabear swim club then and that was where I started to feel like a swimmer in the water again. Biking, I do occasionally but definitely need a lot more time on the bike.

ST: When did you sign up for Chattanooga? Have you always wanted to complete a triathlon? How long did you train for the race?

CB: I signed up for Chattanooga at the end of January. Doing a triathlon was something that got put into my head in 2018 when I went to Kona to train with Lionel for his final prep before world championships. That bug never really went away, plus whenever I spend time with Lionel it comes back more & more. My fiancee was a big reason I pulled the trigger this year to get my feet wet, see if I would enjoy it and see if it’s something I wanted to pursue further. I started getting back in the water in the fall (3-4 times a week). Started biking in February (3-4 hours a week) and have been running about 100k a week on average this year. A month ago I was in Boston at the Boston Marathon Weekend where I raced the professional road mile. It was a weird balance training for that and also trying to be fit enough to get through a half ironman.

ST: Can you talk through some of the workouts you did in your build up? How does triathlon training differ from run (+ beer mile) training?

CB: I fit in what I could fit in. I got some swimming, biking and running in within the months leading up. I was consistent in getting those disciplines in but knew for my first one I didn’t want to put too much pressure on it or get too specific in my approach. Running was my comfort spot so I spent most of my time keeping that system in good shape especially with the Boston road mile in April. I swam 3-4 times a week (anywhere from 2.5-3.5k a session). I biked weekly but not very long and not enough quality. I also did a lot of unconventional training. Ex. run to the pool (4/4.5mi) with my swim stuff at 3:15/km, swim hard for 45-hour and run home at 3:15/km (4/4.5mi). I work 3 jobs so fitting that into my schedule made it constantly busy; sections of everyday were important to fit something in. Triathlon training is consuming. After doing Chattanooga, I’ve learned a lot. I need a better schedule, I need to follow a specific plan and overall, more focus on bike training + fitness.

ST: Take us through your race – you debuted at the 70.3 distance with a 4:10:53 (26:52 swim/2:22:08 bike/1:16:07 run)! What did you learn? Any advice for someone thinking about lining up for their first triathlon?

CB: For your first triathlon, it’s all about the experience. Push hard but enjoy the process. Be smart about it but make sure your focus is on finishing it without any obstacles. I swam within myself in the water. Transitions were completely foreign to me so being prepared for those were key (I didn’t practice any but knew what I needed to do and what equipment was necessary to focus on during that aspect). My transitions need to be oiled and repeated much better though. The bike was a wake up call that I need to put more time into it so I can hammer harder and have better legs for the run. I did one bike at race distance (90km) and one bike over race distance (124km) in my build. With most of my other bikes being maybe half the distance of the race. That’s not enough. My legs (quads mostly and left hamstring a bit) were very cramped at the start of the run, I was a bit nervous. I ensured I backed off when I needed to and also ran within myself to be smart and finish without having to stop or walk. Nutrition wasn’t a massive issue for me. I have a strong stomach and rarely have GI issues; I fuelled most chances I got throughout the race.

ST: What was it like competing in a more than 4+ hour race versus ~4:00 mile? Was a half marathon at the end of a 70.3 your longest running race ever? I don’t think I’ve seen a running race result for you above 10k. What was it like to run off of the bike at a distance much longer than your usual one on a day that got into the mid-70s (23-24 celsius)?

CB: My longest real race before this was 10km. There is a lot to learn, work on and implement going forward. I love competing, challenging myself and trying new things. I can understand why this sport can be so addicting, there are so many puzzle pieces to it. Yes, the half marathon at the end of the 70.3 was my longest running race ever. It was a unique experience being locked into a race for approx. 4 hours. The weather was pretty warm this time of year as I haven’t been exposed to heat yet in Canada. I did my best to break it down discipline by discipline.

ST: Your 1:16 run split would have been 8th fastest in the men’s pro field. I can say that nobody ahead of that has 3:39/3:57 speed (or 4:28 beer mile ability). What kind of respect do you have for professional triathletes who can run that fast or even faster off of a ~2 hour bike split?

CB: Every athlete that completes a half ironman or full is an absolute workhorse.. I have a huge amount of respect for the sport and most definitely, all of the pros. Triathlon is a sport that never gets enough credit. You have to be completely dedicated to the craft. One discipline can’t suffer or it will expose weaknesses in other areas. Matt Hanson ran like an animal to win Chattanooga.

ST: Did you talk to anyone for advice before the race? Did you coach yourself?

CB: Before the race I wished Jackson (Laundry) a great race and he joked by telling me not to run a faster split than him haha. He’s been wildly consistent and I knew that would be a challenge regardless of my running background. Although I had some guidance and suggested training from people around me, I picked and chose what I did leading up to my first one. I wanted to do it out of curiosity and enjoyment. I wanted to be prepared but not treat it like it was the only thing that mattered. With that being said, now that I have a baseline, I know what needs work, I know that I need more structure and I know I need to follow a plan specific to my strengths and weaknesses. This is where the real fun begins.

ST: The 2024 Beer Mile World Classic is in your hometown in August – what’s the goal for that race? Will you keep swimming/biking as you prepare for it? Can you break the World Record again?

CB: The Beer Mile World Classic is in Windsor, Ontario on August 17th. Although I will absolutely gun for the world record, there will be no specific training for it other than ensuring I am fit, healthy and ready to rip on the day. I want to keep swimming, biking and running for the next little while.

ST: Will we see you back at a triathlon this year? Is the goal to get your pro license? Will we see more of you at IRONMAN events?

CB: I have to figure out that process. I am such a newbie that I don’t know much about that stuff. If a pro card can be attained I’d absolutely love to give another one another go with more preparation.

ST: Do you think you could take down Joe Skipper at a beer mile the day after an IRONMAN? (note: Joe is a UK pro who is known for putting on beer miles the day after he competes in an IRONMAN)

CB: I’d never bet against myself there, even if I could barely walk the day after.

ST: Who are your current sponsors? Are you looking for swim and bike sponsors?

CB: I would love to represent a swim and bike sponsor. I used a lot of hand-me-down equipment for this race. A local sponsor, Flow Bike Shop & Cafe and Meal Prep Company in my hometown supported me for Chattanooga. I am extremely grateful and fortunate for their support.

ST Recap: Well, there you go. From beer mile world record to top age group triathlon result in 3 months. We hope you learned a little something from this interview and if you’re a sponsor reading this consider reaching out to Corey! We’re excited to continue to watch his progress in the sport. If he was able to do this with just a few months of training, he can definitely move up a level in competition as a pro. There are so many good runners turned triathlete like Tamara Jewett, Grace Thek, Beth Potter, and Alex Yee. Maybe Corey will be next!

Photo Credit: @longrunlactic

The post Catching up with Beer Mile World Record Holder & New Triathlete Corey Bellemore first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

Everything is bigger in Texas – and that held true for this year’s edition of Ironman Texas, with the Lone Star State packing gusty winds, its usual heat and humidity – and a new course record set by Tomas Rodriguez Hernandez, the first-ever Mexican to win an Ironman.

Rodriguez Hernandez’s win may have seemed to come out of nowhere, but the 25-year-old has been wowing with his next-level run for years, with wins at 2023 70.3 Cozumel and 2024 70.3 Campeche.

As American Matthew Marquardt’s run lead started to fade, Rodriguez Hernandez, who was 11th out of the swim and moved up to eighth on the bike, capitalized with a blistering 2:34:14 marathon – that’s 5:51 per mile pace – to cross the finish line just about 90 seconds ahead of second place Patrick Lange.

We chatted with Rodriguez Hernandez to learn more about his post-race interview controversy – was he really saying f*ck you to Lange?! – and what his mindset was as a dark horse for this race.

We’ve provided the interview in both English and Spanish. Tomas provided his answers to Kristin’s imperfectly phrased Spanish questions in Spanish – and we’ve translated his answers to provide insight for our English-only readers.

ST: You had mixed results this year with a win in Campeche and a tough day at Oceanside. What was your mindset heading into Ironman Texas?

TRH: I always want to win, I prepare to win and realistically my data makes me feel confident that I can win. Campeche was a race that from the moment I saw the start list I knew I would win and I did. I wanted to win in Oceanside – I trained for it and once out of the water I thought I the win was entirely possible, but I made a mistake with the bike course directional signage, which made me want to turn in my timing chip and not even run. I no longer cared whether I was 10th place or 60th place – I still wanted to finish. In the end, I took the rest of the day somewhat easy – it was a bad day all in all – and when I got home I continued with my preparation for Ironman Texas, which was my “A” race for this year so far.

Also, after Oceanside I took a break from social media and told my friends that when I returned to social media, it would be with a post showing me winning Ironman Texas – and that’s exactly what played out. Heading into Ironman Texas there were two phrases in my head – the two phrases I always go to in a race: “F*ck your tired body” and, when I am hunting athletes down in front of me, I think, “one more, one more.”

Spanish: Siempre quiero ganar, me preparo para ganar y siendo realista mis números me hacen sentirme seguro que puedo hacerlo. Campeche fue una carrera que desde que vi el start list supe que la ganaría y así fue. Quería ganar en Oceanside, entrené para ello y una vez fuera del agua creía tener la carrera hecha, tuve una equivocación en el curso de ciclismo y eso me hizo cambiar mi chip inmediatamente a ya no quiero correr. Ya no me importaba ser 10 o 60 yo quería estar peleando un podio. Lo tomé con calma, un día malo a fin de cuentas y continué con mi preparación para TX, el cual era mi evento principal del primer semestre. Después de Oceanside me tomé un respiro de redes sociales y hablaba con amigos que me regreso a los medios sería con un post compartido con IM ganando Tx y así fue. En mi cabeza siempre hay dos frases, a la mierda tu cuerpo cansado y cuando me toca cazar atletas enfrente de mi pienso uno más, uno más.

ST: Tell me about your day at Ironman Texas. What was each leg of the race like for you?

TRH: I am a great pool swimmer – one of the best pool swimmers in triathlon, I would say – but replicating my speed in the pool in open water has always been difficult for me. At Ironman Texas, I had a very good swim, and then I dedicated myself to being consistent and within my numbers on the bike while at the same time trying to stay in the main group – but always paying attention to the Race Ranger to make sure I was not drafting. The last hour of cycling my watts started to go down and at that moment the group I was with was caught by Joe Skipper and Chris Leiferman. I thought they would set a harder pace but that wasn't the case, so I tried to go to the front of the group for the last 10 minutes with the tailwind.

However, when I arrived at the bike turnaround I realized that Skipper and Leiferman were not after me – I don't know if I didn't create enough danger for them or if they were getting tired. One thing I’ve been working on in training is pushing watts with a tailwind and taking advantage of my smaller front panel, so I took advantage of the entire return on the bike course with a tailwind to ride as fast as possible and I managed to open up a minute with respect to the group.

As for the run, on the one hand, I didn't want to be running with Patrick Lange because his experience makes you feel insecure, so I preferred to run by feel and race my race, I never looked at my pace, I only used my Garmin to time my nutrition. I dedicated myself to catching up with all the competitors and once I was in the lead, I was able to relax… until the final 10km when even with a relaxed mind, my body began to feel tired, and I really had to push until the end.

Spanish: Soy un gran nadador en la alberca, de los mejores diría yo pero hacerlo en aguas abiertas y con gente siempre me ha costado. Tuve una natación muy buena, la bicicleta me dediqué a regular y al vez tratar de estar en el grupo siempre al pendiente de la luz del race ranger. La última hr de ciclismo mis watts empezaron a bajar y en ese momento fuimos alcanzados por Joe Skipper y Chris Leiferman, yo creí que pondrían un ritmo más duro pero no fue así, me sentía demasiado bien y probé pasar al frente los últimos 10min con viento en contra, al llegar al retorno me di cuenta que no estaban tras de mí, no se si, no les genere peligro o si no podían más. He estado trabajando empujar watts con viento a favor y aprovechando mi reducido panel frontal aproveché todo el regreso con viento a favor para rodar lo más rápido posible y logré abrir un minuto con respecto al grupo. La carrera por una parte no quería estar corriendo junto a Patrick porque su experiencia te genera inseguridad entonces preferí correr adelante a sensaciones, nunca vi el pace solo veía mi garmin para alimentarme, me dediqué a alcanzar a todos los competidores y una vez adelante pude relajar, eso me costó porque como relaje mi mente mi cuerpo empezó a sentir cansancio entonces los últimos 10km los pasé fatal.

ST: What was your mindset for that incredible run? What was going through your mind as you took the lead?

TRH: My mindset before reaching the lead of the run was, “One more, one more,” (a phrase from the movie Hacksaw Ridge as they rescued soldiers) and as I got tired I just said, “One more, one more.” Once I had the lead, when I started to feel fatigue I just thought, “F*ck your tired body.”

Spanish: Mi mindset antes de llegar a la punta era uno más, uno más (frase de la película hacksaw ridge cuando rescataba soldados) y si estaba cansado solo decía uno más, uno más. Una vez adelante, cuando comencé a sentir la fatiga solo pensaba f*ck your tired body.

ST: There was some confusion and controversy in your post-race interview. Many people thought you said “F*ck your titles, boy” in reference to Patrick Lange. Can you clear that up for us?

TRH: What I meant was “F*ck your tired body,” which is what I said to myself on the run to fight my own fatigue. I have nothing but respect for Patrick Lange – I admire and respect him.

Spanish: Por supuesto, lo que quise decir era f*ck your tired body, no tengo nada en contra de Patrick al contrario lo admiro y respeto.

ST: Where is “home base” for you and who is your coach?

TRH: I train in León Guanajuato in México – it is about 6,000 feet above sea level, but I also train at altitudes of up to 8,500 feet – the altitude is key for me and my training. I have been working with my coach Jesús Rivera for four years at the Aquiles MD clinic in León.

Spanish: Entreno en León Guanajuato, está a 1800 metros sobre el nivel del mar pero puedo estar haciendo entrenamientos hasta los 2600, la altura es clave. Mi coach Jesús Rivera tengo 4 años trabajando con el en la clínica Aquiles MD en León.

ST: Who are your sponsors this year?

TRH:
Universidad Tres Culturas
Mabe
Precision Hydration and Nutrition
Varlo Apparel
Grupo Gaviota
AquilesMD
Giant Bikes
Bike & Roller Shop

ST: What are your upcoming races?

TRH: 70.3 Boulder and 70.3 Mt. Tremblant

ST: Ok, time for some fun questions… Dog or cat?

TRH: Cats

ST: Of the three – swim, bike, and run, which is your favorite?

TRH: Biking, 100%.

ST: What is your favorite pump up song?

TRH: Más Altas Que Bajadas – Natanael Cano

ST: What is your favorite post-race meal?

TRH: A hamburger and a few beers!

The post Talking with Tomas Rodriguez Hernandez first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

Emma Pallant-Browne is known for a few things: the super-high ponytail she wears atop her head accompanied with a wide smile, podiuming in nearly every 70.3 she’s entered the last two years, and terrifying her competitors with a devastatingly fast run.

Pallant-Browne began her 2024 season at T100 Miami, ready to avenge her heatstroke incident of 2022. Instead, a nightmare unfolded as a similar heat-induced delirium took over partway through the bike, causing Pallant-Browne to once again pull out of the race.

Not one to shy away from adversity, Pallant-Browne recovered from her affliction in Miami and headed to Tucson, Arizona to dial in her heat management strategy before arriving in Oceanside, California, ready to compete in a deep field of professional women on April 6.

We caught up with Pallant-Browne about her lead up to Oceanside 70.3, how she handled her initial disqualification from Oceanside, and what’s next for her this season.

ST: T100 Miami was a bit of a challenge for you, and no one wants to start off their season that way. Given that early season frustration, what was your mindset heading into Oceanside about a month later?

EPB: I take a bad race better than a DNF. I really don't sit well with not finishing a race and I think I can be quite hard on myself. I kind of wanted to think of prepping for Oceanside as like a reset as if now I'm just gonna start my season again. We went to Tucson, Arizona after Miami and I was still recovering from my heat incident and the first few days there I felt like I had a hangover – which ended up helping me actually rest for a few days and not get back into hard training too soon.

I felt like I built up really good fitness and then lost some of that in Miami, so when I got into my Oceanside training block in Tucson, I started religiously looking at all my data and trying to drop Jaryd, my husband, on all our efforts. The training I did in the heat and terrain of Tucson gave me the confidence I needed and reminded me I’m not a terrible athlete and I can look at Oceanside as a true start to my season. I also reminded myself that three years ago a very similar situation happened at the start of my season and then I had one of my best years ever. I kept telling myself that heading into Oceanside.

ST: We saw via social media that you had a minor bike crash just a week before Oceanside while out for a ride in Tuscon. What happened there, and did it impact you on race day?

EPB: Ahead of my season, I went to London to dial in my bike position. As I trained for Oceanside, I was so focused on dialing in my bike position and getting comfortable with it on all my rides in Tucson. On my final big ride in Tucson a week before Oceanside, I was on a great road for time-trialing, and I was in my aerobars doing a hard effort. I must have hit something in the road, although I didn’t see anything because my tire was suddenly slit and I went over the front of my bike.

Luckily, there was a guy driving behind me that saw the whole accident unfold, and he helped me right away. I had some bad road rash on my hands which prevented me from swimming for nearly the entire week ahead of Oceanside, and I also had whiplash, but I was so, so lucky that it wasn’t worse.

My Liv bike was also miraculously OK – we had to replace the basebar, but any other issues were cosmetic. We also replaced my helmet, of course. But that’s why you wear one – helmets are replaceable, heads aren’t.

My road rash hurt a lot and in Oceanside on Thursday we decided to test out if I could actually swim. We put kinesiology tape over my road rash as that was the only bandage-type of tape that would hold up in the water. I managed to swim on Thursday and we decided I’d race, so it wasn’t a typical week where I had time to build up race nerves; I literally didn’t think I would be racing as of Monday of that week, so it was a very different race week for me.

ST: Give us a quick play-by-play of how the race went for you, especially given your road rash injuries and knowing the women’s pro field was filled with talent.

EPB: Coming out of the swim, I heard I was four minutes down – I don't think I've ever lost four minutes in a swim. When I heard that I knew I was going to have to bike well – and part of the reason I wanted to race was to get back on the bike and quell those post-crash nerves. I thought to myself , “OK, the roads are closed to traffic, I’m in a safe environments, there’s going to be medics all around, let’s hammer the bike.”

And then I went a little off course, which of course wasn't ideal. There was a fork in the road and a barrier down the middle. The race marshal signaled for the motorbike with me to keep right, but I thought I was meant to keep right, so I went to the right of the fork. The motorbike and I ended up on the other side of the highway, but the moto was awesome and found a gap in the barriers of the road so that I could do a U-turn and go back and complete the correct turn.

I told myself to keep calm and cool and know that I was going to have run fast when I got off the bike. As I got off the bike, someone shouted that I was about 90 seconds to Fanella and Paula, which to me meant I was still in the race, even though I know both of them have great runs. I was excited hearing this and felt ready to run as soon as my feet hit the ground.

I enjoy running because there’s not much that can go wrong the way there is in the swim or on the bike. I actually really enjoyed this run course with all the crowd support on it and I was so grateful to be racing. You don’t often get to experience that emotion while racing as you’re so focused, but I truly felt grateful and happy to be out there.

ST: You overcame a four-minute deficit on the swim, a wrong turn on the bike… and then as you crossed the finish line a referee told you you were disqualified for not obeying the speed limit zone on the bike. Talk to us about that situation and how you had your results reinstated.

EPB: The referee came up to me at the finish and I was like, oh no – I’m going to have to explain that I didn’t cut the bike course and that I did go back and make the correct turn after going off course. But then the referee said I didn’t obey the 35mph rule during the marked section of the bike course. I knew though that I had maintained 34mph as I was constantly checking my Wahoo bike computer during that section.

At first I was like you know what, this has just been a crazy trip, bad things happen in threes and this has been the third thing and I’m going to have to toughen up and get over this. My husband was like, no we’re going to protest this, even though I was saying at the time that I just wanted to go home and I should accept the disqualification.

However, my husband convinced me to file the protest and the race referees were awesome and gave us plenty of time to go back to transition, get my Wahoo computer and upload the data. The referees had a meeting to analyze my data and ended up overturning my disqualification, which was a pretty big deal, and a good way to end a tough trip.

ST: What’s next for you this season?

EPB: I’m home now in Johannesburg and going to do a three-week training block here at home. Then I’ll head to 70.3 Mallorca and then to 70.3 Chattanooga. After that, I’ll have about a week-and-a-half in Boulder to prepare for T100 San Francisco.

Beyond that, the focus will be on the rest of the T100 series and then 70.3 Worlds in December. I’m trying to remember that despite all the racing, I need to have some blocks of solid training in there, to, so I’ve tried to divide myself up in a way that allows for that.

ST: Who are your sponsors this year?

EPB: I think my longest sponsor is Hoka. This year, I’m pleased to work again with the Liv and Cadex partnership, so they provide me with my bike and wheels. I also work with Wahoo for all my data and computer needs.

I’ve also just started working with DeBoer wetsuits and Form goggles to try to help with my swimming, and Precision Nutrition and Hydration on the fueling front. Lastly, Santini is my partner for apparel and they always work with me to create a cool racing kit, which I love.

ST: Okay, we’ve talked business – now for some fun questions. Ready?

EPB: Yep, I’m an open book. Let’s go.

ST: Dog or cat?

EPB: Oh, dogs, all the way. My two dogs are currently sitting on the floor here looking up at me.

ST: Sweet or salty – which are you going for as a post-race treat?

EPB: I am more of a sweets person – always ice cream post-race.

ST: Mountains or ocean?

EPB: Ocean for sure. Jaryd was saying in Oceanside how much he misses being by the ocean, so now he wants to move us back to Durban – which I think was a joke, but we’ll see.

ST: Favorite post-race meal?

EPB: I like to go for something I don’t normally have, like a good curry. I usually eat pizza the night before the race, so I try to find a good curry house with great naan – which is my favorite – post-race.

ST: Last one: what’s your favorite pump-up song?

EPB: Go Get It by T.I.

Photos: Slowtwitch Files

The post Emma Pallant-Browne Talks Tough Start to the Season, Oceanside Podium first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

India Lee was a dark horse win at the T100 Miami this past weekend, with few podium picks including the Brit. But those who have been following Lee know that she’s racked up quite a few achievements in the sport over the past couple of years and could be poised for a dominant season.

Since 2021, Lee has collected numerous 70.3 accolades, including a third place podium spot at 70.3 Nice (2021) and second place at 70.3 Lanzarote (2023) as well as a victory at Challenge Samorin (2023) and a second place Nice-qualifying spot at Ironman Florida (2023).

Lee is often referred to for her bike prowess, but last weekend it was her run that sealed the deal for her to break the tape. About 15 minutes before the three-hour mark in the women’s race, Lee passed race leader Lucy Charles-Barclay and remained in first place until Lee crossed the finish line in first place at the 3 hour and 27 minute mark, both a smile and happy tears appearing on her face.

ST: How was your training heading into T100 Miami?

Lee: My training leading into T100 Miami was solid, but nothing special. I haven’t had any stand-out sessions, just a load of consistency. I only started “proper” structured training in the first week of January as I had some time off in December.

I went out to Lanzarote for two stints of three weeks each to get some good weather and focused training blocks. My coach Sam Proctor and I have the whole season in mind, so we hadn’t rushed fitness just to be ready for Miami – instead, we focused on plenty of foundation work to build upon throughout the year.

ST: What were your goals or thoughts heading into race day?

Lee: I had no idea where I would be fitness-wise heading into race day. The goal for Miami was to get a benchmark for where I’m at and then determine areas to both work and focus on for the next block leading into T100 Singapore.

Race strategy-wise, I wanted to have a solid swim, ride smart on the bike and not explode on the run. The run in particular was something that I was wanting to have a positive experience on; I’ve had a lot of races where I have faded badly on the run despite doing well in training. I stuck pretty rigidly to target power and pace ranges on the bike and run because I didn’t want to blow up.

ST: You mentioned in your post-race finish line interview that the swim was "boisterous" – what did you mean by that? How did you settle once on the bike, and what was going through your mind on the run knowing that it was essentially a battle between you and LCB?

Lee: In the swim, there was a line of five of us that formed right around the 200m mark. All of us were trying to get on the same feet just ahead; despite the small field we were all wanting to be in the same place and the same time – it’s just how it goes in the water. I decided to stop and go around the back of the group to get clear water on the left, which seemed to help break up our pack a bit and we got into a paceline after that.

On the bike, I settled into the rhythm of the laps quite quickly. I kept an eye on my power, and tried to take the corners quicker with each lap as I built confidence, then I used the back straightaway to recover a bit as we had a tailwind there.

On the run, I was just doing my own thing. I knew that I wanted to run a certain power and pace and would risk a blow up if I went out too hard. When I started catching up to Lucy [Charles-Barclay], that gave me confidence and a big boost, but I stayed steady and tried not to surge. When I went past Lucy, I anticipated she would probably try to tag on and it could turn into a real tough race, so I was relieved when I heard that I had a gap.

ST: What thoughts were going through your head when you made the decisive pass on Lucy Charles-Barclay?

Lee: I kept calm and focused on the rhythm of my run. The lap around the track had a bit of an uphill drag on the first half and a slight downhill on the way back towards the pit lane. I tried to kid myself I was getting a bit of recovery on the downhills. I was purely inside my own head, I knew I was doing what I could, and didn’t think about anyone else really.

ST: Finish line emotions – loved you showing every range of emotion at the finish line. What was going through your head, and is still going through your head as the champ?

Lee: I was pretty emotional at the finish line. I just couldn’t believe that I had won – I would have been thrilled with a top five finish and it’s still not really sunk in [that I won]. I’m just so proud of myself and my team. I’m so fortunate to have some close friends who were just as happy for me. Kat [Matthews] had a rough day for herself but came to the finish to greet me – that meant so much to me. The reaction from my fellow competitors has been so positive too, which also means a lot.

ST: What's on the docket for you? Any marquee or key races you're looking forward to? Any specific goals for the season other than to be in it to win it?

Lee: I’ve qualified for the Nice World Championships already, which is a course that I think will suit me – so that’s a big goal for the year.

Other than that it’ll be full focus on the T100 series. Next up is Singapore in April, so a ton of heat prep is happening between now and then. I’m not getting ahead of myself and fully appreciate that I have won one race at a time of the year when everyone is building fitness and not necessarily at their best. That being said, neither am I, so for the rest of the year it will be fun to see how everything shakes out.

ST: Who are your sponsors this year?

Lee: Huub – Huub allowed me to design my tri suit, which is the first time I’ve had that opportunity from a sponsor. I’m definitely proud of it because it’s so personal. Big thanks to them.

OTE Sports – nutrition sponsor

Specialized UK

Kings of the Wild Frontier (KOTWF) Elite Performance Coaching

I also want to give a huge shout out to my coach Sam Proctor and my manager Iain Hamilton.

ST: Bonus question: was it as dark on the track while riding as it looked on the broadcast?

Lee: It wasn’t as dark as it looked on the telly. But I did have to discard my visor for the last few laps on the bike. The benefit was that it cooled down considerably once the sun went down.

The post T100 Miami Women’s Champ India Lee on Her Calm, Collected Win first appeared on Slowtwitch News.