Shows
515 : The Ultra PodcastS8E3 -- Ultraman World Champion 2025 | Max KniazevSend us a textA champion’s story doesn’t start at the finish line. Fresh off winning Ultraman Hawaii, Max Kniazev opens up about rebuilding from a collarbone ligament rupture, balancing newborn-dad life, and crafting a pragmatic plan to race smarter in heat and wind. We get into the mechanics of durability: how a naturally low heart rate at high power shapes his ultra identity, why shorter cranks opened his hip and cut drag, and how a custom 3D-printed cockpit with rear-aligned bottles shaved the little costs that add up over 515 kilometers.Max...
2025-12-261h 16515 : The Ultra PodcastS8E2 -- UM Australia Athlete in Profile | Erica RileySend us a textWhat does it take to chase Ultraman while working 12-hour shifts in emergency care? We sit down with Erica Riley—critical care nurse, coach, and multi-time ultradistance triathlete—to unpack the systems, habits, and mindset that make high performance sustainable in a busy life. From 3 a.m. Zwift rides to meticulous time boxing, she shows exactly how to build consistency without sacrificing your health, your job, or your relationships.Erica takes us inside the toughest days of lockdown, when PPE, quarantine hotels, and strict radius rules forced radic...
2025-12-0554 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS8E1 -- “The One and Only” Marius Butuc (Trans Sweden Triathlon’s Only Racer)Send us a textWhat if the most important finish line has nothing to do with a podium? We sit down with Romanian ultra-triathlete Marius Butuc, a self-taught swimmer who learned by watching the next lane and never stopped moving forward. From the Ironman icons of Europe to the brutal circuits of ultra-triathlon, Marius shows how resilience, curiosity, and honest self-assessment can take you places training plans can’t.If you’ve wondered what truly makes triple Iron, quintuple, and deca formats hard, Marius explains the hidden traps: why triple continuous destroys the slee...
2025-11-141h 17515 : The Ultra PodcastS7E13 -- Inside the Ultraman Florida Rift: Disqualification, Licenses Revoked, and What Comes NextSend us a textA champion crowned, then stripped. A director ousted. A brand reorganized. We trace the real timeline behind the Ultraman Florida shake-up—starting with a handlebar-mounted, voice-activated camera and ending with revoked licenses, refund confusion, and a newly relaunched qualifier under different leadership. As hosts who’ve watched this community grow, we unpack the roles of Ohana Loa, Sheryl and Dave Cobb, and former race director Jen McVeay, and explain how board decisions moved from private meetings to public fallout.You’ll hear how conflicting accounts took shape: was Stephen Keller offered a path...
2025-10-2421 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS7E12 -- Inaugural Ultraman Mexico with Van SanchezSend us a textThe countdown to Ultraman Mexico is on—and the mountains are calling. We sit down with race director and former teenage Ultraman finisher, Van Sanchez, to map out exactly what athletes and crews will face across three days at altitude in Zacatecas. From a 10-loop open-water swim to a punchy run that climbs late and drops into a party finish. The field is stacked and global: Mexico, the United States, Spain, Colombia, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Argentina. You’ll hear about iconic veterans like Juan Anton...
2025-10-1646 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS7E12 -- Inaugural Ultraman Mexico with Van SanchezSend us a textThe countdown to Ultraman Mexico is on—and the mountains are calling. We sit down with race director and former teenage Ultraman finisher, Van Sanchez, to map out exactly what athletes and crews will face across three days at altitude in Zacatecas. From a 10-loop open-water swim to a punchy run that climbs late and drops into a party finish. The field is stacked and global: Mexico, the United States, Spain, Colombia, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Argentina. You’ll hear about iconic veterans like Juan Anton...
2025-10-1646 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS7E11 -- Details on the new 515 Race | UM New ZealandSend us a textNews of the UM brand's expansion into New Zealand broke earlier this year during the UM Australia Livestream event, hosted by 515. Remarkably, the new event sold out immediately—even before athletes knew any details about the course. To share how Wanaka was chosen as the host site and fill in the details, I'm joined by Race Director Jeff Morris.Resources mentioned in this episode:UM AustraliaUM New ZealandIM TaupoChallenge WanakaCardrona HotelRuby Fresh WetsuitsRuby Island SwimNorsemen X TriShout outs and me...
2025-09-2640 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS7E10 -- Ohana Guest | Acyr Da LuzSend us a textThe decision to change often comes at our lowest moments. For Acyr Da Luz, it wasn't a missed promotion that defined him—it was his response to it. "I'm going to change myself," he declared, setting in motion a transformation from 120kg corporate executive to four-time Ultraman competitor.What distinguishes Acyr's story is how he integrated family into his endurance journey. His young daughter biked alongside his early training runs and eventually his entire family became his support crew. This approach transformed triathlon from an individual pursuit into a fa...
2025-09-051h 35515 : The Ultra PodcastS7E9 -- Shane Kent from UM Champion 2021 to Arch to Arc 2025Send us a textGet ready to be inspired! On today's show, we're diving deep with Shane Kent, the 2021 UM Australia champion, who's about to take on a challenge often called 'The toughest triathlon in the world': Arch to Arc. You'll hear how Shane's triathlon career began with a bike found on the side of the road and propelled him through the 515 distance, all leading up to this monumental endeavor. We break down Arch to Arc's incredible stages: an 87-mile / 140 km run from London to Dover, a 21-mile / 34 km s...
2025-08-1459 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS7E8 -- Ohana Guests | Mary and Randy LatzaSend us a textGet ready for an inspiring conversation with Mary and Randy Latza! Hailing from Pennsburg, Pennsylvania, this power couple has an astonishing 32 Ultraman events under their belts either racing or crewing. They'll share invaluable lessons and heartwarming stories of the friendships they've built as part of "Rat Pack 2.0." But their racing doesn't stop there—Mary and Randy are also gearing up for the Ironman World Championships in Nice and Kona. Plus, Mary sheds light on Stiff Person Syndrome, a rare condition impacting her family, and...
2025-07-251h 24515 : The Ultra PodcastS7E7 -- Ohana Guest | John Domandl (3X World Record Holder)Send us a textJoin us for an inspiring conversation with John Domandl, whose triathlon career spans over 40 years and includes more than 150 events, along with four World Championships. In 1988, John proudly represented Australia at the Seoul Paralympics. We caught up with him right after his second time competing at Ultraman Australia 2025, where he experienced quite the adventure in Noosa! Hear all about the ups and downs of those three days for John and his dedicated team. John, who lives wi...
2025-07-041h 40515 : The Ultra PodcastS7E5 -- 2025 UM Australia Race Review with Champions Tim Belstead and Kirsty SheehanSend us a textUM Australia 2025 celebrated the 10th anniversary of the event this year. We were a part of it by creating a Live Stream of all 36 hours. In this episode we speak to the champions of 2025, Tim Belstead and Kirsty Sheehan to hear about how the race unfolded for each of them.In the final segment, Jeff Morris, the UM race director shares his experiences from this year and a little information about a new race UM New Zealand.Check out th...
2025-05-231h 36515 : The Ultra PodcastS7E4 -- UM Australia 2025 Race PreviewSend us a textUM Australia race director, Jeff Morris, joins me to present the field 41 athletes who are toeing the line of the 10th anniversary race. Trying to highlight this many athletes is tough work, so we also recruited the knowledge of the race announcer, Tim Franklin. In addition to finding out about the athletes, we discuss parts of the course and what the first ever Live Stream event will entail. Use the link below to set up notifications.LiveStreams links: https://www.youtube.com/@515TheUltraPodcast
2025-05-022h 00515 : The Ultra PodcastS7E3 -- Ohana Guest : Fernando Lopez (Marathon Des Sables finisher)Send us a textGet ready to be inspired! We're sitting down with Fernando Lopez, an Ironman Gold All World Athlete and a true titan of endurance sports. With over 200 races under his belt, including 26 World Championships (and multiple podium finishes!), Fernando's resume is astonishing. He's conquered 10 Extreme Triathlons, 3 Ultramans, over 50 Ironmans, and run the Boston Marathon four times. And yes, he even ran the Houston Marathon four times in one day!Fernando shares incredible stories from his global adventures in...
2025-04-0458 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS7E2 -- Age-Less at Ultraman Florida and UMAZ Athlete in Profile: Andy YerglerSend us a textPart one of this episode is a Ultraman Florida recap. First, I am joined by the youngest ever competitor to complete Ultraman Florida, Jacob Beldick. Followed by the newest 60-69 age group world record holder, Dougin Walker. Both athletes share their stories about the 2025 race. One is told from the front of the field and the other from the rear, but they both had amazing experiences.In part two, I have an Ultraman Arizona (March 21-23, 2025) athlete preview including Andy Yergler who...
2025-03-141h 52515 : The Ultra PodcastS7E1 -- Ohana Guest : Billy RickardsSend us a textBilly RIckards is a veteran 515 racer that helps others to get to the finish line as an amazing crew person. He lives Aloha, Ohana, Kokua within the Ultra Fam. As a person who has chosen to call Hawaii home; it only makes sense that he has a strong connection to the island values.Do you like dolphins? Then you have even one more reason to tune in to this episode.Resources mentioned in this episode:Dolphin QuestLavamanHonu 70.3Ironman World ChampionshipsUltraman World ChampionshipsUnstoppable: The Smart Tra...
2025-02-211h 02515 : The Ultra PodcastS6E13 -- Ultraman Florida 2025 Preview + Athlete in Profile (Nick Gillombardo)Send us a textJen McVeay joins me in this episode to preview the field of athletes toeing the line at 2025 Ultraman Florida, February 14-16th. We are joined by to 2 time Ultraman Champion Steve Keller.Steve offers the perspective of previous champion, current athlete, and current coach. Steve has embarked on a special journey that he reveals in our conversation. First to Five Youtube Page : https://youtube.com/@firsttofive?si=VrnzTnC0vs7cr4OjFollowing the preview, I am joined by another of the 2025 athle...
2025-01-311h 40515 : The Ultra PodcastS6E12 -- Triathlon Legend : Bob Babbitt (Breakfast with Bob!)Send us a textOn today's episode of 515 The Ultra Podcast, we're joined by a true legend. Bob Babbitt is the voice behind one of the most celebrated radio programs and podcasts in endurance sports – Competitor Radio and Breakfast with Bob.He is also a visionary community builder as a co-founder of Competitor Magazine and the Challenged Athletes Foundation.His impact on the sport is undeniable, earning him inductions into both the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame and the Ironman Hall of Fame.
2025-01-101h 27515 : The Ultra PodcastS6E11 -- 2024 UMWC Race Review with Gary Wang, Steve King, Ultra Chamba, and Jen AnnettSend us a textThis episode has a number of past guests rejoining the podcast to discuss the 2024 Ultraman World Championships. First up are two of the four people who were inducted into the Ultraman Hall of Fame at this year's Thanksgiving breakfast. Gary Wang, who is a 20 time consecutive UMWC finisher, and Steve King (the voice of Ultraman).I also check in with the two winners of the event. The men’s champion, Juan Bautista Castilla Arroyo, AKA Ultra Chamba, and the overall/women’s champion, Jen A...
2024-12-2059 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS6E10 -- UMWC Athletes in Profile -- Mark Moody & Keri MandellSend us a textHappy Thanksgiving USA!When Thanksgiving rolls around 515 athletes know that it is time for the Ultraman World Championships.In this episode I speak with two athletes who will be competing in this year’s race.Mark Moody is an EMT from Bellevue Washington who holds the 60+ age group record at Ultraman Canada. He has crewed numerous times at 515 races around the world and is now ready for his own adventure on the island. He doesn’t take things too seriously when at these events...
2024-11-281h 18515 : The Ultra PodcastS6E9 -- Jen Annett : 515 World Record HolderSend us a textJen Annett drops by to speak about her recent record setting 515 race in Canada and preparations to take on the Ultraman World Championships at the end of the month. Jen has not had the best luck when racing as a pro at the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii, but this time she has the backing of her entire community and she is ready for the challenge. She also shares her Precision nutrition plan for racing for those who are looking for racing tips. Link...
2024-11-081h 10515 : The Ultra PodcastS6E8 -- Ultraman World Champions! Who's your fave?Send us a textThe Ultraman World Championships are coming next month. But today’s show has nine former World Champions telling stories about their experiences in Kona and about the lead up to the big race. It is just what you need to start getting excited or to take a trip down memory lane. In coming episodes, listen for some conversations with 2024 Hawaii athletes.You can go to my podcast website with the following link https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.com/to find the full episodes of each of the guests...
2024-10-181h 40515 : The Ultra PodcastS6E7 -- Ohana Guest : Gerard Charlton (Iron, Ultra, Uber)Send us a textGerard Charlton has had a pre Ultraman sporting career and post Ultraman sporting career.Like most athletes, pre Ultraman, Gerard was all about racing Ironman in Penticton (11 times) and just trying to get a little faster. In 2005, with some prodding from Steve King, Gerard took on Ultraman Canada. At that time in his life, his sports became more about meeting the challenge and doing it for a greater good. These challenges included him becoming the third ever Uberman finisher and completing the Canadian Death Rac...
2024-09-271h 12515 : The Ultra PodcastS6E6 -- Ohana Guest : Tony O’Keeffe – 3 time RAAM racerSend us a textRetired Lieutenant-Colonel, Anthony O’Keeffe, member of the 2003 Canadian Armed Forces Sports Hall of Fame, joins me to discuss his sporting career. A career that includes 33 Ironmans, 9 Ultraman Hawaii races, and 3 solo RAAM races. Tony shares many tips on how to race these events based on the mistakes that he endured and the successes that he achieved. We discuss his career in the Canadian Armed Forces and how that supported his sporting goals in life. Now living in Ferrara, Italy, Tony is enjo...
2024-09-061h 12515 : The Ultra PodcastS6E5 -- Cycling Through Life with Ohana Guest Ingrid HillhouseSend us a textIngrid Hillhouse is a farmer, a coach, and an addiction expert due to her life experiences. She is a six time 515 distance racer who turned to ultra cycling and randonneuring. We discuss races such as Ultraman, San Diego 300, and Paris-Brest-Paris. She is very open about her life experiences and how they have all brought her to where she is today – In Kona!Soon she will be releasing her book, Cycling through Life, which accounts her cycling experiences wrapped in her repeated cycles of addiction. As a...
2024-08-161h 31515 : The Ultra PodcastS6E4 -- The World’s First Female Uberman Finisher : Melissa UrieSend us a textShe’s Iron. She’s Ultra. She’s Epic. After being the second woman ever to complete the Epic 5 in 2017, Melissa Urie set out for an even more superlative title – Uberman. With the help of her amazing crew, Melissa was able to become the first female finisher of Uberman in 2019 (and set the swim record while doing so) in an overall time of 135 hours 55 minutes or 5 days 15 hours 55 minutes.In this episode, Melissa shares her spirit for participation in these Ultra events and throws in lots of tips...
2024-07-261h 23515 : The Ultra PodcastS6E3 -- Steve King : Ask Me Anything!Send us a textSteve King is a foundational guest on this podcast. Even though he appeared in the first three episodes (S1E1) (S1E2) (S1E3), I am not sure that we know all about this man. So, I hosted an online Zoom meeting for anyone who wanted to show up and partake in the AMA with Steve. This episode is the recording from that meeting. You can just look down at the resources and people mentioned to see what a wide variety of questions there was.Resources ment...
2024-07-051h 25515 : The Ultra PodcastS6E1 -- Review / Preview : Ultraman Australia 2024 Champions & 2024 UltraMX 515 Non StopSend us a textTwo great races are highlighted in the first episode of the season.UM Australia + UltraMX 515 Non-StopFirst, I have a conversation with the two champions of the 2024 UM Australia that recently wrapped in Noosa. Melinda Cockshutt and Anthony Vloedmans share how the race went for them this year and a little about themselves. In the second part, friend of the show, Van Sanchez, is back again to introduce the twelve athletes who will be taking part in the gruelling Ul...
2024-05-241h 23515 : The Ultra PodcastS5E13 -- UM Australia 2024 Race Preview with RD Jeff MorrisSend us a textUM Australia is the focus of this episode once again – like it was a year ago in (S4E8) . I caught up with race director, Jeff Morris, to preview the 40 athletes who are toeing the line in Noosa on May 11-13th. With only four previous competitors in this year's field there isn’t an outright favourite, like last year’s, Simon Cochrane; but the women’s field looks to be very competitive. We discuss all of the athletes and some of the crew members that are returning...
2024-05-0358 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS5E12 -- Ultraman Arizona Champion 2024 : Michelle VesterbySend us a textIn this episode, Danish professional Ironman triathlete, Michelle Vesterby, talks about her recent win at her first 515 distance event – Ultraman Arizona. Michelle has competed nine times at the Ironman World Championships in Kona and now may be looking at a November trip to Hawaii. Michelle’s motto, “Keep Smiling”, was tested in Arizona, but her crew helped to keep her on the course and set UMAZ record times, for women, for each of the three days.Resources mentioned in this episode:Ultr...
2024-04-1255 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS5E11 -- La Isla 520K Cozumel with Cesar GilbertSend us a textToday’s Ohana guest is all heart and one kidney. Race director of Ultra La Isla 520, Cesar Guilbert, is a live kidney donor who was inspired by team Hoyt to take on UltraMX 515 with his friend, Aarón Reza Lozoya, who is a person with quadriplegia. His story is one of living life in peace by recognizing balance and he tries to share this through La Tribu collective.We also talk about his race and some of the people that will be at...
2024-03-221h 13515 : The Ultra PodcastS5E10 -- Ohana Guest : Kate Bevilaqua -- Ultraman World Champion 2016Send us a textKate Bevilaqua has nearly 20 years of professional triathlon experience. She is the winner of three Ironman races, the women's champion of Ultraman World Championships, and the first woman to win an ultra triathlon outright at Ultra 520K Canada in 2016.Kate continues to race the pro circuit along with her husband, Guy Crawford. Together they run GK Endurance, their one-on-one coaching business. In this episode we discuss her 515 career, her coaching philosophy and her opinions on pro triathlon – present and future. She also shares some o...
2024-03-011h 06515 : The Ultra PodcastS5E9 -- 515 Round Table Discussion : The State of Ultra TriathlonSend us a textOver 150 years of experience are on the podcast today. A big list of big names in the Ultraman/515 world join me for a round table discussion. All of my guests bring unique experiences and backgrounds as we establish some history of the sport before discussing its current state and where we see it moving in the future. Resources mentioned in this episode:Ultra TriFest CanadaUltra 515 World Wide ChampionshipsUltraman HawaiiUltraman World ChampionshipsUM Arizona UM Florida Ultraman Wales (UMUK)Ultra MX 515UM Canada Ironman Canada UltraCzech 515 Ultraman Israel Sahara Tr...
2024-02-091h 30515 : The Ultra PodcastS5E8 -- Ohana Guest : Will Rogers - Ultraman and Ultra-HumanitarianSend us a textWill Rogers has travelled the world competing in 515 events which include Ultraman Canada, Ultra 520K Canada, Ultraman Hawaii, Ultra MX 515, Ultraman Florida, Ultraman Australia and Ultraman Israel. When not competing himself he is often sharing his experience by crewing for other athletes.In this episode, Will shares stories from many of those events from both the perspective of athlete and crew member.Will works as a paramedic in the Vancouver area and has volunteered to use those skills helping people in Ukraine during the war. He tells us...
2024-01-191h 05515 : The Ultra PodcastS5E7 -- Ohana Guest : Ross Welton 520K Canada Champion 2016Send us a textRoss Welton raced the Ultra 520K Canada two times as an athlete – one with greater success than the other. Ross shares how he, and his wife Katie, were both able to stand on top the podium at that race. These days Ross lives half the year in Mallorca and has been living “the lifestyle” of the island. In the past few years Ross has replaced racing with travelling with friends on ultra cycling trips around Europe with “no point to it”. This episode has it all for...
2023-12-291h 03515 : The Ultra PodcastS5E5 -- UltraCzech 515 Race Directors Jakub & Adam AtarsiaSend us a textReturning guests, Jakub and Adam Atarsia share stories of brotherly competition in sports and how triathlon is growing in Northern Africa and the Czech Republic through the Ironman brand and the races that they put on. Together the brothers offer the UltraCzech 515 and a series of races in Algeria – including SaharaMan. Like many race directors these two are trying their best to grow the sport they love. Both brothers have experienced a few changes in their lives since we last checked in with them so it wa...
2023-11-1749 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS5E4 -- Infinitri 515 Race Director : Manu GarciaSend us a textManu Garcia, the race director of Infinitri 515, is my guest in this episode which was released early to coincide with race days of the 2023 version – October 19 - 21st.Being a triathlete himself, he decided to use his Masters in Event Planning and love of the sport to create his own career. His company, Infinitri Sports, puts on various races throughout the year on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. Manu shares his thoughts on organizing intimate sized Ultraman distance races versus other larger triathlon event...
2023-10-2054 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS5E3 -- The World’s first Ultraman : Kurt MaddenSend us a textAfter walking into Tug’s Tavern Swim, Run, Swim event and finishing 30th out of 400 – a young Kurt Madden thought, ”maybe I can hang with these people”. A few years later he was regularly travelling to Hawaii to compete in Ironman and Ultraman races. In fact, Kurt was the first winner of Ultraman in 1983. He shares some stories of the early days in Hawaii and how it was viewed as a fad.He has podiumed as an age grouper more times t...
2023-10-061h 10515 : The Ultra PodcastS5E2 -- A retrospective look at popular past guestsSend us a textIn this episode I do a retrospective look back at some of the most downloaded and most discussed guests that have appeared on 515 : The Ultra Podcast. Featured excerpts include:Manmadh Rebba S4E3 -- Ohana Guest / Moab 240 Finisher : Ferg Hawke S3E10 -- Ultramarathon Man Dede Griesbauer S3E13 (Part A) -- 2022 World Champions Arnaud Selukov S2E3 - Leaving the Grind for the love of TriRick Kent S3E8 -- Conversation with 5 time RAAM finisher Every episode remains available free to download in the podcast librar...
2023-09-151h 18515 : The Ultra PodcastS5E1 -- UMUK 515 race directors Ben Peresson and Richard GroomeSend us a textBen Peresson and Richard Groome from UMUK join me to talk about their ultra races and share their backgrounds in the sport. Ben is a “black shirt” Norseman Xtreme racer and Marathon Des Sables finisher. Richard has taken on The Brutal and rode every stage of the Tour de France with a magazine map as his guide. Together, they, like many race directors, fell into organizing the UMUK rather than see it go away. We discuss t...
2023-08-251h 03515 : The Ultra PodcastS4E12 -- Dee Fuller : Discussing Mental HealthSend us a textWe originally thought Dee Fuller overcame the usual body issues when stressing the body in an ultra event on her way to her second women’s win at UM Australia. A few days later she went public on Facebook about struggling with an eating disorder leading up to, and while competing this year. Something I was not aware of when we recorded this conversation.During our conversation she was open about various eating disorders, multiple PTSD triggers and other mental health struggles brought on by a variety of t...
2023-07-141h 08515 : The Ultra PodcastS4E11 -- Special Crossover Episode with the Kevin Heinze and the Fitspeek PodcastSend us a textThis is a special episode crossover between 515 : The Ultra Podcast and Fitspeek, hosted by Kevin Heinze. We recorded this conversation together and are both releasing the same episode to our audiences.We share stories about podcasting and our backgrounds for each other’s audience. Larry shares breaking Ultra news about new races coming to Whistler, BC in August 2024. As a bonus for listeners who subscribe and listen early, you have the opportunity to sign up for these new events before the news is broke...
2023-06-281h 11515 : The Ultra PodcastS4E10 -- Ohana Guest : Heidi Buttery - Nutritionist and Mental Health AdvocateSend us a textHeidi Buttery went from ultra high wealth financial advisor to ultra athlete. After going through a “mental breakthrough” manic episode she has become interested in helping others who struggle with mental health issues. In 2014, she raced Ironman to raise funds and awareness for NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). She has become a strong proponent for normalizing talk about mental health and shares her journey during our conversation. In 2015, she shifted her nutrition expertise from general knowledge to specialized sports nutrition and now helps others with developing nutritional plans. All o...
2023-06-2353 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS4E9 -- The Architect of El Plan – Armando ArmelliniSend us a textThis episode features Armando Armellini an athlete who has competed at numerous IM events, Epic 5, and 7 Ultraman events since 2016, including 4 consecutive Ultraman’s in 2022. He is the architect of El Plan (a way to pace 515 distances) and was the first person to attempt to complete all four UM branded races in a single year.Armando lives Aloha, Ohana, and Kokua. In his day job as an executive coach he puts these into his practice. Recently, Armando has been certifying in triathlon coaching and hopes to blend that into his current occupation as a...
2023-06-021h 17515 : The Ultra Podcast515 Special Edition : UM Australia Race RecapSend us a textIn this special release I speak with Steve King who was announcing at the event to get the rundown of what happened over the three days in Noosa this year at UM Australia. I also speak with Shane Duffy to put a final pin in his record breaking six 515 races in a year. Each of the champions, Simon Cochrane and Dee Fuller also stop in for a chat about how the race unfolded for each of them. Simon set a new world record tim...
2023-05-221h 04515 : The Ultra PodcastS4E8 -- UM Australia 2023 Preview & Profile of Simon CochraneSend us a textUM Australia is the focus of this episode. I have a chat with race director, Jeff Morris, to preview a few of the 45 athletes who are toeing the line in Noosa this weekend. Like most 515 races, the line up includes some big names with lofty goals like Richard Thompson and his sub 20 challenge, and some people who are just challenging themselves to complete the distance. We discuss the variety of situations that bring people to take on a 515 event..My athlete in profile is New Zea...
2023-05-121h 27515 : The Ultra PodcastS4E7 -- Three time Ultra Czech 515 finisher : Günter PilzSend us a textGünter Pilz, aka Ultra Pilz, is a three time UltraCzech 515 finisher and a man who creates his own Ultra “Adventures”. He funds his adventures with his day job as a secondary school teacher in Linz, Austria where he works with a lot of refugee students. He created a running club at his school to keep those students moving and to share the benefits of sport.From his central European home base he often travels to take on ultra adventures and to meet with friends...
2023-04-2151 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS4E6 -- Ultra Brazil 515 Race Director Alex LunaSend us a textAlex Luna, one of the many “race directors” of the UB 515 joins me today to speak about the 10 year anniversary of the Ultra 515 race in Ubatuba, Brazil.We discuss the history of the race in Brazil and its connection to the roots in Hawaii with Curtis Tyler. Alex shares his experience with the sport and the lifelong friendships that have come from it. Finally we discuss this year's edition of the race and what to expect from its competitors.You can follow the UB 515...
2023-03-311h 07515 : The Ultra Podcast515 Special Edition -- UMAZ DAY 3 Race RecapSend us a textFrom Phoenix, Arizona this is your day three race recap of Ultraman Arizona 2023. Find the Day 1 & 2 Recap here. Unfortunately, Jen McVeay was busy with her duties as race director and was unable to contribute to this recap.What a day three it was. It lived up to the hype, producing a new World Record time for the 33 year old Max Kniazev.There will be one more Special Edition episode available in this series when I speak with Max...
2023-03-2211 min515 : The Ultra Podcast515 Special Edition -- UMAZ Champions and Ultraman Record setter Shane DuffySend us a textThis is the final Special Edition from Ultraman Arizona for 2023. In this episode, I catch up with the two winners at the awards night to speak about how they felt about the race.Cynthia Bartus, age 45, from Pennsylvania, is the 2023 women's winner and Maxsim Kniazev is the NEW WORLD RECORD holder and winner on the men's side.I also speak with Shane Duffy from Australia who now has completed five of the six races in his quest to become th...
2023-03-2245 min515 : The Ultra Podcast515 Special Edition -- Ultraman Arizona 2023 Day 1 & 2 RecapSend us a textToday is a special edition episode for the Ultraman Arizona 2023 race recap of Day 1 and Day 2.Joining me today to bring you the recaps are Assistant Race Director Chris “JB” Holzner and this year’s race announcer Chris Clark.Continue to follow the race and get more information at :Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/ultramanarizona/Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/UltramanArizonaCome back for the Day 3 recap Special edition.Resources mentioned in this episode:...
2023-03-1911 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS4E5 -- UMAZ Athlete in Profile : Shane DuffySend us a textI am joined in this episode by Shane Duffy from Australia as my Athlete in Profile for the 2023 Ultraman Arizona race. This is the second episode released this week, as I also do a Race Preview with UMAZ race director, Jen McVeay and the voice of 515 everywhere, Steve King. Listen to that episode here.As you will hear in this episode, when Shane starts something new he jumps all in. A personality trait that has led him to att...
2023-03-1050 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS4E4 -- Ultraman Arizona 2023 Race PreviewSend us a textUltraman Arizona 2023 takes place from March 17 - 19. I have returning to the podcast, race director, Jen McVeay, and the 515 announcer extraordinaire, Steve King to preview the athletes competing in this year's race. It is a smaller field with just 3 women and 19 men, but some great athletes will be vying to set the official race records in their respective age groups and overall, as last year’s race (the inaugural) had to cancel the swim due to poor water conditions.Join us as we d...
2023-03-101h 06515 : The Ultra PodcastS4E3 -- Ohana Guest / Moab 240 Finisher : Manmadh RebbaSend us a textToday’s Ohana guest, Manmadh Rebba, is a multiple finisher of 515 races and ultramarathons. His ultra journey has taken him from a company 5k to completing the Moab 240. In his day job he works as an architect and project management consultant, and he uses that as a metaphor for his new endurance coaching platform - Re-Design Me. He wants to help athletes, especially Indian athletes, to find the path to live Aloha, Ohana, and Kokua while living a sustainable lifestyle. We speak about a number of topics includ...
2023-02-171h 08515 : The Ultra PodcastS4E2 -- Ultraman Florida 2023 Race PreviewSend us a textRace director of Ultraman Florida, Jen McVeay, and the voice of Ultraman, Steve King join me to preview the athletes attending the 2023 version of the race on February 9 - 11. We discuss some of the athletes' race resumes and connections to the Ultra family.In the second part of the episode I have a conversation with one of the athletes - Amy Jo Jenkins from Arkansas. This will be Amy’s first 515 distance event and she shares some of the anxieties of a rookie 515 athl...
2023-02-061h 12515 : The Ultra PodcastS4E1 -- Ultraman Florida Athlete in Profile : Francesco MagisanoSend us a textFrancesco Magisano is my Ultraman Florida athlete in profile. At ten months old Francesco was diagnosed with eye cancer and by age 16 things went completely dark with blindness for him. He found his way to sport through Achilles International, a global adaptive sports and advocacy organization serving people with disabilities. That has led to him working for Achilles as the director of the New York metro region where he also leads a Saturday run group in Central Park. He will be the first blin...
2023-01-271h 02515 : The Ultra Podcast515 : The Ultra Podcast (Trailer)Send us a textFor show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.comYou can download the podcast for free wherever you get your podcasts.If you enjoy the content of this podcast, please consider leaving a 5 star rating as that helps the pod bots to increase the visibility of my show to the people who will enjoy it.Show Contributors:Host : Larry Ryan (Former Ultraman Canada Race D...
2023-01-2101 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS3E12 -- Epic Deca Finisher : JD TremblaySend us a textToday’s guest, JD Tremblay, discovered that his body was able to sustain the trials of an Ironman (without any effects) when he did his first race, with no training, to check it off the bucket list.This led JD to push the boundaries to see where he would hit the wall. After competing in two 515 races he jumped at an opportunity to do the Epic5 ten-year-anniversary race – EPIC DECA , where he was the third and final finisher of the event.Today JD is wo...
2022-12-161h 24515 : The Ultra Podcast515 Special Edition : Ultraman World Championships 2022 Post Race ReportSend us a textIn this special edition of the podcast, Steve King files a report on how the events played out for the athletes at the 2022 Ultraman World Championships. Shout outs and mentions in this episode:Steve King (S1E1) (S1E2) (S1E3)Barry Berg (S1E9) Ryan Rinear Dede Griesbauer Rob Gray Leanda Cave (S1E8)Steven Keller (S2E10) Richard Thompson Jon Greyell Tara Norton Antonina Reznikov Jamie Harris (S2E11)Rodrigo VasconcellosAlessandro Medeiros Miguel Madrid Lopez Acyr da Luz Armando Armellini Ariel Gorga Gary Wang (S2E6)Juan Crave...
2022-12-0511 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS3E11 -- 2022 Ultraman World Championships Race PreviewSend us a textIt has been 3 long years since the Ohana has had the opportunity to have a family reunion on the big island at the Ultraman World Championships. Sheryl and Dave Cobb are happy to be hosting 40 athletes from 15 countries at this race once again. Sheryl gives us the roster of athletes and Steve King joins us to share his insights and statistical knowledge of a field that he says may be the strongest that he has seen compete at a single race. There are plenty of sto...
2022-11-2149 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS3E10 -- Ultramarathon Man : Ferg HawkeSend us a textFew Canadians have the ultra running resume of my Ohana guest, Ferg Hawke. He has raced in Western States, Marathon Des Sables, and Badwater. In triathlon, he represented Canada at the World Triathlon Championships and has competed in Kona for both the Ironman World Championships and the Ultraman World Championships.Ferg has challenged all of the big names in Ultra and made friendships along the way. He has compelling stories about his adventures and the people who have shared the...
2022-11-111h 30515 : The Ultra PodcastS3E9 -- UltraMX 515 Race Preview with Van SanchezSend us a textSome people make it to the 515 distance and still don’t find it to be far enough. Today’s UltraMX 515 Athlete in Profile, Carlos Pena, is one of those athletes. After previously completing the Mexican 515 race, he took on the non-stop 515 – two times. He has also completed triple and quintuple long distance triathlon events. Next up for this man is a Deca in Mexico (10 long distance events in 10 days) and a continuous Deca in Brazil next spring. Carlos shares information about his training volume as well as how...
2022-10-211h 26515 : The Ultra PodcastS3E8 -- Conversation with 5 time RAAM finisher Rick KentSend us a textNot every man can hear that he has Multiple Sclerosis and decide that he has become even more special. My guest in this episode did exactly that. Rick Kent is not only a 4-time 515 finisher and 5-time RAAM finisher, he is also an accomplished sports photographer. Rick shares many tips about racing and what were his favourite events that he has both competed and worked at as a photographer. From the opening questions about his life in Austin, Texas you will be hooked to list...
2022-09-301h 19515 : The Ultra PodcastS3E7 -- 515 is for Champions and Everyday Athletes that never give up (Christian Isakson & Delia Lujan)Send us a textMy Ohana guest in this episode is the men’s winner of UMC 2022 – Christian Isakson. Christian has competed in six 515 events including the Ultraman World Championships in which he had a near fatal bike accident in 2013.The UltraMX 515 Athlete in Profile is a self professed “regular athlete - mom of four, with a day job” – Delia Luján from Mexico. Delia has already competed at the UltraMX 515 once, but she is drawn back by the lure of the Ohana. Delia is an author and...
2022-09-091h 16515 : The Ultra PodcastS3E6 -- Ultra 520K Canada Race Recap and MemoriesSend us a textThe 515 Ultra Podcast completes its on the road in Penticton vacay with the Ultra 520K Canada finale recap. In this episode, I speak with the winners – Jeremy Hopwood (27:38:06) and Susan Evans (31:37:40) live from the finish line. Susan has set a record as the first woman in her age group (60-69) to complete an Ultra race.The rest of this episode is a series of memories told by the staff and athletes that have been coming to Steve Brown’s races since 1993. As regu...
2022-08-191h 47515 : The Ultra Podcast515 Special Edition : Day 3 recap of 520K Canada 2022Send us a textLarry Ryan presents a Day 3 race recap from the final Ultra 520 K Canada with the final results and Champions highlighted -- Jeremy Hopwood & 63 year old Susan Evans.Mentioned:Ultra 355 Canada -- show of interestShow Contributors:Host : Larry RyanContributing Raconteur : Steve KingAnnouncer : Mary Jo DionneProduction : 5Five EnterprisesMusic : Run by 331For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.com...
2022-08-0205 min515 : The Ultra Podcast515 Special Edition : Day 2 recap of 520K Canada 2022Send us a textLarry Ryan presents a Day 2 race recap from the final Ultra 520 K Canada.Show Contributors:Host : Larry RyanContributing Raconteur : Steve KingAnnouncer : Mary Jo DionneProduction : 5Five EnterprisesMusic : Run by 331For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/515TheUltraPodcastInsta : 515theultrapodcastSupport the showShow Contributors:Host : Larry RyanContributing Raconteur : Steve KingAnnouncer : Ma...
2022-08-0105 min515 : The Ultra Podcast515 Special Edition : Day 1 recap of 520K CanadaSend us a textToday's bonus is a recap by Larry Ryan of Day 1 of the final Ultra 520 K Canada.Show Contributors:Host : Larry Ryan Contributing Raconteur : Steve KingAnnouncer : Mary Jo DionneProduction : 5Five EnterprisesMusic : Run by 331For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/515TheUltraPodcastInsta : 515theultrapodcastSupport the showShow Contributors:Host : Larry RyanCo...
2022-07-3106 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS3E5 -- Ultra 520K PreviewSend us a textThe 515 Ultra Podcast is on the road in Penticton for the two weekends of Aloha, Ohana and Kokua that are UMC and Ultra520K Canada. In this episode, I speak with the winners of UMC 2022 – Amy Robitaille (24:47:16) and Christian Isaakson (25:49:51) at the finish line.Also, Steve King and I discuss the resumes of the sixteen athletes who will take on the final Ultra 520K Canada race this coming weekend hosted by Steve Brown and his team.It is Ohanafest in P...
2022-07-2653 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS3E4 -- The Unlikely path to Ultra with Gloria AguileraSend us a textNot every athlete who challenges the 515 distance has completed 20 Ironmans, or have been winners in their age groups, or are Ultra marathon junkies. Some just work their way up the distances and prepare to take on the 515 distance with a hope of just finishing. My guest today, Gloria Aguilera, did not do any of that. Her first triathlon was the Ultra 355 in Cozumel and now she is my guest as the UltraMX 515 athlete in profile. She is lucky to have an experienced guide in the form...
2022-07-081h 01515 : The Ultra PodcastS3E3 -- Why be average, When you can be Your Best : Shangrila RendonSend us a textIn this episode I speak with Ohana athlete, Shagrila Rendon of Feisty Fox Coaching. She regularly takes on larger and larger ultra feats fuelled by guts and driven by pure determination to leave behind the ghosts of her horrible past. Though seen by the outside world to have it all together (a blossoming career, flourishing in the rigours of academia and participating in ultra events) for many years her inner world was flush with turmoil -- abuse, eating disorders, PTSD, severe depression and alc...
2022-06-1757 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS3E2 -- Ultra 520K Canada Athlete in Profile : Ramon Lopez MendizabalSend us a textIn this episode I speak with Ohana athlete, Ramon Lopez Mendizabal, in what was originally set up as an Ultra 520K Canada Athlete in Profile. As happens in the 515 world, plans change at the last minute and I learned, during our conversation, that Ramon will not be attending the race this year after all.Still, Ramon has a wealth of stories to share about epic events that he has participated in and his work life is pretty interesting too. He has competed in Ultraman Israel, 16 IM’s, mult...
2022-05-2750 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS3E1 -- Epic Deca athlete Julian SummersSend us a textIf doing a 515 race or five 140.6 distance races in five days isn’t enough of a challenge, why not try the Epic Deca (the 10 year anniversary race of Epic 5) which will be ten 140.6 distance races in 10 days. That’s what my Ohana guest, Julian Summers, has decided to do. This race takes place from May 10-19th.In the second part of the podcast today I finish my Steve Brown conversation from the previous episode. Steve tells some Steve Brown Stories to reflect on the...
2022-05-061h 05515 : The Ultra PodcastS2E13 -- Race Directors continuing to grow Ultra (Steve Brown & Van Sanchez)Send us a textToday’s episode opens with a clip from YouTube, where race director Steve Brown welcomes racers to the 2016 Ultra520K Canada. Steve is the OG race director for UMC and has also directed Ironman Canada. I find out if Steve intends to make another run at city council in Penticton and some other exciting breaking Tri news.Steve King Stories features an athlete who previously appeared on the podcast in episode 8 of this season, Jeremy Howard.Finally, I catch up...
2022-04-151h 14515 : The Ultra Podcast515 Special Edition -- Ultraman Arizona Day 3 update from Steve KingSend us a textLive at the inaugural Ultraman Arizona, Steve King, is reporting in to tell us how the day 3 double marathon unfolded for the athletes.Spoiler: Winners were Steve Keller and Vanuza Maciel.Support the showShow Contributors:Host : Larry RyanContributing Raconteur : Steve KingAnnouncer : Mary Jo DionneProduction : 5Five EnterprisesMusic : Run by 331 For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.comFacebook: @515TheUltraPodcastInsta : @515theultrapodcastYoutube : @515TheUltraPodcast...
2022-03-1405 min515 : The Ultra Podcast515 Special Edition -- Ultraman Arizona Day 1 & 2 update from Steve KingSend us a textOnce again we are rewarding our subscribers with this special update from Day 1 & 2 of Ultraman Arizona 2022. Live at the event, Mr Steve King, is reporting in to tell us about why the swim portion was cancelled and the other stories unfolding after two days of competition.Support the showShow Contributors:Host : Larry RyanContributing Raconteur : Steve KingAnnouncer : Mary Jo DionneProduction : 5Five EnterprisesMusic : Run by 331 For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast W...
2022-03-1305 min515 : The Ultra PodcastS2E11 -- Ultraman Arizona PreviewSend us a textSteve King and the race director of Ultraman Arizona, Jen McVeay, join me to preview the long awaited inaugural running of the race taking place March 11-13. We discuss the themes that cross through a number of the athletes as we introduce you to some of the racers and their crews.Tallahassee resident and Big Sexy Racing athlete Jamie Harris (2018 and 2019 Ultraman Florida Champion) is my Athlete in Profile. We have a great discussion about her previous races and some of her personal challenges during th...
2022-03-041h 27515 : The Ultra Podcast515 Special Edition -- UMFL Day 3 from Steve KIngSend us a textThe final day of UMFL from the finish lone with Steve King.Support the showShow Contributors:Host : Larry RyanContributing Raconteur : Steve KingAnnouncer : Mary Jo DionneProduction : 5Five EnterprisesMusic : Run by 331 For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.comFacebook: @515TheUltraPodcastInsta : @515theultrapodcastYoutube : @515TheUltraPodcastEmail : 515Ultraman@gmail.com
2022-02-1403 min