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Jessie Speedy Post-Race Interview: 2025 UTA 22km
273 Plays7 days ago
We’re joined by the UTA 22km winner Jessie Speedy to unpack her race from start to finish.
Hear how it played out, what shaped their performance, and where they’re headed next. Enjoy a front-row seat and an inspiring look into one of this year’s standout runs.
***Don’t forget, use code PPP at Bix’s website for 20% off Bix products, exclusive to PPP listeners!***
Thanks for tuning in to Peak Pursuits! Connect with us on Instagram @peakpursuits.pod to share your thoughts, questions, and trail stories. Until next time, keep hitting the trails and chasing those peak pursuits!
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Transcript
Introduction of Jessie Speedy and Her Background
00:00:15
Speaker
I am here, lucky enough to be joined by the UTA22 female winner, Jessie Speedy, who has the best surname in all of trail running and running combined.
00:00:25
Speaker
Welcome to the podcast, Jessie. Thank you very much. I'm super excited to be here. First podcast appearance for me, so cool. That is awesome. Well, I'm glad that we get to give you that experience first up.
00:00:38
Speaker
it's ah It's so cool and it's a new face, a new name to us, and we get to hear just some different stories, especially when ah and you've just had such a brilliant race. But before we get to that race, I want to know a little more about you.
Transition from Sprinting to Trail Running
00:00:52
Speaker
So tell us where you're from, when you started trail running, or just running in general.
00:00:58
Speaker
Just give us a little bit of the background. Cool. Yeah, so I'm from New Zealand, probably tell in the old accent. And yeah, so I'm from Mount Munganui. So ah probably a lot of listeners might know where Rotorua is from the UTMB Tarawera.
00:01:14
Speaker
i It's about an hour um to the coast of that, so on the beach. um Bit of a mini New Zealand-y, Gold Coast-y, smaller nice that's giving good vibes yeah um but got some good kind of trails and it's called the mount so there is actually a mount um like a mountain like not a massive like it's about 230 meters um elevation but got some good stairs which is quite quite fun um and yeah so guess yeah I started running um by no means a child prodigy you know I was just uh you'll be both girl no no way um I just kind of did all sports and i was okay like i was more of a sprinter when I was little like little speedster I think I did see did you have a 210 800 meter
Early Sports Years and Distance Running Shift
00:02:03
Speaker
I do. Yeah, I do. That is fast. The thought of actually doing that right now gives me like vomit vibes.
00:02:14
Speaker
Yeah, so I guess I started doing that, but no means distance running at all. Just kind played all sports and then kind of, I guess, in year 13, your guys year 12, um just started to do cross country a little bit more um then yeah uni came around actually took a bit of a break from running um live the life i kind of just as well like had probably just like was taking it a bit too far almost like just like i feel it was that kind of age where social media was rising and
00:02:44
Speaker
like I just kind of got into a bit of bit like a negative almost relationship with it um and so uni started um I took a bit of a break for a couple years I've always loved it um so then yeah I just naturally got back into competing after a little bit but more just like the road um and then started to do a little bit of track um just because my squad did would say I'm not really a trackster like no not like I just track is not quite my vibe but Good to do a little bit of and and really enjoy the roads.
Love for Trail Running and Cultural Influences
00:03:18
Speaker
And then I guess moving forward, um ah yeah, I was doing well on the roads and things. But then I've always just like loved the trails. And I think it's just like growing up with the mount, like the freedom as well, like pace doesn't matter, but it's like such a grind up the hill. um Yeah.
00:03:35
Speaker
And more the experience. Like I just love being out there. It's so mindful that you've got to watch every step. um all those kinds of things so then I was like right um after that first year of masters I'm actually going to do the mountain champs like in New Zealand I'm going to aim for that and still do a bit of road and track um yep I want to make the world's team like we'll try to um this is and was that this year um no so this is 2022-ish 2023 yeah for Austria so for Austria yeah I was like I'll give it a good crack um because the the course was actually at the mount and then um
00:04:10
Speaker
So I kind of changed quite quickly to doing a bit more hills and stuff after doing a lot of track
Struggles with Injuries and Recovery Process
00:04:14
Speaker
and stuff. And then i actually tore my plantar batter. um so Ouch. Yeah. So um it was quite a long recovery.
00:04:22
Speaker
um So that took about four months, the left side. Although I was on placement at the hospital because I'm a dietician and my I was like in my final year and I compensated a lot on the other side.
00:04:35
Speaker
I actually kind of came out of that with the right side then, um ended up having a really deep intra-laminar tear. Yeah. Yeah. Yep.
00:04:45
Speaker
Painful. then Yeah. I actually had to then take a year. So this time, I still wasn't running. um And then started to build back probably from about August, 2024 again. And then with my sights on, right, I'm coming back now, like perspective is that i just want to hit the trails and
Embracing Racing with Gratitude Post-Recovery
00:05:04
Speaker
do things I love. I feel because when it's taken away from you, it's like, yeah you know,
00:05:09
Speaker
So it's like now I'm like so content with um like racing races. I want to race like, um you know, putting myself out there in mountain races and things. i Wow. Yeah. So it's been a bit of a journey, I feel, to get here.
00:05:23
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. But it's it's so exciting because you're just at the very beginning. Yeah. Because when I was looking up your results, it looked like I'm like, oh, you you're not, you don't like the your earliest result, at least on ITRA and UTMB is Crater Rim 12K, which was ah October last year. And then you've got Tarawera You won Tarawara 21K or technically 23. I think they call it the 21 as usual with trail. You get used to that.
00:05:50
Speaker
um And then you're on an absolute tear this year because since then you were second at the ah New Zealand Mountain Running Champs. I believe that was the uphill.
00:06:00
Speaker
Yes. Yeah. Just the uphill. Which I'm assuming that gets you an automatic spot on the team. Yes. So the team got announced um the week after that. And yes, I was super excited. Like awesome. That was just like so surreal as well. um So yeah, super exciting.
00:06:16
Speaker
And then like two weeks later or three weeks later, you're winning UTA
Racing Journey and UTA 22 Victory
00:06:20
Speaker
22. You're absolutely on a tear. So unexpected. Well, well, I think after everything you've been through and then being in that mind frame of just going, I'm i'm here with gratitude. I'm here with, I love being here. Like,
00:06:34
Speaker
that's when the best performances come. It really is. It's like you're just having fun with it. Everything's unexpected. You're at the beginning. Like I'm so excited for you. Like there's going to be more times that come. As someone that's like eight years ago I was doing UTA 22 or seven years ago and it was like at that point I was felt like I was in a similar spot, brand new, things were going well, thought everything was just going to keep going well. And it's like there's ups and downs.
00:06:59
Speaker
Yeah. But it's still such – like you've shown so much potential in such an exciting spot to be at the very beginning of what you're doing. So, so cool. So congrats on that first.
00:07:09
Speaker
Well, thanks so much. And yeah, I'm totally feel the same way. I'm like, um, this, I came into this, i was like, you know, it doesn't actually matter how the race goes. Like I'm actually just happy to be here. Yeah.
00:07:20
Speaker
Not every race is going to be amazing. Um, but when it is, I think it's just like, wow. and I think, you know, you appreciate it so much more. I think after being like injured for so long and stuff too, it's like, definitely just being at the start line was great you know yeah yeah right yeah I've just I'm still in the same spot I had like an 18 month injury too and it's just like you don't you don't you forget about everything and you just go I'm here yeah I can run so with that you were on the start line very happy to be there but
00:07:53
Speaker
A lot went down between the start and the finish for you to then come across the line first. So we might get into UTA and just tell me, how did the race pan out for you? The data start's with a very long downhill and then you're in your element on the up to finish, but how'd it go?
00:08:10
Speaker
So, yes. So I guess leading into the race, like last week, arrived kind of last Tuesday, went out to the Blue Mountains Wednesday and was just kind of having fun. Like I'd had quite a lot happening with like work and things in the last couple of weeks.
00:08:23
Speaker
And I guess the pinnacle, like i was more focused on the New Zealand champs. And then i was like, oh, my God, fun. I get to come and do UTA. This is so cool. um and it'll be like an awesome experience so I guess my attitude going into this week was actually a lot more probably relaxed than normal you know because was like like that there's nothing to lose all to gain um you know that kind of thing anyway so get to the start line um the buses were running slightly late um oh yeah there's people that missed the start line and everything
00:08:54
Speaker
I, yeah, I was a bit stressed on the bus. Um, and I basically, I was walking down the road and i was like, Hey, this road's actually going for quite a while. Um, so yeah, I had to quickly run to the borderloving, you know, to the borderloving. Classic runner's not going to go into more detail.
00:09:11
Speaker
Um, I stripped down, got my hydration vest on. It's like 6.32. The race starts in eight minutes. I was like, sweet, skip out there. Literally just ran to start line, got there. And I was like, oh, hey, gals, we're ready to go. oh yeah Sometimes that can actually, I think, lead to less anxiety beforehand too. I wasn't thinking about the race at this point. Anyway, yes, I started and I was just like, um I didn't obviously know, I didn't overlook into the field too much either because sometimes that, you know, gives me a bit of anxiety. so I was I'll go show up, um see what we go out at with the pace and just kind of just p play it by air, just stay in there, back myself a little bit,
00:09:51
Speaker
Um, but not also go out, you know, blazing hot because I don't know the course. I have no idea. Like, obviously I know it goes down and then up, but you know, the, the detail.
00:10:04
Speaker
Um, so yeah, we started and everyone's great as well. i
UTA 22 Race Experience and Strategy
00:10:08
Speaker
just want to say like all the girls at the start line, everyone was so awesome. We were just like vibing. It was a good bunch you had. Yeah. Yeah, totally.
00:10:15
Speaker
And we went out and it was hot. It was a hot pace, um, down the hill um like looking back at my Strava because was really, we were in a bit of a group and then Beth, one of the girls, awesome, another Kiwi was absolutely sending it. And I was like, go queen. You, this is awesome.
00:10:35
Speaker
um But then ah in myself, i was like, oh my gosh, wow. Like the quads. I was like, I've been doing a lot of uphill, not a lot of down. So I was like, I'm just gonna stop stressing a little bit and let her just go a little bit because I just know the, you know, there's a lot of up to go.
00:10:51
Speaker
yeah Did anyone go with Beth? Was anyone else ahead of you? No. So um were in a bit of group for, I'm not sure how many K's, maybe about three or four. and And then, yeah, ah she was kind of sending it down like awesome.
00:11:03
Speaker
um And then I tried to just be able to see her still, I guess. I was a bit cautious. I didn't want it to get too stretched out. Yeah. and And was kind of in the mentality of YOLO. If I blow up, I blow up.
00:11:17
Speaker
Yep. that's That's the perfect way to be on this descent. And to be honest, i'll probably that quick descent, I guess, overall would have helped me, you know, time-wise probably.
00:11:28
Speaker
um i think the quickest K i was looking back was like a 318 down the hill. Yeah. and And, yeah, but then I got to the first uphill and i was like, oh,
00:11:39
Speaker
okay, we're a little bit – and that's actually where my peak heart rate was, was that first uphill my quad was covering. Yeah, the transition because you were just going down for so long. yeah Yeah, because it was a lot steeper as well than I thought, the gradient, and I was like, wow, this is quite steep. Did you – I know my 5K PB is down that descent from UTO 22.
00:12:00
Speaker
Do you know if yours was in this race too? I haven't checked fully, but I i highly – think it would be yeah no it's a bloody blast event yes and um i'm gonna do that after this um yeah check it i'll claim it um anyway yeah then was like okay um if we're gonna get through this do you see i was like i need to just pull it back a little bit um so then i yeah was happy uphill there's still a bit more downhill kind of up and down i was like just treat the downhill as a bit more of a get your breath back Um, I did that and then, yeah, I just felt bit more calm, you know, so then,
00:12:37
Speaker
Yeah. Then I just starts getting more and more uphill and I was like, okay, feeling bit more, you know, in control, the breathing and everything like that. Um, so then, yeah, was just really a steady climb. i probably passed Beth just before the marker, like probably, I guess it's about 12 Ks in, um, just steadily. I was just kind of going at my pace and I was like, was like, oh, I'm not sure. But I was like, oh, worst case, you can always pass me again. You know, like I'll just keep going at the pace I'm going to go at.
00:13:03
Speaker
Um, And then, yeah, it's really just a climb, that last 10, 12 k's. um And I just, I guess I've been training for that a bit at the moment with like the uphill champs was a like 11.5 uphill.
00:13:17
Speaker
yeah and Yeah, it was almost perfect for the second half of this race. Yeah. So i kind of knew, I guess, the kind of threshold level, like the pace I can just kind of go at steadily, I guess, for and another hour.
00:13:29
Speaker
Yeah. And yes, then I said that got into my own vibes. And I was just been like, just trucking along. i was just like, don't even know what i was thinking about. And then, um yeah, it's kind of just catching up to a few men every now and then, which was quite nice.
00:13:44
Speaker
How did you find was the trail um really muddy already at that point? Yes. So once we got into that single track before the stairs, it was muddy. ah was like, well, like, this is actually quite muddy.
00:13:57
Speaker
um So yes, had to be a bit careful in some bits. and then I was just kind of thinking like, okay, the stairs mustn't be too far away.
Winning with a Strong Finish
00:14:04
Speaker
i was like, I know that there's a big climb to go. so i was kind of like, like, okay, just keep it together. Like I wasn't thinking really about anything or like that I was first or anything. I was kind of just like the, we're still getting through the yeah yeah So finally get to the stairs. And this point I've just actually reached, I think he's actually a young, he was, might've been like 16 or something. And I was like, great. And then ah like to have someone and then basically i was a hed just ahead of him. He was just behind me on the stairs and i was like, you can pass anytime.
00:14:34
Speaker
You can pass anytime. He's like, no, we're doing great. Let's just keep going. So he kind of like helped me, I guess. It's so good having company. Yeah. I think I wouldn't have done the stairs as quickly if I didn't have um some company there.
00:14:48
Speaker
And the stairs, I mean, my form, I was just double lunging with my hands and my quads. Yeah. get me to the top um but yeah no totally awesome and then you're basically at the finish line just like that um yeah I was just like wow yeah but I guess long-winded that was that's the recap no that's great I love hearing it absolutely love hearing it and yeah the the it's it is good when you can slowly mow through some of the men that as you're coming up that climb um that can help keep you moving and then
00:15:22
Speaker
The mud didn't seem to slow you down too much because an hour 57 on that course is a bloody good time. um it It's often than one in over two hours. So you've done incredibly well there.
00:15:35
Speaker
i wasn't expecting the sub too because i I did do like a quick look at kind of what generically the time is, more just to be like to like mum following a lot. I was like, oh, probably take me like, you know,
00:15:45
Speaker
maybe like between two, two and a half, you know, if it's a good day, i was kind of like, i was like, not sure how it'll go. um Yeah, so when I saw that, I was like, wow, I was like, oh my gosh, I couldn't believe it was, yeah, just under.
00:15:59
Speaker
No, it was great. It was so good to see you were... ah You had about a three-minute, four-minute gap on seconds. So um you wouldn't have, you would have almost, once you passed Beth, up you would have seen no one.
00:16:10
Speaker
um Which did you, are you the sort of person that when you're on the stairs and you've got the switchbacks, are you quickly checking back to see if anyone's coming? Yeah. um No. So one my rule that my cross-country coach told me in yesterday was when you pass someone, you never look back.
00:16:26
Speaker
i So I did definitely look back once I reached the top, top of the stairs. Yeah, okay. Just in case there was someone there. Because, again, I had no concept. I was like, oh, no, ah you know I've had, you know, like, what if they're really mowing through?
00:16:41
Speaker
Yeah. But, yes, only at the end just to make sure. ah Good, because then you can enjoy the finish. It's almost like at that point you want to know because it's like can I enjoy this or do I need to sprint? Yeah, exactly. That was more it.
00:16:54
Speaker
Yeah, no, trying to yeah not look back. ah Good, good, good, good. And yeah just massive congrats. I love
Emotional Reflection and Physical Aftermath
00:17:02
Speaker
seeing you come across the line. You could see the look of disbelief and elation and everything. It was all the emotions that you want to see at a finish line. It was so bloody good.
00:17:11
Speaker
um How's the body felt since? um Yeah, so much better today. guess today is Wednesday and it was on Friday. feel Friday, you know, just adrenaline takes over for that day. definitely in the weekend,
00:17:26
Speaker
I was pretty good except just the old shins. And I think it was the downhill. Yep. Yep. Yep. And I was like, the shins will get you. um So obviously there's still a bit of kind of, you know, just general fatigue that you'd expect.
00:17:42
Speaker
um And probably just like, you know, that lack of sleep kind of thing. I can never sleep after races. Never. But no, just the shins. But thankfully they've simmered down.
00:17:54
Speaker
so pe perfect we love that we love that and uh yeah so the last question I've got for you is just what's coming up for the rest of the year you've got your spot on the world champs team but that's not till September so how does the rest of your season look so people can follow along and keep keep seeing you do your thing cool so yeah fly back to New Zealand today um this week and a bit of next week is kind of just a bit of doing what I want. Yeah, good, good. Take the chill. Yeah.
00:18:24
Speaker
I really prioritize that now um because obviously September is still a long way away. So yeah obviously keeping active, but no schedule from, you know, the coach or anything, which is really fun.
00:18:36
Speaker
um And while I'm overseas um and then once I'm back and into into routine again, um I'll get back into a bit of a good build and probably bit more, I guess, uphill specific, like gradient wise.
00:18:50
Speaker
um but still doing basically what I do do like normally like a road session a week like hills my long ones are probably just going be tougher gradient you know and just like uphill kind of thing and then just easy jogging too I respond well to quite a lot of just like easy jogging with a few key things rather than heaps of intensity um and just being consistent I guess is the key um for me managing like my feet and strength and stuff like that um and then actually going going to go over to and europe a bit beforehand um and race a bit of the mountain running World Cup races.
00:19:27
Speaker
Perfect. That's a perfect leading for World Jam.
Future Plans and Training for World Champs
00:19:30
Speaker
Yeah, it's just super exciting. I can't even believe I'm saying this to you. like you know It's like, wow. um So, yes, we'll do that. I'm really lucky. We've got some family friends over there in Italy that I can stay with, so it makes it a bit easier.
00:19:43
Speaker
And when do you head over? So, start of July. So, it's actually coming up quite quick. i was going to say, that's going to come around quickly. I know, yeah. But I'm super lucky with my work and things. and They're super supportive. So, um yeah really stoked and and you said so work is dietitian yes yeah and in the sporting area in New Zealand so they totally um they totally support things like this so it's super cool um so yeah super grateful for that um and they're most probably going to jump in the ETC at Mount Bronx because why not um
00:20:20
Speaker
Exactly why not. If you want a damn good climb, that's a damn good climb. You do have a very big descent off the back of it. Yeah. But kind of just one, i guess. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, and definitely. That race, I actually just, I almost have FOMO now. Like I love the look of it. I will be doing CCC, so there's no way I'm doing ETC. Yeah, no. So I'll see you there. Awesome.
00:20:43
Speaker
in Chamonix, which will be great. But no, I just, the ETC course and stats, it looks amazing. So yeah definitely jump in the fun of that. If you haven't been to UTMB week before, it's just like the whole of the trail running world converging on one area. So it's um it's pretty fun.
00:20:59
Speaker
Yeah. So I guess that's it. And then it'll just, that takes us really through to start of September. And then I'll just have a couple of weeks of just kind of, you know, training in the lead up to the Pyrenees, yeah, world champs. So, yeah, it's super exciting. um And, yeah, just like so grateful. and just I guess I'm just like a little sponge. I'm treating it as like a rookie, yeah, you know. It's what you love doing.
00:21:23
Speaker
It's good. It's good. that's And that's the way it should be. It should be fun. You should just be exploring limits, exploring what you love doing. And there's no need to do anything you don't love at all. And there's just so much adventure to be had in everything that you're already doing. And like by the sounds of it, like you're already ticking so many boxes in terms of taking the breaks when you need them, letting the body be the guide.
00:21:46
Speaker
Like I love it. I absolutely love everything you've said to me. It's awesome to see. Yeah, I feel like you do this because you learn from your mistakes, right? Oh yeah, oh yeah, like for sure. Yeah, and sometimes you've got to have that like cope to something to like rein you in again. um But yeah, totally I've gotten a lot better at it since like, yeah, the big injuries. You just got to look after yourself, big advocate for that.
00:22:12
Speaker
Yeah, perfect, perfect. Well, thank you so much. I'm sure we will hear more of you and we will hopefully chat to you again. We do love our Kiwi cousins at Peak Pursuits, so we try and cover off as much of the Kiwi action as we can too. But thank you so much for coming on. It's been an absolute pleasure to chat and congrats again on a brilliant win for the rest of the season.
00:22:36
Speaker
Thank you so much for having me. Absolutely love