Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Kosci 50, Oman Ultra, Shoe Chat, and Finding a Coach feat. Demi Caldwell | Episode 88
0 Plays2 seconds ago
In Episode 88 of Peak Pursuits, James and Vlad are joined by Demi Caldwell to unpack a huge stretch of racing across Australia and the international trail scene. Demi reflects on her breakthrough third-place finish at the fiercely competitive Kosci 50, breaking down race strategy, course execution, and a season that’s steadily built momentum at the pointy end of Australian women’s trail running.
Vlad recaps his international podium at the Oman ultra, diving into the brutally technical course, racing at altitude, mandatory gear controversy, and why the event is shaping into a future UTMB destination race. The episode also covers key domestic results, athlete trends, gear insights, coaching discussion, and what the current calendar says about where Australian trail running is heading. A must-listen for runners tracking podium performances, race analysis, and the sport’s next phase.
Results:
***Don’t forget, use code PEAK at https://bix-hydration.myshopify.com/en-au 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 your own trail stories. Until next time, keep hitting the trails and chasing those peak pursuits!
Follow Demi: Instagram | YouTube
Follow James: Instagram | Strava | Website
Follow Vlad: Instagram | Strava
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: K08PMQ3RATCE215R
Recommended
Transcript
00:00:05
Speaker
Hello and welcome to episode 88 of the PPC podcast. My name is James. i'm joined this week fresh off the plane with Vlad. Vlad, welcome back to the country.
00:00:18
Speaker
Thank you. Yeah, literally landed about 12 hours ago. I appreciate you jumping jumping straight on with ah with a race to recap, which we'll get to shortly. We're also joined by special guest Demi Caldwell to recap what's been quite a 2025. Yeah, cool. Thank you. Happy to meet you. yeah dar you You came on interviewing me after UTA where you were fourth then, weren't you? In the 50K? Third.
00:00:43
Speaker
Third, sorry. And for but like the the the first Australian, and I remember remember when we had that chat, it'd be like, this is a really impressive, like it was a standout result. And from the outside, looking in, like, it seems like the year just kind of gone from strength to strength to strength. Now come away with another third at Cosi 50 in an incredibly stacked field, both internationally and domestic. When you're looking back at year, like how are you feeling about it all now that we're closing out 2025?
00:01:07
Speaker
twenty twenty five Yeah, really good. I think, um, Yeah, obviously it was a hard decision at the start of the year to make, but i I kind of just went into the year being like, this is a choice I've made, so I've got to go all in. And I just kind of learned something from each race and and built from it into the next one. So, yeah, i I'm happy with the result, but I also feel like I set myself up for it as well. you missing try at all?
00:01:31
Speaker
No. Okay, fair enough. Is it weird just committing and like from all the training perspective, like are you doing any cross training still? Do you use the bike or swim? No, no cross training. um I've moved to Canberra now though, so my coach and the training group are here. So maybe I'll get into a little bit, but at the same time, I know I need to focus on just, you know, technical running and running in general. So just see what happens. Yeah.
00:01:59
Speaker
How's the move gone? Yeah, really good, really smooth. um Prioritise bringing plants over furniture. So that's been a little bit of a tricky one to get around for this first week. But um yeah, it was all good and happy to be here now.
00:02:14
Speaker
When we just moved last weekend, all the furniture went into the moving truck and the plants came into the car because they had to be very carefully looked after. So I understand the priorities there.
00:02:24
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. Don't become a gardener when you're renting. Yeah. yeah how How have you pulled up after kai Really good. Yeah. Yeah, i i was ready to have a little bit of time off. So I knew, you know, going into COSY, it was going to be like, all right, do the race, do the best you can. And then you can kind of kick back for a week or two. And my body definitely needed it, but yeah, ready to kind of crack back into things now. We were just saying off offline about kind of having a break when you kind of want to, or you need to, but you kind of don't need to.
00:02:53
Speaker
Vlad, are you in that same boat at the moment or are you feeling pretty good to keep pushing? I feel pretty good. I had a bit of time off after the World Champs. So, yeah, I'm pretty excited to to keep get get into training, actually.
00:03:06
Speaker
Okay. All right. Well, come back to the that in a sec. It's funny. like It's always fascinating to see and how how much just a block can take have of you or how much like a more technical race than you expect can be it take out of you or beat the body up. But yeah, Kozzi itself, Demi, I listen to you or watch your video on YouTube, which if anyone listening hasn't seen Demi's YouTube, it's it's great. And they've got, like, did you start to you started at the start of the year for YouTube? YouTube, yeah.
00:03:33
Speaker
Yeah. It's been cool just to see them, like, they've got progressively better breath better as you would when you put it together, but it's been a really cool way to like to follow your season. So yeah, anyone's looking something to watch, but it sounded like you were in a really good place going in, like ready to compete, but also you weren't so much focused on, okay, I have to get a podium. I have to do this certain performance levels. Is that a fair assessment?
00:03:54
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. So Cozzy is, I don't know, it's a special race to me. It was the first 50K that I did. so I'm familiar with the area and i I just, I love being there. So I think that really makes a difference as to like how I race it as well.
00:04:08
Speaker
Mentally, I want to be there. So I'm going to have a good time regardless. And yeah, I mean, I kind of had my eyes on this race from the start of the year. So it was always in the back of my mind that I wanted to do well.
00:04:20
Speaker
And then like once I suss out who's at the race, it's like, well, I can only do what I can do on the day. It's not the end result that matters. It's like what I do during um that's going to make the difference.
00:04:32
Speaker
ah You mentioned also about trying to beat your time from last year, which you did by like half an hour. that right? Yeah. 29 minutes. I'm sorry. I'm giving you an extra minute there. Like, is is that...
00:04:45
Speaker
because i feel like there's a conversation trail running about like where course record should should be a thing or obviously there's conditions are different year to year but when you were going along you sort of noticed how far ahead that you were was like there any surprise to that not not surprise I knew I'd put in the work so I knew well I hoped I'd be ahead and I I think I've mentioned it but I broke the race in a chunk so I had kind of had my timing spritz from last year on my hand and where they where that put me at each of the aid stations.
00:05:14
Speaker
So the only really time though I checked in on it was like coming down the end of merits and it said like 420 something and I was like, oh, that's pretty far ahead. I've been pretty close to the finish. So definitely surprised myself. But yeah, I guess it's not the not really the end time that I'm focusing on. It's more the fact that I was able to kind of do the things to get a better result, if that makes sense.
00:05:41
Speaker
Yeah, definitely. Well, you're kind of going, you mentioned at the start that the goal was to be with the front pack of the women, kind of do the downhill at your own rate and then kind of go from there outside of like just simply pacing it. What were the other things you're trying to do at this do you to set yourself up?
00:05:56
Speaker
So definitely at the start, staying out with the front girls. Like one thing I've learned this year is as soon as you let someone get out of sight, you you're kind of out of the race. You don't know where they are. You don't know how far back you are. Like if you can see them, you have like an achievable way to catch up to them.
00:06:12
Speaker
ah So that was the key thing at the start. And then the downhill was just run it as well as I could. I wasn't getting able to change that too much. And then the main thing was just I've always struggled between the section between Bullets and Village Green because it's hot and it's just like that awkward uphill.
00:06:30
Speaker
So previously I've always walked sections. So my main focus there was just, you've just got to run the whole thing. It doesn't matter how slow you're going, as long as you youre you're running or like jogging, that's going to be like, I'll tick that off.
00:06:42
Speaker
And then I just was aware of the climb and just wanted to fuel enough during the front end so that I did have enough at that back end. to push that.
00:07:05
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. Yeah. And were you, do you see how the the splits kind of there chunk down in your mind? Were you actually looking and paying attention to them as you were going through?
00:07:17
Speaker
as i As I came up to it, yeah. So just before Bullocks, I had a look and knew I was ahead. And then, yeah, like just before Nagario and yeah, just before Village Green too.
00:07:28
Speaker
had you Had you set like goal splits or you only had last year's? i Yeah, I only had last year's and i the honest only thing I gave myself was like, I want to do it between four and a half and five hours. So it was a big range.
00:07:41
Speaker
Pretty big window, yeah. Yeah. And going from... Like coming out of the Village Green, you've got that that last section, a big climb. Do you know, I haven't looked at the splits, do you know if you were closing in on Lucy or is it pretty equal? Because Lucy, you came second.
00:07:55
Speaker
I haven't looked at it personally, but I i did close in. i lost a bit of time on the the section before Village Green and it it would have been a few minutes or so that I closed to Lucy in that last part.
00:08:08
Speaker
Wow. Given Lucy's had quite quite a year, especially this last last few months of granted seemingly taking off every single race that exists in new in Australia at the back half of the year, but she keeps putting in performance after performance after performance. ah like knowing that you were cruising and knowing that you're up there with with her and can't remember the ladies name of the one, but like how did that, like how are you feeling after all that?
00:08:32
Speaker
Yeah, really good. Really good. um It's been really cool to have Lucy around and ah i suppose race in in a sense.
00:08:43
Speaker
um So she was at roller coaster and four peaks and then at Cozzy as well. And I've said to a few people, you know, she's kind of like that carrot in the distance and it's it's good to kind of get a measurement of her to see where I'm at as well.
00:08:57
Speaker
And yeah, it's it's just been really fun to, compete against women that are quite a step above, um, like myself and maybe some other runners that we have here too, and have that as a bit of ah a goal, um, to reach in the future too.
00:09:16
Speaker
it's a conversation that we've had on the podcast about especially the Lucy being here, but also Fu Zhao at GPT, like having these internationally, international level ladies setting these course times for the domestic ladies to kind of go, and and it's the same happening in the men's field as well, but going, oh, okay, that's the level.
00:09:36
Speaker
Is that sort of how it's how it it felt for you? kind of Now you go, okay, and now I've got something to work towards. And like, that is where I need i need to get close to there to be at this point. Yeah, 100%. I feel like there's this, you know, this is where Australian runners are at and that's great. And then like this is where the international runners are at. And it's like, what do I need to do to be able to close that gap? What's the what's the thing that's going to make the difference?
00:10:02
Speaker
Yeah. so excited to kind of dive into that a bit and and see what that means. Have you sat down with JT, your coach, and discussed how you're going to close that gap?
00:10:13
Speaker
we had a little chat uh last week and i think i just need to wrap my head around what i want to achieve next year and kind of what my goals are and then we'll sit down again and not at a plan yeah have you got anything penciled in yet nothing in pen ah head over to occ in august that's kind of i suppose the a goal yeah and Yeah, i think I think the biggest thing I learned this year is like maybe have two A races for the year. And then especially next year, I want to just try to get into some more social ones too and have a bit of fun with running and take it seriously, but also take the time to enjoy the process and enjoy running because at the core of it, like that's why why i do it Do you feel like you've moved too far away from that this year?
00:11:02
Speaker
Yes and no. Yeah, I definitely had more of a focus on doing well, and and my eyes on podiums and things like that. So it would be nice to have a few of those into next year, but then, yeah, just remember that like, I'm here to have fun. let's Let's have some fun.
00:11:19
Speaker
Yeah. we think To me this year, it stands out that sort of UTA and COSY would have been your A races. Was there anything else in there that you were putting a lot of focus into?
00:11:56
Speaker
It puts a different perspective calendar in your face for the beginning of 2026, I would have guessed, at least the mid part to get you ready for that. So that will be fun. Seeing all the events and being bit more into the scene this year, there been any events that you've gone, oh, that looks sick, I really want to get to that at some point?
00:12:11
Speaker
Um, maybe I think I just honestly haven't taken the time to be like, what's out there. I, um, I did put a post up the other day, just asking for people to let me know what races they want me to like recap on my YouTube.
00:12:25
Speaker
And I had a few messages come through with some suggestions. So if I get a few more of those in, I'll see what's around and hopefully I can, yeah, get out to some in the future. Yeah. Cool. Okay. Oh, I'll see. I'm not going to get it. An answer. So I'll stop going for it But it's been like, I'm sure Vlad would say the same as well. With with with the podcast, you're obviously paying a lot of attention to everyone's results and your name, yours, obviously Lucy in the back half of the year, Sophie Broome, like off from the female side of being the names, i feel like we're just consistently reading out and consistently putting, like maybe not winning,
00:13:01
Speaker
But you're coming second, third in like some of the most competitive, not the most competitive fields we have in this year. So it's been it's been really fun to watch along, especially after seeing you kind of have that performance at UTA and then come all the way through. So yeah, it's just been been very fun to watch and well done. It's been a really great season. Yeah, no, it's awesome too to be able to like hear those names and go race with them and like get to know the girls too. That's been one of the best parts of the year too.
00:13:28
Speaker
Yeah, brilliant. Vlad, come to you you've also just come off a ah podium result. How was Oman? Yeah, it was good. It definitely a challenge. um I mean, I think I didn't expect the course to be so hard.
00:13:44
Speaker
um But yeah, overall, pretty happy with the whole trip and race and Yeah, it was good. okay I definitely highly recommend it. Next year, that event is going to be a UTMB event. And I feel like in a few years, this will be like a good destination race. Like, I don't feel like this is going to be a race where you're goingnna come back year after year and try and improve your time. It's more like, I really want to go there, um experience the culture, the course. And yeah, I really feel like
00:14:16
Speaker
it will be like one of those races that people are keen to do for the destination, for the challenge of the course, for the, you know, different vibe of the country. um So yeah, I got to experience it this year, which was really, really fun.
00:14:31
Speaker
um But yeah, they kind of asked me, are you going to come back? And I wasn't like, it wasn't like a hundred percent, like a yes. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. it Did you put any focus onto this,
00:14:45
Speaker
from a training perspective or is this really just something to do on the way to tower um not a crazy amount of focus i think that you know having a break after world champs i knew take longer than seven weeks to get like fully fit um but then at the same time i thought this is a great opportunity to get a really long run in experience a new place that i've never been to um so yeah it kind of worked well i guess my taper wasn't like really heavy going towards it. And then, yeah, just started jogging the next day. So hopefully the race didn't take too much out of my legs and I can just keep hopefully training normally in the coming weeks.
00:15:27
Speaker
What was the travel out there like? i feel like this time of year, there's a few races internationally that you can to. Like there was Chiang Mai, um not not too far away as well. And then obviously you've got quite a lot of domestic stuff. So is it is it something you think that is worth people looking at?
00:15:43
Speaker
I think it's a trip, yeah, for sure. um i think it's just so different. I mean, Oman is... ah So this is my first time in the Gulf regions, but from what I see from the outside, Oman is like not as built up, not as focused on like high buildings and shopping malls like Dubai um and maybe some new parts of like Saudi and and that region. They kind of try and keep it a bit more...
00:16:11
Speaker
similar to how things were in the past for them. So they like Oman is one of the oldest countries in the world from what I understand. And you get that vibe when you're there, especially like I haven't really spent too much time in Muscat, which is a capital. The race itself is about an hour and a half, um, away from a Scott and yeah, got a good feel of the culture and you know, this kind of, uh,
00:16:38
Speaker
I guess what you imagine the Gulf region to be, or maybe what most of the Gulf region was 50 years ago, um, which, you know, again, haven't been to Dubai, but I can imagine Dubai would be very different than Oman.
00:16:49
Speaker
Um, so I thought that that was, that was pretty cool. Like I didn't go to any shopping centers, but I went to the big market there, um, which was, yeah, really, really fun. So yeah, I could definitely recommend it as a trip. So I think, um,
00:17:04
Speaker
Especially if you're from Australia, you probably would have maybe been to Asia a few times. So this is, i guess, a trip that is only two or three hours longer than an Asian trip, but you get a very different experience. Good time of the year now there. So it during summer, it gets really warm there, but the winter there is...
00:17:27
Speaker
I guess like a Melbourne summer, um you know, maybe about 15 degrees at night. And then during the day, it's a nice sunny 25 degrees, no rain.
00:18:19
Speaker
very technical riverbed where you jump on rocks. It's pretty much like rock hopping for a good five minutes before you start the climb. And that climb is um just a gradual 20 to 25% incline for about five or six K. Yeah, I've just, just going to drop, I've got it here, six K and 1300 meters. It's pretty decent start the race.
00:18:45
Speaker
Yeah, so I think it's a nice thing that you do like a flat of 5k through the town before. Yeah. And that that is actually like, you know, a nice 5K because the first 2K is on the road, but then you get into like smaller streets through the town and through the buildings. So that was actually quite cool. And then you kind of run back through the start line before technically starting the race and going out towards the mountain.
00:19:12
Speaker
um So, yeah, that was a really good start. And then, yeah, that climb is like... I guess it's they have those stairs that are not very uniform. um So I don't know if I could call them stairs, but it feels like they've been there for a really long time. yeah um ah So not super runnable. And now there was like a group of five or six of us in the lead and it was kind of like a long hike.
00:19:38
Speaker
um Yeah, I think like looking back, I probably should have pushed that section a little bit more. um if i would have known what's coming up next but yeah a gradual climb for quite a while before you get to the top of the mountain range there and then you stay on the mountain range for quite a while um and that's a lot cooler there as well so you know by that point we started the race it was probably about 15 degrees and then yeah Like down the bottom would warm up, but because we were climbing up it and we got to 2000 meters, 2200, it was actually really pleasant weather, even though like it was very sunny.
00:20:17
Speaker
um But yeah, really nice up the top. Ran again through like little villages and stuff and little trails and small little towns and around some big fancy hotels. um But it's all like on the edge of the mountain. So you get like really nice views.
00:20:35
Speaker
for a long time. um And yeah, a little bit technical, a little bit rocky. And then from what they did from last year, they added like an extra 5k and that 5k is literally like run straight down like a road and a gravel road.
00:20:52
Speaker
Then climb back up literally on the side of a mountain and you get to the same point that you started the downhill middle of the race. So last year was a 55k race. They wanted to make it 60 this year. So they've added that section, which is, yeah, it kind of throws your legs into a bit more pain um running downhill for like three or four K at three 30 and then crawling back up on very rocky technical trails for another like 20 minutes. um
00:21:25
Speaker
Yeah, it was a good challenge. And then you get into a really nice old town and you run through this little town through so they have those fields that grow like on the side of the mountain.
00:21:37
Speaker
um Obviously not a lot of water there. But yeah, like olive plant plantations and pomegranate. And yeah, you run through that before heading into some very technical downhill.
00:21:53
Speaker
um And that's where the local runners just flew down the hill. So like straight down the hill. So there's a bit of a switchback where those local guys just went straight down it on the rocks. Like at like some really fast paces. I was a bit surprised.
00:22:09
Speaker
and how quick they were running on those technical sections. um And yeah, got after that we got into a more runnable downhill section, so like fire road kind of a style.
00:22:21
Speaker
And then we got probably about 10k before the end, you enter like the real valley. um And that is probably one of the most technical sections I've ever done my whole life. So it's it's a slight downhill.
00:22:36
Speaker
um And for three Ks, I was averaging probably around nine minutes a K because of how technical that was. And you run from like this side of the valley to the other side of the valley. um And it's all like rocky and yeah, it was...
00:23:33
Speaker
um Yeah, here was like very dry the whole time. So you kind of get the same underfoot feel on the technical stuff. When in worlds, it was a bit more of a mixture of like some smaller rocks, bigger rocks. Here was a bit more uniform in that sense that it it was, when it was technical, it was similar technical of like sharp rocks.
00:23:56
Speaker
Um, But yeah, that last section was pretty tough, those was three Ks. And you know you're pretty close to the end and you've so you've already dropped down back to like 500 meters above sea level where the finish line is. So it is a lot warmer than probably around 25, 28 degrees.
00:24:15
Speaker
And then you get into some runnable open road, like gravel road, but because it's like a massive valley, like you both sides, like, you know, two and a half thousand meter peaks on both sides, you get this headwind, um, which in one way is nice because it's cooling you.
00:24:32
Speaker
But in the other kind of side of it is like, you really want to just get some runnable section in and go a bit quicker, but with the headwind, you're not going as quick.
00:24:44
Speaker
um but yeah and that was yeah a couple of flatter k's towards the finish line and then yeah finish in an old fort um castle kind of a style which was yeah really really beautiful so yeah total of exactly six hours for me um third place um One thing that did happen that wasn't like that nice, and I don't know if, Damien, you've ever had that, when you run with other people and you know they don't have the full mandatory gear kit, and you're kind of like thinking, hey, I got like a whole kilogram of mandatory gear kit in my back, and I can see this guy's got nothing in his backpack. Like it's an empty backpack. While I have my jacket, a medical kit, one and a half liter water capacity, you know space blankets you know and so on. And I can see that his backpack is like empty.
00:25:36
Speaker
um So that was kind of like in my mind a lot of the race. I don't know if that was just me finding an excuse why I'm not in the lead of the race or ah me just being negative. But yeah, that was kind of like not a fun bit about that race.
00:25:53
Speaker
And I know that the organizers are not going to listen to this podcast, but obviously they've they've you know they've invited me over there. So I didn't want to be like that guy that gets invited and then complains.
00:26:06
Speaker
But yeah, that was a bit weird. That happened to me once before in China. And again, like I was invited there, so I didn't really complain about it. But it did sit on my mind. It wasn't like that pleasant kind of knowing that I got an extra kilogram in my bag. where like a lot of the local guys didn't have anything in their backpack.
00:26:27
Speaker
Yeah. Has that ever happened to you, Demi? I have wondered, especially like when some people wear just the run belts, but at the end of the day, if you're focusing on that, it's taken away from your race. So like as long as you know you're doing the right thing, ah yeah I don't know. It's a hard one.
00:26:43
Speaker
So basically, Vlad, don't mean saying you're making excuses. Yeah, exactly. No, but like, I mean, I think in the back of my mind when it was really hard, like it was a tough race. And I was like, you know, kind of bouncing between second and fifth for the whole race.
00:26:58
Speaker
Yeah. And when, you know, somebody would overtake me in my mind, i was like, oh, well, it's fine. They will get disqualified at the finish line when they check the mandatory gear kit. So i think that that's kind of the way played out in my mind. if If maybe I wasn't in the podium positions, I wouldn't care as much. I wouldn't care at all, actually.
00:27:17
Speaker
um But then knowing that you know, it's not really fair that I'm carrying extra weight. Um, it's gonna like, it sucks regardless, like regardless, cause you're, you're doing right thing and the people in front of you cheating, um, which, but unfortunately it's never as black and white or it has to get picked up or you have to say to the race director, directorctor Hey, these guys didn't have anything in their pack.
00:27:41
Speaker
Um, they're probably local. probably know the race director, the race director want to piss them off. And yeah. What was, when they reached out to you, what was their reasoning for for wanting to bring you over?
00:27:52
Speaker
I don't know. A good question. Um, no, they've reached out, um, like three or four years ago and three years ago. And, and yeah every year I was kind of, yeah, maybe next year, maybe next year. And this year it kind of worked well. Time-wise. I thought, um, good time to get a race done before Christmas. And, um,
00:28:14
Speaker
Again, I've never been there, so I thought it was a good chance probably maybe one of the last time any race would invite me, you know, just, just with how, you know, competitive trail running is at this point. Um, you know, so I thought I might as well make the most out of this trip, enjoy, um, the trip itself and the race. And yeah, it was, it was a really fun trip and in a great race would recommend it to anybody. Um,
00:28:41
Speaker
And like I said, like there were a lot of technical sections, but at the same time, 30% 30% of the race was very runnable. Um, so yeah, it was a mixture of, of both.
00:28:51
Speaker
Um, and yeah, really beautiful, beautiful trails. Um, incredible country as well. Very, very nice people. And, um, yeah, had a lot of fun. uh,
00:29:02
Speaker
I wouldn't count yourself out, Vlad, once you get the golden ticket at Tower Era, you're going to have someone knocking on the door again. And i'm I'm very impressed you had enough time during the race to stop and take photos of the hotel pool. Yeah. Yeah.
00:29:14
Speaker
Very relaxing, very comfy. Yeah. I don't even have a picture from the race just yet. i was like, I'm just going to post something on Strava. ah I saw like the video pop off and I was like, surely he's not stopped at taking a video in the middle of this race.
00:29:30
Speaker
No, no, I didn't. ah Glad to hear it. what like and this isn't this isn't having a knock on them at all, but do you think this is having UTMB come in next year, is that going to be a good thing for this race, do you think?
00:29:42
Speaker
To be honest, like i think yes. like you know They have a five-year contract with UTMB, so that means that they're going to get a lot of exposure, a lot of new people. And I think this race will be able to stand...
00:29:55
Speaker
alone without UTMB after those five years. um Once there's enough people experience the race and told their friends and, you know, enough pictures circulating on social media, i think people would go there as as the destination race. um You know, it's not a fast course in in any way or you know, it's more about kind of like, yeah, i get to do this race in in this part of the world that I've never been to and experienced.
00:30:21
Speaker
you know, a different culture, which is very different than anything else in the world. um So I think, yeah, I think the UTMB thing will be good for them for the for for the next five years. Hopefully after that, they will be able to, um you know, kind of go like, we've achieved what we wanted and the race should be able to attract Um, you know, an X amount of international runners. So it does get a lot of local runners and a little bit of runners from the region. But I think their main goal because they get supported by the tourism board is how many people are traveling from overseas. Like how many nights are they staying in, in hotels? How many,
00:30:59
Speaker
days they are staying in Oman. So I think that that's the goal for them as a race organizer to be able to get that support um from the tour tourism board because they put on a really good race. It's a world-class race.
00:31:14
Speaker
um I have not paid the entry, but I don't think it's that expensive. So I think it's very good value. will be next year. for the people that actually paid entry, like you get a good value four for like for the race experience and the whole atmosphere and and support and aid stations. I mean, I'll give them one one thing. There was an aid station every 5K, which is really, really good. meant that, you know, it's safe and, you know, you can have water and food literally every 45 minutes, every half an hour, which was was risk really, really good.
00:31:50
Speaker
means you can get away with not carrying the mandatory gear quite comfortably. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Yeah. it's ah When you said about doing for five years and then being support, like being big enough on your own afterwards, makes me think of, um ah not Pites Peak, Broken Arrow, that's like part of the Golden Trail series is now out of it. Now ACG has come in the sponsorship and has put up some crazy cash, but like it's it used the Golden Trail to sort of elevate its profile internationally. And now it's this big standalone thing. Granted, it's also got the TrailCon into states bit as well but it raises a good point that you can really make something of your event long term by partnering with these big series for a short term I think especially when it comes down to having support from the tourism board and they want to see international visitors um so in that sense yeah I think obviously it's not cheap to partner up with UTMB and you know they technically you know without the support of
00:32:49
Speaker
the tourism board might not be able to do it, but having that tourism board support and now having UTMB for five years, I would like to think that that's enough. And, you know, like I don't think the race will ever be like a UTA with 10,000 participants, but I think it can be a solid race with three or 4,000 participants.
00:33:11
Speaker
runners and half of them are international where this year they had just over a thousand runners. Um, I don't know the percentage of internationals, but it wasn't like, you know, that high, um, where I think five years with UTMB, you'll have, you know, a higher percentage of international runners coming in. And that's why they want, I think that in the end of the day, they want people coming in from overseas.
00:33:34
Speaker
what What was the street choice for that event? Um, oh Yeah, it was it was pretty tough because I came with about four or five pairs and I wasn't sure. And last, so so I had to do a photo shoot two days before the race.
00:33:47
Speaker
And yeah, wore the Adidas Ultra um Speed, the first ones. carbon plated ones and I thought I think they might be the best middle ground shoe because you have like you know 15 16k of runnable sections and they worked okay obviously you you have to be a bit go a tiny bit slower on technical stuff but then on the runnable stuff I feel like you do get an advantage from the plate and
00:34:20
Speaker
the way the shoe is designed to kind of keep you on your toes. Um, and recovery wise as well. Like I thought I knew if I'd wear them, the recovery is going to be a bit quicker, but i also brought an old pair of like vapor flies, um, in case like, you know, there was more runnable sections.
00:34:40
Speaker
Um, cause I've done a few trail races with like an old pair of vapor flies. So like once once it's, Nice and flexible, worn out a bit. So you get a light shoe with the plate, obviously without any grip. But yeah, I've done a few trail races and done quite well because the shoes are just so light.
00:35:01
Speaker
But yeah, after seeing some of the technical sections during the photo shoot, i was like, yeah, maybe I'm not going to wear those. um And then, yeah, they added us were good middle ground shoe for the race. Nice. Damien, what were you, as someone that's not, Heather doesn't have a shoes sponsorship, what were you using this season mostly?
00:35:20
Speaker
I used a range of shoes. I had a fair bit of ASICS. Yeah. um They're, what's the, the fuji speed i think i use that as a race shoe yeah um but then i also had a few like training shoes that i really liked i um tried a pair of keen i say this a few people and they're like i've never heard of keen before but they released a trail runner um and that was a really like solid sturdy training shoe and um tarkin as well they had a they released a ah child shoe as well which i've been using and that's been pretty cool yeah cool i've ah seen using it
00:35:59
Speaker
speed for x speed for a few Fuji speed for yeah and not like the meta Fuji not the really rocket kind of aggressive one but the lower profile one yeah the biggest thing is for me like I've rolled my ankles a lot in the past like playing soccer and stuff like that so the lower of the profile the better the shoe yeah probably not not the and ASU that Vlad's used then we're not going cool it sounds like a fun trip Vlad okay how many days we were you over there for Five days. so okay Well, technically the whole trip was seven days, but like a day traveling and a day coming back. So yeah, five days there.
00:36:36
Speaker
Is that of the time difference? Four hours with Perth. So I guess, yeah, I guess with Melbourne right now, that's seven hours, which is... I mean, the good thing about it is that the the night before the race, I fell asleep at 6.30 and woke up at 3.30, which was half an hour before the time I was supposed to wake up. So that worked well in terms of the jet lag.
00:36:59
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. It works well for few of you. think it would be pretty pretty brutal to do a quick trip from here. But, no, cool. It sounds like sound like a really interesting race. They definitely got a good amount of their time, so anyone that's listening wants to go to a mile. I can't say it's ever been...
00:37:14
Speaker
a Country that's been on my my radar, but it definitely like just looking at a few photos you put up it looks very pretty very good and yeah, i mean if you go on the Instagram you get to see some of the videos it is a beautiful mountain range and Like I said, it's I feel like it's it's a nice destin destination race You know most of the hotels there are really nice as well and actually not that expensive to to be honest Yeah, um So i think a pretty affordable trip compared to like going to Europe and A lot cheaper than going to Europe.
00:37:46
Speaker
um And yeah, I guess it's a bit longer, but compared to Asia. um But yeah, I mean, like if I want to go and do cosy from Perth, it's almost like the same amount of time as like traveling to Oman.
00:38:00
Speaker
Yeah. gee Yeah. Okay. That's fair enough. Yeah. Slightly slightly different environment there as well. Sweet. right, and but I was on last week, so it's not too much really to update for me when you're kind of just in a walk run program and progressing along. But first first week in our new house, which has been very nice kind of learning learning all the new trails, it gets you get so used to where you run from high range. You're in this at at the moment as well. basic like You just head out the door and don't think. and Now, it's like, how does this bit link up and how far is this? and yeah There's been a few, especially because I'm being careful not to overdo it It's been a few 1.5, walk homes when I've completely overestimated.
00:38:43
Speaker
Normally, I build everything on Strava, but I'm like, no, I've got this. I know where I am now. It's also a lot hillier here. I've been allowed to run on some undulations. I've moved to continuous running next week. I've been on a walk-run program for six weeks, I think now. It's been quite a long time.
00:39:06
Speaker
It builds up a bit. I feel like I'm in a dangerous spot as well where I'm starting to get a little bit of fitness back. And so you sort of with that, if i know if I don't consciously slow myself down, the pace is just creeping faster and faster, which feels like a very risky area at the moment. But but it's nice to be nice to be running. It's nice to be looking at 2026 and sort of going, oh, I might actually be able to go and do stuff and not have an, hopefully not have an entire year of just sat on the sidelines.
00:39:34
Speaker
Yeah. at least you have that awareness now too that like you know if it's starting to feel good you still have to hold back you're not yeah version third i reckon like this is probably the point last time where i got through finished walk run did the first maybe a week or two of the normal running and this is where luke who's who's looking asked me like what's where where we stopped and i sort of I'd spoken to my coach about coming back to him, but we I was going overseas, so kind of had like a little bridging period. And this is kind of like where I screwed it up last time because you just get excited and it does, it just feels good. and you're like, oh, I can go and do this stuff again. And um again, granted, if I was like, didn't have the brain issues I've got, I should have been fine. But it was, yeah, it's a dangerous period, but it is also quite nice. You just feel a bit poppy. And I put Vlad, you're like this, I put the EVO SLs on for the first time in about
00:40:25
Speaker
five months and I'm like immediately i was like running 20 seconds a K faster and I was like I can't put these back on for a while they are they are they are a nice shoe but yeah really looking forward to looking forward to exploring the trails around here more because we do have quite a big range right behind me so currently allowed to do some hikes we're trying to find all the hidden little single trails and old dirt bike trails and everything but yeah it's been a feels like I'm almost getting there which is nice
00:40:52
Speaker
A quick break in the show to thank Bix. Bix has just come out with their 30 gram gel in two brand new flavors. This is a new gel, new flavors. You've got the choice of the salted strawberry or the berry. The salted strawberry is also packing 300 milligrams of sodium. an increase. whereas the berry has 200 milligrams. Both make them perfect for the conditions we have in Australia, yeah whereas most gels on the market do not have sodium within them. What Bix has done here is take the recipe for the gels that work so well, that 1.8 ratio that is very, very friendly on the stomach and added a soft, subtle, but very tasty twist that you can dial in your race day and your training nutrition to that extra fine detail.
00:41:32
Speaker
As you know, bix has been supporting the show from the start and it literally helps keep the podcast coming to you every week. So if you want to support the show, level up your own nutrition game, head over to the Bix website, use our brand new code PEAK, P-E-A-K, for 20% off at checkout. And with that, let's get back to the show.
00:42:15
Speaker
Yes and no I think it's a really good thing that they do have automatic qualifications, you know, like it guarantees a spot and then you can play a new year. um But I still don't think for myself personally, it's a reason I would enter a race.
00:42:29
Speaker
yeah I'm going enter a race because I want to do it, not because maybe it's going to get me a spot on a team or something like that. i don't know. It's yeah. Yeah. I'm just trying to gauge people's interest and seeing seeing people people might be going next year, seeing if it has a bit of relevance. Does does race like a race in China sound interesting?
00:43:38
Speaker
don't know like obviously when when the courses few years ago four five years ago that made sense but Vlad I guess probably even bit more few you because you've been around a bit longer do you do you feel like Buffalo is still a sky running-esque course
00:43:49
Speaker
yeah i think they're going a little bit more extreme to be honest like it feels like sky running from the outside like you know, they're trying to create their own niche and i think their niche is a little bit more extreme.
00:44:04
Speaker
um But yeah, in the end of the day, it's, it's still a business and they still got to get enough races to support their business and the whole series because they are putting like actually pretty decent prize money.
00:44:18
Speaker
Um, So, yeah, I think I think in Europe anyway, from from the outside, it looks like they're really after the very technical stuff. So, yeah, but I know I like, you know, I know that they've been trying to get.
00:44:31
Speaker
They've they've even um talked with them on trying to get a sky raise there. I know they've been trying to get a couple in the US and a couple in Australia, but. um Yeah, I'm not 100 percent sure because those things.
00:44:46
Speaker
you know, don't always work out. But I guess, yeah, Buffalo could be our one. ah I think Tassie would probably have a better chance of creating like a more sky running feel to it um in terms of the terrain as well. So not just gain and elevation loss. It's a lot about the terrain as well.
00:45:05
Speaker
Yeah. But yeah, hopefully one day they could have one in Tassie, hopefully. But that was kind of my, my impression and like Demi you ran the 20k this year at Buffalo like they're tough courses but there's nothing that kind of makes me think extreme when I'm running at Buffalo especially not not now yeah that's what I was just thinking I was like I don't really think it's on par yeah it's like and because they they list out all the races that are attached to like Australia New Zealand Skyrunning and it's one D cross which definitely in my mind would fall into it bit more and then the same weekend as KMR which would fall into it a lot more I just yeah
00:45:42
Speaker
found it interesting that Buffalo store still has that, so you don't know all the underpinnings to it. But yeah, there's not not too much about the current Buffalo course that I think of being as too hectic or extreme.
00:45:53
Speaker
But surely there's the terrain around Buffalo to ah kind of match it. I think that the old courses, i think to the, it might have mean 25K, the original that went up emily's down makes up clear spot down to buckland valley turned around and went back and it was just like 800 meter climb after enemy to climb and it's maybe not the most technical underfooting mixed track was it was a bit better condition back then but it ah if that course was maybe 25k it probably would have two 25.25 hundred meters at least of climbing yeah give or take so like it was pretty extreme from that perspective i don't know
00:46:30
Speaker
I don't think even Buffalo would really have that much technical in the classical sense of it. like There's some rocky sections, some rooty sections, but there's nothing particularly bad about it. like Whereas you go onto Kanani and you take take the wrong turn and all of a sudden you're going for a boulder field and trying to find where your next your next marker is. so It's a very different environment down there.
00:46:51
Speaker
yeah and Then even 1D cross a bit more on the the extreme side. but Yeah, i was hoping that there might be something popping up or is out of 19 races. And you're right, there's 250,000 euros across the season from a prize money perspective, which I'm not sure how it gets broken down. but maybe Maybe one day we'll see people over here and give people bit more of ah an access because there's only three in Asia, I think as well. so There's not even enough to qualify for the Sky Masters to then come in the overall ranking. so Somebody that does like sky running does have to make a significant trip to do it if you want to look at the national sort of the World Series. We also had the running event, which if anyone's not familiar with this, it's where all the the running brands bring their new stuff for the next calendar of the year coming out. and it was following along with with the the trail shoe side of it. and there's a few interesting new companies coming to One that's really stuck out me, ah I don't know if you guys have heard anything about them, but is Mount to Coast, which is this Chinese brand that has come out, it's very simple wording. They have a H1 and R1, a T1 and M1, there's hybrid road, trail, a mountain. So it's nice and easy way to remember what they all do. But they their phones, especially in like the brand new one, the M1, seems to be like better, more durable. So lot to get lot more Ks and more responsive than what PVAX is, which would be be quite interesting and coming in like a pretty interesting price point. But it's cool to see like there's a lot of new stuff coming into the market. I feel there's a lot of new brands that you said Keen is coming in. Rosignol, the ski brand, came in last year. um There's all these real random ones like Rabbit, a clothing brand, is now made. made one. Vlad, have you tried any, like, kind of, I don't want to say random, but of these brands that have kind kind of launched onto the scene? I mean, I haven't necessarily seen much of yet.
00:48:42
Speaker
Not yet. so I was supposed to try. So they actually sold out the Mounticoase which I think is better selling shoe. Yeah. I think that's that's sold out in Australia for quite a while.
00:48:56
Speaker
But yeah, I think there's more stock coming in late January. So I'm hoping to to buy one and give it a try. Yeah, definitely heard a lot of good things about the brand. It looks from the outside. It looks like it's a pretty simple shoe. And um I think for trail running is nice to have the options of like those very supportive big lugs um shoes, but also It would be nice to have more of like really simple kind of nice, bouncy, fast, light shoes, which I just don't feel like there's enough of them like on the market right now. So, yeah, it's nice to see those brands coming out with very simple shoes, but um getting a lot of good feedback for those basic shoes.
00:49:41
Speaker
I managed to find. I'd been looking at the H1 for a bit and couldn't find one in my size and then um it just popped up on the website. So I've got one coming with my little gift to myself for actually running again. Is it just like I've been falling for the last year and just that the hype seems to be building and building and building some very interesting.
00:50:01
Speaker
But yeah, there's lots of lots of cool stuff coming out. Nike with the whole ACG movement is interesting, seeing how much money they're putting into it. But yeah, it's a fun time for shoes. Although, as Vlad, you said before we came on, it's like there's all this hype and things sound great, and then you put them on your feet and they kind of flop. So we'll see how that all all happens. All righty.
00:50:22
Speaker
Moving on. There's only a couple of results. Not about... from this week. There was the Peaks and Pastures up in Canberra, which definitely got some some names to it. I'm not sure of the distances, but the max peak.
00:50:37
Speaker
um Ada Klinkhammer took out a third, Michelle Cook second, and Prue Davies took the win by one second. So 205.43 to 205.44. So that would have been fun to have watched that finish line. And in the males, um Jonathan Fern was in third, James Minto second, and three minutes up the road was Patrick Clark. He's the 16, I'm assuming he's still 16, that took out the the sky running youth earlier in the year. And then in the mini peak, Ashley Van Dam Muehlengraaff took out third, Lisa Krakowak,
00:51:14
Speaker
So second and Theresa Salas, I'm really sorry, Lisa, ah took out the win in there in 102-07 and then in the men's Etienne Blumstein-Jones took out third, Ben Silk in second and Max Taylor with quite quite a decent four over four minute lead across a 50 minute course in first, which I haven't seen too much of Max this year. So it's nice to see him on ah on a start and finish line and taking out another win.
00:51:39
Speaker
Seen him around a few things, but not not too much. And then over in SA, they had the third of their summer series at Bridgewater. ah They just go through the the long course and the females.
00:51:52
Speaker
Willow Atkins came third Talia Dawood second and that was another really close one and then Natalie Sessford in first and then the men's Alex Karkas in first the third John Songhai in second and then Aaron Nitschke took out the win lots of close racing it's good to see but we're we're definitely hitting that that point of the year now where it's getting getting pretty quiet like even coming up there's only the six inch trail marathon and WA that I can really find which I also find interesting that I've just read out South Australia and then now WA, that the events seem to be in the hotter states, or least in my mind, hotter states. Interesting one. We do have a question that we've had from Kim for the last few weeks, which we are now getting
00:52:33
Speaker
When did you first get a running coach and how did you choose one? Demi, I'll come to you first, obviously maybe not strictly just running, but but when did you first get a coach and how how did you choose that person?
00:52:56
Speaker
There was just one group called Triactivate that was quite prominent and wore a lot of pink and stood out. And, um, we got to know Nikki who runs it and she was just a great person. So, um, joined them.
00:53:28
Speaker
When you moved from your first coach to, JT was your second coach? Yeah, were were there certain things you were looking for in ah in in that second coaching relationship?
00:53:38
Speaker
Yeah, so the first first coaching relationship was a lot of group sessions. So when I moved on, I definitely wanted some more personalized training and then just a bit more advice around like strength training and nutrition. And our coaches can supply some of that, but then they're also a good person who can outsource and like recommend you to other people. So James has been really good for that too.
00:53:58
Speaker
Yeah. How has he gone or how's that been, that transition from tri to trail whilst keeping JT as your coach? It's been really good. It's actually been really smooth too. As soon as I mentioned it to him, he was on board. um I think he does a lot of his own research and listens to podcasts and things like that. And he's happy for us to have conversations as well. Like if I i might know a bit more about something, then we'll talk about it. And, um yeah, you know, it's,
00:54:26
Speaker
there's communication there, which makes a lot of difference. Yeah. If you're in this, like the top three things you would be looking for in a coach or you would say to somebody, when you start to look at a coach, these are the things that I would, i would look for. what What would you put there?
00:54:39
Speaker
a really good one. i would say communication is number one. You just, you need to you need to be able to talk to them and you need to be able to tell them when you're feeling good or when you're feeling bad or if something isn't working.
00:54:51
Speaker
yeah or if you're injured because they're setting your plan. And i don't I don't know if there's much more on top of that. like I suppose, like I said, like outsourcing, it's good if they can outsource.
00:55:04
Speaker
Yeah. And...
00:55:06
Speaker
No, that's fine. It's an interesting one. I'll come back to my point in sec. But Vlad, have you ever had a coach? um Yeah. I mean... like a formal coach? Yeah, I mean, I'm working with Matt Ramson, but the coaching is a little bit more kind of just key session, um which I just do the group session. So i wouldn't say it's like 100% specific. But I think, you know, just going back to that question, if I could recommend something trying to,
00:55:37
Speaker
try find some coach that had success with some clients that are similar to you. So for example, if you want to run a four hour marathon, um, I don't think there's a point going and trying to find an Olympic marathon coach.
00:55:55
Speaker
I would rather look for, and a runner that was at your position, which could be a 4.15 right now and was able to break four hours for the marathon with this coach.
00:56:06
Speaker
And then i would kind of like go towards that direction because you know that that worked for somebody similar to you. Um, so I, you don't have to like look at the pro runners and, and, you know, think that a professional coach, a coach, a coach's professional runners is going to do as well with you trying to break for our marathon.
00:56:26
Speaker
I think you just have to find somebody that's done what you want to achieve and hopefully they can copy something similar towards your own your training. Yeah. Because so understanding the context of someone's life who's a four hour marathoner is typically very different to somebody who's a elite or even sub elite level. And so knowing knowing everything that goes into that person's life or a typical person's life around that that bracket is is important when when you were like I feel like this gets overlooked Vlad but you were a coach for a long time and full-time coach as well when people came to you was there any sort of consistent themes of of things that they were looking for from from working with you um
00:57:06
Speaker
I wouldn't say like anything specific but I think that when I first had the call with them I would outline my way of coaching and the things that were very important to me as a coach like for example like my main goal was like you're not gonna get injured like that was my main goal and that was my main goal with my own running and you know naturally that moved into the way that i was coaching um and it didn't mean that you're just gonna do very little it just meant that you might have to do a lot on the sides to make sure that
00:57:38
Speaker
you know, you're running well and you're not injured. Um, and for some people that sounded like a good idea. And for some people, you know, at times they're like, I don't know if i can commit to that. And that was a good thing because i would have not felt comfortable coaching somebody not along the way that I was training and coaching myself.
00:57:58
Speaker
Um, And yeah, at times just had to say no to some people. So I think that that's important when you come with the goals and kind of understand the coach. And I'm sure some coaches are probably a bit more flexible um and kind of going, I think some coaches probably just going to say yes to whatever you know, the the runner says is like, yeah, I want to break this. and I just say, yes, yes, yes. Where sometimes it's a bit more than that. And it's good to have a few conversation with a few coaches before you decide on one.
00:58:30
Speaker
Um, cause yeah, there's a lot of coaches out there. Anybody can be a coach today and, um, you know, an online coach, you don't need any certification. Um, you know, anybody can be one. So it's good if you have a few calls before you commit to somebody, um,
00:58:47
Speaker
You know, always when I started coaching, there was a 10-week period that we would both commit to. um And then from there, we would make the call if we go forward or not.
00:59:01
Speaker
um So, yeah, I think that that's kind of things that may be important to keep in mind that when you are starting to work with somebody and training could be a little bit different the way you've been doing before, you need to give it a certain amount of time for it to actually work. You can't expect yourself to you know improve you know a lot in the first two or three weeks. So yeah, few things to kind of remember.
00:59:27
Speaker
Yeah, I think something you said there about talking to a bunch of coaches, I think is really important. i think the the There's no reason why the first person you speak to is going to be the right coach for you. And so like yes if it if it feels like a really good fit the personality is there you like the way that they they communicate you like the way that they're presenting themselves you like the way that they operate as a coach then by all means but it's i think getting at least three to five different phone calls done with with different coaches and and having an idea of okay i liked this from this person but maybe don't this isn't going to work for me and whatever those things might be is really important a
01:00:03
Speaker
Part of the of question there actually, Demi, that I didn't really focus on was how did you know or how did you decide like this was the point where you wanted to start coaching and get get a tri-coach?
01:00:12
Speaker
I think there's a point where you, well, for me, I suppose, was like the decision-making became too much. Like, am I doing the right thing? Should I be doing something else? And it was nice to put that in the hands of someone else. and then But then also in saying that, it's like you need to put it in their hands, but you also need to trust.
01:00:31
Speaker
what they're doing yeah yeah i i think that my experience one thing i would say is that also don't blindly trust so if you have if you have just got a coach and as Vlad said there is definitely a period of time where you have to get used to working together and see what their their way of programming feels like for you and everything everything else but if it just feels blatantly wrong too much too little dangerous not right for your body whatever it will not write for your life don't just do it because you're being told to. I think that can be really risky. Definitely had examples recently where you do like a big race and you jump straight back into sessions that same week and it doesn't go well. so yeah It's just because you have a coach, yes like that trust is built.
01:01:15
Speaker
um You have to kind of go with understanding of of what you're signing up for, but yeah don't don't blindly just listen if it doesn't feel right to you. At the end of the day, we we all know our own bodies. so You as ah as a runner, whether you're a eight hour marathoner or two hour marathoner, you can, you're the only one that can feel what's going on inside of you. You're the only one that knows what's happening in your head. So don't, don't ignore those feelings, communicate them your coach because that's the beauty of being supported and having someone to take the decision making away for you.
01:01:43
Speaker
Yeah. And I think, I think too though, right? Like it shouldn't feel like an extra stress as well. Having have like, someone's telling you what to do every day, which can be quite hard. As soon as it feels like it's becoming an extra stress, like maybe something needs to change.
01:01:58
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. i can my My experience as as as ah a runner, having a coach, like you said, that it's great not having to think about it. It's great having somebody else to do the big picture thinking and put things together. Otherwise, just get too attached to the shiny object that's right around the corner or I'll go jump in that thing and do that thing and do that thing. ah But yeah, there are if if you start to feel like it is just becoming too much or overbearing, like it's okay to take take a break. it's structure Structured training isn't for everyone for their whole lives. I would say definitely give it at least six months, probably more at least a year on that program. And then if that's the that's kind of you've got everything out of yourself you want from there, then you can look at another coach or just ah having a break for a bit. But you definitely also get the most the longer you stay. So i've kind of contribute to myself there.
01:02:48
Speaker
Yeah. I think also one thing, the last thing to mention about this is I think it's very important that you also like learn the process and why you're doing it and like you know really ask a lot of questions. When I was coaching, I think one of the things that I would use to tell a lot of people in our first conversation is that in three or four years time you should be able to do this by yourself yeah um and that's the way that i was coaching i was kind of explaining why we're doing like on on pretty much like on on daily basis why why we're doing that run or that workout um so then some of the things are like connecting in your head okay i'm doing this because i did that yesterday and i'm gonna do this in two weeks time um so i think it's very important you know even if you are working with a coach now is
01:03:39
Speaker
learn the process, ask questions, you know, get them to explain to you. Obviously you're paying a lot of money for a service and, um, you want to get the most out of that service. I'm not saying like be annoying and like send messages like three times a day, but do kind of question a lot of the things, not, not question them, but like try and find out why you're doing it. You know, what's the reason behind it. So you also learn for yourself.
01:04:03
Speaker
yeah Um, I think, you know, obviously people that are listening to this are not going to try and, you know, win gold medals at the at the Olympic marathon. um So there's a lot of learning that you can do it yourself.
01:04:16
Speaker
um And yeah, I think that would make a big difference. Yeah. And when I mentioned earlier about the trust, one of the big ways you can build trust in you're doing is understanding why you're being told to do it. like If you ask your quite your coach, why am I doing this this like this? And why is this session to that session to that session? If they can't give you an answer straight away, they're not the right coach for you because they should always have a plan. They should always be able to explain simply why you're doing something. I think that's a great way for you to, like the more bought in you are into the coach, to the program, to the whole setup, the better the results you're going to get from it as well. Because you're going to stay more consistent, you're going to be happier where you're going to feel more supported. It's probably going to adapt to your life a lot faster and it's going more specific to you. So definitely ask ask the questions both before, but also once you're in. And some people don't like
01:05:03
Speaker
Some people like the set and forget, which is absolutely fine, but just don't be blissfully ignorant to what's going on. Like do, do just touch base and say, Hey, they're just curious. Like, why is this happening? Or what's this mean? Or et cetera. Like yeah the worst thing, especially if you get a session style that you don't, you're not familiar with rather than just going out and hoping for the
01:05:23
Speaker
ask how better to do that. Or if it's going to be really hot conditions, ask your coach how to modify it because it's going to be 90% humidity and 30 degrees at 5 in the morning. so Yeah, and i would I would say that to a lot of other things as well. Like for me, one example where I used it a lot is when when I used to see a physio, I would go in there and I would just ask as many questions as possible in my 45-minute session um to try and get as much value out of it as I could. Because, like you know, knock on wood, I haven't seen a physio 12 years.
01:05:55
Speaker
twelve years And 12 years ago when I did see a physio and, you know, I had to pay $100 for a 40-minute session, you know, I came in there going like I'm going to try and get as much value as I can out of this session. Yeah, obviously I have a pain, but like I want to find out why, how, what I'm going to do so it doesn't happen again. And that was, yeah, a mindset that helped me save a lot of money on physios later on.
01:06:24
Speaker
feel I feel like just walked in with a tape recorder and was like, right, here we go. yeah No, but like, you know, like there's a lot of physios out there that, you know, would try and fix the problem, but you don't know what exactly they did, um you know, and you don't know how to stay away from that problem, from that problem not happening again. and so I think if you go there with a lot of questions, they also enjoy it. Like I think, they They're obviously an expert in in that field.
01:06:52
Speaker
um So they actually enjoy talking about and explaining it to somebody that's interested in it. yeah you know They obviously see a lot of people every day. at times, they might not be as motivated to share or explain because some people don't want to. But I think if you go there trying to get some value and learn something from it, you'll be able to stop a lot of injuries, but a lot of niggles before they become injuries.
01:07:17
Speaker
Definitely. The last one on this as well, in terms of when you are looking for a coach, Vlad, when you were a coach, you were a full-time coach, correct? That was your job? Yeah. And JT is a full-time coach, Demi?
01:07:30
Speaker
Yes. Yeah. so And like same same for myself. that there are There are different ways of doing it. There are some people that do it full-time. There are some people that do it. Mark Benthien, : I'm doing on top job as well, so depending on what, especially what sort of communication structure that you want, how frequently you want to be in touch with people. Mark Benthien, : What access you want to have to them, because some people, as I said, some people do like.
01:07:51
Speaker
the capacity to send a message each day and to know that if they do send a message, it's going to get replied to that day rather than few days later. And some people just need a four-week program they're super happy. So just ask yourself what what you're looking for, because that will also dictate where going and then make sure you' not you don't pay for a program that's not going to meet what you want or you're not overpaying something that you don't need as well.
01:08:11
Speaker
think that's everything that comes to mind on that one. Awesome. Awesome. So, Vav, did I say something? All right. in my mind um cool Demi thank you so much for coming on yeah thank you it was fun yeah Vlad well done again on your podium thank you is it is is it making you feel confident towards tower um where the fitness is at at the moment I don't know like I think it probably was a bit too technical to really get a good feel for a flowy six hour race um
01:08:40
Speaker
But yeah, I think the fact that I was able to um do 30 minutes the next day is a good sign. yeah, I'm not sure. I mean, obviously going into the Perth summer now, it's not going to be easy. I'm trying to bank 200k weeks.
01:08:52
Speaker
So yeah, we'll see. Do you have a treadmill at home? It's coming in tomorrow. So i've found I had the treadmill buy tab on my computer open for the last two months. And I yeah, went in and got one. And it's yeah being delivered tomorrow.
01:09:11
Speaker
What did you buy? ah Yeah, I mean, probably not the best option, but I got the Nordic track, the the one that goes 40%.
01:09:19
Speaker
I know like from reviews that it's probably not the best treadmill out there, but I think it also comes down to like you know how much money I could have spent on it. And I feel like for how much I spent on it, it was like the best value at that point. yeah so I got it for 4,000.
01:09:55
Speaker
Yeah, we we did the same thing. We've been looking at treadmills for ages and went for the same one for the same reasons. It was kind of like the the the quality of the cost compared to them. And they were on like about two at two grand sale or something. So it's yeah yeah. And then I don't have 40 grand to spend on a woodway as much as that wouldn't be nice to do.
01:10:14
Speaker
But yeah, unfortunately not. cool. We actually will end it. So everyone listening, I'm not actually sure if we will have another main show this year. We're trying to work everything out. Everyone's movements over Christmas. So we might be bringing you one or two more to to see off 2025. If not, we will be back first thing in the new year to do first a recap for 2025 and our performances and runners, et cetera, of the year, and then start to look forward. So if we...
01:10:40
Speaker
Don't listen. Don't. if you're not listening to us again until the new year, thank everyone for listening. It's been obviously the podcast been going for a couple of years now this year, especially the last sort of three, four months. We've seen a lot of growth in the listenership. So thank you very much for for being part of it. As always, if you are enjoying it and you could just tell one person to listen, that makes a huge difference. That would double our numbers overnight, which would make a massive, massive difference to us.
01:11:03
Speaker
Otherwise, thanks so much for being here. And guys, it's been pleasure. See you guys.