Transcript
Speaker: Hello and welcome to the Peeps News podcast. This is our 2026 preview of the Hounslow Marathon in 17k. As always, you're joined by myself, James, and with Brody. We're going to have a fight again about people we disagree with, I'm sure. And them we've got a name in here, James Barnett, Brody, which the last time we spoke about him, or Buffalo, we royally messed up. So let's see if we can put our ah foot in it again today.
Speaker: Yeah, for sure. We always put our foot in it a little bit, but it is good to talk about the best domestic elites in the country. Always good to check in see what they're doing race-wise, make some far wrong predictions. But I think that's the that's the way of um the way of these things. They don't always go to plan. Hard to know everything. But yes, it's very exciting to chat again. i feel like Hounslow came around quick. um That's just my life at the moment. Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah, like your days are long and also very short at the same time, I'm sure. Yeah, exactly. it's like It feels like it's been months, but also feels like it's been a blink of the eye. So, yeah. um But yeah, happy to happy to chat about trail running in Australia as always, especially my favorite thing to talk about, with the pointy end. um So, yeah, get into it.
Speaker: Definitely. And it's I think we we we obviously had Transcend thrown in there. That sort of filled the gap a bit. Yeah. looking at some of these names it it does feel like for the most part people have kind of gone into hibernation a bit after uta they've dropped into that because i think it's hard in and in australia we never really have an off season yes there's a christmas period where in a lot of the country it's too hot and but it does feel like people have really gone into some proper training blocks had a bit of a break uta and this is sort of the first time we're seeing them back into a competitive field which
Speaker: is exciting. We've got some pretty pretty impressive fields, especially across the 42K and the the men's 17K to get into. But chatting first, this is one of the few courses in Australia where we can actually chat about the course records and it's genuinely true for most of the time.
Speaker: We've seen some pretty fast people up here in the past. Last year, we had Steph Austin win the women's marathon in 529.10, setting a new course record. Charlie Hamilton in the 17K beat Leo it for 124.49 and Joe Hepton last year as well for 144.41. Mikey DiMuanti still holds the men's marathon record in 425.35, but it's been It's been been pushed close, but that's probably the one that's had the the least competition. The last year's women's race for the marathon was pretty impressive. But I think this year is definitely one where we'll be keeping an eye on all four of those records, I reckon.
Speaker: Yeah, which is which is interesting to say because those records are all very quick held by some... incredible athletes so yeah it's as with every race at the moment the more competitive these events become the more trail running develops the the more the records seem to continue to fall down but yeah they won't have it easy over the weekend going ah after those course records I don't think like that I wouldn't say any of them are soft no ah No, definitely not soft. I think it's more more saying to the quality of the runners and also the depth of most of these fields that I think, as we we've seen, you put some fast people together and they start pushing each other and some spots can happen and some catastrophic blowups as well. But that's that's all part of the fun of it.
Speaker: Definitely. case And it'll be interesting in general, I would say most of these people are building towards something in the second half of the year. Like you said, it's been ah not so much an off-season but maybe like a training block and the big goal races, I don't reckon for many of them Hounslow is the big goal race. I think for most of them there'll be something coming and it'll be something they're using to build towards that. um Not necessarily for everyone but, yeah, it'll be interesting to see where people are at with their form um and what they've got planned for the rest of the season as well.
Speaker: Definitely. It's exciting to see. I think this is that first time we get to see where the fitness is at for everybody and they get to see where they also stand against the other men and women they're going to be racing against for the back half of this year. So course-wise, as we said, there's no changes from last year, which is great because we can talk about times and we love talking about times for the 17K and the marathon. They both start by running into the Grand Canyon, which We were having a look at some of the photos on Strava for the area and it just looks spectacular. it is It's hard going. It's very much going to be a a battle of who can find a rhythm on that sort of terrain, whether it's steps, it's it's low low head heights. It's those sort of steps that you have to like jump across through more the water features, but it it looks absolutely stunning.
Speaker: The marathon will then continue on Hathill Road going back past the finish, which is a nice kind of 5k section of really runnable. And then it drops down into the Grose Valley through Perry's look down up Lockley Pylon.
Speaker: hitting the A station and sending it back all the way. They've just come to the finish. So it's, it's a real mix of some fast runnable sections in that middle 5k, which is also towards the end as well. Some pretty technical ones, some steep climbs. Um, it's,
Speaker: it it It does have a bit of it all. we We speak with UTA about this being the the opening section of the miler that really sorts people out pretty much straight away. And there's a very different to some of the other running that you get typically on the UTA course. And it really feels like people step into nature a bit more and it's a bit bit of a harder running out here.
Speaker: It definitely feels a bit like gnarlier that um the gross valley versus the the other, the other valley is it the Jamison Valley, the other valley, I think? Yes. The Blue Mountains locals are going to be frowning at us. Yeah. um ah definitely like And you look at the course, especially like where they go in the marathon, where they go down and then back up, that other side looks pretty gnarly. Some of the videos I've seen of that, I haven't actually been there myself, but yeah.
Speaker: That's the bit. Hounslow's been on my list for years. Actually, this was the year that I was going to go to Hounslow. Unfortunately, the universe had other um other ideas, although I'm not sure I would have been able to turn up with a, like now having had a baby. I'm not sure a six weeks post would have been the appropriate time to leave. So probably a good thing. um But yeah, it just looks so cool, that gnarliness. And um interesting, it has those faster sections in between. So it's it's a bit of a mix, which is quite cool.
Speaker: It would be so good if we could see, given that it essentially finishes with about 5K of like fast running, slightly uphill. Imagine if we if we had head-to-head battles in the marathon down that. It would be it would be just disgusting to be in that moment, but it would be great to expect it. That's nightmares. That's nearly worse of having a battle on further steps, I reckon. I think I prefer to have a battle on further steps than I would on a 5K road. Yeah. Yep.
Speaker: Yep. I think I agree on that one. It's probably, um on further steps, I might cramp and just pull the pins. It's easy. Yeah. All right. In terms of weather, both days are looking really nice, Saturday and Sunday.
Speaker: Lows of 6, highs of 19 or 20, sun and cloud. so given that the races start start early and for the front front of the field, they're going to be done pretty early. It should be be good. Obviously, every time we drop down into a valley and in this sort of condition and and environment, it could definitely get humid. It's bit of trapping some of that moisture down there. So that especially that return leg coming back down could be could be getting warm.
Speaker: um But for the most part, it looks like it's going to be a pretty pretty nice day up there for all the runners. Nice. That's good. All right. So let's kick off with the 17K. So we'll start off with the female field from the top end.
Speaker: And I've been double checking with the ah i guess the course director, Joe Dorff, with single track. And there's not too much from the the the top end in the women's field, but we do have returning second second place. from last year, Bridget Lunn.
Speaker: Last year, Bridget was only, let should get the time up here, three minutes, three minutes behind Joe Hepton, who we've got very used to saying, ju singing Joe's praises recently over these 20k distances. We know she's something pretty special. So Bridget being only three minutes back, so I'll have a minute further back from there. I am definitely curious to see how Bridget can do against those historic times. However, doing it potentially more solo. Obviously, we always get surprised by somebody else who who we're not not familiar with jumping in, but her training looks really good. like
Speaker: Very typical Bridget, very much road focused. She just had a really good result at National Cross Country. She came eighth in there, maybe second in the uni division. So we know Bridget's always fast. Again, we made that, well, I made the call that maybe that training wouldn't suit her too well at Buffalo Stampede 20K. And again, completely wrong on that one. So I'm not making that call again. I think Bridget's going to be coming in fit, fast, ready to go, recently engaged as well. So lot of lot of good things going on.
Speaker: Yeah. Yeah, and I think we we slept on Bridget for UTA a little bit and she proved us wrong. Or was that Buffalo? Or both, probably. i think i think both. um i don't think we learned after Buffalo and then she won UTA and now yes we've learned that lesson the hard way. Yeah, you can't can't argue with it. um no Yeah, definitely she's looking like she's in great shape. like I think the... cross-country season is like a nice... I'm not sure how many other races they have up in Canberra if she's done anything else, but I think just like even that sort of training um is sort of a bit more strength-based, but also that strength speed, I think it will suit this course pretty well um in terms of like the changes in pace, the changes in in in gradient and all that sort of stuff. So, yeah, it'll be interesting to see how she goes. I think like without maybe other people to race in the field,
Speaker: whether that changes things significantly or not, I'm not sure. I'm not sure how bridge how good Bridget is like sort of in a more time trial-y race. So, yeah, it'll be interesting to see how close slash does she beat Jo's time because I think probably she has capacity to. um but yeah, it'll be interesting and see how that goes. I don't think it's a given. I think it'll be a hard one to take down, but she does look like probably and how the year's gone so far that she potentially has what it takes.
Speaker: And know my guess would be it would depend what Bridget's got coming up to how much, if she does find herself out there alone, she wants to really get everything out of the day. i would say as well from Joe's time, ah i'm trying to think of which results Joe had pre this one in trail, but it was really Warby and Buffalo um that was Buffalo last Warby, yeah.
Speaker: Warby this year that that she really... showed like that next level so not taking anything away from that time that joe sat at house last year but i think that that is definitely within bridget's reach with another year of training and getting faster and i think i saw that she recently ran about 35 20 as well so we know that her speed is is never going to be in question sydney 10 as well yeah yeah is it so yeah it just depends on how fast i think sydney harbour 10 uh it just depends on how how well that can Can transfer, but excited to see Bridget back up there and giving it another push this year.
Speaker: yeah so coming to the men's field brad i'll come to you first but just one comment well as i was looking at these names i sort of had this thought of like hang on we have some and we have some very very impressive guys lining up in the 17k field and i had ah had a look at what the top five's average utmb index was and it's 857 for Yeah. So I went to like the names, I'm sorry, numbers 848, 868, 876, 854 and 838. That covers the top five men indexing. That's their UTMB index.
Speaker: Correct. Yeah. that's And that's their general index, not their 20K index. And the 20K index is probably actually a bit higher than their general for all these guys. So Impressive. Very, very impressive. That's that's very impressive. was just thinking of what mine is. It's much lower than that. Don't do that.
Speaker: and Yeah, wow. That's crazy. Yeah, well, i was looking at the field like you go, wow, yeah, this is – Definitely assembling probably all of, if not most, of the best short-distance guys onto one start line, um which I wasn't particularly expecting. I think maybe not all of them are in, like I think ah all of them, as i was saying before, have something that they're building towards later in the year and they're using this as a bit of a training race, but I don't think that'll stop them from going full gas either because it's only 17K. So, um yeah, it's going to be a great battle between,
Speaker: between them and and even a few others as well that are outside that sort of top five. No, I completely agree. And so who who have you got your eyes on first? are you excited to see out of winter? Oh, like I'm excited to see Leo if he turns up because we haven't seen Leo probably since Hounslow last year.
Speaker: Is that right? the Yeah, the last result I've got for Leo is was the Golden Trail World Series final in Ledgeron last year. but yeah But actually in Australian soil was Hounslow on the trails. And it's tricky because he's gone Strava, basically Strava Dark, but he just puts a couple of things up every now and then. which yeah looks, looks like he's moving well, but yeah it's, we have no idea if he's actually going to show up, or if he's showing up actually how, like how fit is Leo compared to what Leo can be. Definitely. And I know, I think he did have an injury earlier in the year, but I think it's been a little bit of a while since then. So, uh, knowing him, I'm sure he's been putting in a decent amount of training. He does often like to go dark in the final lead up to competitions. Um, So, yeah, he's bit of an unknown, but um definitely very exciting to watch. I think there'll be a few guys who want to take him down, who have been beaten by him in the past, who just know how good he is and and want to sort of try and challenge him. um So also, yeah, I feel like I i think Nathan's had a good winter. He sort of like had a big season ah culminating, I think, was UTA the last time we saw him race. Yeah. um
Speaker: And then he sort of like packed it down and and gone into a bit of a base phase, which I think is really smart um and sort of preparing for some races in the second half of the year. So this is his first ah step back onto the trails. It's not like he's He shouldn't be any less fit, but he may be just a little less specifically fit for this distance, and I think he'll sort of know that. But, yeah, it'll be interesting to how he goes. um And then, yeah, probably this – look, there's there's multiple, but James Barnett's the other one I'm really –
Speaker: interested to see because he looks like he's put a bit more of a focus on this race maybe than yeah some of the others, specifically training for this race. um And he'll be looking to back up some of his ah great performances earlier in the year. um So, yeah, I think he he will be very good. um Sorry, there's there's probably three others that I want to talk about but ah particularly, but is it do you want to comment on them first? Yeah, I'll...
Speaker: ah I think with Nathan, his training, he's still doing some of his flat speed work, but it looks like this year he's moving more into being like a trail runner. He's had that time now to transition the speed he's always like he's had from the roads. into the trails. And we we were seeing that, like we saw him have that incredible race against Pat Clark at Warby, have a lackluster for him race at Buffalo, and then come back and get second at UTA this this year, sort of a few months after that. But just just looking at the training that he's been doing,
Speaker: I really like the way that it's been building. It definitely isn't done. And then like you say, he's definitely, you can see that it's building to something further on in the year, but actually what he's been doing, he's probably got him in pretty good shape for essentially a 90 minute all out effort. um he's He's got that base behind him. He still has the speed. We know that he like give him the opportunity and he wants to fight.
Speaker: uh i i think that one thing that will be interesting is if the race let's say someone like james barnett and leo if he's there take it out really fast and it's maybe faster than nathan's expecting or he's been prepared for just for the training that he's doing does he have the capacity stay in it or does that kind of put him into okay cool this is just a training race um i like i think we we kind saw that video at the bottom of of warby where we had all sort of written nath off against pat for him then to come back so i want to see like that version of him where he's he's running for that first and trying to get the cash but i don't know if this will be i i feel like with the dynamic james barnett and leo on here it could go out really really hot and i'm just wondering if the guys that coming out of that like base phase if they're ready for that level of challenge yeah
Speaker: Yeah, and it might also be not the right thing to do. Like, we've got to remember, like, this is a race for some people that they may be building towards other things. and And the smart thing is not, is to sort of have a 95% race rather than to blow up 5K in and not not take anything away from it. So... Yeah, there might be a bit of that as well and like people happy to secure a third or a fifth in this strong field um and that that still ticks the box. um And I think we'll see that more and more in Australian racing as the depth continues. as is like It's not always about trying to win the race um depending on who's running and and what your goals are. So and that's an interesting dynamic that I think we'll see a little bit more and more in the future but maybe has not been a thing of the past.
Speaker: And you hear this listening to a lot of the, especially the American podcasts where people go in knowing that they're not in that shape yet and they are quite happy to let it go away because they know that coming forth is the right thing for them to do that day to lead them towards the result that're trying to get in another two months time or so.
Speaker: However, and being in that position, when you're used to racing for the win or you're used to winning, yeah can you actually keep it in your pants and let let the race happen ahead of you or are you just going to going to go for it? and yeah i think what you said about James, to me, this looks like a block that he has put specifically towards Hounslow. It's probably the most consistent I've seen him training, especially the most consistent I've seen him running. He seems to have had the least amount of cycling in this block for a while, which...
Speaker: To my understanding, the cycling was always there just to manage some niggles or injuries. i think it was probably kept in for a bit of fitness at some point, but it seems to have been pretty much an exclusively running with some strength training. And he does like to comment on his strength training um on his Strava, I've noticed. it does One thing that I do find interesting with James is that...
Speaker: a lot of his workouts seem to be quite tough mentally for him, which he's never shown ah a like competitive weakness when it comes down to it. But I just find it interesting seeing that like he's very open on a stronger. He's sort of where he's had a bad out sessions or it just felt really bad. But does that ever carry across the race for him? And again, just thinking about as these races get tighter for that but podium, that psychology element could be starting to play more and more um people put under pressure earlier.
Speaker: Definitely. Definitely, yep. The other names I was looking at, um and like it's funny that I'm talking about these like as if they're afterthoughts or they're not. um Patrick Clark, he's dropped down to the 17, yes?
Speaker: Yes. Is that right? That confirmed? Yeah, so Patrick um obviously was in that battle with... Nath earlier in the year. Donner maybe didn't run as good at Buffalo, although he still did well there. It's not like it was anything. He still got second. um Yeah, still got second. He did better than Nath at that one, I think. Yeah, it was more UTA.
Speaker: Yeah, okay. Yeah, which is maybe doesn't suit him as much maybe with that big downhill at the start um and a bit more runnable potentially. um Whereas this, maybe this course is a bit a bit more like the Buffalo-esque type course, although it's different to any of those courses really. It just doesn't have a big downhill to do. But yeah, interested to see how he goes.
Speaker: I would assume like obviously it's not always a... continuous linear progression of improvement, but he's he's a young guy. we Over the years, we'll probably expect that he will get probably better um just as he gets a bit older. um So, yeah, I'm really excited to see how he he goes. Knowing that his strength is...
Speaker: climbing particularly probably especially over the rest of the field um maybe this course doesn't give him as much of a benefit as some of the other ones he's done this year um but i still think he'll feature in in the conversation yeah i think he's he's definitely he's a hard one to rule out but i agree with you the thing that i feel like is his main strength for the things that we've seen this course doesn't really seem to showcase and even the fact that he was entered in the marathon he dropped down to the 70 and that is a different style of training as we were talking about and when you go through his Strava he's actually been doing some pretty high high volumes in the long runs he's going to have the endurance like he's going to have that strength behind him that is the speed side there to equip him to battle with these guys in that in that as well and interestingly like we saw him do the Cohen marathon a local one in Canberra I think from memory he ran about 312 on that course so
Speaker: it looked like he was stepping up so i'm curious why he's stepped down i'm always very pro people pulling it back if they don't feel like they're ready for that distance there's no point forcing it but it would be exciting to see him go in because i actually feel like the marathon course probably suits his strength more with the the I guess the two yeah the two big climbs out of the gross valley but Yeah, Pat's, if he's especially if he's in it, he's shown that he can descend um coming off Warby.
Speaker: I think I agree with you that UTA's course, potentially in the down-up format, but maybe more just the the runnable nature of that sort of 8% to 12% grade coming out of Kadamba just didn't suit his strengths or didn't slow the others down compared to what he can do.
Speaker: um Yeah, no. And then another name... that we really haven't seen too much down south with the exception of kmr is dave vernon who is now showing up as australian on like itcher and utmb so i'm wondering if he might have got citizenship now yeah yeah okay yeah so that's exciting because dave dave vernon obviously british by descent by birth uh but now australian he was he won the 14k at kmr which was the classic champs for mountain running this year more recently second at guzzler 22k behind ben duffis he has been in the uk and two months ago he commented on his run against ben in the guzzler saying like 10k into that 22k he was already struggling to keep up with ben whereas i feel like
Speaker: Dave in his peak form would probably have been able to push Ben almost to the finish, potentially to the finish. That is two months ago though. The training he did in the UK actually looked pretty good given that he was back home and he spent um a week in Mayhoff and getting some good trails in. So he's definitely had the the hills and the underfoot fur for this.
Speaker: And I have to think he wouldn't make the trip down if he didn't feel like he was ready to throw it down with the guys. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. he's ah He's one I'm very excited to see race. like he has ah It would be a disservice to say that he hasn't raced in competitive fields, but he probably hasn't raced in a field like this with this many people ah that are more his contemporaries over this distance, I would say. so um I'm pretty excited for that. Like, mountain running champs, he was up against Kerners and Toby Lang, so it was ah was a decent field. Probably not quite on the level of this field. um He's run against... Obviously, he was at Tarawera running against Nath there. He ran at... um He ran against Ben, who...
Speaker: I think like we it's feel like Ben always gets like a little bit understated. like He won UTA um and he is incredible on those Brisbane trails. like yeah i I'd love to see a fit Ben take on a fit Leo and in Brisbane. um that would be like Those two I think are unstoppable on that sort of terrain and I don't even know who would win that. Yeah.
Speaker: But yes, that I think yeah being close to Ben in the guzzler is a good start. um So, yeah, I think it will be great to see him in this field and it's good to see all these guys running against each other. There's a bunch... These are a bunch of guys who...
Speaker: We'll probably be trying out for the mountain running disciplines for world champs next year. So it's good to see them in a race together and see, okay, who's who's in what form now, what what's and then get that experience as well of racing because a lot of these, like sometimes a lot of these guys are at the front of races not...
Speaker: not maybe having as much competition depending on the field. So, yeah, that it's going to be good to see him in that field with um with yeah the the people we've already talked about.
Speaker: Yeah, and I think the the question I really have for Dave is that we saw how fast he ran at Tawara taking the win there, but even Michael Sutton, Bihineith, And he was only four minutes back off, Ben, at the guzzles. It wasn't luckily a big gap, but is how he's clearly fast. How can he translate that to more technical trails? As we said, the 17K has a bunch of steps. There's the stepping stones. There's a real lack of flow through that course, despite anyone that listened to Charlie ah Hamilton talking about it last year. He made it sound like it was effortless, but for most mere mortals, it's not quite that smooth. so
Speaker: you take someone with more of the runnable trail prowess and how well do they translate that across? Potentially with we're talking more like, say, if Nath was doing this a couple of years ago where he's taking that pedigree onto the trails, it's a bit harder to translate. But we could also be completely off because we haven't really had the opportunity to see him race this kind of stuff yet.
Speaker: Yeah, and I can see Dave's like done a bit on Estrada. He's done a bit of like undulating work. like He's not just running flat and fast, especially where he's on the Gold Coast, but he's gone sort of out of his way to make sure he's doing some undulating stuff. So it does look like he's preparing for Hounslow, knowing the challenges of it. So, yeah, I think he'll be coming prepared, like you said. like He's not going to come all that way to um if he's not not having a crack.
Speaker: No, and you can see it in his Strava. He's been doing the hill repeats. I think he got the local legend with like 100 repeats of a hill near him. I'm pretty sure it was him that was looking at this. So he's he's put the time in, but you know what it's like. Moving moving fast and efficiently over technical runnable trails is a skill that takes time to develop. Like there is ah a durability to your stability as well that you need to build up. And it can't, for most people, it doesn't happen in a two-month training block. Not that Dave's just been on for two months, obviously, but you know what I'm doing.
Speaker: ah Cool. So I think like those are the main ones. Another name that I'm really curious to see how he fares in this field is Elijah Gosby. Sixth at UTA 22. was my last one I was going to mention. um the local first Local boy. Local.
Speaker: First place at UTA, like the really, the most important race of UTA in 2025, the eleven k where he smashed you. took down an absolute legend of the sport.
Speaker: What? Yeah, maybe maybe we won't use that comparison right now. It's ah is a bit less weight. But one thing that I did see with Elijah, I can't i think it was it was ah doing reps for MND from memory on Estrava, but he set the Estrava course record on the Ferber steps recently. Okay, nice.
Speaker: anded A lot of people that have got that have had that record of doing it in the context normally of UTA 22, and he did it as a like one rep easy, one rep hard, but can clearly climb, can clearly move well over steps and that sort of uneven and unusual terrain. so Although index-wise, he's nearly 100 below the average of the top five 767 on UTMB, I don't think that's particularly representative of the speed and the ability that he's going to bring to this field. and Maybe he's not right at the front of this, but it's going to be fun to see how Elijah races in such a competitive men's race.
Speaker: For sure. He's had a lot of success over – like as as sort of is a good idea for probably his age. Like he's been very good over the 10K distance, which often they don't score or doesn't score well on UTMB. Yeah, they don't score. So think his rankings – Not very accurate there. um But, yeah, he's done some incredible races in the Blue Mountains. As you said, the UTA 11, the Clifftop Walk one recently, he had a really fast time. He's done a lot of those races and and been very good. So he's very comfortable in the stairs terrain and moving fast over that terrain because it's it's one thing to move through it in UTA 50 or UTA 100 where you're you're not going that fast. You've just got to do it for a long time.
Speaker: it's ah I found out it's a very different thing when you're doing it in UTA 11 and you're like you can go full gas. like It's more like a 10K race. You can go full gas. um It's very different. And I think the 17K, whilst it is still quite long, but it's more like that. You are going at quite a high intensity. Theoretically, you're...
Speaker: threshold for a bunch of it. So it's it's a different skill to be able to go over the stairs at that speed. And I think he's probably the person in the field that's most ah even though he's one of the youngest, he's probably the one that has the most experience apart from maybe Henry who we haven't mentioned. um Henry's the same. I think those two will have that that edge on the rest of the field. And Henry, I haven't mentioned him because I was messaging him a bit beforehand. He's still not sure if he's going to line up.
Speaker: He's not been training badly, but parenting, work, some sickness that took him out, I think like completely took him out about 10 weeks ago for a few weeks.
Speaker: He's still on his way back. So he was fourth last year. a local moves very well over this 20k distance. I really like the fact that i think Henry's he's in his early 40s, but it's like he's a 20 to 30k guy and we really see him excel when he puts it together. He's he's pretty hard to beat.
Speaker: And like he said, can move so well over this style of terrain. So if we do see him in here, ah his training actually looks good. like He looks like he could throw down, but it's just whether he feels like he's he's ready for putting in an effort that would be would be required to race in this level of field.
Speaker: Yeah, definitely. Wow, what a field. Yeah. I'm very excited to watch this one play out. It would be probably nearly impossible, but I would love if they just had like some static cameras every 500 meters and we just could see like a different order of people coming through. That would be quite fun.
Speaker: imagine there's going to be a lot of change in the race. Like you said, there's going to be a lot of back and forth. Definitely. Any other comments on the seventeen cbe before we move on? ah No, not particularly. um Yeah. the ah Like it it would be great if we had a few more of our best women there. um But, yeah, can't always can't always happen. I'm sure there's a lot of different reasons. um But, yeah, the men's field there is probably the best we've seen it I've ever seen it at Hounslow and one of the best short distance fields we've seen this year, which says a lot given how some of the other races we've talked about earlier in the year. So, yeah, it's exciting and and keen to see that one happen. The only name i would have loved to have seen Curtis Scott in that field based on some of the early season results. A name we haven't haven't seen much, but I think it was he third at UTA 22? Yeah. Yeah. So that would have been a fun one to throw in, but like with that exception. shu see
Speaker: Was he third at Donner? Maybe he was also third there. Yeah, I'm not actually sure, but yeah. He he definitely had a very good um season. he Again, he was good at Buffalo as well. Yeah. So it would have been cool to see him in there. But yeah, we are talking about basically our top 20K guys in the country. I probably should say Ian Best so he doesn't kill us, but it's too it's too runnable for him. All right, let's move on to the women's field.
Speaker: The 42K, as we spoke up with the course, quite a different dynamic to the 17K, obviously in in length, but just in the terrain that it does, the 17K stays pretty high. Most of the climbs are in that sort of 200 to 300 meter mark, whereas the the marathon is definitely a bit more...
Speaker: of a beast the first name i think we need to shout out julia anderson is coming back for third year in the row currently she came second in 2024 in 5 45 then she came second again in 2025 in 5 33 so a 12 minute improvement we don't ah hard to know what julia's really been doing she's not very public in that but just based on the history and she's only four minutes off steph austin's win from last year um plus a third place at Tarawara 50k this year. i
Speaker: there's nothing that We have nothing to say otherwise and the fact that can can she go one better and finally secure that top step of the podium and potentially go even faster this year again? Yeah, yeah, like um I think so. Again, I don't know a lot about Julia and what she's up to. I don't actually – does she have Strava? I haven't actually ever looked.
Speaker: No, not that I can find. Yeah, okay. So she's a bit of an unknown and she has been the last few years, but she's always run very well here. –
Speaker: yeah It wouldn't surprise me if she can sort of step up and take the top spot. um She definitely has a lot of experience on this course. um so she'll know I'm sure she's learned something each time she's raced it, which she will take forward to this year.
Speaker: And we've seen her Hounslow, we've seen her at hansla've seen at Buffalo Marathon. i feel like Tarawara was a bit of ah a new style of course for her, a lot more runnable than those other other two courses, Hounslow being obviously a lot more technical than Buffalo is. But to see her take a third place at Tarawara is impressive in the sense that she's clearly a very well-rounded trail runner, which excites me when I see someone that can put that all together. She can still still go fast.
Speaker: Another lady that has had a very impressive year so far, third at Buffalo 100K and then a third at Diverge 50K. And I'm pretty sure she broke her toe at Diverge is Alice McGushin, Canberra Local. Yeah, we did talk to her. Yeah, I was pretty sure it was how I remember doing this. Yeah.
Speaker: going through her training was really interesting actually like a really nice mix a good amount of consistent volume but one of the things i i thought was impressive is some of her flat speed sessions where it like she was kind of holding around threshold where but i don't listen in bad way like surprisingly quick like she has a very she's got some good speed the good wheels good running economy But for somebody that i have put in more of a technical ultra runner, I think that is going to work very well for this course, especially when you know that you're up against the likes of Julia. And then also Britt Haridan, who we know has got some very impressive speed as well.
Speaker: I think Alice is coming to this course with a good block behind her. and then the speed that can kind of take her 100K fitness and bring it down as a step for here. I'm not sure what is next for her this year, but it looks like she's in a really good shape for a more technical sort of five-and-a-half-hour marathon.
Speaker: Definitely, yeah. And I think like this sort of course, based on the stuff she's done this year with Diverge and also Buffalo, um i think this course will – will actually suit her quite well um with like how gnarly that that section is in the gross valley. um And also, like like you said, i hadn't been – I don't follow her. I just tried to actually and I've got a request to request her. So next time i'll I'll have the Strava stats. But like if she's got that flat leg speed, that's – That's important in this course as well. um Not that you necessarily have to run at threshold on those sections, but if you've got the efficiency to move well um on those sections, um I think that that would definitely be useful.
Speaker: Yeah. And if you have if you have more room, if that ceiling's a bit higher, the economy is better. Like it's all it's all going to help. so And as we spoke about, if it ends up in a 5K time trial on Hat Hill Road to finish off, going to want the speed in your legs. I already shouted out Britt there as well. She, and um i messaged Jess quickly because I saw that she had run a bit recently. So Britt's just done the Capital to Coast stage race, which from what I can tell is a prologue day. And then over two days, they do 100K in what looks like about eight different stages. Yes. Yeah, we talked about that last last time i was on actually because it was about to be on. um
Speaker: Yeah, it's lots of short distance legs, but like you cover a lot of ground over the day. Yeah, and took the win there. in She was overseas recently, ah very recently, and in Slovenia, she did the Triglav 44K, came fifth.
Speaker: Her comments on Estrada for that one were that the technicality of the trails really got her. So for her coming onto this course, I would be ah remiss if I didn't highlight the fact that this is a pretty technical course and ah and she's doing this with some pretty strong technical runners so on a UTA 50 course might be able to pull away from from some of these ladies I think the the nature of this one will be interesting to see how she can fare and i probably expect her to potentially even be be leading running with Julia through that first 17k the first 22k before they drop into the valley but who's coming back at the other side of that we'll yeah we'll have have to to wait and see but i think maybe the the technical the technical nature could be the hard part there for Britt because she's got great fitness great understanding of this distance like six foot track she's done Razorback a couple of years um
Speaker: She did snowies obviously this year, which she took out third in the national champs. So fun to see her on a competitive mountain race now. for Sure. Yeah. And like you said, different different style of racing maybe – compared to the stuff that um and she's done a lot of or at least she's had success, lots of success at. um But there's only one way to learn it and that's by doing it. So, yeah, cool to see her on the race. And I think she'll definitely play a part. Like if she's there at the end, like the climbing and this stuff is – not necessarily maybe as as hard as the sort of descending. So if she's she's in in the mix at the bottom of that final climb um and then with the 5K sort of stretch back to the finish, she will, yeah, I think she'll be a different player if she's she's in the mix then. Speaking about the the locals, Sarah Levitt is, I think were we whenever we talk about a UTA or a Hounslow, Sarah is always going to be a name that we have right up there or a six foot track even.
Speaker: She was... This year, ninth at UTA 50, but then a first at the Grand Clifftop run. Again, on on a lot of that similar style of trails, that first 17K, but the wins also at things like Mount Solitary and then a third at Hounslow 17 last year and a first in 2024.
Speaker: both in very, very fast times, plus the fact that you've got to train on on this course, I think that can really put you in a a good stead. I think if we trust the world of UTMB indexes, she comes in joint with Julia as the top ranked as well. So even though we've left left her till fourth, that's probably doing a disservice to the the level of runner that she is. Interestingly, I saw in Estrada that she was experimenting with poles on the course. And I think...
Speaker: I think it, ah I can't remember the name of them, um one one of the climbs was basically good. One of them was way too overgrown or awkward to use them. But it did make me think, of will we see any of these runners at the front using poles? But I think seeing what Sarah can do on here is going to be really fascinating after a couple of years focusing on the 17.
Speaker: Yes, yeah. But she does have, like you said, she has done longer races before. it's not She's not a stranger to those. longer races and not a stranger to ah to the Blue Mountains either. um So I think, yeah, she'll be definitely in the mix. Like she's got that sort of, yeah, if we're talking about Julia having the experience of the of the course before, like Sarah would have to have that sort of home ground advantage. She runs and races in this stuff a lot. Same as we were talking about some of those Blue Mountains locals in in the seventeen k she will she will have
Speaker: that upper personally sleeve for sure. um And yeah, I'm excited to see how she goes on this because yeah, like she's done more of the 20K distance over her years but I sort of have a feeling that she will be very good at the 50K distance as well. And just looking through the list of results I've got for her here, it does feel like the 24 sorry 25 and then into this year she is maybe moving into more of that marathon to 50k distance where she's got those extra years of training she trains well she trains consistently she's at a decent volume being in the blue mountains you get very strong so it does it does suit those style of events a bit more and we know she's really fast over that 20k distance so that starting to translate more i I wouldn't be surprised if we see her running very quickly on this course assuming that she's coming in healthy
Speaker: um as we always hope. The other local, the Maddie O'Donnell, from a results perspective, Maddie's had some good runs, but I would say never had like that standout performance.
Speaker: But a follow-on Strava, her training pops up. And it really looks like this block of training for her has worked really well. Just seeing some of the work she's been putting in, seeing some of the paces she's she've been doing on the climbs in her sessions or just in long runs. I think she's coached Mikey Dunstan now or has been for a while and does a lot of runs with him. so it's a pretty good person to to learn off, especially in that area.
Speaker: If you were going on historic results and indexes, we would wouldn't be be putting in this this conversation or be it unexpected to but I think Maddie could if we're talking about a dark horse think Maddie would definitely be that person for me in this field yeah for sure at some at some point she's going to have that like you like you said she's had lots of decent performances but maybe not that sort of like breakthrough or that great or really really good race um And I think at some point that's coming. Whether or not that's Hounslow 42, because it's going to be a tough, long race, I'll be interested to see. But I don't know. It very much could be. At Buffalo, she was...
Speaker: ah with she wasn't far behind Kate at the end of the first descent. So she definitely threw threw down at the start of that race. Obviously, I think the downhill was a strength of hers for sure. um So she was she was in the mix there. um But, yeah, I think when it comes together for Maddie,
Speaker: um it's going to be it's going to be a good race and we might see it this weekend. um So, yeah, excited to see. Like you said, I feel like she's a bit of a dark horse maybe because she hasn't had the established results that the others have, but I think she has the capacity to sort of have a result at some point.
Speaker: and like I could be completely wrong in saying this. Not underselling her prior results. Sorry, Matty, if you're listening. No, no. I say this as a compliment. Yeah. I think, yeah, again, this this could be a completely wrong assumption, but I think if if we see Maddie coming through after the first 17, back through start-finish area, and she's off the front few by a few minutes, I think that would probably be a really good sign that she's paced it a little bit better than Buffalo and is backing her course knowledge, going into the areas that are her strengths. I think if we see her up with Julia and maybe up with Britt,
Speaker: through that first section maybe the fitness has lifted to that point where she is just doing it really easy but I think she'd probably set herself up for a stronger day that way um and that would be really exciting to see because yeah like said Brody I think we can both see that there's a there's a day waiting to happen for Maddie when she when it when it comes together and whether that's this one or not but I feel like when you're in your hometown yes it's a long marathon but it's also somewhere that you know very well you know you should know how to pace yourself you should know where you can push where you have to hold back how to manage the conditions um it's ah as good a place as ever any to have that day yep definitely anyone else for you in the marathon for the women ah
Speaker: I'm not super familiar with um Jordan Mackie Richards, but it's a name that I've heard a bit more recently. um And I was just having a look at um what shes what she's been up to. um It looks like maybe she runs for Ultra or she's yeah she does in some Ultra stuff. um So, yeah, she's one that I'm definitely interested in seeing how she goes. It looks like she's done a bit of longer stuff in the past. She has done Hounslow Classic in the marathon distance in 2024. So, again, another person that has some knowledge. So, yeah, I think she'll be an interesting – she's got a lot of firsts and seconds in her races but maybe hasn't done all of the more competitive ones. But, yeah, which is um I think she'll be should be one to to watch.
Speaker: Yeah, Jordan's one of those names where when you actually go through her UTMB, you realize how long she's been in the sport for. But i think through I think through having kids and sort of came away from the sport for a little bit, her first result on UTMB is UTA, hot one the the North Face 100 back in 2011. Yeah, when it says the North Face, you know it you know it's you know you've been around for a while. Yeah. um but i like i saw she she shared something or she shared hounslow uh instagram put up a post of like the top contenders and in her like little blurb she said that it's been a pretty hard and um emotional last couple of weeks or or lead into this and that she was going to give everything she had but wasn't sure what that would be like
Speaker: yeah It's interesting because when i go go through Hestrava, the training doesn't really reflect that was something like big life-wise happening. But you know what it's like when, if you were healthy right now and you went to go try and try and race, even just with a newborn, which is like an exciting positive thing, it's hard enough. But when you've got a lot of mental energy taken up elsewhere or you've had to use some of those like grindy chips before you start to hit the start line, it's pretty hard to to dig deep. Yeah.
Speaker: And instead, you can just have a pretty fun day in an epic place and sometimes that comes off as well. Yeah, for sure. For sure. Yeah, I can... um Like, she... Yeah, it'll be interesting to see, like, how much of that, like you said, if she's she's done the training, but maybe it's just the life stuff. Like, that's the stuff you can't see from someone's Strava. So, um all the best to her. Hopefully, she can get to the start line and at least have an enjoyable day out there. Wonderful.
Speaker: All right. Do you want take us to the men? Yeah, for sure. Let's... um Maybe not quite as deep as the 17K, but still deep, um still a good field. So um probably like this, ah who do you say the standout is? There's two big names that jump out at me.
Speaker: Yeah, there's two big names and they're like very different runners. Like one i would say is like- Yeah, which is hard to then pick which one's which. Yeah, like one is a standout runner and one is going to be the standout on this terrain and how those two come together is going to be fascinating.
Speaker: Yeah, and interesting like because they're both back and forth. They've both done long races. They've both done short races. Sorry, the names we're talking about here are Mike Carroll and Piotr Babis. Both done long stuff. Both done short stuff. Both shown pedigree over both races.
Speaker: Piotr probably leaning towards the more technical, Mike leaning towards the more runnable, but Mike has had success in the Blue Mountains before, on particularly in UTA, like a different type of terrain, maybe even to Hounslow. But yeah, I think the matchup between those two is really interesting because I think they bring, like you said, two different...
Speaker: They bring two different styles to this event. um And yeah, I'm not really sure which way that would go. my notes, I've got like Mike Carroll is the fittest guy in the field. And I think anyone that knows Mike looks at his training and I think even Piotr would say Mike, if you're looking at pure fitness. always looks like the fittest guy in the field. His training is always very impressive.
Speaker: Mike Carroll is like the fittest guy in Australia, full stop, year round. It is very impressive. And i was I was having a chat to Charlie Hamilton relatively recently, and he essentially said the same thing.
Speaker: I think what we haven't seen from Mike is he's had some good runs. His rollercoaster course record last year was... incredible and I can't wait for some good names like some very good names to step on that line because there were some really good names already but I want some people to really go for that so we can see how fast that time was for Mike but when you look at his best results none of them are on technical courses they might be hillier but they're all very runnable UTA 100k is not a technical course for the most part um he's had like good results at Tauera at six foot obviously roller coaster snowy trails like but then none recently Sydney ultramarathon Even in his and then in his Strava, he was saying how he's purposely trying to get on the technical terrain to get his ankles ready for it, but he's clearly aware that this is going to be his limitation. So I think Mike is, for him to win this, I think he's going to have to really put the hammer down every opportunity that he gets to run.
Speaker: and also the climbs. Obviously climbing technically is still interrupts your rhythm, but it's very different to the descents because you put Piotr on a technical descent and he's one of the best in the country. So I think mine's going to have to be However, confidently, the only thing I will say, though, is looking through Piotr, he, as of yesterday, which is Monday the 7th, he's still in Poland. So is he actually going to be on the start line is the first question.
Speaker: If he is, for him, he's been very low volume and definitely low um elevation in his training. So if Piotr isn't coming in at his, like,
Speaker: I would say not like his peak fitness, but his normal baseline fitness, which is also very fit because of the the type of training and the work that he does. Then I think it leans into the Mike's favor way. Even if Piotr is coming in technically more skillful, Mike is just simply too fit to to be caught up on on more technical terrain unless he hurts himself, which obviously touch wood doesn't happen.
Speaker: Definitely. um Yeah, it's it's going to be a good battle. Like you said ah before, Mike always looks fit. um So I think if he can get on the start line um and yeah if he can get through the technical stuff.
Speaker: But yeah, it's I think you can't underestimate how much the technical stuff actually matters. um If you talk to Blake Turner about KMR and watching Piotr run away from him um across the top where it did get really technical. um yeah i think we always go oh yeah like this but but but still the fitness matters more um there is i agree that the fitness generally matters more but the technical still comes to play in certain courses and particularly i think it will make a difference in this course on that on that side and i think has has mike done hounslow marathon before i'm not sure if he has Not that I've got in front a lot of races I couldn't see. You talk and i'll have a look.
Speaker: and And I don't know if Piotr has, but he would have covered it in – he would have covered that. I'm pretty sure that's the same place they go in the UTA, Myla. It is, yeah.
Speaker: He's at least somewhat familiar with it. um Looking back through, so like Mike mike has done 1D Cross, very different type of technicality, but obviously a more tough terrain, CCC, although not particularly technical. But yeah, going going back through, there's nothing really in his resume that's, do you know Mount Glorious Mountain Trail?
Speaker: I think that's Queensland. I think most of those Queensland ones are fairly fire roady stuff, which is their steep climbs. Again, he's very good at the hilly stuff, but is it's not like broken. Like I think the at least the the climb out on the other side of Perry's, Lockley's Pylon, is it? Up to that yeah side.
Speaker: I think that climb and descent is quite rubbery is the way to describe it. It's very broken. Yeah. um So no, he's he's not been a Hounslow from what I can tell. So yeah, if you were picking on Pure Fitness, I'd pick Mike. um I think Piotr surprises me more times than not on how fit he actually is even on a runnable course. So yeah, if he if he the travel doesn't beat him up too much, I think it could be a good race um and I don't actually know who I would pick. um so But maybe with the travel element, Mike might have the upper hand.
Speaker: As a hypothetical, if if this is impossible, how much, if you could put a fit a percentage on fitness, how much fitter do you think Mike would have to be to offset Piotr's technical advantage? like I don't think it's heaps, but this is what, this is the sort of stuff that keeps my skin in the game. Like I'm good at the technical, so I can be, I can 5% less fit or 10% less fit. I don't know what it is. Maybe on this course, it's like 5% or 10%, 10% max. Like it's not a massive, it's not like a game. That's why fitness is still the main thing. But, um,
Speaker: There is that thing that brings it closer to and it's the beauty of trail running because it's also it's not only yeah we're talking about technicality here. You could have the same discussion about uphill running or the same discussion about potentially downhill running or the same discussion about how well people will get nutrition in like in maybe longer races. So this is the beauty of trail running. There's so many variables that you get these amazing matchups.
Speaker: Yeah, I think this is like as both of us as coaches and both of us as like commentators on the sport, it's one of the things we love is how many variables there are that it's not just a case of who can get the fittest. It's not just a fitness game.
Speaker: No. Okay, well, with that complete roundabout discussion with no real answer, let's move on to the rest of it. Yeah. there's There's two other names in in this race that I'm really curious to see. I think, and again, I'm really not doing these guys a disservice, but I don't think they're going to be in the same battle that we're expecting Piotr and Mike to be in, but always definitely get surprised. The first one is Chris Lenczyk. Now, Chris did say on his Strava that GPT-100 is his main focus. He has a Hounslow ticket, but not sure if he's going to do that at the moment. Could just be sandbagging.
Speaker: He looks fit. He looks really well trained. um Like I really like what he's doing. He's definitely in miler training from a volume perspective, like putting big back-to-back long runs in. So how much would you taper if he was going to do this? is he going to like As we were talking about, does he sacrifice potentially 5%, 10% of the potential time he could run on this course, maybe 5% but comes in less tapered but better trained for...
Speaker: um for GPT recovers out out of the back of it faster and gets back into the swing of things, which if GPT was your focus, that would be what I would suggest. um Or he gets in and feels great and pushes because he's in a good training block and it's low pressure on the event.
Speaker: um He's had third at UTA 100 miles. So he was one place above Piotr. this year which is interesting and has actually had like he's got a very impressive resume when you look back ah a very solid run at utmb last year um yeah as i was gonna say that's a that's a good finishing time especially for those conditions a really good finishing time uh first cosy hundred mile so yeah very interesting to see how chris goes out there and if he does show up and then the other name is jared owen kind of feel for Jared the last two results he's had a DNF at the guzzler 100k and then about a month month later I think he backed it up and tried to do the scenic rim 100 mile and DNF'd again which depending on the person if he's going to show up you could get two very different types of people showing up you've got one with that chip on their shoulder and they and they're like I'm this is my race I've had two bad ones I'm making the most of this or the other one that like that narrative of IDNF I'm not in shape I can't do this that starts to get fed
Speaker: I don't know, Jared, so I'm going to go with the former rather than the latter because that one sounds more fun. But last year, was the Buffalo Grand Slam winner. But in doing so, he came in the 19th in the 20K, and 5th in the marathon. So very, very good individual performances. And then he did that in this sense of putting it all together. So if Jared's, like, if there's no injury issue and those DNS were stomach or heat or whatever they were, and he's coming in fit, he's clearly going to have a very strong base if he's been able to put any speed onto that for this race. I think he could definitely be a surprise, like a bit further up than might be expecting, but it just depends on how much of a hit those last couple of races has taken to him.
Speaker: Yeah, definitely. um I think ah those two both sound really interesting. I feel like they're both like lesser known names, but they could have a big result. Like it's not, it wouldn't be out of the question for them to be challenging Mike and Piotr. depending on what happens on the day. um So yeah, it it'll be interesting to see how they go. Like obviously Chris is maybe both of them, I guess, more used to longer stuff. um But it is it's a long 42. So it's not like it's ah it's not like a fast running 42. So I think if, if there was a 42 that would suit these two guys, it would be this one.
Speaker: Yeah. Like we're talking what the course record is 425. four twenty five Whereas like we're talking about a 42 that takes an hour and 15 minutes more than Buffalo does. Uh, yeah.
Speaker: Yeah. It takes what? 25 minutes, 30 minutes longer than what Tara where a 50 K does. So it's a, It's a slow moving 42, which would be fascinating. there's two I had two two guys in that my honorable mentions, and we won't go into them too much, but names actually I wouldn't be surprised if we saw one of them on the on the podium is Jeremy May and then Harrison Flynn. Harrison's actually been putting in some really solid runs. One of the single track trail trail team guys, but I've been really impressed with some of the races that he's been putting. Haven't really seen him in that deep of a competitive field. So would be great to see him up against the like of Piotr and Mike and Gerrard and Chris. But I think he'll be an interesting one to see for sure.
Speaker: Yeah, he's interesting. He's done like mostly like he's done mix of like some really long races, but also some really short races. um He was in the competitive field at UTA 22, but it was in amongst a like he raced like the weekend before down at Wilson's prom. um So yeah, I think, but then he's also got some really like some first places in the single track, um the running wild series. Like he won the Wilson's prom 15 K actually raced one of my athletes and I think beat him and he's like a 32 10k guy. um He raced Wonderland and won there as well in a pretty pretty good time. So he's got wheels over the shorter stuff, but he's also at least run the longer distances, which might be a nice mix, I think, of those two things coming together. Yeah.
Speaker: I think from memory, has he just done 100K? Yeah, he did 100K in China. China, yeah. I don't know if he's done another one since then, but he went across and did that Chong Li 100 when the some of the single track people went across. um That sounded brutal. It was like muddy and horrible. Like it was 100K he did in 1544. Yeah. Yeah, he's like he's so he's got the he's done the longer stuff and he's obviously got wheels over the shorter stuff. So this middle ground might be something where – Yeah, I feel like if anyone's having a breakthrough race on the weekend, it's probably he's the one that I have my on to have that breakthrough performance.
Speaker: Actually, interestingly, because I think Maddie might still be on the single track trail team as well. It's the two trail team that I think are the the two the two breakthrough potentials. Yeah. Which would be, yeah obviously it's a single track event. So it'd be great if it's those two that do it and the ones that have been yeah building up in very different ways. Maddie not racing too often, at least that we can find and Harrison racing pretty much everything he can get his hands on and every distance. But it just shows that there's no there's no one right way to get fitter.
Speaker: Definitely. Definitely. And and and Jeremy, um he's always there or thereabouts. um I don't want to say filling out the field because that sounds like a rude way to say it. But I mean, like he's just said he's always in the mix. like He adds depth to most of the races. All the races he's run in over the last year, he's adding depth to it. And that's not in a – I'm trying to say that in not a negative way. The more I say it, the more it sounds negative. But yeah um it's great to see Jeremy racing and he does bring something to this race. And he's been – living and training in the Blue Mountains for, I think, maybe a couple of years. um So, like, it's it's not unfamiliar terrain to him. And I'm pretty sure I've seen him and Michael Dunstan do that up and down Perry's lock and up Lockley's and back, like, 10, 20, 30 times. So, he's he's potentially done it the most out of all the people in that field.
Speaker: Yeah, no, um andll I'll take the shovel from you now and I'll start digging. i think he goes into the yeah my honourable mention for pretty much every race that he's in and yeah right he's like it knocking on that door and I think i think again, its we can see the potential, it just hasn't, like whether it's just not been the focus or hasn't had the opportunity not the right course for him, he's not had that day yet or maybe he has and we're just not giving it the respect it needs but he he's definitely adding adding a very good layer of depth as well to this field that again that that assuming Piotr and Mike there and they both have good days I think that battle for third place is going to be really interesting
Speaker: Yes, definitely. Wonderful. i think we're done. We did it in an hour. How good. This actually pretty good. Yeah. So everyone listening that was fully prepared for a two hour, like how are these guys going to talk about Hounslow for two hours? We've we've been good.
Speaker: Appreciate you staying with us. Brodie, any last comments for Hounslow? Or I guess this is this is kind of the, ah Transcend was actually, but this is kind of the kickstart of the the racing season for the back half of the year.
Speaker: Definitely. I feel like it's like the kickstart of the racing season on the East Coast. I feel like Transcend felt like it fell into a different category nearly, but I also think in future years, Transcend will become part of the national calendar to some extent. um So yes, yeah maybe we we can't say it's kickstarting the season, but it ah it feels like things are starting to ramp up um and excited to talk about some of these people racing other races in Australia in the next few months as well and and what that leads to. So, yeah, it's a good time of year. The sun's coming out. It's warming up.
Speaker: Everyone's happy. Everyone's. Yeah, the actually, the interesting thing Jess was saying about Hounslow and we know Singletrack do a great job. We were talking about UTMB and how there was no ice there. Singletrack do a great job of preparing, being prepared for the athletes that they have on the day. They look after them well. um They have good aid stations and they have, most importantly, ice. And Jess was saying,
Speaker: to all the athletes who are taking on Hounslow this weekend. So for the people who haven't heard that but are listening to this, make the most of the cooling strategies because it is pretty exposed in places. um And even if it's not super hot, you will feel warm. um So it's a good idea to grab the ice Jump in the river at the bottom, she says. Cool off.
Speaker: um And, yeah, Jess did great at this race. So she's a good person to listen to. And I'm looking at the ah the event guide and it's got a photo of Charlie who did the 17K looking very angelic with his arms wide, but it he looks hot already. So I think that's a very good advice. If you you use the ice, use the water.
Speaker: look after yourself, make good decisions on the downhill. Don't, don't take a risk unless you're a Mike trying to stay ahead Piotr. Um, and, uh, yeah, no, I think it's, it is, it's good actually for, for people listening. If you're listening to this on Patreon, you would have heard the, transcend interview beforehand. But if you listen to this on the public, you will hear this, hear that one released you after this one. But,
Speaker: On your comment on Transcend, I do think we're going to start to see that one jump into the the mainstay just from the way that Shane and Mitch want to operate it And your comment about UTMB giving a real big event experience, which is exciting because August has been a bit of a quiet time. And now we have Transcend, Hounslow, typically Rollercoaster, get some decent names in October. And then November is GPT and COSI. So it's it's ah it's it's a good four months of racing.
Speaker: Yeah, lots of lots of options and yeah, it's um it's cool to see. I'm excited to do both Transcend and Hounslow in the future. Maybe not both in the same year, but in the future, I'm looking forward to towing both those start lines because they're both races that really interest me.
Speaker: ah You could do the short distances, of all of them. That's true. I feel like the Transcend, 65 has got this allure, like just the point-to-point nature. Like it just, yeah. i would yeah i probably I probably won't be ready to do that one for a little while, at least not next year. So if I do something next year, I probably won't be doing the 65. But yeah, both of those races, um yeah, cool events and and and it's a nice time of year for things to start heating up again.
Speaker: Definitely. We added another few minutes on. Brady, well done. Thanks. That's good fun as always. yeah thanks james everyone listening appreciate you being here with us if you're a listening on patreon let us know in the comments who you've got picked what are your thoughts have you done hounslow have you uh any good good tips that we can share otherwise we'll catch you guys all on the next preview which is most likely going to be roller coaster i would have thought yeah i would assume so yeah all right until then thanks so much thanks guys see you later
