Talking Triathlon

A new direction for the MaccaX podcast as we try to make the show more consistent and more beneficial to the members of MaccaX! In the final episode for 2017 we introduce the new co-host of the podcast, Tim Ford. We discuss some changes coming to the show in the future and the direction of MaccaX. We then get into the good stuff with a 2017 wrap up. We discuss what Macca thinks about the changes to the Kona qualification. Will it lead to faster times on the big island? Will there be a higher DNF rate for professional athletes? Will we see a sub 8 time in Hawaii? We discuss Superleague Triathlon. How it went in 2017 and the goals for the future as well as where the 2018 races will be held! We talk about Frodo's Kona performance and why Lionel Sanders is the most exciting professional in the sport. We discuss how the Kona race will be run in the future and what impact Javier Gomez will have on the race. We talk about Danile Ryf's year and Holly Lawrence beating her for the Million Dollar pay day in Bahrain. As well as a chat about the amazing year that Kristian Blummenfelt, Sarah Crowley and Laura Siddall had in 2017.

We then discuss some of the highlights of MaccaX members including AG World Champions, Ultra Man World Champion finishers and some impressive women who did the team proud in Kona.

For more information about MaccaX: http://www.maccax.com 

Or check the team out on Social Media: 

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TeamMaccax/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TeamMaccaX 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teammaccax/

 

You can also find Tim's podcast 'Think Fit' here: https://goo.gl/sp5q4q 

Direct download: MaccaX_podcast_Episode_45_final_version.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:49pm AEDT

  • Lionel Sanders 3peat at IM Arizona
  • Weekend review

Arizona Ironman

The guys discuss Lionel Sanders’ incredible progress. The Rocky Balboa of triathlon

Island House Tri and that epic sprint between Ben Kanute and Terenzo.

  • If Kona happened in November Terenzo could be world champ! He runs off rhythm until he’s done then starts again. Is Terenzo racing Bahrain or Western Sydney?
  • Macca’s picks for the weekend:

Western Sydney 70.3

Bahrain 70.3 – should be an easy $1m for Daniela

Phuket 70.3 – weak field with so many big races

 

  • Is there money to be made in triathlon?
  • Jan Frodeno – coming off a soft year what’s his strategy for a comeback. Is he intimidated by the likes of Lionel Sanders?
  • Career longevity – the impact of so many races
  • Patrick Lange – someone Macca never picked to win Kona
  • Gwen Jorgensen’s move to marathon – an easier lifestyle choice with a family. Will Flora Duffy fill her shoes in triathlon.
  • Younger athletes will do well at Olympics with the shorter distance – Zaferes, Cook, Gorman, Brown – USA very strong
  • Last big race of the year at IMWA – Terenzo defending
  • Alistair Brownlee – plans for 70.3/Olympics/Ironman
  • Macca’s travels – Superleague where to next?
  • Questions

Superleague for IM triathletes – any advice

What format would Age Groupers prefer?

MaccaX camps around Superleague races

Direct download: 2017-11-21-t05-37-40pm-final-mix.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:19am AEDT

  • What’s going on, America? Tom Petty, Hugh Hefner, incident in Las Vegas .... WTF? 
  • How often is Macca running/training?
  • MaccaNOW and MaccaX at Super League Jersey – guest-starring Alistair Brownlee
  • Swozzi, HeiQ designed Super League Jersey uniforms
  • Next Super League Triathlon event…
  • Big takeaways from Super League Triathlon
  • Women’s race – Katie Zaferes, Nicola Spirig
  • Men’s race – Kristian Blummenfelt
  • Breakout commentating from Alistair Brownlee and Vicky Holland
  • Prize money breakdown
  • How many days of racing is ideal
  • Like the Super League Triathlon Facebook Page
  • Two weeks from Kona – who’s mentally there?
  • Lionel Sanders getting plenty of fan support
  • Pete Jacobs, Frederik van Lierde, Sebastian Kienle all won Kona once, only previous champions racing
  • War is between Kienle, Jan Frodeno, James Cunnama, Sanders
  • Kona record 8:03 – who could break it? Winds of Kona
  • Most races set up for faster times unlike Kona
  • Tim Don vulnerable on bike but tactically strong on run
  • Bike ride is more aggressive, impacts the marathon
  • Macca’s Kona races – does he miss it?
  • Normann Stadler and Macca now on good terms
  • Effect of social media on athlete mental state
  • Women’s race is Daniela Ryf’s to lose, sorry Chrissie
  • Triple Crown is on – Ryf and Javier Gomez
  • Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa wants to qualify for Kona
  • MaccaX member Evelyn Salama racing in Kona – best tips for a first-timer
  • Macca going to Beijing for Under Armour

 

Team MaccaX Questions:

Stuart Gray – How to manage own expectations after setting new PRs?

Ian Farrell – What do you think of the run-walk strategy for Ironman marathon?

 

Kona underdog predictions:

  • James Cunnama in red-hot form with mega-run
  • Lionel Sanders could be in top 10
  • Sebastian Kienle
  • Ben Hoffman with consistent year, tough to beat, clever racer
  • Terenzo Bozzone needs a big performance, sweats a lot

 

Heat prep for Kona: dry heat vs. humid heat

Altitude training benefits smaller guys rather than big guys

Direct download: Oct2032C2020172C204_38_3720PM.mp3
Category:Sports -- posted at: 12:55am AEDT

Medellin, Colombia a potential cycling and running haven, great weather

  • Busy city but great tracks and trails just outside
  • Like NZ but cheaper, welcomes investment and foreigners

 

ITU Long Distance Worlds

  • Congrats to MaccaX member Jenna-Caer Seefried, age group world champion
  • Original Ironman Canada course all the greats like Peter Reid raced on
  • 3-120-30, an ideal long distance format you can race til the finish
  • Lionel Sanders: Macca’s fave triathlete outside of Javier Gomez; has had the #1 season this year among the men; walked away from 70.3 Worlds to focus on Kona
  • Josh Amberger now working with the Trisutto group, same coach as Sarah Crowley’s
  • Sarah Crowley won ITU LD Worlds, has had the #1 season this year (Frankfurt, Cairns, going to Konai)

 

Kona

  • Frodeno has dodged big events; could he see Sanders as a threat?
  • Sanders has worked on his weaknesses, improved swim with Gerry Rodriguez
  • Tim Don’s 70.3 Worlds performance (3rd) was done off an Ironman build; able to drop the fast boys and strong at finish
  • Ben Hoffman, Brent McMahon
  • Kona doesn’t seem to have depth, unlike back in Macca’s day four previous champions were racing the field every year (Faris, Stadler, Crowie, Macca) plus Raelert and Chris Lieto; pressure was on defending champion to dictate the pace
  • Women’s side, Ryf to dominate completely with Crowley as potential challenger -- could Ryf be better than Chrissie?

 

Ironman 70.3 Worlds

  • Split men’s and women’s races; great course
  • Ryf crushed the field mentally even before the race, was in a great headspace
  • Defending champion Holly Lawrence imploded mentally (looking back instead of looking forward)
  • Emma Pallant starting to come through the distance -- learned the craft racing in Asia then ran through the field to finish 2nd
  • Coverage could be better, don’t just stay with the leaders; commentary lagged by 10 minutes
  • Awesome men’s race
  • Tim Reed vulnerable to big swimmers like Ben Kanute (racing Super League Jersey) who led out of the water and changed the dynamic
  • Javier Gomez was tactically smart, prepared to race this
  • Sebastian Kienle frustrated, could not put pressure on
  • Sam Appleton had a good year
  • Proves ITU athletes can succeed in long-course

 

Triple Crown

  • Gomez and Ryf going after it, with $2mil total on the line at Ironman 70.3 Bahrain

 

Javier Gomez

  • Should he move to Ironman? Not doing so he could miss out on peak years of racing
  • Still has Olympic dreams; Spain a contender for mixed relay gold in 2020

 

Super League Jersey

  • Who’s racing, who’s not racing
  • Two days of racing broadcast live on BBC and with massive broadcast distribution thanks to media partner Lagardere -- most distributed triathlon in history!
  • First women’s race
  • Jersey is NOT New Jersey
  • Corporate Mix: a way for sponsorships to come into the sport without locking anyone out
  • superleaguetriathlon.com
  • What will it take to win? What kind of conditions will athletes face?

Questions;

  • Tips for the offseason? (Jenna-Caer Seefried)
  • Workouts to replace swimming while injured? (Anthony DiMauro)
  • What strength training to do in the offseason? (Lynda Rowan)
  • MaccaX members get an offseason strength training plan designed by Belinda Granger
  • How to train for long swim transitions if training mostly in pools? (Chris Stevens)
  • What was Macca's longest time out of the sport while he was competing and how did he approach rebuilding his volume and fitness? (David Procida)
  • How to make the most out of run training and get fast fast without getting injured or looking like a skeleton? (Anne-Louise McLean)
Direct download: Podcast-No.41_09-2017_welcome_back_mastered.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:23am AEDT

  • Superleague updates - Race 1 location announced (sort of!) 
  • Alistair Brownlee dominance! 
  • Brownlee V's Frodeno - When they will meet
  • Holly Lawrence V's Daniela Ryf 
  • Ultraman Australia and Coach Justin Granger's athlete Andrew Hartnett

Questions Answered ...

  • What changed in your mindset from training to racing?
  • How do you reinvent yourself year after year to keep improving
  • Off Season training - Members get your free plan (email azza@macax.com)
  • Push through the pain or listen to your body?

 

Direct download: Podcast_41_mastered.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:54am AEDT

 

  • Update on the next Super League races
  • Reviews: Oceanside 70.3, Texas IM, Gran Canaria
  • Lionel Sanders V's Frodo
  • Alistair Brownlee stepping it up
  • Holly Lawrence V's Daniela Ryf (+ wildcard Heather Jackson)
  • Macca's picks for the 2017 70.3 World Champs
  • Why so many sub 8'hr performances?
  • How to get stronger on the 2nd half of the marathon. 

 

 

 

Direct download: Podcast-No.40_04-2017_mastered.mp3
Category:Sports -- posted at: 10:29am AEDT

Chris "Macca" McCormack talks Super League and where the idea came from and dives a little bit into the race format and the athletes taking place. 

What it will take to be successful and what you can expect. 

https://superleaguetriathlon.com/

 

Direct download: SL-Podcast.mp3
Category:Sports -- posted at: 12:14pm AEDT

1