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Step into the realm of resilience, endurance, and achievement with ”The Greg Bennett Show.” Hosted by Greg Bennett, an Olympian, former world number one triathlete, and one of the most prolific figures in Triathlon, this podcast embodies Greg’s career-defining mantra, ”Success comes to those who endure just one moment longer.” On ”The Greg Bennett Show” Greg blends his wealth of 27 years of professional experience, having won over 100 international races from 500 starts and held the title of the world’s number 1 ranked triathlete for three consecutive years, with profound, insightful dialogues featuring the world’s leading athletes, coaches, entrepreneurs, and high-performers. These conversations traverse sports, business, entrepreneurship, and entertainment sectors, providing a rich tapestry of stories about the relentless pursuit of success, mental resilience, and the art of endurance. A balance between Greg’s remarkable career and the inspiring journeys of his guests, ”The Greg Bennett show” serves as a beacon of inspiration for those daring to strive, persist, and endure just one moment longer in their pursuit of greatness.
Episodes
Monday Jul 31, 2023
Monday Jul 31, 2023
Support the show at
"The Greg Bennett Show"
Bobby McGee is one of the worlds greatest running coaches and has been involved in endurance coaching for 32 years. He is a 5 x Olympic coach, and has been involved in some form with 9 Olympic medalists.
Bobby has spent many years coaching elite athletes and individual amateurs of all levels, guiding them to achieve their goals.
Bobby says, there are three very important aspects of endurance training;
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Firstly, address your running mechanics. Teach yourself to run effectively and to avoid injuries in order to race at your optimum level.
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Secondly, look at how you train. What is it about your training that’s holding you back? Is there a way that you can train better?
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Lastly, address the mental blocks that hold you back. How can you unleash the power of your mind to get you to race effectively?
In this episode, Bobby and Greg discuss The Pendola Project. Here is a link to more information where you can even sign up to one of thee 12 week RunForm. Whether you are training for an Olympic Gold or a local 5k you can run happier and faster. The Relative Run Readiness packages will give you the strength and proper movement patterns to run with good form for longer.
Timestamps
1:53 - Interview starts
5:05 - About Bobby McGee. Bobby was born in South Africa and went to University basically to study to become a coach, He started by coaching middle and long distance track runners and went on to coach road runners and marathoners. Bobby moved to Boulder in the US in 1992 , and started coaching triathletes.
8:23 - Bobby currently coaches Victoria Lopez, Taylor Knibb, Flora Duffy, Kirsten Kasper along with other pro and amatuer athletes.
10:21 - When coaching elite triathletes, it's important to consider the athletes biomechanics. For instance long distance swimmers often have low bone density and therefore do not perform as strong runners due to the rigors of long distance running, so as a coach it's important to understand and set training expectations specifically for each individual.
Bobby's book: Magical Running - A Unique path to running fulfillment
15:59 - Bobby's fascination of the bio mechanics of running came about as he could see a connection between certain running motion patterns and the tendency of getting injured.
I use to say: I don’t teach people how to run, I help people get back to the best running that they are capable of.
Good running form looks very differently depending on the individual’s genetics, one has to have a very different approach to someone with for instance long torso and short legs compared to someone with a more natural body composition for running. Also, factors like running background (has the athlete practiced plenty of speed work or come from an endurance background?) matters in how Bobby approaches individuals running technique.
20:06 - Rewinding the clock. Bobby describes his youth and pathway through younger years to discover his passion for running, and then coaching, including serving time in the South African Military.
37:54 - Shifting to mindset and performance, Bobby describes the advice he would give an athlete struggling with confidence. Being aware and knowing how your thoughts affect you is crucial in order to perform. Bobby feels that there is no right or wrong way to prepare mentally for competition, some people are super calm before races and perform well and others are extremely nervous and also perform well. Many age groupers (especially males) tend to overestimate their performance and hence set themselves up for failure by not being able to rise to their expectations. Don't doubt yourself, "The only thing you should doubt, is the doubt".
The only thing you should doubt, is the doubt.
41:53 - When it comes to an athlete feeling failure, Bobby explains his techniques that he applies to his athletes. Bobby's golden rule - There is what happened ... then there is 'what are you making it mean to you'. Meaning and interpretation affect an athlete's mindset.
48:23 - Different type of run drills are great in order to achieve a change in running style. The purpose of drills are basically to exaggerate a specific movement. Drills play three different roles: First, you’re trying to address a mechanical anomaly that the athlete has gotten into, the second reason is to do it as an activation exercise and the last role is for muscle endurance or power purposes. One also needs to make sure that the athlete has the strength, mobility and balance to run in a specific way. When approaching your running technique, one must be rather careful, this is an area where the wrong tips can get the opposite effect on your performance. 57:27 - First two laws of mechanics. The first rule is to never trust what you feel, you think you run a certain way but when you look into the mirror it rarely looks like what you first thought. The second rule is that if you want to achieve a change, you need to exaggerate the movement (this is also very applicable to swimming).
1:04:26 - The Run Transformation Course is a membership-based training program put together by Bobby McGee and is available at his website. Members have access to Bobby McGee’s proven training strategies and a wealth of other resources. The program currently provides nearly 10 hours of running training including over four hours of video on running drills, two and one half hours of video on biomechanics, a 75 minute mental skills assessment and two hours of running sports essentials material.
1:06:16 - Interview concludes.
Monday Jul 24, 2023
Monday Jul 24, 2023
Phil Liggett MBE is affectionately referred to as the “Voice of Cycling”. Phil was last on The Greg Bennett Show back in episode 28, almost two years ago!
He truly is the “Voice of Cycling”. In fact, the recent documentary film of his life is called exactly that.
This year is the 50th year that he’ll be working at the Tour De France - what a fantastic achievement that is. Add to that his 16 Olympic Games, and you get an understanding of why he is held in such high regard.
In 2009, he was inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame.
Phil is currently residing with his wife Trish on a game reserve in South Africa where he helps with efforts to protect rhinos from poachers.
Timestamps
0:00 - audio snippet from Phil Liggett - The Voice of Cycling Documentary
0:53 - Introduction to show.
2:55 - Interview starts.
4:55 - When you live in a remote bush location, beware the clever baboons!
8:15 - When you work in the sport of pro cycling ... you must be prepared to work with the animals.
9:05 - The Collins Cup can be a good reason for an old-athlete's reunion.
11:03 - The dangers of staying in too many hotels can be you never remember where the loo is ...
12:49 - The world of commentating live sports has changed dramatically these past two years and Phil explains how and why it might never go back to the way it once was.
17:14 - The Voice of Cycling documentary is a journey of Phil Liggett's personal life, as well his involvement and impact within cycling. It was created by an Australian film crew and has been over 2 years in the making. However it has not been without challenges, Phil explains some of the back story.
21:01 - Phil is incredibly philanthropic and is involved in saving rhinos in South Africa and also building a Vocational School offering quality and relevant skills training programs to vulnerable girls in an area where life opportunities are limited.
The Paul Sherwen Project was established to support the good that Paul was enacting in Uganda and across East Africa – empowering local people to drive progress and economic development through education, job skills, and personal training, while promoting & protecting the unique culture and environment of their communities.
If you feel this powerful project resonates with you, you can donate here
27:43 - Phil managed to turn his hobby of cycling into a career ... and it all started with his first job for ₤15 (approx $25) Listen in for the clues to Phil's success in life ... his incredible work ethic.
33:37 - Phil greatest career failure was not becoming a pro cyclist ... however it led him to his career for the past 50 years ... commentating pro cycling.
43:44 - Phil describes his greatest career highlight ... The 1989 Tour de France call. Extraordinary!
51:47 - Phil's well known in broadcast circles for his attention to detail in research and preparation. This story from Phil around Eric Zabel who was celebrating his birthday within the peloton proves why Phil Liggett is so loved as a commentator.
54:10 - So where did all the Phil Liggett quotes come from? Liggett-isms are a thing! "Dancing on the pedals ... The Rollercoaster of pain ... He's wearing the mask of pain ... Once again, they've stretched the elastic. ... It's rather like holding back the flood with a little finger ..." Phil explains how all these quotes (and more) came about.
57:46 - Paul Sherwen was a cherished friend and colleague in Phil Liggett's life. Paul Sherwen was an English professional racing cyclist and later a broadcaster on cycling, notably the Tour de France. He raced in seven editions of the Tour, finishing five, and gained a reputation for his ability to suffer over long mountain stages. Paul Sherwen passed on December 2, 2018.
1:05:08 - Phil names his three living people (non-family), that he'd invite to dinner. * Spoiler alert * The story Phil tells of his experience with the warden of the prison that incarcerated Nelson Mandela is fascinating.
1:14:22 - Phil gives us his exclusive predictions for the 2022 Tour de France.
01:18:08 - What's next for Phil Liggett?
01:21:41 - Interview ends.
Links
Be sure and check out bennettendurance.com
Find Greg on social media:
Twitter Greg Bennett Show
Instagram The Greg Bennett Show
Find Phil Liggett on social media:
AnyQuestion - https://anyquestion.com/phil
Paul Sherwen Project website: https://www.paulsherwenproject.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PhilLiggett
Monday Jul 17, 2023
Monday Jul 17, 2023
Show Sponsor
AnyQuestion - https://link.anyquestion.com/Greg-Bennett
Support the show at
"The Greg Bennett Show"
In this episode of The Greg Bennett Show, Greg is joined by 4 time Olympian and arguably the greatest water polo player to come out of Australia, Thomas Whalan.
Representing Australia in four Olympic Games in 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012, and over 330 test matches, his talent led him to captain the Australian team, guiding them to some of their most outstanding performances.
Thomas played professionally for 15 years in Europe, playing for teams in Spain and Italy. He's a dual Bronze Medallist in the World League and Commonwealth Champion and is recognized as one of the world's top water polo players.
He went on to become the Director and President of Water Polo Australia.
Off the pitch, he's been instrumental in promoting water polo as the Founder and Managing Director of Water Polo by the Sea while also excelling in the world of business.
For 10 years, he’s been the CEO of the Rent-a-Space group of companies overseeing one of Australia's largest privately owned self-storage companies.
He’s married to Elka Whalan (formerly Graham), also a multiple Olympic swimmer for Australia, and together they have four kids.
Thomas Whalan is a member of a select group of Australian water polo players who have played at four Olympic Games. He made his Olympic debut at the Sydney 2000 Games where he was the youngest Australian player on the team, which finished in eighth position. The outside shooter then competed at Athens 2004, finishing ninth, and Beijing 2008, finishing eighth.
Links
Be sure and check out bennettendurance.com
Find Greg on social media:
Twitter @GregBennett1
Instagram @GregBennettWorld
And follow Thomas Whalan:
website: https://waterpolobythesea.com/
Monday Jul 10, 2023
Monday Jul 10, 2023
Seth Pepper has developed mental training systems that have helped Olympians, World Champions, Netflix film directors, and executives optimize their potential.
With over 25 years of experience competing and coaching when the stakes are at their greatest, Seth has seen first-hand the results the power of the mind can deliver … both good and bad. Seth helps elite performers unlock the secret of how to utilize pressure to unlock peak performance. Yes, pressure … can be good.
What would life look like if you could not fail?
Timestamps
0:00 - Introduction to show
2:05 - Interview starts
3:29 - Seth explains his journey to become a high performance coach. From his early sporting achievements through to his tougher times that helped him to understand himself at a deeper level.
14:41 - Everything serves us moving forward ... it might not make sense now, but lean into it as it will become evident what the learning is and how you can utilise it to achieve. It may look like a dis-advantage at the time ... but it will become an advantage. Learn as many lessons as you can in the shortest amount of time.
16:03 - Seth taught himself to create a vision for himself. Your thoughts ... become your words ... become your actions.
18:33 - Being given some 'space to explore' can be critical to success. Frank Busch coached Seth, and became a significant mentor in his life. Ironically, Frank was close to quitting coaching to become a realtor at the time he met Seth, but went on to have a very successful coaching career.
22:56 - What appears to be courage, often the ability or openness to look foolish ... Mike Tyson has a quote "It's only delusional if it doesn't come true". Seth explains how his obsession for his vision to win drove him and the techniques he applied to achieve his athletic dreams.
29:21 - How do we optimize dreams. How much does realism come into our vision and goals? Seth explains his definition of the 'flow state' and how he believes we can achieve any goal we set.
33:56 - The movie version meets the reality version - Seth explains how his trajectory to winning nationals and how his early vision intersected with his achievements.
37:59 - Pressure is like a magnifying glass. Being able to handle pressure at critical times is exemplified in Seth's story about this Olympic finals story.
46:05 - The joy in helping others drives Seth today and he explains some of the models around how he applies his life learnings and experiences to help people achieve. Personal experience is a sacred space ... cause it's a battlefield out there. It's an extreme pressure that happens in life that you must experience if you wish to help others achieve.
48:42 - Good coaching is more like an art ... rather than a science. Seth explains his method of coaching elite people.
52:32 - 3 Questions. Do you know who you are, do you know what you want, and are you in control of your life? When you know who you are, you can navigate towards your dreams and goals more efficiently.
55:42 - Seth explains how he helps people to find their 'flow state'. (note to self; Don't make 'death' the consequence to your motivation to get into action)
1:08:43 - Having the winners mindset that you WILL outlast, you WILL out perform, and you WILL improve transfers to any industry, any individual. Seth explains how he works with different people on their confidence. From Netflix Directors, to Salespeople, to Athletes.
1:13:57 - Interview ends
Find Seth Pepper at:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sethpepper
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sethpepper
Monday Jul 03, 2023
Monday Jul 03, 2023
Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS, also known as "The Nutrition Myth Buster" is a board-certified nutritionist with a master's degree in psychology and the best-selling author of fifteen books.
Jonny holds no punches and he pokes holes at the information and recommendations we’ve been given from the so called Health authorities. He has a PhD in holistic nutrition, and is a Certified Nutrition Specialist from the American College of Nutrition.
He’s the Author of about 15 books on Health, longevity and nutrition, including - “The 150th Healthiest Foods on Earth”, “The Great Cholesterol Myth”, “Living low Carb”, “The most effective ways to live longer”, and “Smart fat”, to name a few …
Jonny has appeared on Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, and CBS and Dr. Oz’s XM Radio and television shows as an expert on nutrition and weight loss, and has written or contributed to articles for dozens of print and online publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Us Weekly, “O” The Oprah Magazine, The Daily Beast, Vanity Fair Online, Time, Oxygen, Marie Claire, Diabetes Focus, GQ, US Weekly, Cosmopolitan, Self, Fitness, Family Circle, Allure, Men’s Heath, Prevention, Natural Health, and many other publications. Dr. Jonny is a consultant to the Natural Products Industry and serves on the scientific or medical advisory boards of several companies, including Barlean’s Organic Oils, Resverage and EuroPharma.
AnyQuestion - https://Anyquestion.com/JonnyBowden
Timestamps
0:00 - sample of Jonny Bowden answering on Any Question app - audio clip
1:32 - Introduction to show.
3:22 - Interview starts.
7:40 - The Jonny Bowden story is fascinating. It's a journey from alcohol & drugs, to rock n roll, then turning his life around and becoming a nutrition expert.
18:56 - Jonny's top 5 nutrition myths that need to be addressed about saturated fat and cholesterol.
22:15 - The incidence of pre-diabetes is a real issue in western society and Jonny explains why and what it's all about.
24:12 - The medical fraternity are divided on the issue of nutrition. Add to this, Big Pharma has a huge influence on MD's and what information they are exposed to.
31:05 - As a young ER doctor, Peter Attia felt contempt for a patient with diabetes. She was overweight, he thought, and thus responsible for the fact that she needed a foot amputation. But years later, Attia received an unpleasant medical surprise that led him to wonder: is our understanding of diabetes right? Could the precursors to diabetes cause obesity, and not the other way around? A look at how assumptions may be leading us to wage the wrong medical war. This is the TED talk from Peter Attia that Jonny Bowden refers to.
32:03 - Tim Noakes, an MD and University of Cape Town (UCT) emeritus professor, won the second of two decisive victories against his regulatory body, the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).
The HPCSA's Appeal Committee dismissed its own lawyers' objections and upheld in full its first committee's comprehensive ruling for Noakes in April 2017. That ruling exonerated him completely on all 10 aspects of a charge of unprofessional conduct.
The appeal ended the HPCSA's unprecedented, multimillion trial of Noakes that it had dragged out for more than four years. Its ruling reverberates down medical, nutrition science and food- and drug-industry corridors of power globally to this day.
It effectively endorsed Noakes's right to freedom of speech as a scientist and the evidence for low-carbohydrate, high-healthy fat (LCHF) therapies. It vindicated his vigorous opposition to South Africa's industry-led, high-carb, low-fat Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDGs). The FBDGs closely follow the influential US guidelines that launched in the late 1970s and are currently under revision.
36:08 - Jonny explains the benefits, the myths, and the ways you can optimize and feel the impact of intermittent fasting.
49:03 - Jonny explains the benefits of supplements, plus gives us his top 4 'must have' vitamins for any person.
1:01:27 - So when it comes to monitoring our bodies and testing ourselves, what does Jonny recommend are the best tests to give us an accurate view on our bodies.
1:04:41 - If the gut isn't healthy, nothing else is. Gut microbiota are the microorganisms, including bacteria and archaea, that live in the digestive tracts of vertebrates including humans, and of insects. Alternative terms include gut flora and gut microbiome. The gastrointestinal metagenome is the aggregate of all the genomes of gut microbiota. Jonny explains in simple terms how we can try and optimize our gut microbiome.
1:08:15 - Fixing the gut involves many different things and is a multi-factorial approach and most doctors don't address it. A short video from Jonny Bowden on his powerful functional health concepts including intermittent fasting.
01:11:04 - Interview ends.
Links
Be sure and check out bennettendurance.com
Find Greg on social media:
Twitter Greg Bennett Show
Instagram The Greg Bennett Show
Find Jonny Bowden on social media:
website: jonnybowden.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jonny-bowden
Instagram: instagram.com/jonnybowden
facebook: facebook.com/Dr.JonnyBowden
twitter: twitter.com/jonnybowden
youtube: youtube.com/user/drjonnybowden
audible: audible.com/author/Jonny-Bowden
amazon: amazon.com/Jonny-Bowden
Monday Jun 26, 2023
Monday Jun 26, 2023
Show Sponsor
AnyQuestion - https://link.anyquestion.com/Greg-Bennett
Support the show at
"The Greg Bennett Show"
In this episode of The Greg Bennett Show, Greg is joined by human performance coach James Hewitt.
If you're in the workplace, if you're a leader of a company, if you're an endurance athlete and want to understand how to be cognitive at a higher level, then this is an episode that you wanna listen to.
James is a world leader in the field of human performance, well-being, and cognitive function. He has spent over a decade equipping individuals and organizations, ranging from professional cyclists to Fortune 500 companies to Formula 1 teams, with science-based tools to improve well-being and achieve sustainable high performance.
He has given over 1000 hours of presentations & workshops in over 30 countries, making his mark in venues as prestigious as the World Economic Forum in Davos.
One of the masterminds behind understanding how to look at cognitive performance as an endurance activity.
Timestamps
4:58 - James Hewitt explains how he became fascinated with high performance humans.
... as a kid I just wanted to be an astronaut
17:39 - For improvement to occur in any capacity, the human body has got to be stressed. If you wanna get stronger, you have to lift more weight. If you wanna get faster, you've gotta stress your aerobic system so that your aerobic capacity can grow. And in a cognitive context that could involve introducing increasingly challenging tasks to push mental boundaries and increase cognitive endurance.
Its not only the cognitive demands of the task that are making you feel fatigued ...
24:35 - How can people take more control of their days, their weeks, their months, in terms of finding ways to not be "on" ... but then perform at their best when they are "on".
32:53 - What can we learn from the world's top endurance athletes, to enhance wellbeing and performance in the workplace?
We've been thinking about effort and recovery resources and physiological resources in sports science for a long time
45:09 - Continuous aerobic exercise, about 85% of your maximum heart rate for just under an hour, seems to benefit executive functions. We know that exercise improves positive mood, and in turn, positive mood can have a really positive impact on cognitive performance.
Does physical activity improve cognitive function?
51:47 - What can companies do to set things up for their employees?
Wellbeing strategy needs to be integrated more closely with business strategy
1:01:59 - Greg asks James his BIG 4 questions:
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If you could go back in time, what advice would you give to your 16-year-old self?
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If you could have dinner with three people (non-family, living or dead), who would they be and why?
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Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
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What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
1:08:28 - And the lads finish up flexing James' fast twitch fibres with some rapid fire questions and answers.
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Early bird or night owl?
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Favorite meal of the day: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
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Favorite sport besides cycling?
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What book are you reading right now?
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What is your favorite movie of all time?
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Favorite piece of technology you own?
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Is cereal soup? Why or why not?
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If you were arrested with no explanation, what would your friends and family assume you had done?
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Would you rather always be 10 minutes late or always be 20 minutes early?
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Best decade of music?
1:12:55 - Interview concludes.
1:12:55 - Interview concludes.
Links
Be sure and check out bennettendurance.com
Find Greg on social media:
Twitter @GregBennett1
Instagram @GregBennettWorld
And follow James Hewitt:
website: https://jameshewittperformance.com/
twitter: https://twitter.com/jamesphewitt
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesphewitt/
Monday Jun 19, 2023
Monday Jun 19, 2023
This is a treat and such a privilege to have Emma Frodeno (formerly Snowsill), Nicola Spirig, Gwen Jorgensen, and Flora Duffy. . It’s taken several months... but we are finally here. I’m so excited about this episode.
You see, I’ve always wondered what it takes to win on that special day, that one day that every Olympic athlete aspires to. I’ve wondered what it must feel like crossing that finish line knowing that you are the Olympic champion, and how does that heavy medal affect the rest of your life?
Well, today we’ll get some answers to those questions... today I have the past four-woman Olympic Triathlon gold medalists on the show. Four Gold and one Silver between the four of them.
These are women that I have trained and been at races with. They have all conquered the world and have been heroes to their respective countries. All of them I truly admire and would call good friends.
All but one have been on the show and you can find their past episodes on your podcast app of choice.
But never have they all been together on the one show. I’m feeling very honored that they have all agreed to come on, and amazed that we were able to coordinate times from all corners of the world.
In this episode, they all discuss their mindset 2 weeks leading into the Games and how it changed leading into the race. When did they feel like they had it won. And, What was the first initial feeling you felt crossing the line, and finally How did the Gold medal affect each of their lives.
Truly incredible to have them all on the one show... I can't thank them enough for making this happen.
Timestamps
0.0 - Introduction to show and advertising
4.50 - Introduction to Emma Snowsill, Nicola Spirig, Gwen Jorgensen, and Flora Duffy
5.00 - General chit-chat - run through each resume
8.00 - Emma Frodeno Introduction
10.00 - Nicola Spirig Introduction
11.00 - Gwen Jorgensen Introduction - Bobby McGee (new coach)
12.50 - Flora Duffy Introduction
15.15 - What was your mindset 2 weeks leading into the Games - how did it change leading into the race?
15.45 - Nicola - 2012 Olympics
18.45 - Gwen - 2016 Olympics
21.30 - Flora - 2021 Olympics
25.00 - Emma - 2008 Olympics
31.00 - Midroll advertising
32.00 - When did you feel like you had it won?
32.00 - Gwen- 2016 Olympics - Nicola chimes in
36.30 - Flora - 2021 Olympics - "Run a 33.10 for the 10km"
41.20 - Emma - 2008 Olympics
46.15 - Nicola - 2012 Olympics
52.00 - What was the first initial feeling you felt crossing the line?
52.00 - Flora - 2021 Olympics
53.55 - Emma - 2008 Olympics
56.00 - Nicola - 2012 Olympics
57.10 - Gwen - 2016 Olympics
58.30 - How did the Gold medal affect your life, initially, and now all these years later (Months later for Flora)?
59.00 - Emma - 2008 Olympics
1.04.50 - Nicola - 2012 Olympics
1.08.00 - Gwen - 2016 Olympics
1.12.15 - Flora - 2021 Olympics
1.16.15 - Conclude
Links
Find Greg on social media:
And check out their Instagram pages at:
Monday Jun 12, 2023
Monday Jun 12, 2023
Show Sponsor
AnyQuestion - https://link.anyquestion.com/Greg-Bennett
Support the show at
"The Greg Bennett Show"
In this episode of One Moment Longer with Greg Bennett, I am welcoming back a legend of the triathlon world, Mirinda Carfrae.
Mirinda (or 'Rinny') is a three-time Ironman World Champion, an Ironman 70.3 World Champion, and one of the most formidable athletes ever to compete. She's a professional triathlete who illustrates the mantra,
"Success comes to those who endure just one moment longer."
Rinny was one of the first interviews I did for this podcast three and a half years ago, in episode 6, February 2020.
Mirinda has recently made the tough decision to retire, and we'll be discussing this significant shift in her life, how she came to that decision, and what the process was like. We will explore her most memorable moments, discuss the highs and lows, and get a glimpse into some of her most epic workouts.
We’ll discuss the evolution of the sport, how technology has changed the game, and her thoughts on the future of triathlon. And, of course, what life looks like for her after professional racing.
She’s a great friend, and I’m excited to get this chance to catch up.
Originally from Australia, and now residing in Boulder, CO Mirinda is a one of the world’s most successful triathletes. Her 2007 70.3 World Championships win secured her ticket to the Ironman World Championships in Kona. In 2009 she set a course run record and finished 2nd in her first Kona appearance. She continued her dominance and went on to win three Ironman World Championships in 2010, 2013, and 2014.
Her 2013 win included the third fastest marathon of the day including the men’s field. Her blistering run course record from 2014 still stands today (2:50:26).
Mirinda is a threat at every race she enters with over 50 wins at major events throughout the world. Her Ironman 70.3 World Championship title and three Ironman World Titles and seven podium finishes in Kona in the span of a decade marks her as one the of the greatest triathletes of all time.
Growing up in Queensland, Australia, Mirinda Carfrae, widely known as “Rinny”, was a sporty child, with basketball her primary focus. At 5’ 3”, however, her true athletic potential remained untapped until a high school triathlon coach noticed her speed on the court and suggested she give multisport a go. At the age of 19 she competed in her first triathlon and shortly thereafter–with no prior background in swimming, cycling or running–made the 2001 Australian Junior Elite Team.
Rinny represented Australia at the ITU Triathlon World Championships from 2001-2005, twice earning silver medals (2002 & 2003) before turning her attention to long distance racing. A victory at the Nice Long Course Triathlon (2004) and a silver medal at the ITU Long Course World Championship (2005) were early indicators that endurance was her forte; a third-place podium finish (2006) and ultimately a world title at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship (2007) confirmed Rinny as one of the top talents on the non-draft racing circuit.
That victory was pivotal, not only as a precursor to Rinny’s numerous half iron-distance wins to that date, but also to punch her first ever entry ticket to the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, an honor she postponed until 2009. That October, as a wide-eyed Ironman rookie, Rinny stepped off the plane onto the Big Island and was quickly swept up in the race week frenzy, heralded as the next great hope for the title at triathlon’s “holy grail” despite having yet to prove her prowess at the distance.
But prove it she did, using her finely-honed foot speed to post a course run record and secure second place. The following year, Rinny’s constant drive to improve resulted in her first title as Ironman World Champion. In the years that followed, despite race day struggles that might derail a lesser athlete, Rinny never strayed from the podium steps in Kona, earning second (2011) and third (2012) before regaining her crown in 2013. In so doing she struck fear in the hearts of competitors both male and female, posting the third fastest marathon overall (2:50:38), a new run record enroute to scoring the women’s Kona course record in 8:52:14.
2014 was a year filled with exciting new adventures for Rinny. Her winter wedding (December 2013) to fellow triathlete and Ironman Champion Timothy O’Donnell marked the start of a thrilling new chapter in her personal life. Professionally, the reigning Ironman World Champion expanded her horizons to Europe, claiming victory against a highly competitive field at Germany’s iconic iron-distance race, Challenge Roth, and confirming that all eyes will be on her yet again in Kona.
Links
Be sure and check out bennettendurance.com
Find Greg on social media:
Twitter @GregBennett1
Instagram @GregBennettWorld
And follow Mirinda Carfrae:
website: https://www.mirindacarfrae.com/
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rinnytriathlon/
Timestamps
9:06 - Winning Kona 3 times firmly places Mirinda at the top of the sport of Triathlon. Rinny & Greg recap her early career inspirations, and the journey to Triathlon through playing Basketball.
25:11 - Mirinda explains how she would split her year when competing professionally on the global stage and how it propelled her through defeats ... to the spectacular wins.
33:10 - Have a great and supportive team behind her, Rinny explains the power from having amazing and competitive training partners also within her regime to prepare for each event.
42:55 - Greg & Rinny discuss doping in the sport and how the testing program runs for professional athletes.
51:02 - Rinny shares her opinion on the state of triathlon currently.
52:56 - The Final Four:
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What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?
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Which three people (non-family, living or dead) would you like to have dinner with?
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Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
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What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
55:21 - Rapid Fire questions to wrap this episode.
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What toughest race you've ever competed in?
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Tim Tams or Vegemite on toast?
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First Job?
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What's your favorite training destination?
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If your life was a movie, who would you want to play you?
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One book you would recommend?
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If you could go back to any decade of your life, which one would it be and why?
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First Car?
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Best Aussie slang word?
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Favorite pizza topping?
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If you were to enter a talent show, what would be your act?
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What's your karaoke go-to song?
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What decade of music is best?
1:02:35 - Interview concludes.
Monday Jun 05, 2023
Monday Jun 05, 2023
Show Sponsor
AnyQuestion - https://link.anyquestion.com/Greg-Bennett
Support the show at
"The Greg Bennett Show"
In this episode of One Moment Longer with Greg Bennett, I am joined by Simon Whitfield, Jan Frodeno, Hamish Carter & Alistair Brownlee. I wanted to re-share this epic episode from July 23, 2021 (episode #82)
If you’re like me, you’ve loved the Olympics since you can remember. I’ve always enjoyed watching the best in the world battle it out on the big stage ... none more so than the sport of Triathlon. I’ve always wondered what it takes to win on that special day, and what it must feel like crossing that finish line knowing that you are the Olympic champion, and how does that heavy medal affect the rest of your life?
In this episode I have all of Triathlons men’s gold medalists on the show. Five Gold and one Silver between the four of them. Simon Whitfield, Hamish Carter, Jan Frodeno, and Alistair Brownlee.
Men that I have raced and trained with, men that have conquered the world, and have been heroes to their respective countries. All of them I admire and would call mates, the best men you could ever share a beer with ... all-around top blokes.
They’ve all been on the show at least once. You can find their past episodes on your podcast app of choice.
But never have they all been together on the one show. I’m feeling very honored that they have all agreed to come on, and amazed that we were able to coordinate times from all corners of the world.
In this episode, each of the Olympic Champions shares their stories, what they were thinking the days leading into the race? What was going through their head at the pivotal moment of the race? When did they feel like they had it won and what was the initial feeling they each had as they crossed the line knowing they were the Olympic Champion. Jan Frodeno's answer will make you laugh. They each describe how the Gold medal has affected their lives. Their answers may surprise you.
This has to be one of the greatest podcast episodes ever. What a thrill it was for me to chat with all of these champions.
Timestamps
13:09 - What were the emotions and feelings for each of these professional athletes 10 days out from their own Olympics campaign?
You need to calm down and trust the work you've done
18:43 - Jan Frodeno describes his pre Olympic campaign and how he was thinking 10 days prior to racing. Dreams do come true.
Letting go, and letting the race happen
22:51 - Alistair competed in London and The Rio Olympics and describes how he approached both start-lines. Alistair went into London as the key favourite, with an enormous amount of pressure and self belief.
27:39 - Simon Whitfield describes his pre-race prep for the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the emotion of running down Macquarie Street towards the finish line.
I wasn't there to win, I was there to perform
29:41 - The 4 lads explain the final sprints and how they each found something deeper towards the finish line. The simple fact, they all trained heavily for a sprint finish and were prepared.
This was the moment that I trained for
48:23 - How did winning a gold medal at an Olympics affect each of their lives?
You don't know how to feel
1:06:04 - As this is a repeat episode we finish with the lads predictions for the Tokyo Olympic Games. Remembering that these were held in the middle of the COVID pandemic with no crowds. In hindsight, were the boys close in each of their predictions?
If it comes down to a sprint, don't go too early, and don't go too late
1:22:18 - Interview concludes.
Links
Be sure and check out bennettendurance.com
Find Greg on social media:
Twitter @GregBennett1
Instagram @GregBennettWorld
And follow the lads:
Simon Whitfield:
website: https://www.simonwhitfield.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonwhitfield
Alistair Brownlee:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AliBrownleetri
Jan Frodeno:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janfrodeno/?hl=en
Monday May 29, 2023
Monday May 29, 2023
Show Sponsor
AnyQuestion - https://link.anyquestion.com/Greg-Bennett
Support the show at
"The Greg Bennett Show"
In this episode of One Moment Longer with Greg Bennett, Greg is joined by Jason West.
Jason is a rising star in the triathlon world. His 2023 season has kicked off with a bang, and he’s currently ranked 12th in the world.
Having started his journey as a 16-year-old, he steadily raced through his academic years and beyond, notching up victories and making a significant impact.
His journey has seen him climb the ranks steadily, on the Professional Triathletes ranking, from 76th in 2020, 41st in 2021, 23rd in 2022 to, as I said, currently 12th in 2023. If this progression keeps going at this rate keeps going, he’ll be 7th in 2024, 4th in 2025, 2nd in 2026 and 1st in 2027.
His focus shifted from short course to mid-long-course racing, and he is now setting his sights on winning the 70.3 World Championships. 2023 has been an incredible start with two major wins, a 2nd and a 5th at the PTO European championships.
Timestamps
2:32 - What an amazing year Jason has had. He describes how he has approached each event and how he feels about his performances.
I really do belong, racing with these top guys at the front
4:08 - When your mental confidence is strong as an athlete, it totally changes your intentions and your performance. Jason explains how he has worked hard on his mental skills so he can compete at the highest level.
When you line up on the start line and your intention is to race at the front. You wanna affect the race.
9:51 - With a stunning 1:07 at Oceanside off the bike, Jason describes how his confidence has grown with each event, and how relaxed he is in believing in the raceday magic.
If you're on the startline, and you don't believe you're gonna win ...
12:53 - Jason and Greg discuss his teams strategy to planning and managing his breaks between events to freshen his mind and body.
16:51 - Jason grew up in Pennsylvania just outside of Philadelphia. He played a lot of sports growing up but really focused on wrestling for most of his childhood. He was then introduced to endurance sports when he was 16, entering some 5k's and triathlons in his area. From there, he went on to race Triathlon at Penn State for four years. In 2015, he graduated with a B.S. in Kinesiology and also became a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Upon graduation, he moved to Boulder to pursue his career in Triathlon.
The ITU forces you to become a complete athlete
26:12 - Greg & Jason discuss his journey through longcourse triathlon to ITU and the benefits to his own performance.
28:09 - Jason out-ran Kristian Blummenfelt at the PTO European Championship by a minute and a half. He is mitigating his weaknesses and turning them into 'weapons'. Jason explains some of the highlights and important successes he has had these past few years.
31:47 - Jason & Greg discuss some of the set-backs he has experienced through his triathlon career.
When COVID hit, I almost didnt come back to racing ...
37:41 - Jason keeps a pretty small team. He explains the different roles and who is helping and coaching him.
41:15 - Greg and Jason discuss their opinions on Performance Enhancing Drugs in the sport of triathlon.
Theres more incentive to cheat ...
46:12 - Who does Jason West consider the Greatest Triathlete of All Time?
48:41 - If you could go back in time, what advice would Jason West give his 16-year-old self just starting in triathlon?
52:24 - Greg and Jason finish with the traditional rapid fire questions ... with a twist from ChatGPT.
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Would you rather fight one horse-sized duck or a hundred duck-sized horses?
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First job?
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You've been given an elephant. You can't give it away or sell it. What would you do with it?
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You have to sing karaoke; what song do you pick?
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Can vegetarians eat animal crackers?
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Would you rather always be 10 minutes late or always be 20 minutes early?
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If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?
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If your bike could talk, what would it say about you?
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If you could have an unlimited supply of one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
-
Which decade of music is best?
57:13 - Interview concludes.
Links
Find Greg on social media:
And follow Jason West
website: https://jasonwestracing.com
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonwesttri