Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Hello everyone and welcome back to the Uncomfortable Triathlon podcast hosted by myself, Harry Palmer, triathlon legend, and my co-host, who is far better looking than me, Andy Horsfield-Turner. How are doing, mate? I'm very good, mate, as as you've just well both pointed out who will bring our our other co-host on for today. But I'm wearing a lovely scarf this evening, so I've dressed up for the occasion. but yeah, mate, I'm doing very well. Nice. I'll talk a little bit more about the last few days as we get on to the theme of this podcast. But yeah, Yep. let's just say I'm back training. A little hint having a few days off. Good, good. It's good to know. Yeah, that's good. We've got quite an exciting, well, hopefully an exciting podcast this episode, but also exciting podcast going forward with a bit of a plan to do a series going towards Ironman Wales because the guest we have on tonight or whenever you're listening to this is none other... than Josh Lewis. Now I know I said that Andy Horsfall Turner's better looking than me. Josh is probably better looking than Andy. So yeah, you've got some work to do, mate. And yeah, so Josh is joining us tonight, which is brilliant. And we will hopefully be able to time down to, hopefully not time down, I don't know, to a series of... episodes towards Iron Man Wales unless that's what he's interested in. So Josh, how you doing mate? Josh: Yeah, I'm good. Thanks guys. Thanks for having me on. Really looking forward to just getting into it and having a bit of a waffle about training and what we've been up to over the past couple of weeks, I guess. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Nice. No, I guess Harry's kinda said it there. This is gonna be kind of like every every other week we're gonna try and do this kind of I guess Road to to Tenby kind of podcast. we are definitely ripping off the trial now as like Road to Oceanside, but you know, You if they wanna try and come at us with some copyright, like go for it. Josh: Well, it was really good and really engaging, wasn't it? So I think that Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah. Josh: it's quite a good format to bring more people into the fold of what we might be doing for an Ironman as opposed to a 70.3. And there is quite a good wealth audience as well. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah, no, no, definitely. before I take us any further, Harry, have I told you that we have made it big time? I mean, I've heard the rumours mate, but I feel like it's time to let people know that we're taking this seriously. We we are, from this very moment, professional podcasters. So I know, Wild. Wild. crazy. So we actually have a show sponsor. so I'm gonna run a little ad now. It's gonna be dreadful, so I apologise to our sponsor. but it is the running algorithm, who is another triathlete called Tom Epton, who we all kinda know and a British triathlete. he's come up with this super cool app which I guess you could say is a bit like a AI runner, but just kind of way better because it actually adapts to the the sessions you do, how you're feeling, if you do a bike or a swim and input that onto onto the platform as well, it will basically edit your running for you. so those that those people out there who don't want to necessarily be coached in their running but they still want some guidance, this could be the perfect platform for you. And if you go into our show notes there'll be a link. but also if you go onto the platform and sign up and use the code uncomfortable, you will be doing Harry and I a massive favor because that means that w we don't have to keep paying for this podcast because it's costing an arm and leg to sign up to Riverside every month. Yeah, yeah. So Tom, we'll send you our bank details and you can fill our bank accounts up as much as you want. Love it. right, mate. mate, anyway, so let's go straight into the theme of this podcast. So we're gonna talk about basically our last full week of training. So it'll be kind of a Monday to Sunday. I actually don't know the exact dates at all now, but it'll be roughly from like the twenty Yeah, that's the one. Josh: 20th and 26th. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: 20th to the 26th, yeah. So twenty twenty twentieth to twenty sixth of July, we're both well we're all starting to build up for Iron Man Wales, so it's kind of like a very foundational pit like part of that period. and I guess it might be fun for us just to start off with our highs and lows of of that week. Harry or Josh, do do either of you want to take it from there? I think Josh should take it. Josh: Yeah, Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Ha Josh: guess I'll tear it up by saying this is like my first full week back training since Swansea. Obviously you have a little bit of time off after the race and kind of a mid-season break. So this was my first full week of getting back into that. And it was pretty tough, pretty savage. I ended up on my back a couple of times. mainly because of the heat, to be honest. So Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Mmm. Josh: I'd say one those was just going to the, take myself to the sword and ending up just a little bit not as fit as I thought or hoped I was, essentially, on one of my run sessions. And then the high of the week would be like, it still went okay. I put together a pretty solid week all in all and got all the training done. to the main respect, I guess. So yeah, that I guess. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: That's a high, yeah. Yeah, I agree with that. And Josh, you've All green on Training Peaks is a high. Josh: Yeah, yeah, exactly that. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: I guess it's probably a good a good opportunity, Josh, 'cause I I know that you've made a slight adjustment to I guess your programming or your your coaching going into Wales. Do you wanna like chat a little bit about that and kind of what the setup is now and that sort of thing? Josh: Yeah, 100%. So I've, I was with Harry's coach, Rob Cheetham, and for the past year. And unfortunately it just didn't work out as well for me as it did for Harry. Just from a performance perspective, it just wasn't quite right for me for whatever reason. So yeah, I gave it a good crack for a year and it's really hard to pick, choose or change coaches. But I ended up changing my coach after Swansea to my co-founder of my coaching company, Yesden, which I took a bit of time to think about and then basically Andrew Horsfall-Turner: you Josh: it was the easiest. thing to do because essentially I can almost coach myself with him as an overseer because I speak to him anyway. Yeah so that's kind of what I've done and the reason I've done it I just didn't see improvements over the year and I don't think that's anyone's fault necessarily it just didn't work for me and there was things that Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Okay. Josh: again I think were partly my fault with regards to, or just unforeseen circumstances, like I broke my ribs midway through the last racing block, which will have hindered me and a little bit of training, for example. So yeah, no real fault lies anywhere. It just didn't quite pan out. So yeah, change mid-season, which isn't always the Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Okay. Okay. Josh: best thing to do, but I... Andrew Horsfall-Turner: But if you know, you know. There's no point hanging around if you know, if you if you're feeling it's like it's not right for you, you've just gotta you know this sport's so mental, so if there's any, you know, shadow of like doubt in your head, you've just gotta go with what feels right. Josh: Yeah, and I'm absolutely terrible for, let's call it a breakup, or quitting, or... It is. And I do feel as though it's an element of... Andrew Horsfall-Turner: It i it is a break it's a break it's a breakup. It's hard, it's hard. It's not you, it's me. Josh: yeah, and it's like, there's an element of quitting and giving up, isn't there? And I hate that. I'm quite a gritty person. So Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Mmm. Josh: I don't like the idea of giving up on something. I'm usually, I'll do it to the bitter end, but to be honest, like, I don't know how many more years I've got in this sport. So I had to kind of like, fell quick and change fast, if that makes sense. So yeah, Andrew Horsfall-Turner: death. Josh: that's kind of what led to that decision. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: No, I respect it. I think yeah, it's never it's never an easy decision to make, but if you if you're confident in what you're gonna do moving forward, I think that's that's the key really, isn't it? Josh: Yeah, 100%. And Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah. Josh: I kind of know. or knew what I wanted to do because it was the stuff that was working for me in the past before I was working with Rob. So it was kind of an easy transition to go back to some of that stuff. And I knew that I was progressing with that stuff anyway. It was just whether or not I could take that to the next level by having a better insight from someone else who has taken someone to be like close to a world championship podium or Harry taking him from being really shit to actually very good. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah. Josh: You Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yes. Taking me from being really shit to just a bit less shit. Josh: So yeah. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: No, it's Harry, you you shoot That's good. now, so highs and lows are your week mate. Highs and lows of the week. I'd say highs or high is probably one of the bigger swim weeks I've done for a long time, probably since the Lanza camp that I did with Josh and Fred earlier in the year, which is definitely going to be a big focus going forward because the swim, as people will know, is a little bit of a weakness for me. So I want to make sure that I can get as close to you. fuckers as I can in 10b. So yeah, was... That's true. Actually, that's true. Mate, you need to work on your swimming. Josh: Hey, you came out with anguished ones, Andrew Horsfall-Turner: I was gonna say he was he was ahead of at Swansea. Ha ha ha. So yeah, that was definitely a high managing a fairly big swim week. And I was pretty ball bagged from that. The low of the week, or it's not even a low. I don't think I had any lows. last week, although it's just a funny story. I did some hill reps up a hill out of Bath called Banner Down and it's maybe like a six and half, seven minute climb. And so I did a few reps up there and I sort of, I sort of let loose on the first rep and I think it was about six and a half minutes and I held 415 watts or something. And I was like, I'm a bloody legend. I'm going to do that again like five more times. I started the second rep and I just blew my, I just blew so hard and I was like, shit, that's not good. So yeah, by the man. fifth one, I was just in an absolute box. So that was, that was a failed session in some sense, but it was hilarious. Yeah. Josh: What did you average over the course of that then? So like you say, Andrew Horsfall-Turner: over the whole session. Josh: what did you end up averaging? Andrew Horsfall-Turner: you. Over all of the reps, yeah so 415 for the first one, Josh: Roughly as in like if you just Andrew Horsfall-Turner: for the second one was 393, for the third one it was 387, for the fourth one it was 367, and then for the fifth... For the fifth one. This is really bad. was 320. Josh: No it wasn't. So you did pop it. Yeah. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: I mean, I think I sort of gave up. I'm not gonna lie. Halfway up I was like, nah, we're good. Josh: Hahaha Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Was that that was meant to be like well over threshold, was it? yeah, that was one of those days where I thought I was a legend Yeah. and then I realised I was a massive pussy. So yeah, if anyone's ever feeling bad about themselves, It happens. It does happen. just think you're not as bad as me. Josh: Ooh, pretty solid Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Mm. Josh: first rep, though, like 415. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah, I'm very good at going too hard too soon. I won't Josh: Ay. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: make any inappropriate jokes about that. Before I get myself in trouble, Andy, you should probably take over. Well, I I I was impressed that you guys were actually like looking at your data and I was gonna like try and do it off the cuff and I like, probably should actually like look at what I did because I can't remember that well. Yeah. but yeah, so I guess some context for me was that I raced a week later than both of you guys. So I raced the Sunday leading into this week. So I woke up at 2 45 in the morning to fly back from Poland on the Monday morning. after having too much caffeine the night before. So I slept about two hours. so my Monday was a complete write-off. It was a travel day, so I'd basically just tra travel back from Poland, flew to Stansted, drove back from Stanstead. So my Monday was completely gone. and then the rest of the week was kind of like I guess like a pr post. race week so nothing spectacular but I definitely had some some highs and lows. one of my lows we actually mentioned on the last podcast was getting glass out of my foot. but yeah. we kinda mentioned that already. So I'll kinda skip over that low. And my big low was that my daughter got a stomach bug on Friday and just started throwing up everywhere. And then she had that Saturday. And then on Sunday, both my wife and I both woke up feeling a bit not great. And I like no... the thing that the thing that really the thing that really told me that I was feeling bad was I walked over to my coffee machine and I started making a coffee. I even put like the gr like ground in like in the cup and I like looked at it and I went, I can't I can't have a cup of coffee, like my stomach just I can't. I'm And I was like, that's not a good sign You Josh: That's just happened to you normally, which is what happens to me. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Re no. I love a I I love a coffee any time of day. You Josh: no, I love a coffee to get me wrong, it does churn when I... Andrew Horsfall-Turner: but then Josh: the sniffer. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: You sniff the beans and be like, right, I'll be back. but then yeah so my Josh: Yeah, I'll have to return to this. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah so my wife then started being sick mid morning and then I was like right I'm here I go, I'm committed now, the whole family's down and I went to be sick. probably like an hour later. And I went to be sick in the toilet. No sick actually came. And then I got like a a super hot flush. And next thing I know I'd fainted. Like full on blacked out. What? No. I blacked out. I woke up like like I don't know, 30 seconds, sixty seconds later to my wife standing over me being like, Are you okay? And like it was the weirdest thing. I went to the doctors to check it out and everything. But I couldn't feel my arms and legs. They were like numb for like five minutes. It was this the weirdest thing. I thought like legitimately thought I had like had a stroke or something. I was like, what the fuck's just happened to me? I know. Mate, this is horrific. You could have fallen over and broken your neck on the bathtub Josh: Is this a case of- Andrew Horsfall-Turner: or something. no. I was already on I was already on my knees, guys. I was about to dispute it's alright then. You did not fall to fall. Josh: Is this a piece of Don't Let the Truth Get in the Way of a Good Story or is that legit? I'm gonna have to come up with something better for next time. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah. that that's lit that's legit. No, that that's legit and it was it was pretty pretty scary. So long story short, my low of the week was that I didn't train on Sunday. I was pretty fucked. Fuck, I love that each week we're now all gonna compete with who's got the worst story and these stories are just For the lowest low. gonna get out of hand. Josh: Yeah, I'm definitely gonna bang some stories. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Hahaha. man. but if I'm gonna be super positive, I'm trying to look at my trainer now, what was my high of the week? My high of the week was that even though I had a a travel day and a sick day, I still did thirteen hours of training. That's my high. It's yeah, Hey, that's alright, that's pretty good. Josh: especially for recovery week from a COVID-19 Andrew Horsfall-Turner: yeah, not too bad at all. But yeah, right, let's Let's skip on from those highs and lows. And what we're gonna try and do is just go through each discipline one at a time. So we'll just go swim bike run. and maybe just pick out a session that you did in the week, and it doesn't necessarily necessarily have to be like your longest or your most heroic session, but potentially one that is interesting when you know it could be like went super well, went super badly, or it could just be one that you actually think people might be interested to, you know, try themselves or do a version of. so I guess let's go Josh straight away at the beginning, as we're we'll kinda just keep going, Josh, Did it. Harry, me, 'cause good order. Nice. so we'll go so we'll go Sun first. Josh, what was the the sum of the week? Josh: so I guess my, my swim week usually composes of two hard swims and then the rest is kind of like just filler aerobic stuff or a little bit of technical things. yeah, I'm swimming about 25 K a week usually. So that's, which one do I pick? So I had a half decent pool swim on one of my sessions. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Okay. Josh: we swim long course and it was just trudging through again, first time back properly swimming on Tuesday, which then just, did cause that session that I talked to you about earlier where I was on my back in the run. But I guess the more interesting one is we do open water every Thursday at the moment during the summer. And that's basically a reservoir swim. There wasn't that many of us there, but I basically had to try my hardest just to stick with the front group, which was only Derry, Ellie and myself basically. But I just could not Andrew Horsfall-Turner: you Josh: swim very well. I think now that I'm like really cranking the bike and the run stuff, my legs are just falling apart. that's just causing so much extra torque in my stroke up at the top and it's just capitulating my swim completely. yeah, I feel as though the deeper I get into this block, my arms are just gonna start falling apart more and more, especially in the pool, Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Mm. Josh: like with turns, I just can't push off the wall very well. But yeah, that reservoir swim really exposed me to being absolutely kind Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Check. Josh: of... trolled by everyone else and I just had to kind of make it work and I think that's not actually a bad thing. Like if you're feeling on top of things you can fuck around essentially and like go around the group or swim on people's hips or do what you want and it's actually not too bad it's like being I guess, in control on the bike and using people around you in a chain gang or something. Whereas if you're the weakest swimmer in the group or weakest cyclist in the group, then you have to be really wily to stay in the group and really, really focus on the skills aspects and staying on people's feet, not losing any kind of ground, staying on their hip if you need to, dragging them back, obviously, like just draft wise, by sucking the water, don't actually grab them. But yeah, Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Hehehehehe Josh: that was a good session just to kind of like be on the back foot and having to try and stay with the group as effectively as possible. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: What was the obviously you're you're swimming open water, but was there like a sp like was there like a session as part of that or was it just like continuous? Josh: Yeah, so we have boys in the reservoir and they equate to about a lap, sorry, a lap obviously. So a lap is about 400 meters. we do Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Okay, cool. Josh: an 800 meter rep to start with, then two 400 meters, sorry, no, 800, then four 200 meters. to 400 meters and then for 200 meters. it's effectively, it for 800s is basically what it is. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah. Josh: So yeah, that was the session. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: And it was like the intensity was meant to be like kind of like a threshold or like more like race race sim kind of swim? Josh: Yeah, it's not not race sim this week. Usually there is a race sim. But this week, because there was quite a few people missing, we just did it as pure threshold control. But it never ends up being because people want to get to the front or Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Hmm. Josh: people want to like position a bit better at the start. And that always just spikes you a little bit. So me trying to have a controlled threshold session, like, but position myself in a good enough way to have the rest of the rep easy is actually quite difficult. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah, for sure. Josh: So yeah, that was kind of my... Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Right, Harry. Alright, swim wise is it? On to you mate, what's what you're so you mentioned, Harry, actually in the the intro Mmm. section that you're gonna have a big focus on your swim. Are you still working with is it Mark Threllfold's doing your swim, is that right? I am going to say no comment right now. So we're adjusting things Okay. Okay. a little bit, all right? And so we... Okay. So, yeah. We are moving in... I don't know, we're basically just beefing things up a little. Because I feel like from reflection, I think it's not necessarily the get out speed that I struggle with. It's like the sustainability and the sustainability like at threshold. And so I feel like we just need to do more of that and more longer reps. And so we've been including a little bit of that in the the swims recently. And that's the plan sort of going forward. yeah, the first first week was Yeah, it was last week and it was pretty tasty. And so one of the swims, guess, this is where it comes into it is we did on Tuesday, we did 10 fours threshold. And as I've alluded to on the bike session, I'm very good at going too hard too soon. And I thought I was an absolute legend. was like, I'm catching up with Freddie Webb. So, you know, I'm swimming well. And then five in, I was like, Why are my arms hurt? And I started going backwards, which is, yeah, yeah, why is Freddie going Why Freddy Why is Freddy playing away? into the distance? What's happening? Yeah. And so, yeah, we, more of that is needed, basically. And obviously a degree of me needing to learn how to pace properly is obviously needed. But... The thing that goes hand in hand with that is the fact that I still need the ability to swim at that threshold. If I want to get anywhere close to you guys or the front pack in a race, like I know I'm never going to be the guy who leads out a race, but I'd love to get to the point where I can know that I can attach myself to the front pack rather than being in the chase pack. So more of those sessions will definitely be needed along with learning how to not be an idiot, basically. Josh: There's definitely a learning curve Andrew Horsfall-Turner: T Josh: with regards to like changing Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Mm. Josh: up your training. and how to execute certain sessions. And if you end up doing those sessions more than once, which I'm sure you will, it's second time round is so much easier because you Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah. Josh: learn how to execute that and learn how to pace it better, like you say, and know roughly where you're at. Because I think Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah. Josh: those sorts of sessions show you exactly where you're at and what your ability is. And it's a hard lesson to learn when you cook it to like halfway through and have another five to complete. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah, it's a hard lesson to learn and I think it is something that sometimes you do just have to like screw it up a little bit, don't you? To then not make or try not to make that mistake again. So it Josh: I'll admit that mistake. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: is, yeah, yeah, it's just sitting in that like uncomfortable slot more than I've ever done before and so I need to just get used to that and... Hopefully it'll bring on my swimming or maybe it won't, but I'm hoping it does. I think it's similar to what Josh has alluded to with him moving coaches. Like sometimes you just need to, you need a change and you need to do something different because if you keep doing the same thing over and over again, it isn't, you know, like we're all trying to improve. We're all trying to get better. And if you're not seeing improvements, then something does need to change. And so, yeah, I'm hoping for good things, but it does mean that my arms hurt. and I don't love swimming, I'm not gonna lie. Ha ha. Josh: You definitely improved a lot when you were swimming with Fred and I in Lanzarote. And that was Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Hmm Josh: just two weeks of a certain program. So Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah. Josh: I do think that it will help a lot. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah, yeah, I'm hoping so. I'm hoping so. But let's move on to you, Andy. How was your swim week? My swim week. it was yeah, pretty unimpressive. so I guess like obviously Harry, you're up being a swimming. Josh, you use swim at I guess with a group and a squad, so you tend to do a decent amount of volume as well. I think for me I've managed to kind of stay clear of doing too much swimming and I think part of that is I definitely was doing more swimming a few years ago. But over the last couple of years with family and stuff like that, it's it's definitely the logistically hardest one for me to get done. and I also do say like ninety five percent of my swimming solo as well. So it's like I tend to do quite a lot of like short ish, I guess, sessions. normally they're around like sort of the hour, normally try and do about four K. so nothing kind of too heroic, but I do tend to do like a decent amount of like intensity and stuff like that in them. but I guess the session I picked this week is actually a really, really boring session, but actually one that I kind of enjoy doing. especially like in a recovery week like this or off the Okay. back of like a really hard training session. is basically just like a short warm-up and then you go into like twelve three hundreds, but it's all like steady aerobics of very much like well well below L T one and every third one I do pull paddles and then the two in between that I swim sometimes I chuck some fins on sometimes I do a bit of drill work but it's very like low intensity, low level and you know I you know it takes me like fifty fifty to fifty five minutes to get a four K swim done. so a bit like Josh said when you get in in the the mix of like some heavy training your legs feel pretty short. to like jump in the morning after like a big day on the legs and just get a little four K swim done, a bit of load in the body, but also like not I guess not add any additional stress that you don't really want. You kind of just want to like tick over a little bit. but I I also like it as well from the mental standpoint of like it's so like low mental kind of focus and engagement. You just have to like kind of get in and somewhat count how many lengths you've done. If it's short course meters, you know, for example, you have to kind of at least kind of have an idea of where where you are. but yeah, I guess not a very exciting swim. there will be some more exciting ones hopefully as the weeks come on for me. but yeah I guess it's interesting because I do just swim a hell of a lot less than both you guys. And maybe that kind of speaks to like maybe that makes me a little bit less Consistent maybe in races that I use than I used to be. but I also still don't think it's taken much away from like when I'm having a good swim in a race, I can still have a very good swim. Mmm. so yeah, it's interesting. And I I definitely will be doing a bit more in the build up to Wales. but I still think for me the focus is still gonna be on the bike run because I've kind of shown time and time again that I can swim and bike near the front of Iron Man races, but I haven't quite ever nailed a marathon off the bike. So for me the the focus is gonna probably be away from the swim. So yeah, Harry, don't swim too much because I don't want you to drop me in the p in 10 bit I mean if I'm dropping Josh: You can leave us both out, Harry. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: you guys in 10b something's gone wrong. But yeah it is interesting though because we're all coming Josh: Why you drop me in? Andrew Horsfall-Turner: from... Andy, you what? Josh: in long course weekend, like off the start straight away. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: I've got some speed. Yeah. Like when I want s when I when I when I'm when I'm on a good day, I've got some speed, but sometimes I have a bad day. it's actually gonna be interesting because Harry, what you Well, I hope you're not having a good day then. said there about working on your kind of like you feel like you've got good speed, but you kinda lack that like, I guess, threshold kind of area. Mmm. It's kind of interesting to hear what you boys think, but I always tend to find that And it maybe just be because of my like level of experience, but I I feel like my the speed I swim in a seventy point three is very similar to the speed I swim in an Iron Man. Like I don't really have a difference in pace too much. Like I have a I have a get out speed and then I just have kind of like my like racing tempo. So Mmm. I always quite like Iron Man swims for the most part because I think in a seventy point three there's loads of guys out there who can spin their arms in a wetsuit and you know, swim twenty two, twenty three, twenty four minutes. Whereas I think when you go to an Iron Man, there's less people that can kind of sustain that intensity. I guess a lot of people who come from maybe like a short course background, are really good at that short intensity kind of swimming. whereas Mmm. I think I'm physiologically a bit more of a diesel engine when it comes to swimming. Yes, I could sprint a little bit, but I kinda like just sitting tempo. what what's your guys' thoughts of that? Yeah, I kind of wish I had that mate. Josh: I think Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Ha ha ha. Josh: that the intensity should definitely be lower in an Ironman. And to be honest, I just go with the race. I don't tend to set any paces. I'm not really a swim leader. I'm more of a, I'll just Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah. Josh: follow the pace. Mainly because I'd rather not swim hard if I can help it. just, and I'm just not fast enough to lead it either. But I think with regards to what you're saying about people being able to sit there for a 70.3, I think that they would still be able to sit there for a full distance for the most part. But at what cost? So it just seems like, Andrew Horsfall-Turner: It's what it costs you. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Josh: yeah. then costing them later on in the race because they've used too much of their kind of like matches if you will in the swim and it doesn't come to bite you until back end of the run but you didn't realize it was the swim for example. So yeah I don't know but I definitely would rather swim easier in a full distance but I think you're right Andy like the intensity is sometimes very similar it depends whose feet are more nearby. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah. Well I g as we've done a few sims You we've done a few swims where we've had like like Lucas Watts or whatever Josh: Yes. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: just set in the pace and you like right everyone just sit in and just swim. It's like don't think just swim Josh: I was full of gas on his feet, like for the whole 3.8k. I like, I hope I can still ride my bike. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Hahaha. Right. Josh, good segue there. Bike, what was the the key bike of the week? Josh: Funny enough, I'd say that I'm going to be greedy and go to Keebikes because I had Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Okay. Josh: a really nice weekend long ride with Malachi and Fred. So that was a nice change. They came down to Cardiff and we just did a long ride around basically the roads that I usually do. And Fred's done in the past because he was based here in the past. And so was Malachi to be fair. So yeah, no, was really nice to have them over, have a good laugh and... Yeah, just kind of spend some time with them because I haven't done that like properly in a while. But my key bike session was actually almost the same as yours, Harry. What did you do? Was it seven minute reps or six minute reps? Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah, well, I mean, it started off being six and it ended up being seven. Yeah. Josh: So mine were all seven Andrew Horsfall-Turner: You Josh: minute hill reps and basically just spin back down the hill. Really nice hill to do it on. It's kind of like a gradual gradient, a little bit steeper here and there. But yeah, I held 385 for all of them. So just around that threshold sort of zone. Not FTP, I don't know who, like, it depends what people. work off of, but I don't work off of FTP, I work off of Lactic Threshold. that was, yeah, about that Lactic Threshold sort of zone for that distance on a hill, if that makes sense. It varies, yeah, just on the road bike. So like Andrew Horsfall-Turner: you Yeah. Was that sat up or T T position or how did you do that? Yeah. Okay. Josh: I find that on the TT bike, it probably knocks like five, 10 watts off for me, if I'm on in the skis. And then yeah, if it's on the flat again, it knocks another five watts off sometimes. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah, fair. How long was that whole session like duration? Was it part of like a three hour ride or was it shorter? Josh: So that was a two and a half hour ride. So yeah, just kind of seven minutes up. It was a fair bit of rest down because it just the hill. But I think the reps were just about long enough that it didn't really matter about the recovery in between. So you're getting like a decent amount of time in that threshold kind of physiological zone, whether it be muscular or aerobic. So yeah, it didn't need Andrew Horsfall-Turner: So. Josh: to be too tight on the rest either, which was quite nice. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Nice. Happy days. What about Josh: Those are my two, hurry. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Love it. So, I mean, I don't really want to chat about the Hill rep session again. So that was bad. But I did do, Josh: I bet we averaged roughly the same though. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: yeah, probably just in a very different way. So, yeah, mean, one of the... key rides, I guess, for me was, I mean, the week was very much just get a bit more volume in, keep the chain tight. One of Rob's things with the bike training is, and as Josh sort of knows, nothing's really that easy. The whole idea is to get you pretty fatigued and just hold you there. Just grind grindy all the time, yeah. Some of the sessions aren't necessarily impressive because you're just always keeping the chain tight a little bit. So it's more like the load across the week is fairly big, but actually the individual sessions aren't. I don't think you're ever crazy. There are some obviously hard sessions, but I think for the most part, it's just there's not really much easy riding. So the ride that did on the Wednesday was four hours And the idea was just to go out and ride up the hills pretty hard and keep the chain tight for the majority of the ride. was fairly unstructured. So I went out onto the mendips and I did a rep up Cheddar Gorge. I did a rep up near, what is it, Blagton. I think it's called Burrington Coombe. And just kept the chain tight for the whole ride. So the normalized power ended up being... just over 270 for four hours, which was like, again, it's not like crazy, crazy numbers, but it is just enough to like get you pretty ball-bagged. But I was happy with the ride and the fact that I managed to, yeah, managed to, you know, knock out another, 15, did about 15 and a half-ish hours on the bike that week. So that was good. And like I said, it's not, it's not blowing the world, blowing the world apart. It's not anything crazy special, but I do really love doing rides like that. They're fairly unstructured. You go out, ride the road, you go out for a long ride, four or five, six hours, and you just keep the chain tight. Like I, I kind of love those sorts of sessions. call it a session. It's not a session, but it is just like, it's quite Ironman-esque. You know, you're just going out and you're just riding. You're just getting, you're getting yourself uncomfortable. Yeah yeah. Just writing tough. Yeah. and you're just like, it hurts, but I don't know, I feel quite rewarded after getting home and being like, yeah, sweet, like, you know, I can ride four hours at 270 watts and it feels like relatively okay. Like that feels pretty good. Josh: Is that what it is, 270 watts for four hours? Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah, yeah, which I mean, I'm not gonna lie. I Josh: That's tasty. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: ordered a Domino's that evening. So I was pretty ball-backed. You definitely burn some calories in that road. Josh: Yeah, I always think the key measure is how quickly did he get out of your kit afterwards? Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Ha ha mate, I'm a sucker for actually currently get back when it's hot, because I'll just like strip off and then I'll just sit. I like I'll sit down and I'll just scroll for a little bit. I'm like, what am I doing? Josh: I didn't even dance well. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: So, yeah, not glamorous. I sorry for the neighbors who have to see that. Nines. Go on, Andy. Let's talk about you. yeah, so again, not super impressive. It was the ride, I guess the key ride I did of the week was just basically like a little bit of kind of activation work. Sam, I guess the philosophy that Sam uses is kind of around you know, before going back into like a big block of work is about like, you know, just re re kind of engaging with certain intensities. you know, for in this example it was kind of at or just above kind of Okay. like threshold power. So it was like almost like re waking the legs up before you then expect them to, you know, be able to perform good sessions the following week sort of thing. So the key the kind of key bits of work were basically two eight minute reps, but you were basically split every two minutes. So it was like two minutes on, one minute off for four reps. And then a bit of endurance riding and then the same thing again. and the ons were like three seven seven to three ninety. So like, yeah, just a touch above kind of what I'd say is LT2. similar to like what Josh was doing, but over such short reps, it doesn't feel too bad. and I felt actually pretty good on the first block So. of it, and then the second block of it I felt pretty shit. but You I guess that's why you do these kind I guess that's why you do these kinds of sessions on like an off week to you know, I'm trying to get the body moving 'cause I was a bit like you guys are, it's like it's not actually that long till ten B, so I didn't want to have too much time off post last race and I did want to kinda get the ball rolling relatively quickly. but yeah, not a super impressive session. normalized power for the two hours is like two sixty seven, so yeah. Decent amount of work, but yeah. Pretty good, pretty good. It was it was it was hope it was like it was nice 'cause I was like I did that, the legs were coming back around. I you know, overall bike duration of the week I still managed like I was I missed a a ride at the weekend, obviously when I was sick, but I was still rode like eight hours and I was like kind of excited to kind of get rolling, so then getting sick was kind of a bit of a ball ache 'cause Hmm yeah, it's kind of hindered the the progression into this week. But yeah. Overall not a bad ride, I'd say. Good. Josh: stuff. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: right, run. d can I can I go first on the run? I will we'll jump to drop Josh and Harry. I did I You can definitely go first. did two I did Josh: Please do. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: two I did two runs and they were both jogs and then that was it. So me done. Josh: I'm Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Right, Josh. Josh: Are you sure you want me to go next? Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah, go on. Well we'll say the best to last when they're running it. Josh: Yeah, save Harry. So yeah, I did two threshold sessions this week. One was three by five K, so long reps, about the 330 per K marker. So for a longer rep, that's kind of my my lactic threshold. And then for the other session, it was, what was it? It was... Basically 10 by six minutes, so an hour worth of threshold. And that was more like, because it was shorter reps closer to, well, somewhere between 325 and 320. Okay. So yeah, I think both went fairly well. The first one I did after that swim session that I was speaking about earlier. And Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah. Josh: I was on my back at the back end of that Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Mm. Josh: session. Didn't Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Hahaha. Josh: get to the end of the last. I know I didn't get to the end of that last 5k because I was like playing over my head. was like, this is literally the first week I've gotten back into training. So I did 3k of the last 5k rep. so Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Okay. Josh: that I had some somewhere to go afterwards. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Josh: I could progress in the following week because three by 5k is pretty tasty. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Mm. Do you I know I know you do a lot of test lactate testing and stuff within the squad and stuff, Josh. Do you did you test on that session or would you normally Josh: No. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: kind of test on a session like that? Josh: Yeah. but not on that session because Lactic strips have been on short supply. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Okay. Josh: They've literally been on back order for months and months and months now, but they are meant to be arriving tomorrow. So I'll have some more Lactic Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Okay. Good. Josh: strips to, to let you know about coming weeks. But I did Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Happy days. Josh: happen to test on the second session, not the three by five K because I found a strip kicking around the house. So yeah, Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah Josh: I tested that on the money that luckily my heart rates marry up almost perfectly to certain millimoles. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah. Josh: Like I've got my turn points and they still marry up to my heart rates pretty nicely, which is very useful because it means you don't have to use as many strips. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Do you do Good. did you do those sessions in carbons or do you state is is that a consistent thing or do you try and Okay, cool. Josh: Yeah, consistent things so that I constantly know where I'm at and they protect Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Okay. Josh: the legs quite a lot more. So you can actually just put in more time. at the intensity and both physically and I guess muscular. So yeah, Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Mm. Josh: it's not as kind of pounding and conditioning wise when it comes to like the longer runs, but I would then do the rest of my week non-carbons and I'm still hitting like 100K per week. it's like, Andrew Horsfall-Turner: You're s you're not short on load, yeah. Josh: no, you're still getting the pounding. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah. 'Cause I've gone back and forth a lot with carbon. Sorry. Josh: You are a child. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Can we just acknowledge Josh just said he's still getting the pounding? Josh: You are a child. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: god. I've gone I've gone back and forth about carbon shoes over the last few years quite a lot because I've gone through periods where I use them a lot and then periods where like I've gone exclusively like not use them for like a couple of months or whatever. And I really don't know where my true opinion lies on it. I I kind of I rate them so what I probably do now what when I'm working with Sam is we've got a much more of like a fluid approach to it. So it's kinda like if you want to pop pop a pair of carbon shoes on for a session, like kinda go for it. but also like you don't have to and also like don't be doing like don't we don't wear carbons all the time sort of thing. and I would say that I probably on like a key run session put them put carbon shoes on once every two or three weeks. but I tend to always find that I always do it when I'm feeling like super tired or fatigued and I want a little pick me Hmm. up and I'm like, right, I'll put the carbon shoes on for the session today and it will give me those few extra seconds a kilometer or like well perceived effort will drop a little bit or or whatever it is just to kind of get that kind of get you out the door and kind of get you excited to go do the session. Otherwise you're a bit like, no, I'm gonna really struggle on this today. Yeah, I guess that's where my head's at with with carbons. What what what what your what's your thoughts, Harry? Yeah, I mean, I... So whenever we used to train, we'd always take the piss out of the runners who would show up to the track sessions and be like, if you're wearing carbons, you're cheating. But as Josh has alluded to there, like, it makes sense at certain points to protect your legs. If you want to sit in a certain zone or whatever, it's not about conditioning the legs, it's about conditioning... everything else. And so it does, it does make sense at times. And so I guess I would just agree with you, Andy, but I actually don't use carbons that often. Sometimes I will use like an old set of, what have I got, Meta speeds. If I'm doing like a Sunday long run session, I really want to get best bang for buck. But for the most part, if I'm doing a session, I'll actually use the HOKA Mac X3s, think they are, which they're not like a carbon plate, Okay. but they've got like a nylon plate on them, but they're like super cushioned, super stable. I'm not sponsored by HOKA, but if you do want to reach out, my inbox is always open. And yeah, I just... We can cut that out. And yeah, I just really like... those shoes for speedier run sessions. So I will probably, yeah, if I'm doing a hard run on a Tuesday and a hard run on a Friday or on a Sunday, I would lean on those shoes for sure. I would never use a slower pair of shoes for those just because I don't feel like you get the value from the run session. And I'm not saying that you need to wear carbons every single run session, but I would suggest that people don't use just a steady mileage shoe for their run sessions. Josh: It changes the mechanics, doesn't it? Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah. Josh: like the faster shoes, you are just extending more, you're going faster. Like Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Hmm. Josh: the response is completely different. So I find the mechanics are far better in obviously faster shoes or cushions shoes. But I've just bought a pair of those Mac X as well. I've yet to try them. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Mm. Josh: But yeah, off of your recommendation, I thought I'd give them a go. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: I hope you don't hate them then. Josh: can buy them off me. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah, don't think I've I don't think I've actually ever bought I will. a don't think I've ever bought like a session shoe. Like I've yeah, I've always I've always either used retired super shoes or a bit like you guys say you never do. I would just use my like everyday shoe and just like just crack on. Although I have been using I Fair enough. I don't know if you guys have used it, but the the Nike Vermero Plus which is meant to be like an everyday or easy shoe. But it's got the Zoom X foam and when you start running quick in them, they're really quite poppy. I quite Huh. like I quite enjoy running fast in them. Josh: So I use those, but I've got floppy swimmer ankles and I actually find that they're not quite stable enough, like because Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Okay. Hmm. Josh: the foam is really good, but obviously the carbon is what supports foam. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Gives you that stability, yeah, yeah. Josh: Yeah. So I find that they've got so much foam that the platform is good underneath them. It's nice and wide. So you do get a fair bit of stability, but because like I just pronate quite a bit and it's just not stable enough. It just gives me, I do still use them. just put in a soles. them but what insoles in them sorry but Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah. Yeah. Josh: yeah it's it's obviously i'm adapting a shoe there rather than just having it Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Mmm. Josh: good and stable for me. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: do. I tell you what though, if the rabbit hole of like buying running shoes is dangerous. This Josh: Probably all need sponsors. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah. Yeah. Anyway, we need a s a shoe sponsor for the show. Anyway, Yeah, sort us out. Harry, Harry, talk us through your run session of the week, mate. Yeah, well, this is interesting because the run session, so I did two sessions. Classic track Tuesday, although I wasn't on the track, so it's not very classic. But it was a speedier run session, 10 by a K. It was average, I wouldn't say it was, it definitely wasn't, you know, anything crazy. And then on the Friday morning... Go on pace paces on that? So let's have a little look. I mean the goal pace was about 3.12 and I... Okay, Josh: definitely run faster than that. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: so people are gonna get to understand the fact that I like going a bit too quick. So Mm. there were a couple where I was closer to three minute case. Ha ha and then it starts to bite. yeah, I'd say average... Well The first rep three minutes then. actually, no, the first rep was actually bang on. was a 3.12, so I was like, bloody brilliant. And then the second rep was a 3.02, so I don't know what happened there. But... Josh: don't know exactly what happened. He told us 3-12 and he was like, I was meant to beat that time. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah, yeah, this is the problem with me is I'll see it as a target. I'm like, well, just be better. So that was that was an OK session. Josh: This may have been where I was going wrong, by the way. This may have been where I was going wrong. Yeah, so when I was being... Andrew Horsfall-Turner: go on with the sessions. Yeah, you basically just need to take what Rob says and This is then not do it. Josh: Yeah, yeah, just go harder. Whereas I was like, like, I did Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah. Yeah. Just beat it. Josh: everything exactly as it was in Drain Peaks. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah, I don't. Mm-hmm. I try to, but I get carried away because I'm excited. Josh: you Andrew Horsfall-Turner: And then the session I did on the Friday, I did actually stick very much to the session because my legs, for some reason, felt horrific. So I did, was it four by 12 minutes at 3.30 around a grass field. So it wasn't like quick conditions, but I don't think the field is actually... that slow. I think I was just a little bit tired, but it was good to just bank the time in that specific zone. But I would say the most enjoyable session, and it's not a session, is the Sunday long run on the trails around here in Bradford-Navon. The trails are incredible. I absolutely love them, especially this time of year because they're actually not covered in bog and mud and slow. You can actually run through the trails at Mm-hmm. a decent pace. And there's just something about like, just love running, running off road through the trails, hard terrain, hilly. I think you could, you can do that and treat it like a session because you are going to be running hard up the hills. And it's more of like a, I dunno, I just, I love that kind of run. And I think it gets you strong for an Ironman. It gets you strong for a marathon at the back end of an Ironman. And so I would, I kind of want to be doing more of that. And I know I'm to have to end up. doing some more specific tempo run sessions on a Sunday. But I do think you can get so much value from not having a structured run, just going out on the trails and just running. And you'll get so strong from it. And I Yeah. do think for an Ironman, it's actually, you can get so much bang for buck from doing that rather than twatting it up and down a promenade or a bike path or something. Especially when you Josh: doing. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: look at like Tembies, which is like the most unconventional Yeah. Ironman run course out there. Which is like yeah, you definitely the This is, this is true. probably more specificity going for a trail run than there's going do some tempo work. This is true, that hill is gonna kill us. Josh: the run. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, well, and on the bike too. Josh: Yeah, I think I'm gonna have to start running up some hills some more often, and just Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah. Josh: to get that kind of like, I guess, different mechanics again, isn't it? You can run up and down a hill extremely Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Mmm. Josh: well, Harry, whether that's your kind of trail runs on Sunday or just the fact that you're an absolute goat. like, what comes in times, Wales, Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah, I don't really know why that is. mean, yeah. Josh: is ridiculous. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah, well, we'll see. So I guess mean, I don't know. Maybe running downhill I'm not so good, so you guys will catch me on the downhill. Josh: I'm heavier probably. I'll just tuck into a pool. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah. So Yeah. I'm just gonna quickly summarise you boys. 'cause actually I think it might it would be interesting if we just end this podcast in a minute by maybe just chatting a little bit more like openly about Tembi, why we're doing the race, etcetera. So to kind of end the training talk from our previous week, Josh, do you wanna quickly run us through just literally a couple of few sentences, overall training, like, you know, time, T S S, etcetera? Just kind of like summarise. Josh: Yeah, sure. So I think it was a pretty successful first proper week back. The training load was high, I'd say, even if I look back from or to when we were on camp in Lanzarote, Harry. So it was around that sort of training load in terms of TSS. with slightly less duration. So I did 29 hours 50 minutes, so almost 30 hours. No gym, and that's composed of almost seven hours of swimming. Like I said, 25 K, that was like, I didn't realize it was going to be exactly that, but that's lucky. 15 hours of cycling and eight hours of running, 102 K of running. And yeah, Andrew Horsfall-Turner: you Josh: 15, 123 TSS. yeah, similar those Lanzarote camps earlier in the year and probably kind of peak weeks over the past six months like I haven't seen too many over 1500 so hopefully I can build from there but it Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Hmm. Josh: might be quite tough because it's a tasty week. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: That is big. That is big. Nice, nice ha Harry. Well, this now makes me sound like a pussy. I knew, I bloody knew, I knew this was gonna happen. Bloody Josh comes in here, Well, mate, that's why I'm going last to to really make you guys good. he's like, you know, I train 40 hours a week and two million TSS. And I'm here, Yeah. bloody doing two hours a week and not knowing which way's up. Josh: and you still managed to beat me. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: yeah, god. Okay, so I did, well, I wasn't actually far off your duration. I did 28 hours and 50 minutes. So was an hour less than you. But my TSS was 1,310. So for 200ish, 250ish less than you. So that's like a decent chunk. And that is composed of about seven hours of swimming again, 15 and a half hours. on the bike and then the run was six and a half or just over six and a half. Nothing crazy. I think Josh is someone who is a little bit of a beast when it comes to training and so I'm never going to be quite his level, but I would like to see that progress a little bit as we get closer to the race and we get into the meat and potatoes of the Ironman block. Hopefully getting closer to 30 hours, getting closer to 1500 TSS, whatever. I mean, ultimately the goal is just to stay consistent, isn't it? And so, yeah, yeah, we'll see. Josh: Yeah, I understand. Question, do you include swim TSS on yours? Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Alright, don't tell me you don't include Swim CSS. Josh: No, no, I do, do, I do. I was just checking you did as well. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Okay, cool. No, I do. I do as well. Yeah. Okay. I thought you were going to be like, man, I got 1500 without swim CSS. Yeah. And then I'll add my TSS from the swim. Josh: I don't know. No, I, no. But obviously Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Bro's a weapon. Mm. Josh: like everything is contextual, right? Like if you've got your zones in incorrectly, then it's, Andrew Horsfall-Turner: The T S S can be skewed, yeah, massive, yeah. Yes, yeah. Josh: I think as long as you're consistent, which is why I kind of gave the context of where, like the, comparison to the weeks that we've done together or, Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Hmm Josh: where I was earlier in the season and what I've been doing for the past six months. So I think that for me, it's contextually still a big week, if that makes sense. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yes, yeah, yeah. Gordon and Andy, I know yours is bloody impressive. Right, where am I where's my numbers? So I did just under thirteen hours. Nice. And I did a whole six hundred and thirty five T S S Which It's not bad for 13 hours. and two days off as well to be fair. And a day off and a week after a race, so I I'll give myself some grace. I did No, not bad. three hours forty five on the swim, a little under eight on the bike, and then a massive one hour thirty five minutes of running. Nice. which yeah those those numbers definitely need to bump up in the next few weeks because otherwise I'm on very much an age group schedule hitting Hahaha. my hitting my midtoons. Right guys. so to end this podcast I guess it's just interesting to hear your thoughts. I know I guess brief overview from me is I've done Wales twice previously. So it was actually my first Iron Man as an age grouper in twenty nineteen. I then came back and did it as a pro in twenty twenty two and finished fifth. so I kind of got I I guess I I've got a good amount of experience I guess on the course. I I mean a lot of you know painful experiences as well. Sir. but I mean I I I very much when when it was announced on the pro schedule, like very much instantly knew that I wanted to do it regardless of, you know, whatever else the year happened because to me there's kinda like, you know, there's there's certain events and things that kinda like really kinda motivate you and inspire you and and Wales is definitely one of those events for me. So, I guess my my intent behind doing it is kinda like I couldn't not like I would I would I would ha The FOMA would be unreal not being on that start line on the beach, on the thirteenth of September, I think it is. what about you lads? Wha what kind of what drew you to do the race? and I guess yeah, Josh, you shoot. Josh: Yeah, so like, I think it's a bit of a no-brainer for me as well. Like, it's not been on the calendar as a pro race for the past few years and I don't know if I was even... doing long course when it was last in Wales. So I've never had the opportunity and it's iconic. It's literally known as one of the hardest courses on the circuit. It's in Wales where I'm based. So I always think that I go a lot better in UK home races anyway. Like all of my best results, almost all my best results have been UK based. So I don't have to travel. I don't travel that well. And obviously there's an air of kind of support and locality to everything that I absolutely love. So yeah, no, really, really looking forward to that. I did the long course weekend a couple of years ago and was, and it's basically, well, back then it was almost exactly the same. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: It was clear, it's very, very close to the bike course, yeah, yeah. Josh: Yeah, and swim course, obviously, but not the run, luckily, because that was savage. But yeah, so I like doing it there was epic. And I think I'd like to just do it in a full triathlon as well with home crowds and yeah, just on my doorstep. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Nice. Mr Palmer? Yeah. Yeah. Well, I think it was the first Ironman that I attempted and the key word is attempt because I didn't actually finish it and I had a miserable day. And so there is always that little sense of redemption. The fact that, as Josh said, it's like one of the hardest races on the circuit. It's in the UK. I love racing in Wales. I love racing in the UK and having easy travel. I like doing a tough course and the idea that you like, I would hate to not do it. then let's say, for example, like you see races come and go, Wales is very iconic. So can imagine it will stay for however long, fingers crossed it does, but I would hate to not take the opportunity to race and then for it to be whatever taken off the calendar. Maybe it wouldn't be a pro race anymore or For another three, four years, yeah. Yeah, exactly. And I would just always kick myself for not taking the opportunity. So that's one of the reasons. And then, you know, thinking longer term, like, if I can try and get a good result, then you think, well, would you want to qualify for Kona next year, for example, and set yourself up for 2027? So there's always that thought process in the back of my head. But realistically, more than that, it is just to go and have a fun day on a hard Tough course against tough competition against you guys against whoever else is going like that's what I love racing in the UK. Yeah. Josh: Was that the same Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah. Josh: or were you saying that was separate from the Tough Competition? Andrew Horsfall-Turner: No comment. Josh: Hahaha Andrew Horsfall-Turner: It's gonna be interesting as well, 'cause I guess clo close to the race guys, we're gonna have the opportunity to you know, within the last couple of weeks, we'll have the opportunity to see a start list. But I know I I know you guys will all know it's gonna be pretty much a British champs of anyone Yeah who's does a long who anyone who does long course try who's potentially not racing Kona will want to be on that start line. so Yeah. it's gonna be a pretty mega field, even just domestically, and then you know almost definitely gonna get some big hitters come over, at least a few, you know. So it's gonna I'm sure. be interesting looking through a start list, yeah. Yeah, definitely. Definitely. Josh: For sure. I don't think Mika Noot will be back anytime soon though. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: No, yeah. Yeah, I'm not sure although the Welsh hospitality is pretty good. Josh: It is... Andrew Horsfall-Turner: I'm sure, I just can't imagine he really wants to ride these roads anymore. Yeah. But Yeah. Josh: Although that being said, there's not much accommodation there anymore. We booked Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Yeah. Josh: a couple of months ago, but it's sparse. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Mmm. You can you can get lucky. You It is a small place. can get lucky like very l last minute, like jumping on a few weeks before the race, but yeah. It's Yeah, it's always risky. it's just a cool place to be. Yeah. Right You guys, that's a wrap from week one. what we'll do is next week Harry and I will have a slightly different pod with maybe a guest, or maybe we'll just chat shit about something else. And then Yeah. we'll get Josh on the week after next and we'll do another kind of training update week. again, let us know if you guys have enjoyed kind of breaking through swim bike run a little bit. I guess I always find it interesting to hear what other people are doing. we've all got different, slightly different approaches going into this race, so I guess there's gonna be maybe some s similarities because of what the course will entail, but I think there'll also be a lot of individualizing and you know. coach philosophy to f towards kind of like what is the demands and what what is needed for each athlete. So yeah, stay tuned and yeah, from Harry and I, Josh from Harry and I from Harry and I, thank you, Josh, for joining us. Josh: No, thanks for having me. It's been great to catch up and hear what you guys are up to. It's definitely going to be interesting going forward. think, like you say, our approaches are going to be fairly different with the three different coaches that we have. So yeah, it'll be good to delve into that in coming weeks. Andrew Horsfall-Turner: Legends. Right. Cheers lads. Have a good evening and I'll see you Perfect. Cheers boys. see you soon. Bye bye. Josh: Cheers, boys. Bye.