Buck the Trend Pod

Winter's arrived, the Kona blues are real, and it's time to set some goals. We chat about picking a big scary goal for 2027, testing it before you hit enter, and why Steph reckons motivation is a total myth. Plus our Watt the Buck moment of the week, and a chance for you to feature in our next series. Grab a brew and get your goals ready.

*WARNING* this episode contains voice notes/memos and therefore the audio is not necessarily perfect. Please persevere, the stories are incredible, raw and immediately following their finish lines in Kona!
Eight athletes. One brutal Kona. All in their own words.
In the final episode of our Stories Behind the Start Line series, the eight athletes we followed to the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona send us voice notes about how race day really went. Choppy swims, crosswinds up to Hawi, the heat of the Energy Lab – and the moments that kept them moving.
You'll hear a podium decided in the final mile, a finish seven minutes inside the cut-off, a pro battling imposter syndrome, a near-DNF that turned out to be a too-tight shoe, and plenty of Coke at the aid stations. Whether you're dreaming of Kona or just your first finish line, there's something here for you.

Forget the race recap. You’ve seen it. This week we’re talking about the Kona moments that got us: Kat stopping to lift Paula on Palani, Solveig’s collapse and who’s actually allowed to help, Gustav racing in pink for his mum, and Vincent bowing out on top. Plus, all eight of our Stories Behind the Start Line athletes finished. Eight from eight! Steph also shares a big health update and why she’s itching to race again. Grab a coffee and come hang out.

Kona 2026? The biggest question after a brutal Ironman World Championship weekend is not who won - it's whether the island, the rules, and the athletes are still set up to thrive on race day.
Steph and Matt go beyond the usual race recap to unpack the moments everyone is talking about: the shocking DNF rate, the heat and humidity that turned the Queen K into a battlefield, and the safety questions raised when athletes hit the floor and could not get immediate help. If you care about Kona, athlete safety, or what elite racing looks like when conditions turn savage, this conversation is the one you need. They also break down the clips and storylines that made this race feel bigger than results alone.
You’ll hear the human side of the day too: Kat Matthews slowing to encourage Paula, Gustav Iden racing with deep personal meaning after losing his mum to cancer, Matthew Marquardt’s remarkable consistency while balancing medical school and elite triathlon, and the emotional return of Magnus Ditlev after a difficult stretch. The episode also covers Vincent Luis’ Kona win and his retirement call, plus the tactical lessons hidden inside the penalties, pacing choices, and smart decisions that decided the race.
Essential listening if you want the real story behind Kona, not just the podium.

Kona is shaping up to be a test of grit, strategy, and survival.
Steph and Matt breaks down how choppy water, fierce winds, and brutal heat could shake up the Ironman World Championship, and who might come out on top.
From Lucy Charles-Barclay’s position as the woman to beat to the contenders chasing the men’s title, this is your informal preview of a race where quite literally anything can happen!