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A world record in 225 hours. Stitches on a gym floor. A typhoon, a temple, and a white bucket that might save your race. I sat down with IUTA Hall of Famer, Shanda Hill, to unpack the mindset, methods, and meaning behind one of the most audacious ultra tri careers ever—and the moment she chose health over history.

Shanda breaks down the true shape of a DECA continuous: 10x Iron distance where the clock never stops and every decision is magnified. She shares the practical systems that carried her—soup-based fueling that works in cold pools, a hydration check using a white bowl to protect kidney function, and a sleep strategy tied to safety and weather rather than ego. We talk oxygen therapy, cold-water immersion, and why time management can beat raw speed across 38 km of swimming, 1,800 km of cycling, and 422 km of running.

The stories are wild and human: riding through a South African deluge, resetting in Brazil to chase a record, crashing in France and getting field-stitched by a fellow racer, and learning the hard way in Poland how one pedal choice can sabotage your stabilizers. Along the way, Shanda spotlights the ultra community—race directors who make impossible events happen, rivals who lift the bar, and athletes finishing doubles and decas with broken bones and unbroken resolve.

If you’re training for Ultraman, DECA, or your own endurance goal, you’ll leave with clear, actionable insights on fueling, electrolytes, recovery, and the mental game that keeps you moving loop after loop.

Contact Shanda at : https://www.shandahillultra.com/

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• IUTA Hall of Fame
• Taiwan Ultra Deca
• Bretzel Ultra Triathlon (Colmar, France)
• Desenzano del Garda (Triple Deca)
• IUTA World Cup
• Ultra Tri South Africa (Deca)
• Ultra 520K Canada
• Brazil Ultra Tri (Deca)
• Double Ultra Triathlon Emsdetten
• Poland Ultra Triathlon (Deca)
• Triathlon Triple Lensahn
• Double Deca Mexico
• Switzerland Double Deca
• Virginia Triple Anvil
• UB515

Shout outs and mentions in this episode:

• Jacs Spence
• Starting Block
• Rancho Vignola
• Eve-volve Wellness
• Reatha Rousseau
• Steve Brown
• Blaine Ponte
• Leah Goldstein
• Sergio Cordeiro
• World record holder deca
• Deca Dave Clamp
• Jorge Rodriguez
• Mark hohe dorst
• Brad Kelley
• Gustavo Vieira
• Lia Sterciuc
• Harriet Clamp
• Marius Butuc (S8E1)
• Anelia Butuc
• Ming Ye
• Ronny Rossler
• Norbert Luffenberger
• Tyrese Hill
• Micheal Ward
• Beto Villa
• Wayne Kurtz
• Laurent Quignette
• Heidi Lindemann
• Jade Medders
• Paul Bedard
• Daniel Oliveira
• Tomasz Lus

If this conversation fired you up, follow the show and share it with a friend who loves big goals.

Support the show

Show Contributors:
Host : Larry Ryan
Contributing Raconteur : Steve King
Announcer : Mary Jo Dionne
Production : 5Five Enterprises
Music : Run by 331

For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.com
Facebook: @515TheUltraPodcast
Insta : @515theultrapodcast
Youtube : @515TheUltraPodcast
Email : 515Ultraman@gmail.com

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A champion’s story doesn’t start at the finish line. Fresh off winning Ultraman Hawaii, Max Kniazev opens up about rebuilding from a collarbone ligament rupture, balancing newborn-dad life, and crafting a pragmatic plan to race smarter in heat and wind. We get into the mechanics of durability: how a naturally low heart rate at high power shapes his ultra identity, why shorter cranks opened his hip and cut drag, and how a custom 3D-printed cockpit with rear-aligned bottles shaved the little costs that add up over 515 kilometers.

Max explains how he trained the gut to handle 120–135 grams of carbohydrates per hour using a starch-based mix (Vitargo), and why he practices fueling even in short swim sessions. He shares the exact salt and magnesium rhythm he used to skirt cramps, plus ice tactics that kept core temp in check when the island turned harsh. Day by day, he walks us through winning choices: holding back in the swim after lost shoulder strength, stacking steady watts on day one, solving a mid-ride electronic derailleur scare on day two en route to a stage record, and using simple marathon math on day three to let rivals come back without ever redlining.

Max also lays out what’s next. He wants a fair-play shot at the 515 world record on the same Ultraman Australia course, not just a fast loop, with an audacious long-term vision for sub-19 under ideal conditions. Between now and then, he’s sharpening the sword in XTRI events and aiming for Norseman while keeping the “ultra mindset” front and center: choose long goals, stack stable steps, and let the mind lead the body.

If you care about endurance strategy, bike aerodynamics, heat management, or the art of pacing 84 kilometers, this conversation is a masterclass built on lived miles and honest numbers.

Max previously appeared on the podcast in (S1E4) and the Season 4 UMAZ race wrap up.

Youtube movie “1 minute less” mentioned.

This Instagram post has Max describing his bike.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Ultraman Hawaii
• UltraCzech 515 (S5E5)
• Ultraman Arizona
• Siberman 515
• UM Australia
• Double Ultra Triathlon Emsdetten
• Vitargo Nutrition
• Finding Ultra by Rich Roll
• Norseman Xtreme Championship

Shout outs and mentions in this episode:

• Mia Kniazev
• Olesia Kniazev
• Petr Vabrousek (S2E2)
• Richard Thompson
• Shane Duffy (S4E5)
• Simon Cochrane (S4E8)
• Javier Sola
• ​​Tadej Pogačar
• Dave Matheson (S3E6)
• Bob Babbit S6E12
• Cameron Wurf
• Mike Coughlin (S2E7)
• Billy Rickards (S7E1)
• Steve King (S1E1)
• Sheryl Cobb (S2E6)
• Dave Cobb
• Terumasu Matsuda
• Ultra Chamba (S6E11)

Support the show

Show Contributors:
Host : Larry Ryan
Contributing Raconteur : Steve King
Announcer : Mary Jo Dionne
Production : 5Five Enterprises
Music : Run by 331

For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.com
Facebook: @515TheUltraPodcast
Insta : @515theultrapodcast
Youtube : @515TheUltraPodcast
Email : 515Ultraman@gmail.com

Send us a text

What does it take to chase Ultraman while working 12-hour shifts in emergency care? We sit down with Erica Riley—critical care nurse, coach, and multi-time ultradistance triathlete—to unpack the systems, habits, and mindset that make high performance sustainable in a busy life. From 3 a.m. Zwift rides to meticulous time boxing, she shows exactly how to build consistency without sacrificing your health, your job, or your relationships.

Erica takes us inside the toughest days of lockdown, when PPE, quarantine hotels, and strict radius rules forced radical creativity: ocean swims inside a five-kilometer bubble, stacked run commutes, and eight-hour trainer marathons. That crucible led her to Ultraman and a new goal—to not only finish but compete—under coach Tim Franklin of KOA Sports. We explore the art of crew selection, live-stream storytelling, and keeping a tight bond with the UM Australia Ohana.

Nutrition and strength become Erica’s quiet superpowers. Longtime plant-based, she refined protein intake, embraced whole foods, and saw clear changes in lean mass and visceral fat. Race fuel is simple and effective: Infinite custom blends, salty chips when the gut turns, and a well-timed orange Fanta for mood and carbs. Off the course, her secret weapon is reformer Pilates—45 minutes that deliver strength, mobility, posture, and injury prevention for time-poor athletes who need durability as much as speed.

We also dig into coaching. With Synergy Sports Coaching, Erica builds plans for real people—shift workers, parents, and professionals—using TrainingPeaks as a living diary. She treats sessions like meetings you won’t miss, teaches sleep hygiene around rotating rosters, and helps athletes fit training into life, not the other way around. Along the way, she shares favorite races (hello, Cairns and Nha Trang), a brutal and beautiful lead-in at Alpine Ascent Extreme, and the mindset work that turned perfectionism from procrastination into fuel.

If you want practical tools to train smarter, eat better, and perform under pressure, you’ll find tangible tactics you can use today. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s juggling big goals, and leave a review to help more athletes discover the show.

Contact Erica : @synergysportscoaching on Instagram

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• UM Australia
• Ultra 355 Australia
• KOA Sports Coaching
• The Proof Podcast
• Australian Alpine Ascent Extreme Triathlon
• Happy Thoughts Tri Team
• Training Peaks
• Challenge Nha Trang
• IM Cairns
• IM Busselton
• Infinite Nutrition
• Kenilworth Country Bakery
• UM New Zealand
• King’s Canyon Cruise

Shout outs and mentions in this episode:

• Nestor Alejandro Ochoa Rivera
• Tim Franklin
• Simon Hill
• Hayley Fry
• Jackson Gash
• Andrew Trout
• Simon Cochrane

Support the show

Show Contributors:
Host : Larry Ryan
Contributing Raconteur : Steve King
Announcer : Mary Jo Dionne
Production : 5Five Enterprises
Music : Run by 331

For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.com
Facebook: @515TheUltraPodcast
Insta : @515theultrapodcast
Youtube : @515TheUltraPodcast
Email : 515Ultraman@gmail.com

Send us a text

What if the most important finish line has nothing to do with a podium? We sit down with Romanian ultra-triathlete Marius Butuc, a self-taught swimmer who learned by watching the next lane and never stopped moving forward. From the Ironman icons of Europe to the brutal circuits of ultra-triathlon, Marius shows how resilience, curiosity, and honest self-assessment can take you places training plans can’t.

If you’ve wondered what truly makes triple Iron, quintuple, and deca formats hard, Marius explains the hidden traps: why triple continuous destroys the sleep-deprived, how deca one-per-day turns recovery into a race within the race, and where continuous deca becomes a masterclass in nutrition, pacing, and humility. He’s now headed to Taiwan chasing an unofficial “Deca Triple Crown” after completing the daily and split versions—a bid not for glory, but for completion with integrity. Follow the Taiwan Deca here.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Oceanman
• Trans Sweden Triathlon
• Infinitiman
• Fun Science-Ciencia Divertida
• Bad Radkersburg Triple
• Ultra Biking Sardinia
• TransAmTri
• Abisko National Park
• Book Title : Solitary. The Story of a Triathlon (only in Romanian for now)
• IM Frankfurt
• IM Lanzarote
• Challenge Amsterdam
• IM Nice
• IM Mallorca
• Challenge Israman
• Swissman Extreme
• Challenge Madrid
• Infinitri 515 Race Director : Manu Garcia (S5E4)
• Infinitri Triathlon
• UM Florida
• Taiwan Deca Continuous
• Colmar Deca Split
• IUTA | International Ultra Triathlon Association
• “Unofficial Triple Crown of Deca”

Shout outs and mentions in this episode:

• Manu Garcia
• Jan Frodeno
• Fabio Spiteri
• Bogomir Dolenc
• Giampy
• Wayne Kurtz
• Kristian Kristiansen

Come for the extreme triathlon wisdom—unsupported tactics, gear judgment, sleep strategy, and mental frameworks. Stay for the human story of failure reimagined, memory recovered, and finishing defined on your own terms. If this conversation moved you, follow the journey, share the episode with a friend who needs a nudge to start, and leave a review to help others find the show.

Support the show

Show Contributors:
Host : Larry Ryan
Contributing Raconteur : Steve King
Announcer : Mary Jo Dionne
Production : 5Five Enterprises
Music : Run by 331

For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.com
Facebook: @515TheUltraPodcast
Insta : @515theultrapodcast
Youtube : @515TheUltraPodcast
Email : 515Ultraman@gmail.com

Send us a text

Season eight is on the start line, and we’re bringing bigger stories, sharper coverage, and more ways to take you inside the 515 world. After 105 episodes reaching listeners in thousands of cities across 142 countries, we’re doubling down on what makes this community special: honest conversations, race-day grit, and the people who keep showing up when the course gets long and the hours get weird.

We share where we’ve been and where we’re headed next. You’ll hear how to navigate our episode library like a pro, using the show notes to find every race, event, and athlete we mention. We also pull back the curtain on our growing YouTube strategy, from live catch-ups with past guests to a bigger and better UM Australia three-day live stream. Expect more cameras, tighter storytelling, and wider angles that put you right at the edge of the action—perfect for fans, athletes, and crews who want a front-row view.

This season, your input drives the agenda. We’re asking for your guest picks, your burning questions, and the topics that will help a focused niche reach new ears without losing its soul. Whether it’s training and fueling for multi-day efforts, the logistics of crewing and recovery, or the mental game required to finish strong, we aim to serve both the die-hard 515 Ohana and curious endurance fans discovering ultra-distance triathlon for the first time. Along the way, we’ll highlight under-told roles—race directors, volunteers, medics—and revisit favorite athletes to see how their big goals turned out.

Want to help? Follow the show in your podcast app to boost visibility, subscribe on YouTube for live coverage and exclusive content, and share an episode with someone who loves endurance stories. Have a guest idea or a topic we should tackle next? Message us via the links in the show notes, and if you want to fuel the work, tap the "Support the Show" link. Season eight starts Friday, with new episodes dropping every three weeks—come along and shape what happens next.

Support the show

Show Contributors:
Host : Larry Ryan
Contributing Raconteur : Steve King
Announcer : Mary Jo Dionne
Production : 5Five Enterprises
Music : Run by 331

For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.com
Facebook: @515TheUltraPodcast
Insta : @515theultrapodcast
Youtube : @515TheUltraPodcast
Email : 515Ultraman@gmail.com

Send us a text

A champion crowned, then stripped. A director ousted. A brand reorganized. We trace the real timeline behind the Ultraman Florida shake-up—starting with a handlebar-mounted, voice-activated camera and ending with revoked licenses, refund confusion, and a newly relaunched qualifier under different leadership. As hosts who’ve watched this community grow, we unpack the roles of Ohana Loa, Sheryl and Dave Cobb, and former race director Jen McVeay, and explain how board decisions moved from private meetings to public fallout.

You’ll hear how conflicting accounts took shape: was Stephen Keller offered a path to a time penalty through accountability, or faced an ultimatum tied to removing a video and apologizing? We lay out the verified statements, the disputed claims, and the rule at the center of it all—filming during competition—so you can assess what fairness and precedent should look like at the ultra-distance level. Then we zoom out to the operational consequences: licenses revoked, negotiations over race assets that reportedly stalled, and athletes stuck between emails and Facebook posts while trying to recover entry fees, deposits, and travel costs.

Looking ahead, we map the new race landscape: Ultraman Florida accepting applications under current board control, Arizona canceled for 2026 pending review, Canada continuing with small recent fields, and a first-year Mexico event led by a seasoned organizer, Van Sanchez. We also share what Jen is building next—a new ultra format that’s been years in the making—and what that might mean for athletes choosing between legacy branding and organizer trust. Our aim is clarity: who owns what, what’s canceled or confirmed, and how to navigate the next few months without losing your season. If this helped you get your bearings, subscribe, share with your crew, and drop a review with your take on the penalty, the process, and the path forward.

Support the show

Show Contributors:
Host : Larry Ryan
Contributing Raconteur : Steve King
Announcer : Mary Jo Dionne
Production : 5Five Enterprises
Music : Run by 331

For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.com
Facebook: @515TheUltraPodcast
Insta : @515theultrapodcast
Youtube : @515TheUltraPodcast
Email : 515Ultraman@gmail.com

Send us a text

The countdown to Ultraman Mexico is on—and the mountains are calling. We sit down with race director and former teenage Ultraman finisher, Van Sanchez, to map out exactly what athletes and crews will face across three days at altitude in Zacatecas. From a 10-loop open-water swim to a punchy run that climbs late and drops into a party finish.

The field is stacked and global: Mexico, the United States, Spain, Colombia, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Argentina. You’ll hear about iconic veterans like Juan Antonio Craveri on his quest to complete every Ultraman-branded event, and the eldest entrant, Ramiro de Jesús Gutiérrez Piedra, chasing five Ultraman races in a single year. We address safety concerns head-on with clear context, highlight the deep local support and government coordination.

Follow along October 17–19 on Instagram for live updates, results, and behind-the-scenes moments. Enjoy the preview, share it with your crew, and hit follow to stay tuned for race-week coverage and post-race debriefs.

Instagram: @ultramanmexico

Van has appeared four other times on the podcast. You can find those episodes free in our podcast library.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Ultraman Wales
• UltraMX515
• Brooks Running
• BYD
• Fresnillo Mining
• Vazlo Auto Parts
• City of Zacatectas
• Windstone Constructions
• Goodr Sunglasses
• Ciele Athletics
• Escualo
• Wayfar
• UM Arizona
• UM World Championships
• Pan American Race
• Festival Internacional de Teatro

Shout outs and mentions in this episode:

• Sheryl and Dave Cobb (S2E6)
• Jen McVeay (S2E8)
• Steven Keller (S6E13)
• Jane Bockus (S1E4)
• ATHLETE LIST : Lucas Cruz, María Yanga Alvarez Solis, Hector Ayuso, Johusua Duran, Pablo Enrique Solís Mayorga, Diana Carolina Pereira Vieira, Karlo Mendoza Arancibia, Roberto Dávila Otozco, Luis Antonio González Padilla, Tania Margarita Briseño Valdivia, Hector Martínez Bogard, Rafa Jaime, Juan A. Craveri (S1E5), Erik Noe Duran Luna, Edson Nevárez, Isaias Mireles Vazquez, Adolfo López Mercado, Samuel Maturano Ortiz, Alejandro Rivas, Miguel Madrid Lopez, Mateo Alba, Maria Margarita Tascón González, Felipe Montiel Flores, Toni Marin Ramos, Adrián Comparan Cueva, Ramiro De Jesus Gutierrez Piedra, Jorge Adrian Perera Ramos
• David Gilmour
• Steve King (S1E1)
• Will Rogers (S5E8)
• Shane Duffy (S4E5)

Support the show

Show Contributors:
Host : Larry Ryan
Contributing Raconteur : Steve King
Announcer : Mary Jo Dionne
Production : 5Five Enterprises
Music : Run by 331

For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.com
Facebook: @515TheUltraPodcast
Insta : @515theultrapodcast
Youtube : @515TheUltraPodcast
Email : 515Ultraman@gmail.com

Send us a text

News of the UM brand's expansion into New Zealand broke earlier this year during the UM Australia Livestream event, hosted by 515. Remarkably, the new event sold out immediately—even before athletes knew any details about the course. To share how Wanaka was chosen as the host site and fill in the details, I'm joined by Race Director Jeff Morris.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• UM Australia
• UM New Zealand
• IM Taupo
• Challenge Wanaka
• Cardrona Hotel
• Ruby Fresh Wetsuits
• Ruby Island Swim
• Norsemen X Tri

Shout outs and mentions in this episode:

• Jen McVeay (S2E8)
• Ian Blatchford
• Gillian Winterford
• André Kajlich
• Shane Duffy (S4E5)
• Eddie Spearing
• Tim Franklin
• Simon Cochrane (S4E8)
• Carl Read
• Tiffany Dahl
• Jane Sharman
• Colleen Nisbet
• Steve York
• Tony Horton
• Craig Percival
• Wayne Metcalf

Support the show

Show Contributors:
Host : Larry Ryan
Contributing Raconteur : Steve King
Announcer : Mary Jo Dionne
Production : 5Five Enterprises
Music : Run by 331

For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.com
Facebook: @515TheUltraPodcast
Insta : @515theultrapodcast
Youtube : @515TheUltraPodcast
Email : 515Ultraman@gmail.com