515 : The Ultra Podcast

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In this episode, we travel to Ubatuba, Brazil, to catch up with Alex Luna, one of the driving forces behind the UB515 ultra triathlon. As the race enters its 13th year, Alex shares the origin story of how a small group of legends—including Alexandre Ribeiro and Corey Folk—brought the Ultraman distance to Brazil. We dive deep into the "Aloha" spirit that defines the event and discuss the logistical and emotional preparation for the 43 athletes set to take on the 515km challenge.
What you will learn from this episode:
The Power of "Just Letting it Happen": Alex recounts the advice from Corey Folk that finally launched the race in 2014.
Course Logistics: A day-by-day walkthrough of the swimming, cycling, and running stages through some of Brazil’s most scenic coastal and mountain roads.
Community & Legacy: How the race serves as a transformative process for both athletes and staff, fostering lifelong connections.
Athlete Dynamics: A breakdown of the 2026 field, including a record number of female participants and the veterans returning to defend their numbers.
Follow the race on Instagram       UB 515 Website 
Previous appearances by Alex (S4E6) (S5E9)
Resources mentioned in this episode:
BR145
Fodaxman 
IM Brasil
Shout outs and mentions in this episode:
Alexandre Ribeiro
Paulo Calil
Cory Foulk
Sergio Cordeiro
Curtis Tyler
Leslie Tyler
Steve King 
Andrius Luna
Sandro Tanaka
75 – Bernardo Tillmann
78 – Erick Duarte
99 – Aline Luftmann
135 – Fabiano Peres
147 – Dejalmo Almeida
149 – Evandro Dutra
169 – Marcelo Noia
187 – Juan Armenteros
200 – Eduardo Filho
208 – Pedro Walfir
220 – Igor Maciel
225 – Luciano Bressy
233 – Rian Tavares
236 – Rafael Aragon
241 – Rubens Gonçalo
244 – Cléber Santos
245 – Rodrigo Gregório
246 – Diogo Brumm
248 – Ana Heide
249 – Luiza Machado
250 – Marcele Salaverry
251 – Diego Vidal
252 – Julius Bomfim
253 – Kildare Cardoso
254 – Juliana Ennes
255 – Fabi Silva
256 – Tatiana Debiasi
257 – Dankar Maridor
258 – Rodrigo Arraes
259 – Rafael Ruhl
260 – Julio Tiliaque
261 – Kalleb Potenza
262 – Mauro Lima
263 – Flavio Santos
264 – Gabriel Brás
265 – Fernando Oliveira
267 – Victor Latarulla
269 – João Paulo Morisson
270 – Wagner Nishizawa
271 – Renan Delavald
272 – Pamela Oliveira
273 – Roger Barroquello
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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 : [email protected]

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You can learn a lot about an endurance athlete by what they avoid, and Brittney Litton avoids swimming. Then she signs up for Ultraman anyway, including a 10K swim, back-to-back monster bike days, and a double-marathon finish. Brittney joins us from New Zealand to talk about life as a working mom of two, a self-described “average” athlete with an anything-but-average appetite for big goals -- including wanting to set a new women's record time.
Racing lessons land hardest in the Kona Ironman recap. Brittany breaks down how over-concentrated carb bottles, post-swim thirst, and relying on Coke can spiral into vomiting, cramps, and survival mode in heat and humidity. That story becomes a blueprint for smarter fueling: drink water early, keep mixes tolerable, and respect the environment. She pairs it with the Tarawera ultra experience, where a hip flexor issue forces an awkward running pattern and a painful finish, proving that pacing and problem-solving matter as much as fitness. Finally, we zoom out to Ultraman preparation: crew planning, swim anxiety, long rides, Pilates for core strength, and the mindset shift from chasing splits to treating races as tests. It is a grounded look at how an “average” athlete builds toward an extraordinary start line.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
UM Australia 
UM New Zealand
Lord of the RIngs
IM Taupo
Taupo 70.3
Harry Potter
Zwift
MyWhoosh
R.I.O.T.  Zwift Team
5 Passes Race 
Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge
IM World Championships
Tarawera Ultra 
Taupo Marathon
Wellington Marathon
Christ Church Marathon
Queenstown Marathon
Christ Church 100km road championships
Shout outs and mentions in this episode:
Simon Cochrane
Jeff Morris
Max Litton
Ari Litton
Anna Russel 
Taylor Swift
Gracie Abrams
Tilly Litton
Michael Phelps
Kate Bevilaqua
Fiona Gallagher 
Kylie Brown
Fat Cat Ron
Fergus and Charlie
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 : [email protected]

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Start with a last-minute sprint tri in footy shorts and end with a finish line that feels like family—that’s the arc of Peter “Huddo” Hudson. We sit down with the four-time 515 finisher, personal trainer, and stalwart of the UM Australia Dream Team to unpack how a brutal first swim, a life-changing crash in Hawaii, and years of volunteering forged a deeper reason to race. What emerges is a raw, generous look at the culture that defines Ultraman: you arrive as strangers, you leave as family.
Huddo walks us through the early days—being dragged into a race the night before, dog paddling next to a lifeguard, then getting hooked on the grind that builds real endurance. He shares how coaching and community carried his business through COVID, why day two on the bike still ties his stomach in knots, and how crews and race volunteers quietly stitch the event together with 20-hour days and calm heads. We revisit Hawaii 2015 and Scott McDermott’s horrific crash, the “Relentless” bracelet found at the scene, and the long road to Scott’s 2018 return. Along the way, you’ll hear why rival crews stop to help, how a blind athlete’s grit rewrites fear, and what it means to finish when the clock says you shouldn’t.
We also dive into purpose: fundraising after losing his mum, staging a solo double iron to turn grief into action, and the moment Huddo received the inaugural HUDDO Award minutes before learning his uncle had passed. It’s a portrait of resilience anchored by service, friendship, and a shared promise to bring everyone home safe. Plus, a peek behind the curtain at UM Australia’s evolving live stream and the launch of UM New Zealand—new routes, bigger climbs, and the same heartbeat.
If stories of grit, community, ultra endurance, and human kindness move you, hit play. Then follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a lift, and leave a review so more people find these voices.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
UM Australia 
Ultraman World Championships
Living the Warrior Code (Documentary)  Link
IM Coeur d’Alene
UM New Zealand
Shout outs and mentions in this episode:
Jeff Morris (S7E11)
Shane Duffy (S4E5)
Matt O’Brien (S8E5)
David Kalinowski
Mike Coughlin (S2E7)
Erica RIley (S8E2)
Beñat Oliveira (S7E6)
Brittney Litton (S8E7)
Scott McDermott (S1E9)
Adam Fox   
Gary Wang (S2E6)
Staci Studer
Christian Isakson (S3E5)
John Domandl (S7E7)
Daniel Merange 
Dayle Jordan
Mel Kemp
Jason Clark
Shae Hamilton
Kim Jenkins
Gillian Winterford
Tiffany Dahl
Steve King (S1E1)
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 : [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail
A flipped boat, a blinking EPIRB, and a helicopter descent into a sunset—Matt O’Brien’s life pivot starts there. From mining shifts and weekend benders to air rescue work, and a growing list of endurance adventures; Matt’s story is a blueprint for rebuilding a life around endurance and purpose.
We unpack how he cracked into rescue aviation by cold-messaging mentors on LinkedIn, tackled a fitness test he once thought impossible, and learned to swim from scratch as an adult. Matt shares the nuts and bolts of training through a harsh roster—day shifts as recovery, nights for volume, and two weeks off to stack big sessions—plus the mental habits that made those choices stick. If you’re navigating shift work training, adult swim relearning, or prepping for Ultraman distances, his playbook is practical and honest.
Matt also takes us 4,200 kms across Australia from Fremantle to Sydney on an unsupported bikepacking journey defined by mechanical chaos and grit.  He rode through the Nullarbor with breaking spokes, limped into Ceduna to swap a rim, and woke to find his bike stolen—only to track it with an AirTag on his keys and get it back.  Along the way, we break down roadhouse food realities, water carry strategies, and the small logistics that make or break an ultra-distance plan. And we revisit his first Ultraman finish, where pacers and crew helped him slip under the run cutoff by minutes, setting clear goals for a calmer, faster return to UM Australia in 2026.
If you’re a beginner eyeing your first triathlon, a FIFO worker balancing training with fatigue, or an endurance fan who loves a hard-earned comeback, this one’s for you. Follow Matt’s coaching at Lantern Endurance on socials, and keep an eye out for the website launch soon. Enjoy the conversation, then subscribe, rate, and share with a friend who needs a push to start their own first. 
Resources mentioned in this episode:
UM Australia 
Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA)
Ultra 355 Australia
Cupcake  Cartel
Indipac
Shout outs and mentions in this episode:
Casey Neistat
Jeff Morris (S7E11)
Andrew Trout
John Domandl (S7E7)
Tony Horton
Nikki Fox
Michael Wakeman   
Belinda Sansom
Kim Jenkins
Janita Ray
Troy Ridgley
Michelle Barratt 
Nick Mallett (S2E12)
Carl Gillies
Kate Bevilaqua
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 : [email protected]

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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 : [email protected]