Fitter Radio Triathlon Podcast · Bevan McKinnon

Craig Kirkwood

·1 hr 35 min·5 clips

Craig Kirkwood says Sam Ruth taking John Walker's mile record felt like a 'full circle moment' in New Zealand running.

1. Fitter Radio Triathlon Podcast opens with Bevan McKinnon and Tim Brazier talking about Winter Olympics downhill skiing and the speed of the events. 2. Bevan McKinnon and Tim Brazier host the show, and Craig Kirkwood appears later as New Zealand triathlon and running coach whose athletes include Sam Ruth and Hayden Wilde. 3. The episode asks what links elite winter sport, Supertri's format change, and Craig Kirkwood's coaching work with Sam Ruth. 4. Bevan says Winter Olympics downhill replays are compelling because of the Dolomite scenery and the drone footage following skiers at speed. 5. Tim says female downhill skiers are moving at 115 kph and men at 120 to 130 kph, while the speed can feel closer to 200 kph. 6. The hosts discuss Lindsey Vonn's return at 41 years of age, her ACL rupture before the Olympics, and the crash on her first gate or turn. 7. Bevan and Tim describe icy downhill courses being wetted with hoses and the need for sharply tuned ski edges to grip the surface. 8. The conversation shifts to speed skating and snow events, where the hosts compare high-speed crashes on ice and on snow. 9. Big Air comes up next, with Zoe qualifying first and snowboarders spinning up to six and a half rotations on 40-foot jumps. 10. Tim recalls filming Snow Sports New Zealand athletes and trying to count rotations quickly, including calls of "2340" from coaches at the top of the jump. 11. The biathlon segment highlights how skiing and shooting combine, with the hosts noting that the gaps in men's and women's 20K finals came down to shooting accuracy. 12. Bevan says the athletes must bring their heart rates down from threshold and fire the rifle between breaths. 13. The penalty lap becomes a key detail, with one female athlete needing one lap and another needing two laps while still holding their positions. 14. The discussion names Guy Campbell-Wright as a young Kiwi representing the USA in biathlon and notes that he has podiumed at World Cups. 15. Tim says Campbell-Wright can turn up and run 3K in nine minutes with little run training because he has "a heart and lungs the size of a buffalo." 16. The Wanaka segment mentions Doc McLeod's comment that 10 of New Zealand's 17 Winter Olympic athletes went through Mount Aspiring High School. 17. Bevan and Tim describe a local watch party at Cardrona's office, where an aprés bar and a big screen bring the community together. 18. The tone stays conversational and anecdotal, with Bevan steering the questions and Tim answering with coaching detail, race knowledge, and personal memory. 19. Listeners interested in triathlon, running, New Zealand sport, and winter-sport physiology would likely enjoy this episode. 20. Listeners looking for a tightly focused single-topic interview without Olympic and race-news digressions may skip it.

As heard by us

Snow sports talk gives way to Sam Ruth's indoor mile and a brisk running conversation.

The episode starts with snow sports talk, as Bevan and Tim react to Winter Olympics replays, Dolomite scenery, and the speed and danger of downhill skiing.

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Why you'd press play

Want a coachs-eye take on speed, risk, and a standout indoor mile?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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