Fitter Radio Triathlon Podcast · Bevan McKinnon

Kyle Smith

·1 hr 14 min·4 clips

Kevin started triathlon with a $20 bike that couldn't shift—on the worst hill course in New Zealand.

Bevan McKinnon and Tim Brazier start with a weekend that brought short-course racing back into New Zealand. They quickly land on the frustration of having no coverage from Napier. The Oceania Sprint Championships in the Oceania Cup become the first main topic. Hayden Wilde matters here because he is trying to build Olympic points and get back to that level. The hosts wish the race had been properly captured on YouTube, and say even basic camera coverage would have made it easier to follow. The discussion then moves to Wilde’s race execution. He was right in the mix in the swim with the Kiwis and Aussies. He controlled the bike and then attacked late as he tends to do, creating a gap he could hold through the run. He also stayed ahead of two other Kiwis, including Saxon Morgan and Henry McK..., in a strong local finish. From there the episode shifts into a more reflective interview with an athlete. He talks about a stretch when Jan was injured and he had to prepare mostly on his own. He describes heading to St. George alone and using a couple of efforts as a check on whether he was ready. He expected one result and got another, because the race went better than expected. He credits a long run of consistent training for that. He also says that, looking back, his bike fueling was too loose to survive a harder race. He admits he could not have told you how many grams of carbohydrate he was taking on at the time. Now he has a much clearer understanding of nutrition, fueling, and pacing. The hosts follow that thread into his work with Fuelled In and ask whether it has helped him build a steadier daily routine and better race-day habits. He says the last four years have been a whirlwind. He describes himself as a journeyman, someone who loves the sport, loves the job, and has had to learn plenty the hard way. He talks about being from Taupo and not always having the same support network or nearby people to bounce ideas off. That made the learning curve steeper. The conversation keeps coming back to the idea that he has had to piece together knowledge over time rather than inherit it all at once. Near the end, the show broadens out again to the sport itself. The hosts point to the large overall fields in both Ironman and 70.3. They note that women make up a striking share of the 70.3 field and a smaller but still meaningful share of the full-distance field. They treat that as a good sign for where the sport is headed. The final stretch has a lighter, satisfied tone as they agree that more women in the field is worth celebrating. The episode closes with the hosts signing off and making plans to talk again later in the week.

As heard by us

Race context, coaching talk, and a clear view of how triathlon is shifting.

This episode keeps its focus on a weekend of racing, with short course back on the New Zealand calendar and Napier still drawing complaint about the lack of proper coverage. Hayden Wilde is the main pull.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want race talk that starts in the real world, not the press release.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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