Buck the Trend Pod

The biggest mistake age group triathletes make after a season? Jumping straight back into hard training. Matt and Steph break down why the reset matters more than the grind—and how the smartest athletes use the off-season to come back fitter, fresher, and actually ready to race. Steph shares hard-won lessons from burnout, injury, and finally learning how to stop properly after a big block, while Matt pushes the conversation into the practical stuff that matters right now: how to structure winter training, keep easy days truly easy, and build toward next season without wrecking your body or motivation.Steph also opens up about the psychological side of missing Kona this year, the FOMO of watching world champs from afar, and why that disappointment is now being turned into a focused plan for 2027. From pool racing and CTTs to run blocks, fitness benchmarks, and race-day durability, this episode is packed with honest, practical advice for anyone trying to stay motivated when the next big race is still months away.Matt and Steph also react to the 70.3 World Championships, including Hayden Wilde’s huge win, Kristian Blummenfelt’s terrifying run, Taylor Knibb’s dominant weekend, and what those performances could mean for Kona.

What happens when elite ambition meets relentless health setbacks, grief, and the kind of resilience most athletes never have to learn? Tamsin Horne shares the story behind her second Kona qualification and why this year’s start line means even more after everything she’s overcome. From a brain bleed at 15 and chronic epilepsy to surgery, postpartum life, repeated setbacks, and a heartbreaking loss in the middle of her Kona build, Tamsin’s path to Ironman has been anything but straightforward. But this isn’t a story about surviving adversity, it’s about how she kept finding a way forward, even when medical advice, fatigue, and life itself seemed to say stop.Through it all, she’s built a simple but powerful approach: not perfect, just honest, adaptable, and willing to keep showing up. If you’ve ever been told to stop, had to rebuild from nothing, or wondered how to stay connected to the part of you that loves the sport, this conversation will hit hard. It’s raw, practical, and deeply moving - and it’s a reminder that success is sometimes just crossing the line proud of what you gave.

Kona qualification after a bike crash, a surgically repaired shoulder, and a brutally short Ironman build - Kate Curran’s path to the World Championships is anything but ordinary.Buck the Trend’s Matt and Steph unpack the full story with Kate from Lanzarote, where she’s dialling in the heat, humidity, and race-specific prep for her first Ironman World Championship in Kona. If you’re an age-group athlete dreaming of going pro, coming back from injury, or trying to turn a derailed season into something bigger, this one is packed with perspective.Kate shares how she went from starting triathlon at eight years old, stepping away for university and a corporate legal career, and then finding her way back to the sport as a 70.3 athlete. She explains why her father’s Ironman journeys inspired her, how her corporate life gave her resilience and discipline, and why racing again felt like starting from scratch in the best possible way.We break down the difficult year that changed everything - the high-speed crash that put her out of action, the mental and physical grind of recovery, and the race in Western Australia that became a turning point. Kate also opens up about what it took to balance an early Kona qualification with the demands of the Pro Series, why Hamburg, Texas, and Nice all shaped her season differently, and how she’s building toward Kona with steady consistency rather than hero sessions. You’ll also hear the hosts and Kate dissect the upcoming 70.3 World Championship fields, including who looks most dangerous in Nice, who could make a breakthrough, and why racing in championship conditions always creates surprises. Along the way, they dig into pacing, heat management, nerves, and the unique challenge of Kona’s infamous run out of town. Essential listening if you love elite triathlon, comeback stories, or the behind-the-scenes reality of preparing for the biggest race in the sport.Hosted by Matt Hnatiw and Steph ClutterbuckFeaturing Kate Curran

Kona is brutal at the front, but Sam Skold is arriving with the kind of wild-card background that could shake up the race. The Air Force physician assistant turned first-year pro has already gone from injured runner to age-group champion, and now she is taking on the biggest stage in triathlon with almost no room in her life for error. Matt Hnatiw and Steph Clutterbuck unpack Sam’s unlikely path from Colorado running talent to military doctor in Anchorage, Alaska, where an unpredictable active-duty schedule, deployment readiness, and a winter that delivers only a few hours of sunlight force her to train differently than almost anyone else on the start list. She shares how she rebuilt after years of injury, why sprint triathlon pulled her back into the sport, and how long course racing changed her perspective on what triathlon can offer.You’ll discover:Why her swim has become the biggest mental test in the jump from age grouper to proHow military life changes everything about planning, recovery, and consistencyThe exact adjustments she’s making for Kona, including more swim volume, bigger bike intensity, heat prep, and sauna workWhy missing sessions is no longer a disaster if the base is thereWhat it actually feels like to race the Queen K when you’re miles from the next competitorSam also breaks down the tactics pros have to think about now that Race Ranger, drafting dynamics, and sponsor pressure make every surge matter more. From chasing power numbers on the bike to learning when to trust pace on the run, she explains why Kona rewards athletes who can stay calm, race smart, and not get trapped by everyone else’s chaos. If you’re fascinated by what it takes to race Kona without a normal life, or you need proof that triathlon can fit around the most demanding schedules, this one delivers. Sam’s perspective is equal parts practical, honest, and quietly fearless—and it makes for a powerful preview of what she could do on the Big Island.

One Ironman. One debut. One Kona slot. Chloe Dooley turns the usual “just finish it” mindset on its head by qualifying for the World Champs in Hawaii on her very first full-distance race, and she reveals exactly how she did it.Steph sits down with Chloe for a raw, uplifting conversation about the leap from swimming to running to short-course racing to the full Ironman distance, the mental shift that comes with longer racing, and the reality of balancing elite age-group triathlon with a demanding NHS physio job. You'll discover:how Chloe went from childhood triathlon, to swimming, to running, and back into multisport through injury and lockdownwhat the British Triathlon Super Series is really like, and why draft-legal racing can feel like “baptism by fire”the training and logistics of fitting swims, rides, runs, strength work, and a full-time NHS schedule into one weekthe pacing, nutrition, and mindset tweaks that helped her turn a feared 180K bike into a controlled, confident bike legwhy her marathon finally clicked on race day, and how she stayed strong all the way to a sub-10-hour finishWe also talk candidly about the sacrifices age-group athletes make, why training has to stay fun, and what it means to chase a world championship slot when the clock, the cost, and the logistics all say “maybe later.” Chloe also shares what she’s most excited for about Kona, from the iconic race-week atmosphere to the unforgettable extras that make Hawaii feel like more than just a start line. If you’ve ever wondered how people make a first Ironman look effortless, or if you’re balancing big training goals with real life, this episode will hit home. Perfect for age-group triathletes, anyone considering their first Ironman, and listeners who love stories of grit, community, and a breakthrough performance that changes everything.