Hot Tub Tri Machine

Episode 17: From Couch to the Surf with Hilary TopperOpen-water swimming is where triathlon gets real, and Hilary Topper has spent years helping beginners stop panicking and start thriving in it. If the thought of cold water, rough conditions, sighting, or that first jump off the pontoon makes you tense up, in this episode of Hot Tub Tri Machine, Ursula and The Beast welcome author, endurance athlete and open-water swimming advocate Hilary Topper. Hilary talks about conquering one of the biggest hurdles for many triathletes: getting comfortable in the water when there’s no pool wall, no lane rope and absolutely no hiding! Hilary shares the story behind her new book, Unlocking the Open Water Swim: The Beginner’s Guide to Success in Open Water Events, and her own remarkable journey from “couch potato” to confident open-water swimmer — starting to swim at 53 and eventually tackling long-distance challenges, including an 8.3-mile swim around Mackinac Island. Topics will range from dealing with cold water, rough conditions, sighting, breathing, race-day nerves and that slightly terrifying moment when you realise you actually have to jump off the pontoon and swim! Hilary shares practical tips for staying safe and calm in open water, along with the mental strategies, gear and training techniques that can help nervous swimmers build confidence. If the thought of swimming in open water makes your heart rate rise before you've even started, this episode is for you. Hilary proves that you don't have to be a lifelong swimmer, or even think of yourself as an athlete, to become an open-water swimmer.links to the books: Unlocking Triathlon: The Beginner’s Guide to Competing in a Triathlon: https://amzn.to/4h195qGFrom Couch Potato to Endurance Athlete: https://amzn.to/4fue7t2Unlocking the Open Water Swim: The Beginner’s Guide to Success in Open Water Events: https://amzn.to/4hJIlLuAustralian release will be January. Here’s the link to use: https://woodslane.com.au/products/9781782553014?_pos=1&_sid=3fb6f9a56&_ss=rSend your “Age Group Ask” questions or your “Shout Outs” to [email protected] Hot Tub Tri Machine (https://www.hottubtrimachine.au/) on Spotify, Apple Podcast and our instagram page.Join the Hot Tub Tri Machine Podcast club in Zwift and join our virtual group ride events.Zwift Companion app - https://www.zwift.com/int/companionZwift - https://www.zwift.com/Music made with Suno; Graphics made with Chat gpt; Recording and editing in Riverside and Garageband

Episode 16: Angelina’s winning reflections on her 70.3 DNF Those Queens of Chaos, Ursula and the Beast, are back in the hot tub with their first European guest: Angelina, a Scottish mother and age-group triathlete whose journey from inactivity to endurance sport is anything but ordinary. Angeline is a vibrant and authentic character who has grown an inspired and inspiring Instagram following. Angelina shares how she learned to run and entered her first triathlon despite barely being able to swim, owning no bike, and never having raced before. She talks candidly about attempting Ironman Bolton, missing the bike cutoff by just three minutes.  She reflected on her effort and came up with a list of simple things she could do differently next time. She returned stronger, more knowledgeable and with an unstoppable attitude at Challenge Almere. Along the way, she reveals how sport helped her rebuild her identity, maintain sobriety, and inspire her daughters. Ursula and the Beast explore the barriers that hold women back from triathlon, including confidence, money, time, and motherhood. Funny, honest, and packed with hard-won lessons, this episode proves that anyone can start from zero and become an athlete.Angelina’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelina.i.daly?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&stkn=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==Send your “Age Group Ask” questions or your “Shout Outs” to [email protected] Hot Tub Tri Machine (https://www.hottubtrimachine.au/) on Spotify, Apple Podcast and our instagram page.Join the Hot Tub Tri Machine Podcast club in Zwift and join our virtual group ride events.Zwift Companion app - https://www.zwift.com/int/companionZwift - https://www.zwift.com/Music made with Suno; Graphics made with Chat gpt; Recording and editing in Riverside and Garageband

Episode 15: Endurance, Exhaustion & Everything In BetweenIn this episode of Hot Tub Tri Machine, Ursula and The Beast sit down with endurance athlete James Carter for a candid conversation about what it really takes to go the distance. From first-time marathons and open-water swims to 25 marathons, Ironman-distance races, and back-to-back ultramarathons, James shares the highs, lows, and hard-earned lessons from his endurance journey.The discussion goes beyond training plans and finish lines, exploring the impact of diet culture, chronic fatigue, body image pressures, and the challenge of balancing ambition with recovery. With plenty of humour along the way, James recounts race-day mishaps, including lost contact lenses, navigational disasters, and the realities of pushing the body too far.James also speaks openly about inclusion in endurance sport and the importance of supportive communities that make athletes feel welcome and seen. Together, Ursula, The Beast, and James unpack why nutrition, sleep, and recovery are just as important as training volume. The result is an inspiring and honest episode that reminds listeners that endurance sport is for every body, progress is rarely linear, and resilience often begins with self-acceptance.Send your “Age Group Ask” questions or your “Shout Outs” to [email protected] Hot Tub Tri Machine (https://www.hottubtrimachine.au/) on Spotify, Apple Podcast and our instagram page.Join the Hot Tub Tri Machine Podcast club in Zwift and join our virtual group ride events.Zwift Companion app - https://www.zwift.com/int/companionZwift - https://www.zwift.com/Music made with Suno; Graphics made with Chat gpt; Recording and editing in Riverside and Garageband

Episode 14: Passion, Pedals and Power with Ben LitchfieldThis week on the Hot Tub Tri Machine, Ursula and the Beast are joined by cycling tragic turned cycling aficionado Ben Litchfield for a deep dive into all things two wheels. Ben’s love of cycling began as a young boy growing up in Sydney and eventually took him to Europe, where he lived and trained with amateur cycling teams at a time when Europe was the Mecca for aspiring cyclists. Ben shares what it was like to pack up, head overseas and immerse himself in the European racing scene — and what he learned from those years on the road.The conversation explores how training and nutrition have changed dramatically throughout Ben’s time in cycling, from the old-school approaches of his racing days to the increasingly data-driven sport we see today. The girls also get stuck into one of cycling’s favourite debates: how important is power really? Ben shares his thoughts on power meters, data and the exciting advances in technology that have transformed the way cyclists can train, analyse and understand their performance. Ben’s passion for criterium and road racing also features heavily, with plenty of discussion about the tactics, intensity, skill and sheer enjoyment that make racing bikes so addictive. To finish, Ben shares his top advice for new cyclists — whether they’re just getting started on their first road bike or thinking about taking the plunge into racing. It’s a conversation packed with cycling stories, old-school wisdom, modern data and plenty of bike chat — exactly the kind of conversation the Hot Tub Tri Machine loves.Send your “Age Group Ask” questions or your “Shout Outs” to [email protected] Hot Tub Tri Machine (https://www.hottubtrimachine.au/) on Spotify, Apple Podcast and our instagram page.Join the Hot Tub Tri Machine Podcast club in Zwift and join our virtual group ride events.Zwift Companion app - https://www.zwift.com/int/companionZwift - https://www.zwift.com/Music made with Suno; Graphics made with Chat gpt; Recording and editing in Garageband

Episode 13: Keri Mandell is LimitlessSeven marathons in seven days, across seven continents, is hard enough. Keri swaps the finish-line fantasy for the raw reality behind the World Marathon Challenge, Ultraman racing, and the mindset it takes to keep going when your body is screaming to stop. Ursula and The Beast sit down with Keri to unpack the fear, grit, and strategy behind some of the hardest endurance events on earth. From her first triathlon, where she panic-paddled through open water and fell off the bike, to becoming an Ultraman athlete, Keri shares how she turned “I’ll never do that again” into a life built around going way beyond comfort.LinksLimitless: What I Learned Running the World in Seven DaysRelease date: 1 October 2026Use this link to pre order the e-book for kindle: https://a.co/d/08IU4uCXThe Kindle edition is just $4.29 AUD($2.99 US), and you don’t need a Kindle to read it. You can just download the free Kindle app on their phone, tablet, iPad, or computer.Challenge Roth Tours https://www.tritravel.global/tour-type/challenge-roth-tours/Send your “Age Group Ask” questions or your “Shout Outs” to [email protected] Hot Tub Tri Machine (https://www.hottubtrimachine.au/) on Spotify, Apple Podcast and our instagram page.Join the Hot Tub Tri Machine Podcast club in Zwift and join our virtual group ride events.Music made with Suno; Graphics made with Chat gpt; Recording and editing in Riverside.fm and Garageband