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The second episode of your Daily Kona Digest for World Champs race week! A roll call of the 57 men on the start list, where they qualified, their strengths and where else we've seen them race this year. We're counting down the days, are you?!

IT'S KONA WEEK, and we are here with full hype, pom poms and maximum amounts of FOMO. This episode is a roll call of the women's start list: who's racing, where they qualified, where else we've seen them and what they're strengths are! Daily Kona digest episode 1. Buckle up, it's going to be a big week.

Back-of-the-pack can still mean world-class determination. Aaron Fleming has raced Ironman 23 times, earned a spot at Kona through Ironman’s Legacy Programme, and turned a teenage lung surgery into a decades-long mission of resilience, purpose, and persistence. Steph sits down with the Queenstown age-group athlete to unpack how a one-and-done race in 2006 became a life defined by start lines, finish lines, and the stubborn belief that dreams are worth chasing. Aaron shares how major lung surgery at 16, years of recovery, and a brutal diagnosis that he’d never physically exert himself again became the fuel for everything that followed. From his first run of four lampposts to completing the Ironman distance across all six continents. Along the way, he reflects on the people who shaped his journey, including longtime announcer Mike Riley, who helped make his path through the sport even more meaningful. And with Kona finally here, this episode carries extra weight: Aaron’s mother, who stood by his hospital bedside and has watched so many of his finish lines, will be there in person alongside his sister. If you love stories of resilience, endurance, and what it really means to keep going when the odds say you shouldn’t, this one belongs on your list.

Kona can make or break your race if you arrive tired, overcooked, or underprepared. Matt Hnatiw and Steph Clutterbuck break down the practical lessons they’ve learned from racing the World Championships three times so you can get there calmer, smarter, and ready to actually perform. With two weeks to go, they share the stuff that matters now: how to protect the final days before travel, what to do on the long-haul flight, how to avoid arriving in a recovery hole, and why trying to squeeze in more heat adaptation at the last minute can backfire. They also dig into the logistics that catch first-timers out - from eSIMs and hire cars to food, sleep, and why your arrival night in Kona can feel strangely disorienting. Matt and Steph also talk honestly about what went wrong in past years, how they approached heat preparation differently across seasons, and why finishing Kona with the race you planned is often better than chasing a heroic result you’ve never tested. Perfect for age-groupers heading to Kona, first-timers trying not to make costly mistakes, and anyone riding the Kona hype train who wants the real-world version of how to arrive sharp and race well.

Kona is calling, but Carly Schrom is chasing something bigger than a finish line. After battling Crohn's disease, brutal infections, liver tumors, and major surgery that removed 60% of her liver, she turned the hardest chapter of her life into a reason to race Ironman. Carly joins Buck the Trend to share the remarkable path that took her from college illness and endless medical uncertainty to qualifying for Kona in first Ironman. This is a story about grit, patience, and learning how to trust your body again when it keeps changing the rules. You'll hear how a childhood around racing shaped her, why triathlon became the ultimate choice in suffering, and how she built a fueling strategy around an unpredictable gut. She breaks down what works on the bike, why running still brings nausea, and how managing Crohn's treatment every eight weeks affects every training block. If you're navigating health issues, rebuilding confidence after injury or illness, or just want to hear what resilience actually sounds like in real life, this one lands hard. And if Kona is on your radar, Carly's perspective will make the Big Island feel even more electric.

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 Clutterbuck Featuring 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 competitor Sam 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.

In this episode of Buck the Trend, we speak to Gaby in our first Stories behind the Start line chat! Your first Kona is always extra special and Gaby shares with us her journey over the last few years to get there. As is so typical with endurance athletes, its full of setbacks and challenges that only fuelled the fire for performance and has ended with a KQ she never really expected to get. And it's not just Kona, she's headed to Nice 70.3 worlds too! Listen along to hear how Gaby has set herself up in her second year of triathlon for a double championship season.

In this episode of Buck the Trend, Steph and Matt discuss their recent rebranding, Matt's journey to improve his 5K running time, and the training strategies he employed. They explore the importance of mental resilience, pacing strategies, and the significance of understanding one's limits in training. The conversation emphasizes the need for a structured approach to training while also highlighting the benefits of confidence and positivity in achieving personal goals. They also introduce a brand new series highlighting inspiring stories from athletes participating in the Ironman World Championships. Tune in to future episodes to hear some of the amazing stories behind the athletes at the Kona start line!

Tune in to hear about 70.3 Northern California and Hradec Kralove, T100 Vancouver and Ironman Kalmar. A HUGE weekend of racing and we talk about it all!! Each one of these could have had a pod all to itself so strap in, it's a whistlestop tour!

This week we're diving into one of our FAVOURITE races! We talk through everything we know about the course, pacing and our experiences racing here. Our tips cover race day morning, understanding transition, pacing the swim, bike and enjoying the run to the MAX. We also give you some unfiltered thoughts on the Pro Series Ironman Kalmar this weekend!

Every time we think "that has to be it", we're proved wrong. But, every time Steph keeps on showing up with a smile and ready to give it everything. Tune in for an update on what happened at Swansea 70.3, another diagnosis Steph's had and what this means for the rest of 2026. Thank you, as ever, for all of your support. I know I WILL be back out there racing to the best of my ability, it's just taking longer than I imagined for it to happen. Steph x