Episode 6: Highs and Lows of Ultra Trail Australia Peak Pursuits

Welcome to Episode 6 of Peak Pursuits, your premier podcast for all things trail running in Australia. This week, hosts Simone Brick, Vlad Ixel, and Jess Jason take you through the triumphs and controversies at the largest trail race in the southern hemisphere, Ultra Trail Australia (UTA).

00:00 - 22:25 :- Training Week Updates

We kick off the episode with updates on our training weeks. Jess shares her experience returning to training with her first session in two months. Vlad covers his robust training week, detailing key sessions that included flat, fast running and trail-specific workouts. Sim also banked a brilliant training week feeling strong and confident ahead of a big racing block next month.

22:25 - 56:00 :- Trail Fails Segment

Next is our trail fails segment, and this week is a doozy. We discuss the controversial inequalities that emerged during the UTA weekend and a major product fail involving the Awesome Sauce gels from Spring Energy.

56:00 - 1:08:50 :- Listener Question

In our listener question segment, we answer James Sieber's query: "As sponsored athletes, I would love to know how you feel the professional aspect of the sport in Aus has developed and how you see the landscape evolving?" Our hosts share their experiences and insights on the growth of professional trail running in Australia, the increasing support from sponsors, and how they envision the future of the sport.

1:08:50 - 1:18:40 :- UTA Podium Highlights

We then shift our focus to the overall podium getters in the 22k, 50k, and 100k races at UTA. Stay tuned for a deeper dive into these results in an upcoming bonus episode!

1:18:40 - 1:25:15 :- Other Race Results

In addition to UTA, we cover other significant race results from the weekend, including the West Macs Monster, Great Ocean Road Running Festival, and the international SkyRace Gorges du Tarn.

1:25:15 - End :- Upcoming Trail Events

To wrap up the episode, we preview the exciting trail events coming up, with races happening in almost every state across the country.

Thanks for tuning in to Peak Pursuits! Connect with us on Instagram @peakpursuits.pod to share your thoughts, questions, and your own trail stories. Until next time, keep hitting the trails and chasing those peak pursuits!

Vlad: @vladixel

Sim: @theflyingbrick_

Jess: @jessjason

Spring Energy Announcement from Sporthunger: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7EVCO0NH36/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D

Spring Energy Reddit Forum: https://www.reddit.com/r/trailrunning/comments/1c27kk2/false_nutritional_info_on_spring_energy_gels/

UTA Results: https://live.utmb.world/uta/2024

West Macs Monster Results: https://westmacsmonster.com.au/index.php/results-2024/

Great Ocean Road Results: https://tomatotiming.racetecresults.com/results.aspx?CId=16&RId=29590&EId=6&dt=1

SkyRace Gorges du Tarn: https://www.skyrunning.com/single-race/skyrace-gorges-du-tarn-2024/

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: K08PMQ3RATCE215R