Simon Ward, Be Battle Ready triathlon podcast - The podcast for strength, resilience, and longevity

Simon Ward
  • 4.5 (23)
  • Sports
  • Updated Weekly

The Be Battle Ready triathlon podcast is where everyday athletes, adventurers, and seekers of strength come to forge resilience - in body, mind, and spirit. Hosted by coach Simon Ward, each episode explores the true pillars of endurance: purposeful training, nourishing nutrition, restorative sleep, a resilient mindset, and the art of recovery. It’s designed especially for those in their 40s, 50s and beyond who refuse to rust - men and women who know that age is no excuse to stop sharpening the blade. Whether you’re preparing for your next Ironman, rebuilding after setback, or simply training for the demands of life itself, this show will help you stay Battle Ready: strong, adaptable, and unbreakable. Expect conversations with world-class coaches, scientists, and everyday warriors - those who walk the path of longevity and high performance - sharing wisdom, tactics, and stories from the front line of endurance. 👉 Subscribe now and step inside the ranks of the Battle Ready Society -  where strength is forged, and rust never wins.

  1. 7h ago

    Twenty Years, No Shortcuts: What Ashleigh Gentle Has Learned About Longevity in Professional Triathlon

    Ashleigh Gentle has been at the sharp end of professional triathlon for more than two decades. Two-time Olympian, ten-time winner of the Noosa Triathlon, junior world champion, runner-up on the World Triathlon Series circuit, and now a multiple T100 and 70.3 winner since making the move to middle distance. She is also, as we record this, a few weeks away from the birth of her first child. What I wanted to explore in this conversation is not the race results but the bigger picture. What does a career that long actually teach you about how to train, how to look after yourself and how to keep going? The answers are not complicated. But they are consistent, and they are exactly what I keep telling the athletes I coach. IN THIS EPISODE WE COVER: Growing up playing multiple sports and why Ashleigh believes that gave her a robust physical foundation that has protected her throughout her career The junior and under-23 years, the lessons learned early, and the coach who shaped her approach to sustainable training A decade on the World Triathlon Series circuit, the highlights, and why she eventually made the move to middle distance How she discovered she had probably been under-fuelling her entire short course career, and what changed when she started working with Precision Fuel and Hydration Training and racing alongside husband Josh Amberger, and what that has meant for her relationship with the sport The daily habits and routines that have kept her healthy and performing at the highest level for over 15 years Strength training: the two years she stopped doing it, the chronic injuries that followed, and why she has never dropped it since What the next chapter looks like, on and off the start line   KILLER QUOTE "If I tried to do what I did 10 years ago now, I would be ruined. It's not that I'm weaker or not as capable. It's just that you've got to respect your body and what it's been through. That adds up. That counts for something."   CONNECT with Ashleigh Ashleigh Gentle is a two-time Olympian and professional triathlete based in Brisbane, Australia. Instagram: @gentle_ash   Ashleigh’s favourite books is ‘The Nightingale’ by Kristin Hannah. She also recommended ‘Too much Lip’ by Melissa Lucashenko   CONNECT with Precision Fuel and Hydration precisionfuelandhydration.com   FREE Download👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇 Find out why some triathletes keep improving into their 60s while others plateau in their 50s. Why Some Triathletes Keep Improving Into Their 60s   If what you heard today resonates and you want a training structure built around these principles, with individuality, recovery, strength and the long game at its centre, that is exactly what SWAT Inner Circle is designed around. New members join at £65 a month. No minimum term, cancel any time. Details at simonward.co.uk/swat-inner-circle   Connect with me HERE: https://linktr.ee/simonward You can find links for the following channels - Website, Facebook, podcast, Instagram, YouTube   Email: Simon@thetriathloncoach.com Sign up for Simon’s weekly newsletter Got an awkward question for Simon? Send it to beth@thetriathloncoach.com and you might just hear it on a future episode!

  2. Sep 30

    Repair Not Replace: What Every Endurance Athlete Needs to Know About Their Knees, With Dr Marc Pietropaoli

    I have had three knee surgeries, a ruptured ACL and a right kneecap that niggles me regularly. The question I really wanted answered in this conversation was simple: how do I avoid a knee replacement in the next 10 to 15 years? Dr Marc Pietropaoli is an orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist based in Buffalo, New York. He trained under Dr James Andrews, widely regarded as the greatest sports medicine doctor of all time, and has spent 35 years challenging one of the most deeply held assumptions in his own profession. His book, Repair Not Replace, is an Amazon number one bestseller and the title tells you exactly where he stands. This is a personal conversation as much as a clinical one. If you are an endurance athlete in your 50s or 60s with creaky knees and a little voice in the back of your head asking how long you can keep doing this, it is well worth your time. IN THIS EPISODE WE COVER: What is actually happening inside an ageing knee, and why bone on bone is not the death sentence most patients are told it is The three questions you must ask before agreeing to a knee replacement Cortisone, hyaluronic acid, PRP and bone marrow concentrate: what the evidence says about each The French study showing an 82% chance of avoiding knee replacement for up to 20 years with the right regenerative approach Why running does not cause arthritis, and what actually does increase your risk The most common mistakes endurance athletes make that accelerate knee damage Why strength training is the single most important thing you can do to protect your joints at any age Why getting in early, before things deteriorate, changes everything   KILLER QUOTE "Being proactive and preventive is the most important thing. Most people in your age category wait too long, and then it's to the point where, if you had just gotten in earlier, this would be so much easier to treat."   CONNECT with Dr Marc Pietropaoli Dr Marc Pietropaoli is an orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist based in Buffalo, New York. He trained under Dr James Andrews and specialises in regenerative medicine and non-surgical knee treatment. Book: Repair Not Replace  available on Amazon Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoryinmotion1/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VictoryInMotion1/videos Website: https://victoryinmotion.com/   LINKS & RESOURCES Mentioned in the episode: Repair Not Replace by Dr Marc Pietropaoli Dr Marc's Instagram post on the three questions to ask before knee replacement: https://www.instagram.com/p/DcwymEWhs8-/   FREE Download👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇 Find out why some triathletes keep improving into their 60s while others plateau in their 50s. Why Some Triathletes Keep Improving Into Their 60s   If what you heard today resonates and you want a training structure built around these principles, with individuality, recovery, strength and the long game at its centre, that is exactly what SWAT Inner Circle is designed around. New members join at £65 a month. No minimum term, cancel any time. Details at simonward.co.uk/swat-inner-circle   Connect with me HERE: https://linktr.ee/simonward You can find links for the following channels - Website, Facebook, podcast, Instagram, YouTube   Email: Simon@thetriathloncoach.com Sign up for Simon’s weekly newsletter Got an awkward question for Simon? Send it to beth@thetriathloncoach.com and you might just hear it on a future episode!

  3. Sep 23

    Eating Like You're Still 30: Nutrition Mistakes Masters Athletes Make, With Taryn Richardson

    Most masters athletes are still eating the way they did at 30. The training has changed, the body has changed but the nutrition hasn’t. And that gap is quietly costing them muscle, recovery, bone density and performance. Taryn Richardson is an advanced sports dietitian based in Brisbane who spent six years as the sports dietitian for Triathlon Australia, working with elite and para-triathlon athletes all the way to Olympic level. She also runs a private practice and hosts the Triathlon Nutrition Academy podcast. She has been working with triathletes for two decades and has seen pretty much everything. This conversation is specifically focused on masters athletes, the physiological changes that drive different nutritional needs after 50, and what to actually do about it.   IN THIS EPISODE WE COVER: Why nutritional requirements start changing in your 30s, not your 50s, and why laying groundwork early matters Protein as the non-negotiable foundation for masters athletes, how much you actually need, and why most are not getting close The barbecue study and what it reveals about protein timing and muscle protein synthesis Plant-based athletes and what to watch out for when animal protein sources are removed The male and female differences in nutritional needs as we age, including calcium, vitamin D and the hormonal changes that drive them The tension between body composition goals and performance fuelling, and why lighter does not mean faster Recovery nutrition and why getting the bookends of training right is the highest leverage move most athletes are not making Gut health, fibre, fermented foods, and why 70% of your immune system lives in your gut A practical habit stacking action plan to change one thing at a time without getting overwhelmed   KEY PRINCIPLES Protein first. Masters athletes are almost universally under-eating protein. Aim for 1.6 to 2 grams per kilo of bodyweight, spread across the day, and time it around key training sessions. Stoke the fire. Eat as much as you can without gaining weight. Under-fuelling suppresses metabolism, accelerates muscle loss and compromises recovery. Lighter does not mean faster. The athlete who races heavier but fuelled properly will almost always outperform the one who arrived lean but depleted. Habit stack, do not overhaul. Start with recovery nutrition. Get that entrenched before adding the next layer. Compound it like interest. Your gut is your immune system. 70% of immune function sits in the gut. Fibre, variety of plants, and fermented foods are the big levers, not expensive microbiome tests.   KILLER QUOTE "The best time to work on your nutrition was probably 10 years ago. But the second best time is now. Do one thing today. It doesn't matter what it is."   Free 5-part audio series Taryn has created a free 5-part audio series "The 5 Biggest Nutrition Mistakes Costing You Time on Race Day" I recommend checking it out before your next race   CONNECT with Taryn Taryn Richardson is an advanced sports dietitian, host of the Triathlon Nutrition Academy podcast, and founder of the Triathlon Nutrition Academy programme. Website: dietitianapproved.com Podcast: Triathlon Nutrition Academy Podcast Instagram: dietitian.approved Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DietitianApproved YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dietitianapproved   LINKS & RESOURCES Mentioned in the episode: Taryn talked about the BBQ study - check that out here: The 100g protein "BBQ" Study   GUT HEALTH She was also quite vocal about The Gut microbiome testing study  BOTTOM LINE: Save your money!!!! The alternative is to absorb some of the content produced by Megan Rossi The Gut Health Doctor. That might be the best starting point if you want to improve gut health.   Taryn’s book recommendation is Up to Speed by Christine Yu. The groundbreaking science of women athletes is a goodie for both men and women.   FREE Download👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇 Find out why some triathletes keep improving into their 60s while others plateau in their 50s. Why Some Triathletes Keep Improving Into Their 60s   If what you heard today resonates and you want a training structure built around these principles, with individuality, recovery, strength and the long game at its centre, that is exactly what SWAT Inner Circle is designed around. New members join at £65 a month. No minimum term, cancel any time. Details at simonward.co.uk/swat-inner-circle   Connect with me HERE: https://linktr.ee/simonward You can find links for the following channels - Website, Facebook, podcast, Instagram, YouTube   Email: Simon@thetriathloncoach.com Sign up for Simon’s weekly newsletter Got an awkward question for Simon? Send it to beth@thetriathloncoach.com and you might just hear it on a future episode!

  4. Sep 16

    Just Because You Exercise Doesn't Mean You're Healthy, With Debbie Potts

    Seven years ago Debbie Potts came on this podcast to talk about what happened when her body finally said enough. A five-time Kona qualifier, she had been doing 20-hour training weeks on one meal a day, working 12-hour days, running on high cortisol and calling it fitness. The diagnosis was HPA axis syndrome. The recovery took years. Seven years on, Debbie is a health practitioner, author and coach based in San Diego, and she has built an entire philosophy around what she learned. She calls it the holistic method - eight elements of health that go well beyond the training plan. This conversation picks up where we left off, and covers the bigger picture questions that most athletes never think to ask until something goes wrong. IN THIS EPISODE WE COVER: Why just exercising is not enough and what the other 85% of the health pie chart looks like The body as a communication system - what chronic stress is actually telling your body and why it stops trying to build and repair The go-go years, the slow-go years and the no-go years - how to visualise your future self and reverse engineer from there Debbie's eight elements of holistic health and why happiness, community and joy are as important as sleep and nutrition The blue zones - what people living well into their 90s actually have in common The vagus nerve, HRV and why they tell you far more than just whether you recovered from yesterday's session What Debbie's own daily routine looks like - and she genuinely walks the talk KILLER QUOTE "We should be striving to thrive as we age - not struggle. And so much of that comes down to the choices we make today, in middle age, before the labels start arriving."   CONNECT with Debbie Debbie Potts is a health practitioner, coach, author and podcast host based in San Diego, California. She specialises in helping masters athletes thrive as they age through functional testing and her holistic method. Website: https://debbiepotts.net/ Podcast: The Debbie Potts show Book: Life Is Not a Race, it’s a journey by Debbie Potts The Holistic Method Workbook: [PLACEHOLDER] Previous Be Battle Ready episodes with Debbie Potts Episode 1 - Dealing with HPA Axis syndrome Episode 2 - Recovering from Chronic Fatigue   LINKS & RESOURCES Mentioned in the episode: Outlive by Peter Attia Blue Zones documentary FREE Download👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇 Find out why some triathletes keep improving into their 60s while others plateau in their 50s. Why Some Triathletes Keep Improving Into Their 60s   If what you heard today resonates and you want a training structure built around these principles, with individuality, recovery, strength and the long game at its centre, that is exactly what SWAT Inner Circle is designed around. New members join at £65 a month. No minimum term, cancel any time. Details at simonward.co.uk/swat-inner-circle   Connect with me HERE: https://linktr.ee/simonward You can find links for the following channels - Website, Facebook, podcast, Instagram, YouTube   Email: Simon@thetriathloncoach.com Sign up for Simon’s weekly newsletter Got an awkward question for Simon? Send it to beth@thetriathloncoach.com and you might just hear it on a future episode!

  5. Sep 9

    The Physical Pension: The Investment You Cannot Afford to Miss - With Simon and Beth Ward

    Most people are diligently paying into a financial pension every month. But what about the physical one? This week Simon and Beth sit down to unpack one of the core concepts behind the Battle Ready philosophy. The physical pension. The idea that the decisions you make today about how you sleep, move, eat and recover determine what you have available to you at 60, 70 and beyond. Not just as an athlete, but as a human being who wants to actually enjoy the life they have worked hard to build. This is not a performance conversation. It is a longevity conversation. And it applies to everyone. IN THIS EPISODE WE COVER: Where the physical pension concept came from and why the financial analogy works so well The five key deposits every athlete should be making, starting now Why it is never too late to start, including the story of a 105-year-old French cyclist who improved his aerobic capacity at 102 What the withdrawals look like and how they accumulate silently over years What a well-funded physical pension actually looks like in practice How the Battle Ready philosophy and SWAT Inner Circle are built entirely around making these deposits consistently   KILLER QUOTE "The best time to have started would've been 20 years ago. But the second-best time is today."   LINKS & RESOURCES Mentioned in the episode: Dan John episode: The Physical Pension: Strength, Longevity and the Only Secret That Exists Fast After 50 by Joe Friel: Fast After 50 FREE Download👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇 Find out why some triathletes keep improving into their 60s while others plateau in their 50s. Why Some Triathletes Keep Improving Into Their 60s   If what you heard today resonates and you want a training structure built around these principles, with individuality, recovery, strength and the long game at its centre, that is exactly what SWAT Inner Circle is designed around. New members join at £65 a month. No minimum term, cancel any time. Details at simonward.co.uk/swat-inner-circle   Connect with me HERE: https://linktr.ee/simonward You can find links for the following channels - Website, Facebook, podcast, Instagram, YouTube   Email: Simon@thetriathloncoach.com Sign up for Simon’s weekly newsletter Got an awkward question for Simon? Send it to beth@thetriathloncoach.com and you might just hear it on a future episode!

  6. Sep 2

    Why Winter Training Falls Apart and What to Do About It — With Simon and Beth Ward

    Consistency is the word every great coach comes back to eventually. Not volume, not intensity, not the latest methodology. Consistency. But saying it and doing it are very different things. Particularly through winter, when the race season is over, the mornings are dark, and the motivation that carried you through summer starts to feel a long way away. This week Simon and Beth do a proper deep dive into what consistency actually means in practice, and specifically what habits and actions protect it through the winter months. IN THIS EPISODE WE COVER: Why the single biggest threat to consistency is not motivation or weather, but injury and illness, and what to do about it Why recovery should be planned before training, not fitted around it How to identify the weekly training load you can actually sustain across many months, not just the maximum you can tolerate for a few weeks The recovery day question: do you actually need complete rest or can active recovery do the same job? How to plan and protect recovery weeks before the training blocks start, not as a reaction to exhaustion A simple three-question morning protocol for managing the grey areas when you are not clearly well but not clearly ill Four winter-specific habits that protect your immune system and keep you showing up through the darker months KILLER QUOTE "Consistent imperfect training through winter is worth far more than sporadic perfect training. The promise of consistency is not glamorous. It does not make for exciting social media content. But it works. Every time." LINKS & RESOURCES Some podcasts you might find useful to go along with this one WHOOP Project PR Study Train Less, Recover More Recovery Based Training, Your Questions Answered Christine Clubbs episode: What your Garmin Can’t Tell You   FREE Download👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇 Find out why some triathletes keep improving into their 60s while others plateau in their 50s. Why Some Triathletes Keep Improving Into Their 60s   If what you heard today resonates and you want a training structure built around these principles, with individuality, recovery, strength and the long game at its centre, that is exactly what SWAT Inner Circle is designed around. New members join at £65 a month. No minimum term, cancel any time. Details at simonward.co.uk/swat-inner-circle   Connect with me HERE: https://linktr.ee/simonward You can find links for the following channels - Website, Facebook, podcast, Instagram, YouTube   Email: Simon@thetriathloncoach.com Sign up for Simon’s weekly newsletter Got an awkward question for Simon? Send it to beth@thetriathloncoach.com and you might just hear it on a future episode!

  7. Aug 26

    The Principles of Great Coaching: What Six Triathlon Legends Have in Common

    Over the years I've been lucky enough to sit down with some genuinely exceptional coaches. People who between them have coached athletes from absolute beginners all the way through to Olympic champions and Ironman world record holders. When I went back and listened to those conversations recently, something struck me. They were all saying the same things. Different words, different experiences, different athletes, different levels of the sport. But the core principles kept coming up again and again. This episode pulls those threads together. Six coaches. Eight principles. And one idea that runs underneath all of them.   THE SIX COACHES Joe Friel - author of the Triathlete's Training Bible and Fast After 50, one of the most widely respected voices in endurance coaching. Chris Jones - head coach for British Triathlon at the Sydney Olympics and one of the most influential coaches the sport has produced in the UK. David Tilbury-Davis - professional triathlon coach who has worked with elite athletes across the world. Mark Allen - six-time Ironman world champion and one of the most thoughtful people about training and performance I have ever spoken to. Jack Maitland - builder of the Leeds Triathlon Centre and coach to the Brownlee brothers from the beginning of their careers. Jim Vance - American coach with extensive experience across both elite and age-group athletes.   8 KEY PRINCIPLES Individuality is the first principle. There is no plan. There is only a person and a plan that fits them. Simplicity beats complexity. A few principles applied consistently will always outperform a complicated programme executed badly. Consistency is the most important variable. Not volume, not intensity, not methodology. Recovery is where adaptation happens. Compromise recovery and you compromise everything the training was supposed to produce. Strength and mobility are non-negotiable. It is the platform that makes consistent training possible. The athlete's life context is part of the programme. Training stress and life stress draw from the same budget. Honesty and self-awareness are coaching tools. You cannot manage what you do not honestly understand. The long game is the only game. Health first, performance built on top of that, longevity as the goal.   KILLER QUOTE "None of these coaches described exceptional talent as the primary ingredient. All of them described wisdom, patience, honesty and consistency as the things that determine how far an athlete goes and how long they last."   LINKS & RESOURCES Original episodes with each coach: Chris Jones David Tilbury-Davis: Developing a Performance Mindset Mark Allen: Fit Soul, Fit Body Jack Maitland: How to create an Olympic Champion Part 1 - Part 2 Jim Vance; Start line Mindset Joe Friel; Fast After 50   FREE Download👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇 Find out why some triathletes keep improving into their 60s while others plateau in their 50s. Why Some Triathletes Keep Improving Into Their 60s   If what you heard today resonates and you want a training structure built around these principles, with individuality, recovery, strength and the long game at its centre, that is exactly what SWAT Inner Circle is designed around. New members join at £65 a month. No minimum term, cancel any time. Details at simonward.co.uk/swat-inner-circle   Connect with me HERE: https://linktr.ee/simonward You can find links for the following channels - Website, Facebook, podcast, Instagram, YouTube   Email: Simon@thetriathloncoach.com Sign up for Simon’s weekly newsletter Got an awkward question for Simon? Send it to beth@thetriathloncoach.com and you might just hear it on a future episode!

  8. Aug 19

    The Long Way Round: Georgia Hamblett on RED-S, Aquabike and Starting Again

    Georgia Hamblett found this podcast driving between park runs in Northern Ireland, working her way through all 36 of them as a personal challenge. She was in the middle of a placement year away from university, a deliberate change of scene at a time when she needed one, and the long drives gave her time to think about the kind of athlete she wanted to become. Georgia is a competitive age-group aquabike athlete and sports journalist writing for Aquabike.World. Her journey to the European Age Group Aquabike Championships in Spain, which she made alone, 12 hours of travel, bike box and all, has not been straightforward. She has navigated an eating disorder, RED-S, a labral hip tear, and the transition from triathlon to aquabike as a way of staying competitive while protecting her long-term health. This is a very honest conversation about subjects that don't get discussed enough in endurance sport. Georgia talks about them with clarity, humour and a refreshing absence of self-pity. Her story is still being written and it is well worth following. IN THIS EPISODE WE TALK ABOUT: How Georgia found the podcast driving between parkruns in Northern Ireland and why the timing changed how she heard it Her experience of disordered eating, why it started, and what finally shifted RED-S, the labral hip tear, and the cumulative impact of training before she was ready How working with coach Nat Lawrence helped her build a sustainable approach to training and fuelling The transition to aquabike, the European Championships in Spain, and what she is building through her writing at Aquabike.World   KILLER QUOTE "Even though it's been quite a wibbly wobbly journey, I absolutely love it. I wouldn't change it for the world now. Because I personally know how hard I found it to get through those things, it gives me a lot of self belief that I'll achieve some of my other goals too." CONNECT with Georgia Georgia Hamblett is an age-group aquabike athlete and sports journalist based in the UK. Instagram: @georgias_tris_and_tribulations , Aquabike.World Writing: Aquabike.World LinkedIn: Georgia Hamblett   Georgia’s book recommendation: Unbroken by Katarina Johnson-Thompson   🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES Mentioned in the episode: Previous Be Battle Ready episode with Nat Lawrence: Spinning Plates - The Amazing Life of Outlaw champion Natalie Lawrence   If you or someone you know is navigating disordered eating or RED-S, please seek support from a professional who understands athletes. In the UK, Beat is the leading eating disorder charity and can help signpost specialist support. RED-S Project -where athletes of all ages, genders, sports and abilities come together to prevent and overcome Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport. If today's episode has made you think about building a training approach that works around your whole life, your health included, that is exactly what SWAT Inner Circle is built around. New members join at £65 a month. No minimum term, cancel any time. Details at simonward.co.uk/swat-inner-circle   FREE Download👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇 Find out why some triathletes keep improving into their 60s while others decline in their 50s. simon-ward.kit.com/keepimproving Connect with me HERE: https://linktr.ee/simonward You can find links for the following channels - Website, Facebook, podcast, Instagram, YouTube   Email: Simon@thetriathloncoach.com Sign up for Simon’s weekly newsletter Got an awkward question for Simon? Send it to beth@thetriathloncoach.com and you might just hear it on a future episode!

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4.5
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About

The Be Battle Ready triathlon podcast is where everyday athletes, adventurers, and seekers of strength come to forge resilience - in body, mind, and spirit. Hosted by coach Simon Ward, each episode explores the true pillars of endurance: purposeful training, nourishing nutrition, restorative sleep, a resilient mindset, and the art of recovery. It’s designed especially for those in their 40s, 50s and beyond who refuse to rust - men and women who know that age is no excuse to stop sharpening the blade. Whether you’re preparing for your next Ironman, rebuilding after setback, or simply training for the demands of life itself, this show will help you stay Battle Ready: strong, adaptable, and unbreakable. Expect conversations with world-class coaches, scientists, and everyday warriors - those who walk the path of longevity and high performance - sharing wisdom, tactics, and stories from the front line of endurance. 👉 Subscribe now and step inside the ranks of the Battle Ready Society -  where strength is forged, and rust never wins.

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