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In this episode, we travel to Ubatuba, Brazil, to catch up with Alex Luna, one of the driving forces behind the UB515 ultra triathlon. As the race enters its 13th year, Alex shares the origin story of how a small group of legends—including Alexandre Ribeiro and Corey Folk—brought the Ultraman distance to Brazil. We dive deep into the "Aloha" spirit that defines the event and discuss the logistical and emotional preparation for the 43 athletes set to take on the 515km challenge.

What you will learn from this episode:

• The Power of "Just Letting it Happen": Alex recounts the advice from Corey Folk that finally launched the race in 2014.
• Course Logistics: A day-by-day walkthrough of the swimming, cycling, and running stages through some of Brazil’s most scenic coastal and mountain roads.
• Community & Legacy: How the race serves as a transformative process for both athletes and staff, fostering lifelong connections.

Athlete Dynamics: A breakdown of the 2026 field, including a record number of female participants and the veterans returning to defend their numbers.

Follow the race on Instagram UB 515 Website

Previous appearances by Alex (S4E6) (S5E9)

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• BR145
• Fodaxman
• IM Brasil

Shout outs and mentions in this episode:

• Alexandre Ribeiro
• Paulo Calil
• Cory Foulk
• Sergio Cordeiro
• Curtis Tyler
• Leslie Tyler
• Steve King
• Andrius Luna
• Sandro Tanaka
• 75 – Bernardo Tillmann
• 78 – Erick Duarte
• 99 – Aline Luftmann
• 135 – Fabiano Peres
• 147 – Dejalmo Almeida
• 149 – Evandro Dutra
• 169 – Marcelo Noia
• 187 – Juan Armenteros
• 200 – Eduardo Filho
• 208 – Pedro Walfir
• 220 – Igor Maciel
• 225 – Luciano Bressy
• 233 – Rian Tavares
• 236 – Rafael Aragon
• 241 – Rubens Gonçalo
• 244 – Cléber Santos
• 245 – Rodrigo Gregório
• 246 – Diogo Brumm
• 248 – Ana Heide
• 249 – Luiza Machado
• 250 – Marcele Salaverry
• 251 – Diego Vidal
• 252 – Julius Bomfim
• 253 – Kildare Cardoso
• 254 – Juliana Ennes
• 255 – Fabi Silva
• 256 – Tatiana Debiasi
• 257 – Dankar Maridor
• 258 – Rodrigo Arraes
• 259 – Rafael Ruhl
• 260 – Julio Tiliaque
• 261 – Kalleb Potenza
• 262 – Mauro Lima
• 263 – Flavio Santos
• 264 – Gabriel Brás
• 265 – Fernando Oliveira
• 267 – Victor Latarulla
• 269 – João Paulo Morisson
• 270 – Wagner Nishizawa
• 271 – Renan Delavald
• 272 – Pamela Oliveira
• 273 – Roger Barroquello
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Show Contributors:
Host : Larry Ryan
Contributing Raconteur : Steve King
Announcer : Mary Jo Dionne
Production : 5Five Enterprises
Music : Run by 331

For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.com
Facebook: @515TheUltraPodcast
Insta : @515theultrapodcast
Youtube : @515TheUltraPodcast
Email : 515Ultraman@gmail.com

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You can learn a lot about an endurance athlete by what they avoid, and Brittney Litton avoids swimming. Then she signs up for Ultraman anyway, including a 10K swim, back-to-back monster bike days, and a double-marathon finish. Brittney joins us from New Zealand to talk about life as a working mom of two, a self-described “average” athlete with an anything-but-average appetite for big goals -- including wanting to set a new women's record time.

Racing lessons land hardest in the Kona Ironman recap. Brittany breaks down how over-concentrated carb bottles, post-swim thirst, and relying on Coke can spiral into vomiting, cramps, and survival mode in heat and humidity. That story becomes a blueprint for smarter fueling: drink water early, keep mixes tolerable, and respect the environment. She pairs it with the Tarawera ultra experience, where a hip flexor issue forces an awkward running pattern and a painful finish, proving that pacing and problem-solving matter as much as fitness. Finally, we zoom out to Ultraman preparation: crew planning, swim anxiety, long rides, Pilates for core strength, and the mindset shift from chasing splits to treating races as tests. It is a grounded look at how an “average” athlete builds toward an extraordinary start line.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• UM Australia
• UM New Zealand
• Lord of the RIngs
• IM Taupo
• Taupo 70.3
• Harry Potter
• Zwift
• MyWhoosh
• R.I.O.T. Zwift Team
• 5 Passes Race
• Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge
• IM World Championships
• Tarawera Ultra
• Taupo Marathon
• Wellington Marathon
• Christ Church Marathon
• Queenstown Marathon
• Christ Church 100km road championships

Shout outs and mentions in this episode:

• Simon Cochrane
• Jeff Morris
• Max Litton
• Ari Litton
• Anna Russel
• Taylor Swift
• Gracie Abrams
• Tilly Litton
• Michael Phelps
• Kate Bevilaqua
• Fiona Gallagher
• Kylie Brown
• Fat Cat Ron
• Fergus and Charlie

Support the show

Show Contributors:
Host : Larry Ryan
Contributing Raconteur : Steve King
Announcer : Mary Jo Dionne
Production : 5Five Enterprises
Music : Run by 331

For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.com
Facebook: @515TheUltraPodcast
Insta : @515theultrapodcast
Youtube : @515TheUltraPodcast
Email : 515Ultraman@gmail.com

Send us Fan Mail

Start with a last-minute sprint tri in footy shorts and end with a finish line that feels like family—that’s the arc of Peter “Huddo” Hudson. We sit down with the four-time 515 finisher, personal trainer, and stalwart of the UM Australia Dream Team to unpack how a brutal first swim, a life-changing crash in Hawaii, and years of volunteering forged a deeper reason to race. What emerges is a raw, generous look at the culture that defines Ultraman: you arrive as strangers, you leave as family.

Huddo walks us through the early days—being dragged into a race the night before, dog paddling next to a lifeguard, then getting hooked on the grind that builds real endurance. He shares how coaching and community carried his business through COVID, why day two on the bike still ties his stomach in knots, and how crews and race volunteers quietly stitch the event together with 20-hour days and calm heads. We revisit Hawaii 2015 and Scott McDermott’s horrific crash, the “Relentless” bracelet found at the scene, and the long road to Scott’s 2018 return. Along the way, you’ll hear why rival crews stop to help, how a blind athlete’s grit rewrites fear, and what it means to finish when the clock says you shouldn’t.

We also dive into purpose: fundraising after losing his mum, staging a solo double iron to turn grief into action, and the moment Huddo received the inaugural HUDDO Award minutes before learning his uncle had passed. It’s a portrait of resilience anchored by service, friendship, and a shared promise to bring everyone home safe. Plus, a peek behind the curtain at UM Australia’s evolving live stream and the launch of UM New Zealand—new routes, bigger climbs, and the same heartbeat.

If stories of grit, community, ultra endurance, and human kindness move you, hit play. Then follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a lift, and leave a review so more people find these voices.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• UM Australia
• Ultraman World Championships
• Living the Warrior Code (Documentary) Link
• IM Coeur d’Alene
• UM New Zealand

Shout outs and mentions in this episode:

• Jeff Morris (S7E11)
• Shane Duffy (S4E5)
• Matt O’Brien (S8E5)
• David Kalinowski
• Mike Coughlin (S2E7)
• Erica RIley (S8E2)
• Beñat Oliveira (S7E6)
• Brittney Litton (S8E7)
• Scott McDermott (S1E9)
• Adam Fox
• Gary Wang (S2E6)
• Staci Studer
• Christian Isakson (S3E5)
• John Domandl (S7E7)
• Daniel Merange
• Dayle Jordan
• Mel Kemp
• Jason Clark
• Shae Hamilton
• Kim Jenkins
• Gillian Winterford
• Tiffany Dahl
• Steve King (S1E1)

Support the show

Show Contributors:
Host : Larry Ryan
Contributing Raconteur : Steve King
Announcer : Mary Jo Dionne
Production : 5Five Enterprises
Music : Run by 331

For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.com
Facebook: @515TheUltraPodcast
Insta : @515theultrapodcast
Youtube : @515TheUltraPodcast
Email : 515Ultraman@gmail.com