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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

Send a text

A flipped boat, a blinking EPIRB, and a helicopter descent into a sunset—Matt O’Brien’s life pivot starts there. From mining shifts and weekend benders to air rescue work, and a growing list of endurance adventures; Matt’s story is a blueprint for rebuilding a life around endurance and purpose.

We unpack how he cracked into rescue aviation by cold-messaging mentors on LinkedIn, tackled a fitness test he once thought impossible, and learned to swim from scratch as an adult. Matt shares the nuts and bolts of training through a harsh roster—day shifts as recovery, nights for volume, and two weeks off to stack big sessions—plus the mental habits that made those choices stick. If you’re navigating shift work training, adult swim relearning, or prepping for Ultraman distances, his playbook is practical and honest.

Matt also takes us 4,200 kms across Australia from Fremantle to Sydney on an unsupported bikepacking journey defined by mechanical chaos and grit. He rode through the Nullarbor with breaking spokes, limped into Ceduna to swap a rim, and woke to find his bike stolen—only to track it with an AirTag on his keys and get it back. Along the way, we break down roadhouse food realities, water carry strategies, and the small logistics that make or break an ultra-distance plan. And we revisit his first Ultraman finish, where pacers and crew helped him slip under the run cutoff by minutes, setting clear goals for a calmer, faster return to UM Australia in 2026.

If you’re a beginner eyeing your first triathlon, a FIFO worker balancing training with fatigue, or an endurance fan who loves a hard-earned comeback, this one’s for you. Follow Matt’s coaching at Lantern Endurance on socials, and keep an eye out for the website launch soon. Enjoy the conversation, then subscribe, rate, and share with a friend who needs a push to start their own first.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• UM Australia
• Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA)
• Ultra 355 Australia
• Cupcake Cartel
• Indipac

Shout outs and mentions in this episode:

• Casey Neistat
• Jeff Morris (S7E11)
• Andrew Trout
• John Domandl (S7E7)
• Tony Horton
• Nikki Fox
• Michael Wakeman
• Belinda Sansom
• Kim Jenkins
• Janita Ray
• Troy Ridgley
• Michelle Barratt
• Nick Mallett (S2E12)
• Carl Gillies
• Kate Bevilaqua

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 a text

A world record in 225 hours. Stitches on a gym floor. A typhoon, a temple, and a white bucket that might save your race. I sat down with IUTA Hall of Famer, Shanda Hill, to unpack the mindset, methods, and meaning behind one of the most audacious ultra tri careers ever—and the moment she chose health over history.

Shanda breaks down the true shape of a DECA continuous: 10x Iron distance where the clock never stops and every decision is magnified. She shares the practical systems that carried her—soup-based fueling that works in cold pools, a hydration check using a white bowl to protect kidney function, and a sleep strategy tied to safety and weather rather than ego. We talk oxygen therapy, cold-water immersion, and why time management can beat raw speed across 38 km of swimming, 1,800 km of cycling, and 422 km of running.

The stories are wild and human: riding through a South African deluge, resetting in Brazil to chase a record, crashing in France and getting field-stitched by a fellow racer, and learning the hard way in Poland how one pedal choice can sabotage your stabilizers. Along the way, Shanda spotlights the ultra community—race directors who make impossible events happen, rivals who lift the bar, and athletes finishing doubles and decas with broken bones and unbroken resolve.

If you’re training for Ultraman, DECA, or your own endurance goal, you’ll leave with clear, actionable insights on fueling, electrolytes, recovery, and the mental game that keeps you moving loop after loop.

Contact Shanda at : https://www.shandahillultra.com/

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• IUTA Hall of Fame
• Taiwan Ultra Deca
• Bretzel Ultra Triathlon (Colmar, France)
• Desenzano del Garda (Triple Deca)
• IUTA World Cup
• Ultra Tri South Africa (Deca)
• Ultra 520K Canada
• Brazil Ultra Tri (Deca)
• Double Ultra Triathlon Emsdetten
• Poland Ultra Triathlon (Deca)
• Triathlon Triple Lensahn
• Double Deca Mexico
• Switzerland Double Deca
• Virginia Triple Anvil
• UB515

Shout outs and mentions in this episode:

• Jacs Spence
• Starting Block
• Rancho Vignola
• Eve-volve Wellness
• Reatha Rousseau
• Steve Brown
• Blaine Ponte
• Leah Goldstein
• Sergio Cordeiro
• World record holder deca
• Deca Dave Clamp
• Jorge Rodriguez
• Mark hohe dorst
• Brad Kelley
• Gustavo Vieira
• Lia Sterciuc
• Harriet Clamp
• Marius Butuc (S8E1)
• Anelia Butuc
• Ming Ye
• Ronny Rossler
• Norbert Luffenberger
• Tyrese Hill
• Micheal Ward
• Beto Villa
• Wayne Kurtz
• Laurent Quignette
• Heidi Lindemann
• Jade Medders
• Paul Bedard
• Daniel Oliveira
• Tomasz Lus

If this conversation fired you up, follow the show and share it with a friend who loves big goals.

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