March 26, 2024 • 32 mins
Brandon Gibson
We were moved by Brandon's story in episode 53, where he shared his unique challenge of competing in a 70.3 Ironman distance despite missing most of his intestines. We are honored to have him join our "A Triathlete's Journey" series, where he aims to complete three 70.3 Ironman races in 2024. His approach and mindset of leaning into challenges are truly inspiring, and we can't wait to see him succeed.
"A Triathlete's Journey" series showcases the community, setbacks, and ultimate successes of triathlon life through Brandon's and others' experiences during their training and races.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Narrator (00:10):
Welcome to the athletes in motion podcast from
race to recovery. With yourhosts, Tom Regal, and Kenny
Bailey.
Tom Regal (00:19):
Hey, Kenny, how you doing?
Kenny Bailey
(00:31):
I am fantastic, Tom, how are you?
Tom Regal (00:33):
I'm fantastic as well. We're continuing on with
the triathletes journey series.
And we're, we're very excited tohave Brandon Gibson back on. So
Brandon was with us last yearnot as part of the triathletes
journey, but as a guest, and wegot to hear his story. I think
it was episode. I think it was53. Back in September of last
(00:53):
year, he just completed 70.3. Ihighly suggest you go back and
listen to it again. It was agreat conversation. I've checked
it out again couple times sincethen. So it's been great. So
Brandon, welcome. Welcome backto the show. And welcome to
being part of the triathletesjourney. So we're gonna follow
you this year. So let's, let'srewind back just a little bit,
(01:17):
give us the 10 second version ofwhat are you dealing with? And
then what races we're going tostep up and follow you this year
to go through?
Brandon Gibson (01:30):
So since that conversion is I started back
training, I guess, reallyNovember, and then I got sick.
And then I got sick again. And Igot sick again. So I had three
I've had three hospitalizationssince November. Um, so okay,
it's November. Yeah. And it'snot really been anything that I
(01:53):
have suit the disease heart thatwe talked about. And in the
original podcast, it's been moreof you know, I have a two year
old at home because of daycare,an eight year old that goes to
school, and she brought homesome very nasty stuff. I've had
both flus A and B. And I'm justgetting over B from three weeks
ago. So but yeah, I got, I gotput in hospital a few times made
(02:18):
mainly dehydration. And that'swhat happens. So and so I've,
I'm not where I want to be. Andcould because I am the three big
races I'm doing this year asChattanooga, just met in May.
And I'm doing Louisville andthen North Carolina in the fall.
(02:39):
And so three
Tom Regal (02:41):
big 70.3 Yep, yep.
And for those who haven'tlistened to our podcast from
before, shame on you. So Brandondoesn't have a colon, like
Brandon's missing some parts.
And that's the biggest challengethat we're facing. And like I
said, go back and listen to theconversation because it's, it's,
(03:02):
there's, we would have a wholeshow again talking about it. But
that's the challenge that thatBrandon is facing nutritionally.
And certainly when you get theflu and things like that, you
get hit a lot harder. You talkedabout the dehydration, because
we talked about the sodiumsodium intake is tough for you.
So that's quick for you to getdehydrated. And of course,
(03:24):
that's a challenge in racing aswell.
Brandon Gibson (03:26):
So yeah, with with missing choline, which we
you know, we talked about it.
Especially my immune system,when I get hit, I get hit hard.
The coal if I get a cold, it'syou get the full on I get a
foreign you don't get the mildwell, maybe I'll get the mild
version of it like right yourbody's like Screw this a more
than likely if I get the flu.
(03:48):
And well actually I had theNorovirus in November is when
it's the first one which isintestinal just wrecked thing.
And, and that was that was thefirst real bad one. And it took
me about a month to get over. Ikept I kept getting better and
then I would get worse and thengo back in and get more fluids
and more IV stuff and get outand then then I finally you
(04:13):
know, come down. But yeah, if Iget either if I get one of those
big ones. It puts me down. Imean, there's just there's no
easy way out of me just restingat home. It's almost an
impossibility for
Kenny Bailey
(04:27):
me to get out of it. So yeah, yeah. So how you
so it's March now how youfeeling now?
Brandon Gibson (04:33):
So I guess was the end of February is when I
tested positive for influenza Bwhich was mostly head head cold
type thing. That one I did notgo to the hospital for so it
because it didn't really hit itin intestines. I didn't have an
appetite. But I just went tocamp with with my coach Sarah to
Tom Regal (04:57):
ask you about that.
Yeah. Put on a great camp. Evenin
Brandon Gibson (05:01):
Tucson, yep. And I, when I first got out there, I
hadn't done anything in twoweeks. And I felt like terrible.
And yeah, in the first day, Ithink I ran a quarter mile and I
couldn't I just couldn'tbreathe. I was coughing and
coughing and coughing and I wasjust saying I was in bad shape
and I and you know, that's whenit starts contemplating in my
(05:22):
brain. Is Chattanooga actuallygoing to happen like in my in my
going to be able to do thisbecause I'm in a very bad state
right now. We're only 10 weeksout now from Chattanooga. And
I'm so I feel like I was so farbehind. And in and then we did a
short like they they went anddid a much longer ride. I cut my
(05:44):
ride short that afternoon. Icould only do so much. I was
just I was strained. And andeventually, by the time that the
end of the week, I started doingthe swim, I almost made the
entire distance that we weresupposed to do and then and then
I climbed Mount Lemmon, I didoutstanding got 3000 feet of
(06:08):
climbing So, which was awesome,by the way, that is one of the
coolest climbs. One of thecoolest views I've ever seen,
although climbing for two and ahalf hours. Sucks,
Tom Regal (06:21):
like 30 minutes to get back down. Yeah. But
Brandon Gibson (06:26):
it was it was an awesome experience. And I feel
really really good. Like Iactually did a ramp FTP test
this morning. And and knocked itout of the water. Like I felt
great guys. I wrote a coupledays ago, I felt phenomenal.
Didn't get didn't even get outof zone one. Like and I was and
I so that towards the end of thecamp, I started getting more
(06:50):
confidence. Like okay, I'm gonnabounce back. And you know, Sarah
kept reiterating that. Look, Ihave two years of training on
her. Even though I got sick, thebouncing back is going to happen
quicker. It's not like I'm justgetting off the couch and
getting sick and still gettingoff the couch and trying to
start off like I'm not reallystarting from scratch, even
(07:10):
though it feels like it when youget back into it. Like it feels
like, Man, I haven't done this along time. Like I am way out of
shape. But it seems like itbounces back pretty quickly.
Yeah. So good
Tom Regal (07:22):
base, you've set your base, Sarah's a good coach, and
she set you up with a reallysolid base. You have success at
Chattanooga. 70.3. So I mean,that's, that's, that means a
lot. Right? Your body sort ofremembers that you're, you know,
bounced back on
Brandon Gibson (07:38):
this. Yeah. And I think I think confidence wise,
knowing the course. And, youknow, knowing what I what I did
last year, knowing what I feellike now. I think I'm setting
myself up to do better than lastyear, even though I you know,
these little setbacks, I reallythink I'm going to be in a
(07:59):
better shape. I've learned alot. I mean, I've learned a ton
about nutrition. I've changedsome things like I was using
like a you can type thing forelectrolytes. At camp, I
switched to an element, whichhas like 2000 milligrams of
sodium in it. And it is like,perfect. And because I started
cramping during the swim, Ichunked about a quarter bottle
(08:22):
of that. And do it was done theCraneway which is which is I
could feel the energy comingback with it. So now that was
part of camp, I wanted to testthings I wanted to test some new
nutrition items. And I think Ithink I found I think I found
found the lay good
Tom Regal (08:41):
because that's what camps are for me. And that's
what is to be able to focus onyour training without the other
daily distractions that you haveto focus on that to be able to
mess around with differentproducts, different nutrition,
different shoes, whatever thisthat's, that's the time. That's
the time to do it. So what elsecoming up in your training for
(09:02):
this year? What adjustments didyou make based on last year?
Brandon Gibson (09:08):
So the the big thing that I haven't hit this
show is longer bricks going intodoing that's gonna I think come
in the early early April, veryinto March. And right before you
know, a taper taper off won'thappen till May because may 19.
Thing is the race will taperdoesn't happen till what a week
out. Seven days out some week,two weeks, depending Yeah. So
(09:31):
the big thing is, we talkedabout this is that my books are
going to be much longer. Ididn't do long bricks last year,
I would do a 30 minute, youknow, a 3030 mile ride with a
two to four mile run. Well, thisyear I'm wanting to do the 50
mile ride with a 10 mile runlike I want to get closer to
(09:52):
those distance markers. So Iknow where my body's at in that
brick stat, you know that bigstate?
Kenny Bailey
(10:03):
Because I was competence to. Right. Right. So
you know, you can do it.
Brandon Gibson (10:07):
Yeah, that's I think, and I think that's the
majority of it's not so muchthat I need it for the stamina
portion of it, which obviouslythat's part of it. But I think
the confidence part of it is themajority of it, like knowing
that I Oh, I did 50 miles, andthen I've already ran 10 miles,
I can make it then blast six andthree, right, like, I can do
(10:29):
this. Yeah. And it's knowledge,I think is so powerful in this
and in this game, like in, intries, especially knowing
courses. Like when we did apreview last year before
Chattanooga, knowing that cordand that bike course before
going to so much, so much,because you know exactly what's
(10:53):
coming up. Yeah, which level isgoing to be different. I'm not
going to have that knowledgegoing into Louisville, I'm not
going to have that knowledgegoing into North Carolina. So
I'm going to be a little bitmore nervous about those.
Although I am going to try to goto one of the local races. Okay,
I can't think there's aLouisville magic brace. I think
(11:14):
largely on part of the course, Ithink some of it is I plan on
going to that. So that will helpme a little bit. But you know,
it's not the pool.
Tom Regal (11:23):
Louisville is close enough to us anyway, right? That
you could probably scoot outthere for a weekend, if, you
know, you could fit that in,like even if you just drove the
course, with take the family, goup for a weekend. You know, pop
up there drive the course, stayovernight,
Brandon Gibson (11:40):
and just see it and just know where the hills
are where what Yeah, I mean, youknow, knowledge is so much power
in this like I can't, like theconfidence I got last year from
that was was great. So yeah,yeah.
Kenny Bailey
(11:54):
How many days in advance? Do you try to get
there and recon? Those courses?
Brandon Gibson (11:59):
races are what are usually on Sunday. So I with
work and everything I can onlyget there Friday, like Fridays
and basically so Saturdaymorning, I think last year,
Saturday morning, even though Irode the course, we went ahead
and went and drove the courseagain. Yeah, that's a huge deal.
We just kind of refreshed thecourse on my brain. We walked
part of the run course, just toremember where the hills were.
(12:22):
How long the hill actually isout of transition and shattered.
Yeah,
Tom Regal (12:26):
yeah. People forget that one coming out under the
bridge. And you're just like,yeah, goes up. It's steep. Yeah,
Brandon Gibson (12:32):
it's at the very beginning. You get off the bike.
Yeah.
Tom Regal (12:37):
It's like, tiny downhill and then straight.
Yeah, it's just a
Brandon Gibson (12:41):
mile of climbing. So yeah, well,
Kenny Bailey
(12:44):
I think the broader thing to just for people
that are getting into thisstuff, right, is the idea that
when you show up, if you show upa couple of days, make sure you
understand the course not justnot only from a, you know, the
hills and all that sort ofstuff, but there may be some
tricky corners. There may besome potholes, there may be, you
know, knowing that hey, that's apretty in Wisconsin, it's a
(13:05):
really fast ascent. And it'sright to the bottom of the
hills, a tee. And you have totake a sharp left, right. So
just knowing those things andrecommending those things to
folks just to say, hey, justtake the time to understand kind
of what you're getting intobecause you'd be like, hey, mile
32 There's a giant potholegarbage Nast. And you know, make
(13:26):
sure we remember that. Right.
Brandon Gibson (13:27):
And that was big with Chattanooga, because the on
the on the right hand shoulder,there's just like this divot
where they were like, there wasa pothole and then I truck came
through and just pushed all theblack. And it was just these
divots, and it was right off ofone of the big downhill descent
after the climb at like mile 32or whatever. Yeah. And, and I
(13:50):
told all my friends, like, justbe, don't be on that shoulder
because you're going downhilland you're going around corners.
And if you're not, yeah, you'reyou're going to end up that way.
Yeah.
Kenny Bailey
(14:06):
So what made you decide to do three of them
this year? What was you know,you felt like two wasn't enough
force too many? Why? 301?
Brandon Gibson (14:16):
I did the one obviously, I wanted to go back
to Chattanooga. Actually, Ididn't, I wanted to go to I
wanted to do an ocean swim. AndI wanted to do I guess it's Gulf
Gulf Coast, right? Like I wantedto go down and do do that one.
But unfortunately, the timing isFirst Communion for my daughter,
so it can't really you know,that it's I think it's the
weekend before Chattanooga, andI can't so I can't do that. So I
(14:39):
decided to go back toChattanooga, and plus, it's a
good you know, as a baseline ofseven my 70.3 like what I did
last year comparable to what Ido a year later. I kind of like
that I kind of like going backto a race and just seeing my
progression is a pretty gooddefiner of where I'm at and then
(15:00):
To be honest, I don't know whypick the other two. Somebody
brought. Yeah, somebody broughtup North Carolina. Louisville
was not even a thought. Like, Iknew I was going to probably do
Chattanooga or Gulf Coast. Oncethe time once we got the dates,
I knew I was signed up forChattanooga, North Carolina was
brought up to me about oh,wouldn't it be cool to do North
(15:22):
Carolina? I think it'd bebeautiful about North Carolina.
And I was like, yeah, so Istarted looking into it. And
then it's a it's an ocean swim,which is it's an inland but it's
an ocean swim. And that gives meIOC, saltwater, at least right?
I get to try that. And then it'salso a different one, because
it's got to transition. Likeit's not one, it's right.
(15:42):
Transition places. There's twotransitions on North Carolina.
And I thought, well, you know,that'd be a good learning
experience on just the differenttype of race. And plus, it's,
you know, it's probably isbeautiful. And, and then that's
where, so I decided to NorthCarolina, and then I think they
(16:04):
announced Louisville did a finalone. Yeah, it's it's, they're
bringing it back. And I havefriends that are in southern
Indiana, and they're part of thesouthern Indiana tri team, and
they're going and it just kindof like and then the bunch of
heat, Hendersonville endurancegroup. There's, I think 11 that
(16:26):
are going to it. So it's justlike, oh, man, I might as well
just go now to so that's kind ofwhere I brought three and, and
going forward, you know, I don'tknow if 70 Point threes are my
distance, right? It's stilllearning. Like it's still it
with this nutrition and stuff.
It's still a learning learningexperience. And I don't know if
(16:47):
I'll be burnt out by the timethe end of the year comes or
not. You know, that's a longtime training.
Tom Regal (16:55):
Oh, yeah.
Brandon Gibson (16:56):
If constant training for spread out over I
mean, it's gonna be a full yearwhen it's all said and done.
It's gonna be one full year ofjust training for Stoney point
threes. Yeah. So who knows whatnext year brings him I bring the
Sprint's? Yeah, the energy?
Yeah, they're
Tom Regal (17:17):
like, well,
Kenny Bailey
(17:18):
the cool thing is, you know, when you talk
most, and I'm probably in thatbucket as well, like, sometimes
you're looking at like, I thinkLouisville is, you know, it's a
downriver swim. And the courseis okay, it's rolling. What's
cool, is what you're doing isyou're not approaching it as in
when to avoid you're approachingas what to approach approach
approach, meaning, hey, Ihaven't done ocean water. You
(17:42):
know, I haven't tastedsaltwater. Let's go try that
this may be a hilly course, Idon't care. Let's go try that.
So you're embracing that idea ofit being challenging in
different sorts of ways. Whichis really kind of neat, because
I think a lot of us are like,What can I find? It's, you know,
rolling hills, not too hard toclimb that kind of thing.
Because you're so worried abouteverything else about nutrition
(18:04):
about, you know, that kind ofthing. So that's Yeah, I know,
you're like, now I'm just gonnago try it. See what it's like.
Yeah.
Brandon Gibson (18:09):
And it's a really doesn't have anything to
do with what's the courses? Imean, the core set hilly, it
didn't, it wouldn't matter tome, right? Because I have too
many other things. Like yousaid.
Kenny Bailey
(18:20):
Well, that's the irony of the whole thing.
It's like, Yeah, some peoplelike I want the course to be as
simple as possible, because Ihave too many things to worry
about. You're like, I don'treally care, because I'm gonna
be worried about the other thinganyway. So yeah, not only how
much does he affect you? So ifyou're dealing with a humanoid,
because we're getting you'resmack dab in?
Brandon Gibson (18:36):
Yeah, Louisville is going to be hot. I mean, it's
human. It's
Tom Regal (18:40):
when it's Louisville.
What's the what's the date onthat? Do you remember is that
July, July?
Unknown (18:44):
Or August? It's one of those
Tom Regal (18:48):
months doesn't matter which one? It
Brandon Gibson (18:50):
is? Yeah, I can't remember exactly what it
is. I can't remember it's a weekafter River Bluff. So whenever
wherever Bluff is
Tom Regal (18:58):
falling weekend, yeah, so second week in August.
Ooh, yeah, there. Yes. So it's
Brandon Gibson (19:02):
gonna be it's gonna be warm. He, obviously you
sweat more when you Yeah. Youknow, even in even the humidity,
you sweat more, but I think Idon't. So when I first started
running a few years ago, when Igot back into you know, COVID i
sokoke was like when I startedrunning. When I started running,
(19:23):
I didn't run in the morning, Iran two o'clock in the
afternoon, and during thesummer, and like in the spring,
so I would always run in theheat. And it didn't really
bother me. As I get acclimatedit's, it doesn't have I think we
have so much humidity here thatthe heat, it just it naturally
(19:43):
progressed like anybody elsewould I just have to obviously
pay attention to my salt intake.
And my, my, my electrolytes, Imean, it's just like anybody
else would I just maybe have tomonitor it a little closer.
Yeah. I have to I have topinpoint and but as far as
dealing with the heat, like itdoesn't bother me, I've, I've,
(20:09):
I've actually I actually wouldrather be in the heat than in
the cold. That's just that'sjust the way. So the way I'm
looking at this is like, thethree races right? The last race
is in October, in NorthCarolina. So it should be
cooler. And that's the one Iwant to I want to that's my
(20:30):
goal, like, my goal is NorthCarolina, okay, to PR a 70.3.
And like, I want to crush it,like that's where that's kind of
my stepping, you know, mystepping tools. So that
Kenny Bailey
(20:44):
erases or you're
Tom Regal (20:46):
a race or three North Carolina. So you'll be she'll be
building your plan your coach orbuild your plan right up so that
you're, you're really gonna befocused on North Carolina.
Brandon Gibson (20:56):
Yep. And in Chattanooga is basically almost
like a training raceessentially,
Kenny Bailey
(21:01):
kind of sounds like it because like you're
doing an A B test is what you'redoing, right? Yep. Yep.
Brandon Gibson (21:05):
And that's, and I'll be training through the
heat, and then racing in theheat. And then it should cool
down and I still have that like,I have a big believer you train
a lot in the heat and then allof a sudden, it cools down you
everything, everything yournumber, everything's better.
Yeah, everything's better. Soyeah, that's the plan. And I you
(21:25):
know, and I kind of went in withthat plan especially, even
though Louisville wasn't inthere. With the Chattanooga in
the North Carolina like that wasmy plan to North Carolina be my
a race and train up for itgetting get to it. So. Yeah,
Tom Regal (21:40):
so you're still working with that nutritionist?
Where was that? It was in likeNew Zealand. New Zealand.
Brandon Gibson (21:46):
He's in New Zealand. I know. I kind of I've
kind of backed off of it justokay. Fun funding. Totally.
Yeah, no, totally. I mean, IronMan's are not cheap.
Kenny Bailey
(22:00):
You think an expensive sport. So yeah.
Brandon Gibson (22:01):
And you know, and I ended up getting a new
bike and you know, just it'sjust kind of trying to figure
out, you know,
Kenny Bailey
(22:10):
all it sounds like you have a pretty good
handle on it. I mean, you know,you're you're at a space where
you helped me
Brandon Gibson (22:16):
a ton he Yeah, he got me to where what I truly
need to focus on. Like, what Ineed to look at, and, and help
me and I, and I'm doing reallywell with it. I have yet. I did
do. I did a couple trail runs. Ithink I can't remember if I did.
(22:42):
I can't remember Bell Ringer wasbefore or after we talked. I
think I might have after thingsafter the bell ringers after I
learned some stuff there.
Because I did the 25k and got toyou know, the 15k mark, I was
good. Got to like the 19k mark,and I wasn't good. Me correctly.
And I started to BahnCard Yeah.
(23:07):
And and then I went out and didthe black toe 12 hour solo trail
run in February. And yeah, inFebruary, and I did too. I did
10 miles. And in I thought I ateright. But got I didn't. So it
those are the things like I haveto fail on this nutrition stuff
(23:30):
to figure it out. Right. Like Ilike I thought I had it right.
But, you know, some of thosethings are and I do those things
also want to help try to figureout the nutrition because
they're really long, right? 25k's a lot. It's a long run. And
very, very hilly. Obviously.
Black toe is the same way. It isbrutal technical.
Kenny Bailey
(23:53):
Well, they name it black toe. So I mean
Tom Regal (23:55):
there's a reason you did really good weather for
black toe though. You could havegotten the
Brandon Gibson (24:02):
last two years have been incredible, which is
yeah, maybe I could just keepgoing and we'll just stay good
for everybody. But they Yeah,but they also the confidence
builder. Those long races thoselong like I mean they're Ultra
is but not really running anultra ultra distance but the the
(24:23):
confidence of just pushing mymental through the pain through
the through the exhaustionthrough you know, the nutrition
part portion of it makes sets meup for the Sunday curious
Tom Regal (24:35):
and we've talked about this in the past about
like you're doing just trainingand having these long training
days and getting through all ofthat stuff is one thing and it's
really good to do with throwingin these ACOEM see races like
that are in there that youactually get the experience of
the race day there's a differentlevel of anxiety, of of
(24:55):
excitement of other stuff thatyou can't tie to a training day
Now you're gonna make this seerace a training day, and you get
used to that vibe is a bigenergy that comes off of it,
like you show up at these thingsand like, Okay, gotta go through
your race check, you got to doall this stuff. And it's great
to have these see races, even ifyou don't finish them, right,
(25:15):
even if you will, I will call itfail at them. If you just get in
there and just kind of do it.
I've had a race that I wanted toget the experience on it, I was
having a leg issue I wasn'tsupposed to run. So I did the
first two thirds of a race. AndI DNF the only two times I've
DNF do it, this is the firsttime I ever DNF and it was
planned, worked with my coachand said, Okay, I'm going to get
(25:37):
the swim done. So I can work ontransition to get on the bike,
I'm going to do this on thebike. And then I'm going to go
out one mile on the run, and I'mgoing to turn around through,
turn my chip in and walk off thecourse. Because we need to get
that we need to get thatprogress. We can work on that we
can't work on the run. But let'swork on the progression getting
to that point, it's the bestthing that you can do. Because
you get the whole vibe, you getthe whole feel of everything.
(25:59):
You're doing it right.
Brandon Gibson (26:02):
The two biggest things I think coming out of
that is one starting the race,right? Because you're you're
anxious, you have you have thebutterflies you have in your you
just want to go right, you justwant to go, but you have to reel
yourself back in because youhave a long race. Yeah. So
teaching, I think that's a veryteachable part in those sea
races is learning how to holdyourself accountable for your
(26:25):
pace that you need to make itthrough the race at the
beginning. And then the otherone is that brain fog coming out
of the water going intotransition, like where's my
bike, you know, you know thatrush that you get to come in
just getting into transition andtrying to figure out what you
need to do. And I, you know,experiences everything, the more
(26:47):
you do that the more you getcomfortable doing it, and I'll
see ya and
Kenny Bailey
(26:51):
the weird, the weird part that you don't fully
think about too, is that you'regetting up at 430 in the
morning, you're you're you'refrom a nutrition standpoint, and
getting ready for a race,especially if you're driving to
a race, right? So whereas if I'mdoing a training, right, I know
I can, you know, I'm gonnacontrol about an hour and a half
before I get out there going toeat you know, oatmeal or
whatever get to you know, yougot it locked in this one, you
(27:13):
know, you're getting up threehours earlier than you normally
do or two hours, you're, youknow, you try to that whole pre
race prep, you know, and how doI get energy? And how do I you
know, do I take a scoop wafflebefore I get into the water
because the last time I ate wastwo and a half hours ago. So
it's it's, uh, that part justalone. So you're, you're hitting
(27:33):
the water, at least, you know,up to a level you need to be
especially for you. That's gonnabe it's gonna be important. So
it's great to do that. We'reexcited to watch this thing
because it's, I love you know,I'm getting a lot of inspiration
just from your energy of leaningin just, yeah, we got to try it
and we try it until it Okay,that didn't work. Okay, check
that off. Right. Okay, well,that didn't work. check that
(27:55):
off. But just leaning into itand going Yeah, well, we're
gonna we're gonna, you know,figuratively literally dive into
these things and see whathappens and then take notes and
keep going forward. So if I ever
Brandon Gibson (28:06):
want to do the big dance, I have to take i i
gotta do my homework. Gotta do alot of homework beforehand. Oh,
yeah. Yeah, yes. Doubling thesedistances is not
Kenny Bailey
(28:16):
trivial. Yeah.
Tom Regal (28:17):
Yeah. It's not double the effort on your body. It's
it's like, you know,exponentially more difficult
than just doubling the distance,the distance is easy part,
right? Correct. Already, howyour body reacts. That's where
people kind of miss that.
They're like, well, let's justdouble if I did this in five
hours, and I'm 10 hours. Okay?
11, right. You're just like, nowyour body breaks down at a
(28:37):
higher rate. The further you getaway from the start, and contact
Kenny Bailey
(28:42):
points at mile 50 on your pedal. You don't get
a hotspot until mile 80. You'relike, crap, where did that come
from? Because that didn't comefrom on the 56. But now it's 85
miles. I still have 15 Miles myfoots on fire. But yeah, yeah,
Brandon Gibson (28:54):
yeah. Hey, that's, yeah. And I think more
than like, the trail runs, I'velearned that, you know, with
that 25k. And when I hit 15k,I'm great. Like, I can just keep
going. I felt like I just did,baby. Yeah. And then two and a
half three miles into it. I waslike, I can't make it. I don't
think I don't think I'm gonnamake it. Because a lot can
(29:15):
happen in a very short distance.
And then yeah, so yeah, The
Tom Regal (29:20):
show runs teach you so much about yourself because
you're riding the peak, and thenyou're at the bottom of the
valley, and then you're back onthe peak and then you're down to
the bottom, back to the back andyou're just like, you're just
like, I'm gonna get throughthis, I will get through this,
you it. You become a totallydifferent person. By the end of
those things. It's just amazing.
So, so we're, David, we aresuper excited. Thank you for
(29:42):
agreeing to come on and shareall of this with us because
we're, I mean, we just aftertalking to you last year, I was
like, You know what, you'redoing more of these things. I
think you're a guy we want tofollow because, like all of this
is a bat to show people that youcan hit roadblocks and how you
keep moving past them like Kennythat your attitude is great
about leaning in. And doing allof that. I think that that vibe
(30:03):
works for everybody who's goingto run across things that are a
lot less important than yours.
And, and still be able to findways to work through them and
get there. And you know how thisprogresses throughout the year
with the ups and downs. So thankyou so much for coming on. With
us, so this is gonna befantastic.
Brandon Gibson (30:25):
Thank you guys for having me. I'm excited. I'm
excited to share this journey.
Because it's, it's it's ajourney.
Tom Regal (30:33):
It's a big journey.
Brandon Gibson (30:35):
Life is all about how you deal with the
failures and the roadblocks.
Right. So this is just anotherway.
Tom Regal (30:43):
It's, it's it. So everyone Thanks for Thanks for
checking in. Make sure yousubscribe. I forgot to say that
at the beginning. But yeah,subscribe. Tell your friends,
share all this. Give us somecomments, thumbs up five stars,
all that great stuff that helpsthe algorithms that helps this
get out to a wider and wideraudience. We're International.
(31:03):
We've got a few. I know we get alittle look at us out in
Germany, and we've got a fewothers that are listening. And
we always appreciate everyone'scomments and thoughts. coming
through, give us questions. Sendus comments. That is things that
you want to know what Brandon'sup against, for sure. And we'll
follow up and get through thisas we get through the whole
process. So we're lookingforward to catching up with you
(31:25):
throughout this year. Brandonsays be fantastic. So awesome.
Kenny. Thanks so much as always,everyone will. We'll catch you
on the next episode.
Welcome to the athletes in motion podcast from
race to recovery. With yourhosts, Tom Regal, and Kenny
Bailey.
Tom Regal (00:19):
Hey, Kenny, how you doing?
Kenny Bailey
(00:31):
I am fantastic, Tom, how are you?
Tom Regal (00:33):
I'm fantastic as well. We're continuing on with
the triathletes journey series.
And we're, we're very excited tohave Brandon Gibson back on. So
Brandon was with us last yearnot as part of the triathletes
journey, but as a guest, and wegot to hear his story. I think
it was episode. I think it was53. Back in September of last
(00:53):
year, he just completed 70.3. Ihighly suggest you go back and
listen to it again. It was agreat conversation. I've checked
it out again couple times sincethen. So it's been great. So
Brandon, welcome. Welcome backto the show. And welcome to
being part of the triathletesjourney. So we're gonna follow
you this year. So let's, let'srewind back just a little bit,
(01:17):
give us the 10 second version ofwhat are you dealing with? And
then what races we're going tostep up and follow you this year
to go through?
Brandon Gibson (01:30):
So since that conversion is I started back
training, I guess, reallyNovember, and then I got sick.
And then I got sick again. And Igot sick again. So I had three
I've had three hospitalizationssince November. Um, so okay,
it's November. Yeah. And it'snot really been anything that I
(01:53):
have suit the disease heart thatwe talked about. And in the
original podcast, it's been moreof you know, I have a two year
old at home because of daycare,an eight year old that goes to
school, and she brought homesome very nasty stuff. I've had
both flus A and B. And I'm justgetting over B from three weeks
ago. So but yeah, I got, I gotput in hospital a few times made
(02:18):
mainly dehydration. And that'swhat happens. So and so I've,
I'm not where I want to be. Andcould because I am the three big
races I'm doing this year asChattanooga, just met in May.
And I'm doing Louisville andthen North Carolina in the fall.
(02:39):
And so three
Tom Regal (02:41):
big 70.3 Yep, yep.
And for those who haven'tlistened to our podcast from
before, shame on you. So Brandondoesn't have a colon, like
Brandon's missing some parts.
And that's the biggest challengethat we're facing. And like I
said, go back and listen to theconversation because it's, it's,
(03:02):
there's, we would have a wholeshow again talking about it. But
that's the challenge that thatBrandon is facing nutritionally.
And certainly when you get theflu and things like that, you
get hit a lot harder. You talkedabout the dehydration, because
we talked about the sodiumsodium intake is tough for you.
So that's quick for you to getdehydrated. And of course,
(03:24):
that's a challenge in racing aswell.
Brandon Gibson (03:26):
So yeah, with with missing choline, which we
you know, we talked about it.
Especially my immune system,when I get hit, I get hit hard.
The coal if I get a cold, it'syou get the full on I get a
foreign you don't get the mildwell, maybe I'll get the mild
version of it like right yourbody's like Screw this a more
than likely if I get the flu.
(03:48):
And well actually I had theNorovirus in November is when
it's the first one which isintestinal just wrecked thing.
And, and that was that was thefirst real bad one. And it took
me about a month to get over. Ikept I kept getting better and
then I would get worse and thengo back in and get more fluids
and more IV stuff and get outand then then I finally you
(04:13):
know, come down. But yeah, if Iget either if I get one of those
big ones. It puts me down. Imean, there's just there's no
easy way out of me just restingat home. It's almost an
impossibility for
Kenny Bailey
(04:27):
me to get out of it. So yeah, yeah. So how you
so it's March now how youfeeling now?
Brandon Gibson (04:33):
So I guess was the end of February is when I
tested positive for influenza Bwhich was mostly head head cold
type thing. That one I did notgo to the hospital for so it
because it didn't really hit itin intestines. I didn't have an
appetite. But I just went tocamp with with my coach Sarah to
Tom Regal (04:57):
ask you about that.
Yeah. Put on a great camp. Evenin
Brandon Gibson (05:01):
Tucson, yep. And I, when I first got out there, I
hadn't done anything in twoweeks. And I felt like terrible.
And yeah, in the first day, Ithink I ran a quarter mile and I
couldn't I just couldn'tbreathe. I was coughing and
coughing and coughing and I wasjust saying I was in bad shape
and I and you know, that's whenit starts contemplating in my
(05:22):
brain. Is Chattanooga actuallygoing to happen like in my in my
going to be able to do thisbecause I'm in a very bad state
right now. We're only 10 weeksout now from Chattanooga. And
I'm so I feel like I was so farbehind. And in and then we did a
short like they they went anddid a much longer ride. I cut my
(05:44):
ride short that afternoon. Icould only do so much. I was
just I was strained. And andeventually, by the time that the
end of the week, I started doingthe swim, I almost made the
entire distance that we weresupposed to do and then and then
I climbed Mount Lemmon, I didoutstanding got 3000 feet of
(06:08):
climbing So, which was awesome,by the way, that is one of the
coolest climbs. One of thecoolest views I've ever seen,
although climbing for two and ahalf hours. Sucks,
Tom Regal (06:21):
like 30 minutes to get back down. Yeah. But
Brandon Gibson (06:26):
it was it was an awesome experience. And I feel
really really good. Like Iactually did a ramp FTP test
this morning. And and knocked itout of the water. Like I felt
great guys. I wrote a coupledays ago, I felt phenomenal.
Didn't get didn't even get outof zone one. Like and I was and
I so that towards the end of thecamp, I started getting more
(06:50):
confidence. Like okay, I'm gonnabounce back. And you know, Sarah
kept reiterating that. Look, Ihave two years of training on
her. Even though I got sick, thebouncing back is going to happen
quicker. It's not like I'm justgetting off the couch and
getting sick and still gettingoff the couch and trying to
start off like I'm not reallystarting from scratch, even
(07:10):
though it feels like it when youget back into it. Like it feels
like, Man, I haven't done this along time. Like I am way out of
shape. But it seems like itbounces back pretty quickly.
Yeah. So good
Tom Regal (07:22):
base, you've set your base, Sarah's a good coach, and
she set you up with a reallysolid base. You have success at
Chattanooga. 70.3. So I mean,that's, that's, that means a
lot. Right? Your body sort ofremembers that you're, you know,
bounced back on
Brandon Gibson (07:38):
this. Yeah. And I think I think confidence wise,
knowing the course. And, youknow, knowing what I what I did
last year, knowing what I feellike now. I think I'm setting
myself up to do better than lastyear, even though I you know,
these little setbacks, I reallythink I'm going to be in a
(07:59):
better shape. I've learned alot. I mean, I've learned a ton
about nutrition. I've changedsome things like I was using
like a you can type thing forelectrolytes. At camp, I
switched to an element, whichhas like 2000 milligrams of
sodium in it. And it is like,perfect. And because I started
cramping during the swim, Ichunked about a quarter bottle
(08:22):
of that. And do it was done theCraneway which is which is I
could feel the energy comingback with it. So now that was
part of camp, I wanted to testthings I wanted to test some new
nutrition items. And I think Ithink I found I think I found
found the lay good
Tom Regal (08:41):
because that's what camps are for me. And that's
what is to be able to focus onyour training without the other
daily distractions that you haveto focus on that to be able to
mess around with differentproducts, different nutrition,
different shoes, whatever thisthat's, that's the time. That's
the time to do it. So what elsecoming up in your training for
(09:02):
this year? What adjustments didyou make based on last year?
Brandon Gibson (09:08):
So the the big thing that I haven't hit this
show is longer bricks going intodoing that's gonna I think come
in the early early April, veryinto March. And right before you
know, a taper taper off won'thappen till May because may 19.
Thing is the race will taperdoesn't happen till what a week
out. Seven days out some week,two weeks, depending Yeah. So
(09:31):
the big thing is, we talkedabout this is that my books are
going to be much longer. Ididn't do long bricks last year,
I would do a 30 minute, youknow, a 3030 mile ride with a
two to four mile run. Well, thisyear I'm wanting to do the 50
mile ride with a 10 mile runlike I want to get closer to
(09:52):
those distance markers. So Iknow where my body's at in that
brick stat, you know that bigstate?
Kenny Bailey
(10:03):
Because I was competence to. Right. Right. So
you know, you can do it.
Brandon Gibson (10:07):
Yeah, that's I think, and I think that's the
majority of it's not so muchthat I need it for the stamina
portion of it, which obviouslythat's part of it. But I think
the confidence part of it is themajority of it, like knowing
that I Oh, I did 50 miles, andthen I've already ran 10 miles,
I can make it then blast six andthree, right, like, I can do
(10:29):
this. Yeah. And it's knowledge,I think is so powerful in this
and in this game, like in, intries, especially knowing
courses. Like when we did apreview last year before
Chattanooga, knowing that cordand that bike course before
going to so much, so much,because you know exactly what's
(10:53):
coming up. Yeah, which level isgoing to be different. I'm not
going to have that knowledgegoing into Louisville, I'm not
going to have that knowledgegoing into North Carolina. So
I'm going to be a little bitmore nervous about those.
Although I am going to try to goto one of the local races. Okay,
I can't think there's aLouisville magic brace. I think
(11:14):
largely on part of the course, Ithink some of it is I plan on
going to that. So that will helpme a little bit. But you know,
it's not the pool.
Tom Regal (11:23):
Louisville is close enough to us anyway, right? That
you could probably scoot outthere for a weekend, if, you
know, you could fit that in,like even if you just drove the
course, with take the family, goup for a weekend. You know, pop
up there drive the course, stayovernight,
Brandon Gibson (11:40):
and just see it and just know where the hills
are where what Yeah, I mean, youknow, knowledge is so much power
in this like I can't, like theconfidence I got last year from
that was was great. So yeah,yeah.
Kenny Bailey
(11:54):
How many days in advance? Do you try to get
there and recon? Those courses?
Brandon Gibson (11:59):
races are what are usually on Sunday. So I with
work and everything I can onlyget there Friday, like Fridays
and basically so Saturdaymorning, I think last year,
Saturday morning, even though Irode the course, we went ahead
and went and drove the courseagain. Yeah, that's a huge deal.
We just kind of refreshed thecourse on my brain. We walked
part of the run course, just toremember where the hills were.
(12:22):
How long the hill actually isout of transition and shattered.
Yeah,
Tom Regal (12:26):
yeah. People forget that one coming out under the
bridge. And you're just like,yeah, goes up. It's steep. Yeah,
Brandon Gibson (12:32):
it's at the very beginning. You get off the bike.
Yeah.
Tom Regal (12:37):
It's like, tiny downhill and then straight.
Yeah, it's just a
Brandon Gibson (12:41):
mile of climbing. So yeah, well,
Kenny Bailey
(12:44):
I think the broader thing to just for people
that are getting into thisstuff, right, is the idea that
when you show up, if you show upa couple of days, make sure you
understand the course not justnot only from a, you know, the
hills and all that sort ofstuff, but there may be some
tricky corners. There may besome potholes, there may be, you
know, knowing that hey, that's apretty in Wisconsin, it's a
(13:05):
really fast ascent. And it'sright to the bottom of the
hills, a tee. And you have totake a sharp left, right. So
just knowing those things andrecommending those things to
folks just to say, hey, justtake the time to understand kind
of what you're getting intobecause you'd be like, hey, mile
32 There's a giant potholegarbage Nast. And you know, make
(13:26):
sure we remember that. Right.
Brandon Gibson (13:27):
And that was big with Chattanooga, because the on
the on the right hand shoulder,there's just like this divot
where they were like, there wasa pothole and then I truck came
through and just pushed all theblack. And it was just these
divots, and it was right off ofone of the big downhill descent
after the climb at like mile 32or whatever. Yeah. And, and I
(13:50):
told all my friends, like, justbe, don't be on that shoulder
because you're going downhilland you're going around corners.
And if you're not, yeah, you'reyou're going to end up that way.
Yeah.
Kenny Bailey
(14:06):
So what made you decide to do three of them
this year? What was you know,you felt like two wasn't enough
force too many? Why? 301?
Brandon Gibson (14:16):
I did the one obviously, I wanted to go back
to Chattanooga. Actually, Ididn't, I wanted to go to I
wanted to do an ocean swim. AndI wanted to do I guess it's Gulf
Gulf Coast, right? Like I wantedto go down and do do that one.
But unfortunately, the timing isFirst Communion for my daughter,
so it can't really you know,that it's I think it's the
weekend before Chattanooga, andI can't so I can't do that. So I
(14:39):
decided to go back toChattanooga, and plus, it's a
good you know, as a baseline ofseven my 70.3 like what I did
last year comparable to what Ido a year later. I kind of like
that I kind of like going backto a race and just seeing my
progression is a pretty gooddefiner of where I'm at and then
(15:00):
To be honest, I don't know whypick the other two. Somebody
brought. Yeah, somebody broughtup North Carolina. Louisville
was not even a thought. Like, Iknew I was going to probably do
Chattanooga or Gulf Coast. Oncethe time once we got the dates,
I knew I was signed up forChattanooga, North Carolina was
brought up to me about oh,wouldn't it be cool to do North
(15:22):
Carolina? I think it'd bebeautiful about North Carolina.
And I was like, yeah, so Istarted looking into it. And
then it's a it's an ocean swim,which is it's an inland but it's
an ocean swim. And that gives meIOC, saltwater, at least right?
I get to try that. And then it'salso a different one, because
it's got to transition. Likeit's not one, it's right.
(15:42):
Transition places. There's twotransitions on North Carolina.
And I thought, well, you know,that'd be a good learning
experience on just the differenttype of race. And plus, it's,
you know, it's probably isbeautiful. And, and then that's
where, so I decided to NorthCarolina, and then I think they
(16:04):
announced Louisville did a finalone. Yeah, it's it's, they're
bringing it back. And I havefriends that are in southern
Indiana, and they're part of thesouthern Indiana tri team, and
they're going and it just kindof like and then the bunch of
heat, Hendersonville endurancegroup. There's, I think 11 that
(16:26):
are going to it. So it's justlike, oh, man, I might as well
just go now to so that's kind ofwhere I brought three and, and
going forward, you know, I don'tknow if 70 Point threes are my
distance, right? It's stilllearning. Like it's still it
with this nutrition and stuff.
It's still a learning learningexperience. And I don't know if
(16:47):
I'll be burnt out by the timethe end of the year comes or
not. You know, that's a longtime training.
Tom Regal (16:55):
Oh, yeah.
Brandon Gibson (16:56):
If constant training for spread out over I
mean, it's gonna be a full yearwhen it's all said and done.
It's gonna be one full year ofjust training for Stoney point
threes. Yeah. So who knows whatnext year brings him I bring the
Sprint's? Yeah, the energy?
Yeah, they're
Tom Regal (17:17):
like, well,
Kenny Bailey
(17:18):
the cool thing is, you know, when you talk
most, and I'm probably in thatbucket as well, like, sometimes
you're looking at like, I thinkLouisville is, you know, it's a
downriver swim. And the courseis okay, it's rolling. What's
cool, is what you're doing isyou're not approaching it as in
when to avoid you're approachingas what to approach approach
approach, meaning, hey, Ihaven't done ocean water. You
(17:42):
know, I haven't tastedsaltwater. Let's go try that
this may be a hilly course, Idon't care. Let's go try that.
So you're embracing that idea ofit being challenging in
different sorts of ways. Whichis really kind of neat, because
I think a lot of us are like,What can I find? It's, you know,
rolling hills, not too hard toclimb that kind of thing.
Because you're so worried abouteverything else about nutrition
(18:04):
about, you know, that kind ofthing. So that's Yeah, I know,
you're like, now I'm just gonnago try it. See what it's like.
Yeah.
Brandon Gibson (18:09):
And it's a really doesn't have anything to
do with what's the courses? Imean, the core set hilly, it
didn't, it wouldn't matter tome, right? Because I have too
many other things. Like yousaid.
Kenny Bailey
(18:20):
Well, that's the irony of the whole thing.
It's like, Yeah, some peoplelike I want the course to be as
simple as possible, because Ihave too many things to worry
about. You're like, I don'treally care, because I'm gonna
be worried about the other thinganyway. So yeah, not only how
much does he affect you? So ifyou're dealing with a humanoid,
because we're getting you'resmack dab in?
Brandon Gibson (18:36):
Yeah, Louisville is going to be hot. I mean, it's
human. It's
Tom Regal (18:40):
when it's Louisville.
What's the what's the date onthat? Do you remember is that
July, July?
Unknown (18:44):
Or August? It's one of those
Tom Regal (18:48):
months doesn't matter which one? It
Brandon Gibson (18:50):
is? Yeah, I can't remember exactly what it
is. I can't remember it's a weekafter River Bluff. So whenever
wherever Bluff is
Tom Regal (18:58):
falling weekend, yeah, so second week in August.
Ooh, yeah, there. Yes. So it's
Brandon Gibson (19:02):
gonna be it's gonna be warm. He, obviously you
sweat more when you Yeah. Youknow, even in even the humidity,
you sweat more, but I think Idon't. So when I first started
running a few years ago, when Igot back into you know, COVID i
sokoke was like when I startedrunning. When I started running,
(19:23):
I didn't run in the morning, Iran two o'clock in the
afternoon, and during thesummer, and like in the spring,
so I would always run in theheat. And it didn't really
bother me. As I get acclimatedit's, it doesn't have I think we
have so much humidity here thatthe heat, it just it naturally
(19:43):
progressed like anybody elsewould I just have to obviously
pay attention to my salt intake.
And my, my, my electrolytes, Imean, it's just like anybody
else would I just maybe have tomonitor it a little closer.
Yeah. I have to I have topinpoint and but as far as
dealing with the heat, like itdoesn't bother me, I've, I've,
(20:09):
I've actually I actually wouldrather be in the heat than in
the cold. That's just that'sjust the way. So the way I'm
looking at this is like, thethree races right? The last race
is in October, in NorthCarolina. So it should be
cooler. And that's the one Iwant to I want to that's my
(20:30):
goal, like, my goal is NorthCarolina, okay, to PR a 70.3.
And like, I want to crush it,like that's where that's kind of
my stepping, you know, mystepping tools. So that
Kenny Bailey
(20:44):
erases or you're
Tom Regal (20:46):
a race or three North Carolina. So you'll be she'll be
building your plan your coach orbuild your plan right up so that
you're, you're really gonna befocused on North Carolina.
Brandon Gibson (20:56):
Yep. And in Chattanooga is basically almost
like a training raceessentially,
Kenny Bailey
(21:01):
kind of sounds like it because like you're
doing an A B test is what you'redoing, right? Yep. Yep.
Brandon Gibson (21:05):
And that's, and I'll be training through the
heat, and then racing in theheat. And then it should cool
down and I still have that like,I have a big believer you train
a lot in the heat and then allof a sudden, it cools down you
everything, everything yournumber, everything's better.
Yeah, everything's better. Soyeah, that's the plan. And I you
(21:25):
know, and I kind of went in withthat plan especially, even
though Louisville wasn't inthere. With the Chattanooga in
the North Carolina like that wasmy plan to North Carolina be my
a race and train up for itgetting get to it. So. Yeah,
Tom Regal (21:40):
so you're still working with that nutritionist?
Where was that? It was in likeNew Zealand. New Zealand.
Brandon Gibson (21:46):
He's in New Zealand. I know. I kind of I've
kind of backed off of it justokay. Fun funding. Totally.
Yeah, no, totally. I mean, IronMan's are not cheap.
Kenny Bailey
(22:00):
You think an expensive sport. So yeah.
Brandon Gibson (22:01):
And you know, and I ended up getting a new
bike and you know, just it'sjust kind of trying to figure
out, you know,
Kenny Bailey
(22:10):
all it sounds like you have a pretty good
handle on it. I mean, you know,you're you're at a space where
you helped me
Brandon Gibson (22:16):
a ton he Yeah, he got me to where what I truly
need to focus on. Like, what Ineed to look at, and, and help
me and I, and I'm doing reallywell with it. I have yet. I did
do. I did a couple trail runs. Ithink I can't remember if I did.
(22:42):
I can't remember Bell Ringer wasbefore or after we talked. I
think I might have after thingsafter the bell ringers after I
learned some stuff there.
Because I did the 25k and got toyou know, the 15k mark, I was
good. Got to like the 19k mark,and I wasn't good. Me correctly.
And I started to BahnCard Yeah.
(23:07):
And and then I went out and didthe black toe 12 hour solo trail
run in February. And yeah, inFebruary, and I did too. I did
10 miles. And in I thought I ateright. But got I didn't. So it
those are the things like I haveto fail on this nutrition stuff
(23:30):
to figure it out. Right. Like Ilike I thought I had it right.
But, you know, some of thosethings are and I do those things
also want to help try to figureout the nutrition because
they're really long, right? 25k's a lot. It's a long run. And
very, very hilly. Obviously.
Black toe is the same way. It isbrutal technical.
Kenny Bailey
(23:53):
Well, they name it black toe. So I mean
Tom Regal (23:55):
there's a reason you did really good weather for
black toe though. You could havegotten the
Brandon Gibson (24:02):
last two years have been incredible, which is
yeah, maybe I could just keepgoing and we'll just stay good
for everybody. But they Yeah,but they also the confidence
builder. Those long races thoselong like I mean they're Ultra
is but not really running anultra ultra distance but the the
(24:23):
confidence of just pushing mymental through the pain through
the through the exhaustionthrough you know, the nutrition
part portion of it makes sets meup for the Sunday curious
Tom Regal (24:35):
and we've talked about this in the past about
like you're doing just trainingand having these long training
days and getting through all ofthat stuff is one thing and it's
really good to do with throwingin these ACOEM see races like
that are in there that youactually get the experience of
the race day there's a differentlevel of anxiety, of of
(24:55):
excitement of other stuff thatyou can't tie to a training day
Now you're gonna make this seerace a training day, and you get
used to that vibe is a bigenergy that comes off of it,
like you show up at these thingsand like, Okay, gotta go through
your race check, you got to doall this stuff. And it's great
to have these see races, even ifyou don't finish them, right,
(25:15):
even if you will, I will call itfail at them. If you just get in
there and just kind of do it.
I've had a race that I wanted toget the experience on it, I was
having a leg issue I wasn'tsupposed to run. So I did the
first two thirds of a race. AndI DNF the only two times I've
DNF do it, this is the firsttime I ever DNF and it was
planned, worked with my coachand said, Okay, I'm going to get
(25:37):
the swim done. So I can work ontransition to get on the bike,
I'm going to do this on thebike. And then I'm going to go
out one mile on the run, and I'mgoing to turn around through,
turn my chip in and walk off thecourse. Because we need to get
that we need to get thatprogress. We can work on that we
can't work on the run. But let'swork on the progression getting
to that point, it's the bestthing that you can do. Because
you get the whole vibe, you getthe whole feel of everything.
(25:59):
You're doing it right.
Brandon Gibson (26:02):
The two biggest things I think coming out of
that is one starting the race,right? Because you're you're
anxious, you have you have thebutterflies you have in your you
just want to go right, you justwant to go, but you have to reel
yourself back in because youhave a long race. Yeah. So
teaching, I think that's a veryteachable part in those sea
races is learning how to holdyourself accountable for your
(26:25):
pace that you need to make itthrough the race at the
beginning. And then the otherone is that brain fog coming out
of the water going intotransition, like where's my
bike, you know, you know thatrush that you get to come in
just getting into transition andtrying to figure out what you
need to do. And I, you know,experiences everything, the more
(26:47):
you do that the more you getcomfortable doing it, and I'll
see ya and
Kenny Bailey
(26:51):
the weird, the weird part that you don't fully
think about too, is that you'regetting up at 430 in the
morning, you're you're you'refrom a nutrition standpoint, and
getting ready for a race,especially if you're driving to
a race, right? So whereas if I'mdoing a training, right, I know
I can, you know, I'm gonnacontrol about an hour and a half
before I get out there going toeat you know, oatmeal or
whatever get to you know, yougot it locked in this one, you
(27:13):
know, you're getting up threehours earlier than you normally
do or two hours, you're, youknow, you try to that whole pre
race prep, you know, and how doI get energy? And how do I you
know, do I take a scoop wafflebefore I get into the water
because the last time I ate wastwo and a half hours ago. So
it's it's, uh, that part justalone. So you're, you're hitting
(27:33):
the water, at least, you know,up to a level you need to be
especially for you. That's gonnabe it's gonna be important. So
it's great to do that. We'reexcited to watch this thing
because it's, I love you know,I'm getting a lot of inspiration
just from your energy of leaningin just, yeah, we got to try it
and we try it until it Okay,that didn't work. Okay, check
that off. Right. Okay, well,that didn't work. check that
(27:55):
off. But just leaning into itand going Yeah, well, we're
gonna we're gonna, you know,figuratively literally dive into
these things and see whathappens and then take notes and
keep going forward. So if I ever
Brandon Gibson (28:06):
want to do the big dance, I have to take i i
gotta do my homework. Gotta do alot of homework beforehand. Oh,
yeah. Yeah, yes. Doubling thesedistances is not
Kenny Bailey
(28:16):
trivial. Yeah.
Tom Regal (28:17):
Yeah. It's not double the effort on your body. It's
it's like, you know,exponentially more difficult
than just doubling the distance,the distance is easy part,
right? Correct. Already, howyour body reacts. That's where
people kind of miss that.
They're like, well, let's justdouble if I did this in five
hours, and I'm 10 hours. Okay?
11, right. You're just like, nowyour body breaks down at a
(28:37):
higher rate. The further you getaway from the start, and contact
Kenny Bailey
(28:42):
points at mile 50 on your pedal. You don't get
a hotspot until mile 80. You'relike, crap, where did that come
from? Because that didn't comefrom on the 56. But now it's 85
miles. I still have 15 Miles myfoots on fire. But yeah, yeah,
Brandon Gibson (28:54):
yeah. Hey, that's, yeah. And I think more
than like, the trail runs, I'velearned that, you know, with
that 25k. And when I hit 15k,I'm great. Like, I can just keep
going. I felt like I just did,baby. Yeah. And then two and a
half three miles into it. I waslike, I can't make it. I don't
think I don't think I'm gonnamake it. Because a lot can
(29:15):
happen in a very short distance.
And then yeah, so yeah, The
Tom Regal (29:20):
show runs teach you so much about yourself because
you're riding the peak, and thenyou're at the bottom of the
valley, and then you're back onthe peak and then you're down to
the bottom, back to the back andyou're just like, you're just
like, I'm gonna get throughthis, I will get through this,
you it. You become a totallydifferent person. By the end of
those things. It's just amazing.
So, so we're, David, we aresuper excited. Thank you for
(29:42):
agreeing to come on and shareall of this with us because
we're, I mean, we just aftertalking to you last year, I was
like, You know what, you'redoing more of these things. I
think you're a guy we want tofollow because, like all of this
is a bat to show people that youcan hit roadblocks and how you
keep moving past them like Kennythat your attitude is great
about leaning in. And doing allof that. I think that that vibe
(30:03):
works for everybody who's goingto run across things that are a
lot less important than yours.
And, and still be able to findways to work through them and
get there. And you know how thisprogresses throughout the year
with the ups and downs. So thankyou so much for coming on. With
us, so this is gonna befantastic.
Brandon Gibson (30:25):
Thank you guys for having me. I'm excited. I'm
excited to share this journey.
Because it's, it's it's ajourney.
Tom Regal (30:33):
It's a big journey.
Brandon Gibson (30:35):
Life is all about how you deal with the
failures and the roadblocks.
Right. So this is just anotherway.
Tom Regal (30:43):
It's, it's it. So everyone Thanks for Thanks for
checking in. Make sure yousubscribe. I forgot to say that
at the beginning. But yeah,subscribe. Tell your friends,
share all this. Give us somecomments, thumbs up five stars,
all that great stuff that helpsthe algorithms that helps this
get out to a wider and wideraudience. We're International.
(31:03):
We've got a few. I know we get alittle look at us out in
Germany, and we've got a fewothers that are listening. And
we always appreciate everyone'scomments and thoughts. coming
through, give us questions. Sendus comments. That is things that
you want to know what Brandon'sup against, for sure. And we'll
follow up and get through thisas we get through the whole
process. So we're lookingforward to catching up with you
(31:25):
throughout this year. Brandonsays be fantastic. So awesome.
Kenny. Thanks so much as always,everyone will. We'll catch you
on the next episode.
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