February 28, 2025 • 7 mins
The New Zealand Ironman is taking place today in Taupō.
The Ironman 70.3, or otherwise known as the half marathon, stands for the total distance covered in miles during the event.
It accounts for a 1.2mile (1.9km) swim, 56mile (90km) bike, and a 13.1mile (21.1km) run.
Former All Black Liam Messam is competing in the race and talks to D'Arcy Waldegrave.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waltergrave from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Seven seventeen All Sport Breakfast on News Talks there B.
I'm Darcy Watergrave and coming up now chat with Liam Messim.
He's competing in the twenty twenty five Iron Man New Zealand.
It's quite the race in topor seventy point three. It's
like a half iron Man, I suppose you'd say so.
It's the distance covered in miles, pretty old school, so
(00:33):
one point two mile swim, fifty six mile bike, thirteen
point one mile runs. It's half the length of the
Iron Man. And Liam Messim has decided it's a good idea. Liam, welcome.
Are you mad?
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Yeah, possibly, we'll find out at the end of this
maybe just even this the training road's probably a bit mad,
but now it's all good.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
It's I chose this. This is something that I wanted
to do, so I will see, we'll see what happens.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
How long have you been amkering to do this? Probably
not something you could do during your career as a
as a player, but now you're free.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Yeah, well it's something I've we used to do a
trifle on the Chiefs for pre season actually so well,
it wasn't a big try for and I think it
was like one hundred meters swimming like a cape bike
took like half an hour, so this is a lot different.
But yeah, I just I actually was watching a half
iman in the mountain one last year. Actually I just
(01:32):
saw the EB Day people just competing and then being
in a hurt box and the hurt locker and I
just thought, man, that they'll be awesome to try.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
So I just thought, I go full holging, go the
the Iroman.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
So training wise and organizing that. Who have you used,
who's been your coach? What have you put down? How
long you've been doing it for? Liam?
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Oh, I've been doing it for a year now, just
over a year of training and lucky enough to have
the est ties of doctors, doctor Nicholas Gill, who I've
had as an INCENC trainer through work.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
I saw the Chiefs and and obviously the All Black
so he's.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
A iro man, what do you call them? I am
living He's done a few now, so yes, this week
Teasers has come a long way. Trained with my brother.
My brother's actually doing it as well, so we're having
a little bit of family robbery, a little bit of
competitiveness going and as ignmn. But yeah, uh, it's been
I wouldn't say enjoyable, but it's been.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
Uh there's something that I'm really looking for to ain't net.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Girl's a superstar and you've got the right person in
your corner, no doubt about that. What about with you, bro?
Who's been training the better? Who do you think's got
this one?
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Oh he's sort of been in this this scene for
quite a bit actually, so I'm going to give him.
Speaker 4 (02:42):
Then.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
If you're a beating man in the tap, he's probably
at a dollar dollar four what's the word. He's had
a dollar four walker favorite to beat me in this.
But it's not about that thing. So I'm happily paying
the ten bucks to beat them. So we'll see what happens.
I might have to push off a push off his bike.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Oh that's great. You can't bring context want to try?
Come on, man, it's an eye man, Come on.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
You wait, you wait, there's something that my hands.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
So I tried to pull my legal pull because apparently
some little tricks that.
Speaker 4 (03:15):
They try and to do when they pull your leg
or pull yours up off your your weds, so there
might be a few haymakers and that late.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
What's the bit you're least looking forward to. Pinally, there
are three very distinct disciplines. Is there an area where
going on no, no, no, this is where I'm going
to fall down?
Speaker 4 (03:34):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Probably the bike ride back to so it's out and
back twice and I've done it a couple of weeks
ago just to test the waters. Or when you've done
it turf and back so to know they've got to
turn around and go back forty five kilometers left on back.
That's that's a mental thing at the moment for me
to sort of get over.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Different kind of fitness than rugby, and at least with
this one, no one's trying to punch you in the
face like when you're in the ring. But the difference
in fitness and the training what's predominantly been likely in.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Yeah, well I feel I have always asked, I've been
asking what's the difference.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
And with boxing, like you can never be overfoot.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Because no matter what, you're going to be blowing a
gas at a and any round of the fight and
you've got some other blake on the other corner trying
to take your head off, so that brings a whole
other element.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
So this one was just a lot of time consuming.
It's a lot more more mental.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
It's a lot of hit space and a head noise
when you've got a lot of all those hours to kill.
So but to test myself, like I said, physically and mentally,
it's something that Ilse wanted to change myself in. I
talk a lot with our younger athletes, the Chiefs ofpecially
about going to a dark, deep place on the rugby field.
So I thought ill for our test of for them
(04:47):
see how deep and how dark it really is.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
On that, You're pretty happy the way the Chiefs are
going so far this season. They've been absolutely tearing it up.
But now they've lost the coach, Clayton McMillan. Gone Berger.
That's a kick and the teeth. You've got to like
what he's doing. It's gonna be tough for the team.
Although Liam, you know the boys better than I do,
But I suggesce this is just what they need to
secure this title. On the fact that he's actually leaving.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
We Donks are great man, and he's brought a lot
to the Keeps culture and I'm really giving it a
sort of a lifeline off of the way that he
sees things and how he sees Chiefs money and what
he's brought to the team. So you know, personally that's
a sad to see him leave, but it's also great
for him to get an opportunity over season and get
some international experience. But he's leaving the Chiefs and very
(05:35):
very strong foundations, and he can be.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
Proud of what he's done. Then yeah, we'll see if
the Boyskins can.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Do it from they're being also for the first two weeks,
but it's only two weeks. It's still what seventeen eighteen
rounds ago, so there's a long wrong way to go
in the competition. And he's got a keep on neck
grinding this to make sure we continue our week in
week out.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
He'll grind them all right, And that's I like it,
he says, treading the path to being the all Black coach.
Go over sea, He's get some tools over there, come
back and rack it up on saying that I suppose
Raynard not on my watch. And just a quick word
on Quintin Pyre. Great to see him finally coming back
after that catastrophic injury and having faith in himself to
(06:16):
do what he does best. He's starting to look like
Quinn again.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Yeah he is. He was awesome. You know.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
He's worked really really hard to get back from that
horrific injury and the way that he's been playing, especially
early on in the season, even in our preseason.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
He's fantastic.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
So really happy for that for the young fellow because
he was in a pretty dark place when he's coming.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
Back from an injury.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
He's worked us butt off and now he's sort of
back to that that form that we know that can play.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Rugby boxing, iron Man, what's next? Lawn bowls, chess.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Hey lawn bowl sounds fantastic right now.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
A lot of people ask him what's next as probably
the worst question to ask because I'm in the actual
hurt box and hurt locker right now and I could
have think of anything wasting more exercise. So I might
take you off on a dice and go sign up
to the local lawn bowls here and Hamilton.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
That's the one, because you do it. It's like early
in the morning. It's all good to stop, drop and
roll anyway, Liam mess and mate, go hard, enjoy yourself,
I know you will, and tough and that hurt box mate,
you did it to yourself?
Speaker 4 (07:17):
Yeah my fault.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
For more from the Your Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave,
listen live to News Talk set Be on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waltergrave from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Seven seventeen All Sport Breakfast on News Talks there B.
I'm Darcy Watergrave and coming up now chat with Liam Messim.
He's competing in the twenty twenty five Iron Man New Zealand.
It's quite the race in topor seventy point three. It's
like a half iron Man, I suppose you'd say so.
It's the distance covered in miles, pretty old school, so
(00:33):
one point two mile swim, fifty six mile bike, thirteen
point one mile runs. It's half the length of the
Iron Man. And Liam Messim has decided it's a good idea. Liam, welcome.
Are you mad?
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Yeah, possibly, we'll find out at the end of this
maybe just even this the training road's probably a bit mad,
but now it's all good.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
It's I chose this. This is something that I wanted
to do, so I will see, we'll see what happens.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
How long have you been amkering to do this? Probably
not something you could do during your career as a
as a player, but now you're free.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Yeah, well it's something I've we used to do a
trifle on the Chiefs for pre season actually so well,
it wasn't a big try for and I think it
was like one hundred meters swimming like a cape bike
took like half an hour, so this is a lot different.
But yeah, I just I actually was watching a half
iman in the mountain one last year. Actually I just
(01:32):
saw the EB Day people just competing and then being
in a hurt box and the hurt locker and I
just thought, man, that they'll be awesome to try.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
So I just thought, I go full holging, go the
the Iroman.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
So training wise and organizing that. Who have you used,
who's been your coach? What have you put down? How
long you've been doing it for? Liam?
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Oh, I've been doing it for a year now, just
over a year of training and lucky enough to have
the est ties of doctors, doctor Nicholas Gill, who I've
had as an INCENC trainer through work.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
I saw the Chiefs and and obviously the All Black
so he's.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
A iro man, what do you call them? I am
living He's done a few now, so yes, this week
Teasers has come a long way. Trained with my brother.
My brother's actually doing it as well, so we're having
a little bit of family robbery, a little bit of
competitiveness going and as ignmn. But yeah, uh, it's been
I wouldn't say enjoyable, but it's been.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
Uh there's something that I'm really looking for to ain't net.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Girl's a superstar and you've got the right person in
your corner, no doubt about that. What about with you, bro?
Who's been training the better? Who do you think's got
this one?
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Oh he's sort of been in this this scene for
quite a bit actually, so I'm going to give him.
Speaker 4 (02:42):
Then.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
If you're a beating man in the tap, he's probably
at a dollar dollar four what's the word. He's had
a dollar four walker favorite to beat me in this.
But it's not about that thing. So I'm happily paying
the ten bucks to beat them. So we'll see what happens.
I might have to push off a push off his bike.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Oh that's great. You can't bring context want to try?
Come on, man, it's an eye man, Come on.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
You wait, you wait, there's something that my hands.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
So I tried to pull my legal pull because apparently
some little tricks that.
Speaker 4 (03:15):
They try and to do when they pull your leg
or pull yours up off your your weds, so there
might be a few haymakers and that late.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
What's the bit you're least looking forward to. Pinally, there
are three very distinct disciplines. Is there an area where
going on no, no, no, this is where I'm going
to fall down?
Speaker 4 (03:34):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Probably the bike ride back to so it's out and
back twice and I've done it a couple of weeks
ago just to test the waters. Or when you've done
it turf and back so to know they've got to
turn around and go back forty five kilometers left on back.
That's that's a mental thing at the moment for me
to sort of get over.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Different kind of fitness than rugby, and at least with
this one, no one's trying to punch you in the
face like when you're in the ring. But the difference
in fitness and the training what's predominantly been likely in.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Yeah, well I feel I have always asked, I've been
asking what's the difference.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
And with boxing, like you can never be overfoot.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Because no matter what, you're going to be blowing a
gas at a and any round of the fight and
you've got some other blake on the other corner trying
to take your head off, so that brings a whole
other element.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
So this one was just a lot of time consuming.
It's a lot more more mental.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
It's a lot of hit space and a head noise
when you've got a lot of all those hours to kill.
So but to test myself, like I said, physically and mentally,
it's something that Ilse wanted to change myself in. I
talk a lot with our younger athletes, the Chiefs ofpecially
about going to a dark, deep place on the rugby field.
So I thought ill for our test of for them
(04:47):
see how deep and how dark it really is.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
On that, You're pretty happy the way the Chiefs are
going so far this season. They've been absolutely tearing it up.
But now they've lost the coach, Clayton McMillan. Gone Berger.
That's a kick and the teeth. You've got to like
what he's doing. It's gonna be tough for the team.
Although Liam, you know the boys better than I do,
But I suggesce this is just what they need to
secure this title. On the fact that he's actually leaving.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
We Donks are great man, and he's brought a lot
to the Keeps culture and I'm really giving it a
sort of a lifeline off of the way that he
sees things and how he sees Chiefs money and what
he's brought to the team. So you know, personally that's
a sad to see him leave, but it's also great
for him to get an opportunity over season and get
some international experience. But he's leaving the Chiefs and very
(05:35):
very strong foundations, and he can be.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
Proud of what he's done. Then yeah, we'll see if
the Boyskins can.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Do it from they're being also for the first two weeks,
but it's only two weeks. It's still what seventeen eighteen
rounds ago, so there's a long wrong way to go
in the competition. And he's got a keep on neck
grinding this to make sure we continue our week in
week out.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
He'll grind them all right, And that's I like it,
he says, treading the path to being the all Black coach.
Go over sea, He's get some tools over there, come
back and rack it up on saying that I suppose
Raynard not on my watch. And just a quick word
on Quintin Pyre. Great to see him finally coming back
after that catastrophic injury and having faith in himself to
(06:16):
do what he does best. He's starting to look like
Quinn again.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Yeah he is. He was awesome. You know.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
He's worked really really hard to get back from that
horrific injury and the way that he's been playing, especially
early on in the season, even in our preseason.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
He's fantastic.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
So really happy for that for the young fellow because
he was in a pretty dark place when he's coming.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
Back from an injury.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
He's worked us butt off and now he's sort of
back to that that form that we know that can play.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Rugby boxing, iron Man, what's next? Lawn bowls, chess.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Hey lawn bowl sounds fantastic right now.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
A lot of people ask him what's next as probably
the worst question to ask because I'm in the actual
hurt box and hurt locker right now and I could
have think of anything wasting more exercise. So I might
take you off on a dice and go sign up
to the local lawn bowls here and Hamilton.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
That's the one, because you do it. It's like early
in the morning. It's all good to stop, drop and
roll anyway, Liam mess and mate, go hard, enjoy yourself,
I know you will, and tough and that hurt box mate,
you did it to yourself?
Speaker 4 (07:17):
Yeah my fault.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
For more from the Your Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave,
listen live to News Talk set Be on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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