515 : The Ultra Podcast

Send us Fan MailNearly 24 hours in open water changes what you think you know about fear, focus, and what you are capable of. Ted Lomicka joins us from Franklin, Tennessee to tell the story of completing the Triple Maui Nui, a nonstop three channel swim from Lanai to Maui to Molokai and back again. Ted describes starting in a thunderstorm, navigating bioluminescent “stars” below when clouds hide the real ones, then facing cold brackish water near Molokai alongside the threat of a shark fin. At his lowest point, a captain’s short question reframes the choice and gets him moving again. On the final leg, sensory deprivation gives way to awe when a baby humpback whale swims beneath him and meets his eye, a moment that turns endurance into meaning and seals the lesson: dream big, live the dream, and share the dream.Ted is also a healthcare executive and an adjunct professor at Vanderbilt University, so we zoom out from the ocean to the real world impact of innovation leadership. We dig into ambient AI scribes in healthcare, how AI drafted notes can improve physician patient communication, and why giving clinicians 30 to 90 minutes back each night can boost satisfaction, retention, and outcomes. Along the way, Ted shares how he evaluates new ideas: technologically feasible, clinically relevant, financially viable, and scalable, then pilot small and iterate fast.The heart of our conversation is mindset. Ted breaks down the framework behind his upcoming book, First Of Five: The Five Hammers Of A Do Anything Mindset, forged in ultra distance triathlon at the Anvil race series. We unpack the hammer of passion, humility, mindfulness, equanimity, and transcendence, plus the idea of overriding the “evolutionary governor” when your body insists it is done. If you care about endurance training, Ultraman, channel swimming in Hawaii, or performing under pressure at work, this one is built to stick with you.Subscribe for more stories like this, share the show with a friend who needs a bigger goal, and leave a review so more athletes and curious minds can find us. What would you attempt if you trusted your mindset as much as your fitness?Reach out to Ted on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tedlomicka/ Resources mentioned in this episode:Ultraman FloridaUltraman World ChampionshipsMammoth Endurance AnvilTriple Maui NuiSebring International RacewayVanderbilt University.Music City TriathlonMemphis in May triathlonIM World ChampionshipsIM ChattanoogaEcuador Eco-ChallengeAlenuihaha channelSnowdrop UltraShout outs and mentions in this episode:Natascha BadmannMichelle LomickaVance PossIvan PancicPlatoMarcus AureliusJosh Kiecker  Michelle CevicherriaJurand CzabanskiNeil DeGrasse TysonAlbert EinsteinLaToscia “LT” JamesTrixie SmithDr. Steven MinagliaAndy JocaKatie BlairTerri DietzTina NeillMichael SpaldingJill SpaldingMichelle SimmonsDr. Harry HuffakerSupport the showShow Contributors:Host : Larry RyanContributing Raconteur : Steve KingAnnouncer : Mary Jo DionneProduction : 5Five EnterprisesMusic  :  Run by 331For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.comFacebook: @515TheUltraPodcastInsta : @515theultrapodcastYoutube : @515TheUltraPodcastEmail : [email protected]

Send us Fan MailRay Zahab didn’t grow up as the unstoppable endurance athlete people imagine when they hear “ultramarathoner” and “explorer.” He describes starting over around age 30, quitting a pack-a-day smoking habit, and following his younger brother into the outdoors until movement turned into purpose. That path eventually leads to one of the most jaw-dropping feats in endurance sports: running the length of the Sahara Desert, roughly 7,500 kilometers, day after day for 111 days.We get into what actually makes extreme endurance possible when the novelty wears off. Ray explains why removing expectations can unlock performance, how preparation and process beat bravado, and why he’s careful about choosing expedition teammates who can leave ego at the door. He also shares how the “chosen hardship” of races and expeditions helped him face something he didn’t choose at all: a rare blood cancer diagnosis and months of chemotherapy, approached with the same step-by-step resilience he learned outdoors.The episode goes deep on logistics and safety, from cutting pack weight for a self-contained Atacama Desert crossing to building a polar bear perimeter alarm system on Arctic sea ice. You’ll hear what it means to respect the environment, when to turn around even after huge effort, and how Ray’s nonprofit impossible2Possible brings free, education-driven expeditions to youth ages 16 to 21 around the world.If you’re into ultrarunning, adventure racing, expedition planning, mental toughness, or simply changing your life through movement, this conversation will stick with you. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a nudge toward something hard, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.Ray’s contact points:Website: rayzahab.com  //  facebook.com/rayzahab. //. twitter.com/rayzahabinstagram.com/rayzahab. //  www.youtube.com/@rayzahab1944Resources mentioned in this episode:Running for My Life (book)Running to Extremes (book)impossible 2 PossibleVancouver International Outdoor Film FestivalIronman Canada Trans 333KapiK1 Expedition Company.Moab 240Shout outs and mentions in this episode:Ferg Hawke (S3E10)Jen SeggerKathy AdamsCharlie EngleKevin VallelyStefano GregorettiBob CoxSupport the showShow Contributors:Host : Larry RyanContributing Raconteur : Steve KingAnnouncer : Mary Jo DionneProduction : 5Five EnterprisesMusic  :  Run by 331For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.comFacebook: @515TheUltraPodcastInsta : @515theultrapodcastYoutube : @515TheUltraPodcastEmail : [email protected]

Send us Fan MailWe sit down with Ultraman Australia’s 2026 champions, Mark Thomson and Nat Dodd, to unpack how they manage 515 kilometers across three days in Noosa with calm pacing, tight recovery routines, and crews that never miss a beat. Mark Thomson joins from New Zealand’s Coromandel Peninsula and breaks down how a first-time Ultraman athlete paces like a veteran: conservative swimming, steady biking by feel, and relentless fueling that protects day three. We talk crew roles, staying calm when the leaderboard is separated by seconds, and what it’s like to have a school community tracking you through a 515-kilometer endurance test. Then we get into the closer: his run plan and the mindset behind dropping a sub-7-hour double marathon after two days of racing.Nat Dodd, also from New Zealand, shares the other side of the podium and the same core truth: execution beats drama. She explains the nutrition shift that finally solved race-day GI issues, her swim feeding routine with a paddler, and how her crew’s energy kept her from going dark. We also talk pacing discipline on the double marathon, her “lungefluencer” moment on course, workplace support, and what she’s considering next, from Ultraman New Zealand to a return to the Ironman World Championship.Be sure to check out all the action from the YouTube Livestream.If you’re into Ultraman, Ironman, long-distance triathlon training, endurance nutrition, or building a crew system that actually works, this one is packed with practical takeaways. Subscribe for more, share it with your training group, and leave a quick review if these champion-level lessons help you race smarter.Resources mentioned in this episode:Hukuai Primary SchoolNo Code EventsPāuanui Trail EpicBlue Lake 24 hour ChallengeUM New ZealandIM New ZealandCoast to CoastTaupo MarathonAPAC Ingredients Shout outs and mentions in this episode:Matt KerrCarl ReadSimon CochraneSara RyanDouglas ClarkAnthony ElderMarco UllrichNev ThomsonMatt IgguldenCraig ThomsonRay ZahabCraig JacksonChris DoddJeff Morris Tim FranklinAnna LondillBrittney LittonGreg FraineRoy SpareyHarriet SteeleDawn JacksonSupport the showShow Contributors:Host : Larry RyanContributing Raconteur : Steve KingAnnouncer : Mary Jo DionneProduction : 5Five EnterprisesMusic  :  Run by 331For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.comFacebook: @515TheUltraPodcastInsta : @515theultrapodcastYoutube : @515TheUltraPodcastEmail : [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail515 kilometers can sound like a number. In Noosa, it turns into three days of decisions: how you fuel a 10 km ocean swim, how you survive a 276 km bike loop through the Sunshine Coast hinterland, and how you keep moving when the double marathon starts to ask harder questions than your training ever did.We’re joined by Ultraman Australia race director Jeff Morris and KOA endurance coach and event MC Tim Franklin to preview Ultraman Australia 2026 from the ground up. We lay out the full 515 triathlon format and cutoffs, explain why the calendar dates differ depending on where you live, and share exactly how to follow along on the YouTube livestream. This year’s coverage gets a major boost with live GPS tracking (even during the swim when signals allow), planned drone shots at sunrise, and crews calling in live so viewers at home can feel the real-time pressure and emotion on course.Jeff also gives a progress update on Ultraman New Zealand in Wanaka.  Then we get into the heart of race week: the 2026 field. From returning athletes chasing redemption to first-timers stepping up from Ironman to Ultraman, we spotlight what makes each competitor interesting, what crews need to know, and why Noosa’s swim conditions and paddler support can shape the entire weekend.The Athletes:Nicole Allen, Sadanand Amarapur, Prajakta Aswar, Boris Bakouline, Ashley Bates, Rahul Chaudhary, Douglas Clark, Jacob Crowe, Devraj Devraj, Nat Dodd, Tabatha Draper, Roscoe Dray, Shane Duffy, Noe Duran, Anthony Elder, Guilherme Escaleira da luz Oliveira, Mehdi Gerbeaux, Jomy Jacob, Timothy Jensen, Shubham Kajale, Claire Kunc, Brittney Litton, Anna Longdill, Keri Mandell, Nestor Ochoa Rivera, Chia Ling Pow, Mahesh Prajapati, Erica Riley, Nathan Schmid, Patrick Shanahan, Marcus Smith, Puneet Sudhir Sood, Giancarlos Taraborrelli, Chloe Thomas, Mark Thomson, Dr Bishwanath Tiwary, Marco Ullrich, Denise Wilson.Resources mentioned in this episode:KOA Sports UM New ZealandKenilworth BakeryPeak Energy GumHervey Bay 100 T100 TriathlonUltraman MexicoShout outs and mentions in this episode:Tiff DahlJen McVeayAlex LunaBeñat OliveiraSimon Cochrane Steven KellerKellie RidgesDave CarrollMax AllansenTeaghan Roatz Anthony VloedmansVishesh MadanAndrew WheatleyPeter HodgsonAnthony LucasCraig JacksonAngus aka Bango DraperElans Anton Jen MacMillanKate BevilaquaNatalie ElderAlana SharmaPaul GiddingsMatt O’BrienKathleen SwallingAri LittonHayley FryAndrew TroutNick MallettMel CockshuttTim BelsteadKirsty SheehanSupport the showShow Contributors:Host : Larry RyanContributing Raconteur : Steve KingAnnouncer : Mary Jo DionneProduction : 5Five EnterprisesMusic  :  Run by 331For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.comFacebook: @515TheUltraPodcastInsta : @515theultrapodcastYoutube : @515TheUltraPodcastEmail : [email protected]