Ironman Podcasts, give them a go.

I remember when I was a teenager, I used to wait each month for the one and only triathlon magazine that was available back then, to come out, I would read it cover to cover, then start over again. That magazine would get read several times before the next months issue hit the shelves.

Now, in the day of the internet, there is so much more information easily available, with online magazines, websites dedicated to Ironman related issues and Ironman forums. It's heaven for the often obsessive types that do Ironman. If you want to know more about a topic, all you have to do is ask google. I spend a lot of time online, reading and researching, my current favorite source of Ironman related information media is podcast.

Podcasts are audio recordings similar to what you hear from a radio station, but they are stored, usually in mp3 format, so you can listen to them at your leisure. Podcasting is a fast growing medium and there are thousands of podcasts available on thousands of topics. With the easy availability of portable audio-players and fast-internet, it's simple to download and listen to podcasts where and whenever you please. I personally make use of podcasts when commuting and when on the magtrainer at home. There are a number of ways to access podcasts and the majority of them are free to download, though you will probably need software to get access to them. Some podcasts are available to be listened to directly from the podcaster's website, which is an easy way to listen, but not particularly useful if you want to go mobile while listening. You need to have software to download and transfer the podcasts onto you audio-player. There are a number of programs available, I think the easiest method for this is to download the free iTunes program. iTunes allows you to download the podcasts and to subscribe to them, which means when you start up iTunes it will download the latest episode for you automatically. Then you can take the podcast with you and get your Ironman information fix on the go.

I have listened to a number of different podcasts on a few different topics. Of the different Ironman/Triathlon related podcasts out there, I have found three that I download regularly. In no particular order they are:

Ironman Talk – Produced by two Ironmen from New Zealand, Ironman Talk takes a light hearted approach. Providing your “weekly fix in all things Ironman” 'coach' John Newsom and Bevan James Eyles are both funny guys, with some good experience between them. They enjoy reporting the latest news, reviews and training tips from Ironman. I find they usually provide me with a laugh and they often point out good resources on the internet.

The Competitors Radio Show – A recording of a on air radio show that has been broadcasting for 17 years and is an offshoot of Competitor Magazine. Hosted by Bob Babbit and Paul Huddle, who both seem to really know their stuff, The Competitors Radio Show interviews some of the great names in not only Ironman but other endurance sports also. They have had a lot of the legends of Ironman on, a number of times. Some of my favorite interviews recently have been with Dave Scott, Mark Allen, Peter Reid, Chris McCormick and Cameron Brown. There is also an interesting and controversial interview with Greg Lemond. I enjoy hearing the big names in the sport, talk about their careers and their opinions on whose who in Ironman today.

Tri Talk Triathlon podcast – The most technical and information driven podcast of the three. David Warden describes himself as an individual who has a overwhelming desire to research triathlon information and to share that information with the masses. He strives to provide triathlon tips, training, news and more. His goal is to make us “swim, bike and run faster”. I find some of the topics particularly interesting, while others, not so much. David obviously does a lot of prep on the topics he discusses and the result is, in-depth and informative episodes. Though, not as humorous as Ironman Talk or The Competitors Radio Show, a valuable resource.

There are a few other related podcasts that I listen to from time to time, if they sound interesting and I always keep an eye out for more. One informative podcast that I recently listened too, is the Endurance and Nutrition Podcast. Produced the end of last ear and hosted by Dave Scott. There are only four episodes, but Dave covers some important and interesting issues.

My recommendation is to download a few episodes of each and have a listen, see what you think. Use the iTunes search function to find podcasts on other topics your find interesting as well. It's a great way get information and to pass the time and I'm hooked on podcasts. I have a been tossing around the idea of developing a podcast of my own in the future, but I think, first, I need to find a partner with some knowledge to balance out my enthusiasm. So maybe in the future, I will point you towards my own podcast feed. In the future if I find any more good podcasts I will post them here. Please pass any you guys like on to me in a comment below.