Mission Kona Podcast
Triathlon: where you can test your limits in 3 different disciplines one after the other! Swim, bike, run. One might say it's an addiction, but truly it's a lifestyle! Mission Kona podcast highlights age group athletes doing amazing things in the Triathlon space. Mike & Michelle Payne are husband and wife amateur triathletes, parents and self proclaimed coffee connoisseurs, both working in corporate America. Mike is also a Triathlon coach and recently qualified for Kona in October of 2024. Michelle completed her first half Ironman in 2021 and plans to race a full Ironman in the near future. This podcast is a journey to discovering what it takes to be competitive in triathlon, sharing stories, and finding the inspiration to go after challenging but worthwhile goals. We talk with age group athletes and explore how they got their start in triathlon, where they live, train and work, how they stay motivated, race recaps and more! Are you interested in growing and performing your best? TUNE IN! There is so much to learn from those who have worked (and continue to work) hard to be at the top of their game!
Episodes
Another exciting Kona Build Up episode coming at you this week!
Mike & Michelle had the pleasure of chatting with Lars Wichert, currently the age group record holder for the Ironman distance! Lars raced 2024 Ironman Hamburg finishing 1st overall with a time of 7:50:42! And over 5 minutes ahead of 2nd place, in a truly incredible performance!
Lars lives and trains in Germany and shares everything ...
We're bringing you another fantastic conversation with athlete Adam Holz! A now resident of Boulder, CO, Adam grew up in Pennsylvania where he began his triathlon journey less than 5 years ago.
Adam secured his Kona slot at 2024 Ironman Texas finishing 7th in the 25-29 age group after an incredible performance in a very stacked field. What began as a dream 8 years prior to race on the big island is comin...
Mike & Michelle were excited to sit down for this conversation with Alfredo Ramirez Pinho who just won 2024 Ironman Wisconsin! This was a hometown race for Alfredo, which means the win was extra special. Not to mention the race took place just days after the birth of his 3rd child!
As a 35-39 age grouper and member of the Every Man Jack team, Alfredo shares how Ironman Wisconsin was a key element in this ...
The countdown is ON! The 2024 Ironman World Championship in Kona is 6 weeks away! This solo episode with podcast host Mike Payne highlights his training and racing over the past few months in his build to Kona.
Fun fact: This episode is also going live on the 2-year anniversary of Mike accepting his Kona qualification slot at Ironman Wisconsin in 2022 after finishing 2nd in the 35-39 age group!
We are back for SEASON 3 with a focus on highlighting the male triathletes competing in the 2024 Kona Ironman World Championships in October!
Our first episode of the season features Andrew Hall, a standout athlete competing in the 35-39 age group. Andrew is by no means new to the sport of triathlon, but he has been very calm and calculated in his approach to racing and performing at the top level.
...
Episode 6 of the WOMEN CRUSHING KONA Series features Kirsten Miller who competed in her first Kona this year in the 55-59 age group!
Listen in to hear:
- Kirsten’s dream of racing on the big island,
- why she thought the Ironman distance was behind her, and
- the mindset it required to overcome an unexpected obstacle and show up on race day despite all odds!
Follow Kirsten’s journey on instagram @nourish2flou...
Episode 5 of the WOMEN CRUSHING KONA Series features Barbora Besperat of Czech Republic who finished 1st in the 30-34 age group and 2nd overall!
Listen in to hear:
- how long Barbora has been racing the Ironman distance
- what she claims is her "key to success" (hint: it's a PLACE!)
- her run split!!!
Follow Barbora's journey on instagram @barubesp
Follow Mission Kona P...
Episode 4 of the WOMEN CRUSHING KONA Series features Michelle Krebs of Switzerland who finished 2nd in the 25-29 age group and 3rd overall!
Listen in to hear how:
- Triathlon changed Michelle's life
- What happened out there on the course before (ouch!) and during race day
- and why her nickname is now PACMAN
Follow Michelle's journey on instagram @michelle_krebs94_ and check out her incredible spons...
2023 KONA SERIES: WOMEN CRUSHING KONA
We are back with episode 3 of the Women Crushing Kona series featuring Vanessa Murray who finished FIRST in the 35-39 age group and 4th overall at the Women's Ironman World Championships with a time of 9:34:27.
A native of New Zealand, Vanessa currently lives and trains in Melbourne, Australia. She finally had the opportunity to return to Kona ten years after her debut ironman ...
2023 KONA SERIES: WOMEN CRUSHING KONA
Ava Warfel finished FIRST in the 18-24 age group at the 2023 Women's Ironman World Championships in Kona with a time of 9:47. In her first race on the island Ava dominated the course, finishing with a 3:10 marathon, the 19th fastest run of the day including the professional women. What an incredible performance!
Hear about Ava's introduction to triathlon, how and where she...
2023 KONA SERIES: WOMEN CRUSHING KONA
Elyse Gallegos, a force to be reckoned with in the 35-39 age group, recently competed at the Ironman Women's World Championships in Kona, finishing 2nd in her age group and 10th female overall!
As a busy mom of 2 young boys and recently relocating to Alabama, Elyse has had to adapt her training to work with her busy schedule while also finding her way in a new community. You wi...
In this episode, Mike shares a quick recap of his race at 70.3 Arizona (HOT!) and then we chat a bit about the 2024 Kona slot allocations at upcoming races for the men.
Some fun places to grab a coffee or bite to eat if you visit the Tempe/Phoenix area for the full ironman in November:
- Hava Java - Cold Foam Cold Brew in their fall flavors (YUM!)
- Peixoto Coffee Roasters - Best coffee we've had in a while, cold b...
We're back for season 2 of Mission Kona Podcast! In this episode, Mike and Michelle share some big life updates, how training and racing has looked for the past 6 months, and what's ahead for the podcast!
As many know, Ironman World Championships for the women just took place in Kona on October 14, 2023. It was a fantastic race day for many ladies, a bucket list checked for others, but in all seemed to be a v...
Jennifer Vollmann may not have been the first pick on the playground for a game of elementary school kickball, but what she (and others!) didn't know at that time was that she was BUILT FOR ENDURANCE!
Jennifer is a mom, a triathlete, and a coach - residing in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona. Having entered the sport as a novice, Jennifer shares how her hands-on coach guided her to fully understand the sport and most im...
On this Host Episode, Mike & Michelle share 5 Reasons to Hire a Coach.
There's no doubt that triathlon is a journey. What may start as some easy cross training from a run or sport injury can lead to a full on obsession with the sport of triathlon. Somewhere in there most of us have tried to coach ourselves. We pull a plan off the internet or piece together what we "think" we should be doin...
BALANCE: an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady
Eva Frieden joins us on this episode to share how she has found BALANCE in the sport of triathlon. We had an impactful discussion on all the elements that are important to finding sustainable success as an age group athlete. SPOILER! Having fun and enjoying what you do = LESS chance of burnout and injury! Perhap...
Nick Modrzejewski is a name you'll remember - perhaps have difficulty pronouncing (MA-JE-SKI) - but memorable indeed!
Nick resides in Champaign, Illinois, is husband to Amy, father to two, a Pastor at Illini Life, a triathlon coach at SuperFly Coaching, and a competitive age group triathlete.
He has completed Ironman Florida FIVE times with finishes in the top 10 of his age group each time. His ...
We are bringing you a special episode this week around the 4th discipline of triathlon: NUTRITION
You'll enjoy this conversation with Kathleen Oswalt, a registered dietitian who gives nutritional guidance and support to endurance athletes who want to follow a plant focused diet. Together with her husband Don, a 2x World Championship qualifier, they own eatloveTriathlon where they focus on plant-based nut...
We are excited to bring you the third episode of the Couples Who Tri series where we sit down with couples who are both active in the sport of triathlon. Do they train together? Race together? Did triathlon unite them or did it come to be after the fact? And WHAT will a world championship race in 2 different locations look like for competitive triathlon couples?
Amy & Seamus Woods live and train in Cape C...
Mike & Michelle share some racing highlights from the 2022 season including huge PRs and dreams reached! Listen in to hear what races went to plan and setbacks did we have to navigate over the past year.
...also - what's ahead personally AND for the podcast in 2023!!!
And find out Michelle's "WORD OF THE YEAR"!
Follow Mission Kona Podcast hosted by Mike &a...
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