🚀 Courage Talks S9E3 is LIVE!

Meet Neil Goulsbra – the self-described “average” triathlete who turned doubt, heartbreak, and Dubai’s brutal 45°C summers into fuel for multiple Ironman finishes at 55+.

His story hits hard:

Beaten in school cross-country by the kid who smoked behind the bike sheds and never trained → a lifelong lesson in effort vs. “natural” talentCrawling across the 2016

Comrades Marathon finish line, overweight & broken → the wake-up call that launched a serious triathlon

First Ironman Hamburg 2021: 9 months of focused training, weight down to 77kg, smashing goals with a 10:38 finish and those immortal words: “Neil Goulsbra, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN” (still gives chills)

2022: Father’s passing + marriage breakdown → a year lost to Netflix and ice cream

Comeback 2024 Hamburg: 10:18 PB, fastest bike split ever (4:47!), despite a DNF scar from Warsaw 2023

Tallinn 2025: Best-executed race yet – nailed nutrition (hello Precision Fuel), held form in cold rain, highest full IM placing, still hungry for sub-10 and Kona qualification

Through it all: a no-BS coach (Luke), fierce support from the Ikonix crew, daily battles with portion control (he loves food!), hating the swim but getting faster, and using humour to survive (“this is a f$&king stupid way to spend a Sunday”).

Neil proves courage isn’t about being gifted – it’s about refusing to quit when life (and legs) scream stop.

If you’ve ever felt “too average” for big dreams, or wondered how to rebuild after rock bottom… this episode is for you.

Raw, funny, emotional, and relentlessly honest.