In this episode of 'Finish What You Started', Alex shares his journey to achieving a sub-10 hour Ironman, detailing the emotional and physical challenges he faced along the way. From his background in sports to the pivotal moments during the race, Alex emphasizes the importance of public commitment, resilience, and community support. He reflects on the lessons learned from his first Ironman in Cairns, the strategies that led to his success in Busselton, and his future goals, including coaching others and preparing for Kona.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Technical Challenges

02:55 The Journey to Sub 10: Identity and Goals

05:52 Life Before Triathlon: Personal Background

08:33 The Power of Community in Triathlon

11:27 Making Goals Public: The Shift in Mindset

14:48 Cairns Race: Emotional Significance and Preparation

18:04 The Swim Experience: Challenges Faced

20:50 The Bike Leg: Expectations vs. Reality

28:58 The Grueling Bike Experience

30:02 Nutrition Strategy and Its Impact

31:57 The Importance of Fueling Knowledge

34:10 Transitioning to the Run

36:05 Mental Challenges During the Marathon

38:53 Overcoming Dark Thoughts

42:00 Community Support and Bike Giveaway

44:02 Finish Line Reflections

47:54 The 70.3 World Champs Experience

57:01 Training Adjustments for Busso

01:01:51 Race Day Preparation and Carb Loading

01:03:16 Race Day Nutrition Strategies

01:06:06 Pre-Race Nerves and Mental Preparation

01:08:04 Swim Performance and Confidence

01:09:58 Transitioning to T1 and Heart Rate Management

01:11:03 Bike Leg Challenges and Nutrition Strategy

01:18:38 Starting the Run and Early Confidence

01:20:43 Mid-Race Challenges and Mental Grit

01:23:08 The Final Push and Emotional Finish

01:25:18 Post-Race Reflections and Recovery

Ironman, triathlon, sub 10, endurance sports, resilience, personal growth, coaching, nutrition, mental strength, race day

Welcome to the pilot episode of the Finish What You Started Podcast.

In this solo episode, I (Daniel Walker) dive into my journey to the Cairns Ironman—unfiltered, unscripted, and very much a work in progress. This is the first attempt, and yes, it’s raw. I ramble. I go off on tangents. It’s awkward at times. But that’s the whole point - this is a start, and every start is messy.

If you’re listening, thank you for giving it a shot. It’s surprisingly hard having a conversation with yourself, but I’ve done my best to reflect honestly on the highs, the lows, and the lessons learned along the way. There’s some fluff and pretty boring bits but hopefully there’s also something real and motivating in here that keeps you moving forward too.

This episode will eventually be taken down and re-recorded with a more polished structure (and video!), but for now - this is me, putting one foot in front of the other.

If you make it to the end... congratulations on "Finishing What You Started" 😅

Thanks for being here and happy to get your feedback, good, bad or otherwise.