Send us Fan Mail

You can learn a lot about an endurance athlete by what they avoid, and Brittney Litton avoids swimming. Then she signs up for Ultraman anyway, including a 10K swim, back-to-back monster bike days, and a double-marathon finish. Brittney joins us from New Zealand to talk about life as a working mom of two, a self-described “average” athlete with an anything-but-average appetite for big goals -- including wanting to set a new women's record time.

Racing lessons land hardest in the Kona Ironman recap. Brittany breaks down how over-concentrated carb bottles, post-swim thirst, and relying on Coke can spiral into vomiting, cramps, and survival mode in heat and humidity. That story becomes a blueprint for smarter fueling: drink water early, keep mixes tolerable, and respect the environment. She pairs it with the Tarawera ultra experience, where a hip flexor issue forces an awkward running pattern and a painful finish, proving that pacing and problem-solving matter as much as fitness. Finally, we zoom out to Ultraman preparation: crew planning, swim anxiety, long rides, Pilates for core strength, and the mindset shift from chasing splits to treating races as tests. It is a grounded look at how an “average” athlete builds toward an extraordinary start line.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• UM Australia 
• UM New Zealand
• Lord of the RIngs
• IM Taupo
• Taupo 70.3
• Harry Potter
• Zwift
• MyWhoosh
• R.I.O.T.  Zwift Team
• 5 Passes Race 
• Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge
• IM World Championships
• Tarawera Ultra 
• Taupo Marathon
• Wellington Marathon
• Christ Church Marathon
• Queenstown Marathon
• Christ Church 100km road championships

Shout outs and mentions in this episode:

• Simon Cochrane
• Jeff Morris
• Max Litton
• Ari Litton
• Anna Russel 
• Taylor Swift
• Gracie Abrams
• Tilly Litton
• Michael Phelps
• Kate Bevilaqua
• Fiona Gallagher 
• Kylie Brown
• Fat Cat Ron
• Fergus and Charlie

Support the show

Show Contributors:
Host : Larry Ryan
Contributing Raconteur : Steve King
Announcer : Mary Jo Dionne
Production : 5Five Enterprises
Music  :  Run by 331

For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.com
Facebook: @515TheUltraPodcast
Insta : @515theultrapodcast
Youtube : @515TheUltraPodcast
Email : [email protected]