Buck the Trend Pod

Back-of-the-pack can still mean world-class determination. Aaron Fleming has raced Ironman 23 times, earned a spot at Kona through Ironman’s Legacy Programme, and turned a teenage lung surgery into a decades-long mission of resilience, purpose, and persistence. Steph sits down with the Queenstown age-group athlete to unpack how a one-and-done race in 2006 became a life defined by start lines, finish lines, and the stubborn belief that dreams are worth chasing.
Aaron shares how major lung surgery at 16, years of recovery, and a brutal diagnosis that he’d never physically exert himself again became the fuel for everything that followed. From his first run of four lampposts to completing the Ironman distance across all six continents.
Along the way, he reflects on the people who shaped his journey, including longtime announcer Mike Riley, who helped make his path through the sport even more meaningful. And with Kona finally here, this episode carries extra weight: Aaron’s mother, who stood by his hospital bedside and has watched so many of his finish lines, will be there in person alongside his sister. If you love stories of resilience, endurance, and what it really means to keep going when the odds say you shouldn’t, this one belongs on your list.

Kona can make or break your race if you arrive tired, overcooked, or underprepared. Matt Hnatiw and Steph Clutterbuck break down the practical lessons they’ve learned from racing the World Championships three times so you can get there calmer, smarter, and ready to actually perform. With two weeks to go, they share the stuff that matters now: how to protect the final days before travel, what to do on the long-haul flight, how to avoid arriving in a recovery hole, and why trying to squeeze in more heat adaptation at the last minute can backfire. They also dig into the logistics that catch first-timers out - from eSIMs and hire cars to food, sleep, and why your arrival night in Kona can feel strangely disorienting.
Matt and Steph also talk honestly about what went wrong in past years, how they approached heat preparation differently across seasons, and why finishing Kona with the race you planned is often better than chasing a heroic result you’ve never tested. Perfect for age-groupers heading to Kona, first-timers trying not to make costly mistakes, and anyone riding the Kona hype train who wants the real-world version of how to arrive sharp and race well.

Kona is calling, but Carly Schrom is chasing something bigger than a finish line. After battling Crohn's disease, brutal infections, liver tumors, and major surgery that removed 60% of her liver, she turned the hardest chapter of her life into a reason to race Ironman.

Carly joins Buck the Trend to share the remarkable path that took her from college illness and endless medical uncertainty to qualifying for Kona in first Ironman. This is a story about grit, patience, and learning how to trust your body again when it keeps changing the rules.

You'll hear how a childhood around racing shaped her, why triathlon became the ultimate choice in suffering, and how she built a fueling strategy around an unpredictable gut. She breaks down what works on the bike, why running still brings nausea, and how managing Crohn's treatment every eight weeks affects every training block.

If you're navigating health issues, rebuilding confidence after injury or illness, or just want to hear what resilience actually sounds like in real life, this one lands hard. And if Kona is on your radar, Carly's perspective will make the Big Island feel even more electric.

The biggest mistake age group triathletes make after a season? Jumping straight back into hard training. Matt and Steph break down why the reset matters more than the grind—and how the smartest athletes use the off-season to come back fitter, fresher, and actually ready to race. Steph shares hard-won lessons from burnout, injury, and finally learning how to stop properly after a big block, while Matt pushes the conversation into the practical stuff that matters right now: how to structure winter training, keep easy days truly easy, and build toward next season without wrecking your body or motivation.

Steph also opens up about the psychological side of missing Kona this year, the FOMO of watching world champs from afar, and why that disappointment is now being turned into a focused plan for 2027. From pool racing and CTTs to run blocks, fitness benchmarks, and race-day durability, this episode is packed with honest, practical advice for anyone trying to stay motivated when the next big race is still months away.

Matt and Steph also react to the 70.3 World Championships, including Hayden Wilde’s huge win, Kristian Blummenfelt’s terrifying run, Taylor Knibb’s dominant weekend, and what those performances could mean for Kona.

What happens when elite ambition meets relentless health setbacks, grief, and the kind of resilience most athletes never have to learn?

Tamsin Horne shares the story behind her second Kona qualification and why this year’s start line means even more after everything she’s overcome. From a brain bleed at 15 and chronic epilepsy to surgery, postpartum life, repeated setbacks, and a heartbreaking loss in the middle of her Kona build, Tamsin’s path to Ironman has been anything but straightforward. But this isn’t a story about surviving adversity, it’s about how she kept finding a way forward, even when medical advice, fatigue, and life itself seemed to say stop.

Through it all, she’s built a simple but powerful approach: not perfect, just honest, adaptable, and willing to keep showing up. If you’ve ever been told to stop, had to rebuild from nothing, or wondered how to stay connected to the part of you that loves the sport, this conversation will hit hard. It’s raw, practical, and deeply moving - and it’s a reminder that success is sometimes just crossing the line proud of what you gave.