Is Kona the One That Really Made It?

Show Sponsor AnyQuestion - https://link.anyquestion.com/Greg-Bennett   Support the show at https://www.patreon.com/user?u=26936856 "The Greg Bennett Show"   In this episode of The Greg Bennett Show, Greg is joined by pro Triathlete Sam Laidlow. Sam is leading the next generation of super-star Triathletes. Finishing 2nd at the Kona IM World championships 2 weeks ago in a time of 7.42hr, shattering the previous course record by 9 minutes. And setting a new bike course record of 4.04hrs. Elevating him to #4 in the world rankings.   Sam races without fear, and with controlled aggression. He knows who he is, he knows what he wants and he’s in control of his life.   He has an incredible team around him and he’s been steadily improving for years. But it was this year that the world took notice, with his incredible performances at the PTO US and Canadian opens where he was 4th and his 8th place at the IM StGeorge IM world championships.   Timestamps 1:57 - Interview starts Kona is the only currency of triathlon 3:39 - Have you had a chance to decompress since the race? Everything was going my way 8:18 - Greg and Sam reflect on his performance in Kona 2022. Sam explains why Kona is so important to him. 14:59 - We all get caught up in what we are 'supposed' to do ... Sam pressed reset on this myth and is running a plan that is 'his' own path. 20:25 - Sam is an aggressive racer, however his 'control' of that agregession is what sets him apart. Sam explains how he views his aggressive nature and how he channels it when it comes to racing. 22:43 - Sam describes the bike transition in Kona and his mindset as he focussed on his watts. 26:58 - There appeared to be a lot more penalties in Kona this year. Greg and Sam discuss who and what was going on. 28:07 - Being decent at maths is an advantage in the middle of racing. Understanding how much energy you have left and what are the time caps can have your mind calculating all sorts of figures to determine where you are and what you have to keep on doing. 31:25 - Sam explains how he felt when he'd heard the splits and the moment Gustav caught and passed him. 32:41 - Greg asks Sam if there was any moment in the race that he feels he should have done differently? 34:47 - Greg asks Sam where he sees he can tighten his performance moving forward. Bike for show ... run for dough 37:13 - Sam describes the final leg of Kona and how loud the crowd were and some of the emotional joys he felt having had Kona as a race goal for many many years. 40:26 - Greg and Sam rewinds his clock and how his early years formed his love for sport and then triathlon. 47:55 - Sam is not a big believer in 'ability' however he explains how his mindset has helped him along his long journey to Kona. 53:27 - Greg and Sam start a session of Rapid Fire Questions:

1. The worst subject at school? (hint - it's the country he currently resides)
2. First car?
3. Favorite Netflix/ streaming shows everyone should watch?
4. Most inspiring performance you’ve seen in the sport of Triathlon?
5. 3 people (not family) you’d want a meal with?
6. How many episodes of the Greg Bennett show have you listened to?
7. Best training location?
8. Best decade of music? (a tough question for a 23y/o)
9. Best movie of all time?
10. If a movie was made about your life, who would you want to play you?

56:45 - What's next for Sam Laidlow? 1:02:08 - Conclusion   Links Be sure and check out bennettendurance.com Find Greg on social media: Twitter Greg Bennett Show Instagram The Greg Bennett Show   Check out Sam Laidlow at: Website: https://samlaidlow.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samlaidlow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laidlowsam/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/SamLaidlow