Torpedo Swimtalk Podcast with Brent Foster - Champion Masters Swimmer and IRONMAN Triathlete

What does it take to become a dual Commonwealth Games representative, Iron Man, and Masters WR Holder? Join us on Torpedo Swimtalk Podcast as we chat with Brent Foster, a true champion in the world of swimming and triathlon, who shares his incredible journey and insights on pushing his limits in the sport. From training at the Australian Institute of Sport to overcoming injuries and setbacks, Brent's story is one of grit, determination, and passion.

As we explore Brent's Masters Swimming career, we discuss the medley program he participated in at the Institute, his strongest event, and how that helped him onto two Commonwealth Games Teams. Delving into the challenges of Masters Swimming in New Zealand, Brent reveals how he navigated the lack of sanctioned races and ultimately achieved three Masters World Records in Tasmania. His experiences provide valuable takeaways for those looking to compete at the highest level.

Balancing work, life, and training is no easy feat, but Brent offers his top tips for incorporating the 400 IM into your program and training for the Ironman. We also discuss fitting swimming, running, and cycling into a weekly program, and Brent reveals how he tackled the marathon distance before the Ironman. 

Don't miss out on this engaging conversation with a true swimming champion, filled with advice and inspiration for anyone looking to excel in the pool and beyond.

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Torpedo Swimtalk is sponsored by AMANZI SWIMWEAR

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Transcript

Danielle Spurling: 1:07

Hello Swimmers and welcome to another episode of Torpedo Swim Talk podcast. I'm your host, Danielle Spurling, and each week we chat to a master swimmer from around the world about their swimming journey. It's really apt. I'm speaking to today's guest, Brent Foster, from New Zealand, because the New Zealand Masters Nationals wrapped up recently and Brent broke several New Zealand national records. He's also owner of quite a few Masters World records And his success comes from a real place of experience as a dual Commonwealth Games representative for New Zealand, as well as an Iron Man and World Aquathon Champion. Let's hear from Brent as he shares his swim story with us.

Brent Foster: 1:58

Hi Danielle, how are you?

Danielle Spurling: 2:00

Yeah, good, thank you. Where are you joining us from today?

Brent Foster: 2:04

Auckland, New. Zealand.

Danielle Spurling: 2:05

Have you lived there all your life or have you moved there in your adult life? What's the story?

Brent Foster: 2:11

Yeah, i was brought up kind of in West Auckland and now we're a nice scenic bush with pigeons and then I was here kind of all my life. But I did go to Australia the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra there for a year and then the Gold Coast for a while and that kind of lifted my training. That was in the 80s, yeah awesome.

Danielle Spurling: 2:34

We'll have to talk more about that. Did you get a swim in over the weekend?

Brent Foster: 2:38

Actually I didn't. I've got a little bit of a cold you might hear at my voice and I didn't swim this weekend and I haven't swam today. So just resting a little bit.

Danielle Spurling: 2:48

When was the last time you had a swim?

Brent Foster: 2:50

Friday morning I had a swim and we've got an outdoor pool that I swim with. I swim with Hauapakuranga quite a lot and they pushed me. They're the young swimmers and we can do five or six K, which for me these days is quite long, but it kind of lifts my fitness. But getting in and out of the pool, sometimes, especially morning, putting the lane ropes in and afterwards, yeah, you can get a little bit cold. You've got a cold from that or someone, or the kids, i don't know.

Danielle Spurling: 3:18

So you all have to put your own lane ropes in, do you before you train?

Brent Foster: 3:22

Yeah, we do in the mornings, so that's a little bit of a yeah yeah nuisance. If you're cooling down, you've got to be a bit careful.

Danielle Spurling: 3:31

Oh wow, that's a lot I couldn't. I can deal with that. I saw that you jammed your hand in the lane rope the other day.

Brent Foster: 3:40

Yes, yes, well in the morning, yeah, the lights are not the best And I kind of one spotlight there was my eyes, but I just kind of wandered over the other side of the lane and, yeah, i caught my left hand in the lane rope during backstroke and that was sore. And then a few days later the lane rope goes up a little bit to fixate to the end of the wall and I kept kind of forgetting that and one guy where I was lapping and I kind of kept over and bang and freestyle, hit my hand again. So it's still pretty sore actually a few days later.

Danielle Spurling: 4:13

Yeah, well, it must be in the water at the moment, because I did exactly the same thing last week. I pushed off a bit crookedly on a backstroke turn and I caught it in the lane rope and yeah.

Brent Foster: 4:25

Oh yes, that is gross. yes, oh my gosh, yes not a nice injury.

Danielle Spurling: 4:30

It's an occupational hazard, isn't it?

Brent Foster: 4:32

It is actually yeah, yeah, yeah and out to it. Are you out to Apollo and door?

Danielle Spurling: 4:37

Yeah, outdoor, outdoor heated, but yeah, i swim early mornings too so, yeah, the lights some times in my eyes, but yeah, i've done it a few times over the years doing backstroke.

Brent Foster: 4:49

Yeah, and you're trying to work in with other swimmers and there's quite a few more in the lane now with us, so it's a little bit tricky. Yeah, not nice actually.

Danielle Spurling: 5:00

Yeah, as a backstroker, you sort of you put your trust in your lane mates, don't you? because you you're sort of going blind, i suppose, and I try to stay over on the lane rope as much as I can to not bang into them.

Brent Foster: 5:12

But yeah, backstroke, yeah. Well, that's kind of what I thought of more for me somewhere. And unfortunately I did the world chance with him in Gwangju in Korea and he told me to toughen up, you know, because I said I was getting a bit colder here, but he's an outdoor pool as well, so I think he's Sydney, i think.

Danielle Spurling: 5:30

Yes, yeah, he's a gun backstroker, isn't he?

Brent Foster: 5:33

He's very good. Yeah, he's pretty amazing actually.

Danielle Spurling: 5:36

You've had such experience in not only pool swimming but open water, triathlon, surf, life saving, aquathon all with great success at the elite level. But take us back to representing New Zealand at the 86 and 90 Commonwealth Games. What was that experience like for you?

Brent Foster: 5:54

Well, you know it was, it was kind of a mixed bag. I was overjoyed to make the 86 Commonwealth Games but there was teams with a little bit of sadness because my twin brother he didn't make it and the time trial I made it. I thought I got New Zealand record 2 and the time trial but because I had someone doing flying back and they're laying next to me, that was deemed a time trial. Even though it's a lane wrap there it was deemed as pacing. So I never gave him his Yuna Miko but he didn't make the time. And then he did the. He was 0.6 away from the Trinamidli time, three times in the next kind of month away from a qualifying time and he. So he never made the come out. So it was a little bit sad he wasn't there.

Danielle Spurling: 6:41

Yeah, and obviously 1990 was in Auckland. What was that like? what was the experience like participating in front of a home crowd?

Brent Foster: 6:50

Yeah, it was neat. Actually I was kind of a forgotten man a bit, i thought, because you know I didn't middle, i didn't get the final, but I yeah it was neat. Anna Simsett won gold and the guy I trained with, paul Kingsman, won a cup of silver. That was brilliant. And Anthony Moss won gold. You know, it was a bit of hometown advantage and I'd been, i had to take a bit of time off studying beforehand and then I did it, tried to jump into a few miles, kind of six weeks out, and then I got food poisoning. I was vomiting and the week before some sort of poisoning anyway, i think it was from a cafe food, i don't know, oh no.

Brent Foster: 7:34

So then I lost weight and a bit of strength. That was just straight before the race, kind of thing, that the week before. So it wasn't. Yeah, i swear I'm all right, but yeah, obviously I'll win this one better. But um, and then in 1986 I was pretty young and I was. I was a lot fitter in 90 because I'd gone to Australia and done the Institute of Sport programs, which was cool and it was a proper medley program with Rob Woodhouse and what did you find the institute experience like?

Brent Foster: 7:59

Yeah, it's good. It's really professional, really thorough and long course, short course pulls. I lived outside, but they've got the benefit, of course, living in the Institute. That was really good for the athletes.

Danielle Spurling: 8:15

So you, what you billeted with someone, did you?

Brent Foster: 8:18

Oh, i flatted. Actually I actually stayed with my uncle's brother. He lived there.

Danielle Spurling: 8:22

Right.

Brent Foster: 8:23

And then I it's got a flat and um, but I was very lucky to train there, yeah. So that was pretty cool of them and I kind of, you know, helped program a little bit by pushing them along and giving them a bit of international feeling.

Danielle Spurling: 8:37

Who was the medley coach there at the time?

Brent Foster: 8:38

Bill Sweetman was there and Jenny and was the breast choker coach. Um, oh, but um, oh, i can picture him. I can't remember his name, but yeah, do you know? Bill Sweetman. Yes yeah, i know, bill Sweetman.

Danielle Spurling: 8:57

Was it Terry Gathacoll?

Brent Foster: 8:58

Terry Gathacoll.

Danielle Spurling: 8:59

That's right, yeah, yeah yeah, wow, because, though, i mean, the Institute's changed a lot now, but, um, back in those days it was full on, wasn't it? you were like 12 sessions a week, massive amount of miles that you were. You were putting in How did you cope with that on your body.

Brent Foster: 9:19

Yeah, well, uh, yeah, it was. Yeah, it was another level going there, but it was a bit, you know, because I kind of New Zealand I seem to be in sprint program all the time and I was I was just kind of worked around the sprinters a bit for the 86 Kamaelsen, but it was a good, proper medley program. It was methodically worked out. So we had kind of, um, certain days like Monday morning it'd be kind of a bit more of a aerobic, monday night it could be lactate so hard if it's Tuesday morning it'd be kind of like paddles and a bit more strength and speed. Short course, yeah, tuesday night, and then that was steady. Often I end up missing Monday morning because I wasn't used to doing kind of Saturday mornings. Saturday afternoon I was so tired, but then of course you had to do a makeup session if you missed a session. So then just from Wednesday morning and night. So yeah, it was quite tough in a way.

Danielle Spurling: 10:16

Yeah, he's a bit of a hard taskmaster, bill Sweetman.

Brent Foster: 10:19

Yeah, he is. Yeah, he's tough. It was good, though he's good.

Danielle Spurling: 10:25

So were you always a medley specialist, or did you qualify in any other races for the Commonwealth Games?

Brent Foster: 10:32

Oh, just the medley. Yeah, it was turnimidley in 1986 and then forrimidley in 1990. I've got too many sprint fibres really so yeah, turnimidley for me is like a sprint all the way, kind of thing.

Danielle Spurling: 10:49

And, like most medley swimmers, you'll have a stroke that's the strongest. What is it for you?

Brent Foster: 10:55

Probably still my freestyle. In a way that's probably my strongest, but I try and work my breaststroke as well. Not too bad at backstroke. I don't do a lot of fly. If I'm at the Glenness pool with the tri-squad, I don't always do that much fly, but HBK was tempted to do a bit more fly, So that helps lift my fly. What about you? what's yours? Backstroke, so backstroke and then freestyle.

Danielle Spurling: 11:16

Yeah, i don't swim breaststroke or butterfly. Okay, i used to when I was a kid, but yeah, not anymore. I just what's the point?

Brent Foster: 11:26

Are you doing wheelchamps this year?

Danielle Spurling: 11:29

Look, i was going to, but I've just had one health crisis after another, and now that I've done this to my hand. I've just run out of time. It's like only nine weeks away, So I've just been swimming one arm and kicking for the last few days.

Brent Foster: 11:44

So no.

Danielle Spurling: 11:45

I'm not. How about yourself, are you going?

Brent Foster: 11:47

Yeah, i haven't actually entered, but I have booked my flights and accommodations, so, yeah, i'll be there. You better get onto that because there's a cap.

Danielle Spurling: 11:54

There's a cap that they're cutting off that, so you better enter.

Brent Foster: 11:58

Oh, okay.

Danielle Spurling: 11:59

Yeah, i mean, i think I mean entries are open till the end of June, but yeah, i think it's filling up because there's something like 60,000 Japanese master swimmers. Oh, wow, i know, and they're only, i think they're only accepting about 6,000 people to enter.

Brent Foster: 12:15

so yeah, get on to that. They sent me a special invite, kind of thing.

Danielle Spurling: 12:22

Nice.

Brent Foster: 12:23

Because I was ranked yeah, ranked world number one last year and they fought immediately, but long course, but I thought it might have been someone pointed out, oh, there'd be a free entry. But then when I contacted them, no, no, i don't think it's free entry.

Danielle Spurling: 12:34

No, i don't think they're that generous. I mean, they've really cut down. they're not even giving medals to 10th place, like they used to, or 6th place. They're just doing the top three and that's it.

Brent Foster: 12:45

Oh, Yeah, so I don't know what the story is there.

Danielle Spurling: 12:48

But yeah, a lot of people are up in arms about that.

Brent Foster: 12:51

Yeah, well, in Guangzhou was my first ever world masters and I was quite surprised Either gave medals down to 5th. that was pretty cool actually.

Danielle Spurling: 13:00

Yeah, i think, and certainly I went to Montreal in 2014 and they gave them down to 10th place. Wow, that's great, yeah, so. But I think that's sort of a bit more in line with US Masters. They sort of give. I don't think they give. Oh, maybe they do give medals to 10th, but it's like top 10 is a really big thing over there.

Brent Foster: 13:19

Yeah, world champs here top 10 yeah.

Danielle Spurling: 13:21

Yeah, for sure. So how did you find yourself getting into master swimming? Obviously, you had this great career representing New Zealand for Commonwealth Games. Did you have some time out of pool swimming? We'll talk about your triathlons in a moment. But how did you get into Masters?

Brent Foster: 13:38

Well, i kind of did the swimming thing when I was young until about 22, 23, and then I got talked into doing surf life saving. So I was doing the volunteer surf life saving patrols and a little bit of professional patrols and then I competed for the clubs and then I started doing the surf life saving competitions. I did four world champs there and we actually won the world champs in 98. So that was a bit of a thrill. That was in home to Falkland.

Danielle Spurling: 14:09

Awesome.

Brent Foster: 14:10

Yeah, that was cool. And then on then, oh then I, because I was running a bit for that anyway. And then I started to do triathlon and then I had this wild thought maybe I could qualify for the Olympics, but I'd left it too late by that stage, because I started in 1999 and I was 30 something and then one year to the Olympics. It was a bit crazy. I punctured anyway at the Olympic Trial in Sydney on the bike, even though I got eighth in the World Cup a week before in Japan. But yeah, i did relatively well on the triathlon. It comes down to a running race pretty much, so I wasn't the best runner but got a few eighths and twelfths and stuff. And you know, did I man? I think you get talked into doing I man over here.

Danielle Spurling: 15:00

I don't think anyone could ever talk to me doing an I man.

Brent Foster: 15:04

Yeah, i know it's silly, but yeah. And then you kind of get hooked, even though your legs are smashed at the end of it. Two weeks later you're like oh yeah, it was quite good.

Danielle Spurling: 15:17

So you sort of forget about your feelings during the race, doing that marathon at the end.

Brent Foster: 15:22

The first one.

Brent Foster: 15:23

I was like why the heck am I doing this during the bike ride. But then I ended up doing 10, i man, and I did Hawaii as an elite, but I was 38, but late really and I still did quite well and stuff like 54, but yeah, and then by that stage after that you think, well, what shall I do? and then I think I was 40 when I did my first masters and I did, i'm positive I got the New Zealand record, but something was wrong with the timing and they never verified it. So then I just gave up the masters swimming for about nine years and I think I just did some ocean swims. And I did masters again when I was about 49 and got a few New Zealand records and 1500. I went hard at that and then they said I got the New Zealand record and three weeks later you get a letter in the mail saying no, the timing system didn't work, so you haven't got the record.

Danielle Spurling: 16:24

Oh no, what's happening with New Zealand's timing system, because that's happened a few times over the journey.

Brent Foster: 16:30

Yeah, well, there was all sorts of things. Another meat was the North Islands, or nationals, i think it was. Someone went to a party and then didn't wake up and didn't take the touch pads over to Fokutani for the meat, oh no. So yeah, it's such a go here. These nationals, the long course nationals here. I thought it would be good to have a sanctioned meat, but it's not going to be sanctioned and it's been four years since we have a sanctioned meat, so this would be the fifth year. So it's hard to get a world ranking or world time or world record or anything. Long course here. It's a bit ridiculous.

Danielle Spurling: 17:10

Right. Why can't they do a sanctioned meat? just because they can't do the pool survey beforehand?

Brent Foster: 17:17

Well, yeah, that's why I popped over to Tasmania last year and they're very organised and really welcoming and got relatives there, But they have. They had an Aussie guy who was a master swimmer and then he went around Australia and he was a survey and sanctioned, you know, got the pool, sanctioned, all measures and sanctioned, which was a really broad idea Over here. Yeah, not that many pools are sanctioned. And then what they tried to do with this nationals was they included 18 plus age group with New Zealand Swimming Touring trying to get more numbers because it's apparently $9,000 to hire the pool, although they got it for $5,000.

Danielle Spurling: 17:59

Wow, that's expensive.

Brent Foster: 18:01

Yeah, and then they try and recoup numbers and money, but by doing that those 18 year olds aren't masters swimmers. So officially, if you don't have master swimmers, it can't be sanctioned.

Danielle Spurling: 18:14

Right, yeah, that's that's. It's hard, isn't it? They don't make it easy for people wanting to get some swim races in.

Brent Foster: 18:24

Yeah, yeah, it is a bit weird because there's not many races here.

Danielle Spurling: 18:28

So what's, what's the master scene like in New Zealand? Obviously, you haven't had that many races and not many sanctioned races. How many around about how many people would be in masters in New Zealand?

Brent Foster: 18:40

Oh, that's a good question. I mean I'd like to think there's about 800 New Zealand wide. The Roscoe meet we had recently, like 10 days ago, there was actually. There's a good number there. There was some ex-Olympians Moss Bermester Hopton. He won Commonwealth Gold. He's going to turn a butterfly 2006. So he got a few New Zealand records. That was exciting. And a few ex-Olympians Richard Lockhart, mark Weldon they're still going strong. They're doing a world champs this year. Yeah, so we had pretty good number. But when I say pretty good number, we might have had 100 at the meet. But it's all. You know old starting blocks and shallow pool and slippery walls and third world. You know third world here.

Danielle Spurling: 19:21

No, across the ditch, but you obviously still enjoy challenging yourself and you mentioned you came to Tasmania last year to try for some records. Is that where you got your three Masters World Records?

Brent Foster: 19:36

Yeah, yeah. So I got two. Yeah, i got one long course the four in the middle, so that was the best one. I kind of consider that as probably my best one I've ever done in my whole life. I reckon that's one.

Danielle Spurling: 19:48

Oh, that's awesome. Tell us why that's the best one you've ever done.

Brent Foster: 19:52

I just think you know I measure for measure, it was just, yeah, you know, i fell 57 for a 55 year old and yeah, it was just kind of really special and I just was super fit And I don't know the speed endurance stuff I've been doing HBK. It was kind of probably better than maybe what I was doing when I was younger. But yeah, it's one of those things where everything came together. I made sure I didn't do any race kind of beforehand so I was a little bit fresher too.

Danielle Spurling: 20:24

Yeah, that makes a difference. I think definitely. What are your tactics when you race a 400 IM? How do you approach it?

Brent Foster: 20:32

Yeah, well, try and get into a good rhythm in the fly I end up breathing kind of every one from about halfway down the first lap just to get the oxygen in, and then I try not to fault it too much that last half lap in the fly. And then the backstroke yeah, you've got to keep the pacing of the arms up. You don't want to slow them down too much. And then the breaststroke, trying to get the leg power going and keep stroke up Freestyle, bring it home, yeah, and just kind of hold the technique. But you've got to bring the kick in a bit too. now you know you're kicking a lot more. The Canadian girl got the word. I could see her kick in the freestyle. it was amazing.

Danielle Spurling: 21:17

Yeah, she's a great swimmer, isn't she? So I'm a Macintosh.

Brent Foster: 21:21

Yeah, incredible.

Danielle Spurling: 21:26

Do you like listening to our podcast? Because we want to hear your thoughts. If you do, please take the time to leave us a review on Apple or Spotify or on our website or whatever podcast platform you listen on. It really helps other people find our podcast and we really want to spread the word about masters swimming, so if you could just take a minute to do that, it would be so much appreciated. What's your breathing pattern for the freestyle during a 400 IM?

Brent Foster: 21:58

I'll just be every two really, although occasionally I might breathe to the other side, but I like to breathe to the left. It's pretty much every two, yeah.

Danielle Spurling: 22:05

Yeah, are you a good turner?

Brent Foster: 22:08

I'm not too bad, but I would not be the best turner around. I like to think I can get a good distance off the wall, but yeah, i tend to slow into the wall a little bit whereas I try. You know, gotta keep that speed up into the wall, yeah.

Danielle Spurling: 22:24

So what would be your top tips for someone wanting to put the 400 IM into their program? What works for you in your training? that translates into the medley.

Brent Foster: 22:36

Yeah, well, i mean, i learned this at the Institute there in Canberra, it was the switching sets. So at least twice a week you wanna be doing some switching sets. So you know, eight, if you're 15 meters, eight, fifties, you know, fly back back, breath, breath free, free, fly. And I think twice a week, or even 400, im switching sets. Yeah, i mean, we did a big set the other day where we had 400, two 200s, four, 100s, and we did all of that three times and the 400 to begin with was free, and then the two 200s back and then the four 90s was medley. But then we started off the second set with the backstroke, so 400 back, and then it was 200 medley, then four 90s free, and then the third set was like four 90 medley. Wow, yeah, two 200s free, four 100s back. So that sort of set will get you really fit. Yeah, definitely.

Danielle Spurling: 23:31

I know. Going back to your triathlons, when you were training for the Ironman, how did you sort of fit all of the swimming, running and cycling into your week? How did you sort of balance that with your work-life balance?

Brent Foster: 23:44

Yeah, well, i was working 30 plus hours, still working quite a lot compared to one of the top pros. But the work was swim coaching, so that was kind of morning and then afternoon, some evenings, so it was a bit of a bummer. I often swim on my own or I might have had one buddy who would swim with me. That was quite good. But the bike run I did quite a bit of wind trainer to save time and Auckland's not the best for biking so sometimes I'd do it, you know. Or for Ironman I'd do a four hour wind trainer and then run 16K off it. You know, time trials, 16k. So that was a hard session.

Danielle Spurling: 24:23

Wow, that is a hard session.

Brent Foster: 24:27

Yeah, that was a good five hours. But yeah, you're basically a long run once a week and a long bike once a week, and then I'd have some threshold run sessions. You know, like five times six minutes was one of my favourite sessions, where you'd run on the grass and just round paddocks so your legs weren't smashed, but you're really getting a heart rate up for basically 30 minutes. You know almost 10K worth of running. That was a good set.

Danielle Spurling: 24:59

When you were doing that kind of training and you mentioned a longer run and a longer bike ride. Obviously at the end of the Ironman there's a marathon run. Did you do any marathon distance before you did your first Ironman or did you just build up to that within your training?

Brent Foster: 25:15

I had done a couple of marathons. Yeah, i'd done a few marathons. Yeah, like Rotorua, i used to go to Athalidias. He was one of the main goos of running in New Zealand and my ex-wife she got coached by him so he believed in doing a marathon a month out from a marathon race. Yeah. So the Hawaiian Ironman a month out, i did well. On the Friday I did 3.8K hard and then a Saturday I did a 180K bike with some efforts in that 30 minute efforts, and then on the Sunday I did the final run marathon and ran about 255, i think. So that was a month out from Hawaii, or maybe it was about a month out of five weeks out. So that put me on good feet for Hawaii. I was pretty fit.

Danielle Spurling: 26:02

Yep, how's the recovery from that after doing a marathon, when you're still training for that Ironman in a few weeks?

Brent Foster: 26:09

Yeah, well, you gotta be a little bit careful. Yeah, because it's basically after a set of mile a day recoveries. So it's basically 26 miles, 26 days. So you don't wanna be doing a marathon any less than a month out. Really it's a bit too close. Yeah, it depends how much you smash it and how many hills and all that sort of thing.

Danielle Spurling: 26:31

And what's the toughest thing about doing an Ironman at Kona?

Brent Foster: 26:35

Yeah, the heat from the end was pretty around the energy lab, the heat sweltering off the road, see it It's, and I think I missed an aid station. But, yeah, keeping the cool body temperature down. I remember putting ice down my suit, which was a one piece, and then it went down a bit funny. So then I was putting it under my cap and trying to keep cool, but yeah, the whole thing's, oh, it's kinda cool because the roads are fast, compared to New Zealand. I mean, new Zealand roads are cycling on and not best. They're pretty rough and this one's okay, although, to be honest, actually the swim it must have been some row boats, but I actually swallowed water twice in the swim and I was sitting right behind first and second and then I just felt so sick because of the salt water. Yeah, so I let them go and then I walked down. I wasn't going to finish because I felt so quick, but they gave me a cup of fresh water and then I came right on the bike and carried on.

Danielle Spurling: 27:36

Yeah, it's tough in the open water, like Dealey. I mean obviously as pool swimmers. We were talking about hitting your hand, but in the open water there's so many things to consider. Do you do much open water swimming now?

Brent Foster: 27:47

Yeah, i do. Yeah, i'm in the open water usually once or twice a week, all summer, basically So and I surf quite a bit at least once a week. So yeah, i'm out there quite a bit. I love it. Yeah, it's good, it's pretty good swimming here and surfing in New Zealand and Auckland. It's not bad. What about you? You in?

Danielle Spurling: 28:08

Yeah, over summer I do a few ocean swims and whatnot. But I mean, my main love is the pool. But yeah, i don't mind it. I don't mind doing a few of the races down around the South Coast in Victoria.

Brent Foster: 28:22

Nice, yeah, but it's not, it's probably not my first love. How do you?

Danielle Spurling: 28:28

find the water temperature in New Zealand over summer? What does it get down to around Auckland?

Brent Foster: 28:35

Yeah, the temperature has gone up a little, but you know, I think the last couple of summers it's been one or two degrees warmer. So in the shallows, you know, I can get up to 25 degrees in the afternoon. Peak summer, like February, March, It's pretty doable without a wetsuit. Yeah, there's a bit of a cult thing going on, you know. Brave for the winter without a wetsuit now.

Danielle Spurling: 28:59

So there's quite a few individuals, i'll say that Yeah.

Brent Foster: 29:05

But I've got a bit of a theory, because those people tend to put on weight and by the end of the winter they've actually put on about five, 10 kgs.

Danielle Spurling: 29:13

Yes, to protect themselves from the cold Yeah.

Brent Foster: 29:17

So, but it a little bit of cold water swimming is good, but yeah, apart from that, i'm not that keen on that. Yeah.

Danielle Spurling: 29:24

And obviously you mentioned you're going to sign up for Japan. What other master swimming goals have you got in your future?

Brent Foster: 29:34

Well, i still like to do a few ocean swimmers around the world. You know, you see this, what is it? Asia to Europe, one in Turkey, that'd be quite cool.

Danielle Spurling: 29:43

Oh yeah, the garden nails one.

Brent Foster: 29:46

Yeah, that's it Yeah.

Danielle Spurling: 29:47

Yeah, a few people I've had on the podcast have done that and rave about it. Sounds like a good one. I think you catch a boat across and then you swim back.

Brent Foster: 29:56

Swim back Okay.

Danielle Spurling: 29:58

Yeah, it does sound like a nice one Yeah.

Brent Foster: 30:00

What other ones?

Danielle Spurling: 30:01

are you interested in doing?

Brent Foster: 30:03

The Barbados swim festival looks quite good. Let's just start it up again.

Danielle Spurling: 30:07

Okay.

Brent Foster: 30:09

That's a long way away, so wouldn't mind going there. Yeah, some. There's always a few swims around the islands. I have done Samoa and Fiji swims. I haven't swum in Tonga. I wouldn't mind going there. But, and then some of the Aussie ones, of course, would like to do a few more ocean swimmers.

Danielle Spurling: 30:23

Yeah, Have you done any of the ocean swims along the East Coast of Australia.

Brent Foster: 30:27

Yeah, did. The last one was few years ago. I did Burley. That was pretty cool. Got my ass kicked by the top bodies, but it was quite exciting. Yeah, it was pretty cool. Actually, i thought I'd been to the open one And then of course they're super fast. I didn't disgrace myself, but yeah, they had, you know, x Olympians or Olympians in there, and so I might have been. I might have been second or third girl, i'm not too sure, but it was good. It was good fun. I used to be in Palm Beach Surf Club, actually years ago. Surf Flight, seven Clubs.

Danielle Spurling: 31:08

Oh, did you? Okay, yeah, very, very well known and famous surf club on Queensland in Queensland Now, everyone that comes on the podcast, brent, i like to ask them the deep dive five favorite swimming things. So just tell me the first thing that pops into your mind What's your favorite competition swimming pool?

Brent Foster: 31:28

Well, the first one that popped into mind was the New South Wales Warringah pool. I remember doing that New South Wales champs when I was an age group. That was.

Danielle Spurling: 31:37

that was like wow, that was just so cool, that was a what year did you go there and do your age champs?

Brent Foster: 31:44

Wow, that was quite a long time ago.

Danielle Spurling: 31:48

Was it 84?.

Brent Foster: 31:50

Might have even been before that. actually Might have been 81 or something. Yeah, i think it was.

Danielle Spurling: 31:56

Yeah, because I remember I went to some age nationals at Warringah. I think it was 84. I must have been 16.

Brent Foster: 32:02

Oh yeah, and that was I was at the Aussie age groups, or was that the New South Wales champs, or?

Danielle Spurling: 32:07

Aussie, aussie, aussie national. age nationals. Oh okay, aussie national.

Brent Foster: 32:13

Oh, did you? Okay, yeah, i might have gone there. Yeah, i think I did that And I think my brother did well, really well, actually.

Danielle Spurling: 32:21

What about your favorite open water swim location?

Brent Foster: 32:25

I did like the Maldives when I was there. That was pretty cool And oh, yeah, that swim. Yeah, it's nice You've been there.

Danielle Spurling: 32:30

Haven't been there, but it looks beautiful.

Brent Foster: 32:33

Yeah, we went to an island I'm just trying to remember the name A little island, starts with B, i think And we swam around the island. There was a few resident sharks that were interesting, lots of fish. But yeah, i had my fins on the first swim and I chased the shark and it took off. You know, as you probably imagine, it's super fast And the way it could turn and everything was incredible. But the next day I didn't have fins on it. It charged me. Oh no, yeah, and I was in the water and it was quite freaky having the shark charge me and shot right past me, pretty, pretty close to my face. But I just held my own. That was a bit scary.

Danielle Spurling: 33:14

What kind of shark was it?

Brent Foster: 33:17

Oh, I think just a roof shark. You know a meter and a half to two meters, But yeah, big enough to give you a bird bite. Yeah, for sure.

Danielle Spurling: 33:25

And what about your favorite butterfly training drill?

Brent Foster: 33:33

I like that lift arm four times, roll out four times, both arms four times. I kind of like that. That's my favorite Yeah.

Danielle Spurling: 33:38

Yeah, that's a good one. What about your favorite freestyle training set?

Brent Foster: 33:44

I kind of like a ladder hundred, turner three or four hundred and they're back down again. That's kind of cool and try and hold a good post throughout Yeah.

Danielle Spurling: 33:52

So what kind of intensity would you do that on?

Brent Foster: 33:55

Something like 130 interval or maybe 125 interval And then as you get more tired trying to hold yeah, i mean trying to hold a 115 pace still pretty good these days, but really I should get down to that 110 pace again.

Danielle Spurling: 34:08

I haven't kind of how many, how many sessions in the water are you doing a week?

Brent Foster: 34:12

Well, normally I do about four or five and I'm trying to lift a little bit and do a little bit more, but then I, yeah, surfs. Good, i'll go for a surf, or I might miss a bit for work here and there, and then I've got flu things. So then I'm missing three or four sessions. But yeah, so it kind of works out. What about four or five?

Danielle Spurling: 34:34

Yeah, in an ideal world, when you're not sick of it Yeah.

Brent Foster: 34:39

Yeah.

Danielle Spurling: 34:40

And what's your favorite strength? dry land strength exercise.

Brent Foster: 34:45

I just do my core body. I've got dumbbell, i use that, so I do a few rows and flies and things like that with the dumbbell, and the core body is probably the most important area. That's some precepts and planks, that's it's pretty important, but I mean it's core body session eight minutes three times a week. It makes a huge difference, i reckon.

Danielle Spurling: 35:06

Yeah, definitely So. how many? how many would you just do those three exercises and just repeat them over for eight minutes?

Brent Foster: 35:15

Yeah, planks and supermans and I've got, you know, side winders, you look, side leg lifts and yeah, just a couple of different types of sit ups get the lower abs and upper abs And I mean really good, you know, and it's just all body work. It's not kind of too scientific, but they're really really good.

Danielle Spurling: 35:34

Yeah, Thank you so much for coming on the podcast. It's been a pleasure talking to you and good luck with your racing in Japan.

Brent Foster: 35:42

Thanks, danielle. Thank you very much to chat and good luck with all the swimmers out there and good luck for you in South too.

Danielle Spurling: 35:47

Yeah, same. Okay then.

Brent Foster: 35:50

Cheers Take care.

Danielle Spurling: 35:51

Okay, bye.

Brent Foster: 35:52

Take care.

Danielle Spurling: 35:56

I hope you enjoyed my chat with Brent today and took something away for your own swim journey. Till next time, happy swimming and bye for now.