The best part of attending a 515km / Ultraman distance event is the life-long friendships you leave with. These events attract remarkable athletes from all walks of life and all corners of the globe. 515 : The Ultra Podcast invites you into the lives of these people who make up the Ultra family through conversations hosted by Larry Ryan.
Join us if you are an Ironman with an aspiration toward the 515km distance; if you are a seasoned veteran of Ultratriathlon; or you just want to fill your training hours listening to inspiring stories, about epic events, told by interesting people. There will be plenty of take-aways for your own training and/or your bucket list. For show notes and past guests, please visit the Podcast Website: https://515theultrapodcast.buzzsprout.com
If you like what you hear on the podcast and want to support more content, consider visiting my BUY ME A COFFEE page to show your appreciation :
https://buymeacoffee.com/larryryan
Larry has been around the Ultra family since 2010 when he first crewed his then wife, Lucy Ryan, at Ultraman Canada. Since that time Larry has crewed for numerous Ultra athletes at many different events. For a few years, Larry was co-race director of Ultraman Canada when it needed some help getting back up and running. and now is race director for Ultra TriFest Canada in Whistler, BC.
Benat was born in Basque country and now lives in Sydney, Australia where he works as an AI consultant for NSW Health. He holds a PHD in computer science and is a self professed data nerd.
He enjoys bodyboarding and of course triathlon.
In 2023, he raced at UM Australia and in 2025 became one of the best known people at the event for his incredible tenacity in filming the athletes all over the course on behalf of our Live Stream.
Billy RIckards is a veteran 515 racer that helps others to get to the finish line as an amazing crew person. He lives Aloha, Ohana, Kokua within the Ultra Fam. As a person who has chosen to call Hawaii home; it only makes sense that he has a strong connection to the island values.
In his day job, Billy helps people again. He is a counsellor working in private practice.
Since 1990, Bob Babbitt, a USA Triathlon and Ironman Hall of
Fame inductee, has been hosting a highly-acclaimed radio program and podcast showcasing the world’s best runners, triathletes, and cyclists - first with Competitor Radio, then Babbittville Radio and the Breakfast Bob Podcast.
Bob is co-founder of the Challenged Athletes Foundation.
Fernando is a seasoned endurance athlete and expert in life balance, boasting over 200 international races, including 26 world championships. A devoted father, husband, and executive, he inspires others to achieve their ultimate potential in sports and life.
Gary has competed in 20 consecutive Ultraman Hawaii World Championships.
You could say that he dabbles in Ultra running as well, having competed in over 200 ultra events, including numerous outings at Western States and Hurt 100.
He is also an excellent photographer and holds a PHD in Electrical engineering.
Empowering women to improve their health and wellbeing with nutritional education and daily support, inspiring new lifestyle habits.
Jeff is the race director for UM Australia as well as other events. In his day job, Jeff enjoys passing his experience onto the next generation of Motorcycle and light vehicle mechanics at TAFE Queensland.
Jen Annett has developed a reputation as a tough racing athlete, overcoming a battle with epilepsy to become a serious podium contender at every race she enters.
Jen set a new female 515 distance World record at Ultraman Canada in her home town of Penticton, British Columbia, in the summer of 2024 with a time of 21:39:32.
Connect with Jen at her website. #RaceTough
Instagram : annett_jen
Jen is Race Director of Ultraman Florida and Ultraman Arizona. In addition to organizing races, Jen is an avid wildlife photographer, instructor, and part time travel agent through JennyMacTravel.com.
John Domandl has a triathlon career that spans over 40 years. He has competed in over 150 events which includes two UM Australia and four triathlon World Championships. In 1988, John represented his home country of Australia at the Paralympics in Seoul, South Korea.
John has retinitis pigmentosa and is an ambassador for Cure Blindness Australia. You can learn more about the organization at their website.
Keri is the owner and founder of emPOWER Yoga. She is also a Running Coach, Triathlon Coach, & CrossFit Coach. In July 2018, she completed her first Ironman and in February, 2020 she completed the World Marathon Challenge (7 Marathons, 7 Continents, 7 Days). Keri has completed Ultraman Arizona and Ultraman Florida and is training for Ultraman Worlds in Hawaii.
website : https://empoweryoganj.com/
Keri’s Youtube
Mark is an EMT from Bellevue Washington, who holds the 60+ age group record at Ultraman Canada. He has crewed numerous times at 515 races around the world and is now ready for his own adventure on the island. He doesn’t take things too seriously when at these events, except for trying to win the Kokua award.
He recently completed the Rim 2 Rim 2 Rim and has completed 32 Ironman distance races. In addition, Mark holds a streak of 25 consecutive outings at the Yakima River Canyon Marathon -- even when Covid cancelled the race.
Mary Latza, from Pennsburg, Pennsylvania, is a formidable endurance athlete with a strong presence in both Ironman and Ultraman communities.
Mary has a long history of competing in Ironman events, with races dating back to 2003. Her Ironman finishes include multiple appearances at Ironman Lake Placid (2008, 2011, 2016, 2018, 2022), Ironman Mont-Tremblant (2018, 2023), and the Ironman World Championship in 2023. Notably, she secured a 4th place finish in her F45-49 age group at Ironman Mont-Tremblant in 2023.
Beyond Ironman, Mary is an active participant and crew member in Ultraman races, a testament to her dedication to extreme endurance sports. She raced Ultraman Florida (2017, 2022) and Ultraman World Championships in 2023. Her journey in endurance sports began with a collegiate background in track and cross country, where she met her husband, Randy Latza, who also shares her passion for these demanding events.
Randy Latza, hailing from Pennsburg, Pennsylvania, is a veteran of endurance sports with a remarkable resume. He has completed an impressive 16 Ironman races, including the prestigious Ironman World Championships in St. George, Utah.
Beyond the Ironman circuit, Randy is a prominent figure in the Ultraman community, having competed in four Ultraman races and provided support as a crew member for countless others.
Known for his distinctive and often outlandish costumes at events, Randy brings a vibrant and fun-loving spirit to every race, whether he's competing or crewing. His background in athletics stems from his collegiate days, where he competed in track and cross country. It was during this time that he met his wife, Mary, who also shares his passion for these demanding events.
Simon is a professional triathlete from New Zealand with 37 Ironman finishes. He has multiple top 10 results including 4 podiums in international professional Ironman events.
in 2023, Simon was Ultraman World Champion and set the World Record at UM Australia in a time of 19:48:47. He currently holds the course records at Ultraman Australia, Canada and Hawaii
Recently taking on Ultramarathons:
Simon does one-on-one coaching through Athletic Peak.
Steve has a B.Sc. degree in Health and Human Services and is a Registered Clinical Counsellor. He is an avid runner and triathlete who has held six national age group records, has raced at Ironman and Ultraman triathlon distances and has been a member of Canada`s national 100km team.
In 1997 he was the first BC runner to finish in the BC Marathon Championships and had outright wins in the Kamloops 50km and the Haney to Harrison 100km events.
In 2001 he became only the second Canadian ever to finish the 135 miles Death Valley race. In 2012 he was inducted into the BC Athletics Hall of Fame and is in the Frontrunners Walk of Fame in Victoria, BC.
Steve is known around the world as the VOICE of Ultraman!
Steve is a regular contributor to this podcast.
Steve is a five time Ultraman racer with two wins and three times runner up. He has raced Arizona, Florida, and the World Championships.
Steve works as a veterinarian in Virginia beach, Virginia where he lives with his wife and two children. He also coaches athletes through his company Mindset Endurance.
Tim Franklin has been coaching endurance athletes full time for over a decade. In 2024 he became just the 8th man in history to RUN AROUND THE WORLD, and complete the challenge as the 2nd fastest time in history. Inspired by his own athletes and proving that anything was possible.
Early into his career as a corporate lawyer he realised this just wasn't for him, and his passion for helping endurance athletes became an urge just too big to refuse! Tim has helped 100's of endurance athletes across the globe and has a firm philosophy in strength endurance and consistent behaviours.
Tony is living his best life as a retired Lieutenant-Colonel from the Canadian Armed Forces in Ferrara, Italy. In 2003, Tony was inducted into the CAF Sports Hall of Fame after an extensive sporting career in ultra cycling and triathlon which included 3 Solo RAAm races, 33 Ironmans, and 9 Ultraman Hawaii races.
In 1995, he placed 1st at the US Armed Forces Ironman Championship and was named the NORAD Athlete of the Year. Also in that year he was named Team Captain of the CAF CISM Triathlon Team while competing in the CISM Military World Games in Rome, Italy.
The 2024 men’s Ultraman World Championships men's champion, Juan Bautista Castilla Arroyo, AKA Ultra Chamba,
Chamba has competed in six different Ultraman races and has podiumed at each.
Contact Chamba :
Website : https://ultrachamba.es
Facebook: UltraChambaTri
Instagram : UltraChamba
Van Sanchez is known for being the youngest person to ever complete a 515 distance race (age 19) when he completed the Ultraman UK in Wales in 2014.
Today, Van is known as the Race Director of UltraMX 515 and UltraMX 515 Non Stop. He also coaches athletes at Even Labs. www.even.mx/van
Instagram:
@vansanchez1