Accountability Corner
Embark on an adventure with Darren, Morgan, and Chris, the dynamic trio steering the ship at "Accountability Corner." As passionate OCR enthusiasts, they're on a mission to share their expertise and enthusiasm for obstacle course racing with the world. From sharing insider tips on overcoming training plateaus to demystifying the complexities of race registration and gear selection, no stone is left unturned. Whether you're a seasoned competitor hungry for fresh perspectives or a newcomer eager to dip your toes into the muddy waters of OCR, these hosts are here to guide you every step of the way. Join them as they peel back the curtain on the electrifying world of OCR, revealing stories of triumph, camaraderie, and boundless adventure.
Don't miss out – tune in and discover why OCR is capturing hearts and minds around the globe!
Accountability Corner
#48: Finley Greenleaf & The Next Generation: Navigating OCR as a Young Athlete
What does it take for young athletes to succeed in the evolving world of obstacle course racing? This revealing conversation with rising OCR star Finley Greenleaf offers a rare glimpse into the journey from mini-mudder races to elite competition.
Finley shares his origin story and his progression through the Junior Development Programme to international competition. What becomes immediately apparent is the stark contrast between British youth development and our European counterparts, particularly the Netherlands, who Finley describes as "years ahead" in facilities, training methodology, and athlete development.
The conversation tackles the critical transition period where many talented juniors are lost to the sport—that 18-19 age range where university, financial independence, and social distractions can pull young athletes away from competition. Morgan and Chris share their own experiences navigating these challenges, offering valuable wisdom for upcoming athletes facing similar obstacles.
Perhaps most compelling is the discussion of mental resilience, as Finley candidly recounts his experience at Tartan Warrior—bouncing back from a disappointing 3K race to perform significantly better in the 8K the following day. This window into the psychological demands of elite competition reveals how champions are truly made.
For parents of young OCR enthusiasts, coaches developing talent, or young athletes themselves, this episode provides essential insights into creating sustainable pathways for youth development in obstacle course racing. From the importance of peer training groups to the value of athletics club participation, the conversation offers practical strategies for nurturing the next generation of OCR champions.
Welcome to the Accountability Corner, where we talk about everything obstacle course racing, from staying disciplined in training, affording the sport, signing up for your first race and, more importantly, how the sport is growing around the world, with your hosts Morgan Maxwell, chris Shipley and Darren Martin.
Speaker 2:Hello everyone, welcome to Accountability Corner, episode 48. As they say, if you can't beat them, join them. So here I am, taking Darren's place and away from my old days of pint-sized OCR, and I'm here with the guys Chris Shipley and, of course, morgan Maxwell. Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1:Don't get too excited.
Speaker 2:Finn Trying to bring my old intro styles somewhere else.
Speaker 3:I was going to say I like that. That actually could be better than Darren's.
Speaker 1:Anything's better than Darren's Right? So we've got Finn on because Finn's been absolutely ripping us on his little pint-sized podcast, so we're going to bring him on this one to take the mick out of him, right?
Speaker 3:Basically, we decided that thing can't have the the final say anymore.
Speaker 1:We need to make sure he knows who's in charge, what podcast is podcast of the year and, uh, who he should be looking up to yeah, yeah, no no, but uh, we thought we'd um, because we like to have a topic most of the time and I think the topic's going to be something about being a youngster in the sport, since I'm quite young in the sport, mo's quite young in the sport, finn's very young in the sport, and how it's like being a youngster in the sport.
Speaker 3:But I think we should start off in true Darren style, and I'll ask you both first. So so, finlay, how's your training been this week?
Speaker 2:yeah, it's been all right. We'll say that um had a bit of a disaster with shoes. I'll be honest. I was training at the track and my whole shoe just ripped in half pretty much. So not really ideal training in terms of my actual equipment, but in terms of my ability right now I'd say it's going well. Of course a lot of people know obviously I run for athletics club so I'm running on the track most of the time. So I'm getting used now getting to track season instead of cross country, so more 800 style, 400 style racing. But yeah, it's been good. The running's been going all right and and of course obstacle-wise I've a bit of a break from it, but starting to get back more into it now after Titan Warrior and hopefully she'll be all ready for the season.
Speaker 1:How did your shoe break? Did you run in too fast?
Speaker 2:I don't even know, to be honest.
Speaker 3:I kind of just looked down and the whole side had just split open and it yeah all gone wrong you know what, finn, if there was anyone that was going to happen to I feel like I'd put my money on you. Yeah, like that, it's a very finley thing running on a track and your shoe just breaks great. Yeah, yeah, spontaneously combust what shoe was it, and was it a good shoe before it broke?
Speaker 2:oh, yeah, it's been. It's been a great shoe. Um sock and e pro frees. I've had two pairs of them actually and they are. They're carbon plated and they're really nice speedy shoe. In fact, literally a couple days ago, I've now bought the pro fours to replace them and, yeah, apart from that split at the sides, they really are a proper good training shoe are they a track? Shoe um, yeah, track and road.
Speaker 3:Yeah, check and road well, I've still got my, my pro ones that I use and they haven't fallen apart yet, but they've now got like a hole in the back that keeps giving me a blister. But what I've done, I've got a bit of kt tape and managed to like, stuff it in and then like tape over it and they're like back to being brand new that's the difference for you two.
Speaker 2:Because you're too young, you can't afford to buy new shoes I'm lucky to say I've got parents who still slightly support me in mine as well, which I'm lucky to say. For now, that might be my last pair of shoes where I'm not financially independent, so, luckily, right now it's all fine, but it's probably my last pair in terms of not being paid for myself yeah, so that's what I found, finn, soon as I've moved out now, and it's like right, you gotta sort out your own shoes.
Speaker 3:So rather than buying a new pair, it's like right, let me get the duct tape out and get a few more miles out of this.
Speaker 2:I'm looking forward to that.
Speaker 1:Don't worry, that period only lasts for a certain amount of time. You're in that stage at the moment, mo, where you have to pay all your bills and it's really it's like so, you're not used to it and then all of a sudden you get to a point where you've been working too long and then you don't have a social life, so you actually have more money because you don't go out and then you seem to have more money again to buy shoes.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean that that is where any kind of disposable income goes on is like right, what pair of running shoes am I getting this month? Um, and I don't think my girlfriend's too happy, but yeah, that's yeah, but how much shoes does she buy?
Speaker 3:not. I'd say I'm probably more of a shoe hoarder than she is. I'd say, actually, right now I have more shoes than her. Most of them are running shoes, though, so I don't think that counts, but I have a lot of shoes, right? Should we get on to the topic at hand then? So, finn, as you're, as you're the newcomer today, we'll let you start off, um, yeah, as a youngster in the sport of ocr. Let's bring it right back to the start and kind of tell us how you got into ocr, where you kind of found ocr and, yeah, how you developed in ocr.
Speaker 2:Well, it's an odd start. I'll be honest. Well might be, for some might be. I'd say I started at the foundations, but only for certain reasons.
Speaker 2:My dad was a smoker for those who don't know and he first signed up for a Spartan race. It might actually have been a Tough Mudder first, actually, when he quit smoking to find something else to do and at the time it had to be at the time was called um, mini mother. I don't know that's been changed now to little mother, but at the time it was mini mother and that was literally just like a mud hill a couple strings that to weave in and out of and a set of monkey bars, and that was my first race. Um, my dad continued to do more races, like I say, spart, spartan, a couple more Tough Mudders, and then have those kids races at those times as well. I'd tag along and do them and that's how it first started for me.
Speaker 2:And it got to a certain point where I found I was doing all right. I mean, there wasn't competitive waves at that time yet, but I was finding myself front of the pack at things, coming first and high places, and eventually I obviously was quite young. I'm trying to think of a timeline for it, but at some point I remember hearing from dave and rumble about an open day from the ocr junior development program and I went to one of them and that's where I first found more technical style, obstacles and the technical side of ocr racing and more the ocr community in itself. And then fast forward. Not long after that I got invited by Spartan to the kids world championships in America and that's where it first became kind of a big thing and something that really I engaged with because I kind of saw the OCR world for it is and step by step has led me to more competitive, more technical races.
Speaker 1:To where I am now, yeah, I think, looking back, I can honestly say I think I've heard your name mentioned since it's gotta be, I know, seven, six years, something like that. I do recall you always being sort of the forefront of the youngsters, like mo has never really talked about as much as you were. There was always always a little bit of hype around. You know finley greenlee if he's doing this, he's come from a gymnastic sort of background and he always sort of showed your obstacle ability but we never really saw you race because obviously you were that young. You was always racing with the youngsters so we never really knew sort of how, how and what you was going to become to. But now it's sort of it's coming out. So it kind of shows the way that the junior development has developed you in a way yeah, yeah, 100 yeah, I mean I always remember.
Speaker 3:So I was a coach on the junior development program from pretty much the beginning. Um, I was helping dave out and I remember having it was you, finn, and then oliver addy and I. You were quite young but in training both of you would just go for it and instantly you could see there was some potential there, because it wasn't just like you were good at obstacles, you were both very good at running into obstacles, doing the obstacles quickly and running out which. I think there were some other kids on that program as well that were showing good signs. But it was definitely clear that there was something special there when you were developing and that was when you were really young, like you were a lot smaller and you were still getting onto the rumble rigs that weren't always built exactly for kids as well yeah how was it like being on that junior development program then, fin?
Speaker 1:was it like because it was quite a new sport was you looked upon by your friends as, like you know, what's this? What's he doing? Why ain't he doing all the stuff that we were doing? I mean, like what other people were doing? Shouldn't you've been out like playing more football? Or were you just like doing that at the weekends and still doing all the normal stuff for your mates?
Speaker 2:well, that's like I say, when I was at school at the time and I was with my mates, it still would be things like football and such. I still gymnast at the time as well, and the running actually came later on as I got into ocr. But ocr in itself it kind of just I mean, when I was younger I was, um, I'd say raised, if that's the right word watching like suzuka, um, japanese ninja warrior, uh, american ninja warrior, things like that, and that's kind of what I watched when I was younger and when I got into ocr I kind of just saw that and the vision myself there. So it was more of just like a dream come reality. When I first joined OCR it was more just that ability to see what I've seen on TV and almost replicate that in some sort of style in OCR. And then as soon as I was back in school and away from OCR, it kind of just faded off and I kind of sprung back into it as soon as I got into those obstacles.
Speaker 1:That's weird. So you never really had sort of like a uh, a friend, oceara from school no, no, that's quite incredible being able to still do the sport when no one else is doing it.
Speaker 1:A lot of people like if I didn't have mates that did the same stuff that I did when I was younger, then I wouldn't have done it because they weren't doing it. And I think that's a problem with a lot of kids now, because a lot of kids now they spend a lot of time on computers and things, mainly because all their friends are spending the time on computers, so that's where all their friend circle is.
Speaker 2:But you managed to stay away from that yeah, yeah, and I mean you say that as well that I will talk about, boss. I did have some mates there, like um mo said ollie. I met him literally the hotel the day before the first oci junior development program and of course I know him very well to this day. So most of my friends, like I say in school as such, were completely distant from OCR. But luckily you have that community and even from a young age I had other young athletes who were there, who I knew, I trained with and potentially discussed with as well, and so I did keep me in at the same time as well.
Speaker 3:I think that was one thing actually that was quite good about that junior development program. So obviously I was looking at it from a coaching side of point. But I was still 16, so I was quite young as well, and it was nice to like just see people coming through kind of the way I did, coming from such young ages. But I think that just kept people doing it as well because they had somewhere to go and it wasn't just at Rumble, they did it at Nuclear. I believe there was a couple of other places as well, I can't remember off the top of my head, but it kind of travelled around and it just gave juniors a chance to actually train Is that something you felt like you missed out on then?
Speaker 1:no, because there wasn't. It wasn't, as I suppose, developing when you were doing it. You was just like the odd kid that came along yeah, I think I obviously you had alf as well.
Speaker 3:He was kind of my age at the time, um, and I think we were both lucky in the sense that I had rumble and he had phoenix, so I think that kept us in it a bit more than maybe some other juniors if there wasn't a junior development program. But um, I think, yeah, the main reason I stayed in it was because of rumble and because I don't think if I was part of milton keen like in milton keynes and put around rumble, I think I would have drifted away from it very quickly. But Dave kept me quite accountable to kind of the whole scene and what I should be doing, and I think without that it's quite easy to think, oh, just do something else or try something else yeah, I think, definitely when it comes to the program itself, for me is, if there's one way I could describe it, it gave it more of like a purpose.
Speaker 2:It gave a purpose for doing ocr, gave a purpose for being there, and that's the main thing. I think why I stuck around is because it had a meaning behind it, rather than something to do for fun or as a side thing.
Speaker 1:It made it feel like it was something important I suppose one of the things that allowed you to do as well is like compete internationally. And I think at the time as well, you've competed against some of the uh, some of the juniors in other countries. How was it like competing against them and like talking to them and racing them and talking to see how like their races were in their countries? Because I think you know, like quite a few of the hang on guys, so you've obviously talked about how their training is and their development and you've obviously compared yourself to them a little bit yeah, yeah, I mean um, first champs I went to was italy, the first euros there.
Speaker 2:And I'll be honest, coming into that, I was very arrogant and very cocky in what I could do because I thought, oh, look at me, I'm doing all this in the uk, I'm up there and I'll be, I'll be champion, just like that. And I got very, very much proven wrong very quickly.
Speaker 1:A bit like the 3k. That happened not too long ago, wasn't it?
Speaker 2:I was gonna say I thought at some point this would get mentioned. I was almost looking at my watch, waiting how long?
Speaker 2:this would take um, yes, yes, in that kind of fashion, yeah, and I spoke to them a lot after the race and obviously the Dutch guys I'm great friends with and their training is, I want to almost say, state-of-the-art. I mean, compared to us they are years ahead and you watch what they do, their facilities, the way they train. They go above and beyond. There's a reason why the best youth talent is, of course, in the Netherlands right now and the way we're moving, like we say, things are gaining progress. We get a lot more youth development these days in OCR and we can just hope now in a couple years we'll be able to see ourselves at that same ability and at the same strength as a lot of Dutch athletes are.
Speaker 1:Do you think the way that the path is leading the athletes, now the youngsters do you reckon it's a competitive, uh sort of path that's gonna be competitive against the dutch guys, or do you think they're still like doing stuff that we're not doing, or we're heading down a different road that they're they're running down?
Speaker 2:well, my issue right now and I'll be completely honest with it is we have a lot of young talent right now, but it seems a bit mismatched, that's, that's the right word. The Dutch, the boys I've met, they all almost pushed each other neck and neck back and forth. And right now in OCR, if I'm going to be completely honest, in the youth, we've got a lot of frontrunners like Harry Jeffery I'd say he's very much on his own right now. And these Dutch lads, obviously from a young age, these Dutch lads, obviously from a young age, they push each other back and forth, back and forth. I'm hoping in a couple of years' time we'll see more young talent who will come through and push each other to be better and better, because right now I think, like I said, the Dutch are a couple of years ahead and other countries I think a lot of Spanish athletes as well I saw there and they all push each other.
Speaker 3:I'm hoping in the youth sport we'll be able to match them. Why do you think that is finn? Do you think that's a lack of racing that we have in the uk for juniors? Still, because obviously I think the racing is getting better. We're definitely seeing more opportunities to race as a junior. But do you think because the dutch just have so much more opportunity to race and train?
Speaker 2:I guess and style a race yeah, that's the very thing, exactly those style of racing they do it's. It's something else and it brings them up to be ready for it for a young age. I don't want to say we coddle young athletes too much, but you look, like I say, at the youth courses these days, like things like mini mudder. I don't know if you'd ever see that in the neverland, things like that they obviously, I think they bring them up differently, they get them prepared earlier and I think we just lag a bit behind in that department well, I must admit that was the first shock I had stepping into Europe.
Speaker 3:Especially, I had exactly the same experience as you, finn my first championships. I was like one of the top dogs in the UK for my age. It was like, yeah, this is there's no way. I'm gonna like not get on the podium. And then I get there and exactly the same thing. You had Stein and Martin from the Netherlands, from Hang On and they just absolutely wiped the floor with me and I was like who are these guys? How are they even this? Good, obviously, we know the talent they have now as well, especially looking at Stein at the minute. But it was like what are they doing?
Speaker 1:And it is a different level. Yeah, so all right then. If you guys were in control of it now then and you was doing the development, what would you do differently to make it? What would you do as a as the top people now in the country to make our younger athletes as I don't want to say as good, because we've got really good athletes, but to develop them to the same level as those European athletes? What would you do?
Speaker 2:It's a tough question to answer, because I wish I could go to the Netherlands and watch and see what they do. I haven't been able to do it with a lot of their young talent and see exactly how they train. I haven't I do it with a lot of their young talent and see exactly how they train them, but we know it's working. I think, and I'm going to assume, what needs to be done is almost give it more trust to the youth. Like I say, I believe sometimes we're giving them too easy stuff early on, and an issue is and this is what I had, I think, once I was winning a lot of spartans. I stayed there so I'd do monkey bars like it was nothing. I'd jump over little mini obstacles so they were nothing.
Speaker 2:That's the point where the youth should then be developed and pushed a bit further to a challenge. But right now, once a youth talent is winning a race, they're staying at that level and then they need another challenge to arrive and be pushed and pushed to do something else. But right now, once they win a race, they're staying at that level and then they need another challenge to arrive and be pushed and pushed to do something else. But right now, once they win a race, they're stuck at that level right now. So I think, in terms of how to make them like the european athletes and be better is almost make it like a set of stairs. Once you've got one level, build up, build up, build up. Right now we've been too lenient, I think, and that's where we're losing the race.
Speaker 1:Wouldn't it be cool if we could get like a program so that every time the youngsters do well, they're just instantly sent over to a European race to compete with these guys? Like those sort of races at that style That'd be great Perfect.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think another way you can get around it as well is, even if you kept the races, the same is training more frequently like groups of juniors together. I know there's a bit of that starting to go on. It's getting more and more common. But if you look at like any other sport like athletics is a great example of this running you have age groups running together frequently. It's not just like they meet up at a race and or meet up at a junior development thing every like once a month. If there was more training facilities and more opportunities you could even push them athletes more in the training side of things, um, and develop them in groups and have different levels and then they can learn that way.
Speaker 1:I think at the minute all the juniors there's a good amount of them, but it's so spread and they're not training frequently together as much as any other real sport yeah, it's like that accessibility in it because if you look at like mountain biking or like bmxing or skating or skateboarding, that like as soon as there was loads and loads of skate parks around the uk, people were just like heading there all the time and like getting better because they would just have the, the availability to just go down there muck about with their mates. They didn't have control, they didn't have people doing things. They were just going out and trying things and and, like finley said, having that that sort of camaraderie and people pushing you to do like better tricks and things, and and and it just exploded and people were just doing like mega tricks that they weren't doing able to do before I think that's what hang on, have like the team.
Speaker 3:Hang on, have over a lot of like. Well, that's why they're such a good team. It's because it's frequent training sessions for all ages, like there's always people there training, and then also you get to train alongside people like Stein, jesse, and you're seeing these people grow up with you. So it it's kind of you just get pulled along by them, rather than just kind of training on your own and then once a month or maybe twice a month, go in and maybe train with a bunch of other juniors but everyone's at slightly different levels because everyone's been training slightly differently and then you go to the race and it's exactly the same thing, yeah.
Speaker 2:And I mean slightly relating to that as well. I was recently actually chatting to um harry jeffrey and also I kind of feel the same thing. He's got everyone doesn't know masses of technical rigs and all sorts of his garden. It's like a training place in itself and I look at a look at what he's got and it, like I say it is, he's got tons of rigs, tons of. He's got, uh, balance beams, he's got a spear fry walls, etc. You name it. He's got it.
Speaker 2:But the thing is he said to me as well, he said when he's at home it surprised him how little sometimes he does actually go on his obstacles. And he said that is because it's him by himself and without those people there to push him and motivate him to go against him, he doesn't really have that energy and have that belief almost to go on the obstacles as much, because no one's around you to push you. And I think that applies exactly the same in training. If you're training in a group constantly and you have that people around you that are pushing you and you're fighting kind of to see who's better, that little bit of friendly competition is what pushes people to be the best and the best. And, like they say, um diamonds are made under pressure, and that's exactly what happens in the ocr world I mean, we see a rumble like we and finn.
Speaker 3:You could probably add to this as well that thursday night training. Obviously it's a little bit different for me now because I've moved away, but when you had me there, darren, there, finn, when you'd come a lot like you'd, you'd get some really good training sessions. The only thing is not everyone could make it all the time, but if, if you had something like that was just so a lot more frequent, I think that's what can really help build each other as well yeah, yeah, I mean a couple weeks back, if Darren's listening to this.
Speaker 2:We had a massive race.
Speaker 1:He won't no, no, he's off the podcast anyway.
Speaker 2:No, he's gone now, yeah. Yeah, he's gone now, yeah, this is your trial, finn, we're seeing what you like.
Speaker 1:Haven't had a single pun, yet, though that's the trouble.
Speaker 2:They find themselves in, they get their way in, don't worry. But yeah, I was running with him recently at training and we both just launched off the um rope climb and just sprinted down the hill and I think it's that kind of thing, that kind of push, and we both came back back to the barn just almost like coughing up exhaustion, obstacles, pretty much agony to get on them.
Speaker 2:but that's the kind of thing, when you have that kind of competition, that makes you stronger and allows improvement to happen I think that's why izzy's getting pretty good at the moment, because she's training with tamar all the time and I think she compares herself to tamar, so she's always doing a lot to like sort of, I suppose, better herself with tamar and that's like a really good training buddy that she's got and it's coming across in like a racing now and what we'll say as well, as a lot of the young youth we've got right now are currently part of athletics clubs as well, and I don't know how many of the adults we have currently in the sport who started with that, but it's a real common thing now in all the youth talent we have to be actually running outside of OCR and in those communities, and I think that's something I haven't really seen before and that's one of those developments we're seeing now in the future of the sport yeah, it's almost going hand in hand in it.
Speaker 1:I think all the juniors now are they like to say they're all part of an athletics club and they are doing, like winter, like a hell of a lot of winter running, doing like 5k, uh, cross countries and doing the park runs and doing all that. So they're really building that sort of running base. Did you, did you so when you started because you wasn't doing athletics? I remember you saying before on I think it was your podcast that you did athletics as a secondary means to get better at running. But yes, now that's not the case, yeah yeah, yeah, that's exactly what happened.
Speaker 2:Um, I was at the time doing ocr decently and there was someone at my primary school who did go to athletics club and he fought himself pretty quick and then I beat him at um school school's sports day and after that I went oh actually he's been training for a while and I need to improve my OCR and I got into a club and before I even did any training, I just told him to turn up one day at cross country and I'm going to quickly let the dog through. And yeah, I turned up one day at cross country. Never did a cross country before my life, just got given a shirt and said, okay, off you go.
Speaker 2:And after that I was part of culture to Harriers and I have been now for plenty of years. And yeah, it's that kind of background and, like I say now I'm also athletics runner. I've run for Essex, I've done English champs, things like that, and they're things I never even planned to do and I only did that because of OCR in the end. But it's that kind of background that's kind of transformed me into being what I am today, both as a runner but also now in OCR itself.
Speaker 1:Oh, alright, dropping a few mic bombs.
Speaker 2:There weren't you, I started the dog came in out of nowhere and just started barking. It was all back and forth there, not very professional at all, but there we go.
Speaker 3:This is your trial thing, remember you're. I know you gotta get points on the board here slipping up a little here so do you think that's been one of the biggest improvements to your ocr journey, then? Is that like becoming part of the athletics and doing your more running, because obviously we know running is such a big part of the sport, so it'd be interesting to see if that's where you felt you made the most improvements, or was there something else that's kind of helped you with that as well?
Speaker 2:It is 100% that I don't know if I'd even be in the sport to know about my running. I mean, before then I wasn't like, I wasn't even running outside of ocr. That makes sense. I wasn't a runner at all. I came to athletics. They set me up a schedule. I started training with them beforehand. There was, there was no running. There's no running element to it whatsoever. So it's a hundred percent. And I do wonder what I would be like without that. Maybe more ninja style kind of racing, but I don't know. So yeah, it's 100%. Down to that and yeah, that's all I can really say. Really, I don't know where I'd be without it.
Speaker 1:Do you reckon that's what's kept you away from the 100 metres in a way, because obviously you trained with Ollie Ollie's probably more of a 100 metres athlete than you are. Do you reckon doing the athletics and sort of steered you on that path of doing the longer stuff as opposed to doing the shorter stuff?
Speaker 2:100. Yeah, I always look at me and ollie almost back in those days, almost identical in terms of obstacle ability, and we both took the opposite path. It's really interesting to compare. I went a lot more running based, less obstacles. He went very, very much obstacle based and, like I say that very first moment we first met were very, very similar in both departments and I think if I didn't run I'd be the same as ollie and ollie, if he went to running, would be the same as me.
Speaker 3:Right now it's a very much dependent on decisions we made back then and what it's led to us being today pick a different path yeah, I must admit that, like I say, being part of that junior development program, watching used to it was literally like watching the same person, sometimes as well, like the way you did obstacles back then. If you looked at you both as athletes now you wouldn't think it, but you were very similar and, yeah, the running wasn't too dissimilar. It wasn't like you looked at you, fin, and was like, oh, he's going to be so much better at running and it wasn't like you looked at ollie and went, oh, he's so much better obstacles. It was literally like watching the same person coming in and out of things. Is ollie a bit younger than you?
Speaker 2:yes, yeah, I think he's maybe a year, maybe a year and a month, I don't know something around those lines.
Speaker 1:Technically he's better than you.
Speaker 2:Then look, he'd love to hear that. I'm sure if he's listening he'd be very happy by that technically, we're all better than you at 3k at the moment.
Speaker 1:Second time, that's true. We'll wait till the series ends.
Speaker 2:We'll wait till the series ends.
Speaker 1:We'll wait till the series ends. How about that?
Speaker 3:I'm just saying an old. Indian man won. We'll see. Is he still a bit raw?
Speaker 2:Yeah, we're just getting warmed up. I mean, like I had a really poor 3K last year at Titan Warrior and ended up coming second in the series. So who knows, who knows Must be that.
Speaker 1:Scottish air. Yeah, yeah, do you think, then, maybe you've got to there's like, because there's things you still need to learn, and do you reckon, like mental games, one of those things that you've got to sort of like work on a little bit, because you had the ability to do a lot better at that race, but you, you raced wrong, didn't you?
Speaker 2:oh yeah yeah, completely wrong. I mean mentally, I I have changed a lot this year. I'll be completely honest by that. I've I've really changed my focus in terms of mental style and racing, and some might sound this might sound a bit bizarre, but I've almost made a bit of a character. When I'm racing I try and separate myself from a non-racing point of view, so I can't try to take that away from myself and be independent from myself as a person, to me as a racer. But obviously things didn't go to plan on that 3k race and I think a lot of things especially the heat in the moment happened, like choosing to roll the net instead or, sorry, well, roll the barbed wire as well when as a problem. But it's that kind of thing really that you need to reflect on. You need to look at okay, that's a mistake and and learn for next time. Like I say, I'm still very young in the sport and hopefully next year I can come back to that, look at that and do it differently. And yeah, next year hopefully it'll be a different story is your alter ego, like like lightning mcqueen in it yeah yeah, when you're racing that's exactly how I like trying to think yeah
Speaker 3:the ship leaves a dog from up and you're like yes, yeah, vivid images in my head of this. Yes, very much so I can't wait to find out where I sit on that oh, actually no, don't tell me I don't, I don't want to know yet I want to know.
Speaker 2:I have to say I have to discuss that with libs. I think this next episode she's very good at trying to pin the movies on me and have to try and pick who they are.
Speaker 3:I don't know who you'd be right now I'm trying to think you should do a whole episode on your podcast of like guess the ocCR guy they almost bloody did they pretty much went through quite a few the other day. Oh no, but I want like a whole episode of just that, just like different obscure ones as well, people you wouldn't even think of yeah as um.
Speaker 1:Speaking of podcasts, then going on to pint size, is that something that's really helped you you're racing, or is it just what? What actually? Now, what actually made you want to go and do pint size podcast for libs? What was that? What was the idea behind that? So, um, I'm gonna try. And you wanted to be like us.
Speaker 2:I want to say it in a non-like eistical way, but kind of yeah, yeah, I got interviewed before by Alan and he just said to me I've got this idea for a kids' podcast Libby's already in, I need someone else. And I was just thinking, yeah, that's my kind of thing. And originally it was just because I love that kind of thing, I love being on podcasts, I love speaking. But as we got into it, it really was nice to do for the sake of junior racing and try and bring the sport up. So originally it was my own kind of oh look at me, I'm speaking online kind of thing. But eventually it turned into something really important, like it is today yeah, it's definitely like a side quest, isn't it?
Speaker 1:I mean, it's like I don't know. I always found that when I started doing the podcast, it was really, really difficult to start talking because I'm not, well, never really been much of a talker I mean, you're quite, you love to talk, but but it really does. It's like a real passion now that, like every time we get on a podcast and we talk about ocr, it really drives the sport. I find, and I feel, like all the podcasts that we do in the uk like yourselves, jamie's, megan's, when she does one we all even Alan, sorry we all have like a real positive feeling about the sport and we all try and get like the positivity out and I think every one of us is just like driving the sport forward, and I think you and Libs are especially.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah it it's getting there.
Speaker 3:I'll say that definitely like we're trying to push, trying to engage people and hopefully right now it's working do you think that's another tool as well that we can keep some juniors in the sport by having, obviously, having like role models like you and Libs to kind of look up to as well and see you're doing this podcast, they've got someone to listen to, they've got some voice for them as well to talk about them, because I must admit, we probably don't do the best job, um, and neither does probably some of the other podcasts as well. So it's good to have you guys, but you think that's going to help keep these guys engaged yeah, 100 it will do.
Speaker 2:I mean, I'm thinking about a couple years for myself now. Listen to, who's hot. I think the first time I got mentioned on there I got really excited. Just hearing my name I was like, oh my god, I've been actually mentioned something here as a bit of potential runner. So when we first started pint sized it was I wanted to try and get that same feeling, because I know how excited I was to hear my name said on something and it's a really just like it's a little dopamine effect, almost just to get yourself pumped up and ready. And when we hope you mention the juniors and kind of almost like reward their hard work by speaking, we hope that kind of keeps them pushing, keeps them going and keeps them in the sport yeah, it's really great you give them a dedicated, a dedicated voice.
Speaker 1:You know it's really hard from a who's hot perspective it's really difficult to try and mention everyone because there is so many people that deserve a mention and especially when there's multiple races going on in a race weekend. It's so much better when there's a dedicated side of things that has their own voice, because you know, like you say, there's so many people that deserves that voice mentioned, but sometimes there's too many mentions to get out. So it's really good to get that, that extra voice yeah.
Speaker 2:So one thing I've been wondering as well I'm going to go back onto the path of the junior racing and I'll ask you about this. Uh, mo, that's all right. Obviously, a lot of the juniors now are getting to that kind of stage, almost getting to the adult racing, and for myself I've gone through that stage now, but again to the stage where it's more think about obviously our a levels right now and you've got a next step of ocr where you're potentially moving out, moving away your own income, trying to keep up with races, obviously, driving to races, getting two races, etc. Things like that. Do you think that could potentially pose a problem for the youth of this sport as well? Because we look at the age group getting to 16, 17, 18 in a lot of sports like athletics, uh, athletes often pull out because they get jobs, they look for further education. So is it? How did you find yourself keeping with OCR despite lifestyle changes?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think it's hard. I think, like you say, a lot of athletes, when you get to that age you start going to uni. You start kind of you find well, drinking maybe, or you find some other hobbies and things and that can kind of I've seen it with people my age that were in sport and haven't stuck with it. I think my thing and I don't know if this is necessarily for everyone is I've basically made this sport my identity, which might not be the healthiest thing later down the line, but my life has kind of just become this sport. So for me to walk away from it is almost like a big chunk of my life just missing. It's definitely I've had thoughts of.
Speaker 3:There's been some times, especially when I was like 18, 19, uh, where I've kind of gone off the training bandwagon, if you like, um, and not been as focused and had other things going on, and especially as you turn 18 and you start being able to go clubbing and do other distracting things, um, it was tough. But then again I'm very competitive as well. So as soon as racing started it was like, oh, I've really messed up here, not training, I'm not where I want to be now. I need to get back to it, and I think having this sport as almost my identity really helps, because it's like, well, this is what I want to do, this is what I want to pursue and, as selfish sometimes it can be, this is kind of my life. So it's like, well, I'm going to make things revolve around this and this kind of comes first, and a lot of the time yeah, I mean recently, for my training at the track.
Speaker 2:I train with two my two main teammates are both older than me and they're both going uni as well and I think one that was looking at almost stepping away from athletics because of a lot of things they're busy doing, because they're paying 260 pounds a week for apartment in london and it's yeah, it's that kind of thing that can apply pressure and, looking from my own point of view, I'm I'm trying to see where I am in ocr for the future and I think, like you say, trying to make it your identity is a very, very good shout and it might be the route I have to go down as well, because right now, I'll be honest, I'm so unsure of where things are going to go and I've got to kind of wait and see, and I am really worried for the future athletes, this sport, that they could find themselves dropping away because, from an athletics point of view, when I was probably 12, 13, 14, there was a group of about eight of us and probably even more, probably 10, 11 at one point and eventually all dropped away, some at younger age, some at older ages, and you talked about drinking and things like that.
Speaker 2:That's also a big problem these days, but also things like, I think, vaping as well. That's put a lot of people out of sports and things like that and going out and eventually that group of 11 12 us turned into three and that's slowly going down. And, of course, in sports like athletics it's it's a, it's a big sport, like that happens often. But for ocr, a developing sport, we can't really afford that to happen. We haven't got the same capacity of athletes. So it's a real problem that needs to be bridged, I think, in the sport to help it continue for the future. Yeah, let me give you some oh go on ships.
Speaker 1:Give us some advice no, no, no, no, you crack on, I'll give you the advice, that's the other.
Speaker 3:That is the other problem with the sport being so niche at the minute and also not being a sport. That's why British obstacle sports is so important to get this as a sport, because at the minute, like you, have friends that go to uni and things, and if we were runners they would still be able to train running because they could join their uni like society and run for their uni and things, whereas for OCR it's kind of like you don't have that. I think you're like me, finn, where we're quite lucky with Rumble as well. We've got a good team around us, so it's you've almost got some an outlet as well for OCR. But if you don't have that, I think it's really hard to stay in the sport, especially compared to other sports where you don't have as much as as much opportunity to keep involved. So I think development to keep people in, I think we need to just make more of that, more opportunity for youngsters to to keep developing in the sport.
Speaker 3:My only other advice as well, finn and this part might resonate with you is the thing is like this sport has been through so many changes since I've been involved and I think it's going to keep doing that, so sometimes it can get scary, but when you're good, like you are, finn, it's, it's worth staying in because there's always success somewhere, there's always an opportunity for something, and the opportunities might change and it might look slightly different. But I think as long as you just keep going and stay, stay with it and stay on top of it, you can end up doing quite well. I think, especially if you're good, like obviously you've just podiumed in a series race, um at tartan. As I know, your 3k wasn't as good, but your 8k was, so we'll, uh, we'll give your flowers as well. I think for me that was my motivator as soon as I started getting on elite podiums. It was like, well, I have to stay doing this now and see where this goes, because I'm at the top.
Speaker 1:Even even though it's an e-sport, you're still at the top of the sport, which is quite a nice feeling yeah, you two are very lucky in a way that you do actually have peers that you can look up to, and I think that there there are people in your lives and many of the juniors lives that you should all look up to and continue to follow the way that they lead by example, as opposed to the way that other people are going to lead by example. And you might like the youngsters nowadays they they might see other people and think they're the people that I want to be like, and I'm telling from the voice of experience. There's a lot of people that I tried to be like when I was younger and nowadays I look back and I think that is such the wrong way to do it, and if only I'd listened to the right people, which is difficult as a youngster because you think you're the only person who's right, I'm sure yeah sometimes yes yes, yeah, I know that feeling yeah but you guys have got quite a good support.
Speaker 1:I mean finn, your mum's amazing mo. Although your dad gives you so much abuse, you know he's a very supportive person. You do have good supportive people. You just got to remember that they are.
Speaker 3:They're giving you the right advice and you should listen to it yeah, I think that's the thing is keeping the people in your life.
Speaker 3:That, like it depends what you want as well. Like you might get to an age of 18, 19 maybe you need to explore yourself a little bit and do things that you like a little bit different. I think if the sport becomes, stops becoming fun, that's a good sign that maybe you need to just even put it on the back burner, for it always will be there. So as long as you're having fun and you're enjoying it, stay with it, work hard, train hard, and there will be downtime. So it won't be always be fun, but as long as it's more fun than it is bad, I think you're in a good spot. If it starts to become where it's like, not as enjoyable, you're starting to hate it, all your friends going out and you're like I really don't want to do this anymore, I want to be out with them, then fair enough, go live your life, do what you need to do. The sport will always, hopefully, be there.
Speaker 2:Um yes, it's like you say this. That's why I'm still here, the same reason I'm finding this fun, I enjoy the competition and without that I'll be very confident in saying, if that wasn't there, I wouldn't be here. But and that's the concerning thing for me, sometimes I think, will I ever lose that spark and a little bit of touch that I love the sport? And all I think right now is I I can't imagine myself not, I can't imagine myself not being on that start line and not loving it. But the thing is, you never know what could be around the corner. But yeah, that's the exact thing. As long as you're loving it, as long as you're enjoying it and you love racing, the sport, there's really nothing to worry about, yeah, fair, yeah, I mean the other thing as well is like it can.
Speaker 3:Especially when, like I found, coming into the Elite, you step up to like that next level, there will be more moments that aren't as enjoyable because there is just that little bit of adding pressure. Um, I think then it's also trying to stay with it as well. So, even when it gets a little bit tough, especially if you really want to make something of it, if you decided, okay, I really want to become good at this thing. I think the only thing is with being a youngster coming through and I says to all the juniors is there will be a time where there's a bit more pressure being put on you than normal and I think that either makes you or breaks you.
Speaker 2:But if it, if you find yourself coping with that, you're, you're in a good spot and you just need to keep pushing on yeah, I mean sorry, god, yeah, I was just you said about that pressure and I think that is a big issue in sport and I mean there's been times I can I can remember times where I've gone away to a race, especially as a youth, racing against other youth.
Speaker 2:I've had that more pressure than the elite sometimes actually, and I think that's because it's changing again now for me because I'm becoming one of the better elite. But in the youth I always felt a little more pressure because I always wanted to be the best, the best. When it came to my age I felt a little bit less pressure doing that in the elite because I know it's such a wide bracket, but there are definitely times because of pressure. I remember almost saying, like a hotel room or something, not being able to sleep the night before a race because a little bit of stress, a little bit of nerves and you need to have that ability and I'm so glad later into the sport, as I've grown, I've been able to adapt to be able to handle the pressure, especially for the youth athletes at a young age that can be really tough to try and handle with and handle all that stress of a race I think that's been one of the hardest things that I've coped with in the last few years.
Speaker 3:Is that transition, because I do think, the transition from a prospect, someone that they think, oh, that that person's going to do well. Um, you do get that added pressure because, oh, now there's people looking at me thinking this I should do, but you don't know yourself because you haven't been there yet. So it's like, oh, I don't know. I remember it was about, I want to say, two years. When did whose hot start, shipley? Do you know the answer to that?
Speaker 1:I think Dixon started on it. I've been on about three, so it's got to be four, four and a bit, maybe five three, so it's probably four, four and a bit, maybe five.
Speaker 3:It's quite a while actually now. Well, I I remember being 18 years old and dixon this is when I just started stepping up to the elite and dixon said, oh mo's gonna be at this race, you need to watch him. I think he could challenge tom tweddle. And I remember I had one of my worst race results ever because all in my head I thought, right, I need to check, I need to prove that to dixon, that I can challenge tom tweddle. And it was just that pressure of right, I need to be here, I need to be in amongst it. And I did try and race him and very quickly realized that I'm not ready to do that yet and my whole race got blown up massively. And again, just that little bit of pressure learning how to deal with that and that comes with learning as well. But I think that's kind of as a junior, you do get that and you just need to kind of not listen to the noise a little bit that's the, that's the path, that's the path of growing up.
Speaker 1:You're always gonna be like you're always gonna be when you're young. You're always gonna be hot-headed and you're always gonna think you're gonna be doing the right, like going like you want to be the best. It's like, um, it's like being in a gorilla, uh, gorilla, uh, I was gonna say pod. Then it's not a pod, it's um, a pack, I don't know whatever. It is like a gorilla thing, right, it's like being with the gorillas and you've got the big silverback who's been around for years and years and years, and it's just when one of those little, tiny, little monkeys want to come along and dominate and be like the new alpha. You guys, you're just fighting to be alphas at the moment and you're not yet, because there's still other alphas out there. There's still the silverback who you're waiting to be.
Speaker 2:That was the ideal analogy. That is, that is spot on it is, isn't it?
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, exactly yeah, we're all just little monkeys, yeah, just jumping around.
Speaker 1:And I'm a silverback.
Speaker 3:You're the big silverback, yeah Well are we out of frame? Now, then Now we're beating you. No, no, yeah, that's it.
Speaker 1:No, I'm definitely not the silverback. I'm like the old one who's in the corner picking the fleas off my own head. I'm sitting in the corner throwing poo.
Speaker 3:Everyone still respects you because you're old, but that's why they respect you.
Speaker 1:That's it. Now it's Russell. He's the silverback you.
Speaker 3:That's it Now. It's Russell. He's the silver back. Yeah, not for long. Right, finn? Have you got anything else as well, like anything you found stepping up to elite? Because obviously, how many years? Was it last year that you really stepped up, or was it the year before?
Speaker 2:The year before I was there and I was just present kind of near the back of the pack last year it kind of it grew and it stepped up and I think that's another thing as well about it. You can't suddenly just be out of nowhere. Yeah, okay, now I'm here, now I'm racing, and I think that was a lot of the I say the pressure coming into this season and I remember, almost like you said, mo, listen to who's hot and I think a lot of the predictions put me above you and I've not beaten you once in any race out of nowhere. And suddenly pre-season comes along for the next year and I'm being put in such high positions and as that kind of that comes along, as you're growing, it can be quite sudden and I almost had like slightly the opposite of what you had. Hearing that on who's Hot very much fuelled me and wanted me to push and be up there with the best. But I had that almost in a reverse way Once I finished, once I finished quite low down, that's when it started to hit my confidence a little and I'm very lucky I could bounce back the day after, because if I didn't't, I don't know where I'd be right now in terms of confidence.
Speaker 2:But it's that kind of, especially as a youth, things can go either way up or down. You can grow out of nowhere. You could sadly have an injury and that can end it all. And that's like I say. It's. Another very scary thing about it is the uncertainty and, like I say, that uncertainty uncertainty can be a great thing if, out of nowhere, you find yourself growing and improving, like I did last season. But it's a real hard thing to wrestle with because you're matching that with expectations and to to go along what chris was saying if we talk about that big silverback, you're expecting to almost take over and be the leader the next year and you fall short of that. That can be a real confidence boost. So, no sorry, confidence knock almost. And it's I. I want to try and say something to the youth in case they're listening, but, completely honest, it isn't easy. It's tough to get through and just hope you get through it so how did you get through at tartan warrior?
Speaker 3:so day one obviously we had the 3k and yeah, we've joked about it, but you didn't have the best race. And then day two comes along. How did you manage to get back on that start line ready to race again? Did you have any processes that you went through that night, or did it just?
Speaker 2:kind of come together for you so people have heard me after the 3k that I'll just swill it around shouting. Really, I just started to shout my head off around titan warrior for some reason, just screaming and all sorts. And I got back to the hotel and I kind of had a shower and I just sat there and I was like, okay, today's wrapped up, tomorrow's a different day. I know what I can do, let's go, do that. I just I just closed the chapter on the day before. So that's, that's the past, that's done. Tomorrow we prove ourselves and go again. And there were little moments when I was warming up thinking that did this yesterday and that didn't go to plan, etc. And you've just got to try and push them out. And, luckily for me, once I went off and once 321 bang or whatever, as soon as I started running in that 8k, every thought about that 3k just left me and it was all focused on that sunday race it's one of the beautiful things about racing, isn't it?
Speaker 1:it does it gets rid of all them troubles, like once, like the. The apprehension you get before starting a race is so much and it's so scary to actually be on that start line. But once you are in the race, you are 100% like what's that thing they call. When you're like in a state of mind where it's like one thing that you're thinking of flow state, you're in like this biggest flow state ever and you've got no other troubles at all, no worries, no problems, no nothing, and all you're doing is just fighting your own self at that time yeah, it's a nice place to being and I think you've got to be in that place.
Speaker 2:If you want to be in with winning something or at least come in top three or something major, you've got to have that ability to be there and just pull through and go with it and also, like I say, step up from any failures from the day before or any failures recently.
Speaker 3:Got to get that out your head and just plow through do you think it helped having the race exactly the day after? Do you think that was kind of, if it was left a little bit longer for you to think about, it would have been a lot worse. Or do you think you would have got been able to get up for any race, no matter when it was?
Speaker 2:I think in terms of the race itself, I would have been fine. I think if, like I say, it was a couple days later, I would have been fine in terms of the 8k still plowing through, but those days between and those hours between would have been a lot worse. I would have had that 3k in my mind for a lot, lot longer and lucky that 8k came along almost just to blow that away and push that away. So I would have been still able to the 8k the same ability. But the fact is that 3k outside of a race mode would have been on my mind for a lot, lot longer.
Speaker 1:Don't worry, we won't let you forget the 3k I can tell.
Speaker 2:I can tell, don't worry, I'm very aware it's the key dimension.
Speaker 3:Yes, yes, you've got that. Um, that might be the only time ships gets to beat you this year, so yeah, he's got sure it probably will.
Speaker 2:If you've got a photo of the um finishing sheet put in a frame now, have you on your wall or something like that. I'm just gonna savor that moment. My screensaver is it yeah of history.
Speaker 3:There you go right, should we start to wrap this up then? Yeah, yeah are we happy with everything we've got today? I think so is there.
Speaker 1:Just one thing before we go on to the next thing. What's the most important thing that keeps you accountable in just being an OCR racer at the moment, then, finn, I'd say it's the most important thing that keeps you accountable in just being an OCR racer at the moment, then, finn.
Speaker 2:I'd say it's the competition and I know where I want to be. I want to be against the best of the best and, like I say that 3K, I'm a massive F1 fan and watching all that champagne and stuff like that, that's my dream pretty much, things like that and I was like, oh, that's where I want to be and that kind of desire to be be there and be part of the best is what pushes me to keep training and try and be one of those top, top athletes I don't know about you, finn, but I'd actually say any.
Speaker 3:This is a good advice for juniors get into f1, because there's so many parallels to from f1 to ocr when it comes to racing. Like, obviously they're in a car, so there's a little bit different, but even just the uncertainty of it, because anything can happen, because they're in a car, it's like very similar to obstacle racing. Um, the only thing is we don't have pits, but everything else, even the race strategy, the way they talk it's like you can pull a lot from watching formula one I kind of felt like you're going to link that back to lightning mcqueen there for a second.
Speaker 2:I was kind of feeling that I was gonna come along, yeah, or just watch lightning.
Speaker 3:Just just watch cars. You know what. Don't watch f1. Just stick cars on and you'll be absolutely fine exactly that's perfect film.
Speaker 2:a perfect film, I think, for youth racers and, like I said, some of them are too young. They didn't have that moment of cars in their life. Go watch it. I've never seen cars.
Speaker 3:You've never seen cars.
Speaker 2:You can't not have seen cars.
Speaker 1:No, when you said it on the podcast that people were too young to see cars, I'm thinking I haven't seen it because I'm too old.
Speaker 3:Honestly, shit me right. Watch, you'll love it.
Speaker 1:You'll really enjoy it. I'm going to watch it.
Speaker 3:Especially the first, first ones, Like yeah.
Speaker 1:I'm going to do it. I'm going to watch cars I'll watch it on the treadmill next time or the bike, because I want the bike more.
Speaker 3:Right, should we get to the, the thing I know finn's most excited for it's the only reason he came on right then, finn, it is time to see your card. Now we're using a new software, so I don't actually know if I can share this to you, but I'll try so for for listeners out there. I don't know how this will sound, slash, how this will go, but uh, yeah, they don't know that.
Speaker 1:They've noticed this already, but we haven't got Darren at the moment because he's busy project managing people or something, and we haven't got his software. So we are running on a different thing, aren't we Mo?
Speaker 3:Yeah, and it's all a bit interesting. So sorry if this episode has uh been interesting, um, but yeah, we're making it work right, so let's see. Can you see that? Can we see this?
Speaker 1:yes, yeah, oh why has he got such a good picture?
Speaker 3:take it off, change it. Nah, there is some few easter eggs in this card as well. I don't know, finn, if you've noticed anything, yet the background is lovely, perfect shirt.
Speaker 3:So yeah, for the listeners that are listening, obviously, go into her Instagram and you'll be able to see Finn's card. But Finn wears this t-shirt, especially when he trains, but I've seen. Have you worn it in races as well? Yes, yeah, water time warrior yeah, so he wears this. I don't even know where you've got this t-shirt from, but is it? It's like, just like graffiti print, um, it's that? Oh, what's it? What's the brand called the lollipop brand?
Speaker 3:oh uh, chubba chubs, yeah, that's the one. Um, so it's got that brand on it and then it's got like I don't know if it's all linked. I don't really know. Tell it what's the story behind that finn um, my dad was racing in.
Speaker 2:I think it was italy and the brand it might be an italian brand, it's definitely european otso, I think it's called, and they just saw it and thought that looks nice and he got it for me and since then I've got a couple of their pieces and they're really nice clothes. They're not just looking nice, they're, they're lightweight, which is why I wear them a lot for training as well, and also titan warrior, because I wanted something, first of all, lightweight. Second of all, that's what I wore when I last beat russ, so that was my idea.
Speaker 1:Behind that obviously backfired but uh, not that lucky, is it?
Speaker 2:no, it's not as lucky as I thought, but um no, it's very nice, lightweight clothing also.
Speaker 3:Yeah, very nice looking as well yeah, I mean, I've definitely, like I say, seen you in it a few times and it definitely stands out, so I'll give you that. Um, yeah, yeah, that's what. That was my idea behind the. I thought we need to get that in somewhere, because if anyone knows you, they know that T-shirt. Yeah, so we're going to get onto your stats then. So we're going to start with speed. We've got you at an 87. Now, obviously, we're still a developing athlete, so this is going to get higher and I have no doubt this will get higher, but we've got you at an 87 for now. Um, I think it's definitely trending upwards and we've seen that in your training. It's just going to be fun to see that when it comes to racing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, what's it called? Like FIFA cards got like potential. That's what I'm hoping to see. Yeah, things rise in career mode.
Speaker 3:I'll be buying you, yeah, an investment for the future. So so weird. Anyone that knows fifa knows what we're talking about. Yeah, yeah, um, so we're going down to your agility. Now we've got you at an 86. How do you feel about that?
Speaker 2:I'd say that's fair. I mean I might sound quite agile person. Um, sounds very fair enough actually 86, hopefully. I mean, as I've got older, that's definitely gone down. I think I feel more aches and pains now, which is slightly concerning and things like that, but I still still putting my feet.
Speaker 3:So yeah wait, you wait, let's get worse from here well, do you want to join my reasoning behind this thing? Yeah, go on. So I was. I actually did have it lower, but I thought I can't be that harsh to you. But do you remember at born survivor? Uh, last year, barbara and no the the wall oh, basically got me, the wit got me to beat you yeah yeah, so because of that, because when we look at agility on these cards, we're talking about the kind of mandatory obstacles as well yeah, because of that little wall incident.
Speaker 3:I had to. I had to knock it down yeah, no, that's fair enough.
Speaker 2:Actually remembering that. That see, that's has come out my mind. Now it's back for me for the next born survivor race.
Speaker 3:Now that that had left me, that whole instant was in the past me now, and now I've got that focus on, bring it back up, just so that you can have that in your head, ready for born survivor yeah, thank you, I want you to think, when you get to that wall, don't mess it up yeah, yeah, it's in my head now. Perfect um, so then we go into your compromise running. So again 86. I think again this could be something that is going to be higher. Um, even at the end of this season we'd probably look to push this up, but for now I've got you in 86. How do you feel about that?
Speaker 2:yeah, that's very, I'll tell you.
Speaker 3:Yeah, accurate, that's what I'll say once again, yeah um right, going on to one of your lowest stats on the card, your endurance. Now we've got you at 77. How do you?
Speaker 2:feel about that. Well, I'll tell you, my endurance is so I'd say the word inconsistent. There's certain races where I will just plough through very happily and it'll be a lot harder than that, and there's certain races where I will just limbo up and down, up and down, second win, third win, etc. So yeah, it's definitely my weaknesses and I would agree around. That sounds about right. It's definitely something I'm not very consistent on and hopefully can improve in the future.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, I think that comes of age as well. I've definitely noticed similar to you being kind of your age. I think I was in quite a similar spot where it just seemed to be inconsistent. I'd have races where it'd just be like, ah, go on for days and then you have some races where it doesn't work. I think it will get more consistent and that's when you'll notice your race really improving. Um, but yeah, 77 for now. I think that's a good, a good starting point. Um, right, we're going to move on to your power. So we've got you in 84 yeah, pretty powerful.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I love it arguing them all I I literally thought you'd be coming out guns. You're, you've, you've, you've gone wet wipe on communication. I thought you'd be coming out guns. You're, you've, you've, you've gone wet wipe on communication. I thought you was going to be pushing forward for more points.
Speaker 2:That's the thing, chris. If that three K went better I would be, but I've learned now I need just to close my mouth, put back in your hole.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's been a bit more humble.
Speaker 2:Yes, exactly, I've been humbled now, so I'm just gonna. I'm just gonna accept it and, yeah, I hope I can prove it wrong. I'll prove it wrong. My racing chris, that's what I would say.
Speaker 3:I'll prove, yeah I don't need to speak about it I'll prove it wrong on the course like I say, this card is based on your racing and I think from obviously I've trained with you and like, even like the troop race that we did, I've, I know what your potential can be. It's just getting it in the races and I think these, if we add this interview next year, I think this card looks very different. But, um, yeah, we're going to move on to your technical ability. So we've got you at an 87, so how?
Speaker 2:do you feel about that? That's generous.
Speaker 2:I'd say the way, I'm right now I'm very happy to take that. Um, yeah, technical ability I think a lot of people know this already. I've come off obstacles a lot this year in terms of not as not coming off as I'm falling off them, I mean, as in I haven't trained them. Um, I'm more, like I say, running focus right now. So, yeah, 87. Hopefully in the race season I can work at an 87 on terms of technical. But yeah, I'd be very grateful to take that right now, seeing where I've been so far.
Speaker 2:But hopefully yeah, push above that and get maybe to the 90s at the end of the year.
Speaker 1:It is quite a strange one. It's one of the points that I was thinking about the other day. That is the most changeable, because it really does depend on, like, your sort of exposure to all the obstacles all the time, isn't it? So your technical ability can be like really good at the start of the season, at the end of the season, just depending on your exposure to them yeah, it's, it's definitely.
Speaker 3:I mean, I've noticed that this year as well. We're doing less obstacles, similar to you, and it's like as soon as you step away, you do notice a little bit. It's just the little things, like you keep the basic technique, but it's like.
Speaker 2:It's like timing it's like timing yeah, little things you'd normally go for and you kind of just you miss it by a little bit or you misjudge something. It just throws you right.
Speaker 3:Moving on to your worst stat on the card, and I think you'll agree with this one um strength, you're weak. I wouldn't go that far, but yeah that's a great picture right there.
Speaker 2:That's the perfect picture, that's the biggest bite I don't know when this picture was taken.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it must have superimposed my arms on there no, I did it in photoshop.
Speaker 3:I thought you know what they were looking a bit flimsy, so we'll, uh, we'll, pump them up a little bit yeah um 75, I think, maybe a bit harsh, but again we haven't. We haven't seen it in racing. It's definitely one thing that's held you back in races.
Speaker 2:I mean certainly Spartan. Yes, 100% Spartan. I mean Spartan-wise. Obviously talk about race season. I'm not even sure how many Spartans I will be doing this year and half. That is because of the weights, I think as well, and trying to get up to that ability and, to be honest, I've been slightly lazy on weight training at the start of this year, almost Darren. His Instagram post almost proved me right at the moment, but we'll see, we'll see. Like I said, the season goes on, training goes on. Hopefully raise that stat. Hopefully raise the rest.
Speaker 3:Yeah and right, your special ability. Now there was a few things we could have had, and obviously I did this before the podcast, so, thinking back to it now, we could have even had lightning mcqueen on there, or just cars in general, um, but the one thing I think you are very good at slash always do is celebrations, especially football celebrations. At the end of every race. There is something doesn't. It doesn't even matter where you come, does it? Finn?
Speaker 3:there's always there's always a celebration yeah um, as you can see in the picture on the card as well yeah, yeah that's yeah, that is your special stat. But is there anything else that you want to kind of put in that you think you do more?
Speaker 2:well, I'll admit about my celebrations first. Well, I can't remember if I actually might say this before I'm pint-sized, but for this season I've got, um, a folder on my phone of about 25 different celebrations just saved already already for this year. So it's definitely accurate. I've got a folder on my phone of about 25 different celebrations just saved already already for this year. So it's definitely accurate. I've got plenty all in store ready to go for the season. But no, I think I'd say having a bit of cars and Lightning McQueen there would be nice, but it's certainly accurate. I'd say for now, but hopefully, let's say next year I can raise this, this above maybe add in a 3k british champion, maybe for next season, hopefully, something like that, get that on, there be quite nice, um, but yeah, for now I'd say that's pretty right do you want to know what my favorite celebration is?
Speaker 2:yeah, go on milky way. The point is people are gonna be disappointed me now because I've done no puns here and you've Milky Way the pint-sized people are going to be disappointed in me now because I've done no puns here and you've pulled that off.
Speaker 3:He's outdone you today. Yeah, he really has.
Speaker 1:That was perfect, Get back in the corner. Little monkey Alpha's still around.
Speaker 2:He's beat me on the 3K. He's beat me on the puns. I can't win this year for you, Chris. I can't win.
Speaker 3:Well, Finn, you've got loads of ammo he actually pulled out of the 8k, so I don't want to just help you out here, but I think you scared him a bit there.
Speaker 2:Chris, what's your next race in the Canada then?
Speaker 1:We're going over to strong, uh, tough hiking.
Speaker 2:So I'm not planning to go, but just just now, just just to prove where I am.
Speaker 1:I might have to go now just to show off. Well, I'll tell you what. Right, because not not long after that is the rumble 3k, and you did pit me on that last year because I didn't know where the finish was.
Speaker 2:Is that what we're saying? Is it?
Speaker 1:No, that's the God's honest truth.
Speaker 2:I didn't realise.
Speaker 1:Because I was smoking you then and I'll probably smoke you again. Oh, there we go then.
Speaker 2:Injured as well, so you were smoking me, did you? Yeah, I didn't know, losing about 150 metres, injured as well. So you were smoking me did you? Yeah, I didn't know. Losing about 150 metres on the last lap was smoking, I walked, I walked, yeah so you've heard it here.
Speaker 3:First, guys, rumble 3k, tune in, because it's going down by the sounds of it yeah, ready, see who the real alpha is.
Speaker 2:Yeah, go on, let's see who the silverback is Come on Love, it Right, I think before we have to get the gloves out.
Speaker 3:We'll wrap this up because I don't want to be ringing the bell anytime soon.
Speaker 1:Finn, where can people find you on social media?
Speaker 2:so I'm finleyocr on Instagram. That's about all I'm present on, really, not really Facebook, anything like that. So yeah, finleyocr on the Instagram. Do you need a sponsor? I do need a sponsor. Yeah, everyone's listening. Pay me, or something like that along those lines, a happy sponsor. Red Bull's listening something like that. Along those lines, I'm happy to sponsor. If Red Bull's listening something like them, would be perfect. I don't know Sponsorship needed. Contact me on Instagram.
Speaker 3:Nice, there you go Heard it here. First Red Bull hit them up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, please.
Speaker 1:And also as well, don't forget to follow us on social media. At what are we Moe At accountabilitycom no.
Speaker 3:Accountability Corner. I think if you type that in you'll find us, but I think it's accountabilitycorner If we had Darren. Oh no, sorry, it's underscore. Accountability corner is our Instagram. That's probably what we're most active on. I think we do have a tiktok, uh, and we do have facebook, but, to be honest, darren kind of takes a lot of control of that.
Speaker 1:So most importantly, though, we've got a strava account for everyone to stay accountable. Finley, are you on the strava accountability corner?
Speaker 2:I am on the strava.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah exactly everyone who's staying accountable needs to be on that group you can watch, chris, you can watch.
Speaker 2:Every single time I'm getting faster and faster, every single lap I do and you'll be able to watch it on there and see. You'll be ready, you'll know what's coming for you. That 3k chance, or 3k chance, 3k um rumble yeah, because obviously you know all that.
Speaker 1:That, that those extra sort of speed sessions you did, did you really well at the last 3K chance.
Speaker 2:Oh, we'll wait and see. We'll wait and see.
Speaker 3:Right, let's wrap this up, then, guys. So thank you very much, finn, for coming on. Thank you for sharing your wise words. Ships, you got anything else before we go?
Speaker 1:No, just thanks everyone for listening, and it was a probably a little bit more of a less quieter episode without darren talking his head off. What do you think?
Speaker 3:yeah, it might not be the most structured episode in the world but, darren, if you're listening which probably not I hope you're proud of us yeah, we did it without. Yeah, see we can do it, and sorry listeners for the most disjointed episode we've probably ever done. Right, we'll see you later, guys. See you later, pete. Thank you everyone. Bye.
