Kia ora e te whānau. Who is excited for UTA? Gosh, we certainly are. This week, Join Ali and Matt as they preview the elite fields in the miler, 100km, 50km, and 22km events at Ultra Trail Australia, as well as answer those last-minute questions that athletes have when staring an event like this in the face. This year, we’ve decided to do things a little differently, and Ali speaks with Ian ‘easy’ Meyer- one of the foundations of the course marking team, and event stalwart- to dive into the details of the course, what to expect, and the level of detail that goes into planning this incredible event.

Dirt Church Radio—Best Enjoyed Running.

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Episode Links

Ultra Trail Australia by UTMB

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Dirt Church Radio on Instagram

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Further Faster New Zealand

Enjoy!

Music by Andrew McDowall, Digicake

We’re not going to lie, there was a lot on the docket this week, and boy did Ali, Andrew, and Matt rip through it.

We, the aforementioned, declare that Tamaki is now the distance-running capital of Aotearoa. And also that it is “mad nice” (Friedland, 2026). We charge that big companies should stop doing things that make them look like dicks, and that the Boston thing was sort of okay, and also we wonder if that dude that Jurek helped across the line at Western States ever got a sympathy cougar. READ THE RULES, PEOPLE.

Attending to point 1. We salute Messers McLean, Wadams, Steel, Steel, & Steel for their spectacular efforts at the Faultline Miler.

Andrew McDowall formally and unreservedly apologizes to Shaun Collins for his complete disregard for Trail Nav events in the North Island. We also discussed the little race in London over the weekend and the Wanaka Ultra. Mad Nice indeed.

Dirt Church Radio – Best Enjoyed Running.

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Episode Links

Sign up for the DCR AidStation newsletter.

Dirt Church Radio on Instagram

Dirt Church Radio on Facebook

Further Faster New Zealand

Enjoy!

Music by Andrew McDowall, Digicake

Way back in 2023, when Eugene and Matt first spoke to Matt Bixley (on DCR 228 if you are interested), they were impressed not only by the attention he paid to detail in planning his adventures, the scope of the adventures - 18 Keplers (at the time) , a Barkley Marathons, a million rogaines, and an astounding back story, but the sheer ability of the man to spin a great yarn.

Fast forward a couple of years, and we find out that not much has changed. Settle in for round two with Matt, this time with DCR’s Andrew McDowall. There’s been more Keplers, More Barkley Marathons, and even more adventures with a compass in hand, maybe even a broken rib in there too. I apologize in advance for the test cricket chat. Fun, free-wheeling, and always entertaining, we are stoked to bring you this conversation with the man who literally wrote the crib notes on the Kepler. Dirt Church Radio—Best Enjoyed Running.

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Episode Links

Matt Bixley DCR 228

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Matt Bixley’s Kepler Notes

Dirt Church Radio on Instagram

Dirt Church Radio on Facebook

Further Faster New Zealand

Enjoy!

Music by Andrew McDowall, Digicake