How Personal Training Made Me a Better Racing Driver — Zak Meakin

Welcome everybody to PT Launch Lab. This is episode 13. I was start again. I was just about to go Ryan, but we've done that for Saturday. >> I don't know by now, they don't care. Hello everybody and welcome to PT Law Lab.

This is episode 13. Today we're going to be covering the pros and what we think are benefits to being a personal trainer. Also later on in the episode, we're going to have Zack Meakin on who is GT4 British champion. So I hope you all enjoy it. [Music] Hello mate. >> How we doing mate? >> So yeah. So what's happened over the weekend? >> Yeah.

Well, I think this is one of the first times we've actually spoke. >> I know. Since the fight, we've sort of been crossing paths at the minute and both been taking in turns with podcast and getting new guests on, which I've enjoyed actually taking that back seat. I'm sure you've done the same with and actually watching his own podcast, which would be weird saying, but >> yeah, you're tuning into a podcast that you're part of. >> You were like, "Oh, that's a good point." It's nice catch up about it, but uh how are you feeling at the minute? >> Yeah, good. Obviously, um for anyone who don't know, I won I won my first fight. I'm fighting again in a couple of days, probably as this gets released, so everyone will know if I've won again or not.

And then I'll have a couple more fights. Uh hopefully win the tournament then. That'll be make me Yorkshire champion. So fingers and toes crossed. Um I can do enough to to do that.

But yeah, it's it's very it's very much overwhelming in terms of life life absorption. So, it's like family life, time in the gym, everything sort of takes a bit of an impact or like a backst step. But the thing that's on me mind is it's a short period of time now, like a relief. The more I just focus over the next two weeks, the the better. Sounds very very far-fetched, but it could change my future uh with interest towards the gym, interest in my own career, uh, and hopefully get some more eyes on the gym, on the podcast, etc.

So, what about you anyway? The half marathon >> and I surprised myself to be honest. I' I've still got like a couple of niggly bits cuz the problem was I finished the race and if anyone's ever seen a great north run, it ends in South Shields and the problem is if you parked in Newcastle, you've got to find your way back to Newcastle which is a nightmare in itself. Like cuz they have shuttle buses that take you back to Newcastle and we go get on one of them. Nice and easy.

You don't have to pay. Fantastic. the last shuttle bus to come into the junction. Yeah. There was a very very very expensive Land Rover across the junction and he wired it, took the Land Rover out, dragged it about 100 meters, >> right? >> Kept driving and we had to shut the entire road off. So then right off we have to get a trade 25 minute walk.

I've just run 13 miles, right? And me running 13 miles, there's a lot more damage. Can can you uh can you remember when I'd run the half mile from obviously you came with me because we had the meeting in uh in Durham >> and it wasn't far from it. >> Yeah. >> We went hotel and I think I was I don't know why but I chose to sit up for for ages while we were pre-shrinking for his night out. >> Well, see I when I went with you I went >> Well, the first thing you did was have a swing of beer. I was thinking back to this right on Sunday. I like there's nothing I want less >> drink of beer.

Right. Yeah. Already feel tired right mate. So, um, yeah, that's a good catch up. In terms of the guests, um, I'm enjoying watching them.

I'm enjoying having the guests on. We'll have another guest, uh, later on in this episode, which again, I'm I'm looking forward to, uh, to doing. We've got a couple more in the pipeline. We've got another high rocks, uh, an endurance athlete, uh, we've got powerlifter- bodybuilder. Um, each one of them been into PT.

One of them is being a PT, being an online coach, and then the other one's just starting his own coaching journey now as well. So, great guest to be on. So, uh, anyone who's interested, keep watching. And again, anyone who is watching who would be interested in jumping on as well, you want to tell your story, if you feel like you want to get it out there or you want to get yourself out there personally in your business, then um, drop us a message. We more than more than welcome to have everybody on. >> No, you're 100%. and we want to hear everybody's stories cuz I think what we want to try and build is a really big like a data bank of stuff that happens in the PT industry especially like even negatives as well because it's you know when you're trying to sell something you always sell the benefits which don't get me wrong there's a lot of benefits but it's also good to hear some of the stuff to understand where we're coming from what we go through.

So yeah, if there's anyone out there who has an experience that you think could be beneficial for other people to hear, then yeah, let us know. >> Awesome. So I think we'll we'll we'll start with the with the pros to being a personal trainer. So for me, mate, I'll take take the lead on it. For me, a 9-to-five job. So the only one time I ever did this was between gym jobs.

So from from school, I went straight to work in in a gym in Pontifro just like a not even a floor PT. He was just a fitness instructor at this point, going through me course, working weekends, no really massive qualifications, helping. I was actually training people at the time. I didn't even know what a PT were, >> right? And I always just wanted to have guaranteed money and a wage at end of the week, which we all do.

As I moved forward, I ended up having a time where I had a little I had a month where I worked in a factory waiting for another gym job to come up. Um, and for me, I mean, this is not for everybody, but hopefully the pe the listeners that where I speak into now, this will hit home more. 9 to5 is um is not where I want to be. So, what I've always wanted to do is be able to control my hours. Although I can be a workaholic at times, I believe working your own hours in control. And even though I can work, I'm not limited to earning a certain amount.

So, the security net might not always be there. But the main thing is if I want an hour off, if I want a weekend off, anything is under my discussion to me personally. And I think that's one of one of the best benefits is being able to have your own flexible hours and work when you want to work. Work as much as you want to work and earn as much as you want to earn as well. >> 100%. And let's be realistic, you're going to work a total of maybe 90,000 hours in your life.

And my question is this. Would you rather do something that doesn't bring you any joy or doesn't bring you any satisfaction or switch over to something that you're probably passionate about? That's why you're seeing this that you're watching this podcast or watching this ad is simply because you enjoy and love fitness now. There's a career in it for you. And my question is, what do you think you need to do to change that?

We've had so many people that we worked with before that wanted to make a change but didn't know how. And this is essentially what PT Launch Lab's here for. We're here to help you get to that point and feel confident transitioning. So, if you're thinking about a career in fitness and you don't know how to get there, just speak to one of our adviserss, our sales team, speak to one of us. We're always open.

And it's mainly about taking the first step, whether it's clicking a link, hitting a button, talking to us directly, and getting on that journey to doing something you want to do. >> And more so on that point, why not have someone to guide you through it? We've got a mentorship program as well and we're going to be handing you their stepbystep instruction. We've got the blueprint to become successful personal trainers between us. We've got over 20 years of personal training experience on floor and online coaching. So, what better advice to get them than from PT Launch Lab. >> Yeah.

So, again, if even if you want to discuss the possible options, I think there's enough content on here as well seeing different people from different aspects. There's plenty of different backgrounds. of me. I spoke to someone who used to work in corporate that she switched over and it was a life-changing thing, but it was for the right reasons. We got people from different backgrounds, different areas. And even if you think that you're not right to fit the role, maybe you don't feel like you know enough, maybe you don't think you like you look the part, just have us talk to us because I guarantee you all these conceptions that you built up in your brain, there's literally no limits to what you can do in a personal training role. >> And there's so so many ways around it.

Not everybody is on the same path. Not everybody's in the same part of the journey. Some people are coming out of college. Some people have been stuck in the job for a lot of years and the the fear to move from your job. I understand.

But why waste any more time? Because I promise you once you do do it, you'll wish that you did it sooner. And I feel like once you take that first step, like we've talked about in previous podcasts, create your own safety net first before you take the leap. Do it out of work hours and do it until you are secure. Create your own safety net and make sure you can do it with as least stress as possible.

Try and just enjoy the journey. Then no pressure and you're doing something that you love, something that you're passionate about. You might have trained your entire life. You've got knowledge to share. There's even more things to learn and you can be like you've just started again and really start enjoying work for as long as you want to work. >> Exactly.

And we've only got a finite amount of time on the planet. Why not spend it doing something you want to do? Um, yeah. I think one of the be best things about choosing what you want to do, and it doesn't just have to be personal training. It could be anything you want in the world.

It's about having that opportunity to do it. It's about having that want and need to actually be fulfilled. Because some, like I said, we've said this before, some people feel fulfilled by just going to work, coming home, and that's it cuz they make a wage. That's fine. If you're not like that, you'll know if you're not like that.

You need something more. You need a bit of passion. You need a career. If this is something along your lines, it's worth trying 100%. >> Do you know what? Do you know I've noticed as a common theme?

So, I play this game with uh with Maddie actually. So, people who tend to compete, they've got competitive attitude. So they might do a high rocks, they might do a bodybuilding show. Tend to be the ones that fall into coaching because they enjoy the routine. They enjoy the regimen.

Uh they enjoy the challenge. They they then want to pass on their knowledge. They've also got a testimonial of themselves to say this is how it's done. They fall in love with it. They realize how much hard work the commitments involved.

They can appreciate the hard work and they also feel like they can offer something. So we always guess when we see someone doing a bodybuilding show or start a competing hierox which the next person is going to be to be a PT. So if you are that person and you are thinking about it and you're not sure which way to go, give us a message and we'll give you the first steps. >> Absolutely. So yeah, I think we'll wait for the the guest to come in. So say a little bit about who's coming in because I'm excited for this one. >> So me and Zach Makian have got quite close now.

I've trained Zach for about five years. So, Zach is a motorsports racer. So, he's actually won the GT4 British Championship and he's now moving into GT3, competes at World Championships, is absolute phenomenal athlete. Um, and uprising star. >> How old is he? >> I believe he's 18 now. He's uh team team McLaren.

Uh, so he's part he's part of their team as all the best all the best drivers in the world and now we're in that GT3 and I'll not mess it up and uh get anything wrong. I'll let Zach talk more into it. But yeah, what a great guest to have on him and look forward to speaking to him outside of the gym and getting his story out to everybody else. >> Yeah, absolutely. And just remember when we were all 18, we weren't be able to drive McLaren. I think I think when I was 18, I was pissing in wardrobes.

So he's doing pretty well. All right. Thank you. Welcome. So, I'm not going to butcher it, but I'll introduce uh Zach Me.

I'll not go through your titles, mate, or anything. We'll we'll talk through that during podcast, but if you could tell us your latest current sort of standings. >> So, back in 2024, uh I was the British champion in GT4 as I won the overall championship in the British GT. Uh, this was in a McLaren Arura and we've now moving up now to the GT3s. Almost at the end of the season now, but I've been racing almost the whole year now in a McLaren 720 GT3 Evo. >> Yeah, I definitely couldn't have done that. >> That made me sound even worse on the previous bit. So, uh, just we were probably just going to go straight from the start, Zach.

So either what made you get into racing or just what it stem from really? Have you always been interested in racing? Were it sort of like a a decision of all kids sort of go from playing football or doing some sort of sport and then you wanted to just try to go kind of you you tell me. >> Well, obviously my dad was big into rugby so he naturally pushed me through that line. >> Yeah. >> Uh was at Cass Academy to begin with. uh started playing with them and then still to this day not sure what it was might have been the obsession with Lightning McQueen or something like that. So um one day I came back after rugby training asked my dad I went I want to I want to race cars. So uh after that he took me to where the A1 Football Factory is now. >> Yeah.

So yeah I'll just cut you off on that Zach. So Zach just told me so where I used to have previously have a gym if anyone's not local to area. So the A1 football factory in Pontiffract used to be a go-karting place, didn't it? >> Yeah. >> And that's and that's the only place I've ever goed go-karted once in my life and it was there. And then X amount of years later that's when I said the gym there, which I' obviously never fought in a million years. But I've just found out 5 minutes before this podcast that's the first place you raced, which is crazy.

But so it won't So it wasn't like go cing with your friends. All right. Right. So your decision to just go and you did it on your own? >> No, it just Yeah. came back to my dad and went, "I want to I want to race. I want to race." Um, so then obviously he didn't know anything.

He was flapping about um trying to find something to do with it and then uh I can't I'm not I'm struggling to remember the details of it cuz it's quite a while ago. But >> uh I think he found a friend who knew a friend >> Yeah. >> who knew Luca Eton and his dad that run the place before. >> And I went there and just started had a go. thought, oh, it was my dad thought it'd be an era, but he sent me a few laps out. It'd be fine getting back on rugby pitch. >> But, um, >> no, then I think the obsession started kicking off from there, like the enjoyment for the speed >> and everything. >> Did the obsession start because you were really good at it though at the beginning or were you or were you sort of average or were you just did you take a shine into it straight away and then sort of like started dragging your mates along and started winning everyone or did you join did was there a club like a team? I don't know how it works. cuz it was like a kids time. I think it was on Wednesday, either Mondays or Wednesdays.

Um, you'd have like an hour for us just to have a go. You'd pay a certain amount and have a little bit. >> U, but I was pretty decent to be fair. I was I won't blow my own trumpet. I wasn't the best. >> I was Don't be humble in here. >> I was I was missing a few apexes. I wasn't perfect from the get-go.

Um, but then one of the lads there saw that I had a little bit of talent into it and then told my dad who went this, let's get him onto the bigger tracks, a step up from here. >> So, I would have had my phone, I'd show you the first ever go-kart that I had. It was a little Honda Cadet. >> Um, and yeah, everything started from there. going round. Got used to the speed on the inside track >> and then we ended up going over to the um proper tracks as I can say started at a track called PFI Paul Fleshier International. Um that's that's a good track and that's where I did most of my races from. >> And how long how long did you spend in in go-kart then? How old were you even started again? >> Started when I was seven. >> No, cuz that was the youngest you could get into into the uh >> And so how old was that from when you moved from go-karting into an actual car?

Well, uh, it took me seven years. So, I did seven years in go-karts all the way up to when I went into genetas. Yep. >> Which is like that is the bottom step of becoming into this car. >> The genet. >> Yeah. To be fair, Mega series for everything. You drive probably one of the most difficult parts, but then after that, you basically got the hinge for driving everything after that.

Of >> course, they are so loose cuz they're on road tires, not race tires. So the difference is with race tires and stuff like slicks, you've got no grooves over it. So it's just a big con. >> Right. Right. Right. >> So you get more grip where the road tires have like noble knobbybly parts on them. >> Yeah. >> And when they get hot, they start rolling over each other. >> Right. >> And when they roll over each other, it generates like loads of movement in the car. >> Which one?

Which one did Cuz I've been training you since you were like 14. So >> yeah, >> if anyone didn't know that as well, you still training, Zach. Um, I feel like sometimes when I'm talking on this podcast that everybody knows everything about me, but I'm hoping that people are watching it who don't know me. But we've talked about this before as well. I think it's just so mad that obviously you've been driving for years and obviously you don't have a test.

You didn't have a license. >> Yeah. >> So you you can drive better than your instructor when you when you start learning which I just think just so funny like the setup and obviously it's different but I'm sure but it's Junior I I get to watch him want it. Yeah, you came and to watch a few of them and then also the British GT one at Donington. >> Um, but yeah, started in them and it was pretty fun. Did two years of it and then move up into the bigger leagues. >> Yeah. So, yeah. So, that's where not so what you at now.

So, was that the best year? I know we had one of the years. Was that the when when you had the trouble with the Porsche? Was that the year before you won the the >> champion? That was the year before.

I had like quite a lot of technical difficulties with it, >> which was strange cuz we did the uh Porsche Winter Series before >> and you you won that as well, didn't you? >> Won four out of four races, qualified first and won the rest. Um but then all of a sudden it just got to British GT and then the reliability of the Porsche just went downhill. >> I think we we DNFed >> pretty much every race until Portugal in the beginning. I can remember going through it and having conversations with your dad in every morning in the gym and >> obviously that's it quite a low point for you on it cuz we were training hard. You were doing everything you should have done um everything from sitting up to the gym every day to uh doing your simulator at home to doing your runs and your and you were doing everything humanly possible to be at the peak of performance and the car was letting you down. So >> yeah, I was doing everything I possibly could and to be fair that took quite a big hit. >> Yeah. on my like want to race it. >> You're constantly just showing up and like you do your practice, do the qualifying, then all a sudden that's it.

Cars broke down, you're home on Monday on Sunday. >> No, I get what you're saying, mate. At any point when when you have a season like that, does that ever make you not want to do it or is it just something that >> Yeah, it got to like I think it was the third or fourth round in after we broke down and I just said to my dad, I went, "This isn't fun anymore." >> Yeah. Yeah. like showing up. We'd we'd be do really well in qualifying. Like we'd be like, "Right, we're up there.

I think I qualified P3 or something and then all of a sudden you get to the next day and go to start up and something's wrong with it." And like that at that point it's just like what? >> Well, that is motor sport though. >> Yeah. >> It can go from being the biggest highs to the lowest of the lows. >> And to be fair, that was shown with the year. Yeah, >> we had a really low year in the Porsche and then all a sudden the year after my redemption year, I went and won it. Yeah. >> Which is like it went from >> the lowest of low to the highest of the high. And >> I think um I think that's like in most sports the time when you do want to quit and you step over that bit, that's usually where you get the best result in it. But it's just weird how it works in that way. feel like it's a weird curse on the universe where you sometimes the strings of bad luck lead to so obviously you were them with McLaren and that opened up a different window to a different team which might not have happened.

So, it's crazy how it all works, but um obviously I've I've seen you through them rough patches and we've we've never stopped training during them periods, but then seeing you to win it like from from the outside looking in, let alone part of the team and even more so being in the car to go from um being so frustrated when the car's letting you down, you know, it's nothing to do with your driving, but then to come back must feel even better. You know, like I spoke about another podcast, the comeback stories are just in the end. I always feel like your life's sort of like a book in it. You know, like imagine if someone read your like autobiography after. >> Yeah. >> That's what I'd make it what it is. You know, the the the setbacks, but then coming back to win and I feel like it does met the story better at the time.

It's horrible, isn't it? But um feel like now coming through it, I just thought I enjoy the celebrations as much as anybody once you once you won. Definitely like finishing that season in where we were was massive massive highlight. >> Like it it proved what I could have done last year. >> Y >> um if the car was good like the Porsche was good, it was quick but for some reason we're just unreliable. And then as soon as we got to McLaren and like having the the win at the back win at Silverston 3-hour and Donington 3 hour, it like >> everything from that it's like oh this is better. This is better.

It's I can't describe the feeling. Yeah. But it like how proud it was to just be back up where you know you should have been the first year >> and because so did you did you win much with the go-karting as well or how was it set because um I'll let you tell me about the the go-kart but what I think quite confusing which I did with the geneta is you get punished for doing well. Is that right? So you get >> not only in the GD car side now. >> Oh, is it the GT?

Sorry. Yeah. >> Yeah. So back in the genetas and the go-karts and stuff, you didn't. >> Right. >> It's only in this to make the championships closer instead of like in F1 or someone every race back to back. >> So yeah, we'll let's um digress back to the go-karting then. How did you get on with your go-karting? Did you win?

Uh >> I won won a few bits. I think the Yeah, the first year I did I won novice of the year award. Um which was nice. Uh, I won a few bits and bobs, got fourth in the British Championship once. I wouldn't say I did it the best.

I should have took it a lot more s like looking back at it now, I should have done it a lot more serious. >> Yeah. >> Um, than what I did >> um but you want to know at the time though, would you that were going to be his career? So, >> back then like little 12year-old me running about going round in a goat cart. It was an area >> but you didn't. >> I took it serious. >> Yeah. But I wish I myself took it a step further now. I've matured a bit more like I have done with the GT side.

Uh I'm there now to try and take the leap even further forward. >> Y >> so that's what I'm trying to do >> and I'll just So then I'll come back to the other point now mate. So just for anybody who's not aware so because I'm obviously still new to I still learn things every single day talking to you talking to your dad every morning. Um time time. So there's so many variables for like there's depending on the weight of the car or there used to be time time reduction or additions if you come in a certain place. So do you want to talk to people? >> So in British DT um you'd start off the start off the season you'd have something called BOP which is banttoff performance.

Uh this basically even out all the cars so there wasn't one that was faster than everything. Everything is all in a small in a >> Is that including the um the driver's weight included too? >> Uh yes. So there'll be like a minimum car weight uh with it and you'll have to reach that weight and then roughly it' be 85 kilos both drivers and then you'd add that and you that would be added on >> to get reach this total car weight. >> But if you were over it, you could take a little bit of weight out of the side in the car to make sure you were always at that weight. Yep. >> Um but then if you like won a race or something, you would get a 20 second penalty for the next race. >> Yeah. >> So it would make it even more difficult for you. U so like first place would get 20 second penalties, second place would get 15, third place would get 10. >> So it's not it would goes down.

Um but it's all about the always the consistent finishes. It's not about winning every race all the time. >> Yeah. cuz I again we've had this conversation so many times cuz I just I never understood it but I can remember when you actually got the the uh the 22nd penalty but then you still won the next race which I just thought how would you do that? Yeah, >> that was to be fair mega job between me and the team everything. We won Silverstone uh 3 hours. I think it was by a minute and 40 seconds almost a lap. >> Um our engineer um did mega mega calls in the race.

We was all good. Uh, and then going to Donington, we were like, "Oh, right, boys. We're going to like finish fourth or somewhere because of this 22nd penalty and then it it gets to it the really tricky conditions at the start." Going to warm up, we're all on slick tires. Then all of a sudden, this massive cloud burst of rain comes out of nowhere, changes the race into a wet race, and it's like the the variable that we had before, >> gone is gone completely out the window, and it's out just to see the best we could do. >> I think I overtook quite like most of the grid then. you're you're probably better driving in the rain. Is it is it because I've talked about it with your dad.

So, well, you just think because you're fearless in the rain. Uh and also though you I don't know whether it's the risk takingaking thing or confidence in your own ability, but when it comes to the rain, people seem to be a lot more hesitant or mech like I don't know it's it's hard to say, but every time it seems to come to rain, I'm sort of like obviously it's more dangerous, but every time it says it's raining, I'm like, where would it probably going to win? >> Well, It is. It was a bit strange cuz I never was like this before. I I was decent in the rain in the Porsche like we pulled when when it was good we pulled the Silverstone race by 2.2 seconds or something which is a big gap. >> Um but in the McLaren for some reason when I was doing the winter series all of a sudden one day it just clicked >> and and then after ever since that I've been like one of the fastest kids all the time in the rain. Yeah. >> And I I don't understand why. >> Yeah.

Um, it's just ever since that one day I've always been there. I've always been pushing it. >> I think like anything though, you create momentum and confidence like it's same say when when if I was boxing a couple of wins on board and same as it starts raining, you you've also got it's sort of like an extra >> confidence shield around you. You think I know I can race in the rain and then going into it no problems touch ward keeping cons uh always consistent through your rainy drive. Then it sort of makes you feel confident moving on to the next one, doesn't it? >> Well, when we were racing at Spar uh in the McLaren Trophy, I got invited to do one of the rounds of the GT4 cuz the driver had to pull out and I'm like, I haven't been in a GT4 car for a year now. It's like I've been in a GT3 and a trophy car which have a lot more power, so let's see how it is.

And I ended up finishing second. >> Yeah. >> So, it's like I haven't I haven't lost anything with my >> riding a bike. >> Yeah. just going around cruising around and then all a sudden on the radio he comes over he goes well done Zach your P2 I'm like I haven't lost it yet >> I always struggle to um keep track I watch every every race like I always watch you on on on the live on YouTube and anyone that is interested in watching Zach after this uh we'll post a link for is it what's it the British GT is that just the YouTube that you can go on because I just I just mine's already saved all the time >> the British GT was what I did last year so yeah that would would be if you want to watch last year's videos. >> Uh, but I'm doing GT Open now and McLaren Trophy. So, they're both on YouTube. >> My algorithm is like planned for it. So, now as soon as I click on yours uses the race straight when I when I type anything to do with GT, your race is like there. Yeah. Um, obviously cuz I'm subscribed to all these different racing ones now, which I never thought I'd do in a million years. >> But, um, what what's your what's your goals moving forward then, Z?

Obviously, we want to you want to be competing, but this factory driver, just elaborate on on on where you want to go, what's most interesting? Are you sort of open-minded to the way it might go? Have you got a plan? What's >> um Well, it's kind of you can't really have a plan. I'll do my best.

If I make it, I make it. If I don't, I'm going to be disappointed. But I I will make it. That that is what I will I will make it. Um, but yeah, it's my dream would be to be a a factory driver for someone.

Uh, but my biggest dream would just be to do the like a hypercar 24-hour race around Lemon Y, >> which is like the pinnacle of where everything is in GT in GT World. So, that if I could do that and complete it and win it, that would be one of my biggest dreams ever completed. >> Oh, that's cool. So, explain to everybody what a factory driver is as well for anyone clear. Uh if anyone don't know what that is, it's like you would get paid by the manufacturer to drive their car. So for example, I race for McLaren now.

Uh I've got a mate who's a factory driver for it and then McLaren choose where to put him and what to put him in. >> Y >> uh and then he would get paid for that. That's what I want to try and get to. So it's it's difficult cuz you've got like >> I know in the racing world not there's not a lot of people but there's thousands of people trying to reach for that one job that you that you want as well. what I think as well the so even if even if they didn't come true which I believe you can go all the way and do whichever you choose but there's quite a lot of options there again I'm always learning myself but um you can also be like an instructor and also on that note the amount of technicality things that in the races yourself when you sit and show me >> um game plans and like you said earlier we engineers we're making these tactical moves and it's Absolutely like mindblowing the like you you'll study every single corner, don't you? When to break, when to turn, when to do this, when to >> it's a little bit of like feel and like remembrance like you'll have a little sheet that I have at home, little notepad, and it's like, oh, this on your basically a baseline where you want to be every time. It's like, oh, this is your breaking point here.

Uh, you turn in at this point, um, throttle at this point. It's all like little bits and they all end up clicking into your head at one point. So, it's kind of just automatic response. >> Um, but sometimes, uh, I also drive the car a little bit through feel. So, instead of looking just for these certain points, you feel how the car is behaving. You feel what it's going to do. >> Almost like a guide till you get on there.

Cuz I know you do a lot. There was a lot of the game planning. Obviously, you go and do your tests as well, but it's some of it sometimes sim simulator stuff or >> Yeah. So the the sim work basically gets the track fresh in your head so you you know where you're going round. >> Yeah. >> Um so you you do that just to like prep your mind like right this is where you go and this is how the track layout is and then when you get there on the date you've already basically got your references and everything >> for when you're there. >> So it's both two two things which merge together which help. >> Yeah I think that's cool mate. And also, you passed you passed your test and then you were like going straight into instructing, but you couldn't you were that young you you couldn't even be an instructor straight away, could you?

Is that right? >> Uh no, cuz I had to have uh over a year of driving on the road. And then also >> that's I could never get my head around >> TV. But yeah, I've passed pass my instructor's license now. I'm just trying to find a bit of work. >> Yep. So there's a couple of ways you can go, mate.

There's not even obviously you want to get all your goals. You want to do the dream races. Uh you want to be a factory driver again. No reason why you can't do all of them things. You're in perfect place moving forward for it.

You're already a champion. Uh you're doing brilliant this season and I think there's only more to come from that. Um there's the instructing side of it as well. Um and on top of that, >> you're going through your PT course, mate. Yeah.

That's true. >> That's actually going through his PT Launch Lab uh certificate now. also his level three personal training. Uh midway through it now, chipping away. It'll be done within the next couple of weeks. Get certificate done. >> What makes you interested in the PT? Is it just another string to the bow?

Is it something that you've always been passionate about? Is it again just another lead? You like to have that as a nice tool? >> It's kind of just like another part of your like tick box. Yeah. Like you've got your resume and it's like, oh, he's he's now qualified for this and that.

So it's like when somebody looks at it as like a well big broad sheet, they go, "Oh, he can do this. He's passed this is >> uh oh he's a qualified PT so that means that I can have him train me as well so we can train together um to become better race drivers. This is if I'm getting paid by a factory an am >> uh which is basically an amateur is someone who pays for the car and would pay for a factory driver to be with them. >> Y >> so like we could train him together. I could be making him better um and then I could be making him better in fitness wise and on the track as well. >> Yeah. So then therefore our performance will increase in the race. >> I wonder I wonder how many people are actually a P standard instructor like that. >> Um well >> that that's got to be more rare though it surely.

Surely that's quite quite a niche that isn't it? >> There's a few race drivers which train with the people who pay for them and it's kind it's kind of more like a socialing. It's just like a like they're all pushing each other as far >> a team you if you're sat in a car with someone you want to be able to trust them don't you? So >> it's definitely quite a big team feel in the race in the racing industry. It's It's good. >> I think um I think you've just got so many different I mean to say you're so young though as well. You're already setting yourself up so it's not like I mean you don't need the fallbacks but you've got so many different options and because that's what I love about you just so open-minded uh with opportunity as well.

And I I say it all the time is like every opportunity could lead to something that you're unaware of. You know what I mean? So the the opportunities you don't think you'll never know. So, just to keep adding these things and being so young and already doing this and already doing that and already having them under your belt, I just think everything you do from now just an addition like you've already done so much. Um, I know I know there's a couple of other things that to be I don't know if it's a bit factory driver or better for the instructor bars.

I can't remember which one. I get them mixed up where you need to tick off a few certain races. >> Yeah, that's for the factory drives and stuff like that. you need to do 24-hour races, which I will be doing next year. And >> uh just stuff like that. So, it's like you you've done all the forms of racing that there is. So, they look at and go, "Oh, he's not inexperienced.

He's actually done this, this, and that." It's like an extra. >> It's just like it's just a driver's CV, isn't it? It's almost like if I were going to a job uh when I were younger as a PC and I said, "I've got me level two. I've got me level three." That's what And then obviously for you, they're like, "Well, what has he done? What experience has he got?" Right? he's won this he's he's done this 24-hour race and trying to do shorter races, endurance races or whatever that is that you've ticked every single box. And I think again he's just so young like so much time to tick all these things off.

I feel like you're so ahead of the circuit anyway. >> Um and the new generation of drivers like you you compete with people who for 10 years. >> Yeah. Well, we're competing now against all the factory drivers and stuff like that. And >> well, Touchwood, we're not we're not doing too shabby. We're six in the championship, I believe. >> Um, so we're we're doing quite well. >> Awesome, mate. Well, so what we'll do, mate, we'll wrap it up.

I've really enjoyed talking to you, mate. If you want to tell everyone um your Instagrams, >> yeah, social medias, whatever. >> If you want to go follow me, it's Zach Mikin Racing on Instagram and I believe it's the same on Facebook. Um, I can't remember to be fair. >> I believe I think it is, mate, you know. Yeah. >> Yeah. Um yeah, feel free to follow me on there and then same on YouTube as well.

Um and hopefully you can follow me through my journey. >> Thank you everyone. Remember, like and subscribe. Thank you. >> See you in a bit.