The Man Who Slows Down the Least

Ben Wilson is a Canberra-born ultra runner now based in Brisbane. He grew up running fire trails in Tuggeranong, spent a decade living life to the fullest, and when he moved to Brisbane he lost his social network and found himself in a pretty dark place. A psychologist told him to start moving again... and it changed everything.What followed was years of patient, consistent training that took him from mid-pack to winning the 241km Capital to Coast, via spinal surgery, a Covid diagnosis on the eve of his crew role, and two failed entry attempts. He talks us through all of it, including what it actually takes to run 241km and why he believes whoever wins is simply the one who slows down the least.A really honest conversation about movement, community, and what resilience actually looks like in practice.Timestamps:00:00 — Welcome & intro00:52 — Growing up in Tuggeranong, early family life04:49 — First steps in running — fire trails, training logs & dad's marathon08:32 — The party years: cricket, travel & burning the candle at both ends10:51 — 18 months sober — and why everything changed12:38 — Moving to Brisbane, losing his network & sliding into depression14:06 — The psychologist's advice: start moving again16:28 — Building community in Brisbane through running19:35 — Family, kids, and running 60km a week with a pram21:27 — Defining success: from mid-pack to the front26:52 — What is a Backyard Ultra?29:07 — First backyard, breaking through self-perceived limits, 37-yard PB30:54 — Capital to Coast: a decade-long dream32:19 — Selected for 2023 — then sciatica, surgery & withdrawal34:43 — 2024: accepted again, flies down to crew... and tests positive for Covid37:06 — 2025: finally on the start line38:10 — The training block that changed everything (+40% mileage)46:10 — Race day: solving problems on the run (the sumo moment)46:37 — Hitting the front by Jindabyne at 2am50:19 — Taking the lead with 30km to go52:03 — The women on the snow pass & a fall near the summit55:59 — Crossing the finish line in 26:25 — in tears58:38 — Race presentation: "whoever wins will be the one who slows down the least"59:09 — World Championships qualifier at the AIS — what's next for BenOther episodes hosted by Murrayhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/08YNRCSAZ7WzdBrNkBzKlzhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/1kRZpljsOtxObSCSyKsPzXIf this episode brings anything up for you, please reach out to someone you trust. In Australia, you can:Call Lifeline on 13 11 14.Medicare Mental Health Centre Canberra – 1800 595 212Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636 | https://www.beyondblue.org.au