PODCAST · sports
Peak Pursuits
by Peak Pursuits
Welcome to Peak Pursuits, where we chase dirt-packed trails, soaring ridgelines and the thrill of a finish line like no other. Hosted by trail obsessives and elite runners Simone Brick, Brodie Nankervis, Vlad Ixel and Jess Jason — plus deep-dives with James Sieber — we bring you candid chats with Australia’s top trail runners.Expect behind-the-scenes stories, honest conversations about training, injuries, mindset and balancing life off-trail; plus the latest on Aussie races, events and endurance culture. Whether you’re lacing up your first pair of trail shoes or chasing a 100 km and beyond, we’ve got something for you.Tune in to discover unfiltered tales, practical training tips and the kind of inspiration that only comes from pushing your limits. Subscribe now — and bring your trail shoes.
Episodes
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Roller Coaster Run 2026: Race Preview with Sophie Broome
James and Brodie are joined by guest host Sophie Broome to preview this weekend’s Roller Coaster Run in the Dandenongs. With Sophie returning to the 23km start line, we break down the course, the key climbs and the men’s and women’s fields across the 23km and 46km races. Can Mike Carroll and Kate...
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Inward Bound, Preparing for APTRC, and When You Are Ready for a 100km - feat Toby Lang | Episode 131
This week Sim and Vlad sit down with Toby right after he has completed this years Inward Bound 100km to chat through that adventure and how he is now shifting into the build towards APTRC. Her about Toby's year so far, what Inward Bound entails, and how Toby will prepare to race with the awesome...
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Lara Hamilton on Winning Her Longest Race Ever | Episode 130
In this episode sim and James sit down with Lara Hamilton after she surprised everyone to not just complete but also win the Ultra Trail Sud Pyrenees 120k, her longest race by 70km! Hear about her decision making behind doing the event and how Lara mentally and physically tackled going further…
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APTRC Prep With Aus Captain Kellie Angel, KMR 2027 Athlete Support/State Competition, UTMB Changes to Age Group Qualifying | Episode 129
In this episode Jess and Brodie sit down with Kellie Angel to talk through her recent races, her impressive longevity in the sport, and what it means to be competing in her 8th Australian team as Co-Captain. Hear about Kel's recent coaching change, how her year has been so far, and what her prep...
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Shane Johnstone | Building Transcend, Bringing Racing to Life & Giving Runners a Reason to Head West
This week, James welcomes Shane Johnstone back to the podcast to chat about the story behind Transcend and what goes into building a trail event in WA’s Avon Valley. After joining this year’s live broadcast, James wanted to hear more about why Shane and his business partner Mitch do things the…
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Australian APTRC Team Announced, Vietnam Mountain Marathon, & Supplements for Running feat Billy Curtis | Episode 128
We hope you enjoy this ep as Brodie and Sim sit down with Billy Curtis after his recent races at Transcend Ultra and Vietnam Mountain Marathon 50km to hear what he has been up to. Billy details the change in pace as he switched into full time work mode and the training changes he made around…
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Hownslow Magic, Salomon Into Triathlon, Europe Recaps | Episode 127
In this episode brought to you by ASICS, Sim, Vlad and Jess are all back in Aus and sit down to recap where they are at. Hear about Vlad's last VK race in Europe, Jess' weekend at Hownslow and trip to Perth, and Sim's Trofeo Kima and Euro trip recap. The team then discuss an interview with the...
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Ben Burgess | Post-Worlds Pressure, NNormal Sponsorship and Finding His Way Back
Ben Burgess returns to the podcast nearly a year after producing the biggest performance of his career at the World Championships. But what came next wasn’t straightforward. Ben talks openly about the pressure and attention that followed Worlds, losing some of the drive that had taken him there,...
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Triathlete to Trail: Transitioning from being an Olympic Triathlete to Trail Runner with Sophie Linn | Episode 126
In this Episode Brodie and Jess are joined by Sophie Linn to get to know Sophie and recap OCC. Hear about Sophie's transition from elite triathlon to trail, her approach to training and racing, and how both Sophie's and Jess' races went. In news topics the crew discuss the release of the 2027…
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Hounslow Marathon & 17km 2026 Preview | Course Breakdown, Field Analysis, and Course Record Watch?
James and Brodie are back to preview the Hounslow 17km and Marathon, and there’s plenty to get excited about as racing ramps up in the Blue Mountains. The men’s 17km has us questioning whether this is one of the strongest short-distance fields we’ve seen this year, while Bridget Lunn returns with…
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UTMB Recap Feat Matt Dunn | Episode 125
What a week! In this episode James and Vlad sit down with Matt Dunn to get to know more about Matt first before diving into all things UTMB, including Matt's own 22:39i:26 run. With many other great aussie performances and some crazy tight racing there is plenty to chat about! Join us on Patreon...
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Transcend Ultra and UTMB Predictions with Charlie Hamilton | Episode 124
In this episode Brodie and Vlad are joined by Charlie Hamilton after his win over the weekend at Transcend Ultra. They chat through his year so far including Tarawera, Buffalo Stampede, Maxi Race, and Monte Rosa befire diving into his battle with Billy Curtis at Transcend. The crew then dive into...
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Western States, Coast to Kosci, Pacers, and Backing Up Races feat. Holly Ranson | Episode 123
In this episode brought to you by ASICS, James is joined by Sim to talk to Holly Ranson about all things Western States; from her eye troubles during, recovery afterwards, and answering a listener question about pacers. We also get top hear about Holly's plans for Coast to Kosci this year and her...
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Trancend Trail Race Preview 2026
For the first time, we’re heading west for our full preview of the 2026 Transcend Ultra. James and Brodie break down the deceptively tough 65km course, from its short, punchy climbs and rough footing to the relentless sawtooth section that could decide the race late. In the women’s field, Holly...
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Sierre-Zinal, Elite Mid-Race Support, The Impact of UTMB feat. Iain Best | Episode 122
In this episode Brodie and James sit down with Iain best to talk about his european race season including his most recent run at Sierre Zinal. The trio do a deep dive before getting an update on James own Euro adventures and Brodies very big new life adventure! James and Iain then stay on to...
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Euro Summer, Progressing Trail Running in Aus, and Stirling Ridge FKT feat. Christie Lori | Episode 121
In this episode Jess and Vlad are joined by Christie Lori to chat about the recent Mixed Team Stirling Range Ridge FKT Christie was part of. Hear about Christie's journey into running, her impressive results so far, and the wild adventure the FKT was. The team also discuss the AUTRA survey (Found...
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Sports Chiro Luke Nelson | Returning From Injury, Smarter Rehab & Building Resilient Runners
Luke Nelson is back for one of our deepest conversations yet. After the response to his first appearance on the podcast, we wanted to go beyond injury diagnosis and dive into the practical decisions that actually keep runners healthy and get them back to doing what they love. We unpack why…
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Monte Rosa Recap, OCC Prep, and Keeping Your Toenails feat Kate Avery and Nathan Pearce | Episode 120
This week on the pod we have a double guest special as Jess is joined by Kate Avery and Nath Pearce. Hear how Kate's recent euro races including her win at Monte Rosa 15km went, and catch up on what Nath has been up to since UTA and his plans for the rest of the season. Also hear some listener...
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Adventure, Mindset, and Preparing for OCC feat. Toby Sparkes | Episode 119
In this ep Sim is joined by Brodie (the day before he is due to become a dad!) and Toby Sparkes to talk through Toby's route into the sport, his journey so far, and how is preparing for OCC this year. Hear about Toby's adventures all over the world and how he combines them with training to get…
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Jess Jason | Finding Strength In Pressure
This week, James sits down with your Peak Pursuits co-host Jess Jason for a deeper conversation. We know the 'high-level' Jess from the main show, but this episode goes deeper into her own story. From growing up in the track world, to moving into road marathons, to finding trail running and...
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The First Combined Australian Mountain and Trail Champs Announced for 2027 feat. RD Lincoln Quilliam | Episode 118
In this episode of Peak Pursuits Brodie and Jess are joined by race director Lincoln Quilliam to discuss the recent announcement of the first combined Australian Mountain and Trail Championships to be held at Kunanyi Mountain Run 2027. Being a world championships year, this announcement is huge…
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Training Through a PhD, Stair Masters, and Knowing When to Pull Out Of a Race feat. Britt Harriden | Episode 117
In this episode Vlad and Sim sit down with Britt Harriden to get to know her journey into running. Achieving an incredible 3rd at this years short trail champs while conducting research for her PhD and working full time, Britt has plenty of stories to share about her unconventional training…
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Billy Curtis | The Long Game, Racing Europe on a Budget, and a Madeira Breakthrough
Billy Curtis returns to the pod for a deeper conversation with James on the path that has taken him from rugby league and hiking in Tassie to becoming one of Australia’s most exciting trail runners. We talk through Billy’s early sporting background, how he found trail running almost by accident,...
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Big Goals, Moving Countries, and Western States Recap Feat. Mikey Dimuantes | Episode 116
In this episode of Peak Pursuits Jess and Brodie sit down with Mikey Dimuantes to talk through his recent move to Turkey, his races so far in Europe, and his big goals for CCC. Jess and Brodie then talk through the wild events that went down at Western States including Holly Ransons incredible…
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Endurance vs Speed Training and WSER Predictions | Episode 115
In this episode of Peak Pursuits Sim, Brodie and James sit down to deep dive their current training, discussing the phase, mindsets, and sessions that they are doing right now. Then hear some WSER predictions and Broken Arrow results before we recap some awesome racing around Aus over the…
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The Trail to Western States with Holly Ranson | Episode 114
In this episode Jess and Sime sit down with Holly Ranson to walk through her journey towards Western States which is now just two weeks away. They talk through her approach to training and racing, her incredible 3rd place finish at UTA50k in the lead up, and how Holly feels being in America...
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Nigel Preston | The Singletrack Events Story, Behind the Event Curtain, and the Future of Australian Trail Running
In this episode, James sits down with Nigel Preston from Singletrack Events for a rare behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to build, grow, and deliver some of Australia’s biggest trail running events. Nigel shares his journey from growing up in Bendigo’s cross-country scene, to…
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Episode 113: Spearfishing, Pilates & WA Trail Running with Ben
This week on Peak Pursuits, Vlad and Jess are joined by WA trail runner Ben for a big episode covering training updates, national champs news, European racing, and what is happening in the West. We chat through AUTRA’s announcement of the EOI for the 2027 National Championships, with trail, long...
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UTA 22 Recap with Bridget Lunn, Junior/Youth Participation in Ultras and Erniold Melbourne Trail Tee Review | Episode 112
In this episode brought to you by Erniold, Brodie and James sit down with Bridget Lunn to cover her amazing 2026 season so far, including representing Australia at the World University Cross Country Championships, 2nd at Buffalo 20km and 1st at the recent UTA 22! The group then discuss a recent...
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UTA100, Running Through Parenthood, and Should Elites be Allowed Support Crew feat Beth McKenzie | Episode 111
In this episode Sim and Vlad sit down with Beth McKenzie fresh off her second pace at UTA 100 to hear how her last 12 months have been and a recap of how the race went down. Beth also answers a question about balancing training and family, before Vlad gives a brief rundown of his 50k race and…
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Ultra Trail Australia Recap with Blake Turner | Episode 110
In this episode Jess and Brodie are joined by Blake Turner to recap all things UTA, including what went into Blake's 3rd place in the 50k and Jess' 4th place in the 22 plus all the other incredible runs of the weekend!! The crew also recap all the other local results of the weekend plus the wild...
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Margaret River Ultra, Cocodona 250, and Why Are Trail Rankings So Confusing feat Nicole Paton | Episode 109
In this episode of Peak Pursuits, Sim and James are joined by Nicole Paton to recap her win at Margaret River Ultra and update us on how her season so far has gone. The chat then turns to the ITRA and UTMB ranking systems as we still try to figure out exactly how it all pieces together, before...
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Ultra Trail Australia 2026 100 Mile Preview
A race that breaks people — and this year, some new challengers. Lin Chen and Antonina Iushina headline a women's race that is shaping up as a genuine international showdown, with UTA veterans like Steph Austin and Emma Timmis ready to make it a fight. On the men's side, Piotr Babis has Brodie...
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Ultra Trail Australia 2026 100km Preview
The marquee race. With a field that matches the hype. Guidu Qin and Guomin Deng headline the international men's field fresh off the Hong Kong 100, but Mike Carroll, Matt Crehan, and Michael Dunstan won’t let them have it easy. On the women's side, can the up-and-coming Meg Sinclair and…
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Ultra Trail Australia 2026 50km Preview
James said it best — he was tingling. The 50K field this year is on another level, stacked on both the men's and women's sides with incredible international runners. Miao Yao. Ruth Croft. Dan Jones. Add most of the best 50km trail athletes in Australia, Demi Caldwell, Kate Avery, Blake Turner…
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Ultra Trail Australia 2026 22km Preview
The rematch is on. Last year's men's race came down to the wire, and the two athletes who made it happen are back. Leo Petterson and Ben Duffus both toe the start line, joined by Nathan Pearce and young guns Patrick Clarke and Elijah Gosby. The women's race is just as compelling, with a three-way...
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Diverge SkyRuns Recap with Alice McGushin, Stair Training, Jim Walmsley into WSER | Episode 108
This episode of Peak Pursuits starts with an interview with Alice McGushin to get to know Alice and recap the first edition of Diverge SkyRuns that happened over the weekend (Start - 53min). Then Sim and Vlad catch up on where their training is at and cover some of the news of the week, including...
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Simone Brick | Strength, Survival, and Always Looking Forward
Content warning: This episode includes discussion of eating disorders, sexual assault, self-harm, suicide, psychiatric hospitalisation, trauma, and PTSD. Please take care while listening, and skip this episode if it is not the right time for you. In this deeply personal episode of Peak Pursuits,...
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Maximising the Terrain Around You, Racing Mindset, New UTMB Index feat James Barnett | Episode 107
In this episode brought to you by ASICS, Jess and James sit down with young gun James Barnett to talk through his impressive results so far. Get to know James and how he approaches training and racing, with the conversation covering mindset, using the bike in training, maximising the terrain you...
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2026 Diverge Sky Runs | Field Previews & Course Breakdown with RD Lincoln Quilliam
In this special preview episode, Brodie takes the reins alongside James to break down Diverge Sky Runs, a new Tasmanian event bringing steep, exposed, rocky and largely off-track skyrunning-style terrain to the Australian scene. The team hear from Lincoln about the 25K and 50K courses, then…
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World Mountain Running Cup, New AUTRA Committee, Sombre Reminders feat Katinka Von Elsner-Wellsteed | Episode 106
https://www.instagram.com/katinkav_/In episode 106 of Peak Pursuits sim and Brodie sit down with Katinka Von Elsner-Wellsteed just before she heads off to China to race the second WMRA World Cup race Beijing Changping Yanshou Trail Challenge. Hear about Katinka's last 12 months since we caught up...
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Finn Melanson | Is Australian Trail Running Underrated?
In this episode, we sit down with Finn Melanson from Singletrack to talk about where Australian trail running sits in the wider world, why our scene still feels underrated, and what is actually building beneath the surface. From the rise of events like Buffalo, GPT and Kosci, to the athletes...
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Meg Sinclair's KMR Recap, Junior Pathways to Trail Running, Hut2Hut Announces Bob's Round | Episode 105
In this episode Jess and Sim are joined by Tasmanian Meg Sinclair to hear a recap of her course record run at KMR 25km. Get to know Meg, including her upbringing in SA and stint in the VFLW before moving to Tasmania and finding trail running. With few races under her belt Meg has already proved…
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Get To Know Aus Long Trail Champ George Knight | Episode 104
In this episode of Peak Pursuits James and Vlad sit down with George Knight after his recent win at Buffalo Stampede 100km which was the Australian Long Trail Championships. Hear about Georges journey into running, his approach to training and racing, how his race went down, and so much more.…
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Buffalo Stampede, Aussie Champs Recap, UTMB pregnancy policy ft. Sarah Ludowici | Episode 103
This week on Peak Pursuits, Brodie Nankervis and Jess Jason are joined by Sarah Ludowici, fresh off 2nd place and first Aussie at the Buffalo Stampede 100km, which also doubled as the Australian Long Course Trail Champs. Sarah takes us through her race day, from training in the lead up to how it...
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Vibes Based Training, Long Race Logistics, and KMR Preview feat. Ben Butler | Episode 102
In this episode brought to you by ASICS, Sim and James sit down with young gun Ben Butler to hear all about his approach to running and why he has chosen to tackled the longer stuff while still so young. We think many people could learn from his calm, mature mentality and approach to training and...
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Buffalo Stampede Festival 2026 Preview | 100k, 42k and 20k Race Predictions
In this Buffalo Stampede Festival 2026 preview episode, James and Brodie break down one of the deepest fields we’ve seen for an Australian trail running weekend this year. They preview the 100k, 42k and 20k races, unpack the course changes, discuss the key contenders, and give their podium...
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Meet Andrea Kolbeinsdóttir, Ultra Trail Snowdonia Mayhem, Do Historic Times Limit Our Potential? | Episode 101
In this episode Brodie and Jess get the pleasure of getting to know Andrea Kolbeinsdóttir, a world class trail runner from Iceland and the recent winner of the GTNS Donna Double. Hear about Andreas running journey and some of her incredible results, and make sure you get behind her as we hope to...
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Vlad Ixel | From Master of Giving Up to Professional Runner and Entrepreneur
You hear Vlad Ixel every week on Peak Pursuits, but this episode is the deeper story behind the mic. Vlad takes us back to the early days: the lifestyle he was living, the moment he decided to make a clean break, and how signing up for a marathon became the switch that changed everything. We get...
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Peak Pursuits Turns 100!! Plus Donna Double Recap and a Big Announcement | Episode 100
Episode 100 of Peak Pursuits! Today, James, Jess, Brodie, Simone and Vlad come together for a special milestone episode to reflect on how the podcast started, the moments that have stood out across the first 100 episodes, and what it has meant to help grow and spotlight trail running in…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to Peak Pursuits, where we chase dirt-packed trails, soaring ridgelines and the thrill of a finish line like no other. Hosted by trail obsessives and elite runners Simone Brick, Brodie Nankervis, Vlad Ixel and Jess Jason — plus deep-dives with James Sieber — we bring you candid chats with Australia’s top trail runners.Expect behind-the-scenes stories, honest conversations about training, injuries, mindset and balancing life off-trail; plus the latest on Aussie races, events and endurance culture. Whether you’re lacing up your first pair of trail shoes or chasing a 100 km and beyond, we’ve got something for you.Tune in to discover unfiltered tales, practical training tips and the kind of inspiration that only comes from pushing your limits. Subscribe now — and bring your trail shoes.
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Peak Pursuits
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Peak Pursuits have?
Peak Pursuits currently has 223 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Peak Pursuits about?
Welcome to Peak Pursuits, where we chase dirt-packed trails, soaring ridgelines and the thrill of a finish line like no other. Hosted by trail obsessives and elite runners Simone Brick, Brodie Nankervis, Vlad Ixel and Jess Jason — plus deep-dives with James Sieber — we bring you candid chats with...
How often does Peak Pursuits release new episodes?
Peak Pursuits publishes regularly with 223 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Peak Pursuits?
You can listen to Peak Pursuits on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Peak Pursuits?
Peak Pursuits is created and hosted by Peak Pursuits.
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