Peak Pursuits

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.

  1. 19h ago

    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 Junior team we have headed to China in November! You will then hear a brief update from Vlad before we get into some chats about the growth of the junior side of the sport and answer your questions about preparing for 100km and some of the Melb Mara chatter. Also don't  forget 2027 Australian Mountain and Trail Running Championships athlete support applications close 18 October. Finally plenty of results to get to before we launch into a post show patreon bonus, talking about how to prepare your legs for downhills and what the few weeks after a big race should look like for training if you want access join us on Patreon HERE .  We hope you enjoy! Results: Mount Bold Trail Run / SA Trail Championships (SA) Hume + Hovell Ultra (NSW): Sydney Trail Spring Series 2: St Ives (NSW) Budj Bim Lava Blast (VIC) SEQ Trail Series Round 1: Enoggera Reservoir (QLD)***Don’t forget, use code PEAK at https://bix-hydration.myshopify.com/en-au for 20% off Bix products, exclusive to PPP listeners!*** Connect with us on Instagram @peakpursuits.pod to share your thoughts, questions, and your own trail stories. Until next time, keep hitting the trails and chasing those peak pursuits! Follow Vlad: Instagram | Strava Follow Sim: Instagram | Strava Follow Toby: Instagram | Strava Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: K08PMQ3RATCE215R

  2. Sep 29

    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 way they do. From experiences racing overseas to finding a way through the valley, Shane shares how Transcend came about and the details they’ve put into making it special for everyone in the field. We get into the realities of running an independent event, why they keep investing in live coverage, and how much thought goes into everything from aid station food to the finish village. There’s also plenty on growing the WA trail scene, attracting competitive fields, and giving East Coast runners a reason to head west. If you’ve ever wondered where your entry fee goes, or what makes a race worth coming back to, there’s plenty in this one. Find out more about Transcend: https://transcendtrails.com/ ***Don’t forget, use code PPP at Bix’s website for 20% off Bix products, exclusive to PPP listeners!*** Thanks for tuning in to Peak Pursuits! Connect with us on Instagram @peakpursuits.pod to share your thoughts, questions, and trail stories. Until next time, keep hitting the trails and chasing those peak pursuits! Follow Shane Johnstone: Instagram | Transcend Website Follow Peak Pursuits: Instagram Follow James: Instagram | Strava | Website Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: K08PMQ3RATCE215R

  3. Sep 24

    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 that, his strategies going in to each race, and what is coming up both on the trails and off. Then we cover the exciting news of the Aus team being announced for APTRC! We will be sending a super strong team to China in November and we couldn't be more excited to follow along. It has also been a rough month in the trail running community as we mourn the losses of both Kalie McCrystal and Ida Amalie Robsham. A sad reminder that the mountains that give us so much joy and life have also taken a lot of beautiful souls along the way. Our thoughts with their families, friends, teammates and anyone who knew them. Keep listening for a listener questions about the supplements we use, before Brodie covers the results from the week! Results:Run Upper Murray (VIC)Pilliga Ultra (NSW)Duval Dam Buster Trail Run (NSW)The Great North Walk Trail Running Festival (NSW)Labilladiere Peninsula Trail Run (TAS)***Don’t forget, use code PEAK at https://bix-hydration.myshopify.com/en-au for 20% off Bix products, exclusive to PPP listeners!*** Join us on Patreon HERE Connect with us on Instagram @peakpursuits.pod to share your thoughts, questions, and your own trail stories. Until next time, keep hitting the trails and chasing those peak pursuits! Follow Sim: Instagram | Strava Follow Brodie: Instagram | Strava Follow Billy: Instagram Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: K08PMQ3RATCE215R

  4. Sep 13

    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, and the challenge of rebuilding his fitness and confidence while adjusting to life as a sponsored athlete with NNormal. We get into his difficult day at UTA, learning to trust a lower-volume approach with a new coach, the missed opportunity to join the NNormal team in Mallorca, and why choosing races that genuinely excite him matters more than chasing the biggest start lines. We then break down his win at the Transcend 40K, the emotional rollercoaster of the race, and the relief of finally feeling like he might be finding his way back. Ben also shares what’s next, including Five Peaks in South Korea, Old Ghost 80K and his growing interest in FKTs and bigger mountain adventures. ***Don’t forget, use code PPP at Bix’s website for 20% off Bix products, exclusive to PPP listeners!*** Thanks for tuning in to Peak Pursuits! Connect with us on Instagram @peakpursuits.pod to share your thoughts, questions, and trail stories. Until next time, keep hitting the trails and chasing those peak pursuits! Follow Ben Burgess: Instagram | Strava Follow Peak Pursuits: Instagram Follow James: Instagram | Strava | Website Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetter License code: K08PMQ3RATCE215R

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 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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