Dose of Benny

Benny Matthews
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Most runners are told to pick a lane — run more, lift less, specialise earlier. This podcast explores the intersection of strength, endurance, and everyday life through the lens of ultrarunning, lifting, coaching, and personal experience. Hosted by Ben Matthews, expect training theory, race prep, mindset, recovery, and honest conversations about chasing big goals while balancing work, family, and life outside of training. Not elite. Not perfect. Just the pursuit of ultra.

  1. 5d ago

    Are You Starting Your Ultras Too Fast? | #27

    Does your pacing strategy actually predict where you'll finish a 100-mile ultramarathon? In this episode of Dose of Benny, I dive into research examining more than 23,000 ultra finishers across 56 races to explore the relationship between pacing and placing. While the researchers couldn't establish a clear relationship between pacing strategy and finishing position, they uncovered an interesting trend. Before getting into the science, I share my experience crewing Katie Lovis at the Blackall 100, watching her navigate a challenging build-up, execute a disciplined race plan and chase down a sub-13-hour finish. It was my first proper experience on the other side of an ultra, and it gave me a new appreciation for what goes into supporting a runner. Finally, I touch on the Backyard Ultra Satellite Championships, the battle between Australia and the USA, and the fascinating competitive mindset of Mark Dowdle. Find your training bottleneck Take my free 5-minute quiz to identify what's holding your running back and get practical recommendations to improve your training. https://www.doseofbenny.com/ Connect with me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bennymatthews.coach/ Email: benny@doseofbenny.com Chapters 00:00 – Welcome to Dose of Benny 02:04 – My first experience crewing at Blackall 100 04:33 – Katie's injury, recovery and race preparation 10:29 – The final 8km and chasing a sub-13-hour finish 13:25 – A new appreciation for crewing an ultramarathon 15:21 – Research review: Pacing vs placing in 100-mile races 17:32 – Are slower ultra finishers starting too fast? 19:22 – Early race position and my Scenic Rim 100 analysis 21:54 – Why ultra-running research is so complicated 24:19 – Stop waiting for science and start experimenting 26:18 – Backyard Ultra Satellite Championships: Australia vs USA 27:42 – Mark Dowdle and the psychology of competition 31:14 – Final thoughts

  2. Oct 19

    13 Months Postpartum, She Won UTA's 100 Miler | Meg Bullen #26

    What does it take to win a 100-mile ultra when life won't allow you to train the way you used to? Just 13 months postpartum, Meg Bullen (née Coffey) won the 2025 Ultra-Trail Australia 100 Miler. With disrupted sleep, family responsibilities and training weeks that looked nothing like the 20-hour blocks she once completed, Meg had to rethink her approach to preparing for one of Australia's biggest ultras. In this episode, we explore how she adapted her training through more purposeful intensity, creative hill sessions, running with a pram and prioritising recovery. We unpack her unexpected UTA victory, the mental side of racing competitively and how motherhood has changed her motivations without diminishing her ambitions. We also revisit her incredible Delirious West 200 Miler victory, including getting lost in the bush and triggering an emergency rescue, and discuss her approach to strength training, injury management and longevity in the sport as both a physiotherapist and an accomplished ultra runner. It's a conversation about balancing ambition with reality, learning to adapt and recognising that the perfect preparation isn't always possible. CONNECT WITH MEG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megcoffey_/ Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/11842951 UNSURE WHAT'S HOLDING YOUR RUNNING BACK? Take my free 5-minute Training Bottleneck Quiz to identify what's limiting your progress and get practical recommendations for improving your training. https://www.doseofbenny.com/ GET IN TOUCH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bennymatthews.coach/ Email: benny@doseofbenny.com CHAPTERS 00:00 How Meg discovered ultra running 05:30 The leap to 200 miles and finding her limits 15:06 Lost in the bush during Delirious West 24:20 Competition, adventure and finding your why 31:45 The challenges of racing and training as a mum 34:57 Less volume, more intensity and creative training 38:02 Winning the UTA 100 Miler 13 months postpartum 43:49 Managing limited sleep, recovery and training volume 46:38 Understanding pain and injury as a physiotherapist 51:13 Why strength training is non-negotiable 56:16 Meg's advice for mums chasing big running goals

  3. Oct 12

    Creating Sustainable Training Habits for Big Goals | #25

    How often do we set ourselves ambitious running goals without considering whether our lives can actually support the training required to achieve them? After running a lifetime mile PB of 5:42 during my current speed phase, I've been reflecting on something that goes well beyond pace, volume and performance: creating the right environment for success. In this solo episode, I unpack the relationship between our goals, values and the sacrifices we're willing to make to pursue them. We explore why comparing your training to elite runners can be counterproductive, how I've restructured my own week to balance family, business and running, and why accepting your current circumstances doesn't mean settling for less. I also reflect on my contrasting 100-mile experiences, what my conversation with Simon Cochrane taught me about the value of long-term consistency, and why raising your training floor is often more important than chasing huge short-term improvements. Whether you're preparing for your first ultra or trying to maximise the training time you already have, this episode is about appreciating how far you've come, getting realistic about where you want to go, and identifying the next logical step. Unsure why you're not getting the results you want out of training? Take my free 5-minute Training Bottleneck Quiz:⁠https://www.doseofbenny.com/⁠ Get in touch: Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/bennymatthews.coach/⁠ Email: ⁠benny@doseofbenny.com⁠ CHAPTERS 00:00 – A lifetime mile PB and finding enjoyment in training 04:35 – Ambitious goals vs realistic training expectations 07:12 – The sacrifices required to train more 09:28 – How I've structured my life around training and family 15:09 – Two 100-mile races, two very different expectations 18:01 – The importance of experience, consistency and raising your floor 23:45 – Stop chasing Everest: finding your next logical step 27:16 – Reflecting on progress and creating your own success

  4. Oct 5

    The Future of Backyard Ultra. Dead Cow Gully x LSU | Tim Walsh - #24

    Backyard Ultra is changing and Dead Cow Gully is about to become part of something much bigger. In this episode I sit down with Tim Walsh, founder and race director of Dead Cow Gully, to unpack the newly announced partnership with Last Soul Ultra and what it could mean for the future of backyard running in Australia and around the world. We talk about how Tim built Dead Cow into one of the most recognisable Backyard Ultras in the world, why Last Soul's approach to livestreaming and social media could fundamentally change the sport, and the challenge of growing an event without losing the authenticity that made it special in the first place. We also explore the bigger questions facing Backyard Ultra as it grows. From professional athletes and prize money to drug testing, commercialisation and whether the format could eventually find its way onto major streaming platforms. Backyard Ultra has always been beautifully simple: 6.7km. Every hour. Until one person remains. But as audiences, money, production and global interest grow, that simplicity is about to be tested. TRAINING BOTTLENECK QUIZ⁠ Take the 5-minute Training Bottleneck Quiz⁠ GET IN TOUCH ⁠Instagram — @bennymatthews.coach⁠ Email — ⁠benny@doseofbenny.com Follow Tim: Instagram -@dead_cow_gully CHAPTERS 00:00 – Tim Walsh & the future of Dead Cow Gully 01:12 – Last Soul Ultra enters the Backyard scene 04:45 – Taking Backyard Ultra to a global audience 11:40 – The Harvey Lewis effect & building Dead Cow 14:54 – Why Tim created Dead Cow Gully 22:46 – Building an event in rural Queensland 25:28 – Can Dead Cow grow without losing its identity? 29:13 – How the Last Soul × Dead Cow partnership will work 31:55 – Livestreaming could change the economics of the sport 34:10 – Australia’s growing Backyard Ultra scene 40:59 – The depth of Australian Backyard running 43:11 – Backyard Ultra is bigger than world records 46:06 – Why the everyday runner still matters 49:45 – Why Backyard Ultra is made for livestreaming 54:45 – Where does Backyard Ultra go from here? 55:32 – Does prize money ruin the Backyard format? 57:34 – Does the sport need drug testing? 58:31 – Could Backyard Ultra end up on Netflix? 1:00:01 – Will different Backyard leagues emerge? 1:04:12 – Dead Cow, Last Soul & what comes next

  5. Oct 2 ·  Bonus

    Should You Use Lactate Gels? UTMB Qualification & the Future of Running Shoes | #23

    My race calendar is winding down, but October has given me plenty to think about. I start with two stories close to home: my wife, Mahli’s month-long step challenge and a client whose trail marathon lead-up went completely off plan. It left me asking "what are we capable of when training and race day don’t look the way we expected?" Then there are lactate gels. They’re starting to appear in endurance sport, and I found a study that made me wonder whether they could have a place in ultrarunning. But there’s a catch in how the research was done. Plus, a question about longer races that I can’t stop thinking about. I unpack the idea, the unknowns and the experiment I’m tempted to try myself. I also get into the adidas super shoes making headlines after Berlin, plus a shoe concept that could change how it feels during a race. How far could shoe technology go before we have to rethink what belongs on a start line? And with UTMB changing its qualification route while details for age-group runners are still to come, I ask what this could mean for the people who help make the sport what it is. Unsure why you're not getting the result you want out of training? Take my 5min Training Bottleneck Quiz Get in touch: Instagram: Email: benny@doseofbenny.com Lactate study discussed: ⁠https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42684798/⁠ CHAPTERS 00:00 — October training and what’s next 01:52 — Marlee’s step challenge and a month of running 04:30 — Tim’s race after a difficult lead-up 06:34 — What a tough race can still teach you 08:44 — Training Bottleneck Quiz 09:42 — Why I’m curious about lactate gels 10:47 — Carbohydrate gels and the idea behind lactate fuel 12:40 — The study that caught my attention 16:44 — Why an infusion study can’t answer the gel question 18:41 — How I’d experiment with lactate gels 20:20 — UTMB qualification and age-group runners 23:33 — The growing cost and commitment of competing 27:01 — Marathon racing shoes and brand influence 28:14 — Could shoe stiffness change mid-race? 32:45 — Why the fundamentals still win 34:41 — What’s coming next week

  6. Sep 28

    39 Ironmans, Ultraman World Record & Tarawera 100 Champion | Simon Cochrane #22

    Simon Cochrane has built one hell of an endurance résumé. But what stood out to me in this conversation wasn’t the size of the achievements — it was how simple Simon makes the process sound. After 15+ years in endurance sport, Simon has developed an incredible ability to understand what his body can handle, when to push, when to back off, and how to keep stacking productive training year after year. This ended up being a proper coach-to-coach conversation about building an enormous aerobic engine without obsessing over run mileage, learning through failure, fueling huge training loads, staying composed when races get ugly, and why the fundamentals still outperform most of the shiny stuff we get sold. Simon’s a great example of what can happen when you stay curious, train consistently and give yourself enough years to find out what you’re actually capable of. TRAINING BOTTLENECK QUIZTake the 5-minute Training Bottleneck Quiz GET IN TOUCHInstagram — @bennymatthews.coachEmail — benny@doseofbenny.com FOLLOW SIMONSimon Cochrane — @cochranesimonAthletic Peak — @athletic.peakAthletic Peak Coaching CHAPTERS 00:00 — Introducing Simon Cochrane02:11 — Failure, experimentation & lessons from under-fueling10:20 — Building 20–35 hour training weeks14:06 — What exactly is an Ultraman?18:14 — Three Ultramans in six months19:44 — Making extreme training work around family22:03 — From strength coach to endurance coach31:23 — Cross-training, run volume & building durability35:00 — Increasing mileage without breaking down39:35 — Gut training & ultra fueling43:26 — The mindset required to race for 24 hours49:08 — Longevity & still getting faster at 4253:19 — Pacing with maturity56:50 — From Ironman to trails, UTMB & Tarawera60:32 — Why the fundamentals beat the shiny stuff63:12 — Coaching in the age of apps & AI67:08 — When extraordinary endurance becomes “normal”68:57 — Who motivates Simon?

  7. Sep 21

    Recover While Running Fast, Get Strong Without Wrecking Your Runs & Ultra’s Identity Problem | #21

    A bit of everything in this week's solo episode. First, I unpack my first proper “dad injury” while kicking a ball with my son and how I adjusted my running around it. That leads into one of my favourite sessions at the moment. I break down the thinking behind using faster running after a hard climbing for lactate oxidation, and why it could have a really useful application for trail and ultra runners. Then we get into strength training. I explain why I still favour heavy, low-volume lifting with my runners, why heavy doesn't automatically mean high fatigue, the importance of actually resting between sets, and how I think runners can get more out of the gym without compromising their running. Finally, Olympic cross-country skiing champion Jessie Diggins' 100-mile debut gets me thinking about a conversation I see constantly in ultrarunning: what would happen if athletes from “bigger” endurance sports came across to trails? Rather than dismissing the athletes already at the top of our sport, maybe we need to better appreciate the specific skills that make someone exceptional at each format. Find your training bottleneck:5min Training Bottleneck Quiz Get in touch:Instagram Email Chapters 00:00 — Intro02:24 — 5min Training Bottleneck Quiz03:22 — My First “Dad Injury”06:39 — Adjusting Training Around the Femoral Nerve07:11 — The Hill Workout I’m Loving09:22 — Why Run Steady After Hills?10:56 — Why I Prescribe Heavy Strength Training12:29 — Strength Training Should Look More Like Strides13:15 — Strength Is a Skill15:43 — What Heavy Lifting Gives Runners18:16 — Why Runners Avoid the Gym21:08 — Stop Turning Strength Into Cardio23:45 — How Heavy Should Runners Lift?25:48 — A Simple Strength Session for Runners27:23 — Jessie Diggins' 100-Mile Debut28:25 — Is Ultrarunning Taken Seriously?30:03 — “What If the Best Athletes Came to Ultras?”32:19 — Different Sports Reward Different Skills35:20 — Why I Want More Great Athletes in Trail Running37:00 — Final Thoughts

  8. Sep 14

    Mont Blanc Super Loop: When Plan "A" Falls Apart | #20 - Jake Catterall

    Jake Catterall is drawn to endurance challenges that most people wouldn’t even think to attempt. He’s run the length of Europe from Norway to Spain, crossed the Alps via the Via Alpina, created his own route through Morocco and taken on multi-day endurance projects across multiple disciplines. But the Mont Blanc Super Loop wasn’t even supposed to happen. Jake arrived in the Alps attempting to climb all of its 4,000m peaks. After just a few days, worsening conditions and dangerous rockfall forced him to make the call to abandon the expedition. Five days later, his crew chief made a ridiculous suggestion: Why not do all eight UTMB Mont-Blanc courses instead? Jake said yes. The result was the Mont Blanc Super Loop — nearly 900km, 61,000m of elevation gain and 12.5 days moving around the Mont Blanc landscape. In this episode we unpack: • How the Super Loop came together in just five days • Jake’s unusually low-volume approach to ultra training • Why he obsesses over the 10km • His approach to running economy and technical descending • How he fuels multi-day endurance efforts • The mental side of spending almost two weeks running alone through the mountains A fascinating conversation with someone who seems wired to find out exactly where his limits are. Follow Jake's adventures: @jakecatterall Unsure why you're not getting the result you want out of training? Take my 5-minute Training Bottleneck Quiz Get in touch:InstagramEmail: benny@doseofbenny.com Chapters: 00:00 – Intro: The Mont Blanc Super Loop 01:28 – Jake’s endurance background & world records 05:14 – From overworking to extreme endurance 07:33 – Fueling multi-day efforts & why he moved away from gels 11:11 – The failed Alpine expedition that led to the Super Loop 17:53 – Risk, decision-making & learning when to stop 21:55 – Planning the Super Loop in just five days 26:57 – Jake’s low-volume approach to ultra training 30:24 – Why he obsesses over the 10km & running economy 35:01 – Mental toughness, recovery & lessons from early ultras 40:03 – Technical terrain & becoming a fearless descender 47:42 – Breaking down 900km, 61,000m vert & 12.5 days 50:18 – Heat, fatigue, calories & the mental rollercoaster 57:01 – Running alone, music & managing your state 1:03:33 – UTMB culture, Chamonix & the final stages 1:09:25 – The biggest lesson from the Super Loop

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About

Most runners are told to pick a lane — run more, lift less, specialise earlier. This podcast explores the intersection of strength, endurance, and everyday life through the lens of ultrarunning, lifting, coaching, and personal experience. Hosted by Ben Matthews, expect training theory, race prep, mindset, recovery, and honest conversations about chasing big goals while balancing work, family, and life outside of training. Not elite. Not perfect. Just the pursuit of ultra.

Information

  • Creator
    Benny Matthews
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Benny Matthews
  • Show Website
    Dose of Benny

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