Rapid Ascent
Episodes
Ep. 25: Piotr Babis: The Quiet Achiever Dominating Tasmania's FKTs
08 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Rapid Ascent Podcast, Jez sits down with one of the most understated yet profoundly dominant forces in the Aussie trail running...
Ep. 24: Courtney Sherwell: The Privateer Who Hustled Her Way to 7th in the World
19 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to go from crashing twice in your first race to becoming one of Australia's most formidable off-road endurance athletes? In t...
Ep. 23: James Kelly: The full time lawyer who WON the 2025 Elite National XCM Championship
06 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to WIN an elite mountain biking championship WHILE working as a high-powered lawyer? In this episode, we sit down with James Kelly ...
Ep. 22: Brent Rees: From Non-Cycling Teen to Winning Elite Nationals in
30 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Get ready for a rip-snorter of an episode! We're back from our summer break with a massive chat with one of the most underrated cyclists on the Aussi...
Ep. 21: Adam Kelsall vs ChatGPT*: Can AI create a GOOD Otway Odyssey training plan?
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Jeremy sits down with his own coach, renowned Australian cycling coach Adam Kelsall, to tackle one of the hottest topics in sport rig...
Ep. 20: Brendan "Trekky" Johnston: From Cancer-Surviving Electrician to Racing at the Top of the World
19 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it truly take to be a champion? In this episode, Jez sits down with Brendan "Trekky" Johnston — one of Australia’s most accomplishe...
Ep 19: How to Win The Otway Odyssey with Tali Lane Welsh
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to not just win the Otway Odyssey, but to dominate it from the front, leaving a field of world-class athletes in your dust? In ...
Ep. 18: "We're Just Riding Bikes Here": Peta Mullens & Dylan Johnson on having fun, checking egos & riding for the RIGHT reasons
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if you had to choose between a pro cycling career and your love for the sport? Australian mountain bike legend Peta Mullens made that exact ch...
Ep. 17: Holly Ranson on Breaking Records, Backyard Ultras & Chasing the 24-Hour World Record
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Summary In this episode, Jez sit down with Australian ultra-running sensation Holly Ranson, just 11 days before she attempts to break the 2...
Ep. 16: "Stronger for Longer": How Kate Kellett became 24-hour Mountain Biking ELITE WORLD CHAMPION
04 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we sit down with Kate Kellett to hear the incredible story of her nine-year journey to become the 2023 Elite Women's 24-Hour Solo Wo...
Ep. 15: Stage racing with lions, rhinos & Tibetan monks!: With Sam Maffett & Marcel Shields
25 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There's something uniquely transformative about multi-day, stage races... Especially when they take you to far flung corners of the world and cut you ...
Ep. 14: Running as "rebellion" & why more women should participate in sport with Sophie Geraghty
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sophie Geraghty is not your ‘typical’ runner — but then again, who is? Growing up with two alcoholic parents, living through chaos and insta...
Dan and Bec McConnell interview after winning the 2021 Otway Odyssey
04 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Shortly after their wins at the 2021 Otway Odyssey we conducted a live interview with Dan and Bec McConnell at the Forrest Brewery on Saturday afterno...
Ep.12: Update from John & Sam on events and impact of COVID-19
30 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Make sure you tune into the final episode of the Rapid Ascent podcast with your host Ben Hucker and special guests Sam Maffett and John Jacoby. Sam is...
Ep.11: How a talented rugby player switched to elite endurance after knee blowout
16 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We're very excited to announce pro multisport triathlete, Ben Allen, as our guest for Episode 11 of the Rapid Ascent podcast. We've had some ultra ru...
Ep.10: A cancer diagnosis at age 17... 2 weeks from MTB World Champs
16 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Brendan Johnston has cemented himself as the most consistently high performing mountain biker in marathon XC events all over Australia in recent year...
Ep.9: Olympic MTB dreams shattered... what do you do next?
14 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
From windy Wellington to sunny Wollongong, Samara Sheppard had her sights firmly set on Tokyo 2020. Her Olympic dreams have been shattered though. Cha...
Ep.8: A life of adventure with a "little bit" of running mixed in
15 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We're super pumped to announce Kellie Emmerson as our guest for Episode #8 of the Rapid Ascent podcast. Kellie's a 3x Australian long-distance trail...
Ep.7: How a nasty MotoX injury lead to a career in Mountain Biking
14 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
He's got a ready smile, an infectious laugh and one of the most engaging personalities of anyone in the pro mountain bike ranks. He's also been descri...
Ep.6: AIDS survivor, cancer survivor and supreme adventure racer
15 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In the 1990s, Deanna Blegg was a super-fit 24-year-old. But she soon became a super-sick 24-year-old. She lost 20 kilograms in six weeks. She had cons...
Ep.5: A nasty fall and a broken femur... the Doctor said he'd never race a MTB again
16 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Paul van der Ploeg has cemented himself as a force to be reckoned with in mountain biking over the past several years. Not only on the Australian mo...
Ep.4: 535 consecutive half marathons for a mate you've never met...
14 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
He's a father of four and runs a local gym in Geelong with his wife. But he's also a Guinness World Record holder and just completed 535 consecutive ...
Ep.3: Is this man one of Australia's greatest endurance athletes?
15 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In Episode 3 of the Rapid Ascent podcast we interview the founder of Rapid Ascent—the man himself, John Jacoby. At just 19 John became a World Mara...
Ep.2: Juggling work as a senior barrister, mum of 4 and a life of endurance
12 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Sharn Coombes was a Crown Prosecutor in Victoria for three years. She is now a member of the Victorian Bar and manages a busy schedule bringing justic...
Ep.1: Man dies on the beach then goes for a run in the desert
10 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Sean Purcell is lucky to be alive. In 2014 he went for your typical Sunday morning jog with his dog. His wife and 4 kids expected him home not long af...