Abel Lifestyle

Spotify episode notes:

Recorded the night before my Backyard Ultra, this is one of the most personal episodes I’ve recorded.

We talk about becoming a Spartan, earning Elite status for 2027, the possibility of a World Championship start line, and the reality of stepping into a race that means far more to me than distance or time.

Tomorrow was 4.167 miles, every hour, on the hour, for as long as I can continue.

But this episode is really about everything I’m carrying onto that start line: the highs, the setbacks, the growth, the pressure, the people who matter, and the parts of myself I’ll have nowhere to hide from when it gets dark.

We also cover pacing, nutrition, crew strategy, 24 hours, fear, failure, and what 4.167, WE GO AGAIN has come to represent.

Tomorrow isn’t just about how far I can run.

It’s about finding out what’s left when everything else is stripped away. ❤️⚔️

Scott Norris joins me for a conversation that ended up going much deeper than I expected.

We talk about the role fitness has played in his life, not just physically but mentally too, confidence, body image, routine, identity and why the gym can become far more than just a place to train.

Scott shares what he’s learned from working as a personal trainer at The Workout Lab, why helping people build confidence can mean more than changing how they look, and how much of coaching comes down to mindset as much as exercise.

We also talk about getting into photoshoot shape, the reality of looking your “best” while not always feeling your best, taking on Hyrox for Macmillan Cancer Support, and then stepping completely outside his comfort zone to become “Scott Knockout Norris” in the wrestling ring with ASW South.

What I really enjoyed about this episode is how naturally everything connects fitness, mental health, confidence, helping others and being willing to do things that scare you.

A really open, positive and surprisingly deep conversation about becoming stronger physically, mentally and personally.

Stuart Fay is a fundraiser, walker and charity volunteer who, alongside his wife Rachel, has helped raise more than £50,000 for cancer charities.

But this episode begins with their daughter, Gemma.

Gemma was bright, driven, positive and deeply loved by the people around her. In 2020, she was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma and went through years of treatment including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, major surgery, a hip replacement and a clinical trial.

Gemma sadly passed away in 2023, shortly after her 25th birthday.

In this conversation, Stuart shares who Gemma was beyond her diagnosis, what made her laugh, what she cared about, the memories that still make the family smile and the qualities that made her so special.

We also talk about the reality of supporting a child through cancer treatment, the impact it has on an entire family, and the support that helped Stuart, Rachel and Gemma through some of their hardest moments.

Stuart also explains how endurance challenges became part of his own journey, including walking 58km and 100km events along the Jurassic Coast while Gemma was still alive, and what those challenges meant to him at the time.

The conversation then moves into grief, what the first days and weeks after losing Gemma were really like, how Stuart and Rachel have supported each other, and why continuing to say Gemma’s name and talk about her remains so important.

We also discuss the fundraising and volunteering that has followed and the charities Gemma herself wanted to support, and how Stuart and Rachel have helped turn their experience into something that continues to support other families.

Alongside that, Stuart reflects on being recognised with Rachel as Fundraisers of the Year at the Salisbury Local Hero Awards, what that recognition meant to them, and why the support of the local community has mattered so much.

This is ultimately a conversation about love, grief, family, resilience and legacy.

It is also a chance to remember Gemma as a person, not simply through what happened to her, but through who she was, what she meant to the people around her and the impact she continues to have.

A deeply personal and important conversation!

Young Lives vs Cancer

https://donate.younglivesvscancer.org.uk/content-main/~my-donation?ns_ira_cr_arg=IyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyPpWTwengvOkpP3nUXmjTP0g5-RWuJaGDuboSkTmPwQQxVXv35X72pbeHEnGrYT8rzGVnK1BjYwwOuIZ_FM_5ZazVPGMXxHkdLmaHZ1XyihO8I8dqxCWua07wFic54Bnp8XcKvPIcIiQNj4JCG4TLGkYkaMi_UWf5N2aDeFlXG1kynsrOV7ZKGBtil5rodKoW0v8aSA5OW7hnK1lXyT4GcAE8jKsdIiTycrtFokqjtRRZ4SSWfhXptiZgwI92Zz7Wq9FPVfo3a5BDSj8-TOqVENSkyQbWLS4ltYTW-UHPSe-OSYyVR92XmDiC8YTk5serCHta21R_Vhnnd3_vD-mbNm0kFqRujSYNdcyW1u35z704qtJyMEF5P4PMZTk400pZc&campaign_id=IALDCCBRA&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=brand_exact&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=11996384337&gbraid=0AAAAAD6zvox6drJ9AxZQfPe3Pf1hWX-H1&_cv=1

Sarcoma UK

https://sarcoma.org.uk

https://www.youthcancertrust.org

Alex Bance is a former Infantryman, sports therapist and extreme endurance athlete whose story is built around testing the limits of what he is capable of.

After spending 13 years in the Infantry, Alex transitioned into civilian life, built Spire Injury Clinic and found himself increasingly drawn towards ultra running and extreme endurance challenges.

In this episode, we talk about what military life taught him, how he adjusted after leaving the Infantry, and why running eventually became much more than simply keeping fit.

Alex has completed multiple 100-mile races, taken on self-supported challenges stretching close to 300 miles, and spent 24 hours running without sight or sound to raise money and awareness for Julia’s House.

We explore what attracts him to challenges where failure is a genuine possibility, whether endurance can become addictive, how he deals with DNFs and what happens mentally when you are exhausted, sleep-deprived and completely alone with your thoughts.

Alex also shares his perspective as a sports therapist, including the mistakes ultra runners often make, the importance of strength and recovery, and how to tell the difference between discomfort you can work through and an injury that means it is time to stop.

But underneath the distances and finish lines, this conversation is really about identity, resilience, purpose and the question of why some people feel compelled to keep finding out what else they are capable of.

We also discuss who Alex is when the running stops, whether he still feels like he has something to prove, what failure has taught him and what a good life means to him now.

A fascinating conversation with someone who has deliberately put himself into some extraordinary situations to discover what he is capable of.

Tristan Hayes is a Salisbury-born professional wrestler whose career has spanned almost three decades.

From watching wrestling at Salisbury City Hall as a kid, to stepping into the ring at 16, competing across the UK and internationally in places including Japan, Australia and America, and becoming a four-time heavyweight champion, Tristan has spent 29 years living the dream he set for himself when he was young.

With his final match approaching back at Salisbury City Hall, this episode looks back on the full journey.

We talk about:

• where the dream started
• becoming a professional wrestler as a teenager
• the reality behind professional wrestling
• injuries, sacrifice and longevity
• travelling the world through wrestling
• becoming a four-time heavyweight champion
• the impact his dad had on his journey
• grief and coming full circle
• why now is the right time to retire
• identity, legacy and life after wrestling

A conversation about chasing a childhood dream, staying committed for nearly 30 years, and what it feels like to finally close the chapter where it all began.

Harley Morriss: How Far Can You Really Push Yourself?

Harley Morriss only started running in 2023. Since then, he’s gone from his first run to taking on challenges most people would never even contemplate.

In this episode of the Abel Lifestyle Podcast, Harley joins me to talk about the person behind the endurance athlete, where his mentality comes from, and why he continues to push himself further.

We go back to where it all started and discuss his journey into running, completing 5K every hour for 24 hours, running from London to Paris in under five days, and competing at the G1M Ultra in Texas.

But this episode goes much deeper than running.

Harley opens up about mental health, why endurance has become such an important part of his life, the relationship between suffering and personal growth, dealing with failure, and what happens mentally when your body is telling you to stop.

We also look ahead to his next huge challenge: attempting to run the perimeter of Ibiza in under 48 hours.

From someone who only started running three years ago to an athlete continually testing the limits of what he believes is possible, this is a conversation about resilience, purpose, mental health and finding out what you’re truly capable of.

In this episode:

• Who Harley Morriss is beyond running

• Starting his running journey in 2023

• Running 5K every hour for 24 hours

• London to Paris in under five days

• Competing at the G1M Ultra in Texas

• What happens mentally during extreme endurance

• Running, suffering and mental health

• Failure, resilience and knowing when to keep going

• Preparing to run around Ibiza in under 48 hours

• How far we can really push ourselves

This is Harley Morriss on the Abel Lifestyle Podcast.

What does it really take to balance motherhood, family life and chasing extraordinary goals?

In Episode 22 of the Abel Lifestyle Podcast, I sit down with Louise Pyman, a wife, mum of two, endurance athlete, Ironman and Race to the Stones finisher, to explore the story behind the achievements.

We discuss Louise’s childhood, becoming a mother, the life-changing moment her family discovered one of her children had PKU, and how that experience completely reshaped her perspective on life.

From balancing family life with endurance sport to supporting each other’s ambitions as a couple, this is an honest conversation about resilience, sacrifice, gratitude and finding purpose through life’s biggest challenges.

Whether you’re a parent, athlete or simply trying to balance the demands of everyday life, there’s something in this episode for everyone.

In this episode we discuss:

⏱️ Louise’s childhood and the experiences that shaped her

⏱️ Becoming a wife and mum

⏱️ Navigating life with PKU as a family

⏱️ The emotional challenges parents rarely talk about

⏱️ Ironman, Race to the Stones and endurance sport

⏱️ Balancing motherhood, training and everyday life

⏱️ Supporting Mike through boxing and endurance events

⏱️ Building resilience through adversity

⏱️ What success really means

⏱️ Advice for parents, athletes and anyone facing life’s toughest moments

🎧 If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review and share it with someone who could benefit from Louise’s story.

Today’s guest is somebody with one of the most unique stories we’ve had on the Abel Lifestyle Podcast.

By day, Elmo Shorland is a builder. By night, he’s a two-time National Champion cheerleader. On paper, those two worlds couldn’t be more different, but after spending nearly two hours with Elmo, you quickly realise this episode isn’t really about cheerleading. It’s about perspective, resilience and having the confidence to be yourself.

We go right back to the beginning, talking about growing up, losing his dad at just eight years old and how that experience shaped the man he is today. Rather than allowing adversity to define his life, Elmo chose to focus on gratitude, positivity and making the very best of every opportunity that came his way. His outlook on life is genuinely one of the most refreshing I’ve come across.

We also dive into how he found cheerleading, what it’s really like behind the stereotypes, winning back-to-back National Championships, being named Cheerleader of the Year, appearing on BBC News and even his experience on Channel 4’s First Dates. Alongside that, we explore what becoming a father has taught him, the values he hopes to pass on to his daughters and what success really means away from medals and achievements.

This is one of those conversations that simply leaves you feeling better than when it started. It’s honest, uplifting and full of reminders that your circumstances don’t have to define your future. If you’ve ever doubted yourself, worried about what other people think or needed a reminder to see the positives in life, I genuinely think you’ll take something away from this episode.

We explore:

• Losing his dad at just eight years old
• Choosing positivity through adversity
• Growing up and finding purpose
• Builder by day, cheerleader by night
• Breaking stereotypes and backing yourself
• Winning back-to-back National Championships
• Becoming the father he never had
• Confidence, resilience and mindset
• Behind the scenes of competitive cheerleading
• BBC News & Channel 4’s First Dates
• Raising two daughters

Everyone has someone in their life who changes the way they think. For me, that’s Laura Hurcombe.

In this episode of the Abel Lifestyle Podcast, I sit down with one of my closest friends for one of the most honest conversations we’ve ever had. Over the past few years, Laura has challenged me to think differently, believe in myself and become a better version of who I am. But behind the positivity and resilience is a journey that hasn’t always been easy.

We talk openly about her struggles with mental health, the reality of taking antidepressants, the difficult decision to come off them, and what it really took to rebuild her confidence and create a life she’s genuinely proud of. This isn’t a story about overnight success. It’s about the small decisions, uncomfortable moments and consistent actions that slowly changed everything.

We also explore how somebody who once said they’d never complete an endurance event went on to finish a Decathlon 5K, MacTuff, a walking marathon and a 15K inflatable obstacle course, proving that we’re often capable of far more than we believe.

Throughout the conversation we dive into friendship, education, confidence, identity, mindset and the people who shape our lives without even realising it.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, questioned your self-worth, struggled with your mental health or wondered whether life can genuinely get better, I hope this conversation gives you hope. Because Laura’s story is proof that you don’t have to stay where you are.

If you enjoy the episode, please leave a rating, subscribe and share it with someone who might need to hear it.

In this episode of the Abel Lifestyle Podcast, I sit down with goalkeeper coach, teacher and DK1GK founder Dease Kerrison.

Having coached together at both Swindon Town Women and Southampton Women, we reflect on over a decade in football, the lessons coaching has taught us, and what it really takes to help young players reach their potential.

We discuss the journey of building DK1GK over the past ten years, balancing business with full-time work in education, the biggest misconceptions around goalkeeping, and why coaching is ultimately about people rather than football.

We also dive into Dease’s latest challenge, training for his first Ironman. From football fitness to endurance sport, we explore what has surprised him most, how his training has changed, and the mindset required to take on one of the toughest endurance events in the world.

Finally, Dease opens up about suffering a broken arm, dealing with setbacks, and how adversity has shaped both his coaching and outlook on life.

Whether you’re a football coach, teacher, athlete or simply someone looking to keep improving, there’s plenty to take away from this conversation.

In this episode we discuss:

• Building DK1GK over the last 10 years
• Goalkeeping coaching and player development
• Lessons from football and education
• Coaching at Swindon Town Women & Southampton Women
• Balancing business, teaching and family life
• Preparing for an Ironman
• Football fitness vs endurance training
• Overcoming setbacks and injury
• Leadership, resilience and continuous improvement

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating, follow the podcast and share it with someone who might benefit from the conversation.