Better By Next Week

AI is changing coaching faster than ever but does that mean human coaches are being replaced, or simply forced to evolve?

In this episode, we break down the growing role of AI in coaching and explore where it genuinely adds value and where human experience, intuition, and connection still matter most.

We discuss both sides of the debate, making the case for AI-driven coaching tools while also unpacking the irreplaceable elements of human coaching that algorithms still struggle to replicate.

We explore the relationship between technology, performance, and decision-making and why the coaches and athletes who adapt fastest may have the biggest advantage moving forward.

Most importantly, we uncover practical ways coaches and athletes can stay ahead - using AI as a tool rather than viewing it as competition.

We talk about:

◼️ Whether AI is actually replacing coaches.

◼️ The strengths and weaknesses of AI coaching.

◼️ What human coaches still do better than technology.

◼️ How coaches and athletes can stay ahead of the game.

◼️ Practical tips for combining AI with human coaching.

◼️ Where coaching could be heading in the future.

This conversation isn’t about choosing sides - it’s about understanding where coaching is heading and how to adapt before everyone else does.

A conversation with Margie Hadley unpacking the mindset, resilience, and quiet persistence behind some of the most extreme performances in ultrarunning.

From backyard ultras to the Hardcore Harry’s Challenge, this episode explores what happens when runners push far beyond what most people believe is possible. But beneath the massive distances and race results is something deeper - the mental battles, community support, self-belief, and small decisions that keep people moving forward long after they want to stop.

Rather than glorifying suffering, this conversation looks at the psychology of endurance, the reality of fatigue, and why the people around you can completely change the outcome of a challenge.

We explore:

◼️ The reality of running day after day in the Hardcore Harry’s Challenge.

◼️ Why support and community matter so much in ultrarunning.

◼️ The mental battle of wanting to quit and choosing not to.

◼️ Women in backyard ultras and the challenges still present in the sport.

◼️ Training load, tapering, recovery, and adapting to extreme mileage.

◼️ The mindset behind chasing limits and seeing what the body can truly handle.

◼️ Why inspiring others can sometimes matter more than winning itself.This isn’t just a conversation about running further.It’s about discovering what happens when people refuse to stop.

A conversation unpacking the small things in running that quietly make the biggest difference.

In a sport obsessed with workouts, mileage, and race results, this episode shifts the focus to the overlooked habits that shape consistency, progress, recovery, and long-term performance.

From the tiny routines before sessions to the decisions no one notices, we break down the things that often separate steady improvement from stagnation.

Rather than focusing on one breakthrough workout or training hack, this episode explores the micro habits that compound over time and why the smallest details are often the ones that matter most.

We explore

◼️ The forgotten habits that quietly improve performance over time.

◼️ Small training decisions that can make or break consistency.

◼️ Recovery, preparation, and routines most runners overlook.

◼️ The psychology behind building habits that actually stick.

◼️ Why marginal gains matter more than most runners realise.

This isn’t about doing something extreme.

It’s about the small things repeated long enough to change everything.

A conversation recorded just days after one of the most remarkable Backyard Ultra debuts Australia has seen.

After running for 68 straight hours in his first ever Backyard Ultra, Brady Nankervis sits down to unpack the full reality of the event, the emotional breakdowns, the moments he wanted to quit, the people who kept him going, and the mental battle that slowly became bigger than the physical one.

Rather than just revisiting the result, this episode explores what actually happens to someone during four days of sleep deprivation, repetition, pressure, and isolation.

Brady explores:

◼️ The darkest moments of the race and wanting to quit for over 30 hours.

◼️ The emotional weight of not wanting to let his crew down.

◼️ Hallucinations, sleep deprivation, and the psychology of Backyard Ultras.

◼️ His full race setup, fuelling, caffeine and sleep strategy.

◼️ Why he believes he can eventually compete with the best in the world.

This isn’t a polished race recap.

It’s the raw emotional aftermath of someone discovering where their actual limit is.

A live interruption to the usual format.

Recorded on-site at the Melbourne Backyard Ultra, this episode unfolds in real time from within the race environment itself where endurance, fatigue, and emotion are all actively in motion.

Instead of a traditional studio conversation, we step directly into the event as it’s happening.

We’re joined by the race director who breaks down the origins, structure, and psychology of Backyard Ultras and what most people misunderstand about this format until they’re actually inside it.

Alongside him members of crews share behind-the-scenes insights into what really happens between laps the small decisions, the silent breakdowns, and the strategies that never make it onto the course.

We also hear from a former Australian Backyard Ultra representative unpacking what it takes to compete at the highest level of this unique endurance format.

And in a moment that captures the raw nature of the event a runner finishes a loop and immediately joins the conversation live still deep in race conditions, still mid-competition, still in it.

This isn’t a recap.

It’s the race as it unfolds.

We discuss:
◼️ What Backyard Ultras actually demand from runners and crews
◼️ The hidden psychology of lap-based endurance racing
◼️ How elite competitors manage time, fatigue, and survival
◼️ What most people never see between loops
◼️ Raw, live insight from someone actively still in the race

Fresh off winning the Sydney Backyard Ultra in 75 hours, race winner Tim Kacprzak, reveals what it really took to outlast every other runner and claim victory.

In this episode, we break down exactly how it was done. From the mindset of never once considering quitting, to the strategies that kept him moving hour after hour, this is a deep dive into endurance, resilience, and what separates those who stop from those who keep going.

We explore the powerful and sometimes dangerous dynamic between father and son - the pressure, belief, and shared obsession that drove this result. Alongside that, deeply personal layers are uncovered that have never been shared before, revealing what truly carried him through the hardest moments.

He explains:

◼️ How the Sydney Backyard Ultra was won in 75 hours.

◼️ Why quitting never entered the equation.

◼️ The father-son dynamic behind the performance.

◼️ The deeper emotional layers that fueled the win.

◼️ The controversial role of the race assist smoking cigarettes at the start line.

Sydney Backyard Ultra- Tims plan

https://we.tl/t-ZLwHH0m683O1iERm

Filmed live at the Sydney Backyard Ultra start line, this episode dives into what most runners get wrong about one of the toughest race formats in the world.

In this episode, we break down what it actually takes to succeed in a Backyard Ultra - beyond just fitness. From understanding the importance of staying present, to the mental discipline required to go loop after loop, this is a deep dive into strategy, mindset, and execution.

We’re joined by the race director, who shares the origins of the event and the brutal statistics behind who finishes and who doesn’t. Alongside that, the live stream commentator unpacks the emotion behind every runner’s story, and how those stories will be brought to life as the race unfolds.

The episode explains:

◼️ What runners misunderstand about the Backyard Ultra format.

◼️ The role of presence and staying in the moment.

◼️ The origins and statistics behind the race.

◼️ Practical strategies that actually matter on race day.

◼️ The emotion and stories behind every runner on the start line.

Fresh off completing 3500km in 83 days, an ultrarunner dad sets his sights on an even bigger goal - running for 100 hours at the Sydney Backyard Ultra.

In this episode, we break down what it actually takes to attempt something this extreme, especially off the back of one of the most demanding challenges imaginable. From the concept of a “recovery taper” to the reality of preparing a body that’s already been pushed to its limits, this is a deep dive into strategy, discipline, and risk.

We explore the fine balance between recovery and performance, the mental approach required to last 100 hours, and whether it’s even possible to go again so soon.

He explains:

◼️ What it takes to run for 100 hours at a Backyard Ultra.

◼️ How he’s approaching recovery after 3500km in 83 days.

◼️ The strategy behind a “recovery taper”.

◼️ The nutrition plan to sustain extreme endurance.

◼️ The mental preparation required to go that deep.

5x Guinness World Record holder Ethan Fleming is redefining what it means to push the limits - including becoming the only person in the world to pull a car for 100km.

In this episode, Ethan breaks down the mindset behind doing hard things and why raising the bar is central to who he is. From what he was like growing up, to building Hardcore Harry’s into a movement, this is a deep dive into discipline, identity, and purpose.

We explore what drives someone to seek out extreme challenges, the role of suffering in growth, and how Ethan has carved out his place in the endurance community.

Ethan explains:◼️ The mindset required to continuously push your limits.◼️ How his early life shaped his drive and identity.◼️ The story behind pulling a car for 100km.◼️ How Hardcore Harry’s was built from doing hard things.◼️ His purpose within the endurance community.

Listener Discounts: https://thegoatco.au CODE: BBNW for 15% off all products. https://www.tailwindnutrition.com.au/ CODE: Tim&Ollie for 15% off.

Ultrarunner and father takes on an extreme endurance challenge - running 1km on day one, adding 1km every day for 83 days.In this episode, he reveals what it really took.

From the early stages to the point where the challenge consumed his whole life, he opens up about the mental battles, the sacrifices made, and the fine line between quitting and continuing.Beyond the physical feat, this conversation goes deep - exploring discipline, identity, and the true cost of pushing your limits.

We also break down the practical side, including the gear, nutrition, and strategies that made it possible.

He explains:

◼️ How the challenge escalated from manageable to overwhelming.

◼️ The mental battle between stopping and pushing on.

◼️ The sacrifices made and impact on family life.

◼️ Lessons anyone can apply to their own goals.

◼️ The gear and nutrition behind 83 days of running.

Listener Discounts:

https://thegoatco.au CODE: BBNW for 15% off all products.

https://www.tailwindnutrition.com.au/ CODE: Tim&Ollie for 15% off.