Bloody Mission

Two people. Two very different mountains. 5,000 metres of vertical each.We're back at Cal's Bar with Madison and Arlo to unpack what the Vertical 5K Challenge actually asks of you — and why neither of them really knew what they'd said yes to.Mads took on Heatons Gap, the OG: 16 laps, 55 kilometres, roughly 360 metres of climbing per lap, a 14-hour cutoff and a 50% finish rate. Invite-only, 25 starters, and one of only two women on the day. She came home with 40 minutes to spare — while insisting she's "just average."Arlo went the other way. Find Your Mountain, at the Skillion in Terrigal, starting at 4am and doing the whole thing in a single day. He'd done the maths and figured on 20 laps. It was 240. Sixteen hours, 60 kilometres, no shade anywhere on the course, and three days in bed afterwards with what he calls chopstick legs.We get into the fear, the fundraising, the strangers who jumped in for a lap and stayed for five hours, and why the community around this thing turns out to be the part that sticks.This year it's open for the whole of October — solo, or as a team, wherever your mountain happens to be. However you want to get 5,000 metres is how you get 5,000 metres.Sign up / donate: https://bloodymission.leukaemia.org.au/Bloody Mission: https://bloodymission.leukaemia.org.au/#vertical5k #findyourmountain #trailrunning #bloodymission #ultrarunningChapters (source-transcript timecodes — re-stamp after your cut):00:00 Two legends, one stupid idea00:57 Meet Madison and Arlo02:20 What the Vertical 5K Challenge actually is03:41 "I didn't realise what I was accepting"04:56 The maths, the 14-hour cutoff, and being "average"07:03 Asking people for money is the harder part09:00 Finishing Heatons Gap with 40 minutes to spare10:17 Arlo's turn: 4am at the Skillion11:15 "I thought it was 20 laps. It was 240."16:18 Chopstick legs and three days in bed17:43 Mitch's driveway and the negative Strava EPR19:30 Tony, Jenny, and why people show up22:00 The community that carried them23:07 Two women on the start line25:27 Pat Farmer's phone call26:20 October 2026 — how to get involved

In this episode we talk with Maree Connor the first woman to ever finish the Bloody Mission Vertical 5km Challenge. She is also a badass who represents Australia in 24 hour track events, finished top 10 at Badwater (IYKYK). Is an epic nurse, mum, wife and all round human being who was been through some hardship!

In this episode Callan, Dan and Mitch sit down to discuss the second year of the Vertical 5KM Challenge happening in November and the Find Your Mountain Campaign thats also happening in November.

In this episode we sit down for the final Tassie Trail chat from Steeley and Jesse's perspective. Covering things like Steeley's first ever 100kms run and Jesse's overnight leg which was remote and a logistical nightmare!

In this episode Callan sits down with Tim to discuss journey with the outdoors, We Are Explorers and how they contributed to making Tassie Trail happen! Tim is a Bloody Legend!

In this pod Callan sits down with Cordell and Knappers to reflect on the adventures, laughs and depth of the Tassie Trail adventure.

In this pod Callan sits down with Shooter and Jess from Running for Resilience to learn more about the amazing work they do in Canberra. Also they reflect back on the Vertical 5k challenge from last year and what it took to finish such a unique and punishing event!

In this episode we sit down with Cal Gates and Dan Ferris to hear some of the epic and moving stories from the Bloody Mission Adventure "Tassie Trail" where the boys ran from the top to the bottom of Tasmania.

Dan and Callan sit by a the river at Bright Victoria talking about the epic weekend that is the Buffalo Stampede. We also share an update's about the upcoming adventure the Tassie Trail!

This is a short update for the Bloody Mission community on how The Blood Run film ended up being signed to Foxtel, Kayo and Binge. The film is now available for streaming on Kayo and Binge.