Business of Endurance

Welcome to the final episode of Season 10 of The Business of Endurance.

This season has taken us from the boardroom to Kona, via high mountains and some of the most demanding races on the planet. We kicked off with Chris Brindley MBE, sharing leadership lessons, critical thinking frameworks and the link between elite sport and high-performing businesses, before hearing from Ironman legend Julie Moss as she relived the iconic “crawl” in Kona and what it taught her about worthiness, vulnerability and grit.

We were joined by Dr Stacy Sims, whose pioneering work in female physiology is changing how women train, fuel and recover, and by João Andrade, founder of the 100 Series, who opened up about burnout, cardiac collapse mid-race, and how it forced him to completely rethink his life and work–life balance.

Sean Conway returned as our first-ever repeat guest to unpack his “Endurance Grand Slam” – including 105 Ironmans in 105 days – and the mindset behind having no Plan B. Ultra-running great Ryan Sands then took us deep into true adventure with stories from Lesotho, Western States and beyond, where culture, risk and resilience collide.

We closed the season with four-time Ironman world champion Chrissie Wellington OBE, exploring mental toughness, solitude, eating disorders in elite sport, coaching philosophies and the psychological pillars that underpin world-class performance.

In this wrap-up episode, Charlie and Claire revisit the key lessons, emotional moments and recurring themes from each of these conversations, and share why Season 10 has been one of the most powerful yet.

We're going to have a break now Season 10 has finished but you can still dive into our back catalogue of over 150 episodes and explore even more stories from the world’s best endurance athletes, adventurers and coaches.

This episode was sponsored by The Trusted Team and 4th Discipline

Today’s guest is someone whose story will stop you in your tracks. Chrissie Wellington OBE is more than just a four-time Ironman World Champion - she’s an icon of endurance, resilience, and reinvention.

Undefeated across 13 Ironman races, Chrissie didn’t even turn professional until the age of 30, making her one of sport’s most extraordinary late bloomers. But her journey from international development in Nepal to redefining the limits of human endurance in Kona, is anything but ordinary.

In this episode, she opens up about racing through pain, overcoming an eating disorder, finding purpose beyond podiums, and why intuition, values, and imperfection have been her greatest teachers.

If you’re looking for real insight on fitness, health, work-life balance, or using your platform for good - Chrissie brings it all. Stay tuned for one of the most inspiring conversations we’ve had on The Business of Endurance.


Highlights:

• Training the Mind First: Psychological conditioning, adversity tolerance, solitude tolerance, and learning to be alone with your thoughts - Chrissie's real secret weapon.
• Intuition Over Ego: The choices she regrets, the ones she cherishes, and the power of listening to your inner compass.
• The Shadow Behind Success: Her lifelong battle with eating disorders, Red-S, and self-worth - and the honesty, help, and reframing that carried her through.
• Identity Beyond the Finish Line: The danger of defining yourself as “world champion” and the liberation that comes from purpose beyond sport.
• Tools for Tough Moments: Recollection, reframing, music, mantras, and mental escape - how she moved through fear, pain, and uncertainty in Kona.
• Legacy for the Next Generation: Resilience in children’s books, role-modelling through parenting, and redefining what strength looks like.
• Resilience by Design: Chunking the unthinkable into tiny steps, trusting intuition, and controlling the controllables - her mental blueprint for world-class performance.
• The Perfectly Imperfect Race: How a brutal bike crash, torn muscles and raw road rash set the stage for the most meaningful victory of her career.
• Long-Term Health Over Short-Term Wins: Understanding fuelling mistakes, carb needs, hormonal health, and the consequences of “lighter is faster.”
• A Life Lived on Purpose: “She seized every opportunity and made a mark on the world for all the right reasons.”

Links:

Connect with Chrissie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissie-wellington-obe-09184b228/

Chrissie Wellington's Website: https://www.chrissiewellington.com/

Get Chrissie's Book: A Life Without Limits

Get Chrissie's Book: To The Finish Line

Get Chrissie's Book: You're So Amazing

Get Chrissie's Book: You're So Strong

This episode was sponsored by The Trusted Team and 4th Discipline

We’re honoured to feature South African trail legend, Ryan “Hedgie” Sandes - a living testament to what a curious mind, unwavering discipline, and bold risk-taking can achieve. 

From lining up for his first marathon in Knysna with just three weeks of training, to winning the Gobi Ultra and becoming the first ever to conquer the Four Deserts, to his landmark Western States victory, Ryan has consistently redefined what’s possible in our sport. 

He’s faced setbacks, from glandular fever to being attacked by the locals, and emerged stronger and wiser. In our conversation, we’ll hear what truly motivates him - how racing for fun is better than racing for medals, and how important the small wins really are. 

Whether you’re an endurance athlete, business leader, or dreamer - Ryan offers strategies to help you push further, think smarter, and live more resiliently. 

Highlights:

• Try > What If?: Ryan’s core philosophy on risk, regret, and choosing action over hesitation.
• The ‘Accidental’ Marathon: Three weeks’ prep, a hilly course… and a breakout first marathon that sparked everything.
• Dream Givers: Why he treats partners as long-term collaborators, not logos - and how that saw him through the lows.
• Lesotho Lessons: A terrifying night on the mountain turns into a masterclass in empathy, context, and team resilience.
• Small Wins > Big Medals: Community runs, a K9 race with his dog, human connections that matter more than podiums.
• Becoming A Pro (The Real Playbook): Winning matters, but stories, value, and thinking like a business sustain a career.
• Joy Over Obligation: Letting go of UTMB and reigniting motivation with fresh goals like Cocodona 250.
• Inside 250 Miles: Hallucinations, micro-sleep fails, bone broth and rice - the mental and fuelling strategies that kept him moving.
• Rebuilds & Reinvention: Glandular fever and a sacrum stress fracture; ditching rigid goals to rediscover love for the sport.
• Giving Back & Legacy: From 13 Peaks to mentoring: using adventure to grow people, not just results.

Links:

Connect with Ryan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryansandes/

Connect with Ryan on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ryan.Nicholas.Sandes

Ryan Sandes Website: https://ryansandes.com/

This episode was sponsored by The Trusted Team and 4th Discipline

Today’s guest is Ruth Daniels, CEO of British Triathlon and Triathlon England - a leader who has stepped into the sport’s top job with a background that’s anything but typical. 

From a successful legal career to steering the global fashion brand Superdry, Ruth brings a rare mix of commercial acumen, fresh thinking, and values-led leadership into the world of endurance sport. 

In this conversation, Ruth shares what it was like to guide British Triathlon through the Paris Olympics - her baptism of fire - and how she’s already planning to make LA even bigger. 

We talk about the future of multisport festivals like Burghley, how to solve open water challenges, and the culture and values she wants to embed across the sport. 

And, as a triathlete herself, Ruth reflects on her own sporting highlights and the lessons they’ve taught her. This is a masterclass in leadership, resilience, and why sport matters more than ever.

Highlights:

• Baptism of Fire: How Ruth joined British Triathlon as CEO in an Olympic year - new to sport, new to the system, and straight into Paris preparation.
• From Law to Lycra: How a career spanning global law firms and Superdry’s turnaround now fuels her mission to modernise endurance sport.
• Beyond Paris, Eyes on LA: Building toward the next Olympics with a bold vision.
• Swim. Bike. Run. Belong: Turning triathlon into a sport for everyone. 
• Clean Water, Clear Purpose: Founding member of the Clean Water Sports Alliance - pushing water companies and Westminster for accountability.
• Relevance & Resonance: “We can’t just rely on the same people doing the same thing” - the sport must evolve to stay culturally relevant.
• Women Mean Business: Championing female participation, pregnancy policies, and visibility.
• Culture as Competitive Edge: Building a purpose-led, high-trust, high-performing team unafraid to test, learn, and lead change.
• From Burma to Britain: Her father’s wartime story of resilience and forgiveness shapes her own drive for inclusivity and purpose.
• Legacy in Motion: How Ruth wants triathlon on the school curriculum and in everyday culture - “fit for the future, accessible for all.”

Links:

Connect with Ruth on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthdanceobrittri/

Connect with Ruth on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruthpdaniels

Connect with Ruth on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielsruth/

Follow British Triathlon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brittri/

Follow British Triathlon on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BritishTriathlon

Follow British Triathlon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/british-triathlon-federation

Follow British Triathlon on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@BritishTriathlon

British Triathlon Website: https://www.britishtriathlon.org/

This episode was sponsored by The Trusted Team and 4th Discipline

Today’s guest is one of the most extraordinary endurance adventurers alive: Sean Conway. 

If you’ve ever questioned what the limits of human endurance might be, Sean has probably already gone there. From swimming the length of Britain, to cycling across Europe, to setting the record for the longest ever triathlon, he’s built a career on redefining what’s possible. 

Most recently, he completed Iron105 - an unimaginable feat of 105 consecutive Ironman triathlons. But this conversation isn’t just about mind-blowing records. 

Sean’s philosophy of “first, furthest, fastest, foremost” is a blueprint for how we can all approach life and business. His story of growing up in Africa, of struggling to find belonging, and of turning suffering into meaning, will challenge you to think differently about resilience, purpose, and success. 

If you’re looking for inspiration to push past your limits - in sport, in business, or in life - this episode will give it to you.

Highlights:

• The Ball to Chase: Whether it’s 105 Ironmans or a creative project, life’s spark lives in the chase.
• No Plan B: Because if there’s a backup, you’ll take it. Commitment is clarity. The finish line doesn’t move.
• Flip a Coin, Keep Your Soul: After breaking the record, he let fate decide each extra day. Heads - go again. Tails - stop. Day 105 said “enough.”
• Monkey & Terrier: Creativity meets obsession - the writer dreams, the terrier chases. Feed both or lose your spark.
• Community as Fuel: The snowball effect - momentum attracts tribe. Surround yourself with people who lift you higher.
• Long-Game Goal Setting: Plan a decade ahead. The goal in his diary - row the Atlantic with his family in 2035.
• Dear Grandkids: Writing now for the next generation - a book of wild childhoods, near-lions, and lessons for life.
• Entrepreneurial Spirit Returns: From secret school tuck shops to adventure series - hustle never left, it just evolved.
• Micro-Manage the Margins: You don’t find one 100% gain - you find a hundred 1% ones.

Links:

Connect with Sean on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanconwayadventure/

Connect with Sean on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MrSeanConway

Connect with Sean on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-conway-2486b563/

Connect with Sean on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SeanConwayEndurance

Sean's Website: https://www.seanconway.com/

This episode was sponsored by The Trusted Team and 4th Discipline

Today, we welcome Joao Andrade - a man whose extraordinary journey from biotech entrepreneur to heart‑tested ultrarunner offers powerful lessons in health, resilience, and leadership. 

In just five years Joao progressed from novice runner to conquering the legendary Badwater 135 - all while founding, scaling, and exiting a successful biotech business. 

He’s also the co‑founder of One Hundred’s global endurance‐race series, he pitched and was initially backed by Stephen Bartlett on Dragons’ Den, and faced a near‑fatal heart event mid‑race. 

This conversation digs deep: how Joao balances the demands of business and ultra‑endurance, uncovers the moment his body made him stop, and explores the mental shifts that fuel his rapid performance rise. 

You’ll hear how business strategies mirror ultra‑race tactics, why body‑listening is non‑negotiable, and what it takes to lead with grit, heart, and vision. If you’re striving for a healthier, higher‑performing life - this episode is your roadmap.

Highlights:

• Stress, Shock, Stop: A stress-driven arrhythmia, tachycardia, and blackout - his body’s non-negotiable wake-up call.
• Badwater, Empty Finish: Crossing the line with nothing inside; the moment he learned outcomes aren’t the goal - alignment is.
• IPO Grind to Ultra Mind: 120-hour weeks, a London float, and the realization that endurance can heal - but only if you change the load, not just add to it.
• From Stem Cells to Safety Nets: Pioneer of a stem-cell insurance model - innovation aimed at certainty on life’s worst days.
• Costa Rica’s Monster: 209 miles, two Everests of vert, night jungle - fear swapped for presence; joy found mid-suffer.
• Design the Pace: Sleep, fuel, delegation, and boundaries - because the body keeps the score, and balance is a strategy, not a slogan.
• Tap > Faint: Jiu-jitsu wisdom for life - know when to endure, and when to tap, reset, and return stronger.
• Harder Than 200 Miles: For Joao, entrepreneurship beats ultrarunning on difficulty - daily problems, infinite rounds, no finish arch.
• Dragons’ Den, Different Door: On-screen “yes,” off-screen no deal - then a better fit with Macca and a clearer path for The 100.

Links:

Connect with Joao on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joaoandradehq/

Connect with Joao on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joaoandradeultraceo/

The One Hundred Website: https://onehundredtrail.com/en/

This episode was sponsored by The Trusted Team and 4th Discipline

Today’s guest is one of the world’s leading voices in the science of female performance - and she’s here to change the way you think about training, recovery, and your body. 

Dr. Stacy Sims coined the phrase “Women are not small men” - and she’s spent her career proving why. 

In this episode, we unpack everything from caffeine and cold-water therapy to cycle-based training, menopause, RED-S, and strength training after 40. Whether you’re a female athlete, a coach, or simply someone looking to optimize health and energy at any age - this is the episode for you. 

You’ll also hear the story of how Stacy went from elite athlete to world-renowned researcher - and what she’s learned by standing at the frontlines of sport science, often as the lone voice in the room. 

This episode is packed with myth-busting, empowering science - and practical tools you can use starting today. Let’s dive in.

Highlights:

• Women ≠ Small Men: How the moment a lab tossed her data sparked a mission to rebuild sports science for female physiology.
• Lift Heavy, Live Long: From teens to menopause, heavy strength trains the nervous system, protects power, bones, and brain.
• Fuel the Clock, Not the Hype: Early eating and post-training protein + carbs beat late-morning “fasting” for women’s health.
• Beyond “Just Go on the Pill”: Track cycles, fix low energy, consider real fixes for cramps and heavy bleeds - don’t mute the system.
• Athlete to Advocate: From Kona and World Cups to the lab bench - lived experience powering better answers for women and girls.
• Puberty’s Performance Dip: A temporary wobble, not a verdict - relearn movement, build strength, keep girls in the game.
• Her Why: Empower the next generation - science, not stereotypes - so daughters inherit sport that finally fits.
• Test, Don’t Guess: Cycle-aware training, caffeine trials, and simple logs turn “generic advice” into personal performance.
• Heat Loves Her, Ice Not So Much: Women gain more from sauna; skip the ice baths - cool water beats ice-cold shock.

Links:

Connect with Stacy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drstacysims

Connect with Stacy on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drstacysims 

Connect with Stacy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacy-t-sims-phd/

Connect with Stacy on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPD55VPa1ZWx1a_nzWC2VJA

Dr Stacy Sims Website: https://www.drstacysims.com/

This episode was sponsored by The Trusted Team and 4th Discipline

What does it take to change the course of an entire sport - and inspire millions in the process? 

Today’s guest, Julie Moss, did exactly that when she crawled across the finish line of the Ironman World Championship in 1982. That moment, broadcast to millions, didn't just redefine endurance - it redefined what the human spirit looks like under pressure. 

In this episode, Julie opens up about the real reason she was in Kona that day, the life-altering impact of that crawl, and how she's used endurance as a tool to navigate divorce, aging, and reinvention. 

We talk longevity, mental grit, racing through pain, and why endurance sport continues to be a powerful force for personal transformation. 

Whether you're chasing your first finish line or navigating your own midlife reset, this episode offers raw stories, timeless lessons, and a reminder: sometimes crawling forward is still progress.

Highlights:

• Thesis to Triathlon: Julie's journey of entering her first Ironman for a college thesis - with almost no training.
• Belonging at the Front: How worthiness clicked mid-race when she realised she could win.
• Finish-Line Fall, Global Rise: The world watched her struggle; she found transformation in those final metres.
• Partners in Performance: How her relationship with Mark Allen shaped two careers and a sport.
• Healing in Motion: Using triathlon to navigate divorce and life’s hardest chapters.
• New Hips, New Horizons: Rebuilding identity and finding fresh pursuits after hip replacement.
• Kona at 70: Eyeing a 2028 50th-anniversary return - experience over youth, wisdom over watts.
• The Brain Breaks Barriers: The mind’s command to push the body beyond its perceived limits.
• The Yes Ratio: Saying “yes” more than “no” as the gateway to extraordinary moments. 

Links:

Connect with Julie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julie_moss_1982/

Connect with Julie onFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Julie-Moss-Page-100048855326535/

Connect with Julie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-moss-b2b43162/

Please Subscribe to Business of Endurance on Apple Podcasts, leave a comment, and give us a 5-Star review. 

This episode was sponsored by The Trusted Team and 4th Discipline

Today’s guest, Chris Brindley MBE, isn’t just one of Britain’s most decorated business leaders, he’s a master of sustainable success, resilience, and high-performance thinking.

Named “Britain’s Best Boss,” former Managing Director at Metro Bank, and Chair of the Rugby League World Cup, Chris brings boardroom wisdom forged in the fires of elite sport.

In this episode, Chris reveals the thinking frameworks that separate leaders from managers, how marginal gains transform teams, and the untold stories behind building world-class performance cultures.

If you're a business leader, coach, or endurance athlete looking to sharpen your mindset, this conversation is gold. Think Diary of a CEO meets the discipline of a sports psychologist - with no fluff, just actionable insight.

So whether you're running your business or a marathon -this is how you endure, lead, and win. Let’s dive in.


Highlights:

• Brains Over Hands: Why leaders get paid to think while managers get paid to do.
• Postpone to Perform: Inside the Rugby League World Cup crisis - tough calls, athlete-first values, and delivering the most inclusive tournament against the odds.
• Values to Unanimous: Turning a split board into one voice by anchoring decisions in purpose, inclusion, and the athlete’s perspective.
• Beach Ball Thinking: Replace right-vs-wrong with right-and-left. Walk around the problem to see every colour before you decide.
• Conductor Leadership: Let go of the instrument, organise talent like an orchestra to create consistent, world-class performance.
• 3 Revolutions, 3 Cs: Tech, People, and World Order - leverage technology for heavy lifting to create Capacity, build Capability, and grow Confidence.
• Outside-In Banking: Make it easy to be your customer - longer opening hours, instant cards, suspend/reactivate features, and measuring “ease of doing business.”
• Balance the Scorecard: People × Customers × Process before Profit - build the service-profit chain and balance life with the Wheel of Life reset.

Links:

Connect with Chris through LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-brindley-mbe-9584075/

Please Subscribe to Business of Endurance on Apple Podcasts, leave a comment, and give us a 5-Star review. 

This episode was sponsored by The Trusted Team and 4th Discipline

Welcome to the final episode of Season 9 of The Business of Endurance.

This season has taken us on an incredible journey - from Chris Williams of Supertri sharing his Atlantic rowing adventure and boardroom battles, to Paul Kaye, an unmistakable voice of Ironman, revealing how he built a career from scratch.

We’ve heard from trailblazing entrepreneur Simon Dent, Ironman legend Kathleen McCartney, cycling world champion Richard Oakes, and even AI Charlie - exploring how technology is reshaping sport and business.

And to top it off, Olympic great Alistair Brownlee, British Cycling CEO John Dutton OBE, Ironman champion Matt Trautman, and the incomparable Chris McCormack have all joined us with powerful lessons in resilience, mindset, and creating lasting impact.

Season 10 is coming soon and it promises to be even bigger.

This episode was sponsored by The Trusted Team and 4th Discipline