Inner Expeditions

This week I sit down with the incredibly talented singer/songwriter Michael Dunstan.  For most of you who know Michael as a musician you may not know that he's also an accomplished ultramarathon runner with a recent podium at the international event, the MIUT Madeira 85k.

I got to know Mike more as we conversed about him being on the show over a few months and the more we talked the more I know he would be a great guest for the show.  An easy person the speak to who has a calming persona which flows into his music and no doubt the people around him.  

During Covid while music touring was on hold Michael started up running again and decided to aim for a few outstanding family records set by his dad. This would then turn into something he falls in love with as he begins to discover trail running for all that it is.

Michael meditates and practices mindfulness which in turn helps his running as it does in his life, reminding him to live in the now and be present.  We can never say enough that what we learn from running can directly transcend into how we approach life and Mike seems to do it all so well with the extra element of peacefulness and gratitude to go along with pushing your boundaries, personal growth and resilience. 

Super grateful to be sharing this one with you and for having the opportunity to be doing this and meeting new friends like Michael. 

I think you'll enjoy it too.

AH

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Have you ever dreamt of what could be possible if we took a leap of faith? To start something that we've always wanted to do but the fear of the unknown stops us?

We all have our comfort zones we like to stay inside that keeps us feeling safe. But what if every once in a while we stepped outside that bubble and experienced life on the other side?

For this episode I'm joined by James Brougham from The Salty Jocks Adventure Co and we chat about what life can be like if we let go of some of the fears that can keep us where we are. 

James decided to pack up his life, buy a yacht and sail around with his 2 young daughters, ditching the ordinary life for an extraordinary one. Having not a great deal of experience in sailing, that thought alone  would stop most people, but James pushed through to discover the rewards of life on his terms. We chat about how ultra running helped give him a mindset that helped prepare for the unknown and how to endure mentally for the unexpected hurdles we all face in life.

James and his girls are a story of adventure and resilience. From crawling through mangroves for mud crabs to spearfishing and running with his girls in a wheelbarrow, James is a great inspiration of what can be done if you show up every day and make things happen. 

So tune in and get inspired to do something you've always wanted to do but have never started due to the unknown. Sometimes facing that fear of the unknown can open a door to so much more.

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I'm truely humbled to have the chance to sit down and talk with renowned astronomer Greg Quicke aka Space Gandalf.

While "Quickie" was in town during the 2023 total solar eclipse he dropped in to chat about his practical approach to the stars and how we can see the world turn in real time.

Well known for working with the BBC on the 'Stargazers' series and hosting his own show on the ABC, 'A Stargazers Guide to the Cosmos', Greg's life experiences have given him a practical view of the earth and space which he shares with his audiences in a way they can see and understand for themselves.

Greg's also written 2 books with his first publishing 'Earth Turning Consciousness' that inspired his ABC series and  'Is the Moon Upside Down?', released via Penguin Random House Publishing.

On top of all of that, Greg runs his own astronomy tours in his hometown of Broome in north west WA, where he shows people how to see and imagine how our native planet exists and revolves in and around our galaxy.

For more info about Greg and his tours and appearances check out his site here:
https://www.astrotours.net/

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What do you get when you chat with a weight lifting, rock band playing endurance runner who is also a personal trainer? 

  Tune in as I talk with Matt Whitelock on his ups and downs of life, how his fitness journey kept him going through it all and gave him his own identity after being the smallest guy at school.

 Matt's got a great sense of humour and has a positive way of looking at training and how a good mindset can also apply to life.  He manages to incorporate all these factors into his own training and recovery gym, The Shuffle Club.

  I don't need to say much more about this episode as you will get all you need from tuning in.

Episode video is available on on our Youtube channel.

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What do you get when you chat with a weight lifting, rock band playing endurance runner who is also a personal trainer? 

  Tune in as I talk with Matt Whitelock on his ups and downs of life, how his fitness journey kept him going through it all and gave him his own identity after being the smallest guy at school.

 Matt's got a great sense of humour and has a positive way of looking at training and how a good mindset can also apply to life.  He manages to incorporate all these factors into his own training and recovery gym, The Shuffle Club.

  I don't need to say much more about this episode as you will get all you need from tuning in.

Episode video is available on on our Youtube channel.

I'm pretty excited to share this episode with you, featuring the current Australian Backyard Ultra record holder Phil Gore.

We talk about how Phil picked up running again as an adult and what started off as a simple run streak to improve his park run times grew into an ultra endurance journey.
Phil never set out to be a mega endurance athlete but as he found himself doing well in longer distances he started to wonder how far he could push himself.

For him it's a simple philosophy out there and he shares that having a plan and visualising the unknown are some of the things that have helped him achieve goals most think think are beyond possible.

He's a pretty humble guy considering what he's done and how he keeps breaking not only his personal bests, but Australian records. Tune in to see what Phil has in store for the future to and how he keeps learning on his ultra journey.

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I'm pretty excited to share this episode with you, featuring the current Australian Backyard Ultra record holder Phil Gore.

We talk about how Phil picked up running again as an adult and what started off as a simple run streak to improve his park run times grew into an ultra endurance journey.
Phil never set out to be a mega endurance athlete but as he found himself doing well in longer distances he started to wonder how far he could push himself.

For him it's a simple philosophy out there and he shares that having a plan and visualising the unknown are some of the things that have helped him achieve goals most think think are beyond possible.

He's a pretty humble guy considering what he's done and how he keeps breaking not only his personal bests, but Australian records. Tune in to see what Phil has in store for the future to and how he keeps learning on his ultra journey.

For this instalment I'm pleased to be joined by Balance Fitness and Nutrition owner Brooke Turner to talk about training and diet for pregnant and postpartum mums. 

Brooke has always been athletic and found her business inspiration when she became a mum herself.  Now a mum of 3, Brooke is managing all the typical aspects of a busy life as well as running her own gym and online courses to help new and experienced mums find the right level of training for their timeline in motherhood.

For some it can be about maintaining fitness throughout their pregnancy and not "dropping off" while for others it can be about regaining their identity and confidence post pregnancy.  Either way it's important to understand the changes that happen to your body and make sure that if you wish to train before and after having a child that it is done safely and functionally.

Brooke does well to create a space for mums to train and talk about anything without the fear of judgement.  We discuss how important it is to bring previous taboo subjects into the limelight for better understanding for mums and partners to aid in creating a supportive family network. 

I thoroughly enjoyed talking to Brooke, especially as we have recently welcomed our third child and encourage both mums and dads of all experiences to have a listen to this one together.

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What does it mean to be a man today? Years ago yoga, meditation, spiritual work and self awareness were considered mainly things that mostly women did.  Forward to today and the number of guys doing this sort of 'self work' is on the rise and we are not only able to still be a man, but even a much better version of a fully rounded man.

I'm joined by special guest David H Wagner who for years has helped both men and women enter into a more aware state of being with his teachings of yoga, meditation and spiritual work.  I got a glimpse of what David can offer when I was given a copy of his book 'Backbone' by a previous guest and discovered that we as men can operate on a more conscious level without giving away our manliness.  David has worked for over 25 years with both male and female clients and has seen a rise in male numbers for his workshops and online courses as well as an expansion in clients of varying race and orientation.

We discuss that even a small effort in the right direction is still better than doing nothing at all. Once the fire is lit inside we put ourselves onto a better state  of living by not accepting an average life and living with love and purpose.  

I hope you get as much from David as I have. I'm only on the start of this journey but hope I managed to tap into David's wealth of knowledge enough to give you some great take aways to use in your journey too.

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How are we viewing ourselves from our past experiences and what do we hang onto as we head into "the new norm"?

For this instalment of the show we go across the pond to Houston, Texas where I'm joined by Shepard Woodson and Aaron Hinkston from the Deep MC's Podcast.
These guys have started their own show to bring to the table some deep conversations lead from their past and how they are growing along the way.  There's a lot we put on ourselves from our childhood and as men, there's a lot we get from out dads.  Whether our dads were around or not it has an impact on our blueprint.  We can  learn direct lessons that are handed down, but we can also make a conscious effort to not be like them to maybe get it right with our own kids if our upbringing was a struggle.

It's also great to compare our cultures and see where things can go wrong for us mentally with different types of lifestyles as we enter into adulthood and how we are all moving forward into something that is affecting us all.

If you want to check out Aaron and Shepard's show here's how to find it on the platforms:

Podcast platforms & Youtube - DeepMC's
Instagram - @DMCONVO

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