Thomas White is an ultra runner, photographer, and filmmaker who has turned his passion for endurance sports into a journey of personal growth and adventure. Starting his running journey in 2016, remembering the pride of finishing a 3 kilometre run, Thomas quickly became hooked on the challenge and steadily built his distance, from 7 kilometre runs to completing his first half-marathon in 2018. His love for pushing limits grew, leading him to his first ultra.

After a setback with a serious stress fracture, Thomas took six months off to recover, using the time to explore cycling and walking. He made a triumphant return to ultra running in 2020 with the Summit Shoalhaven 55km, followed by a personal best at the Alpine Challenge 100km in 2021, where he placed 3rd with a time of 14:58.

This year he finished Coast to Kosci for a second time, finishing as the third male in the race and fifth overall.

Through his website and instagram, Thomas shares his experiences in ultrarunning, photography, and filmmaking, hoping to inspire others to embrace the outdoors and pursue their own adventures - no matter how big or small.

You can find more about him here.

Allie Corripio achieved something at Coast to Kosci 2024 that many thought wouldn't be done for years, if at all, she broke the Women's Race Record.

But, she didn't just beat it she smashed it.

The 2020 effort completely shattered by Allie, who in doing so has now raised the bar, following her incredible duel with overall winner Benn Coubrough and third placed Cassie Cohen at the back end of the race.

In this podcast Allie talks me through her rapid rise in ultra running, which she has done while balancing her job as an equine vet and as a young mum. As you'll find out it hasn't always been smooth sailing, which makes the achievement even more impressive.

I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to chat with Allie so soon after the race, and have her break the race down bit, by bit, giving you all an intricate look into what went into the record breaking feat.

Matt Pilley's story is one of both heartbreak and inspiration. His father being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease changed the course of his life, while working in the police led him to see things the average person couldn't imagine.

Throw in a decade long journey with wife Amanda Pilley to become parents, it's enough to test even the toughest of individuals.

But, Matt has shown what strength and resilience can do, in the last two years he's thrilled ultra enthusiasts like myself who love Coast to Kosci, leading last year's race for a long stretch, before being part of this year's lead pack.

He shares his journey in a podcast that's equal parts heartbreaking as it is inspiring, he's one of my running idols that I look up, so it was great to share this chat.

Photo Credit: Nathan Damcevski

Coast to Kosci is Australia's premier ultra marathon, 240km from a beach near Eden all the way to the top of Australia then back down to Charlotte Pass.

Like last year this race is super stacked, and no doubt this year will throw up another surprise or two.

2022 Winner Rob Mason along with 2021-22 winner Maree Connor join me to talk about this year's race.

If you're following the race on social media don't forget to join the conversation using #coasttokosci2024. You can also follow all the action from this weekend's race here which will include live commentary and all the race updates.

Also really worth checking out Rob's podcast 'Mindset for Runners'

Lauren Theodore's running journey changed when she was given a wildcard entry into the 2022 edition of Coast to Kosci.

Having a couple of marathons already under her belt, as well an 80km race at Noosa, and the Larapinta 127km stage race, receiving an entry into the race was a huge leap of faith, but she repaid that faith by showing her trademark grit, finishing inside the top 20 women at Surf Coast Century, before spending 42 and a half hours on her feet for her first finish at Coast to Kosci.

Not bad for someone who just a few years earlier was balancing the start of her running journey while playing Aussie Rules and Netball. Since then she's completed another Coast to Kosci, the 2023 Southern Lakes Ultra, and an eye watering 250 miles at Cocodona (making her the first Aussie to finish that race I'm told!)

Having just completed her 'home town' ultra at the Great Ocean Road a few weeks ago, Lauren is now on track to claim her third finish at Australia's Premier Ultra. That would see her join some rare air, so far only 44 runners have three of more finishes at Coast to Kosci.

You can follow her adventures on instagram at theodorelauren.

This episode marks 60 episodes of the Peak2Soon Podcast, without your support none of this is possible, so thank you, if you love what I do, leave a review, so others like you can find and listen to the amazing humans on this podcast.

Benn Coubrough is an Ultra Runner, Triathlete, Coach at Stroke No Limits, and also the Store Manager orfPure Performance Sports and FootMotion, also recent winner of the 50 kilometre event at the Lonely Mountain Ultra.

He'll be undertaking his first crack at Coast to Kosci in a few weeks as part of the 2024 field. His resume is seriously impressive, and his recent training highlights his preparation for my favourite race, and one of Australia's toughest ultra races.

He gives out a few tips about his preparation for the race, as well as shares his interesting career in sports, which has actually seen him get hit by a car three times. 

You can follow Benn at bennycoubs_ultrarunner on Instagram.

Sam Stow has pretty much done it all in a long career winning a number of races along the way, and finding himself at the front in some of Australia and the World's big races.

He's also the founder of Pop! Running and is on a mission to help runners and multi-sport athletes discover the joys of efficient and injury-free running.

As one of Australia's most respected distance athletes, he is also not immune to taking on a challenge, whether that's running and winning the Beerwah Marathon in sandals, or completing the 4x4x48 challenge while carrying a log.

This October he's raising funds for the Top Blokes Foundation with an incredible backyard ultra challenging forming a key part of the fundraising.

When Covid hit Maddy Reynolds needed an escape. She began going on short runs with her housemates, which saw them run a marathon around Sydney.

But unlike her housemates Maddy pushed on in her running journey by finding solitude in the trails, the challenge of navigating rough terrain, and taking in the breathtaking beauty of nature, which became the perfect antidote to the uncertainty of those times.

It's led her on an incredible journey which saw her quit her job at one of the biggest investment banks in the world, and move to the Pyrenees in France to chase the dream of being one of the world's top trail runners.

Recently, she finished as one of the top 30 females globally at OCC, this episode takes a deep dive into Maddy's rapid rise, and how sometimes in life you just have to take that risk and back yourself in.

Stephen Parker has been a runner for most of his life. It's led him on some incredible adventures, particularly in the Backyard Ultra space where he has been involved in some iconic races, two of which involved some Australian women's running history.

His passion though has led him to write a book There is No Finish which is aimed at runners, and anyone interested in a great sporting story.

It introduces the exploding world of the Backyard Ultra, a new ultramarathon format. Birthed from the high school musings of Lazarus Lake, renowned for the Barkley Marathons, the running event has spread globally—to over eighty countries— with sky-rocketing numbers.

I thoroughly enjoyed this chat with Stephen, in what will no doubt be the first of many he undertakes before his book launches October 12.

You can find more information here

Michael O'Brien's world changed when he took on the challenge of 75 Hard. The gruelling fitness challenge that requires a real mental and physical commitment from people.

From there, after never being a particular sporty individual he got the running bug, which saw him run nine marathons, before joining the Bravehearts 777 Challenge, where people run seven marathons in seven states/territories in seven days.

Now he's recently completed a 100 kilometre race here in Canberra which has him once again in pursuit of his limits.