Episode 194 of The Adventure Podcast features exercise physiologist and endurance athlete, Dr Mark Hines. Mark is a senior lecturer in exercise physiology at Oxford Brookes University, with a background in ultra endurance racing of the gnarliest kind. If it’s long, cold, snowy and potentially deadly, then Mark has probably raced it. In this episode, Mark shares the story of how he got into endurance racing, starting from his childhood experiences of camping and cross country running, to eventually being inspired by a Ben Fogle documentary to compete in the Marathon des Sables. He discusses his academic journey in exercise physiology, emphasising how his own fitness journey and desire to understand the science behind it motivated his studies. This conversation then delves into the physical and mental challenges of endurance racing, with Mark providing detailed insights into his experiences, including the importance of proper preparation, problem-solving, and the emotional and mental impact of these extreme events.

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Episode 193 of The Adventure Podcast features horse rider and adventurer, Jane Dotchin. Jane is an incredible woman. She has been embarking on a remarkable 600 mile horseback journey from her home in Northumberland to Inverness every year since 1972. Now in her eighties, Jane's annual trek, accompanied by her pony, Diamond, and her Jack Russell Terrier, Dinky, has become a testament to resilience, independence, and a style of living that feels lost in the modern world. Traveling with just the essentials, Jane covers up to twenty miles a day, forging connections with people along her route and adapting to the challenges of modern travel which have completely changed her journey over the years. We travelled up to meet Jane in her cabin home in Northumberland and filmed this episode live, sat in a wood store by the river. Hopefully you enjoy this episode with a lady who represents a way of living that we could all learn something from.

This episode is available in-vision on our substack channel, The Adventure Podcast+ ; www.theadventurepodcast.substack.com. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

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Dispatches are our shorter form episodes, usually around a single question, subject or story. In this episode, Matt asks Dr Niall McCann, a biologist, conservationist and explorer, to speak about his family history of exploration and adventures, and to speak to the idea of legacy.

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Episode 192 of The Adventure Podcast features adventure filmmaker and photographer, Matthew Irving. Matthew has a background in wildland firefighting, having worked on engine crews, hotshot crews, and a helitack crew for around 8 years earlier in his career. In more recent years, Matthew has transitioned into adventure filmmaking, often working on expeditions and projects that mirror or overlap with host Matt's own work. This is quite an honest conversation, and they dive in head first with Matthew leading the conversation on their views of each other and how they feel about their careers. They also reflect on the importance of ethics, morals, and personal values in work, and grapple with balancing professional obligations against personal principles. Throughout, they discuss topics like family, the natural world, and the fleeting nature of legacy, emphasising the need to stay true to oneself and find happiness in the present.

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Episode 191 of The Adventure Podcast was recorded live at Kendal Mountain Festival 2024 and features ultra-marathon runner and alpinist, Hillary Gerardi. Hillary recently broke the women's Mont Blanc fastest known time, setting a new record of seven hours, 25 minutes and 28 seconds. In the episode, Matt talks to Hillary about her skyrunning journey, what it took to break the FKT, and the importance of savouring that experience rather than immediately moving onto the next big thing. Hillary also discusses how to safely build individual pillars for alpinism and skyrunning before attempting to bridge the two. They talk about a lesser known project Hillary embarked on this year, imperfect activism, and how she approaches sustainable living as a competitive athlete. It's a broad-ranging, energetic, and inspiring conversation which will leave you wanting to dust off your running shoes and hit the hills.

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Episode 190 of The Adventure Podcast features conservationist and National Geographic Explorer, Dr Steve Boyes. Steve is the driving force behind the Okavango Wilderness Project, working to protect Africa's wild rivers and wetlands. He’s spent years uncovering new species, exploring uncharted ecosystems, and partnering with local communities to keep these landscapes thriving. Steve is also a cancer survivor, a devoted dad, and a natural storyteller. In this episode, Steve gives an insight into his life as an explorer and his approach to conservation. He talks about uncovering new species and massive ecological systems, and how to work closely with local communities to drive real, lasting conservation. He opens up to Matt about how nature shaped him, and how surviving cancer changed his perspective. Through it all, Steve champions the idea of reconnecting with nature, using storytelling to make science matter, and staying hopeful about humanity’s ability to turn things around for the planet.

Photographer credit: Karabo Moilwa

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Episode 189 of The Adventure Podcast features marine scientist, sailor, communicator, and freediver, Charlotte Young. Charlotte is now living aboard and travelling the world on a boat she renovated with her partner. In this episode, Charlotte describes her transition to living a life of adventure - moving onto a sailboat and restoring a 40-foot catamaran to use as her "adventure vessel." She talks about the lessons learned from living at sea, and her project "Voyage to the World". Charlotte also reflects on the challenges and rewards of using social media to amplify these stories, emphasizing the need to drive tangible action rather than just producing content. It's a fascinating, inspiring and fiercely passionate conversation, with plenty of stories of adventure and exploration too.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

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Episode 187 of The Adventure Podcast features ex-Special Forces operator, Jason Fox (aka. Foxy). Foxy is known for his work on TV shows like 'SAS: Who Dares Wins' and 'Inside The Real Narcos'. In this episode, Matt tries to cover new ground with him. The result is not a rip-roaring tale of misadventure, instead it's the honest life story of a man who's achieved a huge amount, but also made mistakes along the way. Foxy talks about his time in the military, being medically discharged, and his personal life and challenges throughout this time. He discusses getting into TV presenting and how this was received by his military colleagues, and what life looks like now. It is an open, honest, and vulnerable conversation which goes deep into the 'tough man' we see on screen.

This episode is available in-vision on our substack channel, The Adventure Podcast+ ; www.theadventurepodcast.substack.com. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast.

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Episode 187 of The Adventure Podcast features scallop diver, seaweed farmer, author, writer, and father, Guy Grieve. Guy spent a year off-grid living in a cabin he built in the Alaskan wilderness. In this episode, Guy talks to Matt about his past and what made him the man he is now. He tells stories of his time in the Alaskan wilderness, why he left his family behind in the UK, and what happened while out there. It's an emotional episode, and Guy is one of the most gracious, genuine, and grounded guests we've ever had on. Fair to say it's one of our favourite episodes ever recorded.

This episode is available in-vision on our substack channel, The Adventure Podcast+ ; www.theadventurepodcast.substack.com.

This episode is brought to you by Chimney Fire Coffee; a Certified B Corp™️, committed to the highest social and environmental standards. What sets Chimney Fire Coffee apart is their dedication to ethical sourcing. They pay their producers on average double Fairtrade prices, building direct, personal relationships. Plus, they give back by supporting Re-Cycle, donating to refurbish and send bikes to rural Africa.

They have 10 responsibly sourced house coffees from around the world, so there's definitely something to suit your taste and your brew method. And if you’re extra keen you can head out to Surrey to join their weekend tours and experiences to learn more about the journey from farm to cup. Head to chimneyfirecoffee.com/tap and 15% off your first order will be automatically applied. 

Photographer credit: Glenn Dearing

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In the second episode of our new series The Far Reaches, our guest is Emma Linford. Emma is an outdoor professional with a number of different strings to her bow. She’s a mountain instructor, international mountain leader, outdoor education and is heavily involved in the Right To Roam movement in the UK, as well as the Stars Are For Everyone movement that is campaigning to defend the right to wild camp on Dartmoor. This conversation is far reaching. Matt talks to Emma about her early life and inspirations, how she became an outdoor facilitator and why she started travelling overseas. She also speaks about her social and political views and their relevance to the outdoors, before discussing the right to roam movement in a little more detail.

The Far Reaches is a new long-term series where we speak to guests about subjects related to our planet and our place on it. These episodes will dig a little deeper, perhaps enter the realm of armchair philosophy, and will tackle some more existential questions surrounding adventure and exploration.

This episode is brought to you by Chimney Fire Coffee; a Certified B Corp™️, committed to the highest social and environmental standards. What sets Chimney Fire Coffee apart is their dedication to ethical sourcing. They pay their producers on average double Fairtrade prices, building direct, personal relationships. Plus, they give back by supporting Re-Cycle, donating to refurbish and send bikes to rural Africa. They have 10 responsibly sourced house coffees from around the world, so there's definitely something to suit your taste and your brew method. And if you’re extra keen you can head out to Surrey to join their weekend tours and experiences to learn more about the journey from farm to cup. Head to chimneyfirecoffee.com/tap and 15% off your first order will be automatically applied. 

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.