The Cowbell Podcast - Extraordinary Everyday

Gina Johansen grew up on a horse farm in rural Sweden, riding before she could walk. By 19, she was halfway around the world chasing a life most people only dream about. And that was just the beginning.

What followed was a series of expeditions that would stop most people cold — literally. Solo crossings. Record-breaking distances. Temperatures so brutal they don't belong in a conversation about human endurance. Yet somehow, Gina kept going back for more.

In this episode, she pulls back the curtain on what it actually feels like to be alone in the kind of wilderness that doesn't forgive mistakes — and why, for her, that's exactly the point.

Her next goal? Even bigger. And she's already moving toward it.

If you've ever talked yourself out of something hard, this one's for you.

From the outside, she looks like an ordinary mum. But beneath the surface, a fire was smouldering — quiet, patient, waiting. A fire that drove her to the start line of a race most women wouldn't dare picture themselves running. 100 kilometres. Ultra-Trail Australia. The kind of distance that makes most people's jaws drop just thinking about it.

And she crossed the line as the final finisher — beating the cutoff on grit alone.

To get there, she had to outrun the clock. Outlast the doubt. And outperform a version of herself she didn't know existed.

How? One word.

Louise Pontello sits down with Kelvin and Dave to share the mindset, the mantra, and the moment she nearly stopped on the trail. She tells us the single word she called out to herself when her body begged her to quit — and why every woman, every mother, every "I'm not a runner yet" needs to hear this conversation.

If you've ever put a limit on yourself before you've even tried, press play.

@louisepontello

https://www.isagenix.com/en-au/collagen

The Cowbell Podcast episode is brought to you by Kelvin Yip from ZoneRace ⁠⁠@zonerace.ai ⁠⁠ "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Endu1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@endu1sportsnutrition⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Dave Stewart ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@_daventures_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the legendary trail race MC.

Three legends. One trail. Decades of stories that have never all sat in the same room — until now.

In this special UTA retrospective, we're joined by Andy Lee (15-time UTA finisher, original 100K record holder), Brendan Davies (current UTA 100K record holder, 10-time miler winner), and Lou Clifton (three-time UTA 100 podium finisher and Blue Mountains race director) to look back at how Ultra Trail Australia became what it is today.

We're talking the early days of the North Face 100 — when "fat ass races" was a term you had to Google, mountain biking packs counted as race kit, and one runner led the whole field until something nobody saw coming took him out.

There's a record that toppled Kilian Jornet's name. A truce called mid-race. A climber who found her sport by accident. And the cowbell moments that still give them goosebumps.

If you're heading to Katoomba this week — press play.

@brendanjdavies

@andrew.m.lee

@loumclifton

The Cowbell Podcast episode is brought to you by Kelvin Yip from ZoneRace ⁠@zonerace.ai ⁠ "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Endu1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@endu1sportsnutrition⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Dave Stewart ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@_daventures_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the legendary trail race MC.

Some people run to escape. Owen runs to prove something far more powerful.

At 16, Owen's life was turned upside down by a diagnosis that would challenge everything — his health, his identity, and his future. What followed was four years of battles most of us will never face, and a moment at age 20 that changed him forever.

But this isn't a story about what he lost. It's about what he built from it.

Just months after a life-altering surgery, Owen was back in training. Today he's lining up at ultramarathons, backyard ultras, and triathlons — and inspiring a community of people who've been told they can't.

In this episode, Owen gets brutally honest about the highs, the lows, the moments he nearly didn't make it, and the people who pulled him through. He also shares something he's never stopped fighting for — recognition and belonging in a sport that hasn't quite caught up yet.

This one will stay with you.

Owen Lancelot - ⁠@BagOnTheRun

Follow his new supplement business venture, Zōi - @TheZoiHealth

Follow his active wear StrydeActive - @StrydeActive⁠

The Cowbell Podcast episode is brought to you by Kelvin Yip from ZoneRace @zonerace.ai "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Endu1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@endu1sportsnutrition⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Dave Stewart ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@_daventures_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the legendary trail race MC.

In this episode of The Cowbell, we sit down with Ali – a 36-year-old ultramarathon runner, self-confessed carb enthusiast, and proud “slow runner” who proves that belonging has nothing to do with pace or podiums.

Ali’s running journey didn’t begin with talent or triumph. It started with a DNF in an 8k race at high school, a moment that convinced her sport wasn’t for her. For more than a decade, running disappeared from her life – until a casual invitation to a 15k fun run changed everything.

What followed was not just a return to running, but a lifeline. Ali opens up about how running helped free her from more than 14 years of mental imprisonment shaped by childhood trauma and suicidal ideation. Since then, she’s kept leaping – completing multiple 100k races, covering more than 220 miles in a six-day event, running across Scotland, and learning to see DNFs not as failures, but as part of the process.

This conversation goes beyond miles and medals. We talk about redefining success, showing up on the hardest days, why representation matters – especially for women and Asian women in ultra running – and how doing hard things slowly can still change your life.

If you’ve ever felt like you don’t belong on a start line, this episode is for you.

Just keep showing up.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ali_runs_an_ultra/

For coaching queries: https://www.alisonto.com/

From running out of fuel to searching for a bathroom, this is the one race that’s so unique and so special that you come out the other side a completely different person. Coast to Kosci covers roughly 240km from the shores of Eden all the way to the alpine heights near Mount Kosciuszko. Runners climb thousands of metres, face shifting weather, long stretches of quiet country roads, and the mental battle of pushing through day and night with no guarantees.

Each year only a small group is selected to experience what this journey holds. We sat down with those who dared to try and were strong enough to finish. No matter what was thrown at them, they kept moving one foot after another, step by step, until after a couple hundred thousand steps they finally reached the end.

In this episode, you’ll hear why this race is so special, what kept them pushing until the very end, why they chose to take it on, and what might happen to you if you’re itching to try it yourself.

In this special bumper episode of the Cowbell, we bring together a powerful panel of runners, pacers and volunteers to share raw and unfiltered stories from the rugged trails of the GPT100, an event created by the team at Singletrack and part of the World Trail Majors series. This is not about splits or gear. It is a look into the moments that changed people, challenged them and in some cases completely reshaped what they believed they could do.

You will hear from runners who carried far more into the race than just their packs. Personal battles, unexpected setbacks, quiet victories and turning points that unfolded where no one was watching. You will hear about the wild weather, the emotional highs and lows and the community spirit that rose up in unexpected ways. You will meet the everyday legends who gave everything behind the scenes to help others reach the finish.

Some stories will make you stop, some will hit close to home and some you will not see coming. Together they reveal the extraordinary heart of the Grampians.

And no matter if you are a GPT veteran or someone dreaming of entering GPT100 in the future, this is the episode for you.

Stay with us until the end. The final stories might be the ones that stay with you long after you listen.

@sallybeggs9

@jay_l_baker

@elisemarcianti

@anthonycribbes_runs

@dale.pierce.967

@tomdade11

@clifton_gavin

Brought to you by

@endu1sportsnutrition

@_daventures_

Follow

@gpt100miler

@worldtrailmajors

@thegrampians

@singletrack_events

In this deeply moving episode of The Cowbell, we sit down with ultra runner, father, husband, and self-taught app builder Anthony Cribbs ⁠@anthonycribbes_runs, as he prepares to take on the GPT 100 Miler ⁠@gpt100miler in the Grampians once again.

Anthony’s story is one of resilience, gratitude, and perspective. From starting trail running during lockdowns to pushing through brutal races like Buffalo and Wonderland, he’s faced every kind of challenge the trails can throw at him. But nothing could have prepared him for the biggest test of his life, when his newborn daughter, Tallulah, was rushed to hospital at just two weeks old with a life-threatening heart condition.

Anthony opens up about that terrifying day, the miraculous recovery that followed, and how the experience reshaped his outlook on life and running. Now, he’s returning to the Grampians with a new purpose - running to raise funds and awareness for HeartKids ⁠@heartkids, the organisation that supports families of children with congenital and acquired heart disease.

It’s an extraordinary story of endurance, family, and the true meaning of heart, both on and off the trail.

Fundraising for HeartKids: https://heartkidscommunityfundraising.org.au/anthony-cribbes/posts/why-im-running-100-miles-for-heartkids

@anthonycribbes_runs

@heartkids

@gpt100miler

In this episode of The Cowbell, we sit down with adventurer and artist Elise Marcianti ⁠@elisemarcianti⁠. From navigating the challenges of an eating disorder to finding freedom through trail running, pole, mural art, and highlining, Elise has built a life fuelled by curiosity and courage. She shares her solo 300km Alpine hike, her passion for community, and how creativity and adventure help her redefine what’s possible. This conversation is an inspiring reminder that every day can be an adventure when you choose to live fully.

@exploreyourcore_

@elisemarcianti

n this episode of The Cowbell, we sit down with Cindy Chenhall ⁠@cindychenhall⁠, a mum, hairdresser, artist, and trail runner who laughs that she runs like a “dim sim thrown down on a plane.” But what began as a joke has become the story of an ordinary dim sim who found her way to becoming an extraordinary 100km ultra mum.

Cindy shares how a freak pancreas injury led her to running, how she discovered grit and joy on the trails, and how her “give it a go” mindset fuels both her art and her life. She speaks about the power of her trail tribe, the lessons she’s passing on to her kids, and the courage it takes to show up authentically.

Most movingly, Cindy reveals the deeply personal reason she’s tackling her first 100km at the Surf Coast Century , a running for her brother Neil, who lives with multiple disabilities. Her journey is proof that you don’t need to be perfect to inspire others, just brave enough to take the first step.

@bycindyc

@cindychenhall

The Cowbell Podcast episode is brought to you by Kelvin Yip from "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Endu1 - Endurance Fuel & Hydration⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@endu1sportsnutrition⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Dave Stewart ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@_daventures_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the legendary trail race MC.