Curious AF

#12 - Beyond the Finish Line - Jess Peil

• Luke B • Episode 12

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Guest: Jess Peil, a multi-time ultra marathon runner, endurance athlete, and passionate advocate for Bravehearts. She is best known for completing Triple 7—seven marathons in seven states in seven days, seven years in a row, using each run as a platform to raise funds and awareness for child protection. With over $300,000 raised to date, Jess combines her love for long-distance running with a mission to make a lasting impact. Whether she’s tackling a 100-mile race or rallying community support, Jess leads with grit, heart, and purpose.

Host: Luke Biermann, Managing Director of Mechanical Seal Engineering Pty Ltd, Councillor of Pump Industry Australia, Forum Chair of Entrepreneurs Organisation Adelaide, and Founder of Hard Stuff Podcast

In this episode of the Hard Stuff Podcast, host Luke Biermann has an inspiring and grounded conversation with ultra runner and charity advocate Jess Peil. Jess shares her journey from nervous first-timer to completing seven consecutive years of Triple 7 marathons in seven states in seven days, while raising over $300,000 for Bravehearts, a charity dedicated to protecting children from sexual abuse.

The discussion explores the mindset behind endurance running, the mental games that help carry her through ultra-distance events, and the power of community in overcoming fear and fatigue. Jess also opens up about the emotional toll of injury, what motivates her to keep showing up, and why speed is never the goal, impact is. Luke and Jess reflect on purpose-driven pursuits, redefining success, and how ordinary people can create extraordinary change.

ABOUT CURIOUS AF PODCAST

Curious AF is the evolution of what started as The Hard Stuff Podcast. Initially focused on guests who’d done hard things—ultra marathons, building businesses, overcoming personal challenges—it’s now becoming a broader platform to explore anything and everything I’m genuinely curious about.
The new direction is more personal and wide-ranging. I want it to feel like a space where I can follow my curiosity and have real conversations with people who inspire, challenge, or fascinate me.

For further information, contact:
Podcast Host - Luke Biermann
General Inquiries: hello@curiousaf.com.au
Instagram: @curiousaf.podcast

Hello and welcome to the Hard Stuff podcast. My guest today is Jess Peel. Jess is an ultra runner and philanthropist who has run very far. She's done a bunch of ultras and she's raised a hell of a lot of money and she has some awesome stories to go with it. Um, a few audio issues here and there'cause I'm using some new software. It is worth pushing through. It gets better at the back end. And, uh, yeah, the conversation was great, and Jess is just such an interesting, fun, bubbly person. Uh, hope you enjoy the show. Thanks.

Luke:

Jess Pill. Thanks for coming on the show.

Jess:

Thanks so much for having me, Luke. Really appreciate it. Yeah,

Luke:

just so, so I brought you on to talk about triple seven and ultra running, and then last week, I think it was last week, I didn't even realize I was following you on Facebook and you were doing a, was this a 250 K Ultra in New Zealand?

Jess:

yeah, I kind

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

out of my comfort zone a lot with that one because it was, I haven't done a multi day, um, all that's on trail.

Luke:

Yep.

Jess:

So we did 264 K all up, through the South Island and New Zealand and up over these ridiculous mountains and rivers it was

Luke:

Wow. I mean, it was around Queenstown, wasn't it?

Jess:

correct,

Luke:

Yeah, I, I went, we went there with the family a few years ago. I love that place so much. Can you kind of talk us through what that race was and then maybe your personal journey through it? I mean,'cause what was it? It was a six day event.

Jess:

but six stages. So we started off having like that. I was out initially. Like I was really, really nervous and then got there in the community was just beautiful. So

Luke:

What were you What? Wait, hold on. What were you nervous about? Because leading into this, I, I googled your name and it came up with your ultra running history and I almost fell off my chair, Jess, like, it's so what you have achieved is insane. I, I,

Jess:

over excited.

Luke:

yeah.

Jess:

I have to do everything,

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

I think I was more nervous because it was camping as well. So every day was camping, having to take all your own food.

Luke:

Wow.

Jess:

And they take one bag

Luke:

I

Jess:

a certain size and you have only 15 kilos maximum. And we

Luke:

gear. I didn't realize it was camping. So did you have to bring your own gear?

Jess:

had our own, um, like sleeping bag and sleeping mat, but we like tent wise, they, they provide all that.

Luke:

Okay, so you just pull up and jump in a tent, sleep and then get going again.

Jess:

exactly.

Luke:

So did you say you have to bring all your own food?

Jess:

All your own food. So it's all freeze dried, like that revolting to eat the whole way. Yeah,

Luke:

From a kilometer perspective, like how many Ks you're doing a day, all of that kind of stuff.

Jess:

so we kicked off with a marathon the first day, uh, just along this beautiful river in Suffolk, it was stunning. And then every day was around 30, 40 km every day. And then on day five, the big day, which ended up being 83, and then a day off, and then a little break for the last day.

Luke:

Ahead. So how did you hold up?

Jess:

Actually really good.

Luke:

Were you able to sleep okay in the in, in the tent?

Jess:

look, when you, when you're sleeping in the tent like 10 tents around you and stuff and you can hear everything. So I like the amount of and to eat the whole week was nuts. Yeah.

Luke:

Well, it was funny, like, I don't know if you saw, I caught up with Googy who just did the, yeah. Yeah, so, yeah. Yeah. But he was talking because I was like, was it hard to sleep on, you know, the private, the, the private jet? And he, he kind of referred it back to seven seven. Like, I remember our year, we were just all like, I was just so exhausted. I could just sleep anywhere. So it wasn't a big issue, you know.

Jess:

in his, Guggsy in his cushy private plane.

Luke:

That's a, that's, that's a good point.

Jess:

gonna

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

to go. Look,

Luke:

how was it? Maybe tell us about some of the train and stuff.'cause Queenstown is such a beautiful location.

Jess:

the, a lot of the time we were on, um, like fire roads and stuff. So it was like, you know, just undulation the whole time. And then A lot of single track as well, which is really great. cause that's, that's really jammed.

Luke:

Yep.

Jess:

the, on the long day, on the 83 K day, we started at the top of Toronto peak and we went through this mountain bike track and I got really overexcited bombed it down there, loved it. then we hit this, like the rivers and stuff. And then we went up this mountain and the mountain was so steep. at 24 minute case up hill, it was the hottest.

Luke:

24 minute K. That's like half of walking speed.

Jess:

exactly. It was so steep. And then it was the hardest downhill that I have ever done in my life. You literally going down grass and just sliding the whole time. It was really. It was an experience.

Luke:

Do you know how many meters a vert is in the whole event?

Jess:

Uh, 8, 800 all

Luke:

That's, that's an Everest, isn't it?

Jess:

Ah, I don't know, it. I

Luke:

I'm pretty sure because my, my brother-in-law is a crazy ultra runner as well. When he was talking about doing an an Everest in a day where he just runs up and down a, a mountain and I'm pretty sure it's eight, around eight and a half thousand,

Jess:

That

Luke:

which is sounds, which is wild. I can't do any sort of hills during an ultra whatsoever.

Jess:

it's,

Luke:

It's.

Jess:

I mean, you hear about, I can't remember what the event is, I think it's the Oscars or the Archie, and that's 000 metres of earth in that, in

Luke:

Yeah. Okay.

Jess:

Victoria, so. It's crazy.

Luke:

Wow. And so how will all that vert, I mean, how, so your body held up Okay. Did it?

Jess:

Yeah, actually held up really well. I had, um, before I got into it, I had sciatica, um, and that's gone. So

Luke:

Okay. I'm, I'm gonna play, play my ignorance here. What's sciatica?

Jess:

Uh, sciatica is like a, like a pulling down the back of your leg.

Luke:

Okay. So it's just,

Jess:

ache down the back of my leg the whole time, but it, it like literally, it's gone.

Luke:

okay. And how many people do this? This Southern Lakes

Jess:

Oh, we had.

Luke:

have had?

Jess:

71

Luke:

Yeah. Yeah. Wow.

Jess:

um, 20 crew they were, I

Luke:

Okay. Wow. And can you, do I, do you mind me asking what's the cost on an event like that?

Jess:

think it was off the top of my head because it was a while ago that I registered for it was about three and a half New Zealand dollars,

Luke:

That's not too bad, so.

Jess:

but it's next year, it's 60 percent sold out already. Correct.

Luke:

What? So they, they, obviously, they've got a limited amount of spots that they can cater for. Okay. So, so.

Jess:

think it was too much.

Luke:

What's that? Sorry.

Jess:

Uh, when you, they did a hunt, they had a hundred people participating and was just a bit too big. So the doctor right back.

Luke:

So, so, so how I usually operate, and this is a bit of a cycle now, is I'll sign up for something big and crazy and then as soon as that event's finished, I'll just do nothing for three years to six months. And then I'll find another crazy event. Like, so, like, so for after our year of triple seven, which for those listening who aren't aware, uh, we met doing seven marathons in seven states of Australia in seven days. So yeah. So yeah, after that I didn't do any, I lost my love of running for about six months. Um, and then, what's that, sorry.

Jess:

You were busted.

Luke:

Busted. I was, yeah. Yeah, yeah. I was really busted. Um, I, I wasn't as prepared as I should have been for that. I had, I had no, no, uh, deal. I should have signed up. But yeah, anyway, I just did. Um, so I just did Bustleton Iron Man in December and I haven't really done anything since that. So I'm looking for another crazy event. To sign up to and just seeing the landscape and, and kind of the setup of what you just did. Uh, I think that might be it. I'm not sure.

Jess:

Oh, it's, you know what, for someone who was actually petrified, actually petrified of it before I started. I can't wait to do it again.

Luke:

Do it again.

Jess:

Yeah. Yeah. I'll do it again.

Luke:

How many, how many ultras are you doing a year?

Jess:

Three?

Luke:

Three. Okay. Is that, and that's, and that's including triple seven? Yeah. Including triple seven.

Jess:

this year will be that one. obviously suddenly software's done,

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

then there'll be, um, Delirious West, miler over in in April,

Luke:

So where, where's that? Uh, in WA, oh, what's it called? The.

Jess:

Delirious.

Luke:

Yeah, so I think that's run by Ultra sa

Jess:

think so.

Luke:

because I was speaking to the guy who owns that company. Like, so my brother-in-law just did the belay marathon and I was sitting down with that guy and he was telling me about all his events. They've got some crazy events and they, they, they're putting on a lot more a hundred milers now, so

Jess:

Yeah.

Luke:

yeah. So there,

Jess:

forward to doing that one. I'm doing it with, um, with Loza who did Triple

Luke:

who did triple seven as well. Oh wow. So delirious. Where, where, whereabouts is that? That's not the one in Busselton, is it?

Jess:

Yeah.

Luke:

It is. Yes. That's why we're talking about it.'cause I told him that I was just in Busto doing the Iron Man and he was telling me about that event. And it sounds awesome.

Jess:

Sounds so good. So

Luke:

like the, the land over there is just beautiful. I think that would be so much fun. Oh,

Jess:

It looks amazing. But like they've said, just get your sand training going and you know, get on sand and I'm like Anyway, I'll give it,

Luke:

I'll give it a, I'll give it.

Jess:

really like to do the 200 miler that they have. But it's, this is my like taster.

Luke:

They do a 200. Where's that?

Jess:

what? 320 k's there

Luke:

Do you know where that is? Is that the same event or a different event?

Jess:

Yeah, same

Luke:

Yes. Oh my God.

Jess:

miler at the same event.

Luke:

Oh my God.

Jess:

Uh huh. So

Luke:

I mean, the reason I reached out to you was, is this your seventh Triple seven in a row.

Jess:

correct. Correct.

Luke:

God. So you've done seven marathons, seven states in seven days in, um, seven times in a row. Can I ask how much do, do, do you have a figure of how much funds you've raised for charity?

Jess:

I think at this point it's around 300, 000 that I've raised over that time, and I've got on my list for all my, you know, want to raise for this year is that 200, 000. I'd love to get to half a million.

Luke:

Well, well.

Jess:

year was my last year, so I was really, you know, I'm really last year's result. And, but yeah, just to go, go big or go home this time.

Luke:

So, so how did you first find Triple Seven? And, and what attracted you to the event? What? Why do you keep coming back every year?

Jess:

I think, well, first found it from a woman in Canberra who had done it she was out at a local, local event called Colwyn, um, Colwyn she was there doing just a training run. And because she was going into the treatment, and it just piqued my interest. And it was one of those, you those serendipity moments and stuff where when you first come up to work in psychiatry, that, that's the way. And his solicitor at the time had suggested about the thing that cancerous heart disease gets involved with this thing called Braveheart's something.

Luke:

Yep.

Jess:

And I said, I'll watch. And I said, do you want to run and it's just started from there, but I think, you know, so often with stuff like this challenge, so that first year it was like, you know, I really want to see it, but I also, and I said it to, I'm not going to be the first on the line, but I am going

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

And every year since then, I've done and the first year I've raised 55, 000, I think it was, the first year, I

Luke:

Sorry, you just broke up for a second.

Jess:

first year. So that was pre COVID.

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

And, um, so I did that one and then, um, I really just got drawn in people Um, Betty was with us, KJ was there, Ian was there. And they're just the most beautiful, warm, people,

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

it really cemented in me that it's something I want to do, and I want

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

and I also think that there's certain things like, you know, like, are you accepting of suicide prevention, alcohol and drug prevention, if we hit And I think that's really important. That are young, a lot of this other stuff won't happen, they won't need it, like if you're protecting kids who have been affected by sexual abuse, um, at such a young age, so often the other things won't occur.

Luke:

Yeah. Yeah. So in a way, you, it's, uh, trying to address the root or of the issue rather than try to fix it later in life.

Jess:

Exactly. Exactly.

Luke:

Yeah. And look, I, I, I agree with you. I mean, I, I met just such a group, such an amazing group of people during my seven seven experience. You know, it's just such a wild combination of people, people that are willing to do something like run three, seven marathons in seven days and seven stage, but also, you know, want to raise money for charity. I mean, what, what kind of better group of people could you meet in life? I guess

Jess:

It's just,

Luke:

it's just, it.

Jess:

like, it's that whole thing with purpose and it pushes you along a lot more than, know, just, Oh, I'm going to go to America.

Luke:

Yeah. Yeah, yeah,

Jess:

behind it. There's nothing behind it.

Luke:

yeah. So how did you raise so much money? I mean, 60 5K in the first year. That's, that's impressive.

Jess:

It kind of blew me away year and stuff, and I was like, it just kept rolling. really incredible network through Um, so, and then we also, I have people donate and I. The first year, I think I only raised about during the first year,

Luke:

Yep.

Jess:

taste of it. done that every year since. And then, just begging and pleading.

Luke:

Well, awesome.

Jess:

yeah, it's,

Luke:

And, and what about, I mean, how has that developed?'cause I mean 200,000, is that what you're looking for this year? Somewhere around 200,000. What's the, what's the plan? What's the strategy? Has that begun yet?

Jess:

Uh, it's it has begun. I'm sitting on just over 16 16, 000 at the moment. so I do have a lot of people in anytime fitness, um, family, so to speak. They do need to get involved and they host events in their club and all that of stuff as well, which is really great. but yeah, that's kind of my main, big bulk stuff walking from that. So, and then everything else is completing and pleading.

Luke:

Yeah. So I, I'm interested in about, I mean, you've, so you've done this amazing thing coming up to seven times. I'm interested in like different years. Does the body respond in different ways? Is it always brutal? Is it sometimes fresh? I mean, what does that feel like?

Jess:

Every year is different, so I keep finding that one year I'll be injured and the next year I won't.

Luke:

Okay.

Jess:

of rolling over like that. I think this year's my injury year, but we'll see what happens, who knows. Um, I think because we've got such a good, um, medic team who comes along with us,

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

that it really helps us get through. but yeah, it's just a, it's the draw.

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

You know, like, you can train so much for something when you do something. But you never know when a niggle is going to kick in,

Luke:

Hmm. Sorry, just hitting hope. Yeah. Have you ever, have you ever had any years where it's just gone by, you know, breezy and felt amazing?

Jess:

Yeah,

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

yeah, last year was pretty in that regard, like, as in injury wise and stuff, it was pretty good. Um, the second year, because that was the, like, during COVID. So I did everything in Canberra by myself,

Luke:

Yep.

Jess:

people come and join me each day, But

Luke:

wait, you did seven marathons in, in Canberra by yourself? Yeah. Ah, was that 2020? 2020, yep.

Jess:

Yes. That was all the shutdown. Yeah. And I, um, so I just picked different places, which was cool because I did different, um, different lakes around Canberra and then also different mountains around Canberra, but just, just on the low end. stuff.

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

So I think having that variety was really, and I'd get home and I had a masseuse and I had my, you know, physio come over. So it was really

Luke:

It sounds great, but it also sounds like you, you would, you would, I would struggle with motivation. You know, like there's something about being in that atmosphere with a bunch of other people that are doing it too, and, and you're not in your own comfy bed and that you're like, oh, I'm here. I've gotta do that. I, I think if I was. I had to wake up in my own bed and go out and run my own marathon. I think in some ways that would be more, more difficult.

Jess:

but it was hard because you, you were the ones like sitting there, setting the places and setting the start time and all that sort of stuff, but there were people there every day.

Luke:

Yeah,

Jess:

still had at least

Luke:

I,

Jess:

10 people or so, um, every single day running with me.

Luke:

yeah. So is number seven it or are you, or like, are you retiring from triple seven or are you gonna

Jess:

I'll never say never. Um, I'll see how this thing, how it goes this year and stuff and then just kind of go from there. I think my big thing was that I want to get to seventh

Luke:

You wanna what? Sorry?

Jess:

I wanted to get to the

Luke:

Get to the seventh.

Jess:

then see happens.

Luke:

Well, I, I remember that like, so I did it in 2022. And that's what you were saying back then as well? Yeah.

Jess:

a, I'm like a one trick pony. But I do, I would love to also really look at doing the, the one that goes into the

Luke:

Yeah,

Jess:

as well. I've, I

Luke:

I,

Jess:

think from the year one, it was, I went in and then around the year, won.

Luke:

well.

Jess:

whatever I do, I'll still keep raising cancer very fast.

Luke:

Oh, that's awesome. Yeah, I mean, I, I think what Gosey did was awesome as well. I would love to do that. I, I don't think it fits into my life right now. Um, yeah, I know, I know. Just his story was, was so incredible and just hearing about him running in Antarctica. I mean, what an experience and, uh, Columbia and Miami, um, amazing.

Jess:

looks awesome and it's really just, it's, it's just got me going. I really want to do that well,

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

so fast, the people who are doing it. So fast.

Luke:

Yeah. It is crazy. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I mean, I thought you were incredibly fast during the triple seven. No.

Jess:

I'm like hitting like six hour

Luke:

Six hour.

Jess:

and stuff

Luke:

Oh, okay. Yeah.

Jess:

like, cause I, the one thing that I, um, like with the triple seven marathon, I always sort of find that how fast you go in, it doesn't matter. It's not, you know, you can turn around and compare your times to the year before you know, compare your times to the day before or whatever. But that's ego,

Luke:

Yes.

Jess:

if that's what's driving you to do this event by leave, like not doing it for the right reasons, you're supposed to be in there talking about the organization, talking about what they do, raising as much funds as possible to keep kids safe, hitting a milestone It's ridiculous.

Luke:

Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I agree with that. And also, like I, I find from a personal point of view, it, it does take the fun out of it for me when I get my own ego involved, like e even with the Iron Man, um, there's so much external pressure from everybody. Like, what time are you trying to hit? What time are you trying to hit? I was kind of just like, to be honest, I don't really care. Like, you know, this is an awesome event. It's fun. I've done my training, I'm bringing the family up. It is just about an atmosphere, but like, you know, excellent. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's funny, like I got comments from people before I did the Iron Man, like, oh, what are you trying to get? I'm like, ah, 12 and a half hours. And they were like, oh, well, if I did an Iron Man, I'd probably train like 20 hours a week and, and hit like 10 hours. And this is for people that have never done a triathlon before. I'm like, okay, would you cool?

Jess:

Great. Good one. See you later.

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

Whenever anyone turns around and says to me, what do you want to achieve? And I'm like, I don't want to die through

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

it and don't die. it, yeah, like it, it really me when

Luke:

Me when people are that way. Yeah. Charity. It, it, yeah. It's just, it, it is kind of missing the point, isn't it?

Jess:

Oh, it really misses the point. Really, really missed the point. So, but

Luke:

Um, Jess, when did I speak about you not wearing headphones when you're running? I mean, this is what is going on. I think that that's more impressive than the event itself.

Jess:

I honestly cannot wear them at all. Like I sit there and I put those things in my ears and I'm just like, Oh, nah, aggravates me too much. I, as I said to you the other day, it's really nice to be able to hear you breathing and make sure you're not actually dying. But I.

Luke:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I mean, you must have a good relationship with your own mind. I just need a,

Jess:

I'm a bit

Luke:

I need to check out, I.

Jess:

bit mental.

Luke:

I mean, what, what's a hundred miler? Like, how, like, what's that? Like, you know, 15, 20 hours

Jess:

Uh, yeah,

Luke:

and that's just, and that's with no music or anything like, so you are just out there with your own mind.

Jess:

Yeah, listening to whatever's going on. I will say though, because I had one spot, um, during Southern Lakes, that my watch died. It was the long day. So I put it onto my phone and I was like, Oh my God, this is taking so long. It was in the dark, I was by myself, and I'm like, Oh gosh, this is going to be like three hours. It was an hour and a half, and I'm like, what, where did your You know, you just. You, your mind is the thing that gets you

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

and I've done that twice. And I did that in my last year where there was this one part, one part that was not too many cases where I felt like I was out there for eight and it was near wild.

Luke:

Yeah. Yeah, yeah,

Jess:

It's wild,

Luke:

It is wild.

Jess:

you just have to keep, it's one of those, like, it is that mental game where you have to just try and bring yourself back to or you, you do yourself a little tricks the way. Um, my Tara were when I was, um, Nodos, I was like,

Luke:

Yeah,

Jess:

got two hours between, here we go, here we go, here we go,

Luke:

yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I. I, I, I found that as well, you know, like with the seven seven, when I was in day four, day five, day six. You need to play those games. Like, you're like, okay, I am halfway. Okay. I am three quarters. Okay. I'm seven, eighth. Okay. I'm, you know, 19 20th there. Okay. I've got 10 minutes, you know, uh, just something to,

Jess:

count down each 7k

Luke:

yeah.

Jess:

like over the, over the event and stuff, you're like, okay, cool. There's my sandwich. Stop. I've got another seven days to go. Okay. That's six down. That's too good. You know, you just count yourself down the whole time. That's good.

Luke:

On the Southern Lakes, seeing you had to bring your own food, did you plan for calorie intake? Like were you like, oh, I need to hit, you know, 4,000 calories, or were you just like, she'll be all right wing it?

Jess:

I'm a, I'm a wing it. She'll be right. Kind of girl.

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

Karen did suggest, um, a certain amount of calories per day and stuff. And I was like, I can't eat that. There's no way I can eat that amount to the point. And I'm sorry, Karen. I was giving food away.

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

because there's two, there's So there's, um, and the unsupported guys carry their whole lot all week with them. got their sleeping bags in their bag, all their food in their bag, on their back every day. Um, yeah, sleeping bags, sleeping bags, all their clothes, they carry it every time they're out. Whereas we had just for the day and everything was into the tents and stuff, which was for me the better way. Um, we had, um So some of the guys that need a lot more calories, and I was like, you know, I can't, I can't eat this whole, whole bag of pasta. So I was like, can you go that, like, handy, you just can't eat that amount.

Luke:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, look, I, I, I, I mean, I was the opposite when I, when we were doing triple seven, I, I think I put on weight over the week. I mean, I was eating so much. I would wake up and have the biggest bowl for breakfast, huge lunch, and at the airport I was just chocolates everything I could get in. Yeah. Yeah.

Jess:

I kind of do that with that as well. I don't know why it just, yeah, it feels easier to just keep eating when you're doing marital

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

Rather than off country ones.

Luke:

So, so, so what's in the pipeline? Is it just the triple seven now? And then what is the, what's the one? The deli delirious? Yeah, yeah,

Jess:

Um, so I'm

Luke:

yeah. So I'm hoping get to that one and just,

Jess:

supposed to actually do any running for the next four weeks, husband, but, um, it's like, I just have to see how we go with that, but I, I am the person that does not train optimally and then goes and doesn't prevent,

Luke:

Yeah. Okay.

Jess:

yeah. It happens.

Luke:

That's what happened to me. I think like I got covid like five weeks out of our first triple seven and then like I was so stressed coming up to the event because I didn't run for like three weeks and then like I was a bit chesty and, but there was no way of pulling out.

Jess:

No, exactly. You did it. You did such a good job, but I, I still just remember seeing you like hobbling. Yeah.

Luke:

dragging myself along, so by, yeah.

Jess:

broken leg, but

Luke:

Well my, so my ankles, I had really bad ankle swell, so both my ankles had like, I don't know, doubled in size and I had to have like my shoelaces completely undone. And I think I was just living off, um, you know, tramadol or whatever the hell Matt gave me. Yeah,

Jess:

you were so,

Luke:

yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. I, I was,

Jess:

so different.

Luke:

yeah, I was a mess. I was a real mess. Um, I, I remember after, after Hobart was Hobart number four. That's hard. That was the hardest for me, without a doubt. And

Jess:

system. Launceston.

Luke:

yes, sorry, Launceston. Yeah. Yeah. And then after I finished, everyone was like, oh yeah, good job. I'm like, I can't talk to anybody. And I just kind of walked off and like. Cuddled up in the fetal position in the bush, just like had had a bit of a cry to myself. But that was, I think it was me and you that lost our luggage that day, wasn't it?

Jess:

Oh, and Mel

Luke:

Yeah, me. Yeah,

Jess:

lost our luggage because

Luke:

because that's the day that melon about wearing Lucy.

Jess:

brand new shoes and it's stuffed it's stuffed it for years.

Luke:

Oh really? Yeah.

Jess:

like, has little repercussions from, from not from wearing shoes that weren't before. Yeah. Yeah. That's right.

Luke:

Okay. Yeah, because I remember like that was a deep fear of mine that we would lose luggage. Right. So I just wore my runners the whole time. So when we got to the event, I had my runners, but I was also wearing like, you know, track pants and like a normal shirt and stuff like that. Yeah.

Jess:

Cause I had, I've, I've got the, you know, like the gymnastics mom thing where everything in your backpack and take it on the plane before, like the in need for the next day. So I had, I had my shoes and I had my cool outfit for the next day ready to go in my backpack.

Luke:

Uh, okay. And then

Jess:

anyway, and it was fine because I had everything and then the guys had to go and do that on that dash to the 24 hour to get, Oh,

Luke:

you're prepared. You've, you've done it before, so

Jess:

it's not my first rodeo.

Luke:

Yeah. So do you still so do after all of these ultras, do you still have a love and a passion for running and if so, why?

Jess:

I, I really do. Um, I did have the end of last year. I was having a bit of a, a level. And was kind of, you know, it really got to that point where I went, you know I just don't want to do this. I don't want to do it. And I think everyone does that if go through the highs and lows of it all. Um, so I went to do, um, um, for the 100K last November? Yeah, November, I think it was. And I rolled my ankle up in this storm and at about, I think it was about 30. And then we were held Um, that was passed for an hour, about two and a half as the storm coming through and I, and then I ended up checkpoint. So it took me a day. reckon that day on a paper cut that like, I was not in the mindset for it. go to the next page and turn around to the next one. Let's go, let's go get pizza and wine. I'm done. I left. Um, but like the storm was relentless. I'm really glad pulled out that one. But that's my only ever demo.

Luke:

Okay, back. Yeah.

Jess:

always. I'll come back to do other things. I think again it comes back to I knew I had something coming up on it and it was scary

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

did say to my class three at the time and to reach my husband, um, I need something to scare me. Everything just feels kind of, I'm doing the same things over and over, of feels a bit vanilla

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

and suddenly I get it, me into it stuff and now,

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

so it's good.

Luke:

Yeah. So, so were you, were you ultra running prior to your first triple seven, or was that your.

Jess:

I've been running for a long time, I, um, I I'd done the UT, uh, UTA like that. Yeah.

Luke:

Is that the one in, that's the one in, sorry, that's the one in Victoria, is it?

Jess:

No, that one's up in the mountains, obviously.

Luke:

That's right. Yep. Isn't that one like crazy vert? Yeah.

Jess:

Yeah.

Luke:

So what distance, what distance?

Jess:

up until then. I've done this 50 a couple of times. Um, I've seen this 100 there once. Um, and then I've done the gap up from where I did the 22 and then do the 50 the next day.

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

but I'd only done 50 maybe twice triple seven, two, three times, something like that. Yeah. So that was kind of my orientation. 4a into it, prided up, prided up,

Luke:

Yep.

Jess:

yeah, so it's, yeah, it's good.

Luke:

So why, why, why, why do you keep coming back?

Jess:

don't, you know what, that's

Luke:

It's a hard question to answer.

Jess:

Um,

Luke:

It's funny. It's funny that that's a hard question to answer because yeah.

Jess:

it's bizarre, I do really love it and I think, so skiing is my sport. I love like that is my absolute 100%. I would do that every day if I could, but I can't so run like running down heels is quite close.

Luke:

Are you talking about water skiing or snow skiing?

Jess:

skiing, no skiing. That's like my, oh, absolute happy place. But I mean, even my. My number plate on my car is Ski One. It's one of my two favourite sports on my, um, on my number plate. But it's, um, I think that's kind of the closest way that I can get to the mountains and do something active without actually skiing.

Luke:

Okay.

Jess:

you can't ski every day, unfortunately.

Luke:

You, I think I'm, I'm so we're, I'm going to the snow for the first time this year. We're going to To Bright?

Jess:

Oh, nice. Yeah, yeah. Beautiful.

Luke:

Yeah. Awesome. Any recommendations?

Jess:

You need to get videos of that. That'll be hilarious.

Luke:

Yeah, me hurting myself.

Jess:

Oh my gosh. I love it. I've been like

Luke:

Cool. Since I was before, so yeah.

Jess:

then my dad was a runner as well. So there's the, you know, the great racing moment.

Luke:

What? Sorry.

Jess:

It's called the Great Train Race

Luke:

No, I never heard of it. What's that?

Jess:

so it's against, um, there's a train called Puffing Billy,

Luke:

Yeah. Um, I,

Jess:

my, it was my dad's idea to start that. and it's almost 40 years that that's been going for. So, yeah, so it's kind of family. So you race a train, so the

Luke:

sorry,

Jess:

leaves at the same time as all the runners leave. and, um, to English and you have to try and beat the time. It's really cool.

Luke:

so what's the distance?

Jess:

but they've changed it the last couple of years. So, the original format was set up for kids.

Luke:

Okay,

Jess:

Uh, it's really cool. cool. So, running is

Luke:

awesome. Um, endurance athletes often talk about hitting the wall. Can you talk about your experience with hitting the wall and, and, and how do you, how do you get through those dark times?

Jess:

I've only hit the wall once, and that I can think, like hit the real wall where it, you know, once and I'm

Luke:

Really, you've only hit the wall once with all of those ultras.

Jess:

once. Just once.

Luke:

Wow.

Jess:

I haven't been a big sookie lala and burst into tears at events, but, um, but that's the only actually wall where I was like, breathe and, um, was like, I can't keep going only one time. And it's scary. It's

Luke:

was that? What event was that?

Jess:

it actually was just a training run. Yeah,

Luke:

We, yep.

Jess:

never, bumped during an event, but it was real, like, can't catch breath, can't breathe, can't, and there was an event going up, a mountain biking event going on at the same time, and I had people pouring water over me, just trying to, like, come down and get off, got back to my house up there and stuff, and it was a mess. Um,

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

was a real, Like can't breathe. And it was horrible,

Luke:

Yeah. I.

Jess:

and stuff. Only once.

Luke:

Did you ever have, did you have a fear of getting back into it after that?

Jess:

I have, yeah, it's, I think I am a bit of a mental. Oh

Luke:

what has running taught you about yourself that you don't think you would've learned otherwise?

Jess:

my gosh.

Luke:

Oh my gosh.

Jess:

ones now.

Luke:

Now, well, I mean, I can, I can, I can start if you like. I mean,

Jess:

If you want to.

Luke:

triple seven was my, um. My attempt, like I was working too much at the time. I was obsessed with growing the business. Uh, my life was basically work, work, work. I wasn't spending enough time with the family. I wasn't having fun in life, and it was my attempt to kinda get away from that and try to, uh, do yeah, try to do something other than just obsess over making money basically. Um, yeah. And it kind of proved to me in a way that I don't know, I'm, I'm capable of so many more, so much more than I set my, if I set my mind to it. Right. So, um, it also kind of. Yeah, it took me away from my obsession with, uh, I guess wealth creation and, and, and trying to prove to the world that I'm good enough, even though in a funny way it was to prove the world that I'm good enough. But yeah, it, it took me away from that and kind of, I don't know, led me to try to, to, um, I guess chase more. Awesome experiences and also meet more amazing people. I, I think prior to that first seven seven, I was very much in a, in a bubble of. Uh, the, my high school friends and, and the people that I, uh, grew up with, right? And don't get me wrong, I still love them, but like meeting a bunch of amazing people that are just doing amazing things, showed me, took me out of my box, and kind of showed me what's capable or, or, sorry, what's, what's possible in life. And, and that there's a big world out there of, of people who are doing amazing things, you know, and I've, I've seen a lot of your posts about, you know, your, um. Uh, you are running community, uh, basically, and I, and I really relate to that. It was a way of me kinda meeting a bunch of amazing people who are trying to, to make themselves and the world a better place.

Jess:

I think exactly what you've just said then with, um, that you're one person, you're very small in the world. But if one person can do something in a community can do so much more, like, how much of a difference can we make?

Luke:

Yeah,

Jess:

And I think

Luke:

I think.

Jess:

the, um, Basically, the starting point something better is great. And if I can do that through running, or if you can do it through whatever, whatever it is, if you love playing chess, do something and make a difference chess. through sewing. Amazing living liver. Um, realizing your world is very, and there's so much more out there. So many things that you can find. Um, it's beyond you. And I feel like even, um, I'm a group with them to be, um, called Running for Resilience Canberra. And it's a group of people that we were trying to make Canberra we had a look at the, you know, but just recently, and it was saying of suicide has happened. Amber dropped dramatically. And over the last in this running for resilience, and it's it's it's there in black and white. We can see it, it's it's really like between 4 and 500. We went to get And it's massive, and it's growing, it's crazy. I think that having that purpose is the driving force behind And a lot of the, like, the purposes that I'm going with are very connected. So, you know, obviously, it's

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

about sexual abuse, and then that, you know, potentially can turn into suicide, and all that sort of stuff. So it's all very, like, very cohesive.

Luke:

So purpose and community.

Jess:

One hundred percent.

Luke:

That's awesome.

Jess:

Not

Luke:

Um, not speak. Love that. Love that. Um, do you think people underestimate their capacity for endurance, whether in sport, life, or hardship?

Jess:

100%,

Luke:

Yeah,

Jess:

I think, know, you've got

Luke:

you know.

Jess:

what is it? It's like 10 percent more potential than what you ever think that you can achieve. So if you bench press, whatever, you've still got more, you need to go further. And if

Luke:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. There there's a, there's an, not an experiment, but there's like an activity that I, I've seen a lot of conferences and, and they, they, they basically, the person at the front will say, raise your hand as high as you possibly can, and everybody puts their hand up. And then he goes, raises a bit higher and they go higher and he, and they go, well, I originally asked you to go as high as you can. So it is just a way, way of demonstrating that you can, yeah, you can always. Push a bit harder and go a bit further. And I think so many people in life live, or, or I guess they're, they're stuck in their own, uh, little bubble of what they, they think is, yeah, they're capable of, I mean, there's a saying I love, um, a lack of confidence kill more dreams and a lack of competence ever did. And I, I think that applies. I. To, to endurance and running. And I, and that goes back to what I was saying before about, you know, what running has done for me. It's, it's proved that what you think isn't that, that you, what you think you're not capable of, potentially you are capable of. And, and really, I mean, just looking over your journey from marathons to 50 Ks to triple sevens to bloody 250 K stage races, you know, where's the limit? You know, and I mean, you were talking about a 200 miler. I mean, that is insane.

Jess:

Look referring back to the sun lakes, also the people that were there, the stuff that some of those people have done blowing. And I'm talking people who are in their sixties, fifties, sixties. people you, know, you hear of so many people who turn around and get up and they're like, okay,

Luke:

Yeah.

Jess:

why do I

Luke:

And, and, and, yeah. A hundred percent. And, and, and that's why like. Uh, that, and that's what I was saying before about meeting amazing people. Like I've got a, all of the people that we did 7, 7, 7 on social media now, and I'm scrolling through my feed going, holy shit, justice did a 250 KG he thought a marathon in Antarctica. Like, it's just, you know, it's, it's, it's in, yeah. It's so cool.

Jess:

though, too? Hey,

Luke:

Inspiring. Yeah. Yeah. Awesome. And, and, and like I said, like. You know, I, I'm just, I've been doing a lot of weight training, but I haven't done any endurance stuff since I finished the Ironman. And literally, like, I was like doing a bit of prep for talking to you today, yesterday, and I'm scrolling through your Facebook and I'm like, I'm gonna go for a run. And I went for a run the first time yesterday with, you know. Yeah. You know, so,

Jess:

Or is it influencing you? Yeah,

Luke:

sign up for something crazy. We'll see.

Jess:

You know

Luke:

Yeah,

Jess:

your eyes so you can do anything you want to do. You just gotta put your mind to it and make it happy.

Luke:

yeah. Exactly. Exactly, exactly. Um, and I think a lot of people are, are scared to do that and I think that's why Yeah, I mean that's why I want to talk to you because talking to people like you get, get, it inspires you to kind of get up and actually do something, you know, so.

Jess:

Yeah. Oh, that's nice. That's really nice. But it is. It's I mean, you've got something that you want to do and you really, I, I just, I, I struggled to articulate why and stuff with what, you know, that's that sort of stuff, but something that's a bigger purpose than yourself, can do anything.

Luke:

Yeah, a hundred percent. Um, be because that's what life's about. Life's about passion, purpose, experience meaning, and it's so hard to, I dunno, it's so easy just to forget that. Yeah, and like one of my biggest fears, and I don't know, I don't know whether I, I haven't figured out whether this is a healthy or unhealthy fear yet. One of my biggest fear is, is becoming an old man and looking back and going, I didn't do anything I wanted to do. Right. But that drives me to do to, you know, jump head first into things like this triple seven, stuff like that. So

Jess:

100%. And I think that's a, I think a lot of people have that fear. I think it's a very common one.

Luke:

I think it is. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Sure. Cool.

Jess:

Cool.

Luke:

do you define success now compared to when you first started running

Jess:

Cool. Again, it,

Luke:

again? It.

Jess:

will talk about the speed thing because I, I think when I started it you know, I'm going to be able to go faster, I want to be able to go further, I want to be able to, and it's more, I guess, uh, bring it down to that humility that, and actually making a difference. opposed to about myself,

Luke:

Yeah, can. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So.

Jess:

me wrong, like, I do love having those days where I turn around and go, Oh, my gosh, I hit a at K or whatever, like, I mean, get a little buzz out of but

Luke:

But the, the obsession, yeah, I mean the obsession with comparison to others. I mean, I mean that, that, that's, uh, I mean that can be moved over to all other aspects of life really. But like, um, just the obsession of comparing yourself with others and. It just leads to you consistently thinking I'm not good enough. And, and like you said as well, like it de it de it defeats the whole purpose of, of what we're doing here. You know, that building a community may, you know, running with a purpose, you know, experience and, and yeah, I think, I think focusing on speed is a, is a,

Jess:

to

Luke:

it, it, it, it just, yeah. It, it's a perfect, um, it feeds the ego. It feeds the ego. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. My brain's not working at the moment, but it basically, it's, um, yeah. It, it's, it's all the things that lead to an unhealthy or un unhappy mentality, you know? So, yeah. Yeah.

Jess:

And especially when you are doing something that has a, has the purpose behind it and stuff. And then, yeah, and then you I went this fast, right? And said, who cares?

Luke:

Yeah, exactly.

Jess:

So

Luke:

You know, I, I, I don't know. I, and like I said before, the funniest one is for me is like people who have never gone for a run and they're just like, so, so what's your time? You know, obsessing over it. Like, you know, how are you gonna improve on that? You're like, just relax. Okay.

Jess:

And they go do a 5k park run and stuff like that. And they're

Luke:

So sit for a week. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Which is fine, but you know, it's just, yeah. You, you, I think you're missing the point, basically. Yeah. Correct. Awesome. Jess, look, such a pleasure catching up with you. Um, thank, thanks so much for coming on the show.

Jess:

Would, would it just been even better if we could have met in the real world?

Luke:

Oh, have to next time I'm, uh, in that part of the world for sure. Um.

Jess:

be good.

Luke:

Thanks, Jess.

Jess:

Thanks Luke so much. Appreciate it.