The Inner Expeditions Podcast

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 Support the show

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. Support the show

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/ Support the show

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. Support the show Support the show

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. Support the show

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. Support the show

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. Support the show

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. Support the show

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. Support the show

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 Support the show

For Mental Health week I'm joined by the amazing Sharon Mumby to talk about her personal journey as a mum and what inspired her to start helping others. Everyone at some stage will struggle with something and quite often for women it can be transitioning into motherhood that can bring some harsh self judgement and guilt. Sharon is a great reminder to not judge ourselves too harshly and to make sure we find time for ourselves guilt free and to put ourselves first so that everyone around us can benefit. So look after yourself, make sure that voice inside is being kind, reach out if you need to and especially be kind and loving to yourself. Drop the judgement and comparison and focus on the here and now as we can only do one thing at a time, no matter how much our brain is occupied with other things all at once. I hope this episode finds you in a good place with yourself as the first person you need to care for and please is the person in the mirror. Once you have that it is much easier to project that love and happiness to everyone. Support the show

For this instalment of the show I'm joined by David Ebbott as we talk about his change in careers to go from a tradie to surf film maker. There can be roadblocks that stop us from acting on what inspires us and fears on all levels that keep us where we are. Do we stay there or break through the barriers and go into the unknown do what we love for a living? This could be a new career or personal goal in order for us to feel alive, creating a happier self that everyone around you can benefit from. To not be scared of failing in order to take control of what we do and how we live our lives. We also talk about the benefits of whole healthy foods as medicine and how keeping fit can have such a positive effect on how we work and live. Support the show

Australian actor and musician Joel Jackson joins me this episode to talk about his current project 'The Lap WA' and about what inspired him to get it underway. 'The Lap' is a 10,000k motorbike ride for Joel and his dad, Weston riding for 100 days and visiting 45 towns across Western Australia. The aim is to raise money for Telethon as well as raise awareness for the struggle young lives across the country are going through right now. The boys are also joined by Joel's mum who is following them in the support vehicle. We talk about his love for the land and the people that he has grown up with from the south coast of WA up the the red dirt in Karratha in the north, where he started playing music and decided to study to become an actor. Now with his career on the rise there's been new challenges and roadblocks as the pandemic throws in some curve balls as it has for many. As parts of life can look uncertain it's great to see Joel's positivity as he explains the gratitude he has for the people he has and meets in his life. There's a great energy from engaging with people in the moment and taking time to listen and learn from older generations, something we should cherish and hold onto wherever possible. On top of everything we should make sure we take time out for ourselves, get outside and appreciate the outdoors whenever possible. So put away the distractions, take in our surroundings even for just a moment allow for some stillness in the mind and be grateful for the simple things we do have. Some great books Joel mentions and are some of his favourites are: 'On the Shortness of Life' by Seneca 'Meditations' by Marcus Aurelius The 'Hawkmoon' series by Michael Moorcock We both mention 'Breath the New Science to a Lost Art' by James Nestor. Support the show

For this instalment I'm joined by my Dad, John Harvey to talk about parenthood and life. We look a bit more into my beginnings and what drove a decision for my parents to pack up life in Australia and take us to live in the UK for 5 years, how they saw that impact me and help create the person I now am. Sometimes we don't fully grip and understand parts of out childhood until we become parents ourselves, giving us a chance to understand what our folks went through raising us. Along with this we start to look at the people who raised us as friends and equals as we mature into parents and adults ourselves. It's a fine art to let your kids grow and mature with your guidance but also knowing when to step back and let them work things out for themselves without interfering too much. Dad shares some great advice on this as well as sharing how to keep us close while letting us be ourselves. I'm glad I got a chance to sit down and have a chat with my Dad as I still keep learning from him, even from this conversation. Support the show

For this episode I am joined by Michelle Hooper to talk about how running helped her find herself again after having kids and how that has lead into a life of ultra running and adventure. Michelle has a great outlook on her adventures after going down the competition running path, to now exploring the outdoors via solo ultra distance running. we chat about her experiences during the Cape to Cape FKT which then lead to pushing her own limits to complete the 230 km Larapinta Trail in the Northern Territory. Training for such epic feats involves great planning and training but has it's own perils as for a lot of the time you are out there on your own and we discuss some of the safety aspects for female and runners in general. Michelle has a great outlook on her adventures, especially allowing herself time after the big efforts to fully recover and unpack what she has accomplished. From this there is no rush for the next challenge which is a great lesson in allowing for what's next to come to arrive when the time is right. There's something in that for most of us as we can often get caught up the progression of what's next rather than fully absorbing what we have achieved, and ultimately the lessons that we got along the way. Support the show

Are we making ourselves happy? Or are we basing our happiness on what others are telling us that is? Are you being your truest version or projecting how you want to be seen by others? These are some of the topics in this instalment with my guest, Leon Evangelistis. We discuss what he has seen and learnt from his time travelling to all corners of the earth to assist in his understanding of wellbeing and mindfulness. Leon always has a project on the go from building the ultimate desert touring Rav 4 to retrofitting out his boat and bus. Among all of this he helps out his Fiancee Kyra (From S1 E1) with her free diving academy as well as instructing yoga. We talk about taking control of our own identity and finding happiness in just being ourselves, something which can be hard to do with so many ways to compare and be distracted. There is so much value in taking a break from outside influences and a busy life to just sit and be still with our own thoughts. There's always good meaning in our talks with great humility and a fair bit of laughter too. I hope you enjoy your time with Leon as much as I always do. Support the show

For this instalment of the show I'm joined by experienced marathon and Ultra Runner Jon Pendse. Jon has a long and extensive career in running and shares with us all aspects of running from training to nutrition and mindset, all of which he has done with a rare disease called Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria or PNH. It is a disease which causes a destruction of red blood cells and causes impaired bone marrow function. We discuss how at 39 and living with this PNH how Jon is still pushing his performance and focusing on beating his PB's as he enters his 40's. We talk about routine, training and finding what works well for him as well as taking a look at his nutrition and how it has varied as he looks to push his potential further. Jon informs us that what works for him could vary in what works for others as everyones lives, schedules and genetic make up mean we need to experiment to find what works for us. What we find though is that everyone needs a 'why' or reason to take up something new, be it running or any new challenge we decide to take on and always just focus on our own efforts without comparing ourselves to others. One thing that we all love about running is the constant learning of our selves as we progress. It could be a 5 k park run PB to mastering our minds to endure an ultramarathon, this sport has so much to give us to aid in understanding ourselves and improving as a people in general. One common thing seems to be the stress relief and mindfulness we get every time we lace up and head out, giving us a chance to reset and hit an almost medative state. Running is truely a great community to be a part of. Support the show

I'm so glad to finally get Andrew in to record this episode. Andrew lives a pretty incredible life between being a full time firefighter, fitness instructor and (pre-covid) travelling extensively to experiences of all types from free diving in Raja Ampat to marathon running in the polar ice region. On top of all of this he still makes time to volunteer as a member of the BackPacker Medics Disaster Response Group. BackPacker Medics are a non for profit organisation which has deployed to natural disaster areas such as Indonesia and Nepal to give aid in remote areas. It takes a special person to give their own time and money to help people wherever they are, without asking anything in return let alone be able to cope with such a busy and demanding workload. Andrew has learnt over the years how to separate and give himself time to recover and stay relatively at ease, even after returning home from volunteering abroad in not so ideal conditions. What he has learned and developed now helps him every day and life in general as he negotiates life and work in todays's modern age. I'm always grateful to catch up and spend time with 'Strunky' and I hope you enjoy and find time to relax listening to this one as well. Support the show

In this episode I talk about art and creativity with friend and author David Minutillo. I'm learning that what inspires art can come from a variety of things, be it other work, experiences or being surrounded by things that affect us on a personal level. Art is a great channel for a person to express their feelings into something that's tangible for someone to then appreciate on the receiving end. As listeners, readers and audiences we can feel the emotion in someone's work which we can appreciate and relate to. Other times we can create our own thoughts on the work and attach how we feel about the art in relation to ourselves, giving us the ability to relate on our own personal level. We talk about how Dave manages to do this as a new Author as well as taking on the fears that come with not only exposing your thoughts but starting a new business entirely and leaving old careers behind. We talk about when we used to work together on sites on the industry we left behind and how that has impacted us on where we are today. It's been great for me to learn about how Dave goes about writing and also talk about how the process all comes together. I love to read and am looking forward to more books to come from Dave. I also feel so lucky to live in a time where all forms of art are so accessible to enjoy. It's great to learn what gets people inspired to pull an idea out of thin air, then have the talent and freeness to put it out there for the world to enjoy. Support the show

For this episode I am joined by Kirsty Fleming who competed for Australia at World Class level and was part of the Aus Olympic lightweight rowing squad from 2003-2008. While cycling on the open road and training for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Kirsty would have a major life turn as she was struck by a car at high speed and suffered major injuries. While in hospital Kirsty had some hard times as she started to think about what she may and may not ever be able to do again, including not just rowing but competing at the highest level. We discuss the importance of positive thinking in getting your life back on track after adjusting into a life outside of competition. During this time in her life Kirsty decided that it wasn't time to give up yet and worked tirelessly to get back to being able to not just row, but be good enough for Olympic Selection. This is truely a great story on teaching us the importance of putting your mind towards a goal and not giving up, as well as being grateful for every opportunity what we can build for ourselves by working hard, thinking positively and enjoying every step along the way. Support the show