Despite being only in her early thirties, Simone Brick is a veteran of the Victorian trail and ultra-running scene.  There isn't an event that Simone hasn't participated in, podiumed at or volunteered with.  Simone's love of trail running runs deep and has shaped the person she is today.

We first caught up with Simone in November 2022, when she was fresh off the back of a busy European summer of racing, travelling and a bout of COVID.  We then followed up with Simone in April this year to hear how her injury-plagued days are behind her (touch wood) and what she has learned about negotiating the constant balance of training, racing, travelling, and, most importantly, enjoying time in nature.

You can follow Simone's adventures on and off the trail on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/theflyingbrick_/] or find out more about her coaching at Evolve Run Club [https://www.evolverunclub.com.au/simone-brick].  You can also catch Simone on the Peak Pursuits Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/peakpursuits.pod/?hl=en], your go-to podcast for all things trail running in Australia.

To hear more from For Wild Places, subscribe [https://bit.ly/fwpweeklynews]to our newsletter or become a member [https://www.forwildplaces.com/membership/individual/]. 

8. Negotiating the training, travel, racing and injury equation with Simone Brick

Coach, athlete, world record holder, change maker, and overall excellent human are just some ways we can describe today's guest, Erchana Murray-Bartlett. We first caught up with Erchana in November 2022, when she was 89 days into her 150-day, 150-marathon 'Tip to Toe' [https://www.tiptotoe2022.com/] journey. Not only did Erchana smash the world record, but she also raised over $100k to support The Wilderness Society's efforts to end extincions in Australia.

We then checked in with Erchana, just over two years after she finished Tip to Toe.  In this conversation, we chat about her recovery, the soon-to-be-released film 150, and her most recent project - running as an independent candidate in the upcoming Australian federal election.

You can follow Erchana's adventures and campaign for McPherson on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/erchana_/], or find out more about her coaching business, Project Run [https://www.projectrun.net/].  If you'd like to share the trails with Erchana, join us at the Pilliga Ultra [https://mailchi.mp/forwildplaces/pilligaultra2025] this September.

To hear more from For Wild Places, subscribe to our newsletter [https://bit.ly/fwpweeklynews] or become a member.  [https://www.forwildplaces.com/membership/]

7. Marathons, mindset & movement building: Making positive change with Erchana Murray-Bartlett

US race director, coach, author, and pioneer of the US ultrarunning scene, Krissy Moehl, joins us to chat about all things longevity, community, patience, and adventure.  Krissy is a legend of ultra running and has been a part of the sport from its early dirtbag days to race calling at UTMB in 2024.  Krissy's lessons in life and running are invaluable, so much so that she's written the go-to book on running your first ultra.

After our initial chat from 2023, we checked in with Krissy in early 2025 to hear how her 23rd-year race directing at the Chuckanut 50 is shaping up and the importance of the community during difficult times.

You can follow along on Krissy's adventures on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/krissymoehl/], check out her impressive racing history or buy a book on her website, [https://krissymoehl.com/] or find out more about the Chuckanut 50. [https://chuckanut50krace.com/]

To hear more from For Wild Places, subscribe [https://bit.ly/fwpweeklynews] to our newsletter or become a member.  [https://www.forwildplaces.com/membership/]

6. Lessons from 25 years in ultra running with Krissy Moehl

From the plains of WA comes Milly Young, an adventure-seeking, mountain-climbing, ultra-running woman of unstoppable resilience and infectious love of wild places.  

We first caught up with Milly to recap her FKT on southwest Tasmania's Port Davey / South Coast Track, where not even a broken toe could stop her from swimming across rivers, smashing gels and ultimately, making it to the finish line. We checked back with Milly from her new hometown of Chamonix, France, where skiing, climbing and running in the mountains keeps her fit, happy and occasionally, injured. 

You can find out more about Milly on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mil_young/?hl=en], read more about her 2024 PTL journey via Tracks & Trails [https://www.tracks-and-trails.com/blog/milly-young-puhsing-limits-at-the-ptl], or listen to her podcast, Breaking Trail. [https://open.spotify.com/show/5IJxHRU3r0g1UZS3rAEPgg]

To hear more from For Wild Places, subscribe [https://bit.ly/fwpweeklynews]to our newsletter or become a member.  [https://www.forwildplaces.com/membership/]

5. The joys (and perils) of multi-disciplinary adventures at home and away, with Milly Young

US mountain runner Michelle Merlis joins us to talk about motivation, moving in the mountains and managing the balance between training and work.  

We then checked in with Michelle two years later to hear how the transition into full-time athlete life is treating her, including moving house, international travel and sharing her trails with friendly black bears. 

You can find out more about Michelle on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mountain.runner.michelle/], or via her website [https://www.michellemerlis.com/].

To hear more from For Wild Places [https://www.forwildplaces.com/], follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/forwildplaces/], subscribe [https://bit.ly/fwpweeklynews] to our newsletter or become a member. [https://www.forwildplaces.com/membership/] 

4. Mountain running, team USA and loving your local trails with Michelle Merlis

Matt Gore and Giles Penfold join us to discuss their 2021 traverse of the Australian Alpine Walking Track, as they raised funds and awareness to protect wild places under threat.  This conversation shares many aspects of their big adventure; from planning and logistics, to their time out on the trail, how they navigated fundraising and other challenges along the way.  We then check in with Giles two years later, to reflect on tackling the AAWT, the challenges they experienced in creating a movie about their experience and what the keen trail and ultra runners have been up to since.  You can watch the teaser trailer for the long awaited feature film here [https://vimeo.com/905061369].  You can also see clips at @655forthewild [https://www.instagram.com/655forthewild/], or follow Matt and Giles on Instagram at @mattbgore [https://www.instagram.com/mattbgore/] or @gilespenfold [https://www.instagram.com/gilespenfold/].    To hear more from For Wild Places, subscribe to our newsletter [https://bit.ly/fwpweeklynews] or become a member.  [https://www.forwildplaces.com/membership/]

3. Running with purpose on the AAWT, and other ultra adventures

Josh Wiffen, ultrarunner, artist and Illawarra local join us hot off the heels of Western States [https://www.wser.org/] 2022, bursting with stoke and love for the trail and ultra running community. Josh was one of a handful of Australians toeing the WSER start line in 2022, after two years of COVID delays made for a very long, and injury inducing lead up.    

We then check in with Josh two years later, and hear about his latest miler-adventure, at  Chicamocha Canyon Race [https://chicamochacanyonrace.com/]in Columbia.  Josh’s love for the sport of trail and ultra running is infectious, and we’re sure that after this conversation, you’ll be inspired to start planning your next overseas running adventure.  

Follow Josh's adventures in art and running on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/wiffen1/#] or on Strava [https://www.strava.com/athletes/8061924?hl=en-GB].  To hear more from For Wild Places, subscribe to our newsletter [https://bit.ly/fwpweeklynews] or become a member.  [https://www.forwildplaces.com/membership/]

2. Goal setting, embracing new experiences and getting after it with Josh Wiffen

Sam Burke, co-founder of Tarkine joins Will and Hilary for our first Trail Chat. We first caught up with Sam in June 2022 as Tarkine's founding crowdfunding campaign was drawing to a close.  

  We caught up with Sam two years and thousands of pairs of Tarkine's later and got a first-hand account of what it's like to take on global shoe brands. 

Tarkine is a Perth-based running shoe company that strives to combine modern running technology with sustainable, well-made footwear.  During this chat, we learn about the challenges of making eco-friendly products and what it's like to see people wearing a product you laboured over in the wild.  

Find out more about Tarkine here.   [https://tarkine.com/]

To hear more from For Wild Places, subscribe to our newsletter [https://bit.ly/fwpweeklynews] or become a member.  [https://www.forwildplaces.com/membership/]

1. Sustainability, product design and selling shoes with Sam Burke

The For Wild Places Podcast is a campfire of conversations with interesting, accomplished, and inspiring people from the trail running and environmental space.  Each month, we sit down with someone for a Trail Chat, and get to know them better.

Hosted by FWP co-founder and accident-prone outdoors woman, Hilary McAllister.

Episodes coming soon - hit follow on your favourite podcast app to get each episode directly to your feed.

To learn more about For Wild Places, head to our website [https://www.forwildplaces.com/], follow us on socials [https://www.instagram.com/forwildplaces/] or subscribe [https://bit.ly/fwpweeklynews] to our weekly newsletter.

For Wild Places Podcast trailer

The For Wild Places Podcast is a campfire of conversations with interesting, accomplished, and inspiring people from the trail running and environmental space.  Each month, we sit down with someone for a Trail Chat, and get to know them better.