Abel Lifestyle

Spotify episode notes: Recorded the night before my Backyard Ultra, this is one of the most personal episodes I’ve recorded. We talk about becoming a Spartan, earning Elite status for 2027, the possibility of a World Championship start line, and the reality of stepping into a race that means far more to me than distance or time. Tomorrow was 4.167 miles, every hour, on the hour, for as long as I can continue. But this episode is really about everything I’m carrying onto that start line: the highs, the setbacks, the growth, the pressure, the people who matter, and the parts of myself I’ll have nowhere to hide from when it gets dark. We also cover pacing, nutrition, crew strategy, 24 hours, fear, failure, and what 4.167, WE GO AGAIN has come to represent. Tomorrow isn’t just about how far I can run. It’s about finding out what’s left when everything else is stripped away. ❤️⚔️

Scott Norris joins me for a conversation that ended up going much deeper than I expected. We talk about the role fitness has played in his life, not just physically but mentally too, confidence, body image, routine, identity and why the gym can become far more than just a place to train. Scott shares what he’s learned from working as a personal trainer at The Workout Lab, why helping people build confidence can mean more than changing how they look, and how much of coaching comes down to mindset as much as exercise. We also talk about getting into photoshoot shape, the reality of looking your “best” while not always feeling your best, taking on Hyrox for Macmillan Cancer Support, and then stepping completely outside his comfort zone to become “Scott Knockout Norris” in the wrestling ring with ASW South. What I really enjoyed about this episode is how naturally everything connects fitness, mental health, confidence, helping others and being willing to do things that scare you. A really open, positive and surprisingly deep conversation about becoming stronger physically, mentally and personally.

Stuart Fay is a fundraiser, walker and charity volunteer who, alongside his wife Rachel, has helped raise more than £50,000 for cancer charities. But this episode begins with their daughter, Gemma. Gemma was bright, driven, positive and deeply loved by the people around her. In 2020, she was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma and went through years of treatment including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, major surgery, a hip replacement and a clinical trial. Gemma sadly passed away in 2023, shortly after her 25th birthday. In this conversation, Stuart shares who Gemma was beyond her diagnosis, what made her laugh, what she cared about, the memories that still make the family smile and the qualities that made her so special. We also talk about the reality of supporting a child through cancer treatment, the impact it has on an entire family, and the support that helped Stuart, Rachel and Gemma through some of their hardest moments. Stuart also explains how endurance challenges became part of his own journey, including walking 58km and 100km events along the Jurassic Coast while Gemma was still alive, and what those challenges meant to him at the time. The conversation then moves into grief, what the first days and weeks after losing Gemma were really like, how Stuart and Rachel have supported each other, and why continuing to say Gemma’s name and talk about her remains so important. We also discuss the fundraising and volunteering that has followed and the charities Gemma herself wanted to support, and how Stuart and Rachel have helped turn their experience into something that continues to support other families. Alongside that, Stuart reflects on being recognised with Rachel as Fundraisers of the Year at the Salisbury Local Hero Awards, what that recognition meant to them, and why the support of the local community has mattered so much. This is ultimately a conversation about love, grief, family, resilience and legacy. It is also a chance to remember Gemma as a person, not simply through what happened to her, but through who she was, what she meant to the people around her and the impact she continues to have. A deeply personal and important conversation! Young Lives vs Cancer https://donate.younglivesvscancer.org.uk/content-main/~my-donation?ns_ira_cr_arg=IyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyMjIyPpWTwengvOkpP3nUXmjTP0g5-RWuJaGDuboSkTmPwQQxVXv35X72pbeHEnGrYT8rzGVnK1BjYwwOuIZ_FM_5ZazVPGMXxHkdLmaHZ1XyihO8I8dqxCWua07wFic54Bnp8XcKvPIcIiQNj4JCG4TLGkYkaMi_UWf5N2aDeFlXG1kynsrOV7ZKGBtil5rodKoW0v8aSA5OW7hnK1lXyT4GcAE8jKsdIiTycrtFokqjtRRZ4SSWfhXptiZgwI92Zz7Wq9FPVfo3a5BDSj8-TOqVENSkyQbWLS4ltYTW-UHPSe-OSYyVR92XmDiC8YTk5serCHta21R_Vhnnd3_vD-mbNm0kFqRujSYNdcyW1u35z704qtJyMEF5P4PMZTk400pZc&campaign_id=IALDCCBRA&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=brand_exact&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=11996384337&gbraid=0AAAAAD6zvox6drJ9AxZQfPe3Pf1hWX-H1&_cv=1 Sarcoma UK https://sarcoma.org.uk https://www.youthcancertrust.org

Alex Bance is a former Infantryman, sports therapist and extreme endurance athlete whose story is built around testing the limits of what he is capable of. After spending 13 years in the Infantry, Alex transitioned into civilian life, built Spire Injury Clinic and found himself increasingly drawn towards ultra running and extreme endurance challenges. In this episode, we talk about what military life taught him, how he adjusted after leaving the Infantry, and why running eventually became much more than simply keeping fit. Alex has completed multiple 100-mile races, taken on self-supported challenges stretching close to 300 miles, and spent 24 hours running without sight or sound to raise money and awareness for Julia’s House. We explore what attracts him to challenges where failure is a genuine possibility, whether endurance can become addictive, how he deals with DNFs and what happens mentally when you are exhausted, sleep-deprived and completely alone with your thoughts. Alex also shares his perspective as a sports therapist, including the mistakes ultra runners often make, the importance of strength and recovery, and how to tell the difference between discomfort you can work through and an injury that means it is time to stop. But underneath the distances and finish lines, this conversation is really about identity, resilience, purpose and the question of why some people feel compelled to keep finding out what else they are capable of. We also discuss who Alex is when the running stops, whether he still feels like he has something to prove, what failure has taught him and what a good life means to him now. A fascinating conversation with someone who has deliberately put himself into some extraordinary situations to discover what he is capable of.

Tristan Hayes is a Salisbury-born professional wrestler whose career has spanned almost three decades. From watching wrestling at Salisbury City Hall as a kid, to stepping into the ring at 16, competing across the UK and internationally in places including Japan, Australia and America, and becoming a four-time heavyweight champion, Tristan has spent 29 years living the dream he set for himself when he was young. With his final match approaching back at Salisbury City Hall, this episode looks back on the full journey. We talk about: where the dream started becoming a professional wrestler as a teenager the reality behind professional wrestling injuries, sacrifice and longevity travelling the world through wrestling becoming a four-time heavyweight champion the impact his dad had on his journey grief and coming full circle why now is the right time to retire identity, legacy and life after wrestling A conversation about chasing a childhood dream, staying committed for nearly 30 years, and what it feels like to finally close the chapter where it all began.