The Rogue Monkey Podcast

In this conversation, we are joined by Frankie Durbin, who shares her journey from a young athlete to a competitive triathlete representing Great Britain. She discusses her early years in sports, the challenges of transitioning into triathlon, and the injuries that shaped her understanding of health and recovery. Frankie emphasizes the importance of balance between work and sport, the role of mind...

In this episode, we are joined by Jack Roberts, the national swimmer from the City of Liverpool who has been on an incredible journey to become a cardiac physiologist. Our conversation joins Jack on the start of his latest visit to Kenya where he is part of a team offering life changing heart surgery for young people. We discover how his passion for swimming and desire to make a difference led to...

In this inspiring interview, Rebecca shares her journey through running, education, and personal growth. Discover how she balances multiple passions, overcomes challenges, and stays present in her pursuits. Taking on the incredible Cape Wrath challenge, Rebecca pushed her mind and body to the limits, ultimately finding peace on a journey that traverses the west coast of Scotland and is world-renow...

In this insightful interview, Mark shares his journey through sports, leadership, and life lessons learned from personal experiences and global adventures. Discover how resilience, community and purpose have shaped his approach to work, sport, and personal growth. You can connect with Mark via the link below: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-watson-0043b24 And his company TMS here: https://www.tms...

E120 coincides nicely with National Apprenticeships Week. In this episode, Kevin interviews Gary Laybourne, co-founder and CEO of Coach Core, who shares his inspiring journey from a challenging upbringing to leading a charity that empowers marginalised young people through sports. Gary discusses the foundational principles of Coach Core, the impact of sports on personal development, and the import...

In this full circle conversation, more than five years on from their first interview, Kevin sits down with the incredible author, speaker and podcast that is Professor Damian Hughes. They reflect on the evolution of the podcasting space, the power of authentic conversations, and the memorable moments that have shaped their journeys. They discuss the insights gained from various guests, the inspira...

In this podcast episode, we are joined by the inspiring Will Godwin. Will shares his incredible journey from a competitive childhood in sports to two life-altering incidents that changed his perspective on life and athletics. He discusses his early years, the discovery of triathlon, and the impact of sports on his direction and choices. He reflects on the psychological impact of his experiences, t...

Todays conversation is the epitome of why we started the show. We are joined today by Chris Hines MBE, the co-founder of Surfers against sewage, the former sustainability director for the Eden Project, a world-renowned campaigner, and a true inspiration for those looking to take up the fight for the many challenges our society faces. In this conversation, Chris Hines shares his journey from a chil...

In this conversation, we are joined by Cath Pendleton exploring her remarkable journey in swimming, particularly focusing on her experiences with cold water swimming and her incredible swim in Antarctica. We discuss the mental health benefits of swimming, the formation of the Dippy Dragons, and the challenges faced during her journey to becoming an ice swimmer. Cath shares her insights on making o...

This weeks guest is a hurricane of energy. In an interview with Forbes, our guest Jacqueline Williams is quoted as saying: "Decide you have a destination and go there.  If you say you are going to the store and there is a detour or roadblock you don't just stop and turn around to go home. You figure out another route. There is always another way. Always.” Is there a more accurate embodime...

In this conversation, we’re joined by the inspiring Tiana Gordon. A professional rugby player and founder of Peak Team Performance, Tiana shares her journey from being a former competitive swimmer, before starting rugby at university, through to her current role in empowering coaches and athletes.  She discusses the importance of coaching relationships, the impact of social connection on performan...

In this conversation, Rachelle shares her unique journey from being an elite alpine skier to becoming an airline pilot. We discuss the challenges she faced during her athletic career, including the pressures of balancing academics and sports, the impact of her upbringing, and the transition to aviation. She emphasises the importance of resilience, support from her family, and following her passion...

For this conversation we are joined by Dr Amy Whitehead and Jen Coe, who come from the world of Sports Psychology and Sports Coaching respectively. Collectively, the dynamic duo have co-edited a number of books, including most recently the Myths of Sports Performance, which is the topic of our conversation.  Jen has been on the show previously, exploring her journey on episode 28, which has moved...

In this episode, Mike Martin shares his inspiring journey from being a professional basketball player and representing his country, medaling at the Commonwealth Games, through to facing a life-altering brain cancer diagnosis. He discusses the importance of sports in shaping his mindset, the challenges of transitioning out of professional sport, and lessons learned along the way.  Part of his recen...

In this episode, Chris Martin shares his inspiring journey from being a paramedic and avid runner to facing a life-altering cancer diagnosis. He discusses the importance of sports in shaping his resilience and teamwork mentality, the unexpected birth of his YouTube channel, and the emotional challenges of navigating cancer treatment while supporting his family.  Chris emphasizes the significance o...

In this episode, we sit down with 2x World Record Holder, cyclist, speaker and author Leigh Timmis. Leigh’s book, The Race of Truth, will go down for me as one of the fastest books we have ever consumed, devouring all 368 pages in under 24 hours! His story is absolutely captivating! We won’t share too many spoilers, as Leigh’s story you have to hear first hand, but suffice to say, his travel stori...

We are excited to share this conversation with you as we speak to Jake Osborn (sibling of one of our former guests, Lauren Osborn - episode 77). The former high level gymnast was on the performance pathway alongside a certain Max Whitlock, before his life headed in a different direction. In this conversation he talks to us about that transition to life in a gymnasium to that of being on film sets...

Our latest guest is Rich Christiansen. He is a globally-recognized thought leader, educator, mentor, parallel entrepreneur, and humanitarian. He assists people in fearlessly facing their dragons, making peace with them, and navigating the intricate mazes of their lives. Rich’s story, both personally and professionally is incredible and there is so much to take from this conversation about navigati...

On 3rd February 2022, a major international scientific expedition set sail from Cape Town to explore the Antarctic – one of the coldest, harshest and most remote locations in the world. Their mission was to find the ship called Endurance, which hadn’t been seen for more than 100 years. Using underwater robots, helicopters and other state-of-the-art technology, the Endurance22 expedition was the fi...

In this episode we dive into a very sensitive topic and one that does not get much of a spotlight. It can make people uncomfortable, and in some cases it feels easier to simply not talk about it. For episode 105 we’re exploring the mental health and suicide prevention space.  Our host and two guests Alex and Justine, all wear different hats in the space, but it's a very rich and engaging discussio...

Our guest for this episode is someone who is an incredible inspiration as well as a truly wonderful person! Tom Leonard is a Horticulturist, Activist, TV Presenter and Rugby Player. He is known also as the Drag Queen Gardener. We explore the therapeutic nature of gardening, as an activity filled with hope and positivity in a world far too often full of doom and gloom. Taking up gardening with the...

Our guest for this episode is Mark Covenden. He is the founder of the incredible Snap Sponsorship. Spending many years in the rugby space, Mark’s belief in community sport was embedded into his DNA and his passion morphed into something that now benefits hundreds of clubs across the country. His purpose is to deliver more support for grassroots sports teams, and in our conversation we discuss the...

Our latest guest is Mike Mongo, an astronaut teacher, Ted-x speaker, and author.  Mike shares his journey and passion for space exploration. From a young age, Mike was fascinated by superheroes and space, which led him to pursue a career as an astronaut. He emphasises the importance of giving children permission to dream and explore their interests without limitations.  Mike also discusses the val...

In this conversation, we speak to Jordan Wright, a graphic designer and climate activist, Jordan shares her journey and experiences in the fields of sustainability and environmental activism. We discuss the influence of nature and risk-taking in shaping her passion for climate activism. We dive into the importance of resilience, community, and vulnerability in navigating personal and professional...

Here it is... 100 episodes and what better way to mark it than with the incredible Lucy and Reece Charles Barclay. They both joined us back in 2020 in our second season of the show and at that stage were embarking on a quest, for Lucy to win the World Championships in Kona. Having reached the summit of their dream in the autumn of 2023, the husband and wife duo join us a few months later, having t...