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Rapid AscentAuthor: rapidascent
Welcome to the Rapid Ascent Podcast. Experts in adventure since 2004. Run, ride, swim, paddle. Bringing you the best interviews with some remarkable participants from Rapid Ascent endurance events. Language: en Genres: Running, Sports, Wilderness Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Ep. 24: Courtney Sherwell: The Privateer Who Hustled Her Way to 7th in the World
Episode 24
Thursday, 19 February, 2026
What does it take to go from crashing twice in your first race to becoming one of Australia's most formidable off-road endurance athletes? In this episode, Jez sits down with Courtney Sherwell — dual Australian National Champion, 3x Queen of the Otways, and self-funded privateer who placed 7th in the 2025 Life Time Grand Prix. Courtney's story is one of pure grit, resilience, and an unwavering love for riding on dirt. We dive into the moment that almost ended her cycling career before it began: a brutal first race at Brackenbury where she broke her nose, crashed twice, and somehow found the courage to keep going. Courtney opens up about the road racing years that didn't feel right, the breakthrough moment in 2022 when she won Dirty Warrny by 40 minutes (having never ridden 246km before), and the 2024 season where she "found all the pieces to the puzzle" – winning both the XCM and Gravel National Championships in the same year. But it's not all podiums and green-and-gold jerseys. Courtney shares the raw reality of life as a privateer in the US — bootstrapping her way across America with her partner John and competing against fully-supported professional riders. She talks about the joy of riding bikes and being in nature, how she stays mentally strong against celebrity competition and how structured training became the key to unlocking her potential. And of course, we talk Otway Odyssey. As the 3x Queen of the Otways and 2022 Great Otway Gravel Grind champion, Courtney has a deep connection to these events. She shares what makes the Otways special and her plans for the 2026 race — shoulder injury and all. What You'll Learn: •Why Courtney kept going after breaking her nose in her first race (and what this teaches us about starting something new) •The "band-aid story" of how her partner John booked Belgian Waffle Ride tickets and forced her onto the world stage •What changed in 2024 that allowed her to win two national championships in one year •The reality of self-funding a Life Time Grand Prix campaign and competing against the world's best •Why riding on dirt is fundamentally different (and more rewarding) than road racing •What makes the Otway Odyssey one of the toughest and most rewarding races in Australia •Practical advice for women getting into mountain biking and gravel racing •Her FTP, nutrition strategy, and top three training sessions This episode is for you if: •You've ever felt intimidated starting something new (especially women in cycling) •You're curious about what it really takes to compete at the elite level without a team •You want to understand the mental game behind ultra-endurance racing •You're considering racing the Otway Odyssey or GOGG and want insider knowledge •You love transformation stories that prove anything is possible with grit and determination Key Topics & Timestamps 3:46 - The Broken Nose Story: First race at Brackenbury 5:01 - The Crash: Going over the handlebars 6:28 - The 12-Week Training Plan: A turning point 9:32 - Second Race: Choosing the Otway Odyssey 50km 23:37 - The Road Racing Years: Roxsolt Liv SRAM and Knights of Suburbia 43:42 - Life Time Grand Prix: The dream and the reality 44:47 - Belgian Waffle Ride: Announcing herself on the world stage 48:47 - 2024 National Championships: The historic double 56:46 - Marathon National Championship: Racing sick in Wagga Wagga 1:14:45 - Finding the Puzzle Pieces: What changed in 2024 1:16:31 - The Otway Odyssey: What it means to be Queen of the Otways 1:25:42 - Advice for First-Timers: Racing the Otway Odyssey Mentioned in This Episode Guest: •Courtney Sherwell on Instagram: @courtney.sherwell •Courtney's Pet Portrait Art: @petportraits_bycourtney Events: •Otway Odyssey MTB Marathon - Register now for 2026! •Great Otway Gravel Grind (GOGG) •Life Time Grand Prix •Belgian Waffle Ride •Brackenbury Challenge - Creswick, VIC •Dirty Warrny - 246km gravel race •Cattleman's 100 - Omeo, VIC People Mentioned: •John Davis - Courtney's partner and coach •Sofia Gomez Villafañe - 2024 LTGP Champion Brands & Sponsors: •Santa Cruz Bicycles •SRAM •Hammerhead •Schwalbe Tyres •Ekoi •Squirt Lube Follow Rapid Ascent Website: rapidascent.com.au Instagram: @rapidascent Facebook: @rapidascentevents Podcast: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
