‘Richie McCaw Nearly Killed Me’: The 22-Year-Old Conquering the World's Most Brutal Races

Dom Harvey

  • May 26, 2026
  • 1:46:13
  • Full Episode

Molly Spark is a 22 year old from Canterbury, and she spends her spare time doing things that sound like a PTSD inducing nightmare for most of us:

Her sport is multi-day expedition races through mountains, rivers, forests and bush.

You may have heard of the iconic event called Godzone – it got a bit of mainstream coverage after Richie McCaw took part a few years ago – that’s an expedition race.

1000km in a week. Sleep deprivation. Hallucinations. Limited food. Carrying everything you need in a backpack. Navigating with a map and compass. And the wild part? She LIVES for this stuff. She is built different.

This podcast is a small part of the Molly Spark story.

We talk about resilience, fear, suffering, hallucinations, sleep deprivation, near-death moments, and why she genuinely believes discomfort is one of the best things a person can experience.

There is also a great story about how Richie McCaw almost killed her....in a round about way LOL. This is one of my favourite podcasts so far – partly because the sport of expedition racing itself is so wild, but mostly because Molly is such a firecracker. She just oozes positivity and joy.

This chat definitely didn’t make me want to become an expedition racer... but it did make me wish Molly was my friend.

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Brief Summary

Molly Spark shares her journey in expedition racing, discussing challenges, teamwork, and the mental toughness required to succeed in extreme conditions.

Key points

  • The Thrill of Expedition Racing. Molly explains the grueling nature of expedition racing, where teams navigate and race for days.
  • The Importance of Resilience. Molly discusses her tattoo 'stay strong' and the significance of resilience in her life.
  • Mental Strength in Racing. Molly discusses the importance of mental resilience in adventure racing.
  • Family Legacy of Adventure. Molly reflects on her family's history with adventure racing and its impact on her.
  • Toughness from Parents. Molly discusses how her parents' work ethic shaped her resilience.
  • Adventure Racing Challenges. Molly explains the unpredictable nature of adventure racing and how it differs from other sports.

Episode highlights

Tension

75/ 100High tension

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