wavePod

257. Kori Sampson: On Sobriety, Ultra Endurance, and Reality TV - The Ultimate Human with Gary Brecka | Wave AI Podcast Notes

Back to The Ultimate Human with Gary Brecka

257. Kori Sampson: On Sobriety, Ultra Endurance, and Reality TV

The Ultimate Human with Gary Brecka

Tue Mar 31 2026

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Ultimate Human with Gary Brecka, Episode 257 Guest: Kori Sampson — On Sobriety, Ultra Endurance, and Reality TV Date: March 31, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Gary Brecka sits down with Kori Sampson—ultra-endurance athlete, reality TV personality, and advocate for sobriety—to explore the intersections of trauma, addiction, personal transformation, and the pursuit of meaningful goals. The pair discuss the science of doing hard things, the link between resilience and ultramarathon running, navigating sobriety, and shaping a new narrative for male role models in fitness and wellness, particularly for the younger generation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Resilience, Trauma, and Ultra-Endurance (00:00–06:15)

Endurance feats are often tied to overcoming trauma or challenge.
Ultra running is “the aggressive pursuit of discomfort,” with hardship building resilience.
Touches on the idea that too much trauma can be overwhelming, but a “middle ground” can foster grit.
Not everyone leaps into ultra-endurance; often it’s a gradual journey shaped by personal challenges and addictive personalities.

Notable Quote:
- "You have to be able to take a punishment and a bit of a beating. So I think when you've had a certain amount of stress, you've built up this resilience." – Kori Sampson (00:00)

2. From Reality TV to Recovery (06:15–10:46)

Kori recounts how being in the modeling and reality TV scene exposed him to easy access to alcohol and drugs.
Despite success on shows like “Too Hot to Handle,” Kori describes an inner dissatisfaction and growing addictive behaviors.
Struggling with cycles of guilt and shame, he realized his need for change—“I always thought I was destined for something greater.”

3. Choosing Sobriety & Changing Environments (10:46–12:56)

Going sober was a process, not an instant change—took a year of attempts before success.
Key strategy: physically moved out of shared spaces, avoided triggers by changing environment and social circles.
Marathon running became a substitute for partying—a new source of achievement and affirmation.

Notable Quote:
- “I had to change. Didn't really see people for like six months maybe. Now I can kind of like go out and see them...you just have to reshape your whole relationship with it before you can do that.” – Kori (10:46)

4. The Mindset of Ultra-Endurance (12:56–17:10)

Kori’s shift into endurance: his first marathon yielded a strong time (3:18) despite a hedonistic trip to Ibiza days earlier, leading him to wonder how far “going all in” could take him.
Ultra events introduce “the pain cave” – decision points where mind and body cry out to stop.
Pushing through these moments has redefined what real stress or hardship means for Kori.

Memorable Story (14:17):
- Running 220k in Africa, pushing through injury, tears, and the urge to quit: “Whenever things get tough, I always go back to that one moment where it was like, I quit, but I didn’t actually quit.”

5. Post-Race Peace & Redefining Achievement (23:28–26:29)

After running 800km across England (two marathons a day for 10 days), Kori felt unexpectedly flat, not fulfilled.
Three weeks later, found “peace” while relaxing on holiday for the first time.
Recognized he was seeking contentment, not just achievement: “I actually feel quite good.”

6. Physicality, Community, and Shifting Culture (27:05–33:42)

The rise of running clubs and "sobriety culture" among younger generations, including Kori himself and peers like the NELK boys, Diplo, and Jelly Roll.
Shifts in peer modeling: “Instead of your calling card being the Ferrari or the watch, it's your physique—and you can't fake that.” – Gary (31:39)
Kori emphasizes the importance of integrity, setting an example for young men by maintaining sobriety and focusing on constructive outlets.

7. Training, Nutrition, and Balancing Physique (34:08–41:17)

Kori maintains a bodybuilder’s approach to nutrition and gym work despite ultra-distance goals.
Shares specific fueling strategies (e.g., oat/protein breakfasts, yogurt shakes during long races).
Discusses the science of carbohydrate use and personalizing nutrition for performance—burning up to 100g carbs/hour.
The importance of protein for muscle preservation even during endurance efforts.

8. Purpose, Identity, and Impact (43:53–49:50)

What motivates people for the long term is key; chasing external achievements is unsustainable without internal transformation.
Kori’s fulfillment now comes from the impact on others—messages from sober or newly active followers inspire him more than finishing times or medals.

Notable Quote:
- “The impact I can have means a lot more than just, like, getting a pedal in a race.” – Kori (47:21)

9. Mental Health, Respect of Self, and Setting Example (49:50–54:00)

Building confidence and self-worth was as much about internal validation as external achievement.
Importance of positive self-talk but also harnessing self-criticism as fuel for growth.
Kori acknowledges his own journey from seeking respect externally to respecting himself for his discipline and decisions.

Notable Quotes:
- “Now I kind of hold myself, like I value myself more because I feel like I've earned that respect to myself.” (49:50)
- “To be an ultimate human, it's more than just you... it's the impact you have in general... how you touch people, right?” (54:00)

Memorable Moments & Quotes with Timestamps

On Resilience and Trauma:
"You have to be able to take a punishment and a bit of a beating...when you've had a certain amount of stress, you've built up this resilience." – Kori (00:00)
On Addiction and Sobriety:
"I was taking it out on myself, trying to escape it on a weekend... I always thought I was destined for something greater." – Kori (06:51)
On Changing Social Circles:
"First thing when I was going sober was like, I need to move out, get my own place...I had to change. Didn't really see people for like six months." – Kori (10:46)
On Overcoming Limits:
"Now whenever things get tough, I always go back to that one moment where it was like, I quit, but I didn't actually quit." – Kori (15:32)
On Achievement and Fulfillment:
"...I didn't find like the fulfillment I was kind of looking for doing it. I'd built it up to be this huge thing...did it and it was just kind of flat." – Kori (23:28)
On Setting an Example:
“What kind of example would I be setting to all the young guys...that have gone sober themselves?...Now I feel like I have a bit of a responsibility.” – Kori (33:37)
On Internal Validation:
“Now I kind of hold myself, like I value myself more because I feel like I've earned that respect to myself.” – Kori (49:50)
On Legacy:
“No matter what you achieve and you do in your life...what do you want them to talk about? The impact you have in general is what's going to...how you touch people.” – Kori (54:00)

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|----------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | Trauma, Resilience, and Endurance | | 06:15 | Reality TV, Addictive Cycles, Early Struggle | | 10:46 | Strategies for Sobriety & Environment Change | | 14:17 | The Pain Cave and Pushing Through Barriers | | 23:28 | Reflection after Legendary Feats | | 27:05 | Physicality Culture Shift, Run Clubs | | 34:08 | Maintaining Physique While Training | | 41:12 | Race Day Fueling Strategies | | 43:53 | Motivation, Purpose, Fulfillment | | 49:50 | Self-Respect, Mental Health, Legacy | | 54:00 | What Is an Ultimate Human? (Final Segment) |

Closing Thoughts

With humor, depth, and transparency, Kori Sampson exemplifies how personal challenges can be reframed into powerful motivations—not just for athletic achievement, but for a life of impact and integrity. His journey from party culture and reality TV to ultra-endurance and sobriety challenges conventional ideas about success, masculinity, and fulfillment. The episode resonates with anyone navigating personal growth and the constant pursuit of "ultimate human" potential—reminding listeners that legacy is shaped less by medals and more by the lives we touch.

End of Summary

Loading summary...

Transcript

A (0:00)

You hear it all the time with links to trauma, to ultramarathons. You have to be able to take a punishment and a bit of a beating. So I think when you've had a certain amount of stress, you've built up this resilience.

B (0:09)

There's also a lot of science around doing hard things. How the brain actually grows and creates new neuronal pathways. And stress can be good or bad. Exercise is extreme stress, but you strengthen and response.

A (0:19)

The harder the stuff that I do and the more I prove to myself like I can do these things to feel like I deserve credit for what I do.

B (0:26)

People put off exercise to focus everything on their business. They don't realize that their superpower is still locked inside them. Physical feats can actually unlock that.

A (0:35)

You've got all this money and everything and you're not doing what you need to do. That impact that I can have means a lot more than getting a pedal in a race.

B (0:43)

So how do you maintain like an ultra distance athlete training schedule and then still keep a physique?

A (0:48)

I've lost my legs a little bit with the running, but yeah, I, I tried.

B (0:59)

Ultimate human. Hey, guys, welcome back to the Ultimate Human podcast. I'm your host, human biologist Gary Brecker, where we go down the road of everything. Anti aging, biohacking, longevity, and everything in between. And today's guest is someone very, very special. So appropriate with the journey that my son is on. But he's ultramarathoner, has an amazing story. I can't wait for him to share it with us. Welcome to the podcast. Corey Sampson.

A (1:28)

Thanks for having me.

B (1:29)

Thanks for coming.

A (1:30)

Sweet.

B (1:31)

We ran an awesome little workout in London when I was there. Yeah. And then it was crazy. Was this morning, 6:30 in the morning, I'm over working out with my son and his. And his gym is under his house, so it's outside.

A (1:43)

Just running down there and you just

B (1:44)

randomly ran by and you're like, corey.

A (4:22)

I know, I know, I know. Yeah, no, yeah. So to be fair, like, everything I've kind of done kind of built up to me being ready to, to be the best I could on that, which is quite nice. But yeah, I think there's like, you hear it all the time with like links to trauma to like ultra marathons. And I think what the, what the thing is like, you have to be able to take a punishment and a bit of a beating. So I think when you've had like a certain amount of like stress, you've built up this resilience. But I read something really interesting about this the other day. It was on how bad you'd want it. It's a sports psychology book, really good. And one of the chapters talks about this. But there was a guy that's like atop of his game in Tour de France, but he kept on losing near the end of each race. He ended up winning in the end, like 30 odd years. Like he was. He lost the most amount of times, lost the most amount, he lost the most. He like, he didn't win, but he come like second like twice and he didn't win so many. He was the longest standing person to win after losing so many. But basically like his thing was he, he had like the perfect childhood, the perfect like entry into sport, like really young on the bike, got scholarships, did all this stuff. He didn't have any like hardship to help build his resilience. So he suffered on the, the climbs, the like the pressure, that was his thing. And I think there's, apparently there's. So in the book it says there's like, there's two sides of it. If you have too much trauma, it's like scar tissue and it's like sometimes it just completely wipes you out. But I think there's like a bit of a middle ground where I was like, I didn't have like a bad childhood, but I think like with same as Jelly Roll with drinking, drugs, probably not at the extent he was and I kind of checked myself quite early, but I had a very addictive personality and I went through all these different things and I think that resilience I built up getting over that and what I went through with it is helped me in sport because I mean, I

A (6:51)

You get like, you know, you've got events Monday to Friday with after parties and free tables in clubs and all that stuff. So where I already was fighting something a little bit. It was almost like a bit of a downhill spiral if you. If you let it be. And, yeah, I think that's what it was. But I. I was quite. Before I went on the show, I was still quite bad, like back home with. With drinking, drugs and mainly drugs. I think I moved to London when I was like, 18, did a couple years, like, did a year at uni. Didn't really get on with it, but started raving and partying then, and then went back home. Kind of took them bad habits with me. Nothing else to do. Was a bit bored, like, didn't really enjoy what I was doing with my work. Wasn't satisfied. Was a bit like I always thought. I. Like, in my head, I've always had this belief that I was a bit, like, destined for something greater than what I was doing. I mean, and I think that was the catalyst for what I wanted to do. I used to look at the YouTube bodybuilders or when I was bodybuilding, and, like, I was looking at them, people like, how can I get a lifestyle like that? It's like the freedom, financial freedom, the. Whatever it was, respect or attention or money, whatever it is. And I think I was really unhappy with my situation, so I was taking it out of myself, trying to escape it on a weekend. And then it was every Friday, Saturday, then it was Thursday to Sunday, and. Do you know what I mean? And it got progressively worse and then, yeah, the same thing. Went on tv. Thought it would change things. Now I had money, but it was more like more opportunity to do these things, which made it worse. So I was kind of like treading a bit of a line and I just kind of got sick of kind of being guilty and the shame that I, like, attached to it because I knew I was like, I could be doing something better with myself. Even when I got to that point. Where at one point I was like, that's like the greatest thing ever, like my pinnacle, whatever it is, like to be in that position. And then I was like, actually, I'm not happy still.

A (17:30)

And I, like. There was Shaquille o' Neal had a. Did a. Like, a talk before, like, on a podcast maybe. And I remember seeing it, and his dad, he said he was having a bad game and he was, like, throwing his toys out the pram. They'd lost to some. Someone, and his dad was like, come see us, like, fly back home. And then he flew back home, and he's like, right, we're going out at 6am and he said he went out, and they were dead silent in the car. And he drove and he was driving and they parked up. There was like, a tent under a bridge and homeless people. And then this guy got out. Like, they waited like, a couple hours. Son, come up. Guy come out. And then his wife holding a baby. And he said. He said, turn around. To him, he was like, you think you're under pressure? Like, that's pressure. Like, that's hard. Like, you athletes, like, you've got all this, like, money and everything, and you're like, you're not doing what you need to do. Like, it's not that hard. And that's what I always think. Now I'm like, I could be way worse in a way worse position than I'm in, especially with, like, social media. And, like, if anyone's like, oh, do you, like, struggle with the negative comments or. Yeah, I'm like, come on, man. Like. Like what? What do you mean? Like, I'm. I'm, like, so grateful to be in a position I'm in which I. I lead with when I do all this stuff. And I had a friend that broke his back a couple years back, and he's in a wheelchair now, and he's been in and out of hospital with. Yeah, he had sepsis at one point. And he's like, best friend from school. We grew up together. His job was cutting trees. So he fell out. His tree surgeon, he fell out a tree Broke his back. And, you know, he's got like a bit of an insurance thing and he's like, can live comfortably. He doesn't have to, like, whatever, but he'd give anything to. To do what I can do with my body. And even says it to me sometimes, like, mate, I love you. But, like, sometimes I see some of your stuff and it, like, actually upsets me a little bit. I can't do that anymore.