Sparta Chicks Radio: Mindset | Confidence | Sport | Women

Eloise grew up in a family of runners and, while watching the Olympics at the age of 10, set the goal to become an Olympian.By 16, she had qualified for her first Olympics; the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.But sadly, Eloise’s early career was beset by injuries.As one article I read so painfully wrote, ‘it would be 12 years, 11 stress fractures and 3 failed attempts later’ before she finally made her Olympic debut at the London Olympic Games in 2012.Eloise and I recorded this conversation in midst of the Covid-19 crisis and so that’s where we start our conversation today - with how she’s navigated the impact of it with two small children at home and how it’s affected her training and her attempts to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (now being held in 2021).Eloise is also the co-founder of an extraordinary organisation called the Love Mercy Foundation which she co-founded with Ugandan Olympian and former child soldier, Julius Achon that works to empower communities in Northern Uganda to overcome poverty caus

Michelle was a business owner, gym junkie and busy mum when she broke a foot in December, 2017.After experiencing balance and walking issues she attributed to a second broken foot in December 2018, Michelle was eventually diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disorder (CMT) in March 2019.Both neurological conditions, MS and CMT have left Michelle unable to run or move her legs quickly.But that didn’t stop her from entering - and finishing - her first (and last) triathlon at the Husky Triathlon in February 2020.Michelle tells the story in this conversation of what unfolded, her experience of crossing the finish line and what that race means to her.And trust me when I say this — you're going to need a tissue ;)

Mel is an inventor and adventurer who has tried it all: kayaking, climbing, caving, mountain biking and, her favourite, skiing.Mel also has a rare form of Dwarfism and so most commercially available sporting and outdoor adventure equipment doesn’t fit or suit her.Luckily Mel grew up with an interest in fixing things (initially with sticky tape) and parents who taught Mel and her two sisters - who also have Dwarfism - from an early age to adapt and find ingenious ways to get around the challenges their height presented them.That interest not only led Mel to get a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering but develop the skills to adapt or make from scratch her sporting and adventure equipment including kayaks, paddles and wetsuits.Mel starred in a fantastic documentary called (you guessed it) ‘Mel’ which aired at the Gutsy Girls Adventure Film Tour in 2019.

The TransCon is a self-supported, single-stage bike race across Europe. The clock starts and doesn’t stop until you arrive at the finish. And aside from a few checkpoints, there’s no set route. Participants map and plan their way across Europe and decide where and when to ride, eat and sleep along the way.In 2016, the race started in Belgium. And 3,800km and 13 days, 10 hours later, Emily arrived in Istambul, winning the women’s category in the process!While we discuss some of the events and adventures she’s had over the years, there are 2 key themes throughout this conversation.First, why it's important not to let what you've done (or not done) in the past define or limit what you think you’re capable of in the future.And secondly, being open to the idea that things which currently seem impossible actually aren’t.

Molly Galbraith’s love affair with strength training began in 2004 when she discovered powerlifting.A few years later, she began competing in figure competitions.And yet it was during this time that she began a vicious cycle of stripping weight to compete, then binging and regaining weight for several years until her “body hit a wall” and she was diagnosed with Hashimotos, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and adrenal issues.What began as a mission to change how her body looked, Molly now leads the team at Girls Gone Strong on a mission to educate and encourage women to have agency and autonomy over their bodies.

10 days before recording this conversation, Sparta Chicks Radio celebrated its 3rd birthday. And there is no-one I’d rather share that celebration with than Lucy Barnard!Lucy is attempting to become the 1st woman to walk the length of the world.She set off in February 2017 from Tierra Del Fuego in Argentina to walk to Barrow, Alaska; a journey of 30,000km /20,000mi across 15 countries she anticipated would take her 5 years.Yes, years!Lucy was first on the podcast in March 2018. When I was preparing to speak to Lucy for that episode, I realised we share a unique connection; we both started our respective journeys - Lucy started walking and I published the first podcast - on the very same day in 2017.That conversation turned into our first anniversary / birthday celebration and we agreed to catch up each year for an update on her progress! This is our 3rd annual episode and Lucy shares how her expedition has unfolded over the last 12 months.

Lisa Blair was 22 when she discovered a passion for sailing.Just 6 years later, she completed her first circumnavigation of the world as part of the Clipper Round the World Yacht race.Since then she’s gone on to sail solo to New Zealand twice, to skipper the first all-female team in 16 years to race the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht race and set not one but two World Records in the process of becoming the first woman to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around Australia.In the midst of that, in 2017 Lisa set out on her most ambitious project to date;  to become the first woman to sail solo unassisted and non-stop around Antarctica and to break the men’s World Record in the process.As you’ll hear in this conversation, that expedition did not go to plan and on a stormy night 72 days into her trip and 1,000 nautical miles from shore, her boat lost its mast and Lisa had to fight for 4 hours to save her boat -- and her life.Not only did she survive the night and spend 9 days limping back to port in Cape Town, Sout

Ultra-endurance cyclist Tiffany Winchester returns to Sparta Chicks Radio for the second part of our conversation about her race at the iconic 1,200km Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP) cycling race in 2019.This time, Tiff returns to share the aftermath of the race - the physical, mental and emotional trauma it inflicted on her, the depression that followed and how she was able to recover from it and get back on her bike.This is a very different conversation from part 1.It’s a very raw and vulnerable conversation and I truly appreciate Tiff’s honesty in sharing her struggles after PBP, the support she received and how she found her way through.

Tiffany Winchester (aka Tiff or Tiffo) was first on the podcast in June 2019.In that conversation, Tiff shared her background and her preparations for an iconic event called Paris-Brest-Paris (or PBP) - a 1,200km event held in France every 4 years considered to be the Olympics of the ultra-endurance cycling world.This time, Tiff returns to share how the event unfolded, the trauma it inflicted on her, the physical, mental and emotional toll it took on her and how she was able to recover from it.An iconic race - and a great storyteller - requires a long conversation. So I have divided this episode into two parts.In Part 1, Tiff shares the final stage of her preparation and how the race unfolded - including why she had to apply white wine vinegar to her “lady parts”.

[TW/CN: this post and episode discuss suicide]One of our most popular guests, Katee Pedicini, returns to Sparta Chicks Radio this week.Yet this is a very different conversation from our previous episodes.This time, Katee shares the story of her mental health journey over the last 20 years.In her 20s, Katee was (finally) diagnosed with a condition called Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder (or PMDD).Katee describes PMDD as extreme PMS “wrapped up with anxiety, depression, sometimes psychosis and suicidality or suicidal tendencies”We begin this conversation with Katee’s story. Her experience of the symptoms of PMDD, including suicidal ideation.Then we transition into a broader conversation about suicide and mental health; why suicide is often still seen as a ‘taboo’ and what Katee believes needs to change to enable it to be discussed more openly, and with less shame.Finally, we step back and discuss the intersection between mental health and endurance sports.This was an extremely difficult conversation, for both o

In October 2019, Melissa Urie became the first woman to line up at the start of Uberman.Described as the world’s most challenging ultra triathlon, it consists of a 34km swim, 644km ride and 217km run which Mel finished - becoming the first woman to do so - in a total of 135hr 15min - that's over 5 1/2 days! In the process, she also set a new swim course record for the event, finished second overall and smashed the previous course record by 31 hours. A long race requires a long conversation; Mel and I spoke for 2 hours about all-things Uberman so I have divided this conversation into two parts.In Part 1, we covered her preparation and training, the logistics of the event and how the swim leg unfolded - here.This is the second half of our conversation, in which Mel and I cover how the 644km bike, the 217km run leg and her recovery.

Uberman is described as the world’s most challenging triathlon.Consisting of 34km swim, 644km ride and 217km run, the race takes competitors from the Catalina Islands off the California coast to the trailhead at the top of Mount Whitney, the highest peak in Continental USA.Until 2019 when Melissa Urie lined up at the start, no woman had ever attempted the event.But 135 hours, 15 minutes and 55 seconds after she started, Mel became the first woman to finish the race!In the process, she also set a new swim course record, finished second overall and smashed the previous course record by 31 hours.And she returns to Sparta Chicks Radio this week to share the story!A long race requires a long conversation; Mel and I spoke for 2 hours about all-things Uberman - her preparation and training, the race itself and the aftermath.And my thanks to those in the Sparta Chicks community who offered their own questions for Mel!So I have divided this episode into two instalments.This is part 1 and part 2 will be published next

One of the main themes that run through many of my conversations on Sparta Chicks Radio is around the concept that “you can’t be what you can’t see”.This week’s guest is on a mission to change what you can see - and by extension, be.Mary Konstantopoulos is a lawyer who, in her “spare time”, is the force behind the “Ladies Who” media company - or dare I say growing empire - that advocates for, and shares stories of, women in sport here in Australia.She hosts two podcasts on the ABC Grandstand radio network; Ladies Who League  (about rugby league) and Ladies Who Legspin (about cricket).Mary’s passion for sport developed as a result of her desire to spend more time with her Dad who was (and remains) a passionate Parramatta Eels supporter in the National Rugby League (NRL) competition.Yet she describes in this conversation a sense of shame she sometimes feels because it never occurred to her to ask if women also played the sport.In this conversation, we discuss:- how her life has revolved around sport since she w

Stacey De Bono grew up in country Victoria and, by her own admission, hated riding bikes as a kid and used to wag the school cross country carnival.Fast forward a few years and she discovered triathlon quite by accident.A friend convinced her to sign up for a race. She did, but without checking the details and couldn’t work out why the race was so expensive.It turns out the first triathlon she signed up for was Ironman Melbourne, just 10 months later.A few years (and several triathlon seasons) later, a broken finger from a bike accident forced Stacey to step back from her training and work.This gave her time to reflect on her lifestyle, her health and her goals - and it was during this difficult period she heard about Epic 5, an iconic race consisting of 5 Ironman-distance triathlons over 5 days on 5 different Hawaiian islands.The seed was planted, Stacey eventually voiced the idea out loud to her coach and the goal was set to participate in Epic 5 in 2020, some 3 years later.That race date has been pushed ba

Lou discovered trail running at 43 and went onto win both her 1st 100km race and her 1st 100mi/160km race.Then earlier this year, Lou finished 2nd at the prestigious Ultra Trail Mt Fuji; the largest 100mi/160km race in the world!In this conversation, Lou and I discuss:- how she developed a passion for rock climbing in her early 30s and what prompted her to focus on running in her early 40s,- why she thinks she was able to develop relatively quickly in the sport,- why she doesn’t always look forward to training.- why she prioritises sleep and will do a shorter session or even miss a training session if she thinks she hasn’t had enough sleep,- how she mentally prepares for a major race, including turning pre-race nerves into positive energy,- her experience with the Imposter Complex (and why she doesn’t like the word ‘imposter’), and- her experience at Ultra-Trail Mt Fuji and why she describes the result as “bewildering”.

Mel Nicholls was a healthy, fit and active 22 year old when, in 2001, she was struck down by a stroke.7 years later, her 3rd stroke left her with permanent paralysis and limited function primarily in her left side.4 years later - and just 15 months after taking up wheelchair racing - Mel was selected to represent Great Britain at the 2012 London Paralympic Games in the 100m and 200m.After representing Great Britain for the second time at the Rio Paralympics in 2016, Mel moved away from track cycling and back into endurance events, including the New York and London marathons.Looking for a new challenge to feed her adventurous spirit, Mel combined her love of adventure and her competitive streak and set the goal to break the World Record for handcycling the length of Britain - from the south to the north along a route known as Lands End to John o’Groats (or LEJOG). It’s a journey of 874mi/1,400km.Not only did Mel break the record, but she also smashed it!

Sarah Davis joined me on the podcast almost two years ago to share her plans to become the first woman to paddle the length of the Nile river.A journey of 6,853km / 4,200mi from the source of the Nile in Rwanda, all the way to Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast in Egypt, at the time we first spoke Sarah had anticipated the expedition would start in January 2018 and take 7 months.So Sarah returns to the podcast this week to share how it unfolded!Spoiler alert!Things didn’t all go according to plan and two key decisions meant that Sarah wasn’t able to achieve her original goal to paddle the length of the Nile.However, she has become the first woman to lead an expedition along the Nile.In this conversation, we discuss:- how she made the decision where to start her expedition; a harder decision with more options than you might think,- what she felt visiting the source of the Nile in Rwanda after 3+ years of planning,- the very angry hippo tried to flip and then bite a hole in their inflatable raft just 6 days

Madhu Tamilarasan is a GP (general practitioner doctor) now living in a regional country town in New South Wales who discovered triathlons in her mid-30s and has since fallen in love with cross (or off-road) triathlons and mountain biking.She’s competed in (amongst many other races) both the Australian Cross Triathlon Championships as well as the ITU World Cross Tri Championships.A proudly gay woman, born in England of Indian descent, she brings a unique and insightful perspective to the podcast.This is a fun and broad-ranging conversation. We discuss everything from coming out to her parents through to why she never let the fact she swam breaststroke in triathlon races for years stop her from competing.

How do you achieve the seemingly ‘impossible’?That’s the core of my conversation with return guests Sarah Anne Evans and Pippa Lyon from the InternationElles this week on Sparta Chicks Radio.On a mission to raise the profile of women in cycling and to fight for equality in the sport, the InternationElles (alongside a French women’s cycling team) rode every stage of the 2019 Tour de France - one day ahead of the men’s professional race.A journey of 3,640km over 21 days with 53,000m of climbing (with just 2 rest days).Sarah Anne and Pippa joined me a few months ago on the podcast to discuss the project - including how on earth they were preparing to ride the “most mountainous route” in the 106 year history of the Tour de France!5 weeks after the ladies rode into Paris, Sarah Anne and Pippa return to Sparta Chicks Radio to share how the experience unfolded.

Michael Scragg is an experienced endurance athlete in his own right.After breaking his neck in a downhill mountain biking accident in the early 2000s, Michael made the switch to road cycling and ultimately into triathlons.Since finishing ‘dead last’ in his first Half Ironman, Michael has gone onto finish 9 Ironman triathlons as well as multiple 24-hour mountain bike races and ultra-marathons.He is also married to 2x Sparta Chicks Radio guest and ultra-endurance athlete, Melissa Urie!(Mel was on the podcast in 2017 to share her experience at the Epic 5 and again early in 2019 to discuss competing at the Ultraman World Championships). Over the last few years, Michael’s racing career has taken a backseat while Mel pursued her ultra-endurance goals, which have included Ultraman races in Canada, Australia and at the World Championships in Hawaii, the Epic 5 as well as her upcoming race at Uberman.So in this episode, Michael and I discuss what it’s like to be on the flip side; how to crew for, live with, support an