Sparta Chicks Radio: Mindset | Confidence | Sport | Women

Rebecca Stone is a busy woman. She’s a midwife, a mum, and someone who loves racing her mountain bike for 24 hours - all while living with fibromyalgia.In 2010, after 9 months of severe pain which ultimately left her unable to work, drive or walk for more than 5m, Rebecca was diagnosed with fibromyalgia,A chronic condition, fibromyalgia causes widespread pain and sensitivity throughout the body. There’s no cure and it is difficult to treat.Getting back on her beloved mountain bike plan was part of Rebecca’s initial treatment plan primarily for the mental health benefits.In 2017, she finished 2nd at the Australian 24 Hour Solo Mountain Bike Championships. This conversation was recorded in early 2018 - later that year she was going on to line up at the Australian Championships in September before going onto contest the World 24 Hour Solo Mountain Bike Championships in Scotland in October where she finished 6th!In this conversation, we discuss motherhood as well as living, training and racing with chronic pain.

Katee Pedicini is a triathlon coach based in Melbourne, Australia and has a degree in Exercise Science who specialises in managing fatigue, stress and hormones in endurance athletes to achieve not only athletic performance but optimal health and happiness.Kate first appeared in episode 21 (our most popular episode in 2017!). This time, we dive deeper into two specific issues concerning women’s hormones and health; peri-menopause and menopause (and how they impact on your athletic ability, strength, training and racing) and why you should take advantage of your natural cycle by structuring your training program around it.The more I speak with Katee, the more I learn and the more I wish I’d been exposed to this knowledge in my 20s and 30s.

Sarah is an accomplished rower, rock climber, multi-day cyclist and triathlete. She’s completed the Race Across America twice, including as part of the winning Velouoos squad. And when we recorded this episode in 2018, she was returning to competition after a terrible accident left her in a coma for a month.How do you pick up the pieces, rebuild your confidence and get back on the bike? Let's find out...

Jo Sorrenson is an age group triathlete, busy mum of 3 and lives with PTSD after a career in the police force.In this interview, we dive deep into Jo’s career - both as an officer and as a triathlete.We talk about mental illness and the shame associated with it and how Jo discovered cycling as a powerful form of therapy for her.8 x Ironman 70.3 races later - including the 70.3 World Championships - Jo has discovered how to manage her condition with the support of family and friends, as well as the sport she loves.

Caroline Pemberton was crowned Miss Australia in 2007 at the age of 21.You might assume she grew up dancing, modelling and competing in pageants, only to discover outdoor adventure later in life — but nothing could be further from the truth.A self-proclaimed “goofy tomboy girl with messy hair”, Caroline grew up with two older, outdoorsy brothers and spent most of her childhood chasing them around and trying to keep up.At 19, Caroline accompanied her brother to Everest Base Camp which changed the trajectory of her life.When we recorded this episode in 2018, Caroline ran an organisation called 'Miss Adventure' which was on a mission to empower young girls to realise how strong and brave they are, and what their bodies are capable of doing, before the storm of adolescence kicks in (and the pressure on what you look like, more than what you can do, intensifies).

Sam Lane is an award-winning journalist who specialises in covering the Australian Football League (AFL) and cycling. She has also covered 2 Olympic Games and the Tour de France twice.Sam has been a member of Channel 7’s AFL broadcast team since 2013 and has spent the last 15 years writing and talking about footy.In 2017, she published “Roar”, a book about the history and launch of the Women’s Australian Football League (AFLW) in Australia.You might think Sam loved sports as a child. But nothing could be further than the truth; she describes herself as “nothing short of indifferent” to sport.So how do you go on to become an award-winning sports journalist? Let’s find out!

Lucy Barnard set off in February 2017 to walk the length of the world.From Ushuaia, Tierra Del Fuego in Argentina all the way to  Barrow, Alaska; a journey of 30,000km /20,000mi across 15 countries that will take her about 5 years. Yes, years.My first question to Lucy is probably the same one you’re thinking right now too; why?In this conversation, we talk about the logistics as well as the lessons she’s learnt about asking and accepting help, how she manages her fear and self-doubt and especially the fear and doubts of her friends and loved ones, how she’s learning to deal with her self-talk, why she’s already accepted the fact she might ‘fail’ (air quotes) to complete the expedition and why it’s ok to quit.

Pamela Jabbour is an amazing woman.She founded Total Image Group at the age of just 21 with no previous business experience.In fact, Pam’s story of establishing the business is such a rare and incredible example of pure grit - she made 100 cold phone calls, every day, for 12 months before the company won their first client.Fast forward and in 2017, Total Image Group was selected as the official formal uniform supplier for the 2018 Australian Winter Olympic team. And over 250,000 Australians each and every day wear a uniform designed and made by her company. Maybe even someone you know — or perhaps even you!In this conversation we discuss everything from not conforming to the expectations and stereotypes others have of us, how Pam felt the need to prove herself so much so that for the first 10 years in business, she didn’t change her official title to CEO, the importance of habit and routine, where Pam experiences the Imposter Complex in her life and how she deals with public or personal criticism.

Heather Swan was a very normal, everyday woman with no experience in adventure or even camping until her 30s.A single mum with a distinguished corporate career, her life probably would have continued on that track until she met the man who is now her husband, Glenn.Glenn was a base jumper - and the rest, as they say, is history. After doing her first base jump at the age of 40, Heather has gone on to become a wingsuit pilot.She has set a World Record for the world’s highest wingsuit base jump and has flown her wingsuit over Sydney Harbour, the Grand Canyon and, most recently, a mountain in Antarctica.We discuss fear, risk, self-doubt and the inner critic in this fun conversation. 

These days, a Fitness and Sports Counsellor and Body Positivity Advocate, Leah Gilbert's relationship with food and her body wasn't always so, well, positive.A child who loved sport but who, because she was bigger than the other kids, was very self-conscious of her body.Leah openly admits that, as a result, she always limited the amount of effort she put into her sport (and therefore limited her potential).It was only with the birth of her daughter in 2012 that Leah's relationship with food, exercise and her body began to shift.In this conversation, we discuss her relationship with sports and her weight as a child, why she started running and how she then got into triathlons, how motherhood was a catalyst for her to change her relationship with food, exercise and her body, the surprising way her public role and advocacy work impacted on her running and why she stepped away from social media as a result.Plus we talk about why it's important to recognise that you are an athlete.

Recorded in 2018, this episode marked not only the 50th episode, but the first birthday of the podcast! So I thought this would be the perfect chance to share the top 10 most popular episodes of the podcast over the first season.

Caro Ryan describes herself as the “unexpected outdoors chick”.As a child, she wasn’t physically active. But after a 3 day experiential leadership training course in the Australian bush at the age of 21, the trajectory of Caro’s life changed and a deep love and connection with the bush was born.These days, she is one of Australia’s top bloggers in the outdoor space via her website lotsafreshair.com.In this conversation, we discuss why she describes herself as the “unexpected outdoors chick”, how the outdoors and “red bandana girl” changed her life, the stories we tell ourselves, including in Caro’s case that she “wasn’t a runner”, the importance of using words, labels and phrases (such as “I’m a runner”) before you believe them, how to manage and mitigate the most common fears of being in the bush and how being in the outdoors is such a powerful catalyst for change for so many women.

Brad Stulberg is fascinated with the science of human performance.In 2017 Brad co-authored, with Steve Magness, a fantastic book I devoured on a flight called "Peak Performance: Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout and Thrive With the New Science of Success."This book (and this conversation) is based around the concept of periodisation (which is - or should be - the principle that any and all training you do should be based on); stress + rest = growth.Unfortunately, this formula isn’t well understood or applied which results in injury, illness, burn out or overtraining.In this conversation, we discuss how stress isn’t always a bad thing and how you can use it to your advantage. Plus we talk about smartphones, sleep and meditation as other factors you need to consider if you want to get the best out of yourself and feel good about it.

Terra Roam will, in 2018, also become the 1st woman to walk around Australia, solo and without the assistance of a support vehicle.For much of her walk, she was accompanied only by Dory, her bright blue and yellow custom-build barrow.Terra’s story is of a girl who discovered a love of, and connection, with nature from a very young age. But who didn’t realise until later in life that she had been using walking as a form of therapy to recover from the trauma she has experienced and the social anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) she has since been diagnosed with.This is a story about hope and recovery and the importance of connection to nature.

Hayley Nixon could swim before she could walk. She then discovered, and fell in love with, rowing at University and was on track to make the team to represent South Africa in rowing at the London Olympics.But sadly just 3 months before the Games were to commence, she was informed she hadn’t been selected and missed out by one spot.After such heartbreaking disappointment, Hayley lost her love for rowing. But fortunately, she soon found flat water ocean paddling and then canoe ocean racing (which is like a surf ski). Then only two years after taking up that sport, and only a month ago, Hayley won the World Championship.Of course, as she rightly points out, that title has twenty years in the making.In this conversation we discuss resilience and how you bounce back from heartbreaking disappointment, why it’s important to remember everything you’ve achieved, done or accomplished in your past and why you shouldn’t assume the race is over if you have a bad start.

Lucy Bartholomew was just 16 when she completed her first 100km race, after only taking up the sport the year before. By 18, she was the Sky Running Junior World Champion.Then in 2017, on her 21st birthday Lucy won the Ultra Trail Australia 100km race and again proved she was a force to be reckoned with on the international trail running scene with her victory at Ultra Trail Cape Town 100km in December, 2017.And while Lucy’s rise in the sport of trail running has been rapid, it hasn’t been easy. She has been the subject of much criticism for her decision to take up ultra running at such a young age.

I don’t know anyone more passionate about the sport of triathlon — and getting more women into the sport — than this week’s guest, Bel Fong.An institution in the Sydney triathlon scene, Bel has been involved in the sport since 2007.Her passion for the sport is only exceeded by her passion to get more women into the sport (she describes it as her “calling”).In this conversation we discuss how she got into the sport (despite being a kid who would do anything to avoid PE at school), how she is only just realising after 10 years in the sport that she has more potential than she has ever given herself credit for, her experience with the Imposter Complex and why its so important to be aware of your thoughts and stories you tell yourself (especially during a race).

A Clearance Diver in the Australian Navy, in 2009 Paul was working in Sydney Harbour when he was attacked by a bull shark (the first attack inside the Harbour in 60 years).Paul lost his right hand in the attack and his right leg was amputated a week later.What’s remarkable about Paul is not that he was attacked.What’s remarkable is what he has done since then.Not only has he returned to the open water, he confronted his fear and dived with bull sharks and even learnt to feed them by hand. He’s also become an advocate for the protection of sharks and has hosted documentaries for the Discovery Channel during Shark Week.In this conversation, we discuss his troubled childhood, what he gained when he joined the Army, his decision to become a Clearance Diver despite a “massive” fear of sharks and how he was able to overcome his fear to get back in the water.

We all experience the voice of the Inner Critic.This week on Sparta Chicks Radio, Tara Mohr, a women's leadership and wellbeing expert, will help you not only recognise your Inner Critic but share some practical tools so you can learn to live with your fear, self-doubt and Inner Critic, but not be held back by it.Tara specialises in helping women to 'play big' which is also the title of her book, which was named by Apple's iBooks as a "best book of the year". She has been featured in the New York Times, the Today Show in the US, Harvard Business Review & Oprah.com.We spend much of this conversation dedicated to the Inner Critic.Tara also turns the tables on me and we discuss my struggles with the Inner Critic around this podcast. 

From growing up in Canada then spending her teenage years in the Middle East, completing a PhD in women’s history through to a successful career as a professional triathlete and becoming President of Tri Equal, Sara has a diverse background which has given her a unique perspective on the involvement of women in sport and the importance of sharing stories about women.Since her retirement, Sara has established a media company, Live Fiesty Media which creates unique content around women in sport, including via the popular podcast, Ironwomen.In this conversation, we discuss her awareness at a young age of the gender differences in society, how she spent a long time feeling scared and afraid she would never win an Ironman race as a pro athlete, the importance of changing the narrative or story you’re telling yourself, her experience with the Imposter complex, the obstacles to equality for women in sport and what you and I can do to advance it.