Synopsis
Jen Brown - Running and Triathlon Coach, Author and Mindset Coach for WomenSpartaChicks Radio brings inspiring stories coupled with practical, tried-and-tested-in-the-real-world advice from successful women in sport, business and life.Jen Brown from Sparta Chicks Radio is a Running and Triathlon Coach and Writer. The goal of Sparta Chicks Radio is to share inspiring stories coupled with practical, tried-and-tested-in-the-real-world advice from successful women in all walks of life about the realities of fear, self-doubt, courage, bravery, success and living life on your terms. From world class athletes, brilliant business minds to everyday women undertaking epic adventures, Sparta Chicks Radio will help you tap into your inner strength, courage, bravery and determination so you can chase your dreams and live a more fulfilling life on your terms.Find out more at www.spartachicks.com
Episodes
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#040: Richelle Olsen on Comparison, Body Image & Cycling to Mexico
16/08/2025 Duration: 01h04minRichelle Olsen is a force of nature.A 30-something plus-sized Aussie, Richelle is on a mission to introduce more plus-sized women to the outdoors and adventure through her non-profit organisation, Escaping Your Comfort Zone.In her own right, Richelle has done everything from hiking the Inca Trail and to Everest Base Camp as well as riding the 5,000km from Canada to Mexico (yes, Canada —> Mexico!).In this conversation, we discuss comparison, the fact she still didn’t think of herself as a ‘cyclist’ even after completing her epic 5,000km ride across America, fear of judgement, body image and how you can’t get the best of something you hate (like your body).
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#039: Abby Ehler on Ocean Racing, Fear & Motherhood
16/08/2025 Duration: 53minAbby Ehler is a professional sailor and, at the time this episode goes live, currently on a yacht racing down the west coast of Africa during the second leg of the Volvo Ocean Race.This is Abby’s 3rd time competing in this prestigious round-the-world yacht race, described as one of the longest and toughest professional sporting events in the world.In this episode, we discuss how Abby discovered sailing and ocean racing in particular, the fear, doubt and the dangers associated with it and how she manages the guilt she feels at being away from her family and her 6 year son in order to work and compete in the sport she loves.
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#038: Jo Bailey on Comparison, Resilience & Running
16/08/2025 Duration: 01h07minJo Bailey is just like you and I. An age-group athlete and busy mum who only discovered running in her mid-30s.At the time this interview was recorded in 2017, she had completed 9 ultra-marathons and is about to attempt her first 100mi/160km race through the Victorian Alps.Jo has openly discussed her struggles with the Imposter Complex and comparison, her fear of coming last and the “stories she tells herself” about her speed on her blog and on social media so I knew she would be the perfect guest for the podcast.We also talk about how being a runner has changed her as a woman and mother, how she’s come to proudly own the fact she is an athlete as well as her mental state ahead of her first 100mi/160km race.
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#037: Stacey Copeland on the Power of Role Models, Language and Women’s Boxing
16/08/2025 Duration: 01h07minStacey Copeland has represented England at the highest levels in both football and boxing. These day, Stacey is a professional boxer, having gained her professional licence earlier this year.Stacey began training in the boxing gym run by her Granddad when she was 6 or 7. But she was too young to realise that, at the time, boxing was banned as a sport for women. So when the boys in her training squad turned 11 and were allowed to compete, Stacey was left on the sidelines outside the ring, watching.An incredible football career followed. And by the time Stacey retired from football, the ban on women’s boxing had been lifted so she returned to the sport she loved.In this episode, we don’t discuss boxing so much as Stacey’s experience of being a girl and woman involved in two sports that are traditionally seen as “male sports”.Stacey talks openly about how she’s struggled with the perceptions and labels given to her by others who think that boxing isn’t suitable for women and how that lack of recognition fed a lo
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#036: Carin McCoy on Running, Body Image and Trolls
16/08/2025 Duration: 57minCarin and her sons have a genetic condition called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). A rare condition related to the connective tissue in the body that results in many hospital visits and many stitchers and check-ups for her and her boys.This condition, together with the fact she didn’t think she was “allowed to do sports” because she was “bigger than average” as a kid, meant it wasn’t until Carin was in her 30s that she signed up for her first 5km fun run, with a secret goal to run the whole distance.Carin credits that race with changing her life and she’s since gone on to complete multiple Half Marathons and triathlons.Carin has also shared her story, experience and insights around body image, self-doubt and dealing with critics and online trolls on her blog so I knew she would be perfect for Sparta Chicks Radio.
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#035: Rhiannan Iffland on Fear, Mindfulness & Cliff Diving
16/08/2025 Duration: 39minf there is one person to ask about fear and doubt, it’s Rhiannan Iffland.In 2016, in her rookie season and with a wildcard entry, she walked away with the 2016 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series title. And this past weekend, she has just successfully defended her title after victory at an event in Chile.Rhiannan grew up on Lake Macquarie, just north of Sydney, Australia and now travels the world high diving off everything from cliffs, bridges, platforms, waterfalls and even helicopters.We discuss fear and self-doubt, how to control your thoughts in order to manage your fear and why you need to choose your thoughts.Postscript: this interview was recorded in 2017. Rhiannon has gone on to win the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series champion seven (consecutive) times!
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#034: Sarah Davis on Risk & Paddling the Nile
16/08/2025 Duration: 40minIn January 2018, Sarah will set out on her journey to paddle the length of the Nile, from its source in Rwanda, all the way to Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast in Egypt; a journey of 6,850km / 4,200 miles over 7 months.In this conversation, we discuss how she is using her corporate experience in risk management to mitigate the risks associated with this journey (including injury, disease and illness, the human threat as well as the threat posed by the crocodiles and hippos that occupy parts of the river). We also discuss how you can use a risk management perspective to reduce your fears around ocean swimming, trail running or cycling, her experience with the Imposter Complex and why it’s so important to share your stories.
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#033: Jessica Douglas on the Power of 1%
16/08/2025 Duration: 01h02minJessica Douglas isn’t your typical elite athlete.She wasn’t a sporty kid. She was diagnosed Hodgkins Lymphoma when she was 14, had her daughter at 20 and only got serious about her riding in her 30s. But that didn’t stop her from discovering a love of mountain biking and then going on to become a 3 x World Champion in the incredibly gruelling 24-hour solo event in just 4 years after taking up the sport.These days, she’s a cycling coach who is passing her unique perspective and experience onto her athletes and is passionate about getting more women on bikes.In this conversation, we talk about why she describes being diagnosed with cancer as a “beautiful time in her life”, the powerful way she uses role models to gain courage in situation where’s she’s feeling scared or doubtful, why it’s so important to understand your why, her struggle with depression and her 1% rule which was the key to her fast progression in the sport (and how you can use it too).
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#032: Karley Cunningham on Female Hesitation & Whether Your Stories Work For You
16/08/2025 Duration: 01h07minKarley Cunningham has a diverse background and a unique perspective on the world. At 8, she was being groomed to be one of the top pairs figure skaters in Canada (and the world). After quitting, she went on to compete in equestrian, cross country and golf (all at a high level) before discovering mountain biking. She became an elite mountain biker and raced for many years and now she’s come over to the dark side and discovered trail running.Karley grew up in what she describes as a gender-neutral household, playing a lot of sport with boys, and it’s given her a unique perspective on the female brain, what she calls “female hesitation” and the way gender (and specifically our conditioning) affects our mindset and our success.We discuss perfectionism, crashing, the worst mistake ever, the importance of keeping your focus on what’s right in front of you, why she says she’s hardly ever failed and, of course, the Imposter Complex.
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#031: Amanda Batty on Finding Self-Worth Through Cycling
16/08/2025 Duration: 58minAmanda Batty is a professional downhill mountain biker race based in the US.She is also an outspoken advocate for women in sport and a vocal critic of the cycling industry for its treatment and portrayal of women.In this conversation, we discuss how cycling helped her find her sense of self and self-worth, that fear is healthy, why it’s important to remember why you are riding, how she handles the fear associated with crashing (especially after one crash described as the worst face plant you’ll ever see) and why she continues to share her deepest darkest secrets and fears about body image on social media.
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#030: Natalia Cohen on Embracing the Unknown & Losing Sight of Shore
16/08/2025 Duration: 53minNatalia Cohen is a member of the Coxless Crew, the first fours boat (and all-female team) to row, unsupported, across the Pacific Ocean (the largest ocean in the world).The journey, which took 257 days at sea, is documented in the film "Losing Sight of Shore" (available on Netflix).In this conversation, we discuss why she decided to apply (despite not having any rowing experience), her interesting struggle with the Imposter Complex now that the journey has been completed, how she used mindfulness to get through the tough times, how the sharks that kept them company on the journey were a highlight and why it’s important not to be afraid of the unknown and instead to embrace it.
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#029: Lisa Tamati on Self-Doubt and Pushing Your Limits
16/08/2025 Duration: 01h01minLisa Tamati is one of the world’s most experienced ultra marathon runners, especially when it comes to racing in hot conditions. She’s competed in over 130 ultra marathons, traversed almost every desert in the world, cycled through 20 countries, run the length of New Zealand for charity and is a successful businesswoman, running coach and New York Times best selling author.She also suffers severe asthma, broke her back at 21 and struggled with self-doubt and self-esteem throughout much of her younger life.In this conversation we discuss her severe asthma and the surprising advantage it has given her as an endurance athlete, what she learnt from a disastrous (and potentially life threatening) crossing of the Libyan desert, how ultra running helped to heal her self-esteem and self-confidence, why you should start working towards your goals even before you know how you’re going to achieve them and what she wished someone had told her as a young girl.
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#028: Chloe Chick on Raising Brave Daughters with Sisu
16/08/2025 Duration: 01h27sChloe Chick is the Founder of Sisu Girls, an organisation I love and support that is dedicated to the empowerment of girls through sport and outdoor adventure in order to foster bravery, resilience, determination and self-confidence in them.Chloe founded Sisu Girls in 2014 after seeing her daughter Olive start to show signs of a lack in self-confidence in certain situations (including being intimidated by boys in the playground or not wanting to play “boys” sports).In this conversation, we discuss Chloe’s experience attending an all-boys primary school and what she learnt, the importance of storytelling, role models and the impact they have on shaping who we are, her fear, self-doubt and experience with the Imposter Complex and why you should recognise and celebrate your everyday acts of Sisu.
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#027 Kirrily Dear on the Run Against Violence
16/08/2025 Duration: 54minOur first return guest, Kirrily Dear, is about to set out on a mammoth challenge - The Run Against Violence in 2017 will take Kirrily 1,300km / 807 miles throughout remote and regional Australia over 19 days on a mission to raise awareness and start conversations about family violence.This time we talk about how she has prepared, mentally and physically, for such a demanding and challenging event, her powerful and profound new perspective around comfort zones she recently gained on top of a mountain pass in the Andes as well as the Run Against Violence itself; the community and commercial support it has received and the logistics involved (including how many pairs of shoes she’s going to pack)
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#026: Nadine Champion on Fear, Regret & Using 10 Seconds of Courage
16/08/2025 Duration: 01h21minNadine Champion is a Thai Boxing and Kickboxing Champion, an author, speaker and cancer survivor. In her new book called “10 Seconds of Courage” and in this conversation, Nadine shares a real, raw and emotional account of her journey.We discuss her excitement at discovering martial arts at the age of 10, the practical strategies she uses to change her thinking when faced with a situation that is outside her control, how the lessons she learnt from martial arts helped her through her cancer battle, the question she asks herself when she’s afraid and how you can use 10 seconds of courage to push through your fear.
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#025: Michelle Lee on Learning Acceptance over Resistance (also, to Row the Atlantic)
16/08/2025 Duration: 50minMichelle Lee is a quintessential ordinary Australian woman who has set out to do something extraordinary. In December 2017, she’ll attempt the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, a 5,000km unassisted and self-supported ocean rowing event across the Atlantic from the Canary Islands off the coast of Spain to Antigua in the Caribbean. If she completes it, she’ll become the first Australian woman to row across an ocean.But Michelle isn’t a rower and doesn’t come from a rowing background. So how does an ordinary everyday woman find the courage and bravery to attempt one of the world’s toughest nautical challenges as an absolute newbie in the sport? And what does it take to complete this event? I ask her in this episode.
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#024: Margie Warrell on Finding Your Courage
16/08/2025 Duration: 53minMargie Warrell is a best-selling author, keynote speaker and Women’s Leadership Advocate whose clients include NASA, the United Nations Foundation, Facebook, the Marriott Hotel Chain, the Australian Federal Police (and the list goes on). Not bad for a girl who grew up on a dairy farm in regional Australia and is a mother of 4.Margie’s expertise is around bravery and courage and helping people make braver decisions and lead bigger lives. In this conversation, we discuss everything from how growing up on a dairy farm shaped her as a person, managing the doubts shared by your family about your goals or your ability, the Imposter Complex, gender bias in the way we treat and encourage boys and girls differently and how you can make braver choices in your life.
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#023: Michael Milton on Fighting Your Natural Instinct
16/08/2025 Duration: 51minMichael Milton knows all about fear, self-doubt, bravery and courage. After losing his leg to bone cancer at the age of 8, he has gone onto become one of Australia’s most talented, decorated and all-around athletes.He is a 5x Paralympic Gold Medalist who has competed in 6 Paralympic Games, both in Winter for skiing and in Summer for cycling. Michael is a World Record holder in both speed skiing and for the fastest marathon on crutches who has also summited Kilimanjaro and walked the Kokoda track twice.In this conversation, we discuss what it’s like to ski at in excess of 200km/hr (132mph), his experience with fear, self-doubt and the Imposter Complex, why he’s entered many races over the years knowing he’ll finish last, why you should keep pushing forward when your instinct is telling you to back off and his experience competing in the Ultra Trail Australia 50km race earlier this year.
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#022: The Veloroos on Setting Goals So Big They Scare You
16/08/2025 Duration: 56minJulie-Anne Hazlett and Sarah Anne Evans are two members of the Veloroos, an Australian non-professional cycling team. The team broke the course record for the 5,000km Race Across America in 2015 and later this year tackle the equally challenging 2,200km Race Around Ireland.In this conversation, we discuss fear and self-doubt, the logistics of riding across America or around Ireland, how everyday women, like you and I, who work full time and have families, find the train to train for such epic events as well as the importance of having a support network around you.
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#021: Katee Pedicini on Hormones, Happiness and Health
16/08/2025 Duration: 59minKatee Pedicini is a coach with a degree in Exercise Science who specialises in managing fatigue, stress and hormones to achieve optimum performance. She runs Holistic Endurance based in Melbourne, Australia.In this conversation, we discuss what stress is, the impact it has on your body, why many women train a lot, eat well and struggle to lose weight (or worse, put it on) and the small changes you can make to your lifestyle to improve your overall health.