Sparta Chicks Radio: Mindset | Confidence | Sport | Women

Kate is a psychologist, mountaineer and ‘free spirit at heart’. A rock climber and mountaineer (who also served in the Army for 10 years), Kate has a unique perspective on how to manage fear, the thoughts we believe and the stories we tell ourselves. We dive deep into the topic of fear on this episode and discuss: - why spending time in nature is such a powerful source of confidence for women (hint: it’s about the facades we carry in our everyday life), - why fear is actually a good thing, and being fearless is bad, - the physiological response that occurs in your body when you feel fear - whether that fear is real/immediate or perceived, - why you can’t think straight when you feel anxious, and tactics you can use to calm your anxiety and get your brain functioning again (I’ll vouch for the 4 second breathing exercise she mentions; I’ve been using it a lot in the last week or two), - why mantras and affirmations work and why you should ‘let the body climb’ (or swim or run or ride or whatever it is you love t

Hearing Pip Candrick share her love of trail running, it’s hard to believe she only took up the sport in her late 40s after being diagnosed with brain cancer. To regain her health after treatment, Pip joined a gym that challenged her to set a goal. She picked running a Half Marathon which, she says, ‘…was just ridiculous. I don’t know why it came out of my mouth’. Pip quickly fell in the love with the sport, and discovered a surprising side effect of her long runs. During a long run one day in preparation for her first Half Marathon, she suddenly had memories (she didn’t realise she’d lost) come flooding back. She credits her long runs with ‘restoring her brain’. Since then, Pip’s gone onto finish multiple races including the 100km race at Ultra Trail Australia as well as the Husky Long Course triathlon (a Half Ironman/70.3 distance race). Of course, her recovery and life haven’t been without challenges. Pip experiences seizures and hasn’t (until only recently) been able to head out the door for a run by hers

Elly is a marathon runner and nutritionist who works with Steph Lowe (episode 69) at The Natural Nutritionist. Elly first explored an LCHF (lower carb, healthy fat) protocol after various health issues caused her to question the traditional approach to nutrition she’d been taught at University (including the (in)famous food pyramid). After working in the United States, Elly decided to adopt a vegan diet. But soon found that it wasn’t conducive for her to thrive as a marathon runner. Now Elly’s the first to admit many athletes thrive using a vegan or vegetarian protocol, but she realised she isn’t one of them. Elly’s experience is a great example of why it’s important to personalise your approach to training and nutrition, rather than simply adopting what’s popular or what your friends are doing. In many ways, this episode is an extension of my conversation with Steph Lowe and previous episodes with Katee Pedicini in that we discuss nutrition, fat adaptation, hormones and an LCHF lifestyle. I should also menti

An age group mountain biker and mum of 3 in her 40s, Kate was scrolling through Instagram while breastfeeding her youngest daughter in 2017 when she saw a competition by Liv Cycling (an incredible women’s cycling brand) for a spot in their Trail Squad; the prize included a new bike and entry to a mountain bike stage race somewhere around the world. Needing a goal or something for herself, she decided to enter the competition. Then one Sunday, months later she opened her email to find out she had won and that she was off to the Cape Epic — one of the hardest mountain bikes races in the world. Held in South Africa, the Cape Epic is considered the Tour de France of the mountain bike world. It’s an 8 day stage race with 100km+ days in the saddle, in the heat, dust and dirt of South Africa with around 15,000m of climbing (that’s nearly 2x the height of Everest). Kate’s first reaction was ‘I was honestly petrified. My first thought was: “there is no way I can do that”.’ Then she took a deep breath and said ‘yes’. G

Grant Giles is obsessed with understanding what happens between an athlete’s ears. Grant has 25+ years of experience in triathlons, starting with a 14 year career as an elite athlete. He then turned to coaching and ultimately developed some of Australia’s most successful professional triathletes. These life experiences - together with his own struggles with anxiety - led him to become obsessed with understanding what happens between an athlete’s ears. These days, Grant runs Sports Supports, a business that closes the gap between psychology and sport by providing mind-body coaching to athletes. The core of his philosophy is to develop ‘awakened athletes’ which he describes in his conversation as ‘somebody who is aware that they are more than the content of their thinking and can stand apart from their thinking and can actually enquire into it; ask questions of it, analyse it, or drop it all together.’ Grant’s approach can, I think, be summarised by: “don’t believe everything you think”. Get the full show notes

Ellie Greenwood is ultra running royalty. I also got the impression from our chat that she’s incredibly humble and I suspect that description may not sit comfortably with her  — but it’s the truth. A 2x winner of one of the world’s most famous and revered races, the Western States Endurance Run 100 (that’s 100mi/160km). In 2012, she also smashed the course record — that record still stands today. She’s also a 2x winner of the World 100km Championship and in 2014 she also won the Comrades Marathon, an 89km race in South Africa, regarded as the world’s oldest and largest ultramarathon. While we touch on those races in this conversation, we spend much of our time behind-the-scenes, with Ellie sharing: - how her athletic identity changed from someone who ran for fun to that of a ‘semi-professional’ and potential winner, - how you don’t need to have the ‘perfect race’ to achieve the best result you can, - her struggle with injuries and her advice on how to get your running ‘fix’ when you’re injured and how to rema

If you follow Tracey on social media, you would have seen stunning photos from her work assignments in Far North Queensland, Jordan, Finland, Sweden, South Africa and Botswana over the past 12 months. Of course, social media is just the highlight reel. It doesn’t show the full story. Tracey bravely shares that story (for the first time) in this conversation. Back in 2016, Tracey realised she was experiencing some hearing loss. After 9 months of searching for answers, she was diagnosed with a brain tumour. “A very good tumour in a very shit place” as she describes it. In this conversation: * how Tracey got into travel journalism and how she discovered mountain biking, * her advice for women who are interested in learning to ride a mountain bike  (simply, don’t be put off by the crazy Youtube videos) * what she’s learnt from travelling to places such as Jordan, Palestine and Afghanistan  that are portrayed as “dangerous” in the media, * the symptoms that led her to visit her doctor as well as her diagnosis and

Back in episode #17, Hayley shared her story and experience of becoming the first person - male or female -  to kayak the length of the Clarence River. The longest river system on the east coast of Australia, the journey of 400km took Hayley 2 weeks to complete. If you haven’t listened to that conversation (recently), I’d encourage you to go back and listen to our initial conversation first — as it is our starting point for this chat. You can find it here.  Hayley had only completed her journey about 5 or 6 days before we spoke and shared it felt quite surreal to think an expedition 2 years in the planning was over.  So we begin this week's conversation by discussing whether time and hindsight have changed her perception of what she learnt from that experience. Then we dive into Hayley’s next big adventure. And I have to be honest, I didn’t know much of the details going into this conversation. All I knew was that it involved a kayak, a river in Tasmania, and that she was taking her two boys, aged 7 and 5, wi

Back in 2007, Heather Hawkins was, by her own admission, a desperately unfit and busy mum of 2. Then one day she visited her doctor after noticing some unusual symptoms she had initially attributed to the ‘middle age’ spread, enjoying Christmas a little too much and even menopause. A scan later the same day revealed the shocking news - Heather was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Fortunately, Heather has not only survived but thrived in the years since. And just 6 years ago took up running. She then she’s gone onto finish the North Pole Marathon, the World Marathon Challenge (7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days), the Volcano Marathon in Chile as well as the Marathon des Sables, a 250km, 7 day stage race across the Sahara Desert in Morocco. Plus she’s hiked the 1,700km Great Himalaya Trail across the Nepalese Himalayas with her children. As part of my commitment to focus on women’s health, we dive into her diagnosis, treatment and recovery from ovarian cancer before discussing how running has helped her unlock

“Attitude is more important than fact” might seem like one of those weary and overused motivational slogans. But Lisa Bentley lives it every day. A member of the Triathlon Canada Hall of Fame, Lisa is an 11 time Ironman triathlon champion, including 5 straight victories at Ironman Australia (2002 - 2006). She also has cystic fibrosis - a genetic lung disease that results in chronic infections with limited lung capacity. Lisa was diagnosed in 1989 at the age of 20, when the average life expectancy for those with cystic fibrosis in Canada, was also 20. The facts would suggest Lisa was never meant to excel at endurance sports. She’s the first to admit she wasn’t the most talented athlete around, especially given her limited lung capacity. But it was Lisa’s approach to the mental and emotional side of sport -- and her attitude -- that set her apart. We dive into her story and the tools she used to build that mental fitness in this conversation. Get the full show notes for the episode here. — Visit the Sparta Chic

In April 2018, Steph became the first British woman to circumnavigate the world and ride a motorbike (affectionately called Rhonda the Honda) on all 7 continents — yes, including Antarctica! This journey covered 120,000km / 74,000 miles, across 53 countries, and took 4 years to complete. In this conversation, Steph and I discuss: * why you sometimes feel lost and unfulfilled despite achieving the goal you’ve set for yourself, * how she planned the logistics of her 4 year trip, * why people enjoy helping — and why you should ask for it, * her experience with the Imposter Complex the day she started her ride in London, * how she has learnt to manage her thoughts when others share their fears and doubts with her (including when someone said to her: “you’ve bitten off more than you can chew”). Notice the language she uses: I choose to believe I’ll be ok, * her experience riding through Iran when it was illegal for women to do so, * the experience of getting Rhonda the Honda to Antarctica on a 60’ foot sailing yac

Australia’s coolest psychologist, Ali Hill is a CEO, sought-after speaker, author, podcaster, mum of 2 and runner. Perhaps it’s no wonder that after being overcome by a tremendous sense of overwhelm 2 years ago, that Ali (as a ‘head mechanic’ to use her words) went on a quest to understand society’s obsession with ‘busy’ and how to live a life filled with meaning, even amongst the busyness. That quest resulted in Ali not only making changes in her own work and life but also writing a fantastic book called ‘Stand Out: A Real World Guide to Get Clear, Find Purpose & Become the Boss of Busy’ and launching one of my favourite podcasts, Stand Out Life. In this conversation, we discuss where her interest in behavioural science and psychology originated from, the fear of failure, how to live a life filled with meaning (even amongst the ‘busy’) and her experience running the 22km race at Ultra Trail Australia this year. Plus, I turn the tables and ask whether a psychologist -- with all the tools, knowledge and in

Steph Lowe is a triathlete, Sports Nutritionist and the Founder of the Natural Nutritionist, a business based in Melbourne, Australia dedicated to teaching how easy real food living and performance can be. The foundation of her approach is a whole foods, lower carb higher fat (or LCHF) lifestyle, which she also describes as JERF (just eat real food). This conversation ties together with the previous conversations I’ve had with Katee Pedicini on the podcast as nutrition is one of Katee’s key recommendations for developing happy hormones. In this conversation, we discuss: * the profound impact removing gluten had on Steph’s physical and mental health, * why food is medicine, * the benefits of adopting an LCHF lifestyle (and whether you would experience the same benefits if you are not gluten intolerant), * the most common tell-tale symptoms a person might have that would benefit from adopting an LCHF lifestyle (listen up if you have 3.30-itis, you get hangry or if you experience cravings), * the impact of gut h

Jacqui Holth is the co-founder of the Adventurous Life Project - a community with a commitment to harness the power of play and the psychology of adventure to regain purpose, vitality and energy in life. Born in Sydney, Jacqui spent her adult life living and working overseas before returning to Australia at the age of 42 in 2013 on a quest to reinvent herself.  In this conversation, we talk about how she defines ‘adventure’ and what it means to live with an adventurous spirit, the lessons and insights she learnt from living and working overseas for so many years, the charity she founded in Sardinia, Italy to build a children’s playground. Plus we discuss what inspired her to create the Adventurous Life Project.   Get the full show notes for the episode here. — Visit the Sparta Chicks Radio website here Follow Sparta Chicks Radio on Facebook: facebook.com/SpartaChicks Follow Jacqui on Instagram: facebook.com/jacqueline.holth

Who better to ask about fear and self-doubt than one of the best stuntwomen in the world, Ky Furneaux? Ky was raised in a small country town in South Australia and has gone onto work on many big-budget Hollywood blockbusters and become one of the best stuntwomen in the world. In this conversation, we discuss: * her adventure-seeking ways as a child and the grandmother who inspired her love of travel, * the car accident at 19 and the lessons she gained from that experience, * how she found the confidence and courage to move to Canada to pursue her dream of becoming a stunt performer with no specific skills, training or even a plan, * how to deal with the ‘no’s’ you receive when you’re chasing your goals and dreams, * the strategies and process she uses to manage her fears (listen for the questions she asks herself when assessing her fear), * breaking her shoulder in a stunt in Hong Kong and the pressure and expectation (both internal and cultural) not to disclose her injury, and * why the outdoors are so empow

Born in Canada, Jill was working as a Physical Education teacher in Bavaria in September 2014 when she was hit in the head with a ball in a freak accident. Taken to emergency and quickly discharged with only a “black eye”, Jill was later diagnosed with a fractured skull and a traumatic brain injury (amongst other injuries). 2 years, 7 hospitals and 3 countries later, Jill’s black eye never re-opened and she was left with a traumatic brain injury and just 30% of her vision. But that was not going to stop Jill from returning to her beloved mountains. She originally set a goal to circumnavigate the world in a year on a quest to run illustrious mountain ranges with her “differently abled” body. It’s been over a year now and she’s going! Get the full show notes for the episode here. — Visit the Sparta Chicks Radio website here Follow Sparta Chicks Radio on Facebook: facebook.com/SpartaChicks Follow Jill on Instagram: instagram.com/mtnsofmymind/

Alise Selsmark is a professional triathlete based in Noosa here in Australia. Although Alise had a background as a competitive swimmer as a child, she only entered her first triathlon - a women’s only event - at 28. And just 4 years later, she qualified to race as a professional. In this conversation, we discuss what she learnt from watching a boy called Alan at her first swim squad when she was 11, how she got into triathlons, her transition from racing as an amateur to a pro and why it’s important to define what success means to you. We also discuss the choice we all make between fear and regret, her advice on racing in the heat (having just finished Ironman Philippines) and her advice to self-coached athletes. Now if you’ve seen a proliferation of cupcakes on social media over the last few months for no apparent reason, Alise & her partner Callum Millward (from Cupcakes With Cal fame) are to blame. Together earlier this year they set up a triathlon team called the Cupcake Cartel. Alise will explain wha

The tables - or microphone - is turned this week onto the host of Sparta Chicks Radio and the founder of Sparta Chicks, Jen Brown.  Interviewed by Richelle Olsen (founder of Escaping Your Comfort Zone and who was our guest on the podcast during episode 40), Jen shares her childhood, her transition from law to coaching and some of the various projects under the Sparta Chicks umbrella including the book she wrote, the podcast and the upcoming event called Sparta Chicks Unleashed. We also discuss her recent surgery and broader issues around women’s health and what she would say to her 13 year old self.  Get the full show notes for the episode here. — Visit the Sparta Chicks Radio website here Follow Sparta Chicks Radio on Facebook: facebook.com/SpartaChicks Follow Jen on Instagram: instagram.com/spartajen

Back in 2013, Michelle Hocking was 41 and “overweight and overwhelmed with depression, anxiety and panic attacks”. Then one Saturday afternoon in July 2013, she struggled to walk 5 metres without being short of breath. Less than 24 hours later, she was diagnosed with viral cardiomyopathy. Her husband was asked if her affairs were in order and a heart transplant was being discussed. Fast forward 5 years and life is very different. Michelle (Chell) is now a trail runner and an ultra-marathon runner, having completed the 2017 UTA 50km and in October this year, 2018, she’ll line up at the start of the 74km Taupo Ultra Marathon. In this conversation, she shares her remarkable story and her advice to you. Get the full show notes for the episode here. — Visit the Sparta Chicks Radio website here Follow Sparta Chicks Radio on Facebook: facebook.com/SpartaChicks Follow Chelle on Instagram: instagram.com/chell_runs

Jamie Moreno is on a mission to empower girls and women to get involved in motorsports and to follow their dreams regardless of age, race or gender. A Latina woman, Jamie grew up with a passion for cars after spending hours with her dad as a child in the garage working on cars but didn’t start racing until she was 25. However, she didn’t start racing until she was 25 because - despite a love of cars - she didn’t realise it was an avenue that was open to her (sadly, another example of the effect of  ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’). In this conversation, we discuss: * her childhood, the time she spent hanging out with her dad in the garage working with cars, * one of her favourite memories from childhood that involves wanting to go fast on a ride at Disneyland (but being stuck being a slow older man!), * the pressures of growing up in a Latino family and the expectation to conform, * her experience as a woman, and a woman of colour, in such a male-dominated sport, * why it’s so important to her that she is a