In the latest podcast Max Hinds talks about his cycling career, making his way from the Junior World Championships to racing with the GB team and being part of the Olympic Development Squad. His mindset is so strong and he has a clear vision of where he wants to get to, setting himself lofty goals - this is his "why" and what drives the commitment to long, hard sessions when he is already near exhaustion. We delve into the marginal gains in cycling and how watts can be shaved from so many aspects of the sport, all leading to incremental improvements, efficiency and ultimately speed.  Max is a fantastic ambassador for CASS & Friends with very good advice for our younger athletes; to have fun and nail the basics - it's a long journey in elite sport, so he says it's good to remember to enjoy the ride.

If you would like to find out more please visit www.cassandfriends.org
Instagram @cassandfriends

Lucinda is a "legend" - her uni friends say that to her, and they are right - a SportsAid athlete who came to CASS & Friends, and we have loved supporting her, watching her steely determination and desire to succeed in whatever she sets her mind to. She loves her sport, telling us about her shooting "family" with the friends she has made since she was talent spotted as a young girl. Now a student studying veterinary science, she is focusing on her career and academics while slotting in as many competitions as possible with her heart set on competing at the Olympics when her studies are over. There is so much to learn from the way she trains - using feel rather than scores and numbers when she practises with no bullets and how training with more intention and purpose due to time constraints at university has improved her performance.  I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed hearing Lucinda chat away and share her story. She's one to watch. 

If you would like to find out more please visit www.cassandfriends.org
Instagram @cassandfriends

Ellie is one of our fabulous alumni athletes who achieved the qualifying time for the U20 European Championships. Lockdown prevented her from competing and she never quite found her form after that due to injury.  This episode is an honest and open conversation about Ellie's journey; through competing as a teenager, the joy and passion she had for sprinting and then the impact of covid, starting university and being affected by anxiety.  Ellie managed to balance her school work with training, went to the University of Bath to study one of the best Sports Science degrees in the country and is now embarking on her career as a sports physiologist. One day she may be a sports psychologist....you never know.  She is young, determined and very bright with a fantastic future ahead of her. Thank you, Ellie for sharing. 

If you would like to find out more please visit www.cassandfriends.org
Instagram @cassandfriends

Ella is a 100m and 200m sprinter - she's ranked in the top 10 in Great Britain and has been a fantastic CASS & Friends athlete. Ella shares her experience of competing and managing her confidence over the years and explains the process of applying to university on a sports scholarship. She is off to a Division One university in the USA and is excited to be on the next step of her sporting journey! I hope you enjoy Ella's energy and enthusiasm in this podcast.

If you would like to find out more please visit www.cassandfriends.org
Instagram @cassandfriends

Claire is a huge inspiration to me. She tackles one huge challenge after another and leaps into the unknown without hesitation. A double-deca Ironman athlete, she is now training for the immense challenge of the Arch to Arc triathlon. As the business owner of this event, she has many reasons why it's important to her to complete it. So, she will be running from Dover, swimming across the channel, and then cycling to the Arc de Triomphe!! Bonkers!!

If you would like to find out more please visit www.cassandfriends.org
Instagram @cassandfriends

In this episode Adam talks about combining two sports as a child, going to the Olympics aged 18, dealing with injury and setbacks and using the Chimp Paradox to help him work with his mind.  He continues to train at the highest level as well as coaching and bringing the best out of his athletes.  He was the first British man to run under 10 seconds for 100m and 20 seconds for 200m. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed interviewing Adam. 

If you would like to find out more please visit www.cassandfriends.org
Instagram @cassandfriends

In this episode, Fi explores the world of art and sport and how the two have merged beautifully for Gavin an international javelin thrower and artist who combines his passion for sport and art to keep his life in balance and his identity true to himself.  It's a great episode to help all athletes think about themselves as someone other than "an athlete" or sports person.

If you would like to find out more please visit www.cassandfriends.org
Instagram @cassandfriends

I loved interviewing Josie! She has a wealth of experience in sports psychology and has written several books which are all well worth reading.  We have such a good discussion about the most common reasons she works with young athletes and she shares many strategies to help deal with many of the common issues facing athletes concerning their mindset.  Amongst other things, we talk about motivation and pressure and there is so much advice for parents in this episode too.

If you would like to find out more please visit www.cassandfriends.org
Instagram @cassandfriends

In this episode Neive chats with Fi about the joy of mentoring CASS & Friends athletes.  Neive has so much advice to share with her years of competitive rowing at the elite level and now as an age group multi sport athlete.  Neive has helped many CASS & Friends athletes work on the mental side of their performance and we are lucky to be working alongside her. 

If you would like to find out more please visit www.cassandfriends.org
Instagram @cassandfriends

What an authentic episode. Fi chats with Vickie Pullin who qualified for the Olympics in Snowboard Cross when she was 18 and now races sled dogs at the elite level.  We talk a lot about funding in sport and how athletes are performing at incredible levels. We talk about the sled dogs and the complexity of training herself and her dogs and fitting it all into a busy life managing her own business and being the mum of 3 year old Prin, who also entertains us on the podcast!

If you would like to find out more please visit www.cassandfriends.org
Instagram @cassandfriends