Sparta Chicks Radio: Mindset | Confidence | Sport | Women

Richelle 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).

Abby 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.

Jo 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.

Stacey 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 longstanding struggle with the Imposter Complex.

We also talk about what it was like growing up in a boxing gym, the impact that having no female role models in her sport had on her, why role models are so critical, the power of language and why it’s so important to be aware of the words we use and the labels we give others.

Postscript: this interview was recorded in 2017. The following year, Stacey went on to win the gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and become the first ever British woman to win the Super Welterweight Commonwealth title.

Carin 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.

f 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! 

In 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.

Jessica 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).

Karley 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.

Amanda 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.