Sparta Chicks Radio: Mindset | Confidence | Sport | Women

Eloise grew up in a family of runners and, while watching the Olympics at the age of 10, set the goal to become an Olympian.

By 16, she had qualified for her first Olympics; the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.

But sadly, Eloise’s early career was beset by injuries.

As one article I read so painfully wrote, ‘it would be 12 years, 11 stress fractures and 3 failed attempts later’ before she finally made her Olympic debut at the London Olympic Games in 2012.

Eloise and I recorded this conversation in midst of the Covid-19 crisis and so that’s where we start our conversation today - with how she’s navigated the impact of it with two small children at home and how it’s affected her training and her attempts to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (now being held in 2021).

Eloise is also the co-founder of an extraordinary organisation called the Love Mercy Foundation which she co-founded with Ugandan Olympian and former child soldier, Julius Achon that works to empower communities in Northern Uganda to overcome poverty caused by the horrors of war.

Eloise shares how you can help to support the work of Love Mercy by participating in their virtual “Mother Run” which is on this month (May, 2020).

Michelle was a business owner, gym junkie and busy mum when she broke a foot in December, 2017.

After experiencing balance and walking issues she attributed to a second broken foot in December 2018, Michelle was eventually diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disorder (CMT) in March 2019.

Both neurological conditions, MS and CMT have left Michelle unable to run or move her legs quickly.

But that didn’t stop her from entering - and finishing - her first (and last) triathlon at the Husky Triathlon in February 2020.

Michelle tells the story in this conversation of what unfolded, her experience of crossing the finish line and what that race means to her.

And trust me when I say this — you're going to need a tissue ;)

Mel is an inventor and adventurer who has tried it all: kayaking, climbing, caving, mountain biking and, her favourite, skiing.

Mel also has a rare form of Dwarfism and so most commercially available sporting and outdoor adventure equipment doesn’t fit or suit her.

Luckily Mel grew up with an interest in fixing things (initially with sticky tape) and parents who taught Mel and her two sisters - who also have Dwarfism - from an early age to adapt and find ingenious ways to get around the challenges their height presented them.

That interest not only led Mel to get a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering but develop the skills to adapt or make from scratch her sporting and adventure equipment including kayaks, paddles and wetsuits.

Mel starred in a fantastic documentary called (you guessed it) ‘Mel’ which aired at the Gutsy Girls Adventure Film Tour in 2019.

The TransCon is a self-supported, single-stage bike race across Europe. The clock starts and doesn’t stop until you arrive at the finish. And aside from a few checkpoints, there’s no set route. Participants map and plan their way across Europe and decide where and when to ride, eat and sleep along the way.

In 2016, the race started in Belgium. And 3,800km and 13 days, 10 hours later, Emily arrived in Istambul, winning the women’s category in the process!

While we discuss some of the events and adventures she’s had over the years, there are 2 key themes throughout this conversation.

First, why it's important not to let what you've done (or not done) in the past define or limit what you think you’re capable of in the future.

And secondly, being open to the idea that things which currently seem impossible actually aren’t.

Molly Galbraith’s love affair with strength training began in 2004 when she discovered powerlifting.

A few years later, she began competing in figure competitions.

And yet it was during this time that she began a vicious cycle of stripping weight to compete, then binging and regaining weight for several years until her “body hit a wall” and she was diagnosed with Hashimotos, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and adrenal issues.

What began as a mission to change how her body looked, Molly now leads the team at Girls Gone Strong on a mission to educate and encourage women to have agency and autonomy over their bodies.

10 days before recording this conversation, Sparta Chicks Radio celebrated its 3rd birthday. And there is no-one I’d rather share that celebration with than Lucy Barnard!

Lucy is attempting to become the 1st woman to walk the length of the world.

She set off in February 2017 from Tierra Del Fuego in Argentina to walk to Barrow, Alaska; a journey of 30,000km /20,000mi across 15 countries she anticipated would take her 5 years.

Yes, years!

Lucy was first on the podcast in March 2018.

When I was preparing to speak to Lucy for that episode, I realised we share a unique connection; we both started our respective journeys - Lucy started walking and I published the first podcast - on the very same day in 2017.

That conversation turned into our first anniversary / birthday celebration and we agreed to catch up each year for an update on her progress!

This is our 3rd annual episode and Lucy shares how her expedition has unfolded over the last 12 months.

Lisa Blair was 22 when she discovered a passion for sailing.

Just 6 years later, she completed her first circumnavigation of the world as part of the Clipper Round the World Yacht race.

Since then she’s gone on to sail solo to New Zealand twice, to skipper the first all-female team in 16 years to race the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht race and set not one but two World Records in the process of becoming the first woman to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around Australia.

In the midst of that, in 2017 Lisa set out on her most ambitious project to date;  to become the first woman to sail solo unassisted and non-stop around Antarctica and to break the men’s World Record in the process.

As you’ll hear in this conversation, that expedition did not go to plan and on a stormy night 72 days into her trip and 1,000 nautical miles from shore, her boat lost its mast and Lisa had to fight for 4 hours to save her boat -- and her life.

Not only did she survive the night and spend 9 days limping back to port in Cape Town, South Africa for repairs, Lisa then found the courage to head back into the Southern Ocean and finish the challenge - in doing so become the first woman to sail solo and unassisted (with one stop) around Antarctica.

Ultra-endurance cyclist Tiffany Winchester returns to Sparta Chicks Radio for the second part of our conversation about her race at the iconic 1,200km Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP) cycling race in 2019.

This time, Tiff returns to share the aftermath of the race - the physical, mental and emotional trauma it inflicted on her, the depression that followed and how she was able to recover from it and get back on her bike.

This is a very different conversation from part 1.

It’s a very raw and vulnerable conversation and I truly appreciate Tiff’s honesty in sharing her struggles after PBP, the support she received and how she found her way through.

Tiffany Winchester (aka Tiff or Tiffo) was first on the podcast in June 2019.

In that conversation, Tiff shared her background and her preparations for an iconic event called Paris-Brest-Paris (or PBP) - a 1,200km event held in France every 4 years considered to be the Olympics of the ultra-endurance cycling world.

This time, Tiff returns to share how the event unfolded, the trauma it inflicted on her, the physical, mental and emotional toll it took on her and how she was able to recover from it.

An iconic race - and a great storyteller - requires a long conversation. So I have divided this episode into two parts.

In Part 1, Tiff shares the final stage of her preparation and how the race unfolded - including why she had to apply white wine vinegar to her “lady parts”.

[TW/CN: this post and episode discuss suicide]

One of our most popular guests, Katee Pedicini, returns to Sparta Chicks Radio this week.

Yet this is a very different conversation from our previous episodes.

This time, Katee shares the story of her mental health journey over the last 20 years.

In her 20s, Katee was (finally) diagnosed with a condition called Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder (or PMDD).

Katee describes PMDD as extreme PMS “wrapped up with anxiety, depression, sometimes psychosis and suicidality or suicidal tendencies”

We begin this conversation with Katee’s story. Her experience of the symptoms of PMDD, including suicidal ideation.

Then we transition into a broader conversation about suicide and mental health; why suicide is often still seen as a ‘taboo’ and what Katee believes needs to change to enable it to be discussed more openly, and with less shame.

Finally, we step back and discuss the intersection between mental health and endurance sports.

This was an extremely difficult conversation, for both of us. I’m in awe of Katee’s bravery and vulnerability. 

If you or someone you know needs help, in Australia you can contact Lifeline 24 hours per day on 13 11 14. Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 or the Black Dog Institute.