A runner since childhood, Suzy’s (injury-plagued) track career culminated when she competed at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games in the 800m and 1500m.
In the months that followed, Suzy and her husband moved to Singapore for her work (she was an accountant).
Not long after, and on a whim, she entered a stair running race.
The prize for winning it; a trip to New York to compete in the famous Empire State Building Run-Up, an iconic race that garners media attention from around the world.
And she won — both her first race in Singapore and then her debut at the Empire State Building.
And at the age of 33, a new career as a stair running champion was born.
Since then, she’s gone onto win 10 x titles at the Empire State Building event (the most race victories of any athlete, male or female) as well as 9 x Tower Running World Cup titles.
Get the full show notes for the episode here.
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Follow Suzy on Instagram: @suzywalsham
I could fill a page just listing Samantha Gash’s achievements.
In 2010, and in her first ultramarathon, Sam became the first female and youngest person to complete the Racing the Planet 4 Deserts Grand Slam, running 4 ultra-marathons across the driest, windiest, hottest and coldest deserts on Earth.
That was followed in 2011 by a 222km non-stop race through the Indian Himalayas.
It was during that run across the Himalayas that Sam decided to use her running for a greater purpose.
Since then, she’s run 379km solo, non-stop across the Simpson Desert in Australia as well as 2,000km along South Africa’s Freedom Trail to raise funds and awareness for the work of Save the Children.
Then in 2016, as an ambassador for World Vision, Sam set out on her most ambitious project to date; running across India.
Over 76 days, she ran 3,253km from the west to the east of India and, in the process, raised close to $200,000 to fund 6 programs to improve access to education for children in India.
Sam’s run was capture in an amazing documentary called ‘Run India’.
In this conversation, Sam and I discussed:
- the tipping point when Sam transitioned from running for herself to running for others,
- what inspired the ‘Run India’ project as well as the impact it had on her,
- how running has changed her as a person,
- why she cringes at the word 'inspiration’,
- her experience with the Imposter Complex,
- the power of (and what it means to be) truly committed to a goal.
Get the full show notes for the episode here.
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Visit the Sparta Chicks Radio website here
Follow Sparta Chicks Radio on Facebook: facebook.com/SpartaChicks
Follow Sam on Instagram: @samanthagash
Katee returns to the podcast for another important conversation about mental health.
We begin by briefly discussing her experience as a first time mum during a pandemic.
Next, we dive into the research and statistics around the impact that the pandemic has had on mental health in Australia (and some of the numbers are, quite frankly, shocking).
Then we transition over to talking about what we can do to look after our own, and others, mental health, primarily around the idea of ‘holding space’ (or debriefing as I call it).
Katee and I then discuss:
- what it means to ‘hold space’
- the power of connection and conversation especially during difficult times.
- how to resist the urge to ‘fix’ how someone is feeling,
- what you say after someone has shared how they’re feeling,
- how to set boundaries and/or look after yourself if you don’t have the capacity to hold space for someone else (especially important if you’re struggling too), and
- why it’s important to accept how you feel, regardless of how you feel (essentially, that it’s ok not to be ok).
Whether your mental state or life has been directly affected by the pandemic or you’re someone who has thrived this year, I know you will take a lot away from this important and, at times, uncomfortable conversation.
We have two ‘asks’ of you after listening to this episode:
- ask someone how they are, and
- do something to hold space for yourself today.
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.
Get the full show notes for the episode here.
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Visit the Sparta Chicks Radio website here
Follow Sparta Chicks Radio on Facebook: facebook.com/SpartaChicks
Follow Katee on Instagram: @katee_holisticendurance
From the self-described “fat kid” at school, Caro Ryan's life changed and a deep love and connection with the bush was born after a 3-day leadership training course in the Australian bush when she was 21.
These days, she’s now one of Australia’s top bloggers in the outdoor space via her website lotsafreshair.com.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- why she describes herself as the “unexpected outdoors chick”,
- how becoming the “red bandana girl” changed her life,
- the stories we tell ourselves, including in Caro’s case that she “wasn’t a runner”,
- using words, labels and phrases (such as “I’m a runner”) *before* you believe them,
- how to manage and mitigate the most common fears of being in the bush and
- how being in the outdoors is such a powerful catalyst for change for so many women.
Get the full show notes for the episode here.
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Visit the Sparta Chicks Radio website here
Follow Sparta Chicks Radio on Facebook: facebook.com/SpartaChicks
Follow Caro on Instagram: @lotsafreshair