ABOUT ME
I found endurance sport when I was about 15 years old and was pretty good, getting named in a few elite teams and qualifying for Australia in 2 sports; I thought I would turn pro and live the better part of my late teens and twenties travelling and racing. My whole life was Triathlon; I was a coach, and all my friends were athletes.
However, that all came crashing when I wrapped my bike around a tree doing about 80km.
It was a long road back physically, and I had also just turned 18 and had never set foot in a bar. All of a sudden, I had lots of free time, hahaha. My dream of turning pro was shattered!! I kept running on and off, doing the odd race here and there, playing rugby and any other sport I could get into, but my heart always lay with endurance sports.
However, I felt very jaded towards the sport of Triathlon and felt that I had done everything I wanted to in that sport, and I needed something more complex; I needed a challenge, something not everyone was doing.
This idea came and went many times over the years until I was at one of my lowest moments ever; in 2020, my mental health was at an all-time low, and I knew I had to do more than counselling and educating myself on how to battle my depression. One day, I decided to pull on an old pair of running shoes, and I went for a run, and let me tell you, it was one of the HARDEST FUCKING THINGS I HAVE DONE.
I did 3km and thought I would die, but after that run, I had a sense of clarity and knew what I had to do next. I had to work on myself, but not just for a little while till I was "better" as I had done in the past, as I knew I would end up in the same spot, FUCKING NOWHERE, depressed, anxious and on the brink of leaving this world behind.
I needed to focus on constant betterment and take accountability for everything in my life, from what I say and do to my thoughts; I needed to push myself to be a better me, not overnight but over time.
I took it slow. I went from 3km to 5km to 10km. I then found trail running, and from a Billy Yang Documentary, I found the UTMB and my passion for Endurance sports was back; this was something I was looking for.
I wanted to start Ultra Endurance Running.
I started consuming all the books, YouTube videos, magazine write-ups and anything else I could find online about Ultra Marathons, and since that moment, my life has never been the same.
I went from a depressed, anxious, overweight, chronic people pleaser who was living in my childhood bedroom, separated from his wife and daughter to in shape, and dare I say, HAPPY.
No matter what you want to achieve I can help,
Want to start running, I got you!!
Want to combat your poor mental health, I can help you.
Want to complete your first Ultra or 100th? I am here for you.
Want to turn Pro, I have been there.