Sparta Chicks Radio: Mindset | Confidence | Sport | Women
228 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 14 ratingsSparta Chicks Radio shares inspiring stories coupled with practical, tried-and-tested-in-the-real-world advice from successful women in all walks of life about the realities of fear, self-doubt, courage, bravery, success and living life on your terms. From world class athletes, brilliant business minds to everyday women undertaking epic adventures, Sparta Chicks Radio will help you tap into your inner strength, courage, bravery and determination so you can chase your dreams and live a more fulfilling life on your terms.
Find out more at www.spartachicks.com
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Episodes
[VAULT] Caro Ryan On Life as an Unexpected Outdoors Chick
September 06, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 51.3 MBFrom 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 w...
#146: Yewande Adesida on the Pressure to Perform & Diversity in Sport
August 30, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 50.4 MBYewande Adesida grew up in London and is a self-described “up-and-coming amateur” cyclist who is currently undertaking her PhD on wearable technology in sport. Previously a former competitive rower, Yewande switched her focus to cycling - specifically track cycling in a velodrome - in 2016 and started racing in 2017. Just 2 years later, in 2019, and while still a relatively unknown face on the global stage, SRAM (which is one of the biggest and most well-known brands in cycling) decided ...
[VAULT] Stacey Copeland on the Power of Role Models, Language and Women’s Boxing
August 23, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 55.1 MBStacey Copeland 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. ...
#145: Peter Baines on the Power of Choice, Adversity & Measuring Success [Podcast]
August 16, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 57.9 MBPeter Baines joined the NSW Police Force at 19 and worked first as a uniformed officer before he transferred across to join the Forensic Services Group and become a real-life crime scene investigator (long before it was cool). Little did he know that decision would change the trajectory of his life. He is now an author, speaker, consultant and the co-founder of an amazing charity called ‘Hands Across The Water’. Peter’s work as a forensic investigator took him first to Bali to identify...
[VAULT] Jessica Douglas on the Power of 1%
August 09, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 51.3 MBJess Douglas isn’t your typical elite athlete. She wasn’t a sporty kid. In fact, she was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma when she was 14, had her beautiful 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 World Champion in the incredibly gruelling 24-hour solo event in just 4 years after taking up the sport (and now she's a 3x World Champion!) These days, she’s a cycling c...
#144: Vedangi Kulkarni: the Youngest Women to Cycle Around the World
August 02, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 59.4 MBRaised in India to adventure-loving parents, Vedangi Kulkarni set out on her first epic ride - crossing the Himalayas - when she just 17. Then in 2017 at the age of 19, she set out on her quest to become the fastest person to circumnavigate the world and to complete the journey in 100 days. And while she missed both of those goals, after riding 29,000km / 18,000mi and 160 days, 14 countries and 1 birthday later, she became the youngest woman to ever circumnavigate the world on a bike. Sh...
[VAULT] Madhu Tamilarasan on Confidence, Courage & “Having a Crack”
July 26, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 63.2 MBMadhu Tamilarasan is a GP (general practitioner doctor) now living in a regional country town in New South Wales who discovered triathlons in her mid-30s and has since fallen in love with off-road triathlons and mountain biking. She’s gone onto race at both the Australian and ITU World Cross Triathlon Championships. A proudly gay woman with an amazing wife, Madhu is also English born of Indian descent, and so she brings a unique perspective to the podcast. And I am incredibly grateful ...
#143: Janine Garner on Jiggly Bits, Self-Doubt & Being Brilliant
July 19, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 55.1 MBJanine Garner grew up on a poultry farm in the north of England and worked her way up the corporate ladder to become the Marketing Manager for high-profile brands like Citizen Watches, Oroton and Ralph Lauren. But ultimately the lifestyle and burnout prompted Janine to walk away from her career and pursue her own business. Fast forward 9 years and she is now a sought-after international keynote speaker and trainer who fulfils her childhood dreams to be on the stage, albeit in a different...
[VAULT] Shirin Gerami on the Privilege of Sport and Breaking Down Barriers
July 12, 2020 10:00 - 46 minutes - 38 MBBorn and raised in Tehran, Shirin Gerami settled in the UK at the age of 15. After discovering triathlons in University, Shirin became the first woman ever to represent Iran in triathlon (women had previously been banned from participating in the sport). She then went onto become the first Iranian - male or female - to finish the Hawaii Ironman. She is on a mission to show that clothing should not be a barrier to participation in sport for millions of women around the world who want, n...
#142: Melissa Browne on Budgets, Bravery & Owning Your Story
July 05, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 68.3 MBMelissa Browne first joined me on the podcast way back in early 2017 and then spoke at our conference, Sparta Chicks Unleashed, in 2018. And now she’s back with a vulnerable new book and for a very personal and brave conversation. Mel has just published a new book - her fourth book - called “Budgets Don’t Work (But This Does)”. It’s the culmination of her career first as an accountant and now a financial advisor. Her philosophy; just like diets and one-size-fits-all eating plans or tra...
[VAULT] Paul de Gelder on Confronting Your Fears
June 28, 2020 10:00 - 58 minutes - 47.2 MBA Clearance Diver in the Australian Navy, in 2009 Paul de Gelder was working in Sydney Harbour when he was attacked by a bull shark (the first attack inside the Harbour in 60 years). Paul lost his right hand in the attack and his right leg was amputated a week later. What’s remarkable about Paul is not that he was attacked. What’s remarkable is what he’s done since then. Not only has he returned to the open water, but he also confronted his fear and dived with bull sharks and even le...
[VAULT] Kemi Nekvapil on Trail Running, Comparison & the Power of Choice
June 21, 2020 10:00 - 57 minutes - 46.3 MBKemi Nekvapil is, quite simply, a force of nature. You know one of those people that when you talk to them, you know they are fully ‘in’ the conversation. That’s Kemi. Kemi has worked in the wellness industry for over 20 years. First as a pioneer in the raw food movement in Australia and now as an accredited executive and personal coach, she is committed to helping women like you and I change how we feel about ourselves and how we express ourselves, so we can set boundaries and pursue ...
#141: Dianne Whelan on ‘500 Days in the Wild’
June 14, 2020 10:00 - 56 minutes - 45.8 MBDianne Whelan is the first to admit she is not an ‘extreme’ or endurance athlete. She describes herself as “just an artist from Vancouver”. But there is no doubt the project she’s currently undertaking is pretty extreme. In 2015, she set out to travel the length of the Great Trail (or the Trans Canada Trail) which stretches from one side of Canada to the other and is the longest trail in the world. It’s a 24,000km / 15,000mi journey across Canada - including 7,000km of water - that she...
[VAULT] Jamie Moreno on Role Models and Motor Racing
June 07, 2020 10:00 - 48 minutes - 39.7 MBJamie Moreno is a Latina woman on a mission to empower girls and women to get involved in motorsports and to follow their dreams regardless of age, race or gender. Jamie grew up with a passion for cars after spending hours with her dad as a child in the garage working on cars. However, she didn’t start racing until she was 25 because she didn’t realise it was an avenue that was open to her (sadly, another example of the effect of ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’). It was also her lov...
#140: Jeannette McGill on Summiting Your Own Mountain
May 31, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 52.4 MBJeanette McGill grew up in South Africa and mountains and the outdoors were a massive part of her life up until her mid-late 20s. And then her career took over - and took off. A geologist by training, Jeanette began working in the mining industry and she has gone onto to become a senior mining executive and was named as one of the Top 100 most influential women in mining in the world. But unfortunately, that came at the cost of her health, fitness and her time in the outdoors. Howeve...
[VAULT] Nadine Champion on Fear, Regret & Using 10 Seconds of Courage
May 24, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 65.3 MBNadine Champion is a Thai Boxing and Kickboxing Champion. Now, I’ll be the first to admit I don’t have any interest, whatsoever, in martial arts (and I tell Nadine this early in our conversation). But this isn’t a conversation about martial arts. It’s a conversation about a normal woman with big dreams trying to find a way through her fear and self-doubt, realising she was seeking approval and validation from her Sensei because she didn’t believe she was ‘enough’ and who (in order to ach...
#139: Hanny Allston on Finding Her Feet
May 17, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 65 MBHanny is no stranger to the trail running and outdoor adventure communities in Australia. In 2006, Hanny won the Junior and Senior World Orienteering titles. In doing so, she became the first non-European to win an Orienteering World Championship and the first person, male or female, to hold both the Senior and Junior title in the same year. In the years since, she’s achieved a long list of victories, records and placings in the worlds of mountain and trail running, ultramarathon running...
#138: Eloise Wellings on Freedom, Running Fast and Bouncing Back
May 10, 2020 10:00 - 1 hour - 54.1 MBEloise 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 conv...
[VAULT] Michael Milton on Fighting Your Natural Instincts (and Knowing You’ll Finish Last)
May 03, 2020 10:00 - 51 minutes - 42 MBMichael Milton knows all about fear, self-doubt, bravery and courage. After losing his leg to bone cancer at the age of 8, he has gone onto become one of Australia’s most talented, decorated and all-round athletes. He is a 5x Paralympic Gold Medalist who has competed in 6 Paralympic Games, both in Winter for skiing and in Summer for cycling. Michael also holds World Records for speed skiing and for the fastest marathon on crutches. And he’s also summited Kilimanjaro and walked the ...
#137: Michelle Taylor on Getting Fit with MS
April 26, 2020 10:00 - 36 minutes - 29.4 MBMichelle 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 la...
[VAULT] Dr Simon Marshall & Lesley Paterson: Brave Athlete, Calm the F*ck Down
April 19, 2020 10:00 - 59 minutes - 47.8 MBLesley Paterson is a professional mountain biker, 5x World Champion in off-road triathlon, an Ironman Triathlon Champion, coach and (according to her bio) foul-mouthed Scots lassie. Simon is a sports psychologist with a distinguished career. He's a former Professor, has published over 100 scientific articles on the psychology of exercise, been cited in scientific literature over 10,000 times and had real-world practical experience as the Performance Psychologist for the BMC Racing team, a ...
#136: Mel Stamell on Innovation, Adrenaline & Resilience
April 12, 2020 10:00 - 50 minutes - 40.6 MBMel 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 ...
[VAULT] Natalie Cook on the Search for Mental Toughness and Emotional Stability
April 05, 2020 10:00 - 59 minutes - 48.4 MBSelf-belief is such a murky, fluid concept. Some days you feel on top of the world and unstoppable. The next, it’s gone and you’re convinced you were fooling yourself. So how do you develop unwavering self-belief (and keep it)? In 2017, I asked Olympic Gold Medalist Natalie Cook In this interview, we discuss her 4-year journey of personal development after the Atlanta Olympics when she realised she didn’t have the mental toughness or emotional stability needed to achieve her goal of ...
#135: Emily Chappell on Self-Doubt, Doing the 'Impossible' & Racing Across Europe
March 29, 2020 09:00 - 1 hour - 57 MBThe 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 even...
[VAULT] Siri Lindley on Self-Belief and Dancing with Your Fears
March 22, 2020 09:00 - 57 minutes - 46.4 MBHow do you use your fear and self-doubt to get the best out of your yourself? That's the question we explored in this conversation from 2017. Siri was 2x-ranked the #1 triathlete in the world and the 2002 ITU World Champion. Since retiring, Siri has gone onto have an extraordinarily successful career as a coach and is regarded as one of the best triathlon coaches in the world. Even if you aren't interested in triathlon, I have no doubt you'll gain a lot from Siri's heart-centred approa...
#134: Molly Galbraith on Lifting Women Up at Girls Gone Strong
March 15, 2020 09:00 - 1 hour - 53.7 MBMolly 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, Mo...
#133: Lucy Barnard on Year 3 of Walking the Length of the World
March 01, 2020 09:00 - 1 hour - 50.6 MB10 days ago, 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 (you can find that episode here...
#132: Lisa Blair on Imagination, Fear & Solo Sailing
February 16, 2020 09:00 - 1 hour - 57.1 MBLisa 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 onto 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 ...
#131.2 Tiffany Winchester on Paris-Brest-Paris; the Aftermath (Part 2)
February 02, 2020 09:00 - 1 hour - 56.3 MBUltra-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. You can listen to the first half of our conversation here. 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 ...
#131.1 Tiffany Winchester on Paris-Brest-Paris; the Race (Part 1)
January 19, 2020 09:00 - 1 hour - 61.5 MBTiffany 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...
#130: Katee Pedicini on Vulnerability, Mental Health & Embrace the Dichotomy
January 05, 2020 09:00 - 1 hour - 82.5 MB[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, sometime...
#1 Most Popular Episode of 2019 - Dr Stacy Sims
December 30, 2019 18:00 - 1 hour - 51.2 MBThe #1 most popular episode of Sparta Chicks Radio in 2019 was Dr Stacy Sims on How to Work With Your Body, Not Fight Against It Dr Stacy Sims is an environmental exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist at the University of Waikato in NZ. She’s an incredible athlete in her own right too, having competed at the Hawaii Ironman in Kona as well as the Xterra (Off-Road Triathlon) World Championships in Maui. Plus she’s the author of an important book called “Roar: How to Match Your Fo...
2nd Most Popular Episode of 2019 - Samantha Gash
December 29, 2019 18:00 - 1 hour - 55.5 MBThe #2 most popular episode of Sparta Chicks Radio in 2019 was Samantha Gash on Inspiration, Impact & ‘Run India’ It’s easy in this day and age to think that one person - that you - can’t make a difference. But Sam has proved that wrong, time and time again. In her first ultramarathon in 2010, 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. ...
3rd Most Popular Episode of 2019 - Renee Kiley
December 28, 2019 18:00 - 1 hour - 51.5 MBThe 3rd most popular episode of Sparta Chicks Radio in 2019 was Renee Kiley on Inspiration, Goal Setting & the Fear of Failure In November 2013, Renee joined friends to watch the Noosa Triathlon. And life hasn’t been the same since. At the time Renee was an overweight, unhealthy, pack-a-day smoker. Yet despite not having ridden a bike or swum laps since she was a kid, Renee set a goal to compete in the Noosa Triathlon the following year. She did that, and more: less than 3 1/2 years ...
4th Most Popular Episode of 2019 - Jess Fox
December 27, 2019 18:00 - 58 minutes - 47.4 MBThe #4 most popular episode of Sparta Chicks Radio in 2019 was Jess Fox on Resilience, Goal Setting & Proving Yourself Jess Fox was just 18 (and 3 months out of High School) when she qualified for the 2012 London Olympics. She left those Games with a Silver medal and, in hindsight, admits she felt the need to prove herself and to show that her result in London wasn’t a fluke. Of course, it wasn’t a fluke - in fact, it was just the start of an incredible career! A 2 x Olympic medalist...
5th Most Popular Episode of 2019 - Tiffany Winchester
December 26, 2019 18:00 - 1 hour - 79.8 MBThe 5th popular episode of Sparta Chicks Radio in 2019 was Tiffany Winchester on Donuts, the Imposter & Ultra-Endurance Cycling. Tiffany is an ultra-endurance cyclist, with a love of doughnuts, who was at the time we recorded this conversation, preparing to ride the Paris-Brest-Paris; an iconic 1,200km endurance cycling event in France later in 2019. Tiff finished her first bike race as a child and then took a “25 year rest week” from almost all forms of exercise. It wasn’t until her 3...
#129.2: Melissa Urie on Uberman & the Aftermath (Part 2)
December 22, 2019 09:00 - 1 hour - 52.4 MBIn October 2019, Melissa Urie became the first woman to line up at the start of Uberman. Described as the world’s most challenging ultra triathlon, it consists of a 34km swim, 644km ride and 217km run which Mel finished - becoming the first woman to do so - in a total of 135hr 15min - that's over 5 1/2 days! In the process, she also set a new swim course record for the event, finished second overall and smashed the previous course record by 31 hours. A long race requires a long conve...
#129.1: Melissa Urie on Mental Toughness & Uberman
December 08, 2019 09:00 - 1 hour - 53.1 MBUberman is described as the world’s most challenging triathlon. Consisting of 34km swim, 644km ride and 217km run, the race takes competitors from the Catalina Islands off the California coast to the trailhead at the top of Mount Whitney, the highest peak in Continental USA. Until 2019 when Melissa Urie lined up at the start, no woman had ever attempted the event. But 135 hours, 15 minutes and 55 seconds after she started, Mel became the first woman to finish the race! In the process...
#129.1: Melissa Urie on Mental Toughness & Uberman (Part 1)
December 08, 2019 09:00 - 1 hour - 53.1 MBUberman is described as the world’s most challenging triathlon. Consisting of 34km swim, 644km ride and 217km run, the race takes competitors from the Catalina Islands off the California coast to the trailhead at the top of Mount Whitney, the highest peak in Continental USA. Until 2019 when Melissa Urie lined up at the start, no woman had ever attempted the event. But 135 hours, 15 minutes and 55 seconds after she started, Mel became the first woman to finish the race! In the process...
#128: Mary Konstantopoulos on Luck, Making an Impact & Women in Sport
November 24, 2019 09:00 - 43 minutes - 35.3 MBOne of the main themes that run through many of my conversations on Sparta Chicks Radio is around the concept that “you can’t be what you can’t see”. This week’s guest is on a mission to change what you can see - and by extension, be. Mary Konstantopoulos is a lawyer who, in her “spare time”, is the force behind the “Ladies Who” media company - or dare I say growing empire - that advocates for, and shares stories of, women in sport here in Australia. She hosts two podcasts on the ABC G...
#127: Stacey De Bono on Finding Solutions, Not Excuses
November 03, 2019 09:00 - 1 hour - 56.5 MBStacey De Bono grew up in country Victoria and, by her own admission, hated riding bikes as a kid and used to wag the school cross country carnival. Fast forward a few years and she discovered triathlon quite by accident. A friend convinced her to sign up for a race. She did, but without checking the details and couldn’t work out why the race was so expensive. It turns out the first triathlon she signed up for was Ironman Melbourne, just 10 months later. A few years (and several tria...
#126: Lou Clifton on Letting Attitude (Not Age) Define You
October 20, 2019 09:00 - 1 hour - 52.4 MBLou discovered trail running at 43 and went onto win both her 1st 100km race and her 1st 100mi/160km race. Then earlier this year, Lou finished 2nd at the prestigious Ultra Trail Mt Fuji; the largest 100mi/160km race in the world! In this conversation, Lou and I discuss: - how she developed a passion for rock climbing in her early 30s and what prompted her to focus on running in her early 40s, - why she thinks she was able to develop relatively quickly in the sport, - why she doesn...
#125: Mel Nicholls on Strokes, Sport & Handcycling Britain
October 06, 2019 09:00 - 1 hour - 62.7 MBMel Nicholls was a healthy, fit and active 22 year old when, in 2001, she was struck down by a stroke. 7 years later, her 3rd stroke left her with permanent paralysis and limited function primarily in her left side. 4 years later - and just 15 months after taking up wheelchair racing - Mel was selected to represent Great Britain at the 2012 London Paralympic Games in the 100m and 200m. After representing Great Britain for the second time at the Rio Paralympics in 2016, Mel moved away f...
#124: Sarah Davis: the 1st Woman to Lead an Expedition Along the Nile
September 29, 2019 10:00 - 1 hour - 60 MBSarah Davis joined me on the podcast almost two years ago to share her plans to become the first woman to paddle the length of the Nile river. A journey of 6,853km / 4,200mi from the source of the Nile in Rwanda, all the way to Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast in Egypt, at the time we first spoke Sarah had anticipated the expedition would start in January 2018 and take 7 months. (You can find the show notes for that episode here) So Sarah returns to the podcast this week to share ...
#123 Madhu Tamilarasan on Confidence, Courage & “Having a Crack”
September 22, 2019 10:00 - 1 hour - 62.3 MBMadhu Tamilarasan is a GP (general practitioner doctor) now living in a regional country town in New South Wales who discovered triathlons in her mid-30s and has since fallen in love with cross (or off-road) triathlons and mountain biking. She’s competed in (amongst many other races) both the Australian Cross Triathlon Championships as well as the ITU World Cross Tri Championships. A proudly gay woman, born in England of Indian descent, she brings a unique and insightful perspective to t...
#122: The InternationElles’ Debrief after Riding the Tour de France Route
September 08, 2019 10:00 - 1 hour - 56.5 MBHow do you achieve the seemingly ‘impossible’? That’s the core of my conversation with return guests Sarah Anne Evans and Pippa Lyon from the InternationElles this week on Sparta Chicks Radio. On a mission to raise the profile of women in cycling and to fight for equality in the sport, the InternationElles (alongside a French women’s cycling team) rode every stage of the 2019 Tour de France - one day ahead of the men’s professional race. A journey of 3,640km over 21 days with 53,000m o...
#121: Michael Scragg on Crewing & Life as a ‘Supportive Dude’
September 01, 2019 10:00 - 59 minutes - 48.4 MBMichael Scragg is an experienced endurance athlete in his own right. After breaking his neck in a downhill mountain biking accident in the early 2000s, Michael made the switch to road cycling and ultimately into triathlons. Since finishing ‘dead last’ in his first Half Ironman, Michael has gone onto finish 9 Ironman triathlons as well as multiple 24-hour mountain bike races and ultra-marathons. He is also married to 2x Sparta Chicks Radio guest and ultra-endurance athlete, Melissa Urie...
#120: Ashley Wiles: From 'Self Destruct' to Finding Her Happy Pace
August 25, 2019 10:00 - 56 minutes - 45.4 MBA 2x Ironman finisher, Ashley Wiles’ struggles with mental health and body image over the years inspired her to launch Sole Girls, an innovative empowerment program that shares, with girls aged 5 to 12, the tools they need for a confident, happy and healthy life. And she joins me on Sparta Chicks Radio this week. In this conversation, we dive into Ashley’s story including: - the ‘kilometre club’ at her elementary / primary school that laid the foundation for her love of being running, ...
#119: Nicole Bradley on Bravery, Powerlifting & the Invictus Games
August 18, 2019 10:00 - 1 hour - 54.1 MBNicole Bradley joined the Australian Army at 20 and served for 22 years. And admits she ‘lost’ herself in the process. However after leaving the Army, and at the age of 42, Nicole discovered the sport of powerlifting - and life hasn’t been the same since. Nicole progressed quickly and set her 1st Australian Masters Record for the bench press (she now has 3 records) in her first competition! Injuries acquired during her service in the Army meant Nicole was eligible to compete (and was s...
#118: Meredith Quinlan & Jess Baker on Running the Length of Iceland
August 11, 2019 10:00 - 57 minutes - 46.5 MBMeredith Quinlan and Jess Baker are two of Australia’s best ultramarathon runners with a string of victories and records to their name. In recent years, they have begun exploring what lies beyond organised races. In 2018, their love of travel and running took them to Iceland where they ran the length of Iceland - from the northern tip to the southern tip - and set a Fastest Known Time (FKT) in the process. The ‘Iceland Traverse’ was a self-supported journey of around 580km which took t...