1 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Rise and Conquer Podcasts. This podcast is 2 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:16,599 Speaker 1: for women who want to take ownership of their lives, 3 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:21,280 Speaker 1: live unapologetically, and are ready to turn their biggest dreams 4 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 1: into their reality. If you're ready to be armed with 5 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:29,040 Speaker 1: the tools that will inspire to take bold action, feel 6 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 1: confident within yourself, and conquer your goals, then you've come 7 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:37,160 Speaker 1: to the right place. I'm your host, Georgie Stevenson. I'm 8 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:41,480 Speaker 1: a lawyer turned entrepreneur, co founder of Naked Harvest Supplements, 9 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:45,800 Speaker 1: and social media personality with a community of over three 10 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 1: hundred thousand. I grew up believing I had to pursue 11 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:53,240 Speaker 1: the safe option and fit into a mold others had 12 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 1: created for me. But then I entered my corporate law 13 00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:59,640 Speaker 1: job and I realized that settling for a reality that 14 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 1: did I didn't set my soul on fire, was something I 15 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:06,120 Speaker 1: was not prepared to do. I wanted more, and I 16 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:09,800 Speaker 1: have a feeling you do too. Join me and special 17 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: guests weekly as we get down to the nitty gritty 18 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 1: on all things health, mastering your mindset, creating lasting habits, 19 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 1: thriving in your career and relationships, plus so much more, 20 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 1: and together we'll gain the knowledge and perspective to pursue 21 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 1: our wildest dreams and kick fear to the curb. Well, 22 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 1: what are you waiting for? Let's Rise and conquer, Hey guys, 23 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:45,959 Speaker 1: and welcome back to another episode on the Rise and 24 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 1: Conquer podcast. In today's conversation, I'm sitting down with Vanessa Lowe, 25 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 1: who is a Paralympic gold and silver medalist, six time 26 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:59,240 Speaker 1: world championship medalists, and raining world record holder in women's 27 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: long jump. When Vanessa was just fifteen, she accidentally stumbled 28 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 1: from an overcrowded platform into the path of an oncoming train. 29 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:10,799 Speaker 1: She lost her left leg above the knee and her 30 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 1: right leg through the knee, and sustained head and back 31 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: injuries and multiple broken bones. Vanessa spent the next six 32 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:21,919 Speaker 1: months in hospital, and by the time that she was discharged, 33 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 1: her muscles had wasted away and she weighed just forty 34 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 1: five kilos. If you had seen her, you would not 35 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 1: have guessed that in just a couple of years that 36 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:34,640 Speaker 1: she would be competing on the world stage in today's chat. 37 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:39,959 Speaker 1: In today's conversation, we chat about overcoming adversity and seizing opportunity. 38 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 1: Vanessa's ability to adapt to situations and what training for 39 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty one Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Looks like 40 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 1: Vanessa has so much inspirational advice. I cannot wait for 41 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 1: you to listen to this episode. Let's get into the show. Hey, Vanessa, 42 00:02:57,400 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 1: welcome to the show. 43 00:02:58,760 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 2: Thanks for having me. 44 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: Hey, excited for you to be here and to tell 45 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 1: your amazing story. But before we get into the good stuff, 46 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 1: something that I ask all my guests who come on 47 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 1: the show is what current season are you in? And 48 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:15,519 Speaker 1: so by this, I just mean what are you prioritizing 49 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 1: right now? 50 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:19,920 Speaker 2: I think my overall health and well being is a 51 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:23,920 Speaker 2: huge priority for me. With the postponement of the games 52 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 2: and me being an athlete, we actually made the decision 53 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:30,520 Speaker 2: to you really focus on, you know, becoming the healthiest 54 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 2: us that we can be so that once we get 55 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 2: back into full time training and preparing for the next games, 56 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 2: that we are on the best possible position both physically 57 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 2: as well as mentally. 58 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 1: Amazing, And so what does that What does the day 59 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 1: look like for you right now? 60 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 2: To be honest, I am a person I love having 61 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 2: a relaxed morning. So my alarm clock doesn't ring before 62 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 2: seven thirty. I'm very happy and very lucky that I 63 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 2: can almost sleep in every day because we start pretty 64 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 2: late in the day. But I love to have lots 65 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 2: of time in the morning to have a morning coffee 66 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 2: and take our puppy for walk, stretch, do my emails, 67 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 2: everything in peas and silence, and then our training starts, 68 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 2: usually at around ten thirty or eleven. Usually we do 69 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:18,479 Speaker 2: two separate training sessions, but with some restrictions obviously still 70 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 2: imply so we had to make some adjustments to that 71 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:24,480 Speaker 2: and currently doing one bigger session, so we started around 72 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 2: ten thirty, usually started the track, spent about two hours 73 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 2: over there and then head over to the gym. At 74 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:34,480 Speaker 2: this time of the year we do base training, so 75 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 2: we do lots of weights, lots of strength and exercises, 76 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:42,160 Speaker 2: but also like circuits on the bike and some sessions 77 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 2: in the pool as well. And then afterwards we always 78 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 2: had to the recovery center the Australian instead of sport 79 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 2: to get a bit of recovery for our bodies. Then 80 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 2: go have some food and then I usually have the 81 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:59,279 Speaker 2: afternoons to myself where I can do pretty much whatever 82 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:02,159 Speaker 2: I want to, but we often have some sort of 83 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:05,159 Speaker 2: therapy such as soft tissue of physio. And I'm actually 84 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:09,040 Speaker 2: quite lucky that I just before everything went into lockdown 85 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:11,560 Speaker 2: and before the crisis really hit. My husband and I 86 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,400 Speaker 2: just bought a house, so we actually been spending lots 87 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:16,880 Speaker 2: and lots of time in the afternoons and doing little 88 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 2: renovations and little home improvement projects. So we've actually been 89 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:21,719 Speaker 2: pretty busy. 90 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:23,920 Speaker 1: Oh wow, yeah, packed field day. 91 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:27,360 Speaker 3: So I've probably jumped ahead of myself a little bit there, 92 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 3: and I would love and I have done it intro 93 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 3: So the audience do have a snapshot of who you are, 94 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:35,200 Speaker 3: but I'd love for you to give them just a 95 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 3: little snapshot of who Vanessa is. 96 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:41,359 Speaker 2: So my name is obviously Vanessa I am. I'm actually 97 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 2: a born German and grew up there as well, and 98 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 2: through some coincidences and some life developments, I moved to 99 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:52,920 Speaker 2: the US to train there and along the way I 100 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:56,840 Speaker 2: met my then man now husband, which is Australian, so 101 00:05:56,960 --> 00:06:00,600 Speaker 2: which made me move to Australia. I was almost four 102 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 2: years ago and now so I'm still competing in athletics now, 103 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:08,919 Speaker 2: representing my lovely home country Australia, very proudly next to 104 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 2: my husband, and that's what I do most of my days. Yeah, 105 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:16,839 Speaker 2: just training and doing everything I can to really enjoy 106 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 2: my time being an athlete and make the best of it. 107 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 1: Amazing, And so let's get a little bit into your story. 108 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 1: Has running and athletics always been a big part of 109 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:31,720 Speaker 1: your life? And like, have you always been doing this 110 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:32,599 Speaker 1: from a young age? 111 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:37,680 Speaker 2: Definitely, athletics in general. Running was always very important to me, 112 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 2: and I believe in my pursuit of but then returning 113 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 2: back to somewhat normalcy after losing my legs, I needed 114 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 2: to run again. Growing up, I always had been a 115 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 2: person that deals with difficulties internally, and for me, running 116 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 2: was an amazing tool to create room for myself to 117 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 2: hear my head really and I faced a great deal 118 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:00,760 Speaker 2: of resistance, and I decided to live my life on 119 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 2: prosthetic legs instead of as many doctors and health professionals 120 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:07,479 Speaker 2: predicted in a weird chair. So when I announced that 121 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:10,360 Speaker 2: I wanted to run, you can imagine the skepticism that 122 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 2: I faced when I broke the id. When I decided 123 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:18,440 Speaker 2: that running was not just getting back into life physically, 124 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:22,119 Speaker 2: but I was also very important to me emotionally. I 125 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 2: really did everything in my power to kind of meet 126 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 2: this very important aspect of my life, part of my 127 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 2: second life. I found solutions to get my first head 128 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 2: of what we call running legs, what we need in 129 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 2: order to run. I was a very stubborn teenager and 130 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:43,680 Speaker 2: I wanted to pursue the stream of mine just to 131 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 2: try to test out, you know, where my new space 132 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 2: in life is and to test my own boundaries. And 133 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 2: then there was that one dun person that I came 134 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:56,480 Speaker 2: across that really opened doors for me. He actually was 135 00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:58,920 Speaker 2: a problem in himself, but now I was in a 136 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:02,080 Speaker 2: position of a team manager and he wasn't really convinced 137 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 2: about the success of my plans of running as well, 138 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 2: but he for the first time, he gave me my 139 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 2: first set of running running legs and said, just give 140 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:13,960 Speaker 2: it a try, give it a go, and he invited 141 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 2: me over to a weekend to their training center so 142 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 2: I could tril all sorts of different sports while meeting 143 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 2: other amputies, which was very important back then. But to 144 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:25,920 Speaker 2: be honest, I never made a pass athletics because I 145 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 2: was so excited to you know, be back running, be 146 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:32,680 Speaker 2: back feeling fast and feel free. And that's when I 147 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:36,120 Speaker 2: learned about the Paralympics and competing and paraphletics. I actually 148 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 2: soon found that my disability did not exist in the 149 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 2: current system, So if I wanted to compete, I would 150 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 2: have to compete against women that all be missing a 151 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 2: lead less than me. So even if running ever would 152 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:48,800 Speaker 2: work for me, I would never stand a chance against 153 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:52,559 Speaker 2: my competitors. But lucky, this is what running was about 154 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:55,320 Speaker 2: for me at that point. And I fell over many 155 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:58,200 Speaker 2: many times, and I couldn't run a straight line, But 156 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 2: it was probably the best day of my life life 157 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:03,360 Speaker 2: when I got back onto those running legs and for 158 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 2: the first time got to run again after my accident, 159 00:09:05,679 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 2: and I think that was when I realized that I 160 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:12,600 Speaker 2: wasn't really running to prove that was possible, And think 161 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:15,560 Speaker 2: for me really meant life quality, and it meant finding 162 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:18,760 Speaker 2: my own way and being healthy both physically and mentally, 163 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 2: and in a way it meant stepping away from the 164 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 2: definitions I've been described by and create the ones I 165 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 2: truly identified with empowered and I'm really determined to redefine 166 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 2: my own boundaries. And when only a few years later 167 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:35,640 Speaker 2: I got to join the national team to my first 168 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:39,480 Speaker 2: international competition, which was in India, then and that's when 169 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 2: I truly fell in love with this sport because I 170 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 2: learned that probably there's still the best part. And the 171 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:45,920 Speaker 2: reason I fell in love with this sport is that 172 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:49,200 Speaker 2: every single person competing has a story of some sort 173 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:51,960 Speaker 2: of hardship, but each of one, all of them chose 174 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 2: to see the chance and the choice given to them 175 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 2: over whatever has happened to them. So sport has a 176 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:02,760 Speaker 2: way to connect old people beyond heritage, religion, language, gender, 177 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 2: And I believe that the parallemic games as well have 178 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:09,559 Speaker 2: the power to connect people with different abilities and showcasing 179 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:13,400 Speaker 2: the incredible power each one of us has to over 180 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 2: their own and own circumstances smith fortune or even disability, 181 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:20,559 Speaker 2: and which can all teach us a sense of empowerment. 182 00:10:20,800 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 2: And I think that's when I really was. 183 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 1: Hold, that's amazing, And something you said at the start, 184 00:10:27,640 --> 00:10:31,199 Speaker 1: you said, your new life. Can you tell us a 185 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:35,200 Speaker 1: little bit about the story about how you became an amputee? 186 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:38,720 Speaker 2: Yes? Sure. I lost both of my legs in a 187 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:42,319 Speaker 2: terrible train accident at the age of fifteen. I spent 188 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:45,400 Speaker 2: almost five months in hospital, two weeks in coma, and 189 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:49,320 Speaker 2: while all our friends were enjoying amazing summer holidays, I 190 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:52,960 Speaker 2: was fighting for my life really in that moment, basically 191 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:55,600 Speaker 2: within a fraction of a second, I had lost my health, 192 00:10:55,679 --> 00:10:59,760 Speaker 2: my mobility, or independence. But I think the one thing 193 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 2: that I really lost in that moment was the belief 194 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:05,960 Speaker 2: that we as humans, no matter our individual circumstance and 195 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 2: independent from our challenges in life, have the choice to 196 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 2: be what and whoever we want to be, and that 197 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:15,440 Speaker 2: we all have endless opportunities at in any given moment. 198 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 2: But because I hadn't even left hospital and I was 199 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:22,360 Speaker 2: yet to receive my first pair of walking legs, when 200 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:24,720 Speaker 2: I was told how my life was going to look like, 201 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:27,720 Speaker 2: and that wasn't defined by my dreams and my goals, 202 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 2: but by this new situation that I found myself in. 203 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:33,840 Speaker 2: I still remember I was having that chat to my 204 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:37,560 Speaker 2: treating doctor. His name was doctor Bisbing. I still remember 205 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:41,200 Speaker 2: that he was actually super kind and loving man, and 206 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 2: he always had a smile on his lips, and literally 207 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:48,319 Speaker 2: everyone on the hospital loved him. But it was when 208 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 2: I when we started talking about the prospect of me 209 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 2: going home in a few weeks time, and I started 210 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 2: to daydream about how I was going to learn how 211 00:11:56,640 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 2: to walk on my new feet and return back to 212 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:03,000 Speaker 2: my normal life, my life, the way that it was 213 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 2: and the way that I loved it, And I still 214 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:10,640 Speaker 2: remember instinctly completely how his face went all serious and 215 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 2: he clarified straight away that he loved my enthusiasm and 216 00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 2: admires the strength. But I've shown that doctor Bisbeein wanted 217 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:22,080 Speaker 2: to be honest with me. He didn't want to be 218 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:25,199 Speaker 2: careful too. He didn't want to create hope where he 219 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:28,199 Speaker 2: couldn't see a chance of success. So he explained that 220 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 2: with my kind of disability, I will have to come 221 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:33,079 Speaker 2: to terms with a life lived mostly out of a wheelchair, 222 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 2: and that there will be major adjustments to be made 223 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 2: in my life. And I think it sounds silly now 224 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 2: because at that point I clearly knew that I had 225 00:12:41,559 --> 00:12:43,240 Speaker 2: lost my legs and that they were not going to 226 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:45,800 Speaker 2: come back. But that was probably the first time I 227 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 2: got labeled as disabled, and I think that that was 228 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 2: a word that really created that incredible impact on me, 229 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:56,960 Speaker 2: where I found myself looking up that word meaning, you know, 230 00:12:57,360 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 2: you look up the word disabled and you find descriptions 231 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:03,480 Speaker 2: like help is useless, wounded, weak, And it's really what 232 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 2: we assume about other people or even ourselves when we 233 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 2: label them with this word and essentially already cast a 234 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:13,120 Speaker 2: shadow on their abilities and their power. And I was 235 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:15,920 Speaker 2: right at that age where young adults are searching to 236 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 2: find their space within society and in the world, and 237 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:21,280 Speaker 2: when they search for their own identity, to find their 238 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:24,680 Speaker 2: values and beliefs and essentially start planning what they intend 239 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:27,360 Speaker 2: to do with their lives. And I found myself defined 240 00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 2: by this ugly word. It was at this moment that 241 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:35,360 Speaker 2: the world essentially try to teach me that my medical prognosis, 242 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:38,200 Speaker 2: which was just the loss of my legs, meant that 243 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 2: I will have to change what's inside my heart and 244 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:43,760 Speaker 2: change my dreams and goals in life. And I think 245 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:45,760 Speaker 2: that was really the moment that hit me hard, is 246 00:13:45,840 --> 00:13:48,079 Speaker 2: that I didn't only lose my legs in a way, 247 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:50,040 Speaker 2: I lost the big portion of my identity. 248 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:55,600 Speaker 1: I could only imagine. And did you have a period 249 00:13:55,720 --> 00:14:00,679 Speaker 1: where you really struggled with accepting, like you said, this 250 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:03,480 Speaker 1: new term, and how did that look for you? 251 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:06,640 Speaker 2: There definitely was a moment in time where I really 252 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:11,640 Speaker 2: thought about the words of doctor Bisping and really couldn't 253 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:15,320 Speaker 2: think past it. I really got stuck with the idea that, 254 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:17,840 Speaker 2: you know, there must be some truth in his words, 255 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 2: and there must be you know, I will have to 256 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:22,800 Speaker 2: do major adjustments, and like, who do I want to be? 257 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:25,040 Speaker 2: If you know, I can't be the person that I 258 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:27,360 Speaker 2: always intended to be. I can't do all the things 259 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 2: of you know, like traveling the world and just going 260 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 2: out with my friends and having fun, and all of 261 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 2: a sudden my life seemed so different. But I think 262 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:38,240 Speaker 2: it was that moment where I realized that all these 263 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:42,000 Speaker 2: people that tried to not make hope where they couldn't 264 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:44,800 Speaker 2: see success, they were trying to protect me, but they 265 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:48,080 Speaker 2: were all asking the question what if she fails? But 266 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:51,880 Speaker 2: like I was in a situation where the situation as 267 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:55,080 Speaker 2: it was wasn't acceptable to me. For me, so I 268 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:58,240 Speaker 2: started asking myself the question what if this works? Because 269 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:01,360 Speaker 2: I had to give it a t I had to see, 270 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:05,080 Speaker 2: you know, where I can take this and what I 271 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 2: can meet out of the situation. 272 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:10,120 Speaker 1: I love that so much, And so I want to 273 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:14,640 Speaker 1: switch gears and chat about your journey in the Paralympia game. 274 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:20,600 Speaker 1: So in twenty twelve, you weren't exactly receiving the results 275 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 1: you wanted, and I was watching this video where you're 276 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:27,080 Speaker 1: explaining you were questioning your place in the sport, and 277 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:32,080 Speaker 1: then you met someone called rodricro who is also a 278 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:35,320 Speaker 1: paralympian athlete who coached others in the track and field, 279 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:38,440 Speaker 1: and he told you that he could train you to 280 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 1: win gold at the next Games, and you said if 281 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:44,480 Speaker 1: you did, you would get a tattoo of his signature. 282 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 1: So fast forward to today and you've got the tattoo 283 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 1: on your arm, and you came up breaking a world 284 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 1: record and winning gold in long jump where you leapt 285 00:15:56,920 --> 00:16:02,800 Speaker 1: over five meters, which is just insane. Would you say that, 286 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:06,840 Speaker 1: like breaking the world record is your biggest achievement and 287 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 1: can you chat a little bit more about what success 288 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:11,360 Speaker 1: means to you. 289 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:15,960 Speaker 2: I think it was when I started working with Roderick. 290 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:19,120 Speaker 2: It was really for the first time since I started 291 00:16:19,160 --> 00:16:21,520 Speaker 2: running prosthetic legs that I felt like I didn't have 292 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:24,360 Speaker 2: to prove myself for the first time, I didn't have 293 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:26,640 Speaker 2: to prove others that they were wrong about my abilities, 294 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:28,640 Speaker 2: and I didn't have to prove to myself that I 295 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 2: was capable of this. For the first time, he really 296 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 2: taught me. I knew I was capable, and I felt 297 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 2: like I belonged there. And I think for the first 298 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:39,960 Speaker 2: time since losing my legs. I actually was surrounded by 299 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:42,880 Speaker 2: people that believed in my dream as much as I did, 300 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:45,560 Speaker 2: and full height of believing in me. I think that 301 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:50,040 Speaker 2: was all I ever needed to really believe in myself. 302 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:52,880 Speaker 2: And I think it was Roderick that really enabled me 303 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:56,880 Speaker 2: to reach beyond my perceived present limitations because he taught 304 00:16:56,920 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 2: me to fight and to open up the boundaries. And 305 00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 2: I'm mind that we're really limiting my physical abilities. And 306 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:05,680 Speaker 2: I think it was through this experience that I learned 307 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:08,480 Speaker 2: to pull my higher heart into my dreams and beyond 308 00:17:08,600 --> 00:17:12,120 Speaker 2: any external opinion. He taught me to be passionate about 309 00:17:12,240 --> 00:17:14,480 Speaker 2: my own dreams, and I think that was probably my 310 00:17:14,640 --> 00:17:19,200 Speaker 2: biggest success that I always like bring up that example. 311 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:23,159 Speaker 2: If people see me walking on the strade with shorts on, 312 00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:28,320 Speaker 2: they recognize my prosthetic legs instantly, And there's no moment 313 00:17:28,520 --> 00:17:31,960 Speaker 2: where the first thing that comes to people's mind is 314 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:35,560 Speaker 2: she has been given an incredible opportunity. The first thing 315 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:39,359 Speaker 2: that thing is the hardship, adversity and everything that comes 316 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 2: with it. But when I stand on top of a podium, 317 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 2: when after a sexual competition, when I showcase what I've 318 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:50,360 Speaker 2: been working for and fought for, and then and one. 319 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:54,080 Speaker 2: I think that's when people can sense the empowerment I 320 00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:58,320 Speaker 2: have given myself and have given my story, and all 321 00:17:58,359 --> 00:18:00,959 Speaker 2: of a sudden, I'm not getting defined and by the 322 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:03,960 Speaker 2: cards I've been given in live, but by the things 323 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:07,240 Speaker 2: I've done, by the decisions I've made, and by how 324 00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:09,920 Speaker 2: hard I worked. And I think that was the biggest 325 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:15,360 Speaker 2: success I really experienced the Paralympic journey and becoming a Paralympian. 326 00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:20,479 Speaker 1: That is just so epic and I love that. In 327 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:23,480 Speaker 1: that same video that I was talking about, you did 328 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:26,840 Speaker 1: say something along the lines of eighty percent of your 329 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 1: training was mental and only twenty percent of your training 330 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:33,520 Speaker 1: was physical. Can you expand a little bit more about 331 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:36,840 Speaker 1: this and chat to us about your mental fitness if 332 00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:38,040 Speaker 1: you will. 333 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 2: Yes, definitely. There's actually that one situation that comes straight 334 00:18:43,119 --> 00:18:46,199 Speaker 2: into my mind from my training in the US. I 335 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:49,320 Speaker 2: had literally just moved there and I was only on 336 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 2: my third day of training when Rodering introduced me to 337 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:55,439 Speaker 2: like a really weird machine. It almost looked like a 338 00:18:55,440 --> 00:18:58,119 Speaker 2: cross between a bike and a rowing machine. So you 339 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:00,320 Speaker 2: had to kind of pull your arms back, push to 340 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 2: your legs to do like a movement of sending up 341 00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 2: but there were two problems. A. I have no legs. 342 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:10,159 Speaker 2: B I had no upper body muscle whatsoever, so I 343 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:12,640 Speaker 2: really struggled. But I finished a first set of ten 344 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:15,040 Speaker 2: and felt actually pretty proud of my effort and asked 345 00:19:15,119 --> 00:19:17,800 Speaker 2: Roderick how many raps we were going to do, and 346 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:20,720 Speaker 2: he said, we're going to do twelve hundred today. We 347 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:23,480 Speaker 2: started the session at two pm, and by the time 348 00:19:23,520 --> 00:19:26,679 Speaker 2: I left the garage which was our gym there, I 349 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:29,800 Speaker 2: saw the time showing ten pm. I had twelve open 350 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:32,399 Speaker 2: blisters on my hands and my head heard because I 351 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:35,479 Speaker 2: was crying for the last three hours. And when I 352 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:38,560 Speaker 2: was leaving, Roderick only said, remember we started ten tomorrow. 353 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:42,800 Speaker 2: I remember. I went back to my apartment, laid in 354 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 2: bed crying for another two hours until fell asleep. And 355 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:48,560 Speaker 2: that's how my life looked like for the next three months. 356 00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:51,959 Speaker 2: I flipped tractor tie so this snow. I did end 357 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:54,520 Speaker 2: this reps of bicycleurls and bench pres in the gym, 358 00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:57,200 Speaker 2: but didn't do a single run, and I went home 359 00:19:57,240 --> 00:20:00,240 Speaker 2: crying almost every night, and there was nothing more to 360 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:04,719 Speaker 2: do but go home and go back to my family. However, 361 00:20:04,760 --> 00:20:07,080 Speaker 2: when I started that journey, and when I moved to 362 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:10,200 Speaker 2: the US. I made myself a promise that I'll give 363 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:12,960 Speaker 2: this project a proper try, and will try for at 364 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:15,400 Speaker 2: least a full year, and if I still wanted to leave, 365 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:18,320 Speaker 2: then I would so. At the end of my first 366 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:21,479 Speaker 2: three months, Roderick opened the session up with the announcement that 367 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:23,920 Speaker 2: we'd be doing a warm up in our garage gym 368 00:20:24,280 --> 00:20:26,720 Speaker 2: and then finally wear the running legs for the first 369 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:29,359 Speaker 2: time to do some runs on the road. I was super, 370 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:33,320 Speaker 2: super excited, but that lasted for about five minutes when 371 00:20:33,359 --> 00:20:35,280 Speaker 2: he told me that my warm up was going to 372 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:38,119 Speaker 2: be twelve hundred reps on the machine that was literally 373 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:43,640 Speaker 2: still giving me nightmares. I actually finished all the reps 374 00:20:43,840 --> 00:20:46,160 Speaker 2: within one hour. I still had a couple of blisters 375 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:48,520 Speaker 2: on my hands, but what seemed like the hardest thing 376 00:20:48,520 --> 00:20:51,679 Speaker 2: in the world like three months ago, somehow it was 377 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 2: more than doable now because the thing was, yes, this 378 00:20:55,119 --> 00:20:57,960 Speaker 2: exercise was hard for me, but the reason it was 379 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:00,720 Speaker 2: almost undoable was that I I did not want to 380 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 2: do it. The thing is that when we tell ourselves 381 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:05,840 Speaker 2: something is not possible, we let the opinion become a 382 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:09,080 Speaker 2: fact because we could keep repeating it, and I think 383 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:12,800 Speaker 2: breaking Roderick enabled me to break that cycle. Hey challenge 384 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:17,360 Speaker 2: me physically so hard that it broke down the boundaries internally, 385 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:21,320 Speaker 2: so all of a sudden, I was more open to 386 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:24,480 Speaker 2: actually give something a proper try before having an opinion 387 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:29,679 Speaker 2: about it. And I think that's what really made the 388 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:33,199 Speaker 2: biggest change and what made me successful in sport, is 389 00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:36,439 Speaker 2: that I changed my mindset around what I can and 390 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 2: can't do, and that really made an impact on my 391 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 2: overall life as well. 392 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 1: I absolutely love that, and I love what you said 393 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:48,640 Speaker 1: about breaking that negative cycle and like not it being 394 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 1: the truth, but rather than just a thought that you can, 395 00:21:51,359 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 1: you know, think another thought. That's awesome. This episode is 396 00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:59,680 Speaker 1: brought to you by Naked Harvest Supplements, the natural supplement 397 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:02,560 Speaker 1: brand I co founded with my brother. 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Okay, let's get back into the show. 429 00:23:57,240 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 1: I wanted to ask you, and this is for the audience. 430 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:03,160 Speaker 1: So if they have a certain fitness goal or sporting 431 00:24:03,240 --> 00:24:06,400 Speaker 1: goal that they want to reach, what sort of advice 432 00:24:06,520 --> 00:24:11,320 Speaker 1: would you have for them to achieve, sorry, to better 433 00:24:11,359 --> 00:24:13,239 Speaker 1: train their mindset to achieve it. 434 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:17,879 Speaker 2: I believe the key really is and having a kear goal, 435 00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:20,000 Speaker 2: and the goal is not necessarily you know, I want 436 00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:23,200 Speaker 2: to run a marathon, and I want to achieve this 437 00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:26,360 Speaker 2: or that or the other, but really the intention behind it. 438 00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:29,720 Speaker 2: So for me to go out there and say I 439 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:34,359 Speaker 2: wanted gold medal, that may be one of one of 440 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:37,520 Speaker 2: the goals, but the actual goal that I had was 441 00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:40,400 Speaker 2: to really see where my boundaries are. So I think 442 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:44,880 Speaker 2: if you have your values in a spot that aligned 443 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:48,280 Speaker 2: with your goals, so you have a deeper, deeper meaning 444 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:50,720 Speaker 2: in your goals, I think that's how you gain the 445 00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:54,000 Speaker 2: most motivation, and that's how you really stay on track 446 00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:56,840 Speaker 2: and get to the next level and actually stay committed 447 00:24:56,920 --> 00:25:01,919 Speaker 2: further process, because you're not just not doing something that 448 00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:04,480 Speaker 2: someone else told you, but you have a deeper meaning 449 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:05,440 Speaker 2: and why you do it. 450 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:11,520 Speaker 1: Yes, knowing your why, I'd love that. So let's chat 451 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:15,400 Speaker 1: the Tokyo Paralympics. So I know that you were training 452 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:19,560 Speaker 1: for the Tokyo Paralympics and obviously it has been postponed 453 00:25:19,640 --> 00:25:23,560 Speaker 1: due to the pandemic. And for the listeners who might 454 00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:27,159 Speaker 1: not know how much training goes into the Olympics and 455 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:29,800 Speaker 1: the Paralympics, can you give us a bit of an 456 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:34,840 Speaker 1: insight as to how long an athlete usually trains for 457 00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:38,439 Speaker 1: and what that looks like leading up to an event 458 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:38,960 Speaker 1: like that. 459 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:44,960 Speaker 2: Many athletes train for sometimes for a decade, until they 460 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:50,000 Speaker 2: go to their first games. And I standing in Rio, 461 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:54,280 Speaker 2: I probably had eight years of full time training in 462 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:57,840 Speaker 2: the books before I could claim my first Paralympic medal, 463 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:01,240 Speaker 2: and that's the same for many of us. I usually 464 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:05,760 Speaker 2: train up to thirty five hours awake, including all the 465 00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:09,959 Speaker 2: rehab and everything that comes with being an athlete, and 466 00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:14,959 Speaker 2: sometimes starting that journey can be very daunting, not knowing 467 00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:18,520 Speaker 2: if I ever will get there and if you ever 468 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:22,639 Speaker 2: achieve the goal of representing your country. So for me, 469 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:26,239 Speaker 2: it was always very very important to find joy in 470 00:26:26,280 --> 00:26:29,600 Speaker 2: the day to day training and really find joy in 471 00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:33,399 Speaker 2: what I was doing and again having that deeper why 472 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:38,560 Speaker 2: so for me, I have now been a full time 473 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:42,400 Speaker 2: athlete since more than a decay. I actually do compaide 474 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:44,639 Speaker 2: against some girls that are fifteen years younger than me, 475 00:26:45,320 --> 00:26:49,120 Speaker 2: So I have put a lot of my life aside 476 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:53,320 Speaker 2: to make the stream of reality and really see where 477 00:26:53,359 --> 00:26:54,439 Speaker 2: this journey can take me. 478 00:26:55,280 --> 00:26:58,760 Speaker 1: And I also read in an interview you said that 479 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:02,600 Speaker 1: the moment of the games brought up quite a few 480 00:27:02,680 --> 00:27:05,479 Speaker 1: challenges for you, but you did explain that you know 481 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:07,840 Speaker 1: your accident, the loss of your legs, has taught you 482 00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:10,520 Speaker 1: that life always turns out differently to what we plan, 483 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:14,840 Speaker 1: and sometimes the change can turn into our biggest opportunity. 484 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:17,879 Speaker 1: And I absolutely love this outlook. But I want to 485 00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:21,480 Speaker 1: ask you what challenges did the postponement bring up for you. 486 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:26,120 Speaker 2: I think it's the biggest thing is being an athlete. 487 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:28,399 Speaker 2: You often put a lot of other things on hold, 488 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:32,680 Speaker 2: even things that are important to you take second priorities 489 00:27:32,680 --> 00:27:36,280 Speaker 2: such as friends and family. They have been countless important 490 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:40,040 Speaker 2: birthdays and weddings and milestones. I've missed from my loved ones, 491 00:27:40,119 --> 00:27:43,479 Speaker 2: and my husband and I have an eye on starting 492 00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:46,399 Speaker 2: our own family, which is also on hold obviously. But 493 00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:48,920 Speaker 2: don't get me wrong, I love being an athlete. It's 494 00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:50,680 Speaker 2: a dream come true. Really. I love the day to 495 00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:53,960 Speaker 2: day training and the competitions and everything that comes with it. 496 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:56,440 Speaker 2: But life as an athlete also comes with many challenges, 497 00:27:56,480 --> 00:27:59,719 Speaker 2: such as traveling sometimes twenty six out of fifty two weeks. 498 00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:03,720 Speaker 2: Really prioritizing one single aspect of your life. 499 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:07,679 Speaker 1: Of course, And so the games have now been moved 500 00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:11,440 Speaker 1: to twenty twenty one, And what sort of ways are 501 00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:14,960 Speaker 1: you staying motivated? Because that is you know, a long 502 00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:18,159 Speaker 1: period of time away. What sort of ways are you 503 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:21,800 Speaker 1: staying motivated in your training and taking care of your 504 00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:22,320 Speaker 1: well being? 505 00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:24,800 Speaker 2: For me, it's really key to create some sort of 506 00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:28,040 Speaker 2: structure and daily routines to stay on track knowing that 507 00:28:28,080 --> 00:28:30,560 Speaker 2: there won't be an event to work towards too this year, 508 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:34,480 Speaker 2: which means finding joy in the day to day moments. 509 00:28:34,720 --> 00:28:38,600 Speaker 2: I really found that staying active and really spend time 510 00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:42,240 Speaker 2: out doors really helps me saying focused, but most importantly happy, 511 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:45,560 Speaker 2: And I think that is the most crucial part right now, 512 00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:49,600 Speaker 2: is staying happy. And healthy, So I really prioritize spending 513 00:28:49,680 --> 00:28:52,040 Speaker 2: lots of time with my friends and family that are here, 514 00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:55,840 Speaker 2: really taking time to facetide my family back in Germany, 515 00:28:55,960 --> 00:29:00,400 Speaker 2: and really making sure that when we move towards it's 516 00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:04,400 Speaker 2: preparing for Tokyo twenty twenty one, that I'm in a 517 00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:08,760 Speaker 2: better position than I was before the lockdown, which means 518 00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:13,000 Speaker 2: I actually have been really focusing on getting more sleep 519 00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:16,760 Speaker 2: and really taking time to you know, sleeping in and 520 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:21,320 Speaker 2: doing a nap, and really even taking time to cook 521 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 2: and not just doing functional meals, focusing on the right 522 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:26,480 Speaker 2: amount of protein and there's on the other but actually 523 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:29,880 Speaker 2: really enjoy everything that really comes with being an athlete. 524 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:34,160 Speaker 2: And I actually have been using a fitness tricker to 525 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:37,320 Speaker 2: help me monitor all these little changes I've made, and 526 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:41,720 Speaker 2: really saw some improvements in how I feel more energized 527 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:44,840 Speaker 2: in the morning because instead of just spending the bre 528 00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:47,000 Speaker 2: minimum of eight hours and bad all of a sudden, 529 00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:49,120 Speaker 2: I took the nine and a half hours and don't 530 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:51,400 Speaker 2: feel guilty about getting out of bed an hour later 531 00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:55,640 Speaker 2: than usual and spending that time away from screens. I've 532 00:29:55,640 --> 00:29:59,280 Speaker 2: been like setting a reminder on my phone that my 533 00:29:59,320 --> 00:30:02,120 Speaker 2: little fitness then tells me, you know, it's time to 534 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:06,240 Speaker 2: actually get up from your computer, get away from you know, 535 00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:08,680 Speaker 2: the free life, and just spend an hour outside with 536 00:30:08,760 --> 00:30:12,120 Speaker 2: my puppies. So that has been really healthy for me, 537 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:15,360 Speaker 2: and I think that will also contribute to my performance 538 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:18,560 Speaker 2: once we're back on the big stage next year. 539 00:30:19,280 --> 00:30:23,120 Speaker 1: I love what you said about really enjoying your every 540 00:30:23,160 --> 00:30:26,640 Speaker 1: single day. And I think sometimes when we do have, 541 00:30:26,800 --> 00:30:30,480 Speaker 1: you know, this big overarching goal and you know, we've 542 00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:34,320 Speaker 1: got all our attention on it, we do sometimes get 543 00:30:34,360 --> 00:30:37,120 Speaker 1: a little bit caught up and forget to, you know, 544 00:30:37,360 --> 00:30:40,440 Speaker 1: enjoy every single day. So I love that you touched 545 00:30:40,440 --> 00:30:42,280 Speaker 1: it on that and that's actually something I'm trying to 546 00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:42,920 Speaker 1: do myself. 547 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:47,120 Speaker 2: Oh that's great. Hope. I really hope that this period 548 00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:49,800 Speaker 2: really brings out some positive change for all of us, 549 00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:52,040 Speaker 2: some things that we never thought we had time for 550 00:30:52,120 --> 00:30:55,360 Speaker 2: and all of a sudden realize how big the positive 551 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:57,800 Speaker 2: changes to our for our day to day life. And 552 00:30:57,840 --> 00:30:59,920 Speaker 2: hopefully we can continue to do some of these. 553 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:03,600 Speaker 1: Yes, and I've also beginning a lot mostly which feels amazing. 554 00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:08,240 Speaker 1: So to finish off the interview, I know that you're 555 00:31:08,280 --> 00:31:11,680 Speaker 1: involved in a really cool Cabri campaign. Can you tell 556 00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:14,320 Speaker 1: us a little bit about it and how it's keeping 557 00:31:14,360 --> 00:31:17,200 Speaker 1: you motivated and in high spirits during this time. 558 00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:22,480 Speaker 2: As athletes, we often ply towards competitions and we really 559 00:31:22,560 --> 00:31:26,320 Speaker 2: thill to represent our country and then the country getting 560 00:31:26,360 --> 00:31:29,600 Speaker 2: behind us and with the competition postponed, it was actually 561 00:31:29,600 --> 00:31:33,760 Speaker 2: really great having the Cabria campaign help US athletes feel 562 00:31:33,760 --> 00:31:37,160 Speaker 2: more connected and supportive for this time and has actually 563 00:31:37,200 --> 00:31:39,760 Speaker 2: created an el to being able to share our own 564 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:42,880 Speaker 2: health and wellbeing strategies with the public. And even though 565 00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:45,480 Speaker 2: we currently can't compade and represent our country on the 566 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:48,520 Speaker 2: world stage, this has really given us an opportunity to 567 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:50,640 Speaker 2: enhance the life of Australians though. 568 00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:54,400 Speaker 1: Sports amazing and so how can others find out about 569 00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:59,840 Speaker 1: the smart smart watch in a sorry I have struggle 570 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:01,240 Speaker 1: for renown things. 571 00:32:01,360 --> 00:32:04,640 Speaker 2: So for the next two weeks in store at Colts, 572 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:08,520 Speaker 2: customers will have the opportunity to participate and redeem one 573 00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:12,480 Speaker 2: of the limited edition smart watches from Capri online. Over 574 00:32:12,520 --> 00:32:14,800 Speaker 2: the course of two weeks. They basically have to buy 575 00:32:14,840 --> 00:32:18,000 Speaker 2: a thing and redeem that watch. So there will be 576 00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:21,880 Speaker 2: a limited number of twenty five thousand, so hopefully twenty 577 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:25,480 Speaker 2: five thousand Australians will have the opportunity to really get 578 00:32:25,520 --> 00:32:28,360 Speaker 2: on top of their health and engage in more light 579 00:32:28,360 --> 00:32:30,960 Speaker 2: hearted activities and then look at the end of the day, 580 00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:33,600 Speaker 2: how many steps I've taken taking their puppies for a 581 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:39,720 Speaker 2: walk or going hopefully on walks with their friends and family. 582 00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:42,680 Speaker 2: And we'll also have the opportunity to keep in close 583 00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:46,280 Speaker 2: eye on their sleek quality. And you are really up 584 00:32:46,280 --> 00:32:50,240 Speaker 2: those little things to enhance your overall well beating, which 585 00:32:50,280 --> 00:32:52,880 Speaker 2: is not always fitness, and it's not always about diets 586 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:57,800 Speaker 2: and all these and counting counting food, but really just 587 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:02,240 Speaker 2: enjoying life and may this you know a positive part 588 00:33:02,280 --> 00:33:02,760 Speaker 2: of your day. 589 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:07,600 Speaker 1: I love that well, Vanessa, this is a question that 590 00:33:07,720 --> 00:33:11,400 Speaker 1: I ask everyone to end the show, and I want 591 00:33:11,400 --> 00:33:14,800 Speaker 1: to ask you what is your biggest source of motivation 592 00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:17,360 Speaker 1: that keeps you doing what you do? 593 00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:22,280 Speaker 2: I think what really keeps me positive and motivated is 594 00:33:22,360 --> 00:33:25,719 Speaker 2: have a very close sight to my values. Know what 595 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:27,880 Speaker 2: I get up for in the morning, Know what kind 596 00:33:27,920 --> 00:33:29,760 Speaker 2: of person I want to be, and really take the 597 00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:33,120 Speaker 2: time to explore you know what makes me feel happy 598 00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:35,560 Speaker 2: and what can I do every single day to feel 599 00:33:35,560 --> 00:33:38,720 Speaker 2: that way? And I think that's what really gets me 600 00:33:38,800 --> 00:33:40,920 Speaker 2: closer to my goals every single day. 601 00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:44,560 Speaker 1: Yes, that's beautiful. Well, thank you so much for being 602 00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:46,440 Speaker 1: on the show, Vanessa. Do you want to let the 603 00:33:46,440 --> 00:33:48,720 Speaker 1: audience know where they can find you on socials? 604 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:52,240 Speaker 2: Yes, definitely. I would love if you can come by 605 00:33:52,440 --> 00:33:56,040 Speaker 2: my profiles on both Facebook and Instagram. My name is 606 00:33:56,120 --> 00:34:00,960 Speaker 2: Vanessa Alone ninety and I always love sharing inside in 607 00:34:01,040 --> 00:34:03,120 Speaker 2: my day to day life, but also a lot of 608 00:34:03,160 --> 00:34:07,120 Speaker 2: answering questions and personal messages and sometimes through a couple 609 00:34:07,080 --> 00:34:09,319 Speaker 2: of games. So I would laugh if you can come 610 00:34:09,360 --> 00:34:13,640 Speaker 2: by and hopefully become part of the journey of my 611 00:34:13,840 --> 00:34:15,759 Speaker 2: journey towards Tokyo twenty twenty one. 612 00:34:16,680 --> 00:34:20,319 Speaker 1: How exciting we will be cheering you on. Thank you 613 00:34:20,440 --> 00:34:25,680 Speaker 1: so much by Vanessa. Bye, and that's a wrap on 614 00:34:25,760 --> 00:34:28,879 Speaker 1: another episode of the Rise and Concer podcast. I hope 615 00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:31,000 Speaker 1: you got something valuable from it, and I want to 616 00:34:31,040 --> 00:34:33,920 Speaker 1: say a big thank you for tuning in. I really 617 00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:37,400 Speaker 1: really do appreciate it. If you're craving more than don't worry, 618 00:34:37,480 --> 00:34:40,680 Speaker 1: I've got you sorted. We have our very own Rise 619 00:34:40,719 --> 00:34:44,400 Speaker 1: and Conquer community Facebook group where hundreds of like minded 620 00:34:44,440 --> 00:34:48,680 Speaker 1: women joined to share in on stories, ask advice, and 621 00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:51,600 Speaker 1: everything in between. I'd love for you to join us, 622 00:34:51,800 --> 00:34:55,480 Speaker 1: just search Rise and Concer podcast community or find the 623 00:34:55,560 --> 00:34:58,360 Speaker 1: link in the show notes. And if you loved listening 624 00:34:58,480 --> 00:35:01,320 Speaker 1: as much as I loved recording this episode, then please 625 00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:04,920 Speaker 1: subscribe and leave a review. It really helps us out. 626 00:35:05,360 --> 00:35:08,279 Speaker 1: And if you think of anyone who would benefit or 627 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:11,799 Speaker 1: enjoy this episode, please share it with them. You can 628 00:35:11,840 --> 00:35:16,520 Speaker 1: also find more on Instagram at risinconcor dot podcast and 629 00:35:16,680 --> 00:35:20,720 Speaker 1: more from me your hosts at Georgie Stevenson. Once again, guys, 630 00:35:20,760 --> 00:35:22,799 Speaker 1: thank you so much for tuning in. This is a 631 00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:27,239 Speaker 1: totally independent podcast, so we really do appreciate every bit 632 00:35:27,280 --> 00:35:29,920 Speaker 1: of support. Hope you guys have an amazing day or 633 00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:32,479 Speaker 1: night whenever you're listening, and I'll talk to you soon