5 Years back, what was I doing?
Photo by: Madi Quinn
5 Years back, what was I doing?
It can be quite rewarding to look back, 6 months or 12, 2 years or 5, & see how far you’ve come! You see first hand what change, experiences, hard work, and persistence have shaped in your life today. How a new hobby, pursuit, job, profession, friendship or relationship have stemmed into a skill, passion, and asset.
5 years ago, it was 2012. I was in my final year of school at St Luke’s Grammar School in Dee Why. Turning 18 that year, Living at home with the support of my family, a wide friendship network and in a great place in my life. Studying hard balanced (or over commiting myself) with Elite sport & a social life. I wanted to go to Univeristy to study Nursing but number 1, I wanted to be a professional athlete. I was invested into Surf Life Saving, invisioning myself becoming a professional Surf Ironwoman in the former Nutrigrain series. I loved the swimming, board paddling, ski paddling & run training work involved.
That year I did my 2nd ever Triathlon at the annual (and my last) NSW All Schools Triathlon at Penrith, in the Senior division, on a hire bike I got the day before with my joggers ready for the bike & run- Posting a very quick t2 time might I add.
Making it to the National All Schools competition in Busselton WA, with my bike hire extended, my shoes decked out with some elastic laces this time round & my first Trisuit. I was proud as punch to finish 13th, and loved the sport but was certainly no shining star in the sport of Triathlon.
Some might consider this a late start to the game of Triathlon but I think my eyes were opened to the sport at the right time for me. I had a goal
to compete in the 16-19 years Age Group World Championships that year for triathlon in Auckland, after earning qualification at a state event my mind was made up, I wanted to give this Triathlon business a real go & the tables started to turn!
2012 tapped away, graduating from School & later completing the High School Certficate (HSC) in October which funnily enough coincided with the ITU Age Group World Championships in Auckland. Arrangements were made so that I could sit my Biology HSC before I flew out to NZ & my Mathamatics HSC exam over in Auckland at the city University at the exact time of the exam being held in Sydney, which was- the afternoon of Race day!
My first taste at the balancing juggling act of Elite Sport with academics.
Racing at the Age Group 16-19 World Championships very much green, with some basic Bike work over the winter and specific run intervals after joining My Squad & Coach (Still to today) High Performance Tri, and Mick Delamotte. I came out of the water first… and finished with a giant smile on my face in 13th, with my whole family flying over to watch my first race in the Green & Gold.
On reflection, This moment, 5 years ago, is what kicked off my desire to not only be a professional athlete, but Triathlete.
I was hooked; the challenge, dynamics, multi dicispline, opportunity to represent my country on the world stage, a sport with an international platform & world circuit, & the travel oppourtunity. I had decided I wanted to do this, full time!
I wanted more from myself, i wanted to invest, see where I could get with dedicated training & a serious program, i was ready to give this a go! I was pumped!
5 years on, it's very rewarding to see where I am now! Goals, and time, evolve & I can reflect on what I have achieved, I am now a Professional Triathlete, (earning this status in late 2014) Racing my first ITU World Cup in 2016, making my first World Championship team in 2016, debuting on the World Triathlon Series is 2017 on the Gold Coast, and Racing ranked number 1 at the 2017 U/23 World Championships.
5 years ago If I would wrote down a dream path to where I wanted to be in 5 years (Nursing Degree accomplished) I think this would have been pretty close! Reflection is a beautiful tool to show us how far we've come, allow us to appreciate & acknowledge how far we've come & continue to dream big!!
I know my goals for the next 5 years, let's hope on reflection in 2022 I can be looking back with a similar smile on my face!