46 | AustrAliAn triAthlete
#Inspo
AT: Good one, that’s great! So what’s the
biggest highlight of your triathlon
career so far?
MR: My biggest highlight was winning the
World Championship in 20-24 Olympic
Distance in Rotterdam, the Netherlands in
- So many things went terribly wrong
in the week leading into that race including
a bike crash two days before the race
resulting in mild concussion and whiplash.
I had no expectations for that race.
I simply wanted to do my very best and
make my friends, family, coach and
training buddies proud. I came off the
bike in second position and didn’t take
the lead until the final 200metres
[of the run], winning by only 11-seconds.
I had to dig deeper than I ever had before
and I literally cried as soon as I crossed
the line from pride and relief. It was made
even more special having my sister there
at the finish line to celebrate the moment
with me.
My parents were also at home watching
the live tracker at the time and were on
the phone to me straight after I crossed
the line.AT: What are you most proud of when it
comes to your racing success?
MR: What I am most proud of is my
development each year as an athlete. I am
constantly learning and apply this to each
race. I am very interested in sports
psychology and how I can apply this to my
racing and training. Success in long coursetriathlon is all about managing that voice
in your head and keeping a positive
attitude even when things aren’t going
your way. The key to successful racing isn’t
always about the training you do, but how
you cope mentally during the most crucial
parts of your race. One of my favourite
quotes is - “Your body hears everything
your mind says, so stay positive!”AT: Oh, I love that. It’s so true. How does
triathlon and competing at a high level
affect your work-family-life balance?
How do you juggle it all?
MR: Triathlon has been a part of my life
since I was 13-years-old so I have learnt
from a young age how to balance it with
other aspects of life. Time management is
very important in this sport. I plan each
day, setting aside time for training, work,
and general life commitments.
I currently live by myself on the Gold
Coast with the rest of my family in Port
Macquarie. Therefore, triathlon actually
provides a great opportunity for my family
to travel with me to races and share
quality time together. Training with my
triathlon squad also allows time for
socialising with my training buddies and
sharing a laugh together.AT: How do you define success?
MR: Success is relative to your own goals
and aspirations. You shouldn’t define your
success in comparison to others. You are
only capable of achieving your own
very best. If you finish each race knowing
you gave it everything you had, with a
positive attitude, then you have had a
successful day.AT: Are there any words that you try
to live by?
MR: There are numerous words that I live
by on a daily basis. A funny quirk of mine is
that I like to write key words on my hand to
focus on during tough sessions. Some of
these include - fearless, relax, make it
count, you will never have this moment
again, belief, confidence, go to battle,
patience, gratitude, and no limits.AT: As women, we can get pretty
competitive, especially against each
other. How important is female
friendship and being good to other
female triathletes in this sport?
MR: I believe triathlon has one of the
friendliest cultures of all the sports.
Things can get pretty competitive out on
the racecourse but at the end of the day it
is just a race and everyone deserves to be
congratulated for simply making it to that
finish line. Everyone comes from different
backgrounds and life circumstances that
we might not always be aware of.
We should always aim to lift others with© Leanne Hendreck Photography