In 2014, I was broken; physically and mentally, I developed a stress fracture in my Navicular, (foot) and had to withdraw from my selected spot to race at the Elite Junior World Championships, held in Edmonton. I was casted and non-weight baring for 12 weeks. Progress and healing was slow but cautious, with specialist expectations to run at 3 months. Although delayed, I cant tell you how amazing it felt to run again after 5 months of boot camp in the gym and the patience that came with it.
Unfortunately after 9 months of rehabilitation the foot ache persisted to linger. I realised surgery would be inevitable only hours prior to my first race back. I went ahead anyway… With almost no run training, I gave the race my all, surprising myself to run through a field of international female athletes, where I caught the selectors attention and gained a spot for the Junior World Elite Championships in Chicago.
Where am I now? 100% healed and I’m back competing in the sport I love after a lengthy 3 year rehab, kicking it with the big girls in Open Elite World Cups and World Triathlon Series! I have recently finished my most successful season, after only a year of base training. In this time, I’ve increased and stabilized training hours, becoming the strongest and healthiest I’ve been. Over just one season, I dropped over a minute in my 5km run off the bike, competed in my first Olympic Distance race. I then proceeded to become competitive at this distance very quickly! First running 39:04/10km in March reducing my time to 36:36/10km in September! Imagine what I can do in another year ;)
Furthermore, I tasted the podium multiple times, and most recently qualified to represent NZL at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games!
