I am an Olympian, world champion, and 3 x Commonwealth Games representative for athletics, cycling and triathlon. I won my first national title when I was 14 and have competed at an elite level for over 25 years. I know what it takes to be the best, but a significant portion of my enduring success in sports comes from my well-rounded approach to life. To be a good athlete, you have to be a happy athlete and the rest will follow.

My sporting story started when I was seven. Competing at local cross country races and becoming a proud Wellington Harrier was what laid the foundation for enjoying a lifetime of racing and training. Finding success at an early age in cross country, road racing and track gave me the confidence and belief that I could pursue sport at the highest level. Leaving school, having achieved multiple national titles in all running disciplines I set myself the goal of one day running at the olympics.

Throughout my career, I encountered countless obstacles and setbacks. In 2008, I was at a pivotal point of my career, having to withdraw from competing at the Beijing Olympics in the 3000m steeplechase due to an achilles tendon injury. Faced with potential early retirement, I made the courageous decision to reinvent myself as a triathlete. I allowed myself a year to see if I could be competitive in the sport. After my first year in the sport, I had won my first World Cup, I was ranked in the top 20 in the world and was making a living out of the sport.

For the next seven years, I raced the world triathlon series, basing myself with the NZ elite triathlon team in Europe and USA, incorporating training blocks at altitude in Boulder and the French Pyrenees. I achieved my dream of becoming an Olympian in 2012 where I finished 10th. An achievement that required an incredible team around me to get me to that start line.

As my career progressed, I proudly represented New Zealand in three different sports, participating in multiple world championships, three Commonwealth Games for athletics, cycling and triathlon, and the Olympics.

Over the years, each sport I have been involved with has exposed me to different training methods and coaches. I have always been surrounded by world class knowledge made up of coaches, sports scientists, sports psychologists, sports doctors, physios, osteopaths and pilates teachers. Everything I have learnt as an athlete over my 20 year career, I now want to bottle this knowledge and pass it on.

I have also experienced competing at the highest level while working full time. This was a big shift for me, going from being a full time athlete to now fitting my sport around a 9-5 job. I managed to find a balance that worked for me which essentially meant less training that I would have liked to have done and surprisingly I achieved more than I thought was possible. Now adding an extra layer with having a 14month old daughter, I've gained a newfound perspective and a deep understanding of the balance required for athletes who also have families.

I believe my setbacks, resilience and ability to train hard made me the athlete I am, always having to carve out a new path to achieve my goals. As a coach, I now want to share my extensive knowledge and wealth of experience I have gained over the years and try and make an impact in other sporting careers.