Jacinta Roberts is new to the sports of triathlon and cycling. After leading a relatively inactive lifestyle whilst growing up, Jacinta made the shift to sport when the pandemic arrived. She decided to buy a bike and capitalised on every opportunity to get out of the house and go for a ride. As with most endurance sport enthusiasts, she soon became addicted!
Sometimes having a rest is undoubtedly the best thing you can do. But often as athletes we fight doing so and don’t give our bodies the long rest and recovery they are Whatever sport or type of activity you do, it is always important to take a break from it physically, mentally and emotionally. Doing so will leave you fresh and fighting to go, and can often reignite that competitive spirit within you, which can easily be lost when putting in the hours day in, day out, sometimes unquestioningly.
We all think our bodies are invincible, but there’s always a chance we could break. Trainers and athletes especially need to stay cautious of what they’re doing in order to be successful; every session counts! We just want to make the most out of it so we can feel satisfied with ourselves at the end of the day – no matter how hard we pushed. However, it’s tricky to know when you’re pushing yourself too hard without taking care of yourself properly- so here’s some tips on how to tell whether you’re going too far one way or another (and when you should back off)!
Jackson Byrne is 17 years old, in his final year of school and working as a lifeguard, competing for an AFL club and racing at state level for Enduro mountain biking! All of this combined with his somewhat surreal passion for freediving and spear fishing keeps Jackon’s feet firmly on the ground and helps him stay calm. There is never dull moment in Jackson’s life and he has learnt so much about looking after himself and life generally through sport.
Most endurance athletes will do an awesome job of training their aerobic system with hours of cardio. But how important is strength training for endurance athletes? We know strength training is a vital building block for any athlete, regardless of the time, distance and speed at which they are exercising. Strength training combined with performance nutrition is the key to longevity in sport. It will help you minimise injury and improve your performance. So before you go for another run and skip the gym this week, lets take a look at why strength training is so important for endurance athletes…
Every athlete wants to be and do their best. But the challenge with being one’s best is that it is like walking along a cliff edge. We are constantly curious to look over yet can’t afford to fall. I always say that we are slightly better off underdone than overdone. Once it’s too late, it’s too late. However, we still need to satisfy our curiosity for exploring our potential.
Roxy Jakob is a mum and an athlete living in Grafton in NSW. Having grown up with no interest in sport, she decided to take the plunge at a later age and get into the multidiscipline sport of triathlon. She now has two young kids and is training for her first Half Ironman distance Aquabike – all in addition to studying, working and making time for family and friends. She has also recently set up the Grafton Triathlon Club to encourage others to participate in the sport!
Every athlete strives for an edge over the competition and the key to achieving peak performance can be through optimal nutrition. Although we have very clear nutritional guidelines for performance, we also know that in reality a personalised approach can make a significant difference to your outcome. And so as it is vital to recognise the differing nutritional requirements between sexes, this article will focus on the specific needs of male athletes to get the absolute best out of your performance.
Alexa Leary is one of those truly special people in life. She is a talented Junior Elite Triathlete and World Title Medalist, who was well on her way to a successful career in sport, before she unfortunately suffered a tragic cycling accident. The accident in July 2021 left her with devastating brain and nervous system injuries. Over the past six months, Alexa has had the courage and dedication to make an unanticipated and exceptional recovery, with ongoing rehabilitation and some memory loss.
This week in the Bindi Athlete Interview Series, I interviewed Audrey Hall, an exceptional middle distance and mountain runner. Audrey has had an intense upbringing in sport and suffered from numerous injuries.
