I was always easily distracted, a bit of a troublemaker and loved to be surrounded by friends. I also loved to party. I didn't have the time management skills or self-discipline to commit to the regular training that being a successful runner requires. Running to me was hard, a bit boring at times and meant going out by myself when I could have been hanging with mates, or chasing girls. I always wanted to, but just ended up feeling guilty that I wasn't doing the training that I should, and was letting myself and others down. In my first year of University, I felt a bit like a fraud; I was partying up to 7 nights a week and yet still trying to be a runner. I competed at the Sydney 2000 Olympic trials but ran terribly. Instead of quitting partying to focus on my running, I quit running so that I could continue to live the lifestyle that I was without feeling too guilty. The idea was that I would have a year off running, get the partying out of my system and then take running seriously. This year turned into 2, then 3 and 4, it eventually looked as though running was never going to happen. I ended up putting on weight and mixing with a crowd that was far from healthy. If partying was an Olympic sport, I probably would have made the team for Athens.
I eventually hit rock bottom and was so unhealthy that I decided to start riding a bike, stop drinking/partying every day and try to get some energy back. I clearly remember a time when I had cut my partying back to 4 nights a week and thought that I was some kind of Monk. I still had a fair way to go. I got to the point where I was living healthy from Mon-Fri and would then have a massive bender on the weekends; I just couldn't quite break that habit. In late 2005 I moved to Far North Queensland to get away from it all. I made good progress and started getting fit. I still had the occasional blowout, but one particular bender would turn out to be the turning point in my life. I was in Melbourne watching the 2006 Commonwealth Games and was on night 3 of a big weekend. I was a bit hungover, watching the track races. I saw guys that I had competed against at school out there wearing the green and gold, and was massively inspired by Craig Mottram taking it to the Kenyans in the 5000m. I left that night with a new level of motivation, knowing that if I didn't give it absolutely everything that I had to see if I could represent Australia, then I would live the rest of my life wondering what might have been.
From that point onwards, every decision I made, from what jobs I took, where I lived, what I ate, everything was aimed at becoming the best runner that I could be. 5 years later I broke the Australian Record for the 10,000m and qualified for my first Olympics.
I look back at who I was before I got back into running and can't quite believe the transformation. I wonder where I'd be if I hadn't changed my direction. Plenty of the guys I was rolling with back then have ended up on the wrong side of the law, or even worse.
“I love to race; there is no better feeling than executing a perfect race when fit. I love the high that I get after a massive result. Warming down after a race just floating along feeling the greatest sense of accomplishment.”
The key to success isn't just working harder. Some of my worst running performances were due to working too hard and over-reaching beyond what my body could handle. It's surprising as it's often put out there in marketing and media that those that work the hardest get all the success. You definitely do have to work hard, there is no denying that, but you also need to be smart, to figure out what works for you and then have the confidence to do that consistently.
It can be hard to know your limits, though, and I guess the only way to find out is to go beyond them. I've done this a few times and have paid the price. I'd rather have done this though, in an attempt to be the absolute best that I could be, and failed, than never to have tried and always wondered what might have been. I've learned as much about myself from the failures as I have from the wins and PB's.
I know now that I am strong, resilient and can keep going when things are shitty. Knowing this will be a great attribute for the rest of my life.
I've become patient, which I never was. I've become empathetic and even altruistic. It may have just been growing up, but I feel that running has definitely helped me to become a better person.
My inner voice tells me that this is what I’ve trained for - this is what all those brutal sessions have prepared me for. Pain is temporary, so hold on now, push now and walk away knowing that you left it all on the track. On good days and bad days, I always want to know that I've given it everything so that there is no doubting myself afterwards.
This translates outside of running as well, and when things get tough I try to remember the good results, the good times and know that if I am resilient and can get through whatever challenge has led to the tough times. There will be more good times down the track, and they will be even better having clawed back from adversity. I just break it down into manageable pieces. Do what has to be done today, that becomes a week, then a month and before long all is good again.
“Running has taught me that the best things in life aren't things, they are experiences. I know to enjoy the process as much as the outcome and that sometimes you need to go through a whole lot of bad to experience the good.”
There have been challenges with maintaining relationships. I've had to be quite selfish when in full training. I'm often too exhausted to catch up with friends and family. For the last 8 years, I’ve been overseas or travelling for at least 6 months or more, which has been awesome but makes it hard to have relationships. At the same time though, my friends and family are proud of what I've done and have respected the effort that I've put in. I've also made many new friendships through running that have had a huge impact on me.
A number of years ago, I had a friend pass away in an avalanche. It showed me that life really can be cut short and that we should make the most of our time here. It's easy to get caught up in the mundane day-to-day shit that drags you down, so it isn't always easy, but I feel we should make sure we're following a passion, doing something fun, challenging, scary and rewarding.
When I’m on the start line, I just think to myself ‘it's go time!’ This is it. Stay calm, relax. Run hard, run smart and make the most of this opportunity. My preparation may not have been perfect, or it may have - either way - we're here and we need to rise to the occasion.
I always believe that an amazing result is possible, and try to give myself the chance of that happening. If you've talked yourself out of it before the gun goes it will NEVER happen. I've had more bad races than good, but the good ones happen because you believe that they can.
I am planning to try Marathons for the next few years, hoping to test my limits in a new event and learn as much as I can about racing and training. I'm looking forward to a new challenge. After that, I am planning to get stuck into some trail races, mountain races and ultra-marathons around the world. I've found that I'm much more at home running on a mountain-top in Switzerland than I am at the end of a bar.
© 2026 InnerVoice
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