I grew up on a small organic hobby farm at Sandfly, south of Hobart, Tasmania. Almost all my childhood memories are of being outdoors and active – being present on the farm, enjoying a range of school sports, family bushwalks, and camping excursions. My family were certainly never idle and my brother and I grew up assuming that our lifestyle was typical. Yet looking back I was blessed to be brought up believing television was a luxury, cycle touring Bruny Island for my seventh birthday and walking Tasmania’s 82km Overland Track in gumboots at the age of eight was normal.

It is from this upbringing that my enjoyment of exercise stems. I became involved in local swimming competitions through my mother who was, and still is, a very good swimmer. I enjoyed tagging along to the Masters’ Swimming competitions and holding a stopwatch on the end of the pool as I watched 82 year old competitors complete a 200m butterfly race. I was inspired, but again believed this to be relatively normal. My own swimming took me to national competitions but it wasn’t long before I was seeking a new challenge.

From the age of fifteen I became more involved in the world of orienteering. I still enjoyed being in the pool but I began to spend a lot more time outdoors running. My orienteering opened opportunities to travel – New Zealand, Estonia, Poland, Switzerland… Japan… the list began to increase. Although I realized I was blessed to have found a way to convert my outdoor passions and fitness into such amazing opportunities, I truly believe that such opportunities are not a luxury. Sure, there are some people who have health circumstances which prevent them participating in exercise and well-being activities to the level some of us enjoy, but I truly believe that we can all find this enjoyment at some level.

I have now raced in 31 countries around the world, living in 6 of these to prepare for competition. I also moved steadily into marathon and distance running in which I have competed throughout Australia and New Zealand, becoming the national champion in 2007-2009. However, this did not come easily and throughout my time as an athlete I have studies 4 degrees, dealt with mentally ill family members, had a full ankle reconstruction and moved home 18 times. Sometimes I lost sight of where I was going, but I always tried to use the strengths to stand higher above myself.

At the end of 2010 I retired from competition. I felt that it was now time to share my experiences and returned to Tasmania to start my business Find Your Feet. Two years on, I have been invited to work at the Australian Institute of Sport, a fantastic opportunity to develop my coaching and mentoring career.

ABOUT FIND YOUR FEET From the days of watching my 87 year old friend ‘run’ around a 4km bush orienteering event, to my involvement in coaching the Australian Junior Orienteering Team; from my childhood memories of Masters Swimming competitions to my current involvement mentoring & life coaching individuals, I take strength and knowledge. I take strength and knowledge from my days as a bushwalking guide where I watched individuals enjoy our beautiful environment in Tasmania. I take excitement from experiencing the opportunities that lie beyond our island’s shores, culminating in journeys to 35 countries and two World Orienteering Championship Titles. I find inspiration as I watch individuals overcome their personal struggles and go on to inspire others. I take strength that health, fitness and wellbeing can be social, enjoyable and holistic.

I now run a business called Find Your Feet and use these strengths, inspirations, excitement, knowledge of medical research, primary teaching skills, and life coaching expertise to make health, well-being and fitness exciting, novel, and social. Having run the business from Hobart, I now reside at the Australian Institute of Sport and enjoy educationally coaching individuals to achieve their personal goals. Aside from this, Find Your Feet is hosting a charity fun run in December in Nairobi, Kenya to raise money for children’s athletic and educational development in Kenya.