THE WANDERLUSTERS MIND PODCAST
Trusting, patience and running for Australia with Julian Spence.
Julian is the founder of Runstrong Online Coaching. He is an elite marathon runner who represented Australia at the World Athletics Championships in Doha in 2019. He began running in 2009 using the reverse progression method of beginning with a marathon. The next few years were then riddled with injury until managing to string some consistency around 2017 when he ran the Berlin Marathon in 2:18. Since then his marathon PR has progressed to 2:14 (Lake Biwa, 2019).
Julian Spence came late to his running career but endured patience and trust and ran for Australia in the Marathon and continues to bust through his glass ceilings and goals.
About Julian
Julian is the founder of Runstrong Online Coaching. He is an elite marathon runner who represented Australia at the World Athletics Championships in Doha in 2019. He began running in 2009 using the reverse progression method of beginning with a marathon. The next few years were then riddled with injury until managing to string some consistency around 2017 when he ran the Berlin Marathon in 2:18. Since then his marathon PR has progressed to 2:14 (Lake Biwa, 2019).
Julian inadvertently started coaching his friends, which then developed to him coaching athletes across a wide range of disciplines such as Couch 2-5k, track, XC, road racing, trail and ultramarathon running.
Julian owns a running store (The Running Company Ballarat) with his partner Bri, coaches athletes, is a race director, and a co-host of the Inside Running Podcast.
“I didn’t want to be mediocre at anything, I wanted to be amazing at one thing.”
In the episode...
Julian’s goal this year was to compete in the Marathon at the 2020 Olympics in Toyko
How Julian became interested in running.
Where the inspiration came from to start running marathons.
Julian had always felt he was going to be ‘good’ at one thing, and for so long he claimed to never finish anything.
Julian had a passion and patience spanning over 10 years to accomplish his initial running goals.
After being riddled with injury and impatience Julian finally found how to string together some quality years of training to smash through his glass ceiling.
Julian explains how you suffer mentally for a long time when running a marathon.
The mental conditioning workouts that Julian does to train his mind to prepare for races.
Why you have to practice being mentally uncomfortable.
Why Julian takes his watch off when he is running.
Running for Australia was never ‘a dream’ because Julian came to running so late but he describes it as a magic experience.
Julian describes the amazing running culture in Japan.
Why trust and patience is the key to Julian’s success.
The calming thoughts Julian had the morning before the race where he levelled up into a different class of running.
How Julian used trust and patience when building his business.
The impact of coronavirus at the peak of Julian’s career when he was training for the Olympics 2020.
Why Julian continues to seek out travels and adventures…it simply is an innate feeling.
“Training mentally for a marathon is about becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable.”
Paralympic gold medal, 60 countries and a never give up mentality with Richard Colman
Richard was born in 1984 with Spina Bifida. Richard took to sport at a young age he was involved in many sports before the love of athletics took his full attention. In 2006 Richard won a Bronze medal in the T53 800m at the IPC World Athletics Championships in Assen, The Netherlands. In 2008 Richard won a Silver medal in the T53 200m and a Bronze in the T53 400m at the Beijing Paralympic Games.
Paralympian Richard Colman merges sports and travel with passion, energy and refusing to give up to ensure he lives his best life.
About Richard
Richard was born in 1984 with Spina Bifida. Richard took to sport at a young age he was involved in many sports before the love of athletics took his full attention. In 2006 Richard won a Bronze medal in the T53 800m at the IPC World Athletics Championships in Assen, The Netherlands. In 2008 Richard won a Silver medal in the T53 200m and a Bronze in the T53 400m at the Beijing Paralympic Games.
In early 2009 Richard spent six months travelling Europe competing in a number of countries. During this trip, Richard managed to visit thirty-two countries. Richard has now visited sixty countries with the aim of reaching 100.
Recently at the 2012 London Paralympic Games, Richard won a Gold medal in the T53 800m and two Bronze medals in the T53 400 and in the T53/54 4x400 relay. Richard currently holds a numerous Australian and Oceania Records.
Away from the track Richard has completed a Bachelor of Commerce at Deakin University and has also completed a number of other qualifications. Richard became the first person in a wheelchair to umpire an AFL match when he officiated as a goal umpire in the Geelong Football League in 2007.
During 2014 Richard became the first person in a wheelchair to travel down the famous Death Road in Bolivia during his postseason holiday to South America. Richard is an ambassador for a number of foundations and organisations.
Richard has set himself a number of goals he is slowly working towards not just in the sporting world but in all walks of his life. Richard will continue to try and prove to people that anything is possible if you have a go and always dream big.
“There are a lot of countries that do have a lot of discrimination against people with disabilities there are a lot of third world countries still to this day don’t admit that there are people with disability in their society.”
When coming home...
Emotions Richard faced - Sometimes it felt normal, some people around him seemed to be doing the same thing whilst he was achieving my goals. The longer trips seem harder to readjust. What is the next challenge, reassess the next goals.
What changed for Richard - No too much he ensured he weaved adventure into his sporting travels. Made sure he put himself out there to enjoy life and do things that other people wouldn't.
How Richard used his mindset - Growing up with a disability he becomes stubborn and resilient which helped foster a strongly focused mindset. Knowing that success is just around the corner. Taking action and really believing himself. Never give up attitude.
3 Lessons learned from travel and reverse culture shock
Anything is possible.
There will be tough times but you have to believe in yourself.
Don't worry about the money.
Advise to himself for returning home - think about when I'm going to come home so that I dont have to endure a long winter. Go and travel now and don't wait to travel.
“No matter how bad things are, good days are around the corner and you cant give yo”
Links
Website: www.colman.com.au
Richards Instagram: @richcolman84
Richards Twitter: @RichardColman84
Richards Facebook: @RichardColmanAthlete
The richness of travel, art and culture with Olympian Peter Van Miltenburg.
My very special guest on TWM Podcast today is one of my Coaches mentor and life long friend, Peter Van Miltenburg. Peter is a former Australian sprinter who specialised in the 200 metres. In 1984 he was the Australian 200 metre champion. He also went to the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics where he competed in the 100/200 metres.
Travelling the world for athletics, art and fun to foster a global perspective, deep compassion, connection and empathy with culture and people.
About Pete
My very special guest on TWM Podcast today is one of my Coaches mentor and life long friend, Peter Van Miltenburg. Peter is a former Australian sprinter who specialised in the 200 metres. In 1984 he was the Australian 200 metre champion. He also went to the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics where he competed in the 100/200 metres.
Peter is a life member of the Anglesea SLSC where he still competes and coaches one of Australia's most successful beach sprinting teams. More recently he has been coaching at Xavier College, Kew, Victoria as the Head Coach of Athletics and Cross Country.
Peter has an intense passion for art and recently completed a Masters in Art Therapy and wrote his thesis “An art enquiry into the experience of loneliness and aloneness.”
“When I came home, I had a reality check. How lucky we are here and also in terms of letting go, I realised it is a big world it is a global world and people live their lives according to how their lives, it’s not right or wrong. Some people are multi billionaires and some people have nothing.”
When coming home...
- The differences Pete faced - Comforts of home were very alluring and he was very appreciative. He felt grounded and conscious of the choices he was making back home. Is not as connected to material things.
- What had changed for Pete - Felt far more conscious of his life and and developed deep compassion other peoples lives.
- Biggest stress - Now struggles with seeing people who struggle with the basics of life.
- 3 Lessons learned from travel and reverse culture shock
- Humanity and how precious it is - we are so connected, no matter where we come from.
- Resilience - I can 'fall over' and I have the ability to 'get up.'
- Humour - The one thing that connects people - there are some things that make everyone laugh and laughter is a global language.
- Advise to himself for returning home - Whatever the experience is, good or bad, wherever you find happiness and love, wherever you provide happiness and love and share happiness and love that, wherever it is, home, or somewhere in some little country then seek that out and find what it is in life that you truely want and if that is where you are, then you are a very lucky person, if not go and find it.
“We really are connected in so many different ways.”
“Whatever the experience is, good or bad, wherever you find happiness and love, wherever you provide happiness and love and share happiness and love that, wherever it is, home, or somewhere in some little country then seek that out and find what it is in life that you truely want and if that is where you are, then you are a very lucky person, if not go and find it.”
Michelle Steele - 2 time Olympian living and competing in the Northern Hemisphere.
2 time Winter Olympian Michelle, was the first Australian woman to compete in the event of Skeleton at the Olympics. Following a 10 year career in the sport Michelle retired in 2014 and now lives in Brisbane with her husband and 2 daughters.Michelle transferred into the sport of skeleton in 2004 at the age of 18 from Surf Life Saving and Gymnastics. Her first overseas experience was in Calgary with a team of Aussie girls learning to slide skeleton tracks. Michelle then followed the world cup circuit each northern hemisphere winter for 10 years. She spent a lot of time in Europe and North America, also raced in Japan and Russia.
Racing Skeleton in the northern hemisphere Winter Olympian Michelle spent half a year (for 10 years) living and competing abroad.
About Michelle
2 time Winter Olympian Michelle, was the first Australian woman to compete in the event of Skeleton at the Olympics. Following a 10 year career in the sport Michelle retired in 2014 and now lives in Brisbane with her husband and 2 daughters.
Michelle transferred into the sport of skeleton in 2004 at the age of 18 from Surf Life Saving and Gymnastics. Her first overseas experience was in Calgary with a team of Aussie girls learning to slide skeleton tracks. Michelle then followed the world cup circuit each northern hemisphere winter for 10 years. She spent a lot of time in Europe and North America, also raced in Japan and Russia.
“You cant have what you want, on the day sometimes, and thats how it goes.”
When coming home...
- Emotions Michelle faced - Eger to return home, intense and burn out but good to come home.
- What had changed - Came home to work, starting a family.
- Biggest stress - Missing the sport, setting herself up financially.
- How did her mindset change - Continually reflecting on the ups and downs and learning from that.
- 3 Lessons learned from travel and reverse culture shock
- Everything comes to an end - ebbs and flows, highlights and lowlights.
- Be open to new things - you can always find another way of doing something.
- Life is to be enjoyed.
- Advise to herself for returning home - know that there will always be another adventure, and it may look and taste and smell different and I may come about it differently but there are always good things to come if you apply yourself if you keep an open mind.
“You always through life pick up a little bit more insight and I always try to be reflective. There are so many benefits from the ups and downs from travel and racing and the good hard looks at yourself, the things that you have to get yourself through when there is no one else to help get you through.”
Links
Australian Olympic Committee: Michelle Steele
“Everything comes to an end... there are always ebbs and flows. You cant expect life to be highly exciting and special and the ultimate. There are always times in between and those times are needed, it doesn’t need to be emptiness but it does come back down and normalise.”
(Header photo source: Adam Pretty/Getty Images Europe.)
(Photo Source: Alex Livesey/Getty Images Europe)
Hi, Im Abby...
About me...
Hi I'm Abby, Adventurer, Life coach, Speaker and Blogger.
After a successful sporting career I now love sharing what I have learned from my adventures and traveling the world.
I believe in turning into your adventurous life through your intuition and the little nudges from the universe.
Lets share the adventure. xo
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