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Miah Noble: Representing Australia and Finding New Strength Through Eating Disorder Recovery
304 Plays3 days ago
Miah Noble is a trail runner on the rise in Australia, with a slew of impressive runs under her belt already that have earned her a spot on the team representing Australia at the WMTRC this month. Alongside that though, Miah has been on a much more important life journey as she finds new strength and joy through recovering from an Eating Disorder. Eating Disorders affect so many in our sport in a myriad of ways, and Miah has been powerfully sharing the highs and lows as she emerges from the thick of the struggles. This episode is a deep conversation about how Miah has progressed through recovery, the lessons she has learned along the way, and the excitement she has for the future.
Stay Tuned for the post-world champs episode with Miah where we will dive deeper into her running career, get a first hand report of what a debut world champs is like and get to know Miah even more!
We really hope you enjoy listening to this episode. For help and advice around Eating Disorders, including seeking support for yourself or information on how to help a loved one, some great resources are:
The Butterfly Foundation: https://butterfly.org.au/
National Eating Disorders Collaboration: https://nedc.com.au/
Thanks for joining us on Peak Pursuits! Connect with us on Instagram @peakpursuits.pod and share your thoughts, questions, or your own trail stories. Until next time, keep hitting the trails and chasing those peak pursuits!
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/moire/new-life License code: VJ9EPZM2AQUSWRXL
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Transcript
Introduction to Peak Pursuits & Guest Mia Noble
00:00:17
Speaker
Hello and welcome to the Peak Pursuits podcast. My name is Simone Brick and today we have another interview on the Journey to the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, which is going down later this month.
00:00:31
Speaker
This one has a bit of a different feel to some of our previous and that is thanks to the incredible journey that the athlete that I'm about to interview is on and that athlete is the lovely Mia Noble.
00:00:45
Speaker
Mia is a trail runner very much on the rise in Australia at this point and she is fairly new to the sport but what makes Mia's journey currently more unique is that she's been very openly sharing about her recovery from and eating disorder.
Mia's Recovery Journey from an Eating Disorder
00:01:03
Speaker
alongside her pursuits for the world championships. So today we get to hear a lot more about that, what has been happening for Mia and the conversation delves in and out of the sporting side of things and then the much more important life journey that she's on as she regains her health and freedom And so there's a lot of chat in here around recovery, um hopefully in a very powerful and empowering way for anyone that needs to hear these conversations as they are more common than we would ever want in both sport and just life in general.
00:01:42
Speaker
And so if there is anyone out there that does need more resources or is looking for more places for advice around eating disorders, recovery or anything related, I have put in the show notes ah some links to butter the Butterfly Foundation and then the National Eating Disorders Collaboration where you can get different state bodies and all sorts of really, really good support places and resources to help anyone on their journey whether that be for themselves or for helping a loved one through but for now back to this conversation with such an incredibly powerful young woman in our sport of trail running and I really really hope that you enjoy and I hope everyone can get behind Mia on her journey for this debut world champs and then well beyond as Mia will go on to no doubt have a very long and prosperous career within trail running in Australia so without further ado
00:02:39
Speaker
Enjoy.
Transition from Road Running to Trail Running
00:02:41
Speaker
am lucky enough today to be joined by a trail runner on the rise, someone newer to the sport, but someone that has already shown such incredible strength and capacity for this beautiful thing that we do.
00:02:56
Speaker
And that is the lovely Mia Noble. Mia, thanks for joining me. Thanks for having me. It is an absolute pleasure. I can't believe we haven't had you on yet. Like it's a bit of mayhem behind the scenes getting this podcast going from week to week. But this was an interview that was bound to happen at some point.
00:03:13
Speaker
um But it is happening today as a more brief introduction before you go off and represent Australia for the first time at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships. So congratulations on that, first of all Thank you Very, very well deserved. Now you'll be racing in the short trail.
00:03:33
Speaker
um But we are going to rewind a little bit first to give more of an introduction on who you are, um which I'm going hand over to you in terms of how did you get into running and tell us just a bit about yourself both inside running and then out of outside of running.
00:03:50
Speaker
What do you do? What do you like? All the fun things. Yeah, awesome. Well, I didn't start running until COVID started, actually. i am i wasn't i didn't grow up as a super sporty kid, played netball, was always competitive, but never really good at any sport I did. I was just kind of average. And then during COVID, kind of freaked out with not having control and not being able to do anything. So kind of dived into running and like instantly fell in love with it.
00:04:20
Speaker
And I'm took it off there. I grew up in New South Wales. I only just moved to Victoria a year ago. So um yeah, was road like running on the roads and um had like Heaps of fun there, but then sort of got myself into but a bit of an eating disorder, um which then spiraled into getting stress fractures on the roads and things like that, and then moved to Melbourne by myself um and found trails here um and just fell in love and didn't like was kind of mad that I didn't know about
Challenges of Eating Disorders in Sports
00:04:53
Speaker
it sooner.
00:04:53
Speaker
um And, yeah, I guess started trail running just over a year ago, it's gotten me to where I am now. Amazing, amazing. And as a fellow eating disorder sufferer of the past, um I'm in awe of the way that you've tackled some of the challenges that you've had thrown at you um and also...
00:05:18
Speaker
I know how hard that journey is and and we're at different stages of it, but I'm also very grateful for how open you've been throughout in terms of it's a huge education piece for people. It's a huge, um it's it's something that too often um isn't spoken about, which I don't know if you've always, like we were always, always told that you're you're as sick as your secrets when it comes to eating disorder recovery and those sorts of things. So,
00:05:47
Speaker
um the way that you're tackling that front of things um is incredible. um And yeah, that probably does lead in some ways to the fact that they they come back to sort of haunt us for a while, I found in running, which may be something that you're currently dealing with in terms of the build up to world
Support & Realizations in Recovery
00:06:08
Speaker
champs.
00:06:08
Speaker
Do you want to talk about that at all? Yeah, yeah. um Yeah, i I kind of ah learnt the hard way that I don't think it ever properly grows. And um I guess with running it, can it's ah it's an awesome thing, but at times it can sort of make you think that you've dealt with the eating disorder, but it comes up and kind of reminds you that it's still very much there. And um I, am like not even a year ago, like i a couple months ago, like was still like heavily like dealing with an eating disorder. And
00:06:40
Speaker
dropped to like ah the lowest weight I'd gotten was in a pretty dark place um but just in denial and like just, yeah, like super lost and didn't know what I was going to do. And my partner, Thomas Dade, he's just like held my hand and like really dragged me through the depths of it and showed me the light. And um I think, yeah, just pulled myself out of it.
00:07:03
Speaker
I don't know how, but I've managed to sort of really see the other side and like, I guess I've gotten myself to a position where I am like maintaining my weight and working closely with a sports dietitian. But um as a side, like a consequence of like running through I had a,
00:07:21
Speaker
Grade four stress reaction, like not that long ago, I actually was diagnosed with it two days before I found out I was in the world's team. um So that was like a pretty big wake up call for me and something that I kind of knew was coming just because like, you know, it doesn't deserve to be put through the things I was getting put through.
00:07:43
Speaker
But yeah, I think it's a blessing and a curse at the same time. But I feel like today I i really know that you can't get away with under fueling yourself forever. it It will, as you said, come back and bite you. And I have definitely faced those consequences. That's for sure.
00:08:02
Speaker
Sometimes those wake-up calls, though, especially, like I know it's horrible timing, but the fact that the injury came at the same similar timing to such incredible news and something that is so motivating to work towards.
00:08:17
Speaker
That juxtaposition, like and in my own brain, I'm going, oh, well, horrible timing and possibly good, ah like I can't say good timing, but I don't know if you're getting what I mean here of going,
00:08:30
Speaker
getting through those harder times takes something to hold on to.
Balancing Health and Performance
00:08:35
Speaker
um And is that what World Champs and that spot has been for you in throughout that? yeah Yeah, yeah, 100%.
00:08:41
Speaker
so Like I think um one of the things that I've realised recently actually is like um there was ah that big talk about with the um the the cyclist about how like they were talking about they were deliberately losing weight and there was a lot of conversations coming up about how like you know, sometimes it's the easier route being your lightest because you do feel really fast, but then eventually like you do deal with the consequences. And I think that for me, i I knew that what I was doing wasn't the right thing. Like I knew that I was in a way being weak because I was letting the eating disorder control everything I was doing. And I was skipping turns and like kind of like, Oh, I,
00:09:24
Speaker
I won't have a meal after this run, it'll be fine. And, you know, when you are doing well at running, it kind of just gives you that reinforcement that you're fine and you keep pushing. But then it's not until have, like, you do just come crashing down that you realise that you're not fine. And I think that yeah, with it coming, finding out this news when you find out some really great and news, it does put everything into perspective. And I think that it just made me sort of sit down and face some stuff that I had just been doing
00:09:59
Speaker
pushing away and like the biggest thing was I didn't know who I was without running and when something like that happens so drastically that you you physically can't run because it's like you're injured you it was i yeah I was just sort of faced with like this reality that I didn't know what to do with my life and I didn't know how to function from day to day without being a runner and I think that like as you said like I do actually think it was a good thing because I feel like I've gotten myself into a position today for Worlds that I think I'm the strongest mentally that I've been because I'm not relying on me being just a runner but I feel like I'm so much stronger as a person
00:10:44
Speaker
and I just love running and I think that that's something I wouldn't have been able to learn if I wasn't forced to stop. Yeah, I hear you, I hear And it makes me, it's music to my ears and also it makes me excited because as someone who knows all too well the depths and having been in that mindset myself ah for a while um ah back in the day but thankfully being many, many years past at this point.
00:11:15
Speaker
I'm always very, very hesitant when someone comes into the sport like yourself, who is clearly so talented and so capable, But you were from very early on quite open with the fact that you'd you'd been struggling.
00:11:31
Speaker
And that makes me incredibly hesitant to fully celebrate wins or fully celebrate performances, knowing that they're coming from a place of under fueling and not not healthy and therefore i know that like I know from people celebrating me at that point in time, um especially as someone that went from overweight to underweight and being told that what I was doing was amazing, knowing that that's actually quite damaging and it's actually not helpful because it reinforces the ideas that, well, see, I'm winning and I'm doing these amazing things.
00:12:07
Speaker
um Yes, I'm not healthy at this point and I kind of know that, but also clearly it must be good because I'm being celebrated. And that for a long time, i'd it's such a conflicting place to be, because I've found, because I'm always like, well, yeah, you're doing really cool things, but I'm just going to be so much more excited to celebrate the wins when they're coming from a healthy place.
00:12:28
Speaker
Like so much more. um I don't want to say worthy of celebration, but healthier to celebrate and more and better for you for us to celebrate because it's going to come from like you've already shown what your body can do when it's under fueled and not fully being looked after.
00:12:47
Speaker
I am so excited for you in a couple of years when you stay on top of this and you have such a long career in this sport ahead of you because you are incredibly young But it's also a case of going, well, in a couple of years, what can you do with a fueled body that's fully healthy, that's
Mental Breakthroughs and Shifting Focus
00:13:04
Speaker
been looked after? Like sky's the limit.
00:13:06
Speaker
um But so, yeah, i didn't I don't know, like that whole for the past year, I feel like I've been watching what you've been doing going, this is incredible, but I'm i'm just just waiting for it to be healthy, incredible rather than unhealthy, incredible. Does that make sense?
00:13:22
Speaker
Yeah, 100%. And I think that like, and like For me anyway, like my whole thing has been this like massive self-worth thing.
00:13:33
Speaker
As a kid, I never felt like I was good enough and I was constantly chasing something to find that would finally make me good enough. And I noticed like up until now, like even when I did start trail running and during those races, it was like, I wanted to show not anyone in particular, but just someone that is like, I am good enough. And I was wanting someone to think that I was good enough.
00:13:58
Speaker
And I realized that it was such a ah toxic mentality because if you're fighting for that, you're never going to find it like ever. And I like, there's been a couple of races where that was my mentality of like, I need to show everyone like what I'm, what I'm capable of. And I would always be let down. And it was always just like my, like my mindset was just so, it has to be this. And if it's not this, then it's, it's, it's nothing. And I think it was it was cool because um Buffalo, that race, was the first race where i had like a massive breakthrough mentally because I went into this race for the first time not thinking that I need to like show everyone what I'm capable of, but it was more that I –
00:14:44
Speaker
I need to back myself. And um I remember like halfway through that race, I went out a bit too hard and my like legs were just cramping so bad. And um Tom, he saw me halfway and I just remember seeing him and I could see that he believed in me. And my coach was there and there was all these people there that believed in me. And I had this moment where I was like,
00:15:08
Speaker
there's so many people that are backing me. Why am I not backing myself? And it was like that race from that moment. I like my goal wasn't to show people what I'm capable of, but it was to back myself and just do the best I can. And I think that, you know, after that and then not being able to run, ive really had this like realization that I like my goal is to be the best version of me and I can't be the best version of me if I'm under feeling myself and I think that now it's like every time I run i have this like voice in my head where if I have like say a I've under fueled or something it's like you are like ruining your opportunity right now and it's it's so
00:15:50
Speaker
like empowering to have that because before it was kind of like oh like you're one up everyone else because you skipped that meal or like you need to be lighter to be faster but now it's almost like no like I need to I need to be fueled in order to perform and I have so much more respect for my body and it's something that yeah uh to your point it's like you don't You know, no one can force you to realise that until you realise that and sometimes it does take something as drastic as, you know, being injured to have a bit of a wake-up call.
00:16:20
Speaker
Oh, yeah. we all We all kind of need the wake-up calls or just something to show us how wild and ah toxic that eating disorder voice is that can convince you so utterly, like, in such a convincing way.
00:16:39
Speaker
of everything it's saying. um But when you actually, and like I look forward to having a chat with you in a few years' time looking back and going, like I look back and I go, it's like borderline psychosis going on right there.
00:16:53
Speaker
Like what it manages to make you believe about yourself and what you need to do and that that um and the performances that come out of that sheer desperation um that's what I always felt if you were in an eating if I was in an eating disorder mindset of it's almost like a desperation making you push and push and push which is an incredibly powerful thing for sure and
Channeling Energy Positively
00:17:18
Speaker
um I remember spending a while sort of second guessing well how do how am I going to perform without desperation that the fuel that it can bring?
00:17:27
Speaker
but what you don't realise is the fuel's coming from elsewhere because you're actually physically fuelling and therefore you just you're not functioning on a brain that's borderline psychotic and therefore the energy like it hasn't got energy so it's just just trying to create some from nothing but instead you've actually got energy so you think straight straight you can like as you said back yourself and instead of second guessing every single move you're making and it's a very hard process that you're going through but it's also so incredible and i've always it was said to me back in the day um the whole think of how much energy and power and thought and just time it takes to maintain an eating disorder throughout all the training throughout everything you manage to do like all of that energy which is 24 7 when you're in the thick of it
00:18:23
Speaker
And it is so draining. If all of that energy is refocused into looking after yourself and actually building yourself up rather than breaking yourself down, like it's chalk and cheese. Like I was told by a nurse back in the day, she's like, honestly, people that have been through an eating disorder are the most capable people in the world.
00:18:43
Speaker
Because if they learn to channel that energy, you can achieve anything. And It's always rung true, like for me, for observing people where it just goes that the future's your oyster, provided you use the support and reach out around you. And like there's going to be tough times ahead. There always is for everyone. Life isn't linear, all of those fun things. But um even by being open at this point, it's like you create a community around you where the conversation isn't banned. The conversation isn't taboo.
00:19:12
Speaker
It's not like people aren't going to mention it. It's like people will actually check in. And I remember forcing myself back in the day to sort of be so open with people that it was uncomfortable at times for sure.
00:19:24
Speaker
But it was like even meeting new people and going, hey, just so you're aware, I've recently struggled with this. Therefore, it's okay to call me on stuff and it's okay to check in with me and it's okay to do all this because there'll be times I'm not doing very well for myself.
00:19:37
Speaker
And it's like, it's so cool that you're also, you have both the community around you and the people supporting you, but What a time at this point to be making that transition.
00:19:49
Speaker
And I'm hoping, as we also get back to sort of World Champs, that World Champs is almost like it. Like you can tell me how you're feeling for it, ah of course, but I'm hoping it's more of like a celebration of the progress you've made so far as opposed to a pressure point that then can be very detrimental at times if it's given at the wrong time.
Preparation for World Championships
00:20:08
Speaker
But by what you're telling me, it seems like it's the right time. Yeah, no, 100%. I think, um you know, like obviously you have that, um I wouldn't say pressure, but you you you it is something that you're anxious about, but it's because I care. Like it's it's yeah I care about the race, but I think I have been doing a lot of work um since my injury because it there was a a while where I didn't actually know if I'd be able to go to Worlds because I wasn't like I started my first walk run back from injury like mid-July and I was kind of like oh like I don't know like how I'm gonna go I was swimming a lot but um now I've sort of really got myself to a position where there is no expectation to perform a certain way it's kind of like
00:20:57
Speaker
I'm happy if I get to that start line injury free and I just want to soak up everything because I am so new to the sport and it'd be naive for me to think that, you know, I can outperform everyone. Like I I'm a newbie and I've got my L plates on and I want to just soak up and learn as much as I can. And I think that for me, it's just like, I'm happy if I just have like a fun day and epic day. I know that I did my best on that day and like, that's a win. And I think it's me,
00:21:26
Speaker
four months ago would not have said that. Like I, that it was like, no, like I need to be the best of the best. And I can't do that, then like, there's no point going. But for me now, it's just like, all I can do is my best.
00:21:38
Speaker
And I think that's the case for everyone. And I think that it's like a really healthy mindset to go into. ah hundred percent. I love what you said there. Cause used to say that as well of like, I'm a, it's my, I'm a rookie. I got my L plates on like the whole That was my mentality on my first European start line of going, well, any single one of these athletes that have been doing this for longer than me and live in Europe that I beat, hey, that's a win.
00:22:01
Speaker
Like, I'm from Oz. I've never seen this terrain. i've I've never raced in this environment. I've only done little Aussie races. And it's like, here's little old me. Like there was part of me going, oh, have an absolute crack. And then there was part of me going, that's freaking laughable.
00:22:17
Speaker
Like ah at that point in time, it was already a golden trail race. And I go, who am I to say that I can come in first time and beat people? Like it's it's like it's a in some ways it's having that mindset sets you up for the disappointment that you've already experienced, even when you've had a really good race and that feeling of disappointment for whatever reason your brain's throwing at you.
00:22:38
Speaker
But the one you're going in with now and you're talking about of going, hey, I've got my L plates on. Let's enjoy the fact that I get to learn and I get to experience things that are going to make me better in future, no matter what, no matter the outcome. Like there's so much to be proud of in terms of getting to the start line and getting through the race because the race that you're about to tackle is by no means an easy one.
00:22:59
Speaker
um so there's already so much to be proud of without any pressure of the actual performance. And I actually, in the fun way, you go, well, that's actually usually the best way to get out of performance anyway, because don't get so in your head. One person passes you and it's not like, oh, it's the end of the world. Now I drop back and back and back.
00:23:19
Speaker
It's like you pass one person and you go, sweet, I got this. Or you keep up with someone even. And you go, oh my God, I'm doing it. um So and that that is awesome to hear um in terms of that mindset and what you're trying to get out of the race because I think that's that's perfect. But how are you feeling for sort of the course itself? So for reference, if anyone just hasn't listened to many of the other episodes, ah the Short Trail World Championships is with 3,000,
00:23:50
Speaker
five k with three thousand or is it 400, 300 meters of elevation gain, something along those lines in Spain.
00:24:01
Speaker
um From what I've heard, some of it nice and runnable that you'll probably love and some of it very technical that you might have be on terrain you've never seen before. But, um yeah, how are you feeling about it and how's the body now ah where we're, what, a month out or so? Yeah.
00:24:18
Speaker
Yeah. I'm feeling really excited. Like I, I'm, I always love a challenge and it's definitely way outside my comfort zone. Like I, it'll be the longest race I've ever done. Probably the most technical race I've ever done. um but I think,
00:24:34
Speaker
like i'm i'm fired and i'm ready like i'm really proud of like how consistent i've been despite like the massive setback i um i i when i was injured i never really swam before but then just committed to sticking to the pool and ended up doing like 25ks a week and just like staring at that line and i feel like that really built a good base without like on reflection um i feel like the injury was kind of a blessing in disguise because i really felt like i built up a a good like endurance base physically but also
Training Adaptations Post-Injury
00:25:06
Speaker
mentally. Like I feel, you know, there's only so long you can stare at a line and just contemplating every single thought that comes up. So on that was, yeah, I feel like that was really good and um that helps with i've always like dealt with a lot of anxiety. So swimming really helped me control my breathing um and that's like helped a lot.
00:25:25
Speaker
um But now my coach and I, we've really like – um I guess it's that coming back from injury, you're you're juggling that balance of like how far can you push yourself, but you don't want to push yourself too far to like get injured again. um yeah so we've been doing lots of cross training still. I'm running, hiking, elliptical, riding, swimming. Like I'm still doing a whole bunch of things, but I actually think it's really helped me out because before I was an advocate of I only run and that's all I would do. But now –
00:25:57
Speaker
I'm balancing between a lot of different things and I've noticed a lot of strength in different areas. So I'm feeling pretty pumped, pretty ready and keen to just sort of, yeah, like just give it my best shot and see what happens.
00:26:13
Speaker
Love that. Love that. That's, um yeah, ah from what i but what I have seen on sort of socials and um Strava, you've still been certainly training the house down um and doing a lot, um which, yeah, it's, ah I know the, uh,
00:26:28
Speaker
the grit it takes to get through many many hours of swimming um it's a different it's a different level although now that we are swimming headphones I find it a lot easier don't know if you use them yes ah but um that makes life life definitely a bit smoother um now what is what is for you you haven't traveled a huge amount we were chatting about that before we actually got on on the recording so you're flying in pretty close to the race which is as I as I explained to you so fine especially first go around it's it's already an overwhelming experience and the longer you spend overseas sometimes as people will have heard my woes the more that can go wrong um but are there things that you're
00:27:17
Speaker
most excited to learn along the way or experience and most sort of worried about how you'll tackle them or how how the experience will go?
00:27:28
Speaker
Yeah, it's um I haven't travelled like hardly at all. The first like proper trip I did was going to Nepal with Tom when he did the Everest race. So I am a newbie when it comes to traveling um and like I'm a bit of a control freak. So I think that for me that the biggest challenge will be um being out of routine.
00:27:50
Speaker
um And that is just in all aspects. Like I love to like just have like, you know, my normal bed, normal food, especially with an eating disorder. I think that. um It's something I've been working with my sports dietitian, but like coming to terms with like you know the food's going to be different there and and being okay with that and making sure that I still am feeling and not skipping anything. And I think that that on when stress levels are higher, the the voices in my head are a lot louder as well. So it's sort of like making sure that I'm sticking on top of all of those things. I think that that's the thing I'm probably the most anxious about is just
00:28:28
Speaker
everything's so new and like i i don't like um a lot of the teammates i also haven't met so like every like everything about it is just different but then equally that's the exciting part of like you know being to a new country that i've never been to meeting new people um experiencing like a really amazing incredible opportunity and my um it's actually my 21st birthday the day after my race so it'll be pretty cool to like experience my birthday in Spain.
00:28:54
Speaker
on Yeah, I'm equally excited and nervous but I think that yeah, it's mostly exciting. Yeah, good, good. I think the very cool thing for this being your first sort of overseas race experience is the fact that you will have a team And you may not know them super well, but I know most of the girls very well. And you will be able to lean on them for support. And you will have people around you that it's not just you're on your own here. It's it's a case of there there's support there and they're there for a reason. Like it's so nice to be in an individual sport in a team. um There's no other...
00:29:34
Speaker
races like it where you get to go no this is ah this is a team effort but also ah soon as you're there in the race environment and you get through the travel you've got other people to lean on um when needed or and even just um I know i made the well for me it was a mistake but the my first world champs um I was actually the only female which didn't necessarily help um but similar to you where you go well I'm in a new environment there's brand new food I'm quite stressed about this at this point, just wondering how it's going to go down.
00:30:07
Speaker
um And I just modeled off the others. I'm like, well, I've got other people to copy at this point that have been doing this a lot longer than I have. So if, who am I to say I i know better than them? Clearly they know better.
00:30:18
Speaker
Clearly they've done this before. Let's just copy. um So there's things like that, that you can kind of ah do because you'll be around people that of a incredible people in their own right but also have been doing it for so long um that you can just kind like even kel's one of the team um captains and it's like how long has she been in this sport how much does she know like you've got wealth of knowledge around you so soak it all up and use the fact that you do get to chat to these people and you get to have that camaraderie, which is only going to help you, um which is going to be incredible. And so many people cheering for you as you go around because it is this great big team atmosphere.
00:30:58
Speaker
um And yeah, the travel aspect, honestly, this that's one of the, for me, that's the main reason why when people are going places for the first time, overseas for the first time in these races,
00:31:10
Speaker
Yes, it's a new race and yes in terms of the the terrain and all those sorts of things, but that at the end of the day is the running part. So that part's actually kind of like you know what you're doing, one foot in front of the other.
00:31:22
Speaker
Yes, it's different terrain, but you'll manage that part. The most stressful part is certainly the travel, and that goes for everyone, not just people like us, um that the routine, getting out of routine is hard.
00:31:35
Speaker
um And there's ways you learn over time of sort of building a routine where there is none to be found. um it's um Everyone goes about that in their own way, but no matter what, you're going to come out of this with so much more experience and a really, really cool life memory. So keep anchored on that fact.
00:31:57
Speaker
I started using this thing of going anytime it was something was really stressful. It was actually usually something that was also really cool, like an opportunity got thrust at you or like you're just in an environment where there's so many people around and they're all from different nationalities and you're trying to speak different languages and it's like there's a whole bunch of stressful environments you end up in those sorts of things but they're often also if you actually take a step back a away and like can somehow anchor out of the anxious mind you go well this is damn cool i'm here like but used to just anchor myself and look up and go
00:32:31
Speaker
currently in like you'll be in Spain you go you look up at the sky and go hey I'm in Spain how cool is this and it got for me that actually got me a lot of out of a lot of the anxiety um so I'm hoping something like that that helps ground you in the fact that this is a damn cool experience is gonna work wonders um but but yeah the the final build for in terms of the course I'm actually gonna just how are you Like we're just going to dive in a little bit on how are you actually preparing for the fact that this course is
Training Regimen for Technical Trails
00:33:05
Speaker
wild? Like from Oz, you live on the Mornington Peninsula. So yeah you have Arthur's seat right there, which does have some nice gnarly steep stuff, um especially ah zombie.
00:33:17
Speaker
if you're going up that one. So talk me through just a little bit of the the actual running side of things and what you're doing um on the training side of things, um other than the fact that obviously you've got the volume through what we've spoken about with the cross training and all that.
00:33:31
Speaker
um But in terms of the actual terrain, how are you getting that from Oz? Yeah, well, um my coach, Steve, he has really emphasized on hiking, um which is something that I actually had never done before. And I um at Buffalo, I realized that that was a bit of a screw up because you like there's running legs and then there's hiking legs.
00:33:54
Speaker
And so I've really prioritised zombie, the um heel repeats up and down that and just doing that like on hours on end. And that has made such a big difference in like just conditioning my legs.
00:34:06
Speaker
um So I've been doing like on a Sunday, I'll do like an hour of zombie repeats into like a 30K run into another half an hour of zombie repeats. um And yeah, like I've just noticed, I just feel like i you hear people say,
00:34:21
Speaker
um like getting mountain legs and I never really understood what that meant, but now it's kind of clicking in my brain, but, oh, I get it now because it it is a completely different thing. So that's been a massive one as well as like a lot of riding, which has helped a lot with really like activating my quads and glutes as well without putting too much strain on my shins.
00:34:42
Speaker
um So I've been doing that um and then a bit of swimming, a bit of elliptical, but I think with the terrain, like for me, um it's the yeah building that endurance um getting the conditioning um and also really prioritizing strength training because i think that you know if your ankles and your core like if that's not strong like when you step on something loose or whatever it's it's gonna all topple down so um in the gym as well i've been really making sure that i've got like strong cores and focusing a lot more on like
00:35:15
Speaker
plyometric stuff, not necessarily like heavy deadlifts or squats, but making sure that my glutes are firing, my core is firing. um And, yeah, and I i feel like like as long as I have those pillars, what will happen, like on the race, obviously, there's there's you're limited of what you can do that mimics what's in Spain, but um Zombie is pretty pretty close to that.
00:35:40
Speaker
So lots of... all of that pretty much. Yeah, yep, definitely. it's the I find that places like Zombie and Glasgow and a few of the steepest stuff, they do do a good job of um emulating the and gradient um the one thing that we miss is just the length of climbs um but there's nothing there's nothing you can really do about that because that gradient when you're going up and down and it takes about ten fifteen minutes to get to the top and then back down feels a little different when you've been going up it for about two hours straight um yeah
00:36:19
Speaker
But that's part of the whole learning experience you're going to have. it's It's a cool thing to to figure out as you go. um and that's the the thing I found is that um people understand, like especially trail humbles every single person that runs on these long distance trail runs, right?
00:36:38
Speaker
everyone's been humbled by a climb or a descent before. And so everyone understands the fact that there's a learning curve and you're on a rather steep one at this point. So, yeah, rest assured, everyone everyone understands, especially Aussies that go across to Europe and go, wow.
00:36:55
Speaker
right, this is what they spoke about, got this. but But it's ah it's an interesting place to learn that in the middle of a world champs, but you're going to be surrounded by so many inspiring people. So that's pretty that's pretty cool in itself. um We are going to catch up with you for a more longer form afterwards um because I'm really excited to hear about all these learnings. Like we're talking about what you might learn and what you might experience now, I'm We're going to catch up in longer form and go, hey, what actually went on out there?
Advice for Others Facing Similar Challenges
00:37:27
Speaker
And let's let's celebrate whatever happens because whatever happens is going to be pretty damn cool.
00:37:32
Speaker
um So this has just been the brief introduction to Mia, people. There's going to be more of Mia on the podcast. Don't worry. ah But I will let you leave us for this brief introduction on since we've chatted a lot about shared struggles we've had and but think something that you're going through quite recently and deeply at this point.
00:37:54
Speaker
There's a lot of people at different levels, it's on a spectrum, that have similar struggles in this sport. And in all sports, it's just part of, not part and parcel, but it attracts eating disorders and sport kind of go hand in hand in terms of what they tell you to do and then those sorts of things. So for the people that are out there at the moment, maybe where you were a few months ago or last year,
00:38:23
Speaker
um what would you sort of say to those people at this point in time with where you're at? I think the biggest thing is be open. I think the more you try and convince yourself you're fine, the longer you're dragging out something that could be helped a lot quicker. And I think as I said earlier, you are the only one that can make a difference. Like you're the only one that has, like you have to choose to change.
00:38:53
Speaker
But from my own experience, leaning on your support team is so worth it because like, I promise you it will bite you back. Like it's it's impossible to outrun it.
00:39:09
Speaker
And um like, yeah, like I guess for me, it's like i i really want a massive future in running. And I knew that if I kept going at the rate I was going, I was dragging myself further and further away from that opportunity. So the sooner you can get help and be okay with,
00:39:29
Speaker
not being okay, then the sooner you can get to whatever goal you want to achieve. Amazing. I love that. It's perfect. um Because, yeah, sometimes you don't know what you don't know and you also don't know the ways that your brain's convincing you of things that aren't necessarily helpful, um which actually that does quickly remind me of when we went on a run, and this was a few months ago um at this point in time.
00:39:55
Speaker
And one thing that stuck with me because it was something that was very eye-opening to me at the time too was when we were talking about what running does for us and how like it feels amazing.
00:40:05
Speaker
But you were just saying how... at the end of longer distance races like you've done a 50k and you've done quite a few longer distance races and you were like but it's the back half of these races where i'm most happy and i pointed out to you that it's the back half of these races because of how you were fueling and what you were doing going into them but also how you were fueling mid-race that it's the back half of these races where your body's most depleted So it's actually where your eating disorder is most happy because it's the point in time where it's in the most control.
00:40:38
Speaker
So it wasn't the running necessarily that was bringing on the peace and the mind being quiet. It was the fact that you were keeping, you were doing exactly what the eating disorder brain wanted.
00:40:48
Speaker
And you I just saw this moment in you of going, whoa, I thought that was the running. And then you went, um like, it's it's almost, it's an uncomfortable truth because it was an uncomfortable truth for me at the time. And you kind of said that at the time of going, well, I didn't realize that, but that's probably true.
00:41:07
Speaker
um So that was just something that struck with me with you being very open to then going, I've got a lot to learn. um And did that, i haven't I didn't chat to you much about after that, but did that change anything for you in terms of some of those realizations that you don't know until someone that's sort of been there can actually open your eyes a little bit?
00:41:29
Speaker
Yeah, I think like definitely i think like that. And also like I'm very lucky to have um Tom because he's also been through it himself.
00:41:39
Speaker
And having someone that's living with you and is constantly kind of like pulling you up on your shit, like he he can see straight through me and he would keep pushing me and pushing me and be like, yeah, but why are you doing this? Or like like he'd question everything I did. And I think having someone that reflects that back on you, he – He's made me realize that by if you want to change, it's not easy.
00:42:03
Speaker
And like you have to do the hard things to receive the good things. And like if it was easy, everyone would do it. And I think that that's the biggest thing that I've learned is like I was in like the darkest, deepest part like not that long ago. and I had to make a change.
00:42:18
Speaker
But in order to make that change, I had to accept the fact that it was going to be hard. And I had to accept the fact that, like, it's probably one of the hardest things I'm going to have to do. But if you have, like, a big enough reason to fight against that, like, you can do it. And I think for me, it's, like, in this place and time, like, I'm in the best place I've ever been with my eating disorder. And I think, like, reflecting back on that, it's, like,
00:42:42
Speaker
I'm so proud of how hard I've pushed with something that felt impossible. And I think that like, yeah, like to your point, it's like the eating disorder can be so manipulative and you don't realize that you're listening to it until like, even when you said at that run, like you say something like that and you just, it almost feels like your, your brain like clicks and you're like, oh my God, like I've been listening to this stuff.
00:43:07
Speaker
stupid narrative that wasn't true. And you have to like, I think that's the hardest part is you're constantly having to like check yourself and make sure that why am I doing this and what is the intention for this? And that's something that's helped me like anchor myself is every time I make a decision,
00:43:22
Speaker
It's like what is the outcome I'm looking for for this? And usually that is how I can kind of decipher the two because one is either I'm wanting what's best for my body or I'm wanting what's best for the eating disorder.
00:43:35
Speaker
ah I'm so excited for where you're heading, woman. When, as you said, like... No run will ever be as hard as what you're currently doing in recovering.
00:43:46
Speaker
Like that's a fact of life. Like that's one thing that actually gets me through some of the really tough runs now of going, this is nowhere near as hard. So we got this. We can. It teaches you a lot about what you're actually capable of, which is so cool and what makes me so excited for you.
00:44:06
Speaker
um And I love one thing you said there, which is um which I'm going to leave people on to bring people back to what you said of it's you've got to do the hard things to get the good things.
00:44:17
Speaker
And if there's one thing that epitomises recovery, and then even running um um and life as a whole, I reckon it's probably that one. Yeah. Yeah.
00:44:27
Speaker
Yeah. yeah Perfect. Well, as I said, and Very, very excited for you.
Conclusion & Future Plans
00:44:33
Speaker
I will be cheering so hard for you to just have the experience that you deserve and an awesome learning physical and mental experience when you go over to these world champs. I know you're going to represent with all your heart.
00:44:47
Speaker
It's going to be incredible to watch and I hope everyone that listens to this is cheering just as hard as I am. But we will certainly hear more from you afterwards as we get a rundown of the lessons from someone that is so new to this and has such a big future, hopefully, in this sport.
00:45:03
Speaker
um But, yeah, for now, thank you for your openness. Thank you for the, like, this has been a great conversation. Absolutely loved it. And I know there's going to be many more to come. um But for now, just thank you for your time.
00:45:15
Speaker
Thank you for being open. Thank you for starting conversations as you're doing. And I'm wishing you nothing but the best, even through all of the hardest times. Thank you. I really appreciate it.
00:45:26
Speaker
Awesome. We'll hear from you soon afterwards, Mia. But thank you, everyone, for listening. And, yeah, if you have any questions for Mia for the second um episode that we're going to do after World Champs or if you follow along, like give her some love but also send through questions if there's anyone out there that has any curiosities about her training or anything we've chatted about, then yeah, definitely send them through and we'll ask them when we get to chat to you again in about a month or so.
00:45:54
Speaker
Yeah, thanks for listening and thanks again, Mia. Thanks.