In October 2015 I was busy training for the Heysen 105km ultramarathon. After successfully completing several long distance events over the previous few years I had ramped up my training to be as prepared as possible for the Heysen. Training had been going really well, I wasn’t carrying any injuries and I was feeling strong and in the best running condition I’d ever been. The goal was to complete this event with a good mate, Barry. I’d paid my entry fee, we had Barry’s wife to crew for us and I had organised all of my nutrition and equipment for the day.

Then, just over a week before the event my 2 ½ yr old daughter became unwell, we spent a night in hospital mainly as a precaution and it turned out that she had Influenza A. The next day I also started to show the signs and symptoms of the flu. We spent the next 3-4 days on the couch together resting up and taking it easy. About 3 days before the Heysen 105 I was mostly clear of symptoms, no more fever, the muscle aches had gone, no headache. I was back to feeling well.

So I debated whether I should still do the race. My wife told me it wasn’t a good idea. From my work with other athletes, I have a fair idea of how long recovery from ultra-marathons takes (usually 4-6 weeks). I guessed that running an ultra after having the flu might extend that recovery to 6–8 weeks. But considering the time, effort, and money I had put into preparing I thought I’d give it a go. I decided that the extra few weeks it might take to recover was worth the risk, and I hoped that I’d be able to complete the event and do well.

I told myself, my wife and my mate Barry that we would take it easy to start. If things were going well then we would keep going. If things weren’t going well then I would pull the pin and stop early. I was willing to take a risk but I wasn’t willing to work myself too far into the ground.

Why did you want to become a Physiotherapist?
​I was always very keen on sports when I was growing up and sustained a fair share of injuries in the process. On each occasion I visited my physio for these injuries and was fascinated that he could do a few tests and tell me exactly what the problem was and how to fix it. It was the combination of the problem solving and sports that excited me initially and the more I learnt about physiotherapy the more I understood how big a difference they can make to peoples day to day lives. The desire to help people came naturally to me with my dad being a psychologist and my mother a nurse and so, with all these things together, it became clear to me physiotherapy was the career path I would pursue.
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​Favourite stretch? TFL (tensor fascia lata) stretch

​Favourite song that picks you up? My happiness by Powderfinger

What I love about physio:
I enjoy being able to help people, seeing them improve, becoming stronger and returning to pain free activities and returning to their normal abilities. Another great aspect about being a physiotherapist is you meet lots of different and interesting people with everyday being different and you are always challenged. I also enjoy how many different areas there are in physiotherapy; for example you can have the opportunity to travel with an elite sports team or instruct a Clinical Pilates class the next week. I love how there is so much variety and opportunity.

I love to travel. When I was 19, after I finished my first year of university, I decided to travel around the world on my own. I started in India and made my way across to Egypt, England, Europe, Canada and Hawaii. It was one of the best and most surreal experience I have ever had because I was able to see so many different sights, cultures and meet so many great people along the way. Two of my favourite places were Egypt and India as they are so different from Western society with their culture, food and historic landmarks. Visiting the Taj Mahal in India and the Pyramids and Valley of the Kings in Egypt were three highlights of my 12 week adventure. To see and stand in the tombs of famous Egyptian Pharaohs with their mummified bodies in perfect condition thousands of years later was simply fascinating and an amazing experience.

One of my passions is athletics. I have been competing as an athlete for the last 19 years at State and National levels, as well as being an active member of the West Beach Athletic Club.  I have been lucky enough to travel the country competing in different state teams over the years, and have met lots of inspiring people along the way and been able to train and learn from Olympians and Commonwealth Games athlete representatives.

What do you love most about being a physio?
Without doubt I think the most enjoyable part of working as a physiotherapist is helping people achieve their goals. I believe you always make a personal connection with anyone you work with, and this means that often when they achieve their own goals you share their sense of accomplishment. I’m passionate about seeing people return to the activities that injury has been holding them back from, and I love getting to see people return to participating in things that they are passionate about.

I also love the problem solving element of physiotherapy and how the individual nature and circumstances of a person’s injury means that treatment and rehabilitation will never be exactly the same. I really enjoy collaboratively problem solving how to manage and rehabilitate an injury that works with an individual’s personal circumstances and lifestyle.