image by @fotorunners.es
Today I interviewed the beautiful Australian triathlete, Grace Musgrove, to share about what her life as a Triathete looks like, what keeps her motivated and successful and how she balances work/family life.
Welcome Grace Musgrove! Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Grace Musgrove and I am a 24 year old triathlete. I live in Wollongong, NSW, which is where my training squad the ‘Wollongong Wizards’ train during the Aussie summer and we chase the sun to Spain to train and compete during the Aussie winter!
Image via @fotorunners.es
My break through year in triathlon was in 2013 when I was the Australian Elite Sprint triathlon champion although since then it has been a bit of a rocky road with injuries. I am still training hard and aiming to make the Australian World Championships team as well as Commonwealth Games and Olympic teams in the future!
What made you try/how did you get into triathlons?
I swam growing up and competed in school cross country. At the age of 16, I fell in love with running and moved my focus from swimming to running. I raced an Aquathon (swim/run) on Australia Day in Wollongong in 2010 and got picked up by a triathlon coach. By 2012 I committed full time to triathlon!
What is a typical day like for you?
I wake up at about 7am. Go for a 30-45minute run, do a 30min strength and conditioning session at the gym, eat breakfast, go to the pool at 10am for a 90min swim session, eat lunch then head out on the bike from anywhere between 1.5 and 3 hours.
In your eyes, what has made you successful?
More than anything, it is the love for the sport. It would be far too difficult to train up to 25 hours a week for something you didn’t actually love to do. But I also love challenging myself and pushing myself to the limit in training.
How do you stay motivated?
Staying motivated isn’t a huge issue for me but I always have short and long term goals written down. If I am ever struggling to get through a certain period of training or if things aren’t going my way, I have those goals to remind me and keep me inspired.
What challenges have you faced throughout your career?
The past three years have been pretty challenging for me. In 2014 I had a consistent run of injuries including two stress fractures which forced me out of racing for a year. Since then, I have been slowly trying to build a stronger and healthier body which has been a huge process and not as smooth as I wanted. I have had some patches of consistency but I’m still waiting for all that hard work to fall in to place. PATIENCE!
How do you balance your career and social/family life?
Training full time as a triathlete shouldn’t be seen as a sacrifice, it is an investment in a process to be the best athlete you can be. I have never thought to myself that I am missing out on the normal social life. Some of my closest friends are my training partners so we will often do some fun things out side of training together.
We usually only run on Sundays which leaves the rest of the day free. I try to use this time to go and see friends and family and catch up for coffee. To add to this, every year we have some time off in November which is a great opportunity to step away from the sport and enjoy spending time with other friends and family.
What does ‘wellbeing’ mean to you and how do you maintain it?
I believe well being is living a healthy and happy life. It is important to have a balance in life with work, social, exercise and ‘me’ time! I also think it is essential to be confident with who you are and to not let what other people think define who you are. Stick to your morals!
What advice would you give to other women hoping to pursue entry in triathlons?
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to begin with. Give your body time to adjust to the volume of training and don’t let the sport take over your life. Keep that balance and slowly build in to the sport.
image by @fotorunners.es
What advice would you give to other women thinking about doing triathlon for the first time?
First of all, find a group to train with! Not only does a group environment push you harder in training and help you do things you didn’t think were possible, it is also a great way to learn about the sport!
Don’t be too picky with your first race. Find a local short distance event to make your debut. Setting a baseline is a great way to stay motivated with your training as you can set some realistic goals after your first event.
Website Video from Grace Musgrove on Vimeo.
What would people be surprised to know about you?
I’m single 😉 But seriously, I took piano lessons for 10 years so I find sitting down and playing the piano really therapeutic. I also grew up living on a boys boarding school in the country with two older brothers which probably explains why I love having an active lifestyle and why I am so competitive 🙂
Amy Darcy
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