When Everything Changed

I broke my foot during ballet training when I was around 18 years old and had to undergo surgery. It happened just one year before the most important auditions of my dance career, and I had to step away from the ballet studio for about six months to recover.

During that time, I realised there was so much more to life than spending all of my time inside the studio. I discovered that I wanted a healthier, more balanced lifestyle and the freedom to enjoy different experiences.

Looking back, it was a difficult decision, but it ultimately opened the door to endurance sport, where I found a healthier relationship with movement and a new passion.

My background in ballet has definitely shaped me as an athlete, especially when it comes to mental strength, discipline and my ability to push through difficult moments. Ballet taught me how to work hard, stay focused under pressure and perform when it matters most.

At the same time, ballet gave me some challenges that I still work on today. The culture is very focused on constant improvement and paying attention to details, which made me very strict with myself, not only in sport, but also in my professional life and everyday activities.

Over the years, I’ve learned to find a better balance: keeping the discipline and ambition that ballet gave me, while also learning to appreciate progress, celebrate achievements and be kinder to myself.

The Race I Can Barely Remember

My first triathlon was absolutely amazing and I still get goosebumps when I think about it. To be honest, I can hardly remember what happened during the race because I was so focused and completely immersed in the experience.

What I do remember is enjoying every moment, from the start to the finish. That first race made me realise how much I loved the sport and motivated me to keep going.

What appeals to me most about triathlon is the variety.

I like having different disciplines to train because it keeps things interesting and motivating. I couldn’t imagine doing the same activity every day.

If I don’t feel like swimming one day, I can go for a run. If I’m not in the mood to run, I can hop on my bike instead, although, of course, only after discussing it with my coach first!

That variety keeps training fun, fresh and sustainable, which is one of the reasons I love triathlon so much.

38 Hours of Work. Up To 10 Sessions of Training.

Since completing my bachelor’s degree, I’ve been working as a physiotherapist at 90%, which is about a 38-hour working week here. Balancing work and training definitely takes good planning, but it’s something I really enjoy.

A typical training week includes running three times, cycling three times, swimming two to three times and one strength session in the gym.

I’ve learned how to structure my days so I can balance my job, training and recovery as well as possible, while of course still seeing friends and loved ones.

I See What Happens When Athletes Don’t Stop

For me, the biggest challenge isn’t finding the time or dealing with physical fatigue, it’s managing my own expectations. I’m a very competitive person and, as I’ve often been told, I’m also very strict with myself.

Sometimes it’s hard to give myself permission to be tired, take a rest day and not feel guilty about it. I know that recovery is just as important as training, but accepting that mentally can still be a challenge.

Working with patients has definitely changed the way I look at my own training. Every day, I see athletes who have pushed through pain, ignored warning signs or simply done too much too quickly, and that has taught me to be even more aware of my own body.

I’m a very competitive person, so my natural instinct is often to push through and complete the planned session. However, over the years I’ve

learned that being disciplined also means knowing when to adapt and make smart decisions.

I also communicate closely with my coach when I’m unsure. We look at how I feel, how my body is responding and whether it makes sense to adjust a session or take more recovery.

If I’m simply tired but still feel healthy, I can usually adapt and continue. However, if I notice unusual pain, excessive fatigue or that my body isn’t responding well, I know it’s better to modify the session or take an additional recovery day.

It’s still something I continue to work on, but I’ve become much better at listening to my body and understanding that recovery isn’t lost time, it’s an important part of the training process.

How Fast Can I Become?

For me, success in triathlon is about much more than just results. Of course, I’m competitive and I always want to see how fast I can become and how I compare to others, but ultimately, my biggest competition is myself.

Success means improving, challenging myself and seeing what I’m capable of achieving.

It also means enjoying the process, learning from every experience and building a lifestyle around sport that I can sustain for many years.

The most important thing for me is to keep developing as an athlete while staying healthy and continuing to enjoy what I do.