12/10/2026
Photo 1: Me competing in athletics and training 7–8 times a week. I wasn’t recovering properly, wasn’t fuelling my body properly, and wasn’t really looking after myself. My whole life revolved around training and competing.
Photo 2: After becoming burnt out, I went through injury after injury. I stopped athletics, barely played rugby, put on weight, started drinking more and eating rubbish. At the time, I thought I was having fun, but deep down I hated how I looked and felt. I was stuck in a cycle.
Photo 3: Me back on track. I’ve learnt when to push myself, when to train properly and, just as importantly, when to take a step back and rest.
Burnout doesn’t just happen to athletes. It can happen to anyone — through work, training, life or a combination of everything going on around you.
The important thing is recognising when you’re starting to feel burnt out and doing something about it.
Take some time to think about how you feel, what might be causing it, and what you can change. Whether that means adjusting your training, taking some time off, improving your nutrition or talking to someone, finding a strategy that works for you is important.
Rest isn’t weakness. Sometimes it’s exactly what you need to keep moving forward