Kaarle McCulloch

Details

Category: Cycling

What is and how did you become involved your sport?

My sport is Track Cycling.  When I was around 16-17 I was no longer achieving my goals in my original sport of athletics.  I gave Triathlons a go and noticed I was really good at the bike leg and so my step dad convinced me I should try the track bike and after only one session I loved it and never looked back!

Do you have a sporting mentor?

When I was 15, I remember going to a Track Cycling World Cup in Sydney and my mother pointed out the 'Meares Sisters' Anna and Kerrie.  Ever since I saw them I have looked up to them, even when I had no idea what a velodrome was or how amazing they actually were as athletes.

Who is your sporting hero?

My sporting hero would have to be Rafael Nadal.  I admire his tenacity and perfectionism.  I think he epitomises a lot of what I aim to be like as an athlete mentally.

Age you started in your sport?

17 years

Current Age, Weight and Height?

24, 67.5kg, 167cm

Accreditation's/Certificates/Degrees/Occupation?

I finished year 12 at Endeavour Sports High School with a UAI of 93.8, I am currently studying a Bachelor of Education in Human Movement at the Australian College of Physical Education.

What is the reason you continue to play your sport today/motivation?

No matter what I do in my life I have ambitions to be the best and to try my best.  I have a never say die attitude and if I dont get what I want I will go away train harder, do something different and come out and try and be successful.  Also ever since I was able to stand on top of the podium and see the Australian flag rise above my head and sing my national anthem I have had desires to achieve that as many times as possible in my career - there is nothing better.

What is your current ride?

Currently in the lead into the 2012 Olympic Games my focus lies solely on the Women's Team Sprint event.  Post London my focus will shift onto my development in the individual sprint events of Sprint and Keirin.

People that have inspired you not only in sport but in life aswell?

My mother and her strength of character and hardness.  She was young when she gave birth to me and she has given up alot for my family so that we can have the most opportunities and best life that we can.

Great experiences that happened in your life?

Definitely being 'forced' to try the track bike!  As if I had not have been I wouldn't be who I am today.  Achieving a 93.8 for my UAI in year 12. 

Your Interests and Hobbies outside of your sport?

Outside of cycling I love to play with my dog Effie, I enjoy doing puzzles and cross stitch, and hanging with my friends and reading.  I also enjoy playing lots of other sports that are not to physical like golf and bowling.

One tip or quote which continues to inspire you?

"You can't have the rainbow without the rain."  Its symbolic because a World Champion gets what is called the Rainbow Jersey and its also a metaphor for the fact that for every achievement there are/will be times that are tough and challenging and those times will determine whether you will or not become a champion.

Family Background and current family?

My mothers mums heritage is British and my fathers dads heritage is Scottish.  My parents divorced when I was younger and I know have a step father.  I have two sisters (one half) and a brother.

Achievements/Results to this point?

2011/2012 Season
•    1st Team Sprint Astana World Cup (A. Meares)
•    1st 500m Time Trial Australian Championships
•    2nd Team Sprint World Championships (A. Meares)
•    2nd Team Sprint London World Cup (A. Meares)
•    2nd Sprint Australian Championships
•    2nd Keirin Australian Championships
•    2nd Team Sprint Australian Championships (C. Kell)
•    7th Sprint Astana World Cup
•    8th Sprint London World Cup
•    9th Keirin World Championships
•    10th Keirin Astana World Cup
•    17th Sprint World Championships
•    19th Keirin London World Cup

2010/2011 Season
•    1st Team Sprint World Championships (A. Meares)
•    1st Team Sprint Commonwealth Games (A. Meares
•    1st Team Sprint Manchester World Cup (A. Meares)
•    1st Team Sprint Australian Championships (C. Kell)
•    1st 500m Time Trial Australian Championships
•    2nd Keirin Melbourne World Cup
•    2nd 500m Time Trial Commonwealth Games
•    2nd Sprint Australian Championships
•    6th Team Sprint Melbourne World Cup (E. Rosemond)
•    6th Keirin Machester World Cup
•    7th Sprint Manchester World Cup
•    10th Sprint World Championships
•    11th Sprint Melbourne World Cup
•    13th Keirin World Championships 2009/2010 Season
•    1st Team Sprint World Championships (A, Meares
•    1st Team Sprint Manchester World Cup (A. Meares)
•    1st Team Sprint Australian Championships (M. Law)
•    1st 500m Time Trial Australian Championships
•    1st Sprint Australian Championships
•    1st Keirin Australian Championships
•    2nd 500m Time Trial Melbourne World Cup
•    4th Sprint Melbourne World Cup
•    4th Keirin World Championships
•    4th 500m Time Trial Beijing World Cup
•    6th Sprint World Championships
•    6th 500m Time Trial World Championships
•    6th Keirin Melbourne World Cup
•    6th Sprint Beijing World Cup
•    11th Keirin Manchester World Cup
•    13th Sprint Manchester World Cup
•    25th Keirin Beijing World Cup

2008/2009 Season
•    1st Team Sprint World Championships (A. Meares)
•    1st Team Sprint Copenhagen World Cup (A. Meares)
•    1st 500m Time Trial Oceania Championships
•    1st Team Sprint Oceania Championships (K. Meares)
•    2nd Sprint Australian Championships
•    2nd 500m Time Trial Australian Championships
•    2nd Sprint Oceania Championships
•    2nd Keirin Oceania Championships
•    3rd 500m Time Trial Melbourne World Cup
•    4th Sprint Melbourne World Cup
•    4th Keirin Melbourne World Cup
•    4th Keirin Australian Championships
•    4th 500m Time Trial Cali World Cup
•    6th 500m Time Trial World Championships
•    8th Sprint World Championships
•    9th Keirin World Championships
•    9th Sprint Copenhagen World Cup
•    10th Keirin Cali World Cup
•    11th Keirin Copenhagen World Cup
•    16th Sprint Cali World Cup

2008
•    1st 500m Time Trial Australian Championships
•    1st Sprint Australian Championships
•    1st Keirin Australian Championships
•    1st Keirin Fastest Woman on Wheels World Series of Bicycling
•    1st Sprint International Women’s Challenge World Series of Bicycling
•    2nd Team Sprint Australian Championships (Kaarle McCulloch and Cassandra Kell)
•    3rd Team Sprint Los Angeles World Cup (Kaarle McCulloch and Kerrie Meares)
•    7th 500m Time Trial Los Angeles World Cup
•    12th 500m Time Trial World Championships
•    13th Keirin Los Angeles World Cup
•    14th Sprint Los Angeles World Cup
•    16th Keirin World Championships
•    18th Sprint World Championships

2007
•    1st 500m Time Trial Oceania Championships
•    1st Keirin Oceania Championships
•    1st Team Sprint Oceania Championships (Kaarle McCulloch and Kerrie Meares)
•    1st 500m Time Trial NSW Championships
•    1st Keirin NSW Championships
•    2nd Team Sprint Los Angeles World Cup (Kaarle McCulloch and Anna Meares)
•    2nd Team Sprint Sydney World Cup (Kaarle McCulloch and Kerrie Meares)
•    2nd Teams Sprint Australian Championships (Kaarle McCulloch and Elizabeth Georgouras)
•    2nd Clarence St Cyclery Cup Women’s Handicap
•    3rd 500m Time Trial Australian Championships
•    3rd Sprint Oceania Championships
•    5th Sprint Australian Championships
•    6th 500m Time Trial Los Angeles World Cup
•    8th 500m Time Trial Sydney World Cup
•    11th Keirin Sydney World Cup

2006
•    1st Australian Under 19 500m Time Trial
•    1st Australian Under 19 Sprint
•    1st Clarence St Cyclery "TREK" Women's Cup on Wheels
•    1st 500m Time Trial NSW Championships
•    1st Sprint NSW Championships
•    1st St George and Sutherland Shire Leader Sprint, Sydney Thousand
•    1st Melbourne Cup on Wheels Women’s Invitational Kierin
•    2nd Australian Elite Teams Sprint (Kaarle McCulloch and Elizabeth Georgouras)
•    2nd Melbourne Cup on Wheels Women’s Handicap
•    3rd Australian Under 19 Kierin
•    3rd 500m Time Trial Junior World Championships
•    3rd 500m Time Trial Oceania Championships
•    3rd Sprint Oceania Championships
•    4th Sprint Junior World Championships
•    4th Kierin Junior World Championships
•    4th Kierin NSW Championships
•    5th Kierin Oceania Championships

2005
•    1st NSW Under 19 Sprint
•    1st NSW Under 19 500m Time Trial
•    2nd NSW Under 19 Kierin
•    4th NSW Under 19 Individual Pursuit

Who did you grow up idolizing?

As a child I definitely was inspired to do all sports by Cathy Freeman and Ian Thorpe.  In Sydney 2000 I wasn't really outstanding as a sportsperson and their Sydney 2000 achievements were amazing and I knew I wanted to be just like them.

Who has been your most influential coach?

This is a difficult question because I believe every coach I have been able to be looked after by has had an significant impact on my career.  My first coach ever David Short was the man who took me from being a very new raw athlete to a Junior World Medallist within 12months, currently Gary West has coached me to 3 World Titles and inbetween David and Gary I was able to work with Gary Sutton and Martin Barras.  All four have been very important to me.

How has playing your sport changed your life?

In so many ways.  I was forced to grow up pretty quickly because being an elite sport person demands time, commitment and passion.  I have had to move away from my family and learn to become independent and reliant only on myself.  I have been able to go to many wonderful and interesting places like Colombia and Kazakhstan

What is the greatest advice you can pass onto young riders?

You must love what you do.  When you wake up and you don't look forward to doing what ever it is that you want to achieve then that's when you must decide whether or not you want to do what you do.  It's not about giving up its about having that passion that drives you to get up on the days when you don't want to.

Were you one of the best riders growing up?

No!  Mostly because I didn't start till I was older.  However as an middle distance runner I was never the best.  I was that kid who trained harder than anyone else and got what I achieved through sheer hard determination rather than talent, which I think when kids are young they rely too much on talent and if they don't have it they give up and if they do have it they take it for granted. 

Training Background(sports, etc)?

From the age of 12 to 17 I was a middle distance runner specialising in 800m.  I did cross country as well.  But at school I did every sport I could!  In fact in year 12 I missed a number of days (more than you are supposed to) because I was competing in everything!  I did soccer, AFL, swimming, touch football, oztag, netball, waterpolo…and the list goes on!

Favourite Foods/Type of diet you follow?

I am a big advocate for natural and organic foods.  I don't follow a diet per say but I try to avoid anything that is processed or 'white' (like pasta, white bread etc).  I also avoid lactose and gluten where I can even though I am not intolerant to it.  My favourite foods are fruit, fruit, fruit!

Favourite Bodypart to Train plus training spilt(training schedule + fav session)

In the gym my favourite exercise is Single Leg Squat.  My personal best at the moment is 110kg for 3reps.  So that would be the glutes!  Got to have a booty to ride a bike fast!  On the track my favourite session is motor accelerations, where you get to ride behind a motor bike as fast as you can, I have hit a maximum speed personal best of 76km/h

Describe a typical day?

A typical day involves:
7.30am breakfast
8.30am road ride (30km)
11.30am massage
12.30pm lunch
2pm track session (4hrs +)
6pm dinner

Worst injury you have suffered?

I suffered a bad crash in 2009 where I landed fully on my left glute.  I didn't realise the damage I did to the muscle until 6 months later when we realised I was sitting crooked on my seat, that led to knee and back issues.  I am still to this day only just getting over the injury and I will always have recurring niggles through my glute as a result.

Favourite place to race?

Melbourne, Australia and Copenhagen

Greatest sporting moment you have had thus far?

In 2010 when I retained my World Title with Anna Meares in the Team Sprint.  We had to qualify last and see every team ride near our best time.  In our qualifying we had two restarts which was nerve racking but in the end we were not only able to qualify fastest but set a WR in the final and were the first women ever to break the 33 second barrier.

Who has been your greatest rival?

On home turf definitely Anna Meares.  To date I have been riding against Anna since 2008 and in that time I have only beaten her twice!  On the international level I tend to have good battles with my junior world competitors such as Sandie Clair from France.

What is your favourite movie?

It always changes!  Eat, Pray, Love at the moment

What one lesson did you take from your parents?

Be grateful for what you have, keep you're eyes on the stars but you're feet on the ground.

How do you deal with temptation?

Distraction!  Often when I come home from a tough training session all I want to do is get take away and maltesers!  So instead I make sure I have home cooked meals ready to go in the freezer and substitute my sugar cravings with grapes or something similar! 

What is your favourite music/band/song?

I am a big fan of Dance/Trance music!  I really like Armin Van Buren.  On a more mainstream level I like Pop style music like Adele, Duffy, Audioslave

What is your biggest fear?

Fearing fear, I try not to be fearful of things these days especially when it comes to my sport, at the end of the day when you line up there is not point being afraid of losing because if you have done the work then you will give you're best and that's all you can ask of yourself.

Do you believe "never giving up" is the difference between making it and not making it in any sport?

One of the reasons why I stopped enjoying myself as a runner was because I was adamant that I was never going to give up and that I would make it as a runner.  I think that tenacious attitude helped me achieve what I did as a runner but ultimately I didn't love what I was doing.  As a cyclist I have bad moments just like I did when I was a runner but the difference is that I get up the next day and I look forward to trying to make myself better.  I didn't 'give up' running…I just found another way to make my dreams come true and that was through the bike!

Have you ever failed at anything? If yes how did you overcome this?

I don't believe in failure, I believe any loss or something we don't achieve happens for a reason and its up to us to chose how to deal with it.  From my point of view if I lose then I go back to the drawing board and try and find a way to be better or to execute a race better.  Failure is a losers term, I never lose in my mind I think of it more in terms of I can better.

What inspired you to succeed?

When I first started winning!  There is nothing better than being the best at what you do, every day I train I train to be better and to be successful.  When I line up on the start line its about believing you can win.

What did you want to be as a kid growing up?

A teacher, and in fact that is what I am studying to do, however I think in the future I would like to either coach or become involved in media.

Typical race day routine?

Relax!  I don't usually race until late afternoon or early evening so during the day I go about my business as usual and try to distract myself from becoming anxious or nervous. This is a skill and it takes practice and I am starting to become quite good at it.

What is the ultimate prize for you in your sport and why?

Winning an Individual World Title.  I think if you can be the best in an individual event particularly an event like the sprint I think that is when you can truly say that you are a champion and have mastered what it means to be a sprinter.  It is a career goal of mine.  Being a sprinter is as much about mentally winning as it is the physical component and I think those that have won the sprint have been able to overcome mental barriers that may have stopped them in the past.

Your Future Goals in your sport , what are goals after you have finished racing?

After the London 2012 Olympic Games I have my sights set on becoming an individual world champion and head into the 2016 Olympics as one of the worlds best.

What's the one thing about you few people know?

I am quite spiritual, I believe in life we are here to learn something, and that we as individuals are our own gods.  Its up to us to decide how we act, behave, live.

What one item can you not live without?

My water bottle!! As my team mates will attest to I carry it with me every where.  I hate the feeling of being thirsty and so I take my bottle with me where ever I go, even to the movies or to dinner.

People you would like to thank?

So many.  My immediate support team at the AIS, my family, my coach Gary West, and everyone who has in some way contributed to my career to date.

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