During this time, I was very fortunate to get to know Greg Reis the company’s CEO. Greg started BSG (Business Systems Group) in 1997, after identifying a gap in the market for services that focused on detailed business analysis. Under his leadership, the company has grown from strength to strength during the past 16 years and has positively impacted the lives of millions of people through their products and services. Amongst his many talents, Greg has a love for nature, triathlon, has completed two Comrades marathons and was also a South African windsurfer, having represented South Africa at the World Championships.

A big thank you to him for taking the time to answer my questions and here with are the 10 questions that I asked and his wonderful responses.

BSG has been involved in the BSG triathlon series for 5 years now, what has the triathlon series meant to you and to BSG as a company?

It has just been so special for us to be part of and help grow the BSG Triseries over this time. Triathlon has been a great sporting platform for BSG to be involved in. Through this platform it has been inspirational for us to see the BSG brand grow into a household name and at the same time make a difference in the lives of others, who have chosen to become fit and healthy through the BSG Triseries. This series of events caters for everyone – from Elites through to triathlon first timers and of course children from the ages of 5 – 15 years old.

Our staff and clients at BSG have also revelled in being involved in the BSG Triseries. On a personal level I loved being at any of the races, witnessing how our brand has touched so many lives as well as grown from strength to strength over the last five years. There seems to be tremendous energy and life in the BSG brand at all the various events around the country and it makes us proud knowing the impact BSG has made for others as well as Triathlon as a whole in South Africa.

During the past 5 years what has made you happiest and what have been the best memories from the BSG triathlon series?

There have been quite a few examples in the BSG triathlon series that have made us very happy and as I mentioned before, going to an event and seeing the BSG brand so prominently displayed has been inspirational. Initially we were a co-title sponsor of the series with Energade, but this last year BSG has been the sole title sponsor.

We have been delighted that we have been able to both transform and grow participant numbers in the BSG Kids triathlon series since we first started 5 years ago. It makes it all worthwhile to see the smiling young faces of all of South Africa’s youth competing and enjoying the wonderful sport of triathlon.

In addition, standing at the finish line, it is incredibly special to be able to revel in other people’s joy in the moments after they complete a race in the triathlon series, achieving something that they perhaps thought was not possible for themselves.

The formation of the BSG Elite triathlon team has also made us immensely proud. The team started out in 2009 and during the last three years we have been able to help support the dreams of three Olympians as well as produce a World Junior Triathlon Champion, podium positions for an African for the very first time in the World Triathlon Series (WTS), and have a sixth and fifth WTS series ranking (including automatic selection into the gold squad) for two members of the team. There is no doubt that all the relevant accolades must go to every BSG athlete for all their individual hard work, but we do feel some gratification that we helped unlock potential and accelerate performance for each member of the team.

What is your dream for Triathlon in South Africa?

There are two parts to my hopes and dreams for the future of triathlon in our country. Firstly, that all the energy and focus from the sporting codes leadership is placed on the bigger picture of maximising the potential of our athletes through each level of the sport. By believing in this purpose an authentic inclusive and collaborative relationship can be extended to any person or entity that also believes in this vision. This will result in an empowered and supportive community that will produce even more athletes we can be proud of as South Africans. Perhaps, one day this will lead to an outcome that none of our South African athletes need go abroad for extended periods to seek the coaching and training facilities required in order to compete consistently and effectively at a world class level.

Secondly, I wish to see a sustained and meaningful focus for triathlon at a grassroots level in South Africa. This means clear evidence in the broader participation levels at triathlon events, showing that the sport of triathlon can be accessible to the majority of South Africans.

In your life – What would you like to do more of and be more involved in? 

I would like to spend my valuable commodity of time where I can make the most impact. I love nature and my goal is to grow the concept of ‘conservation through education’, as I believe mankind will only do the right thing for our planet and all the species that depend on it through individual and personal clarity. This means each child needs to ‘see’ this wisdom as part of their education when growing up, regardless of their own personal circumstances.

What motivates you as a person to do something well?

I am not sure where my tenacity comes from – perhaps Robert Frost’s poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ has inspired me from a very young age to realise that no matter what choices we make in life, we must never give up on the journey we chose by thinking we can go back and choose again. So best do whatever ‘right the first time’. In addition I have also always believed that if I am going to do something, always do the right thing (which is often the more difficult and painful choice) and thereby stay on the right side of history.

What would you do with your life, if no one was watching, judging or commenting? 

That is an easy question to answer; I would help to ensure each and every child has their birth right to a decent education fulfilled!

What would you like to be doing in 10 years from now?

I would love to be sharing various inspirational and successful stories through photography of how rural children understand and act in a manner that demonstrates the need to protect the wild places they live alongside. Hopefully in this way we would be educating a broader base of people about how nature is being preserved at a grass roots level, so that their own children have a future where they too can enjoy the world as we know it today.

If you never saw tomorrow, would you be happy with a life well lived? 

Absolutely, I have lived my life without any regrets and although there is still a lot to do and a lot to look forward to in my lifetime, everything I have done has always come from a good place.

The best advice you have ever received?

To challenge the assumption that it is okay to let go.

To always deeply reflect on what my intention is in every action that I take.

What has made you proud, satisfied and content? 

My life’s journey thus far and everything both good and bad that has happened to me – ultimately they are all valuable lessons that I have learnt along the way, inspiring me with the wisdom to continue to achieve what may be assumed to be impossible.

Who was I kidding..

But I don’t believe I ever wasted my time setting these goals and trying to reach them. I definitely improved my life, by becoming a subtly better person, even if I did not quite reached the goals that I set for myself.

I believe that by setting goals every year and starting the process of chasing them, stumbling, fighting my way back up, pursuing and trying again and again, my character is tested and over time, I will be willing to continue the effort and sacrifice of  achieving my goals and dreams. I now also realise  that our goals do not necessarily need to be set in stone and as we strive to reach them, we do change, grow and we learn those fundamental lessons of hard work, commitment, self discipline, focus, humility, adaptability and last but not least perseverance.

In closing I recently read an inspirational blog by Jasper Blake a Canadian Ironman triathlete, who has just recently retired from the sport of triathlon.  He started his athletic career as a skier, then he became a tennis player and later a triathlete. He was victorious at Ironman Canada and he also achieved many other podium finishes in his great triathlon career.

In his blog he wrote about his retirement from the sport of triathlon and the incredible journey that he has been able to experience as a professional triathlete. I really enjoyed reading it very much but the one message that completely resonated with me and I really wanted to share with you, was this.

“No matter how good you get or how good you think you are, remember that you are never entitled to anything and the sport owes you nothing.  You need to approach it as if you owe the sport everything.  Never underestimate how much work you will do and how much you will have to give of yourself to get good.  If you want to win you have to earn that right every single year, every single month, every single week, every single day, every single workout.  But don’t look at it as a sacrifice; consider it a gift that you have the opportunity to go down that road.

Win or lose, it’s an awesome road to be on!”

I honestly cannot wait for the 2013 and while I know that the goals and dreams that I have for set for myself in 2013 are not going to be easy to reach. I am motivated and prepared for all the blood, sweat and tears that lie ahead and I look forward to sharing my year with you all.

Thank you so much for all the amazing support, encouragement and smiles shown towards me in 2012. To say that the past year has been a challenging year for me would be an understatement in the extreme. It was indeed a tough year and a year that I certainly will never forget for as long as I live but one in which I grew tremendously, made me a wiser, happier and a more content Katie.

I wanted to wish you all a very happy and Festive season.

May you be reminded of all the most important things in your life this Christmas and may the magic of Christmas give you the confidence to face all the challenges that wait ahead in 2013.

Merry Christmas and Happy New year!

Katie x

 We can’t always choose the music life plays for us, but we can choose how we dance to it!

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2. I have learnt that when it comes to chocolate, unfortunately resistance never works..

3. I have learnt  that life is unfortunately not fair, but it is wonderful!

4. I have learnt  that I don’t have to win every argument and that it is better to agree to disagree.

5. I have learnt that a smile goes a long way!

6. I have learnt never to compare my life to others, as I have no idea what their journey is about.

7. I have learnt that when it comes to going after what I love in life, never to take no for an answer.

8. I have learnt that no one is in charge of my happiness, except me.

9. I have learnt that time heals almost everything and I need to give time time.

10.  I have learnt that  if I don’t ask, I won’t get.

11. I have learnt that it is best to get rid of stuff that has no use to me and rather give it to others to enjoy!

12. Whatever has not killed me, really has made me stronger.

13.  I have learnt that however good or bad a situation is, it will change.

14. I have learnt that I unfortunately cannot please everyone!

15. I have learnt that I will unfortunately fail – It is part of my life’s journey!

16. I have learnt that jealousy is a waste of time. I already have all I need.

17. I have learnt that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

18. I have learnt that my background and circumstances may have influenced who I am, but I am responsible for who I become.

19. I have learnt that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

20. I have learnt that I don’t have to change friends, if I understand that friends change.

21. I have learnt that it’s not what I have in my life but who I have in my life that counts.

22. I have learnt that my experiences are more valuable than my possessions.

23. I have learnt that it is okay to cry. Crying heals me!

24. I have learnt forgiveness is best!

25. I have learnt to always over prepare, then go with the flow.

26. I have learnt to frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years, will this really matter Kt?”

27. I have learnt that my twin sister Tess will always be my best friend no matter what!

28. I have learnt that all that truly matters in the end, is that we are loved.

29. And last but not least, I believe that the best is yet to come!

One of the Protea players, that contributed to South Africa winning this historical test was none other than Jacques Rudolph. Jacques has had an amazing international test career, earning his debut test for the Protea’s back in 2003 and scoring 222 runs against Bangladesh on this occasion. In that same year he was named South African cricketer of the year. He played for Yorkshire County cricket club between 2007 and 2010 and in 2008 won the Yorkshire player of the year award.

Jacques has just recently started swimming, cycling and running and thus dabbling in the wonderful sport of triathlon and he told me about his plans to hopefully complete the Ironman in Port Elizabeth, South Africa in April 2014  as well as a lifetime dream of earning that coveted Kona slot.

I was very lucky to have Jacques answer some questions for me about his life, cricket and triathlon and I am sure you will enjoy reading his answers just as much as I did! He is such a great guy and I just loved interviewing him, learning from him and he has definitely inspired me to great heights in my sporting life as well as life!

Thanks so very much for your time Jacques, you are an absolute star and it was greatly appreciated.

1. What has been the most memorable moment in your cricket test career?

Well, there have been a few memorable personal performances, but I would have to say the recent UK tour has been the highlight thus far. It was a culmination of team work, great leadership and exceptional connections between players on and off the field. The result was purely an indication of everything that happened behind the scenes…

2. How happy were you to be part of the historical test at Lord’ s, when you beat England and became the World’s leading test nation and what did it mean to you?

In hindsight, I would’ve like to play a bigger part in it… But when Vernon took that final wicket, all hell broke loose – there was a magical spirit amongst  the guys as soon as we got back into the dressing room. I can assure you there were some tears flowing too…

3. Can you tell me what got you involved in triathlon and why you would like to complete an Ironman?

It has been a dream of mine for sometime now. In cricket your mental capability gets tested to the max and I think in triathlon it is exactly the same concept. I am very competitive and set high standards for myself – therefore I won’t train just to finish the Ironman but I want push myself to the absolute limit.

4. What would you like to be doing five years’ from now?

I am farming at the moment with buffalo, sable and roan antelope – I can only assume that is what I will be involved in after my cricket career, as well as one or two other business ventures which I’m planning at the moment.

5. What would you do with your life if you were a billionaire?

I would like to be involved in charity work in rural areas and then I would also spend most of my time training in order to qualify for Kona…#bucketlist

6. What motivates you to do something well?

Like I said, I set myself high personal standards and holistically, I believe in the philosophy that we only live once. Therefore, I would like to make the most of everything that life has to offer…

7. If you were 100 and looking back on your life, would you be happy with a life well-lived?

If I die tomorrow I would be happy. I have lived an amazing life so far, travelled the world and basically did most things I put my mind to.

8. What makes you proud, satisfied and content?

When I’ve proved myself and other people wrong!

9. What would you do if you had more guts?

Train for a sub 8 hour Ironman… LOL.

10. What has the game of cricket and life as a professional sportsman taught you?

To be very independent and I have been able to learn a great deal about myself. People won’t remember your stats or results in years to come, but they will remember how you played the game and lived your life!

In the latest book that I am currently reading called “Challenging Beliefs, memoirs of a career”  by South African sports science Guru, Professor Tim Noakes, he writes about one of the most challenging stories in going the extra mile in “self belief” and that is the story of how Sir Roger Bannister in 1954, became the first person to ever run the mile in less than four minutes. Bannister used the power of his mental strength, more so than he did his legs when he achieved this remarkable feat. He saw the four minute mile as a psychological barrier that he needed to overcome and by power of inspiration, he conditioned his mind, so that in all the many hours of invested training, his brain would release in four minutes the energy he required to run the record, that no one thought was possible.

When I examine the way in which Lisa won her world title last Saturday, I have realized just how important an asset such as self-belief is. It’s not arrogance or aggression, it is a belief built on the firm foundations of discipline, consistency and the product of many years of brutal training, sacrifice, overcoming injuries, failure and of going that extra mile.

Lisa understands this principle of “going the extra mile,” she has been a professional triathlete for the past six or more years and during this time she has slowly but surely worked her way to the top of the world. When she first started doing triathlon, back in 2003, she was a pretty decent cyclist but a very weak swimmer and an average runner but I have never ever met anyone with more drive and determination than Lisa has, to be the absolute best that she can be and so it was, more than nine years later with massive amounts of determination and dedication that saw her finally reach her dream and be crowned ITU world champion. She was 2^nd in 2009, 3^rd in 2010, 9^th in 2011 and she won in 2012.

But unfortunately it doesn’t just happen overnight and going that extra mile is never easy.

Here with is hard work put into perspective. As I have mentioned, it took Lisa nine years to become world champion. Michelangelo, the world renowned painter, sculptor, architect and poet endured seven years lying on his back to paint the famous Sistine Chapel ceiling. Dr Seuss’, the famous children’s book writer had his first book rejected by 23 publishers before the 24^th publisher sold six million copies. In 1905 the University of Bern, in Switzerland, rejected a PhD dissertation saying it was irrelevant and not worthwhile. Albert Einstein was indeed disappointed, but not defeated. There must have been so many times when these people must have felt defeated but that’s when they dug deep and went the extra mile!

Lisa taught me, it’s all about committing ourselves and approaching our goals with consistency (maintaining these standards over a long period of time) and this was the basis for her success, in the long road towards her being crowned world champion. Lisa instilled in me the principle that without consistency we have mediocrity and that complete passion is required to reach our goals. Lisa also made me realise that we need certain values in order to reached the top.  The first was passion and it involves being prepared to sacrifice, suffer and persevere, in going that extra mile, especially when others are out having a good time. Lisa spent most of past six years of her pro career away from her homeland of Sweden and living out of her suitcase. Every training session that she entered into, she gave it 100% in terms of effort. She absolutely oozes passion for her triathlon career. The second value that Lisa taught me was resilience – that ability to bounce back in the face of fatigue, setbacks, disappointment or heartache. It is that capacity that we have, that inner strength to cope with stress. It is not about sulking for a week and feeling sorry for ourselves (I know I have been victim to this) or being devastated by failure. Ever since I started training with her, she has had to endure multiple injuries (at least one major injury every year) but she never sat back and let her injuries get in the way of her goals. She always made sure that she worked on other aspects of her training, be it swimming,  improving her core or heading to the gym for cross training, if she was not able to run.

I learnt a great deal from Lisa  in the years we spent training together but most importantly and she tweeted about it just after she won on Saturday. She said “Don’t ever ever ever give up!” Do you not agree that there is so much to be gained in breaking our personal barriers and achieving something we would never have considered personally possible? I do and so with that I love and leave you, as I am off to go and chase my dream!

Until next time,

Katie x

After a few weeks however, the hype all seemed to have died down and I soon had to start making decisions about my future and what the next chapter holds for Kate Roberts and beyond. That is when the real “Post Olympic Blues” started to set in. I decided to slowly get back into my training regime but soon realised that this was not going to be as easy as I thought, as my purpose and motivation to train were not quite at that same level that they were in the months leading up to the Olympics. I was not surrounded by my fellow training partners and Coach, whom understood my world and with whom I could connect to on a daily basis for encouragement and support. I tried not to feel sorry for myself after the disappointment of falling but then I realised that in order to get over what had happened, I needed to have a few days of feeling absolutely and bitterly sorry for myself and they say it is okay to cry and let our tears water the seeds for our future happiness.

It has taken me some time to reflect upon my Olympic journey and this is the way I have summed things up. While I was indeed very heart sore about what happened on the 4 August 2012 in Hyde Park at the women’s triathlon in London, there are hundreds of untold stories of so many athletes who worked incredibly hard to be Olympians and never were. So for me just to be there for a second time was in itself an incredible victory, that I can be proud of.

I set a goal for myself after the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and I gave everything to reach it. Even though the race didn’t go the way I had planned, it was a real honour and accomplishment to have represented South Africa for the second time on the world stage at an Olympics. I have been shaped by my experiences in both preparing for and competing at the 2012 London Olympic Games and all the experiences I have encountered, the amazing places I have seen, the people I have met and the special friendships I have made along away have molded me into the person I am today.

I have had such wonderful opportunities in my lifetime and there are only a minuscule number of people, who can say they have done what I have done, who have had the memories and experiences that I have been so fortunate to have and who have been able to develop the levels of commitment, dedication and work ethic that I have established through the years of my professional triathlon career.

Money certainly cannot buy what my sport has provided me with.

Having said that, it has been tough to come to grips with the agony of the crash, as I didn’t cause it and I couldn’t escape the fall. It removed the satisfaction of being able to say, “Well, at least I gave it all I had and came in 22nd.” it felt more like a robbery, the opportunity to have finished in the top 10 taken from me, which was unfair and out of my control.

But if I am able to take a few steps back and put it all into proper perspective, seeing the race, the crash and my 22nd placing as one moment and one event in a lifetime of many other happy moments and events, it provides me with enough clarity to feel more gratitude than frustration. After all, I wasn’t  just preparing for an Olympic race; I was building my character, shaping my personality and constructing a better Katie, as I swam, cycled, ran, learned, overcame, pushed, stretched, persevered, worked and worked and worked and worked.

And so I have realised that all the training, dedication and preparation was not in vain. It made me who I am today and that’s a whole lot to feel really good about. The point was not to win Gold at the Olympics, but to earn the Gold in my heart, to have push myself to my absolute best, to become the Katie I was capable of becoming, not measured by a medal, but measured by an internal sense that I am better person for having chased a goal even if the goal didn’t turn out the way I had hoped and prepared it to be.

Thank you to all of you for inspiring me, believing in me and for helping me overcome life post Olympics!

I am pleased to say that I have managed to find my mojo to train again and I am currently competing in the local BSG triathlon series here in South Africa. If  you are thinking of competing, I look forward to seeing you there for a catch up or two.

Be happy,

Katie x

Lining up on the start line for my second Olympics in the women’s triathlon on Saturday morning the 4 August 2012 in London’s Hype Park, was indeed a very proud moment in my 29 years of life on earth and I remain true to what my goal was all along “To be in the best possible shape of my life and to have a race without any regrets”

Exiting the water after the 1500m swim with all the favourite medal contenders – Helen Jenkins (from Great Britain), Nicola Spirig (from Switzerland and the eventual gold medal winner), Lisa Norden (From Sweden and the silver medal winner) and Sarah Groff, I could not have been any happier and more proud of myself with the first discipline of an Olympic Distance Triathlon which comprises of a 1500m swim, 40km cycle and 10km run. During my preparation, I knew that a good swim would be absolutely crucial, if I wished to achieve the outcome that I so badly wanted to obtain at the Games. Once I mounted my bike I was immediately in the main cycling pack and felt very comfortable and in control. Good swim ticked off, this was going to be a great day for Katie!

Then about 4km into the cycle leg came one of the biggest disappointments in my lifetime.  A crash just past Buckingham palace was not exactly how I envisioned my race to pan out but I guess it is not the situation, but whether we react (negative) or respond (positive) to the situation that’s important.  Emma Moffat one of the favourites from Australia and a bronze medal winner at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 came down right in front of me and I had to make that split decision of “do I go left or right” I opted for right and hit one of the barriers on the course. I got back onto my bike as quickly as I possibly could but unfortunately I could not bridge myself back up to the front pack of women of over 20 athletes and found myself in the chase pack.

The mentality in a chase pack is unfortunately completely different to when you are racing in the lead pack and with no cohesion amongst the girls to work together and chase down the leaders we came off the 40km bike with a 90 sec deficit heading out onto the run.

I can honestly say that I ran my heart out and I pushed as hard as I could on the 10km run to get the best possible outcome that I could on race day. I ended up in a disappointingly 22nd place but do I have regrets about the outcome – No I don’t because I can honestly say I lived the Olympic ideal and I gave it my everything. A 34:48min 10km run split was one of fastest I have ever run and had the crash not happened, it would have placed me 7th in the race and I would have reached my goal of a top 10 placings.. But that was not to be and at the end of the day given the circumstances, I am proud of myself for getting up and continuing to race as hard as I could despite fighting back the tears of utter disappointment.

Instead of seeing it as an isolated event of something bad, I can see the bigger picture. In the grand scheme of things, these moments of disappointments are complemented by instances of great joy.  Aside from the crash, the whole Olympic experience was absolutely magical and I take my hats off to the British who set an incredibly high standard. Everything about the 2012 London Olympics was first class and I can honestly say that I loved every single moment. I was able to enjoy the last week of the Games and managed to go to the closing ceremony, which gave me closure on my Olympics and made me realise that I was indeed part of something special in history. It is amazing to think of all the wonderful friendships I have made through my sport and memories I have experienced and if anyone has a dream of competing at an Olympic Games, I encourage you all the go for it. The Olympics remain the most compelling search for excellence that exists in sport and maybe in life itself.

A big thank you must go to so many people who made my Olympic journey possible. To my Coach, Dr Darren Smith who got me there in the best possible shape of my life, to my family and friends who were there in person supporting me all the way. (My dad was there for me at the end and gave me the South African flag just before I crossed the finish line, it was a proudly South African and yet emotional finish to an incredible journey.) My title sponsor BSG for their continued financial support and belief in me, TSA (triathlon South Africa) and SASCOC (South African Olympic committee) for selecting me and making my dream come true.

So what does the future hold for me.. I have managed to give this some good thought during a lovely break post Olympics and for the moment triathlon is my life and my livelihood and I feel that I still have unfinished business with regards to my triathlon career. So I’ll be back racing to the best of my ability Soon. I plan to race in the local BSG triathlon series from October through to December and next year the World Triathlon Series. I would also very much like to compete in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glascow and then I will reassess again about my future in sport.

Katie x