For most people, aiming to run multiple marathons and long distance multi-sport events in a single year sounds like the stuff of nightmares, but this is where Brodie Kane is in her element.
With a background of army training, school sports and surf lifesaving, the bubbly radio presenter has some big fitness goals to crush this year, which she kicked off with the Coast to Coast race.
“Note to self, I don’t think it’s that wise to train for something so hard over summer,” Brodie laughs, recounting her weeks of running up hills and through rivers for hours on end in preparation for the event that saw her taking on 243km of mountain running, cycling and kayaking across the width of the South Island.
“It’s bloody hard, but I get a buzz from doing things like that,” she says.
For the rest of 2019, she will continue to lace up and hit the pavement and the gym to train for several half and full marathons.
The hard part, she says, will be getting her nutrition right.
“The exercising, I love. I really enjoy it so that part of it comes very easy to me, but my next focus is getting my food back on the good track it was when I lost a bit of weight in 2017,” she says.
“I will be brutally honest, I want to lose some weight,” she adds.
“Am I going to do a crash course like, three-day detox diet, no carbs, no sugar? Hell, no.
“Am I going to try and just slowly do it long term? Yes.
“I’ve got small boobs and broad shoulders, so I’m never going to have a small frame and I’m never going to look like Margot Robbie or Kate Middleton, but we still push that as some sort of ideal.
“We need to remind ourselves that we don’t all have to look like that and that the priority should be looking after ourselves so that we feel good about ourselves.”
How Brodie plans to stay healthy
Her down-to-earth approach to wellness for this year means simply eating more vegetables, swapping Uber Eats for My Food Bag, and keeping a food diary to stay on track.
If the odd wedding, concert or holiday throws a few treats into the mix, Brodie isn’t one to get hung up about it.
“You’ve got to do it in a way that you still keep on living, otherwise it just does your head in. You need to think about it long term and have little goals along the way so that they’re achievable.”
After spending eight months training for a marathon last year and seeing minimal change in weight, she has come to realise that there are much more meaningful things to look at than just the number on the scales – things like running further, sleeping better, having more energy and being kinder to friends and family.
“There’s so many other ways that you can measure your success.”
Although she admits she hasn’t yet mastered the art of self-love, she’s a big advocate for it nonetheless.
“We’re all such harsh critics of ourselves as women. I don’t think we’re ever going to be able to flick a switch and go, ‘I’m completely happy with myself.’
“It’s just not that realistic, but we can certainly try a bit harder and not judge and compare ourselves to others, and that’s what I’ve been actively trying to do.”
On top of her training, the sports-mad radio host is kept busy with The Hits Breakfast Show in Christchurch each morning.
With her alarm set for 4.30am, she’s in the car by 5am, to deliver three hours of hilarious yarns on air with co-host Dave “Fitzy” Fitzgerald.
Despite not being a morning person, she absolutely loves the job.
“We have so much fun every morning, trying to create content that people will enjoy on their drive to work and making people smile. I feel very lucky that that’s my job,” she says.
When the mics are off, the team are still busy planning and preparing for the show.
“I think a lot of people think that you literally rock on up just before six, talk some smack, and go home at nine,” she jokes.
“It definitely sounds that way, but there’s a lot of hard work that goes into it.”
Brodie’s girl squad
In 2018, Brodie also joined forces with journalist Gracie Taylor and ZM’s radio producer Caitlin Marett, and the trio are now the candid voices behind the Girls on Top podcast.
They are refreshingly open and honest, delving into topics from body image, fitness and social media to bikini waxes and moon cups.
“We’re not Gandhi. We won’t always have the answers, and that’s why we want to share our mistakes, experiences and the things we’ve learnt along the way,” she explains.
“For so many years women have been told what they should think, what they should wear, and it’s quite empowering to have a platform with this podcast to break some of those barriers down. Gosh that sounds cliché,” she laughs.
The podcast delivers big time on both humour and down-to-earth wisdom, and they’re overwhelmed with the response it’s had so far.
Brodie’s girl squad doesn’t end there – she is also an ambassador for breast cancer charity, Sweet Louise.
Spending time with women with breast cancer has been a deeply rewarding experience, says Brodie.
“They have been dealt a really unlucky hand, and are embracing life, making a decision to support each other, and not let it define who they are. It’s an honour to be around people like that.”
For inspiration, Serena Williams, Hilary Barry and Lydia O’Donnell are three of the trail-blazing women she looks to, as well as her mum who has completed two Iron Man races, swum the Cook Strait and is an eight-time Coast to Coast athlete.
“She’s an absolute boss lady,” Brodie says proudly.
As if her goals for the year weren’t big enough, she also has her sights set on ticking the New York Marathon off her bucket list, even if it takes her a couple of years to get there.
“I’ve set goals and I’m big on that, but I don’t think you should let yourself be defined by them. Go out and smash 2019, but don’t be so hard on yourself,” she says.
“If it’s not this year, it will happen.”
With determination like that, she’ll be touching down in New York in no time.
Brodie’s top running tips:
Get fitted with a proper pair of running shoes.
Running is hard, both physically and mentally. Take it easy and set yourself small goals.
Find a really good playlist or podcast.
Don’t see walking as failure.
Supplement with strength training.
Listen to your body and rest when you need to.
Fitness inspo on Instagram is great, but if you want more assistance, seek out a qualified running coach.
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