At 13 years, I was diagnosed with Clinical Depression.
I used triathlon as a form of medicine to help me through very dark mental times. The fact I was undertaking three sporting disciplines, kept me busy and gave me a sense of achievement day after day, something I wasn’t finding elsewhere
in life.
During my time at University, aged 21, I developed a drug addiction and was cast as an ‘outsider’ within my own family.
I completed a degree in Construction Management & Economics and worked as a client side project manager, however, the drugs and addiction took hold and in 2010 I hit rock bottom.
I went through an extensive rehabilitation program at a mental institution in WA where I was heavily medicated and with suicidal tendencies.
However … in 2012, this all changed and I was lucky enough to come out the other side…
“You’ve shown me that, its ok not to be ok.”
“Jack’s presentation in goal setting and overcoming adversity is that best that I’ve seen in my 35 years as a teacher.”
“You will no doubt receive an ‘Order of Australia’ at some stage in the future, for the works that you’re doing in the mental health space.”
My dad encouraged me to get on a bike again.
I became obsessed and realised I could channel by OCD tendencies in a constructive way on the bike. In 2014 I took some time away from my work to race my bike in Belgium at a semi-professional level. In 2015 upon returning from Belgium I was diagnosed with Chronic fatigue and spent 12 months off the bike unable to exercise. My depression and dark thoughts returned. Able to ride again, in late 2015, I decided that life was about LIVING. I left my full-time job, not enjoying what my life had become and decided to follow a different path, one that I knew I would enjoy. I decided I wanted to become a professional cyclist.
At 26, people told me I was crazy, there was no pathway for me to be financially stable and my hopes of racing at the highest level were 1 in a million … but I was confident that if I set my mind to something, I could make it happen and by building an online following, I realised that I could share my story and help to positively impact that lives of others.
I enjoy pushing myself mentally and physically and so instead of racing, I set about undertaking extreme cycling challenges and documenting them in the form of films to showcase to others, what is possible, using the bike and my ability to overcome adversity as the messenger.
In 2019, I found myself working with the biggest brands in cycling pushing the limits of what had, up until this point, been deemed impossible.
Late in 2019 I relocated to Girona, Spain, the hub of cycling worldwide, where I’m now based and cycling full time as a professional athlete with a strong desire to better the lives of others.