Paths We Take

Content note: This episode includes discussion of mental health, suicide and depression. If you’ve been affected by any of these topics, please take care while listening. If you’re in Australia and need support, Lifeline is available on 13 11 14.A lot can happen in a year. Connor is back on The Paths We Take, almost to the day since his first appearance in Episode 81, to share what the last 12 months have taught him about resilience, reflection and showing up when you don’t want to.As the founder of Empower Health and Fitness, Connor has gone from leaving his 9-to-5 to building a thriving coaching community. That includes hiring Brad, his very first client, as a coach. But growth came with real tests. He opens up about nearly giving up at the start of the year, falling out of love with the gym for the first time in his life, and the sudden upheaval that forced him to call 30 to 40 clients and start again in a new space.In this conversation we talk about:Why “this too shall pass” became Connor’s mantra in the hardest momentsWhy failure is only failure if you learn nothing from it“What we don’t change, we’re choosing”The Michelangelo’s David lesson: becoming a new person by chipping away at the old oneWhy motivation fades and discipline is what carries youHow the gym changed from a place of survival to a place of purposeWhy reflection is a skill, and why it’s so hard to see your own progressTreating a major setback like a grieving process, with an end dateConnor also shares the one thing he’d leave every listener with: nothing is promised, everything is earned, and you can’t become who you’re about to be until you let go of who you used to be.Listen to Part 1 (Episode 81) if you haven’t already.Find Connor: Empower Health and Fitness on Instagram @connortarrant_healthcoachThis episode is brought to you by:Kova Haus Running: Adelaide’s new running apparel brand, built by runners for runners. Shop at kova.haus and use code jordan10Re your run: sunglasses with adaptive lenses and a bounce-free fit. Use code JORDAN10 for 10% off. https://reyourrun.com.au/Buy Me a Coffee: help keep the show running: https://buymeacoffee.com/pathswetake

At 24, Ashton Krywell has gone from nearly 150kg to racing triathlons. In this episode, he shares the full story: the tough years that led him to the gym, how weight loss turned into a love of endurance sport, and why he's now chasing a full Ironman. Ashton is a Kova Haus athlete, and we sit down just after the City-Bay, a race he was meant to run. A stress fracture in his patella has him on the sidelines, so we talk about what that's like, including his first ever DNF just 2km into the Barossa half marathon. In this episode: Dropping from 145kg to 88-90kg and what got him started Opening up about the mental health battles and the hard period behind the journey The pull of social media comparison and how it helps and hurts motivation Breaking into triathlon, and why swimming is still the hardest leg Tips for first-time triathletes, including why you need to get outdoors on the bike What went wrong at Cairns 70.3 (two punctures, a lost bottle and cramps) and what he'll change for Sydney 70.3 Balancing FIFO life (three weeks on, one week off) with serious training Nutrition, sodium and sweat testing Strength, recovery and training around an injury Why having a coach matters, and why your "why" keeps changing Ashton's message for anyone with a big goal: chase it, however ambitious or delusional it seems. Connect with Ashton: [add his Instagram/Strava link] Sponsors: Kova Haus Running: endurance apparel built by runners, for runners. Shop at kova.haus use code jordan10 Re Your Run Sunnies: bounce-free, fog-free, glare-free sunglasses built for running. Use code JORDAN10 to save. Support the show: buy me a coffee buymeacoffee.com/Pathswetake

What happens when your heart doesn't play by the rules, but you keep running anyway? In this episode, I open up about living with a heart arrhythmia, and why I'm getting a minor procedure to have an implantable loop recorder inserted to finally get some answers. I talk about what it's like to train and race with an unanswered question sitting in your chest, and about the isolation that comes with it: looking fine on the outside, feeling uncertain on the inside, and not knowing who to talk to. If you've ever felt alone in a health battle nobody can see, this one's for you.

Why did probiotics make your acne worse? Why does your skin break out the moment you stop birth control? In this episode, Jordan interviews a naturopath with 17+ years Karina Hiscock specializing in acne treatment, gut health, and microbiome restoration. Learn why generic probiotics often backfire (dysbiosis explained), how microbiome testing reveals what your gut actually needs, why the pill masks but doesn't cure acne, and the exact root-cause approach that creates lasting skin clarity. If you've been stuck in the pill-to-antibiotics-to-Accutane cycle or felt worse after taking supplements, this conversation cuts through the confusion.We dive into hormonal acne vs. gut-driven acne, why disordered eating damages your microbiome long-term, the simple nutrition strategy that transforms gut health (hint: it's about plant variety, not restriction), and why quick fixes always bounce back. Whether you're dealing with adult acne, coming off hormonal birth control, or just curious about the gut-brain-skin connection—this episode offers science-backed answers and actionable steps you can start today. Root-cause health solutions for clear skin, better digestion, and optimal immunity.Buy me a coffee, it really means a lot, thanks for your support buymeacoffee.com/Pathswetake Shop the latest and greatest running gear website: Kova.Haus

In this episode, Jordan sits down to explore what happens when the training has to stop and what that reveals. After a rough week of being unable to run, Jordan opens up about the intersection of athletic identity, mental health, and a journey that most endurance athletes don't talk about openly: living with heart arrhythmia while pursuing performance at a high level. We dig into: The mental toll of forced rest for a competitive runner and triathlete Cardiac stress test results and what they actually mean for training and performance Heart health as an endurance athlete: How arrhythmia affects training decisions, race planning, and long-term athletic goals Life beyond running: Finding meaning and managing stress when your primary outlet is off the table The athlete's journey with cardiac health: Navigating medical protocols while maintaining competitive drive Resilience, adaptation, and moving forward with uncertainty Whether you're an endurance athlete, someone managing a cardiac condition, or just interested in the psychology of athletic identity, this conversation cuts through the surface-level fitness talk to explore what really matters when your body forces you to pause. Perfect for: runners, triathletes, endurance sport enthusiasts, health-conscious athletes, anyone managing chronic health conditions while maintaining an active lifestyle