Atalanta

This week we’re joined by Máire McGinley and Rachel O’Connor, an Irish-Scottish duo who are quickly establishing themselves on the HYROX Elite scene.

From taking the APAC mixed relay record to lining up in the Elite 15 races in Hamburg and Melbourne, Maire and Rachel share what it’s really like stepping into elite competition — the excitement, the pressure, and the work it takes to believe you belong there.
A central part of this conversation focuses on female athlete health and motherhood. Rachel opens up about years of high training loads, losing her menstrual cycle, and the moment she realised she needed to prioritise her health in order to conceive.

We talk about stepping back from performance, changing lifestyle, and how that journey shaped her return to competitive sport as a mother.

We also discuss:
- How their partnership came together
- Balancing elite racing with careers, travel, and family life
- The realities (and costs) of pursuing elite sport outside Europe
- Managing mindset, pressure, and long-term perspective

An honest, grounded conversation highlighting why prioritising health is never a step backwards.

Follow the girls over on instagram : @mccmaire & @rach3oc

If you enjoyed this episode please consider following the show and leaving a review, it helps us reach more people and speak to more incredible guests! 
Find us @weareatalanta and remember to tag us when you listen! Thank you, see you next week!
As always, a huge thank you to our sponsors for supporting us on this journey.

LSKD : Use code ATALANTA for 15% off LSKD
MyProtein : Use code ATALANTA for discount at checkout.

January is loud.
New year, new goals, new rules, new trends — especially when it comes to food, body weight and “doing better”.
But are any of them actually helping you feel, function and perform better… or are they quietly doing more harm than good?

For this January special, sports dietitian Renee McGregor is back on the podcast, and we’re cutting straight through the noise.
In this episode, we unpack:
Why January might be the worst time to overhaul your nutrition
The real cost of “new year, new me” thinking
Why weight-focused goals can undermine health, energy and long-term performance
The growing concerns around weight-loss injections 
How fixating on one outcome can quietly derail everything else

This is an honest, grounding conversation for anyone feeling pressure to reset, restrict or chase a body goal this time of year.

Follow Renee over on instagram : @r_mcgregor
Substack: https://substack.com/@thefuellinereneemcgregor

If you enjoyed this episode please consider following the show and leaving a review, it helps us reach more people and speak to more incredible guests!  Find us @weareatalanta and remember to tag us when you listen! Thank you, see you next week!

As always, a huge thank you to our sponsors for supporting us on this journey.

LSKD : Use code ATALANTA for 15% off LSKD
MyProtein : Use code ATALANTA for discount at checkout.

Sophia Parvizi-Wayne is an Elite 15 Hyrox athlete, tech founder, and has recently been listed in the Forbes 30 Under 30 — but in this episode, we go beyond the titles.

Sophia opens up about the reality of chasing high performance in more than one area of life, why true balance doesn’t really exist, and what happened when trying to do it all finally caught up with her on race day in Melbourne.

We talk burnout, identity beyond sport, making tough decisions, and why sometimes the strongest move is knowing when to pull back. This is an honest conversation about ambition, pressure, and learning how to show up again — in training, in work, and in life.

Follow Sophia over on instagram : @sophiaparviziwayne

If you enjoyed this episode please consider following the show and leaving a review, it helps us reach more people and speak to more incredible guests!  Find us @weareatalanta and remember to tag us when you listen! Thank you, see you next week!

As always, a huge thank you to our sponsors for supporting us on this journey.

LSKD : Use code ATALANTA20 for 20% off LSKD
MyProtein : Use code ATALANTA for discount at checkout.

We’re kicking off 2026 the only way that felt right — with Joanna Wietrzyk back on the podcast.

Jo was our very first guest of 2025, and since then, her career has gone stratospheric. From racing just a handful of times in Australia to Elite 15 Major wins, world podiums, and now a dream weekend racing on home soil in Melbourne — this season has been next level.

In this episode, we dive into what life looks like after winning 2/2 Majorss so far this season! Jo opens up about racing with less pressure, using each event as a learning opportunity, and treating the season as a build towards Worlds. We talk doubles racing with Jess Pettrow — why their partnership works so well, how they read each other mid-race, and why friendship matters just as much as fitness.

We also get into:
What it’s like racing mixed doubles with Hunter McIntyre
Racing fatigued and why Jo actually enjoys it
Why consistency beats chasing shortcuts
How transitions can make or break your race
The reality of rising competition in Hyrox
And what it really takes to move from rookie to elite

If you’re setting goals for the year ahead, this episode is a reminder that progress isn’t flashy — it’s built race by race, rep by rep.

Happy New Year. Let’s get into it. 🎧

Follow Jo over on instagram : @joannawietrzyk
YouTube : @joannawietrzykk

If you enjoyed this episode please consider following the show and leaving a review, it helps us reach more people and speak to more incredible guests!  Find us @weareatalanta and remember to tag us when you listen! Thank you, see you next week!

As always, a huge thank you to our sponsors for supporting us on this journey.

LSKD : Use code ATALANTA20 for 20% off LSKD
MyProtein : Use code ATALANTA for discount at checkout.

In this episode, we’re joined by physiotherapist, trail runner and running-rehab specialist Sophie Vecchione for an in-depth conversation on RED-S, stress fractures, hormones and long-term athlete health.

We explore why injuries like stress fractures are becoming increasingly common, how low energy availability and under-recovery impact the body, and why understanding hormonal health is essential for female athletes.

In this episode we cover:
• What RED-S actually is (and why it’s more than just under-fuelling)• Stress fractures, bone health, and why they occur• How hormones influence injury risk across different life stages• Why postpartum and peri-/post-menopause are higher-risk periods for active women• The importance of menstrual health and building bone density in your teens and 20s• Exercise dependency, recovery, and the cost of chronic under-recovery• How to train for performance without compromising long-term health

Sophie breaks down complex and often misunderstood topics with clarity, offering practical insights for runners and athletes navigating training through different phases of life.
Whether you’re a runner, CrossFit or HYROX athlete, or simply someone who trains regularly, this episode offers essential knowledge to help you stay healthy, resilient and performing well long-term.

🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts

Follow Sophie over on instagram : @runfreerehab

If you enjoyed this episode please consider following the show and leaving a review, it helps us reach more people and speak to more incredible guests!  Find us @weareatalanta and remember to tag us when you listen! Thank you, see you next week!

As always, a huge thank you to our sponsors for supporting us on this journey.

LSKD : Use code ATALANTA20 for 20% off LSKD
MyProtein : Use code ATALANTA for discount at checkout.