Performance Intelligence Podcast

Carol Cooke, AM, is a 3-time gold medal Paralympian, 9-time world champion in para-cycling, international speaker, and expert in adversity and mindset. Born and raised in Canada, Carol's journey began as a young swimmer with Olympic dreams. Fate had other plans when the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games were boycotted and she transitioned her focus to a 14-year career with the Toronto Police force, including four years working undercover in the Morality Unit (Prostitution, Drugs and Gambling).
In the mid 90’s Carol packed up everything and moved to Australia. Life threw a massive curveball in 1998 when she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Carol ignored her initial doctor’s orders, defying stereotypes and refusing to give up. Carol discovered para-cycling and constantly challenges the notion of what it means to age and slow down.
Carol has written two best-selling books The Force Within and Finding Your Inner Gold, had the original vision for the 24hr Mega Swim which has now raised over $20M for MS Plus, and she lives by the motto “dare to face your fears, believe in yourself, and you can accomplish anything."
 
In this episode Andre and Carol Discuss:
3:00 How Andrew and Carol met, becoming an undercover cop and what it was like working on a street corner.
11:30 Learning colourful language from pimps and prostitutes, explaining blowjobs to a judge, how Carol was trained to be undercover and how to transition back to normal life.
20:30 High number of relationship breakdowns in emergency workers, shifting personas for the role you’re in and the frustrating story of how Carol got her MS diagnosis.
30:00 Carol’s husband Ross, winning 3 paralympic medals and how Carol went from swimming to rowing
41:05 Transitioning from rowing to cycling, dealing with the logistics of moving a 20kg bike interstate and the importance of Carol’s sister not joining her pity party.
49:00 The worst year of Carol’s life, dealing with condescending cyclists and working undercover being the best improv coaching possible.
1:01:30 What Carol would say to someone having a rough time, getting through lockdown with the help of the calm app and Carol’s favourite of her many medals.
1:14:40 Competing in Paris at 63, Carol’s views on age and her family’s longevity.
1:23:00 Performance Uncovered.
1:37:15 Andrew and The Wizard’s reflections.
 
Find Carol at her LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/carol-cooke-am-ply-a728201b
Or at her Website: https://www.carolcooke.com.au/
Buy Carol's Books: https://www.carolcooke.com.au/books
Find out more about Andrew's Keynotes : https://www.andrewmay.com/keynotes/
Follow Andrew May: https://www.instagram.com/andrewmay/
Follow StriveStronger: https://www.instagram.com/strive.stronger/
If you enjoy the podcast, we would really appreciate you leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Play. It takes less than 60 seconds and really helps us build our audience and continue to provide high quality guests.

Show Notes

Carol Cooke, AM, is a 3-time gold medal Paralympian, 9-time world champion in para-cycling, international speaker, and expert in adversity and mindset. Born and raised in Canada, Carol's journey began as a young swimmer with Olympic dreams. Fate had other plans when the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games were boycotted and she transitioned her focus to a 14-year career with the Toronto Police force, including four years working undercover in the Morality Unit (Prostitution, Drugs and Gambling).
In the mid 90’s Carol packed up everything and moved to Australia. Life threw a massive curveball in 1998 when she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Carol ignored her initial doctor’s orders, defying stereotypes and refusing to give up. Carol discovered para-cycling and constantly challenges the notion of what it means to age and slow down.
Carol has written two best-selling books The Force Within and Finding Your Inner Gold, had the original vision for the 24hr Mega Swim which has now raised over $20M for MS Plus, and she lives by the motto “dare to face your fears, believe in yourself, and you can accomplish anything."
 
In this episode Andre and Carol Discuss:
3:00 How Andrew and Carol met, becoming an undercover cop and what it was like working on a street corner.
11:30 Learning colourful language from pimps and prostitutes, explaining blowjobs to a judge, how Carol was trained to be undercover and how to transition back to normal life.
20:30 High number of relationship breakdowns in emergency workers, shifting personas for the role you’re in and the frustrating story of how Carol got her MS diagnosis.
30:00 Carol’s husband Ross, winning 3 paralympic medals and how Carol went from swimming to rowing
41:05 Transitioning from rowing to cycling, dealing with the logistics of moving a 20kg bike interstate and the importance of Carol’s sister not joining her pity party.
49:00 The worst year of Carol’s life, dealing with condescending cyclists and working undercover being the best improv coaching possible.
1:01:30 What Carol would say to someone having a rough time, getting through lockdown with the help of the calm app and Carol’s favourite of her many medals.
1:14:40 Competing in Paris at 63, Carol’s views on age and her family’s longevity.
1:23:00 Performance Uncovered.
1:37:15 Andrew and The Wizard’s reflections.
 
Find Carol at her LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/carol-cooke-am-ply-a728201b
Or at her Website: https://www.carolcooke.com.au/
Buy Carol's Books: https://www.carolcooke.com.au/books

Use Code "PIPODCAST10" to get 10% off your Lumo Coffee order:https://lumocoffee.com/

Learn more about Andrew and Performance Intelligence: https://performanceintelligence.com/
Find out more about Andrew's Keynotes : https://performanceintelligence.com/keynotes/
Follow Andrew May: https://www.instagram.com/andrewmay/

If you enjoy the podcast, we would really appreciate you leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Play. It takes less than 60 seconds and really helps us build our audience and continue to provide high quality guests.

What is Performance Intelligence Podcast?

A podcast about all things human performance.
Listen in as Andrew May explores the latest in human performance with an all-star cast of subject matter experts covering physical and psychological wellbeing, performance psychology, sport, business, entertainment, the performing arts, leadership, and science.

Learn valuable lessons that can be applied to optimising performance in your personal and professional life. Performance Intelligence applies to the way we turn up in relationships and the way we turn up at work, it applies to the way we perform in front of 10,000 people and the way we perform in front of one.

Episodes include 3 main categories:
1. High Performer Series - exploring the habits, tactics and strategies that have led to success for some of the world’s leading performers…

2. The Science Of - drilling down deep into the science of a specific performance-related construct, with leading domain experts…

3. Performer Spotlight – an interview with a coaching client, an athlete, or a leader of a large team Andrew has worked with and how they have applied Performance Intelligence…