Commonwealth Games 1500 metres finalist Ryan Gregson returned to Wollongong on Friday to share his recent experience and talk about healthy living and motivation.
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It was also a chance for Gregson to call into the Peoplecare head office and thank the Illawarra-based, national not-for-profit health fund for its support in being his official healthcare partner for the Gold Coast games.
It is an individual sport I do. I am pretty dependent on the support of people like Peoplecare. Otherwise I wouldnt be able to do it. To put 100 per cent effort into athletics you pretty much need to be as full time as you can, he said.
I am so appreciative of what Peoplecase has done for me. And it is a good fit. I have been a member my whole life.
Gregson said he was studying as well but most of his focus was on his sport and performing at his peak for major international meets such as the Commonwealth Games and Oympics.
Chief executive Michael Bassingthwaighte said Gregsons willingness to come and talk to employees was wonderful and everyone was exciited.
Ryan epitomises all the things that are good about Wollongong, Mr Bassingthwaighte said.
He is an inspiration to young people wanting to have a go. He is living a healthy lifestyle and competing against the worlds best. And is flying the local flag.
Gregson is the national record holder for the Mens 1500m and started his journey 22 years ago doing Little Athletics at Albion Park at the age of 5. He said he found motivation is easy when it involves something you really want to do. I have a love of sport and some really high goals I havent achieved them all yet. So that just makes me want to go focus and work hard towards those goals, he said.
As his healthcare partner Peoplecare provided Gregson with access to a range of health services required for him to perform at the Commonwealth Games level. In addition to his regular training sessions, he attended two massage sessions and one physiotherapy session per week for several months in the lead up to the Games.
That support came after his father Stephen Gregson made contacted Peoplecare and asked if it could help.
Mr Bassingthwaighte said to compete around the world and make the finals in major competitions such as the Olympics and Commonwealth Games was amazing.
Gregson said while he didnt get the result he wanted at the Gold Coast he went into it fully motivated and ready to have a red hot go.
His coach encouraged him to take it out strong because he felt he could win.
I was probably a bit too aggressive. Usually I kind of stay at the back and wait til the end and come home strong but he wanted me to get involved from the start, stamp my authority and maybe break the rythm of the Kenyans. But doing that tired me out a little bit. In the end I faded a bit over the last lap, he said.
When you talk about motivation. It is very easy. I give myself an hour after a bad race like that to try and absorb and realise where I went wrong. Then I reset.
Now Gregson is already focused on the future.
Next year is the World Championships and the it is the Olympics the year after that. It really comes around fast, he said.
Gregson said with goal setting it was best to do things step by step.
Obviously we have massive goals like next years World Championships and the year after that the Olympic Games . If they were the only goals it is very daunting to focus on something that is 18 months or two years away. So next week I am competing in a cross country event in Victoria.
Gregson focuses on one event at a time and uses them as stepping stones.
One member of the Bassingthwaighte household enthralled by the 1500 metre final was the family dog Rafferty who placed himself in front of the TV and didnt move for 3.5 minutes while the race was underway.
