An interview with athlete Ella Anne Kociuba.
Ella Anne Kociuba is a classic example of someone moulded from life’s experiences. Battle tested through thick and thin, from competitive sports, serious injuries and eating disorders. You could say the odds have been stacked against Ella many times, but being the person she is…nothing stops her! We had the pleasure of speaking to the Spartan Death Race athlete and badass warrior on her story so far…
Q1) Have you always been an athletic person, tell us about your background growing up.
Yes and no. I grew up in a very athletic, driven family outside the Austin City Limits in a small country town called Liberty Hill. There I grew up riding horses in long distance races- mostly in the twenty-five and fifty mile courses. I excelled really well in the sport until I was around twelve years young when I fell off my horse which initially fractured the L4 and L5 in the spine. After a major surgery a year later and two more years of rehab (connected from sacrum to spine by four metal rods and lumbar fused) I was finally able to truly use my body again and so after that point on, I got back on the horse to race but also pursued running (mainly cause that’s all my back could barely handle). As I got stronger so did my future, before I knew it I was racing in extreme events by the time I was eighteen.
Q2) What was it that drew you to the Spartan Races?
To be honest I was bored of just running or just lifting at the time and the unknown about it attracted me as well as needing something more extreme to satisfy me.
Q3) You’ve competed in the Spartan Death Race, how was that experience and do you have any dark stories from it?
I have, five times actually… So I have plenty of wild and life changing moments, I mean you name it, I’ve hallucinated bears waving at me, did yoga silently while attempting to solve a made up matching test for eight hours, drug an entire tractor tire with a group of other racers for over 12 hours through the mountains…. Carried a stuffed animal with a rock weighing almost eighty pounds….. Thousands and I mean THOUSANDS of burpees, log rolls, memory tests, etc… the list is as random as ever, but despite the brutal games played, racing in the mountains of Vermont has been a safe place for me. Racing in the unknown made me peaceful, quiet.
During the Mexican Death Race in 2015 we even scaled the Volcano, Popocatepetl in Mexico City during the night and on a bragging note: I happily got second overall and first for women in that one.
Q4) Being such a competitive athlete, how would you describe your mentality and how do you keep yourself so strong willed?
I’m pretty goofy actually.. but as far as my competitive mindset and being strong willed…
I don’t know any other way honestly, I grew up in chronic pain and because of that I grew up isolated in it. That type of stress can make you into a very strong weapon but you have to be cautious, this is the same weapon that can and will destroy your own self if you’re not careful.
Q5) Of everything you’ve achieved in your life so far, what are you most proud of?
Forgiving myself for my eating disorders during my athletic career back then. Although my athletic accomplishments were applaudable, I am so proud of my mental game.
Even though I struggle these days with feeling like a ‘washed out’ athlete, I sit around and sometimes hear something ask me, ‘where did you go?’… People ask me… ‘will you return to racing? Do you miss it? Why did you quit?’
I want to and will return. For myself first.
I miss it. Greatly.
I had to quit because I was so unwell with my eating disorder, I couldn’t get a grip of it and my career added too many triggers. I also was hurt by companies, one specifically that when I opened up about my bulimia, they were disgusted and told me I had looked fat and non-athletic… I wasn’t perfect and it made me realize I had to walk away in order to save myself.
Although my journey has been successful, I cannot lie to you when I often feel like I lost a huge part of my identity during my process of better living.
Q6) What is your approach to training? Do you heavily structure things toward your goals, or prefer to mix it up?
Well my training is are usually organized in advance for the week but most workouts go as I feel them and yes I do my own training- have since I started. Generally I train three days on, one day off.. it goes well with me. Lower body day, upper body day, and my sport specific training on one day (in my case- running, grp, land nav, climbing, swimming, etc.)
If I’m training towards an event, everything is up for changes,
I go through phases: power, endurance, speed, and isometric. However most workouts seem to be a blend of all four in one.
Q7) How has your training changed over the years to adapt to different things like figure competing, OCR’s etc. and what is your favourite style of training?
I mean obviously it depends on the event.. I love to train with no rest haha.
Superset on superset on interval.. I’m very dangerous once I find my pace because I can grind until my body dies.
Q8) What the hardest workout you’ve ever put yourself through mentally and physically?
You mean life? Haha, well I used to do some very lengthy workouts… my infamous one being the twelve hour workout that I performed at a river. I spent all day running around the hills, carrying rocks, swimming, crawling, memorizing riddles… it was ridiculous okay. Hahahah.
Q9) You’re quite the adventurer and often post some beautiful pictures of the outdoors. Is this something you like to implement into your recovery days?
Yes and it’s also just my ‘me’ time. I love to be outside and decompress.. some of my workouts involve just creating a long day outside.
Nature is amazing medicine. I also love to spend time with my dogs, they inspire me to love my life and love myself.
Q10) If you had to look at yourself from the outside, what would you say are some of your weaknesses and some of your strongest points?
I’m a perfectionist and that is my biggest weak point, I learn everyday to allow myself and work to ‘flow’. I guess my other weak points besides my physical one being my forever achy, metal back would be that I also give a lot of myself and sometimes find myself empty. Its an art to balance my love.
As far as strong points: I’m in survival mode -self determined. I know what I need to do to get from point A to point B, I will make things happen… Whether or not it’s the long route, I’ll get it done. I don’t stay down when I fall and I fall a lot.
Q11) What has been the single most useful thing to you in terms of staying in great shape?
Do it for yourself. Work on making yourself happy. Do what you love, the rest will follow you.
Q12) What’s next for you this year goals wise with your training and career?
I will race again this year and am also pursuing my art career- soon to have my own store out with products and eventually my own custom bra’s and underwear I have designed.
Q13) Leave us with your favourite inspirational quote and where can people find/reach out to you if they wanted to?
I don’t really have a quote but this has always been great to me:
‘it’s only after we lost everything are we free to do anything’
Instagram: @ellakociuba
Twitter: @Ella Kociuba
Facebook(s): /ekociuba and at: /EllaAnneKociuba
(one is personal- other is athlete page)
Have you got a Spartan Race or another OCR planned? You’ll love this…
