Elena Goodall: Controversy Follows To Busselton

Elena Goodall is charging towards Ironman Busselton and Noosa while juggling moving cities and starting a new job. Phew! Trizone caught up with Elena to discuss her training for Busso, plus the controversy that follows the newly-made celebrity.

Roads are busy for bike training in Brisbane

“Sunday after I arrived, I prepared to go for a big four-hour bike ride. I tried to go out on the road, but I was too scared! I wasn’t confident at all, I did two hours worth of going around my block two-million times because it was the only area I felt comfortable,” Goodall told Trizone.

Luckily Goodall met a fellow triathlete who showed her the best bike trails around the city. “Now I know the areas where I can do a five-hour ride without stopping at traffic lights. It’s a huge learning curve,” said Elena.

Missing out on her training has been important for Goodall considering she’s training for Ironman Western Australia on 3rd

. “It’s important not to lose focus when you move,” said Elena, “you may not be able to train without all your gear, but you can take your swimmers and runners.” The move to Brisbane is a big one, yet exciting one for Elena who was based in Mount Isa for the last seven years, the place where her food addiction began.

Elena is ready for Busselton

“I’m pretty happy with my swim and ride, and I’m starting to get my kilometres up on the bike. The other weekend I got up to 120kms, and I’m building on that. Each weekend I’m doing long rides,” said Goodall.

With her longest run scheduled to be 35 kilometres, Elena has some work to put in over the next few weeks. “My coach says I’m nearly there on my run days. My running has never been my strong point, so I’m putting a huge focus on the run,” said Goodall.

Nutrition for training is tough for Elena

Healthy eating and nutrition is a huge focus for Elena of course, but her stomach gets extra fussy during training weeks. “I’m trialling rice balls at the moment. They seem to be doing the trick,” said Elena. “During training, my gut doesn’t like much at all, especially if it’s sugary.”

Controversy follows Elena

Shake brands illegally using Elena’s story. “A few companies have taken my photo and said I’ve been drinking their product and that’s how I lost the weight,” Elena told Trizone sadly.

“I got incredibly upset about it. It’s a lie.”

A vocal advocate against fad diets and all things that encourage unhealthy eating habits after her past addiction to food, Goodall has been furious at the brands using photos of her for false advertising.

“They’re putting words in my mouth. They even made up a little blurb about things I apparently said about their product, and it’s all completely false. There’s another brand on Instagram who has used my before and after photo.

“They even tagged me in the photo and said I’d been using the shake to lose weight.”

A new job at Lorna Jane is controversial due to lack of plus sizes clothes

Elena Goodall may fit into Lorna Jane clothes now, but her supporters who are still plus-sized aren’t thrilled with her new job choice. “I’ve always wanted to work for Lorna Jane but I used to be too big, and I didn’t fit the clothes,” said Goodall. “Now I’ll be working in their store. They have an active room where I can invite people to sit down, stretch, and do yoga. I can get to know them and talk to them, and it will work really well.”

“Some of my followers have asked ‘why are you supporting a brand that doesn’t support plus sized women?’”

Many of Elena’s supporters on social media, and in the real world, are plus-sized, so it’s understandable some may feel slighted by her newest employment choice. “Even when I was plus sized, I never said Lorna Jane should make plus sizes too. A few of my supporters have said they need active wear more than anyone as they need to get fit, but you can go to Best and Less and get plus sized activewear,” said Goodall.

Don’t mistake Goodall’s comments as flippant, she intends them to be understood, so she doesn’t offend her fans with her new job choice. “When I was still a really big girl, I went to Lorna Jane in Brisbane and spoke to the manager there,” said Goodall. “She followed me on Instagram, and I told her I’d always wanted to work for the brand, but I was too big.

“I bought my first sports bra from Lorna Jane. It didn’t fit me at first, but I hung it on the wall to motivate me and remind me where I was going.”

Lorna Jane job is more about their ethos of healthy living

“It’s not just activewear. She does cookbooks, inspirational books, and plenty of other stuff that is made to inspire you to get moving,” said Goodall passionately.

“The brand inspires healthy living through more than just activewear. That’s the side of Lorna Jane that I truly believe in.”

Goodall believes the brand gives girls something to look up to. “Maybe they’ll buy their first water bottle from there, then their first Lorna Jane sports bra,” said Goodall. While controversy follows Goodall, she sticks to her authentic message of inspiring people to get moving.

Goodall’s story inspires a cancer sufferer

“I met a man on the wharf in Brisbane when I was doing some yoga, and he said he wanted to be able to do it, but was too old,” said Elena. “I told him my story, and the huge evolution of my body’s ability and he started to cry.

He told me he was battling cancer and was losing hope, but my story made him want to keep fighting.

I started to cry too, and we hugged. “I’m so privileged I get to share my story, and hopefully create a positive change for people,” said Goodall.

Busso and Noosa; the countdown is on

Elena Goodall is now a local celebrity, with fans asking for her photos at coffee shops, a strange popularity she’s not yet used to. Despite her new status, she’s still a fierce triathlete looking to do well in Busselton.

“My coach Emma put a note in my Training Peaks. She said ‘we’re in the final phase. We need to start bringing together volume and a little intensity. It will be so good mentally to tick off the distances of each discipline. Crossing that finish line will be totally worth the final push.’”

With an inspiring coach, a fierce self-belief and formidable training volumes under her belt, we think Goodall might just smash through Busso and onwards to Noosa. Look out for Goodall’s interview on Sunrise in Noosa, and follow the #womenfortri on twitter for updates from the inspiring athlete. Trizone wishes Goodall best of luck for these incredible races.