Ava Carew | Being Safe is What Counts

Who and what got you involved in paddling?

My older brother was a paddler, so my little brother and I decided to join paddling to be like him.

What has been the highlight of your paddling journey?

I think one of my favorite moments was getting to my first national championship and racing with all my friends. It was really amazing to get to compete against so many new people from around the country with my close friends.

Who is your biggest inspiration in and outside of the gym?

Its hard to pick just one inspiration for me because so many people have helped me along my journey, but I really admire my brother Iain for his work ethic and Jenna Marks for her amazing attitude toward everything she does.

What is your ultimate goal?

I am coming off a big knee injury and a recent diagnosis with diabetes. That really made the last year a step back from where I was, so I am really looking forward to getting on that race line in full health.

What advice would you give to females starting to get into the gym and fitness?

To anyone getting into training or the gym, just try and have someone with you to ensure you are doing everything right to avoid getting hurt. No matter what you doing being safe is what counts.

What was an obstacle you had to overcome?

An obstacle I had to overcome was my recent diagnosis with diabetes. For the last year and a bit I was losing all my muscle mass and constantly felt fatigue. I wasn't performing and my mental health was in a bad place. After I dropped 20 lbs I decided to go get it checked and it turned out I had type 1 diabetes, so my body couldn't produce insulin. I have started giving myself insulin shots about 4 times a day and working on getting better and have made a good recovery.

What advice to you give to women when they're afraid to workout because they don't want to bulk?

Honestly bulking isn't a bad thing, as much as having big shoulders and legs can sometimes feel weird or bad. Being fit and looking strong really is a nice thing.

What is your favourite event and why?

I really enjoy the one thousand meter race because it takes real skill in how you plan your race, it also takes a lot of mental strength to keep pushing through.