Olympian Harry Garside learnt a lot about himself after Paris

Hello, thank you for joining us today on Healthy Ish. Yes, this is the daily podcast from Body and Soul with me Felicity halle Ah. Who doesn't love Olympic boxer Harry Gar's side. Did you watch that video where he poured his heart out after his loss in Paris?

Oh?

My heart, I just wanted to hug him. Well, we caught up with him on his recent book too. Yes, he has a new one out to chat about that finish in Paris and how he's somewhat surprised with the way he's handling it all. Now, as you know, we keep these episodes quite short, so if you want more from Harry listening to Extra Healthy Ish, where he chats about how to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, you can search for our sister pod, Extra Healthy Ish wherever you

I want to see very grateful to be here. Thanks for listening.

Yeah, Now we've seen you in a lot of interview Well, I've seen you in a lot of interviews, particularly you know, ones like the project, and I've heard people asking how you're dealing with, you know, the failure of not getting a medal, the aftermath. In your book, you talk about, you know, the aftermath of Tokyo. How is it this time around?

Is it different? How are you coping?

Yeah, I've really reflect on this affair. But I have been asked a couple of times, and I'm actually doing reasonably well. And I think I don't know if you saw the post much interview, but I was like distraught. I was quite scared of what the future may hold because I think, I guess we judge our reactions based on past experiences, and some of my past experiences when I failed, especially a failure of this magnitude, like I

Oh that's good. Yeah. Now I think all of Australia saw that in re all.

Thought, oh, Harry, I mean, how do you have you watched that back? How do you feel reflecting on that post match?

Yeah, it's really interesting. I've had it played in front of me, but I seem to just say, glance over. I don't know, it's like a weird thing. I think it's like a self preservation thing, to be completely honest, Like I it was so raw, it was so real, and I think I'm terrified to sort of put myself back there, especially in an environment where I don't feel safe,

Oh, I thought your post match interview post fight interview was actually refreshing, because you know, most most athletes, we see like I'm disappointed, but I'm okay, you know, like I want to thank everyone, but you were just You're exactly how we would all feel at that point.

Yeah, it's the highs and levels of life, you know what I mean. I always think that, Like I was terrified in that moment, but then I also woke up the next day and I was like sort of beating myself up for half the day. And then there's like weird epiphany, like I spent twenty years chasing this journey, and I become my own friend on that journey, and like that's a way bigger reward than a gold medal

So what did you say to yourself, what have you been saying to yourself? Even when you're talking about it now before people, you know, you go into an interview and you know, you think, okay, people are gonna ask me, what do you say to yourself as a friend.

Yeah, it's really interesting, I think I very much just try to disassociate from it because it is like I don't know, I guess even on social media, the more sort of public known or fame, I guess that you have, I don't know. It's like it's a character Like I know that I'm flawed, imperfect. I also know that I'm super caring and generous, and I try my hardest in most things, and I always try and be a good person. But it's like people are just like tapping on the

Yeah, it's an interesting conundrum, isn't it, Because you, you know, is your name's grown you as people watched you in Paris, and I mean you're you're following. I mean, I think when you're on this podcast last time, perhaps it was half what it is is now, so being able to perhaps divide those people but remember who you are. What are some good bits about Paris? That's what I want to talk about. What did you enjoy about it?

It's so interesting. It was the first time I'd been to Paris, and I like, obviously it wasn't the result that I wanted, and I was heartbroken for a couple of days. But my family, a few of my good mates were there, and it's like I got ten days in a foreign country with some of my closest people, my inner sanctum. We got to eat bad food and drink some red wine and see the beautiful nature of France and Paris, and it's such a beautiful city and I people either love Paris or hate Paris, and I

Yeah, that's good.

Actually, you mentioned in a sanctom you thank them in the opening of your book. How important are they and describe them, you know, the role they play in your life.

Yeah, for me, it's imperative. And I went through some pretty heavy stuff last year and it was in that it was like a really heavy moment for myself and a really sort of like pivotal moment in my life. And I think my inner sanctum got way smaller in that time and I'm forever for that situation. So my inner sanctum now is less way less people, but the people who in it are solid and I know they would have my back through thick and thin, and I hope that they feel the same towards me.

How I mean, just give us a ballpark, how many? Because I think this is a really I mean, we do all know that it's cliche, but it's true.

You are the some of the people you surround yourself with.

How you know, some people who perhaps think they're in your inn Santon who aren't anymore. Like it's it's sometimes hard kind of navigating who's that in a sanctum without offending other people who perhaps feel they should be but aren't.

Yeah, I think I heard this on a podcast recently. I actually think that we can only it's like a hundred people or something like that. That's the only that's a certain amount of people before we forget. And someone like me, I'm always going I think, like you're in an in a sanctum, you might be able to remember a hundred people like you're in a sanctum. I reckon it would be less than ten.

Right.

It's like, of course you've got your family, and it's like sometimes they're like in and out of you in a sanctum. Like sometimes I wouldn't. I would go like a week or two without talking to my mum or dad. It's just like it's part of adulthood, right, But like they're always like on the cusp and then they're in sometimes like four, especially when I went through Paris heartbreak, like they were there to pick me up and to

So what does Harry gas I do now? Is over?

I mean, is it there is a bit of a comdown surely when you come home? Or are you enjoying enjoying Melbourne, enjoying home.

Yeah, it's really interesting because this happened to me last time. Obviously it was a success after Tokyo and I rode this massive wave like doors were opening. I was like getting all these opportunities. It was wild, right, and I rode that wave for close to eighteen months, and then I like, I remember like one day I was just like wow, I'm so like sad, and I was like, what is going on? I had no idea what was

Yeah, it's funny, isn't it.

Now?

You're just like, Okay, is it come down? Gonna come?

Is it?

Kind of well, just sit with it and feel it when it comes. And Harry, and you've got your book to promote.

Hey, that's an upset.

So that's myself. I said, like, after this book tour, I'm going to create some space and get like four or five days in nature, no phone, just by myself and create the space to feel some emotions.

Yeah, I like it. Harry, Thanks for coming.

On healthy Ish, Thanks listening.

Four friends.

I am going to give a shout out to Harry's new book. It is called The Good Fight.

It is out now. It'll be a good purchase, a good rate. You should get it. If you did enjoy.

This chat with Harry, tell us rate and review this episode this podcast as well. You can subscribe. Of course, make sure you're following us on social media. Head to bodyansoul dot com dot you for more info. Follow us on socials orb Our print edition which is out in your local Sunday paper and until tomorrow it stay healthy ish