What I'm AFTR...
What I am AFTR isn't medals, recognition or fame. It's never been about being the best. What I am AFTR is growth, consistency, community and the discipline of showing up even when it's hard.
I started playing hockey at 9 years old and carried it into high school. I tried and tested every school sport there was and eventually stuck with hockey finishing school on the 2nd team. The thing is, I never felt like " THE ATHLETE." I struggled with imposter syndrome. Like trophies, medals and certificates were things l'd never get.
After school, I forgot about sport & focused on law. In 2024, I lost my grandma and was introduced to surfing as an outlet. I was terrible at it but the repetitive nature of it got me hooked.
It taught me that you can fall 100 times, but the feeling of catching one wave makes it worth it.
2025 came and I was in a bad mental space. I couldn't get out of bed. I told a friend "Just look out for me and drag me out if you have to." And she did exactly that.
I got a WhatsApp on a Friday night at 8pm saying we're going running with a run club at 6:30am. Not wanting to disappoint her, I came the next morning. We ran 5km that day and I complained the whole run but something shifted in me that day. I learned that running is more than exercise. Running has no finish line.
There is no end. It’s about showing up. It’s about community It’s about celebrating a good run and decompressing from a bad day or a bad week.
It’s about showing up.
Step after step.
I never thought l'd reach this level. I coach hockey. I do motivational talks at schools. I get to work alongside brands that reflect the resilience I had for all these years. I get to meet people who cheer louder than some people that l've known for years.
- I've become the person I doubted I could ever be.
So what am I AFTR?
It's not medals, it's not perfection, it's the growth, purpose and resilience that movement offers. It's all about the person I've become in the process. Medals fade, posts get old and Strava activities are forgotten.
But who you are lasts forever.
- Kiara Mieka
Instagram - @kiara.mieka