Education and professional training

• BSc Physiology (Honours), University College Cork, 2016-2020
• Research Internship, Neuromuscular Disease Group, University College Cork, 2020-2021
• MSc Exercise Physiology & Application in Therapy, University of Galway, 2021-2022
• Research Internship, HIIT Science & Athletica.ai, 2022-2023
• PhD Exercise Physiology, Griffith University, 2024-2027

Services

• Graded exercise testing (VO 2 Master)
• Resting metabolic rate (VO 2 Master)
• Lactate step testing
• Field-based exercise testing (only for teams/clubs)
• Running economy analysis
• Training zones analysis and recommendation
• 1:1 coaching (triathlon, running, cycling, strength & conditioning)
• Personal training and clinical exercise prescription

About me

I was born in Poland. I was raised in a family of seven. All four of my sisters and I swam in
our local club. If you asked me ten years ago: “Who do you want to be when you grow up?”
I would answer: “A professional swimmer (that’s after my first dream to become a
professional soccer player), of course!”. I was pretty good. I was the champion of a workout.
My friends spitefully called me: “The master of the last 200”. However, I did not have that
“6 th gear” needed to succeed at the swim meets. Just before turning 17, I moved with my
family to the small Irish coastal town of Youghal. I finished my high school education there.
This is also the place, where I learned about and did my first triathlon. I caught the bug right
away, but more importantly, I was amazed by the winner of that race, Trevor. He was a 40-
year-old exercise physiologist working at the local university. Nobody could come close to
him! The legend says he won on particular race 17 years in a row. I wanted to be like that
guy. I wanted to acquire the mystical “power of endurance”. So I decided to study Biological
and Chemical Sciences at our home University College Cork.
Why did you become an Exercise Physiologist?

Initially, I wanted to study exercise physiology in a selfish pursuit of athletic excellence.
During my early college years, I raced in the Irish Elite Triathlon series. Again, I was just
pretty good. A typical “mid-pack” athlete, with a few top-10 finishes. However, I was often
riddled with injuries, and I could not understand why. As I began my major in Human
Physiology, I began to realise how many things I was doing wrong in my training. I also
realised that I cannot out-train my genetics. Amazed by the wealth of scientific knowledge
about the human body and the relative ease of accessing it, my will to succeed as a
triathlete became out-matched by my dedication to academics. I decided I wanted to
understand the elite athletes and their performance, rather than stubbornly trying to
become one. Before finishing my BSc in Physiology, I decided to go to Auckland (New
Zealand) to do PhD in the field. However, My plans were held back by the Covid-19
pandemic. I stayed in Ireland and completed my Master's degree in Exercise Physiology and

Application in Therapy. This course gave me the laboratory skills needed for exercise
research, as well as the knowledge to leverage exercise testing and training for therapy in
diverse clinical populations. From cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory, and rheumatoid, to
neuromuscular disease patients.

Why did you relocate to Gold Coast?

Shortly after finishing my MSc, I began a multidisciplinary internship at an educational
company, HIIT Science, and an endurance training platform, Athletica.ai. I help with the
translation of exercise science to the general public through Instagram and contribute to
field-based research conducted with the use of Athletica.ai. In early 2023, the founder and
CEO of HIIT Science/Athletica.ai, Prof Paul Laursen, introduced me to Dr Phillip Bellinger,
who does research in muscle fiber typology and its influence on training responses at
Griffith University. The rest is history…
I am starting my PhD on “The durability of the moderate-to-heavy intensity transition and
severe-intensity performance in cycling and running.” in February 2024. If you are a long-
distance cyclist, runner or triathlete, interested in learning about the “mystical” mechanisms
governing our fatigue during prolonged racing, contact me about volunteering for my
studies at the Gold Coast campus!

Fun Fact:

Even though I did not end up in New Zealand for my PhD, as initially intended. I am heading
there next year to participate in the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Taupo. All is not
lost that is delayed.