Tell us about your pet’s breed, age, and how they became a part of your family.
Nala is one and a half years old, turning two soon, and she’s a mix between a Gordon Setter and an Irish Setter. She actually has a pretty funny story. Nala is one of eight siblings. Her mother is a Gordon Setter, and the plan was for the whole litter to be Gordon Setters. But during the breeding, an Irish Setter managed to get involved as well! They knew there was a chance that one or more of the puppies might have a different father, but there was no way of knowing which ones. So they DNA tested the litter afterward. It turned out that seven of the eight had the Gordon Setter father, while Nala was the only one with the Irish Setter father. So she ended up being the one and only Gordon and Irish mix in the litter. That made her an especially perfect fit for our family. Setters have always been a huge part of my life. I grew up with a Gordon Setter from the day I was born until I was 13, and later our family had both an Irish Setter and another Gordon Setter. Shortly before Christmas, we sadly lost our Gordon Setter. Not long afterward, my mom and sister found Nala online in Trondheim. Just after Christmas, they flew up to bring her home. It felt like things had come full circle. After growing up with both Gordon and Irish Setters, we somehow found one dog who brought both breeds together. Nala came into our lives at the perfect time and quickly filled the house with new energy, fun, and happiness. She’s been a huge part of the family ever since.
What does your pet mean to you as a teammate and companion?
Nala is definitely part of the team. As a professional athlete, so much of my everyday life is structured around training, competitions, recovery, and trying to perform at my best. Nala brings a completely different kind of energy into that world. She doesn’t care whether I had the best training session of my life or a terrible competition. She’s just excited to see me, ready to go outside, play, or be part of whatever is happening. I love that about her. She reminds me that there is a lot more to a good day than what happens on the track. And with the amount of energy she has as a young setter, she definitely keeps the rest of us moving too!
How has your pet supported you through your professional journey?
Professional sport involves a lot of traveling, long training days, pressure, and constant focus on the next goal. Having Nala around brings a sense of normality and fun into all of that. No matter what kind of day I’ve had, she always greets me with the same excitement. Going for a walk, playing with her, or simply having her around while I’m recovering helps me switch gears and enjoy the moment. Athletes spend so much time looking ahead to the next training session or competition. Nala is pretty good at reminding me to enjoy what’s happening right now.
How has your pet supported your mental health as a professional athlete?
One of the best things about dogs is that they live completely in the moment. Nala doesn’t know what result I got, what competition is coming next, or what I’m supposed to achieve. She just wants to spend time together. That is a great balance to have in my life. Elite sport can easily become all consuming, and Nala gives me a reason to step away from that world every day. She gets me outside, makes me laugh, and gives me something positive to focus on that has absolutely nothing to do with performance. I think every dog owner can relate to how much happiness and balance that kind of companionship brings to everyday life.
How do you approach nutrition as a professional athlete and why do you want the same benefits for your pet?
Nutrition is something I take extremely seriously in my everyday life. As a professional athlete, I follow different nutrition plans depending on where I am in the season, what my training looks like, and what my body needs at that particular time. I try to optimize the details and give myself the best possible conditions to perform. Through experience, I’ve learned just how important nutrition is. Outside of the training itself, I see nutrition and sleep as two of the most important factors for performance, recovery, and long term health. Nutrition in particular is an area where I’ve made some of the biggest changes throughout my career, and I’ve experienced firsthand what a difference getting it right can make. That naturally affects how I think about Nala. She’s a young and extremely active dog, and I want to give her the same benefits I look for in my own nutrition: the right fuel for an active lifestyle, good recovery, consistent energy, and a strong foundation for long term health. For me, it’s a simple connection. I put a lot of effort into giving my own body what it needs to thrive, and I want to do the same for Nala.
Why did you choose Nulo for your pet?
My perspective on nutrition really changed in 2023. That was a year when I made a big step forward in my performance as an athlete, and I believe a significant part of that came from taking my nutrition seriously for the first time. I started paying much more attention to what I was eating and what my body actually needed. I saw the impact it had on my energy, recovery, training, and performance, and it completely changed the way I think about food. That experience also shaped how I think about Nala’s nutrition. If the quality of what I eat makes such a difference for me as an active human, I believe it is just as important for our active four legged friends. That’s one of the main reasons I chose Nulo. I like their focus on high quality, protein rich nutrition that supports an active and healthy lifestyle. Nala is young, energetic, and always ready to run, play, and explore, so that approach feels like a natural fit for her. She’s part of the family and part of my team. I want to give her the same strong nutritional foundation I want for myself, so she has the energy to do everything she loves and, most importantly, stays healthy and happy for as many years as possible.
Tell us more about Tony and why you choose Nulo for him, too.
Tony is a hunter and a very energetic and adventurous cat. He is at his best when he is outdoors, exploring, climbing trees and sprinting like an Olympian. At the same time, his patience is incredible. I can carry him around like a small child. He is always calm and happy to be along for the ride.
My own experience as an athlete has taught me how important nutrition is for energy, recovery, and long term health. I think the same applies to Tony. In his own way, he’s definitely an athlete too!
That’s why Nulo feels like a natural choice for him. I like their focus on high quality, protein rich nutrition that supports his active lifestyle and gives him a good foundation to keep running, climbing, hunting, and exploring.
