She chose to be strong.

💥The Story of Em Crowley

Make no mistake — Hall of Famer Em Crowley is a powerhouse through and through.
But it wasn’t always that way.

If you rewind the clock 10 years, you’ll meet a very different version of Em.

“I was morbidly obese, tipping the scales at 110kg. I was extremely self-concious about my weight.. but I hid it through binge drinking and partying.”

Strength wasn’t on the radar.

She described herself as feeling flat, sluggish, and stuck.
But as with all great stories — something changed.

A shift happened.
And it wasn’t just about how her body felt — it was how she wanted to change her identity.

The first step?

“I had to stop telling myself I wasn’t acting like the kind of person I wanted to be.”

The kind who trains.
The kind who signs up for events.
The kind who backs herself.

and underneath it all — she was always that person.

She just had to start acting like it.

🧠 Act. Do. Be.

That became the shift.

Act with intention.
Do the thing.
Be that person.

She started training in a space that lit her up.
She chased the idea of getting stronger and pursuing “betterment” — and did it with consistency, heart, and grit.

We quickly learned something about Em:
When she says she’s going to do something — she doesn’t just do it. She does it bloody well.

For years, Em built strength through training. But the real momentum kicked in when she added something new to the mix:

“I’d been strength training for years, but when I started running — that’s when I realised I had more in me.”

And so, she did what most people think about doing but never quite commit to:

“I just decided to sign up for the 2XU Tri. It had been on my mind for ages. Once I’d signed up, that was it. I was doing it — and I wanted to do it well.”

🏁 Melbourne 70.3 Half Ironman – 2024

From that decision came one of her biggest physical undertakings yet:
The Melbourne 70.3 Half Ironman.

With a resilient body she’d built brick by brick and a supportive self-dialogue & mind that has been sharpened by consistency, Em landed on the start line.

And nailed it.

✅ Her longest ride ever — 90km at speed
✅ A 1.9km swim beforehand
✅ A cheeky half marathon to round it out

All in one go. All with heart.

🌊 Next Stop: Taupo 70.3, New Zealand – March 2025

Nat & Em Take On Taupo!

Momentum is a wonderful thing.
And Em? She’s now flowing.

Next up: the Taupo 70.3 in New Zealand, joined by @nattiej.

Not only did she leave with a new PB and some top-tier Kiwi gin…
She also left with a ticket to the 70.3 World Championships in Marbella, Spain.

🎯 From “I felt shit” to World Champs Qualifier

This is what happens when someone makes the decision to change.
 

To act with intention.
To do the hard things.
To keep working on becoming strong — long before they feel strong.

“Now I’ve just got something inside me that makes me want to keep going and see what potential I really have.”

Em Crowley chose to be strong.
And she hasn’t looked back since.