Kate Smyth is a health practitioner, educator, athletics coach, and former Olympian who has dedicated her career to helping women be stronger, healthier, and exercise with more joy. As the founder of The Athlete Sanctuary in Torquay, Kate supports athletes across Australia through an integrated approach that blends holistic health, evidence-based nutrition, and smart, sustainable training.
With formal qualifications in health science and decades of experience as an elite distance runner, Kate brings a rare combination of scientific insight, biochemistry and lived wisdom to her work. She has a particular passion for women’s health, iron deficiency, immunity, gut health, menopause, sports nutrition, and helping busy, active women maintain balance while pursuing ambitious physical goals.
Kate’s journey into high-performance sport didn’t follow the traditional script. As a late bloomer and recreational runner she was inspired during the Sydney 2000 Olympics, watching her idols surge into the stadium. That moment sparked a commitment that would reshape her life. Eight years and more than 50,000 kilometres later, she realised her own Olympic dream, representing Australia in the women’s marathon at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Her career included 16 marathons, the Commonwealth Games, multiple Australian representative teams, and national-level racing across cross-country, track, and road distances. She trained under some of Australia’s and New Zealand’s most respected coaches and spent extended periods in Boulder, Colorado, and across the USA, Japan, China, and Europe. Her marathon personal best of 2:28 ranked her as Australia’s fastest female marathoner in 2008 based on qualification times.
But Kate’s path was far from smooth. Setbacks including a diagnosis of coeliac disease, chronic anaemia and liver issues forced her to rethink traditional sports nutrition and training models, developing a more integrated, body-aware approach. These challenges became the foundation of the work she now shares with other women: how to train smarter, nourish deeply, and build resilience from the inside out.
Specifically designed to help female athletes, Kate's health and coaching program continues to grow and support women who are keen to take their performance to the next level. Find out more here.
Kate has completed three university degrees, including a Master's and a Bachelor of Health Science.. Her thirst for knowledge has led her to complete further training in thyroid health, sports nutrition, digestive health and female athlete hormones…. just in case you are wondering.
She has been mentored by leading Integrated Doctors and global leaders in naturopathy and nutrition.
Kate is an accredited coach with Athletics Australia and works with some of Australia’s best athletes across various sporting disciplines, including endurance runners (5k to ultras), netball, AFLW, tennis, mountain biking, track and field athletics, road cycling, triathlon, ironman, motorcycle enduro racing, soccer and hockey.
She provides clinical and telehealth services to individuals globally. Kate consults from Torquay (near Geelong, Victoria).
Kate provides health education to community groups, schools, conferences, sporting associations, and companies.
