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Chrissie to take a break!
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16-01-2012 5:12pm#1
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shotgunmcos wrote: »She is hardly going to go the whole year and not race, I wonder what the plan is... Galway 70.3 maybe
She couldn't afford the entry fee.........0 -
Took this from Triathlete Europe...
This is the book I want this year.
Exclusive: Chrissie Wellington On Her Decision To Take A Break
Published: Jan 18th 2012 11:55 AM UTC by TriEurope
Chrissie Wellington’s decision not to race Ironman in 2012 has sent shockwaves through the sport. But what has driven her to make that choice and will she be returning to long distance triathlon?
Walking away from Ironman for this year must have been a big decision. How did you come to this decision?
Making the decision to have a sabbatical was reminiscent of the time in 2006 when I was deliberating whether or not to leave my job working for the government to embark on an unknown path as a professional triathlete. Although having such choices is a blessing, making these decisions is never easy. But now, as then, I simply try to follow my gut instinct and do what I feel is right deep in my heart. But yes, you’re right…it was a HUGE decision, and one that I deliberated long and hard over.
I feel so incredibly fortunate and grateful to have found a sport that I love; to have had the chance to actually make that passion my career; to have continually defied what I thought was possible; to have made so many great friends; to have travelled the world, and of course to have developed a platform on which I can now build.
But I believe that racing cannot always be the axis around which my life revolves. It should not be an end in itself—never the be all and end all of my life. Never define me. It is just one branch on a tree that I hope is as big, rich and varied as I can possibly make it. I want to inject some variety back into my life, some balance and some spontaneity. I want to be freer to explore and seize other opportunities. I would like to spend more time in the UK, and with my family and my friends; to work more closely with my chosen charities, to attend different races around the world, to work with my sponsors, and to try and inspire as many people as possible. Yes, I could do this whilst training and racing full time, but not to the extent and with the energy and passion that I feel is necessary.
How have those around you, including Dave Scott and your friends and family, reacted to your choice?
Because it was an incredibly difficult decision to make, I did seek the counsel of various trusted people including Dave, my manager Ben, as well as close friends and family beforehand. Of course, Dave was incredibly understanding and helpful. His first hand experiences have meant that he can empathise with how I am feeling, and advise me on all the possible options, including the related emotional and physical factors that come into play.
Everyone that knows me well, including Dave, understands my craving for new challenges. Triathlon is an important and wonderful part of my life, and always will be. But like I said, I also need to give myself the chance to seize other opportunities, and truly celebrate everything I have managed to achieve in this great sport, without always looking to the next sporting goal. It’s not the end, merely the opening of a new chapter, and all my friends and family, as well as my sponsors, have been incredibly supportive, positive and encouraging.
How are you feeling—both physically and emotionally—after competing injured at the 2011 Ironman World Championship race?
I am still suffering some physical side effects, but nothing major—only an ankle that doesn’t seem to want to be a normal size! The big red scars on my legs are still pretty horrendous, but they are war wounds I carry with pride!
In terms of emotions, Kona 2011 was the most gratifying, satisfying and proudest moment of my career. I dug to the very depths of my soul and truly pushed beyond any limit I thought existed. It was the hard-fought race I have always dreamed of, and I feel that maybe at this race I proved to myself, and others, that I really was worthy of being called a champion.
Will you still make swim, bike and run a part of your daily routine?
I absolutely love sport and beasting myself physically, so I fully intend to be doing something active every day, maybe just not with the structure and intensity that has characterized my life over the past five years!
Can we still expect to see you on the starting line of other (non-Ironman distance) races in 2012?
I always crave new physical and mental challenges, so although I don’t plan on racing Ironman in 2012, I am definitely not totally closing the door on any type of competitive event, this year and in future. I just don’t have a definite plan on what form this might take (but rest assured that it won’t be gymnastics. I have the coordination and elegance of a baby giraffe!)
Can we expect to see you on the starting line of the Ironman World Championship at some point again in the future?
Ask me the same question this time next year!
Have your sponsors been supportive of your decision?
Honestly, my sponsors have been nothing short of amazing, both in the past five years and with the recent decision I have made. I am incredibly fortunate that the majority have said they will continue to support me in the months and years ahead. I really cannot thank them enough for this. As many know, I have signed long-term ambassadorial roles with TYR and Cannondale, and am really excited about the opportunity to invest more time and energy into promotion and product development with them, and the rest of my sponsors.
What are some of the charities you’ll be working with during your time away from Ironman?
My desire to work a lot more actively with all of my chosen charities was a key reason for my decision to step back from full-time training and racing for a little while. I have an amazing opportunity to use my platform to raise funds and awareness for causes that are important to me, and simply felt that I couldn’t do as much as I wanted to do whilst also trying to be the best athlete I could be. The charitable work will focus on those that I am already actively supporting, such as Janes Appeal, the Blazeman Foundation for ALS, Girls Education Nepal and Challenged Athletes Foundation as well as helping to grow GOTRIbal.
I haven’t made any firm plans as to what this work might be yet, but might include organizing specific events (such as “Runs with Chrissie” or the dinner I hosted for members of GOTRIbal); promoting these organizations in the media; attending clinics, events, races and so forth; auctioning items of memorabilia, as well as working directly with some of the beneficiaries of these charities, as I did with the Challenged Athletes Foundation in San Diego last year. I am also fortunate to be able to use other projects (such as the recently launched motivation and training downloads I made with Audiofuel) as a vehicle to support worthwhile causes. The world truly is our oyster, and I really look forward to being able to see what is possible.
Can you give us any kind of sneak peek into what we can expect from your autobiography, A Life Without Limits?
You can expect honesty, inspiration, encouragement, motivation, some advice and maybe an element of surprise too!
The autobiography has been a labour of love and I have invested so much time and energy into this project over the past few years. Of course I wanted to share my life story (and some training/racing advice) with people—the good, the bad, and the sometimes ugly—but I wanted to use it as a vehicle for conveying some really important messages, to inspire and encourage people to take a chance, to defy what’s possible and to will willing to look fear and adversity in the face. There are things in the book that people may not have known, for example my battles with eating and body image—but I hope my experiences can in some way help others suffering from these type of problems. I am incredibly proud of the book, and I hope that everyone enjoys reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it!0 -
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Brett Suttons (her coach in her early IM years) views ...
Doc Talks Hawaii 2011
Looking for Clues in the Lava
Many people have asked why no Hawaii summary? And that was easy to dismiss. It was too close to my heart as Hawaii this year in the women's race was not only the most competitive but also produced the most collateral damage to legendary athletes. In 2011, because of sheer competitiveness of the sports best, the champions in the women's field didn't come to play but to destroy. If not the opposition, then they would destroy themselves. It made for the most gripping Ironman female race of all time, but it levied a huge toll on the sport. Not many noticed, but the race stole an emotional output of these gladiators. I feared the worst.
I'm sure our Xena can tell you I have put my focus on healing her scars. Her battle in Hawaii giving it everything for a impossible victory and being forced to walk down Alii Drive to the finish bowed and completely spent after giving the greatest triathlete in history, Chrissy Wellington, the scare of her life. In what was a fight to the death as subsequent events have proved to be correct. For our Xena, the biggest challenge in her sporting career will be 2012. Will she let the weight of disappointment of being so close to the win and failing short weigh her down? Will she succumb to the memory of the physical pain she endured while she strode like a Colossus asking the questions of Chrissie Wellington and demanding an effort that no other Ironwoman has yet been able to ask of her.
I worry much about the collateral damage that was done this year. I'm asking our Xena to show me what a great warrior she is by putting the epic battle behind her and giving everything again in her wars this year. She has to prove to me to herself and also to the triathlon public that she can rise to the challenge. It is no small ask.However, what got me off my arse to write about Hawaii 2011 was a disgruntled punter who poison penned me, “why would Chrissie ask your advice as she has much better advisors now.” This little arrow did strike me in the heart as I am sure even Chrissie will tell you I spent two seasons protecting her from such advisors but more importantly from herself. Then, when she left we then continued to have a good relationship. But I continually told her that she was pushing way to hard in her races causing an ongoing strain in our communication. As all who trained with Chrissy know every session was absolute all out way too hard on a daily basis. It was our one disputed point. After I watched her kill herself in Roth in 2010, I advised her this was not the way for her. She told me of her new unbelievable training times, and I again recommended that she back off to which I was told, “Boss, we know what we doing.” No Hawaii that year, coincidence?
Well watching Chrissie in 2011 at Kona with pieces of skin coming off her and completely battered from her fall. I knew she should not even be on the start line. I was a very worried old ex Boss. Then to see her with absolutely nothing left with 10 km to go. I knew three things:
1. She would die before she slowed and let Rinny run past her. I mean die.
2. She was exorcising her greatest self-demon. Can I race like a champion when not miles in the lead? Am I a true champion?
3. We may never see her race again. As I know how deep she had to go to prove herself to herself. It was the greatest challenge she has ever faced. This effort may be the final nail in the coffin.
The last two years of killing herself day in and day out, the racing all out like a lunatic for the glory of world records and in combination with all the back slippers. She has done in Hawaii in 2011 what few athletes ever do and that is extract the best of herself.
Yes, she trains faster now. Yes, her race times are faster. But has she won more then she would have by not pushing over the edge on a monthly, no weekly, no daily, no hourly basis. This is the Chrissie I knew. Living in the flat next door, you could feel the "force of nature" she was. In my judgment, I think not.
Chrissie Wellington has nothing more to prove to herself. She has no more questions to ask of herself. She has physically and mentally drained herself of the life force that makes Chrissie, Chrissie. I am sure she rang me not for advice, as she knew I knew what she was thinking. Because as it would seem, it was only me who really knew what we were dealing with: Chrissy was a whirlwind tour de force, whom left to her own devices would have the sport that made her great take an enormous toll. Now, she needs time to see if her life force will return or if she is a shadow of her former self.
Am I angry? No, she has all the accolades anyone could ever need.
Am I sad? Very.
Is there a lesson? Of course, there is.
Ironman will break even the greatest. If you don't respect how hard it is and prepare accordingly to what you personally need. An athlete who is leading an Ironman and continues to whip their body in the pursuit of a world record time when there is no extra financial gain is simply playing with fire. If it can burn the greatest of all time, it will vaporize the mere mortal.
Hawaii 2011, for me, will always be etched in my memory as the greatest dogfight in triathlon history. The carnage is irreparable: Julie Dibens vowing that's my last, Mirinda Carfrae changing coaches, Xena licking her wounds and letting the bloody dry before she comes back to prove herself, and of course the great Chrissy Wellington’s retirement.
The only difference is that Chrissy has nothing left to prove. As only a truly great champion can say she has reached the summit. Enjoy your rest Chrissy. You earned it like not other. And to the deluded poison penners, the same as her advisors, shame on you!0 -
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