Skills for the race of life
Four time World Ironman Champion Chrissie Wellington has penned a guide for lesser mortals, sharing some of the secrets of her success
How did you find writing this, your second book, which is a kind of how to... after your first book which was your autobiography A Life Without Limits: A World Champion’s Journey? It was a totally different experience, but no less enjoyable and challenging. I wrote my autobiography while I was still a professional athlete and the process was extremely cathartic, and quite challenging emotionally as I divulged details of my personal life that I hadn’t really shared before.
This latest book came from a realisation that the autobiography left many questions unanswered, especially around the specifics of training and racing. Hence I set about creating a more detailed, structured guide, but one that was accessible and readable – not a dry, dull technical manual. It covers an array of subjects – everything from setting goals, nutrition, training for swim, bike and run, race strategies, strengthening your mind, coping with eating disorders, and exercising when pregnant.
In many ways it contains lessons that transcend sport, and can be applied to all areas of life. You definitely don’t have to be a triathlete – or even an athlete – to benefit from it. Like my memoir, I hoped that by drawing on my own experiences, and sharing aspects of my training that I have never disclosed before, I could bring the subject to life. I really enjoyed writing it, and working with a few of my closest advisors and mentors on certain subjects has hopefully added a bigger splash of colour.
In terms of the process itself, the bulk of this latest book was written after giving birth to our daughter, and so it involved a lot of late nights and a very understanding husband – a true labour of family love. In the new book you concentrate on the importance of setting goals. What in your experience are the key characteristics of those who manage to achieve their goals? I would say that it’s a combination of traits and environments – including determination, drive and a willingness to follow a plan and to work hard. You need to accept that not everything will always go perfectly, and that there will be highs and lows – which you will need to overcome, not letting disappointment or problems derail you. In this way, a sizable dose of positivity and a cando attitude is essential. Breaking a larger goal down into smaller, manageable stepping stones can also help. This is where training the mind comes in. But it’s not just about your own character and approach though, achieving your goals requires an environment that is supportive of your aims – including support from family and friends, access to necessary facilities and advice from experienced professionals. The book covers all of these topics and more, so that anyone – no matter what their background and level of experience – can fulfill their life dreams. There are so many products on the market for weekend warriors from nutrition bars to technical kit. Do you think amateur athletes need to invest in such items? I agree. We’re bombarded with an array of training philosophies and gadgets: the “must have” silver bullets that claim to revolutionise our performance. With such a smorgasbord of options it can be incredibly confusing and, if you decide to trial or use such products, it can hit the wallet pretty hard too. Choosing which products to buy is highly individual, and depends on your background, your goal, your budget and more. I’m generally a “back to basics” person: I used to bike in Nepal with nothing but my breath to tell me whether I was working hard. I cycle toured in Argentina, with 30kg of kit in my panniers; pushing, pulling and sweating over rocks, glaciers and rivers. There wasn’t a computer in sight, yet it made me as strong as an ox. I won my first Ironman on a road bike with nonrace specific wheels. Ultimately we should assess each product based on whether they help, hinder or have zero impact. And even if helpful, do the financial costs outweigh the benefits? I would think carefully about each option, and know that the biggest gains of all can often come from the most basic investments – consistent training, real food and strengthening the biggest weapon of all – our minds. What is it about endurance events that makes you so passionate about them? So many aspects appeal. The diversity of the events on offer, the opportunity to train and race in some wonderful places, the camaraderie amongst all the athletes, the variety of people that take up endurance sports and of course the huge challenge – which appeals to the masochistic side of me. What’s the one piece of advice that you received from a coach, or someone else in your life, that you have found the most useful?
You need to accept that not everything will always go perfectly, and that there will be highs and lows
Follow your passion, always be prepared to try, be kind to yourself and know that you can achieve more than you ever thought possible. Oh, and smile. As a champion triathlete, what is it about parkrun and the ideology behind it, that appeals to you so much? [Wellington is global lead for Health & Wellbeing for parkrun] I have always been passionate about development, and specifically promoting participation in physical activity for all. And parkrun does just that – breaking down barriers to participation, through the organisation of free, weekly 5k and 2k (for juniors) events in areas of open space all over the UK, and the world. I love the simplicity of it, the organic nature of the growth, the replicability of the model, the fact that it is demand-led (ie the community wants the event rather than it being imposed from above) and the passion of the parkrun community. I feel really proud to work for an organisation that really is changing lives for the better, and look forward to what we can do in the future. What’s next for you, in terms of both career and family life? I think this question is best answered by plundering the final paragraph of my autobiography... which goes a little something like this…
“…how can I speculate on what the future holds, when the present is so astronomically removed from whatever expectations I might have had in my youth? My only policy throughout has been to keep an open mind and, whatever I may do, to give it my all. It still takes my breath away to think where that simple outlook on life has taken me. I never set out to be a world champion – not many ordinary girls from Norfolk do – but neither have I ever wanted to be left wondering, ‘What if..?’ At so many stages along the way, the limits that I thought I could see lying ahead dissolved as I approached them. And that has been the most exciting discovery of all.”
To The Finish Line: A World Champion Triathlete’s Guide To Your Perfect Race is published by Constable at £16.99.