I have been interested in triathlons since 2006 and have competed in several Olympic distance and one half ironman . I am an “age grouper” - a non professional athlete whose main aim is to finish in one piece. At the professional end of this sport, you find some of the most impressive endurance athletes in the world. If you have never seen a professional triathlon race go and see one. It’s inspiring to see someone hammer a race for 8 or 9 hours at top speeds.
However, it’s amazing when you see someone come on to the scene and totally smash the professional field. British triathlete Chrissie Wellington did just this in 2007 when she won the “Olympics of Ironman races” - the tough Kona race in Hawaii. This year she retained her title and despite losing 20 minutes with a flat tire, won with ease. In short, she is a future legend of the sport. More incredible (in a sport of big egos), she is grounded and humble. But is she an overnight success?
In a recent interview with the Guardian newspaper, Chrissie shared her background which include some great learning points for us all.
What do you dream about?
As a child, Chrissie always wanted to run the London marathon and by pursuing this dream got on the road to endurance training. Dream first, action next.
What obstacles are you willing to go through?
During her training she was hit by a car,almost drowned in her first triathlon and didn’t finish the swim and even when she joined a team, her professional team mates rejected her because of her inexperience in the sport. She also rode through sandstorms and snowstorms in Nepal. What are willing to go through to reach your dream?
What do you do with ease that others struggle with?
During a posting in Nepal she joined a group of mountain biking rides. Chrissie remembered,”I’d be talking away and no one else would be able to. These were high-altitude sherpas, incredibly strong, incredibly determined and genetically predisposed to be quite talented at these kinds of altitudes.”
Are you aware of your strengths? What can you do with ease that others struggle with?
Do you have a coach?
Despite her natural talent, Chrissie progress accelerated once she joined with a top coach. Joining other professionals was the catalyst to her winning races.
Are you building mental strength?
“Ironman is as much a mental game as it is a physical game,” said Chrissie after retaining her Kona crown. Isn’t that true of many things in life especially when we are faced with tough economic conditions. Are you in good mental shape - or like some of Chrissie’s competitors - are you admitting defeat before the race has begun. Start doing the hard tasks than (you) and your competitors don’t do. Build a tough task into your weekly routine. After five years of talking about it, I finally bit the bullet and hired a coach to help me author my latest book The One Minute Presenter this year. The 6 months was extremely tough mentally but the process taught me a lot about myself, being an author and about building a team in the publishing industry.
Learn from Chrissie. Overnight successes in the media, never are. They are the result of a dream, hard work, a coach and a support team. What is your dream for 2009? If you need someone to help you make your change happen, call The Change Catalyst.
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