Triathlete Chrissie Wellington that she is retiring from Ironman triathlons. Wellington won the Ironman World Championship in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011. The 35-year-old Brit, who had in an iron distance event, is regarded as one of the . She set the record for the at the in Germany in 2011. She said that her last victory at the was her perfect race.
As I crossed the line I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. The
searching for 鈥榮porting success鈥 had ended. I was content. I didn鈥檛 need
faster times, more ironman victories, more accolades to be assured that
I had been the best athlete I could possibly be. That鈥檚 not to say I
don鈥檛 think its possible to go faster or maybe even win more titles. But
if I am honest, I am not sure that such measures of success truly
matter to me.
Wellington took a year off in 2012 to contemplate her options. She said she has some plans on how she will spend her time, but said her next big challenge is still up in the air.
It will involve ambassadorial work for my sponsors, writing, public
speaking, development and charity work challenge, beautiful places,
learning, good friends, highs, lows, and a healthy dose of
self-discovery. And as I said, it will involve sport and adventure, but
in what form I am not entirely clear.
I need to give myself the time to explore, to open doors, to
hopefully have some other, unexpected doors open in front of me. Here I
plunder the wonderful Tolkien quote 鈥楴ot all who wander are lost.鈥 I
need to wander a little knowing that the 鈥榬ight鈥 path and the next goal
will emerge through the mist. But transitional periods are never easy.
It means letting go of certainty and addiction鈥攖he Ironman endorphin
rush, a degree of financial security, status, the platform for change鈥攁nd trading them for what are for me are often anxiety-provoking
concepts: freedom, space, flux, change, time to think, aimlessness,
withdrawal, a loss of identity. I find it incredibly difficult and
disconcerting to answer 鈥業 don鈥檛 know鈥 when faced with the inevitable
question 鈥業f not Ironman, what are you going to do?鈥
For more, read Wellington's post, “.”听
鈥擩oe Spring