Chrissie Wellington is the world's No 1 female Ironman triathlete, a four times World Champion. In 2009 she was voted 'Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year' and in 2010 was awarded the MBE. She is the undefeated champion of Triathlon, having won thirteen Ironman titles from thirteen races. She set a new World Record of 8 hours19:13 at Quelle Roth Germany in 2010.
Chrissie has displayed unprecedented levels of stamina, strength and competitiveness in becoming Ironman World Champion in only her second event at Ironman level. Her victory in Kona, Hawaii in 2007 finishing five minutes ahead of her nearest rival was described as the 'biggest upset in Ironman history' and 'a remarkable feat, deemed to be near impossible task for any athlete racing as a rookie at their first Ironman World Championships'.
During this podcast we talk more about her early life, growing up, changing her career direction, going on a 2 year gap year, the reasons behind why she started running and how it evolved into triathlon. Chrissie also shares more about her life now as a mother, making the transition from a professional athlete and why she’s so passionate about getting people moving.
Chrissie is Global Head of Health and Wellbeing at Parkrun.
* please note during this podcast we do talk about eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia - we do not go into specifics but rather talk about the how and the why
Show notes
- How she would describe herself
- being passionate about self mastery
- Growing up in Norfolk
- Being focused on academic excellence
- Being an active child and joining the local swimming club
- Leaving university and not doing any sport
- Graduated from University of Birmingham and wanting to take a break
- Taking a 2 year gap year and travelling
- Looking for validation and signing a law contract in London
- Starting to question her decision to go into law
- Working out what she was passionate about
- Wanting to drive positive change
- Telling friends and family that she was no longer going to be a lawyer
- How her running journey progressed
- Having a desire to control her weight and relapsing into an eating disorder.
- Starting to fall in love with running and deciding to run the London marathon in 2002
- The evolution into triathlon
- Aiming to go faster in her 2nd marathon and beat her time of 3 hrs 8 mins
- Getting hit by a car 2 weeks before her 2nd London Marathon
- Being injured and deciding to take up swimming
- Doing her first super sprint race in 2004 at Eton
- The importance of role models and being encouraged to try new things
- An accidental athlete?
- Being shaped by so many different factors and different life experiences
- Taking a sabbatical from her job and heading to Nepal
- Having a capacity to endure
- Making the decision at 30 to become a professional athlete
- Mental resilience and mental determination and why Nepal was so pivotal
- Cycling 1200km from Tibet to Katmandu, Nepal and going via Everest Base Camp
- What happened at the Ironman World Championships in 2010
- Why out of adversity there can be positive experiences
- Making the hard decisions
- Making the transition from professional athlete and moving on to the next stage of her life
- Being a role model and inspiring others
- Her daughter Esme
- Why she is focused back on running
- What park run is and what her role is
- Publishing her autobiography in 2012 - “Life without Limits”
- For training advice check out her second book - to the finish line
- Find word of advice to motivate and inspire you
Social Media
Website - https://www.chrissiewellington.org
Twitter- @chrissiesmiles
Park Run http://www.parkrun.org.uk