Why race as a pro?

Often in tri mags you read tips on how to train or race "like a pro". Certainly when I qualified for the Australian age group team for the World Champs in 2009 I remember setting myself the goal of training and racing like a pro, but within the relatively non pro like time constraints in my life at the time due to the need to also juggle an interesting and challenging professional career and being a mum of two small boys.  

A long road to get here, and do it justice as a professional

I have now had the good fortune to race as a full professional without the demands of a corporate career for 18 months now (it’s OK, I didn’t ditch the kids along with the job!). However after chasing the dream as hard as I could for most of this period, my motivation was shaken recently. I think it is a combination of a few things: races for 2012 rapidly approaching (performance anxiety?!), learning to juggle a reasonable training load along with adapting to parenting solo M-F as my husband’s work demands require, knowing I can’t add any more training volume into the week and yet being well below the volumes (and recovery time) available to most younger more time flexible pros, finally cutting the lifeline back to the office having resigned from my lovely previous team in Oz rather than extend my leave without pay further and normal seasonal change as we slowly emerge from a very snowy winter.

So the truth is, I very nearly gave up being a pro triathlete a few weeks ago. My husband, coach and friends have since persuaded me to have confidence in what I have and what I am building and to race at the elite level again this year. A few weeks on and I am glad of this support and this decision and decided to share some of the thoughts that got me to again look forward to the season commencing in Fuertoventura in just under three weeks time.

The simple starting point is that I love cycling, running and swimming. In fact I just love being outside and having the physical capacity and freedom to enjoy the natural environment whether from a bike, running, swimming, skiing, climbing, walking, kayaking, skipping stones, .... I also love challenging myself, setting and achieving big goals. Training for racing appeals to this part of my psyche. Last year I captured these elements and a few more in my blog "Why Tri", which described why I train and race triathlon. It is still true and relevant to me.  

http://christinehemphill.blogspot.com/2011/03/why-tri-why-not.html

A few weeks ago I added the next part of the question which is, why then do I feel the need /desire /wish to race as a professional against the best in the world on the best courses rather than be a strong amateur competing simply for the love of the sport. Did you know that the very word amateur comes from the latin root “to love”? Very apt. Whereas a professional athlete has been named after the focus on it being their work. What is it that makes a "pro" want to be a pro when they are not (and given that I started at 39 and the time limits I have to my training) will never be a Kona winner or podium finisher in the best international fields?

My thoughts were catalyzed further by a conversation I had recently with someone who did not see the point in being a pro if you weren’t winning or at least in the substantial prize money end of the results in each of your key races. To him, racing was about winning, and as an age grouper (and probably in most things in life) he is very competitive. Pros that were not up to winning big money races were not worthy of his respect. I have a different attitude that comes from the basis of my drive and desire to race, which is to be the best I can be. From that perspective, everyone, from first to last finisher, triathlete, bi-athlete or bog runner, earns and deserves respect for challenging themselves and striving to achieve daunting goals.

My current goal is to make the top 8 in each of the big international races of my year and podium at each of the regional French races. At this level,unfortunately triathlon is not really a profession for me in terms of being able to house, clothe and feed my family, but equally I don’t do it just for the love of the outdoors anymore, I do it to fulfil a need to go faster and race better simply because I believe that I can.

Clearly everyone has their own motivation when considering or making the jump to the professional ranks. This is just my view of why I chose at 41, with 2 years experience in the sport and a thinner race resume than most age groupers, to make the leap and why this year I have chosen to remain there.

So why do I wish to race as a professional? A few obvious things first to cross out.

• Money. It is unfortunately not because of the amazing money to be won in the pro ranks. Triathlon is a young sport. Despite steadily growing in popularity and organizational professionalism there is still relatively little in the way of televised coverage and sponsorship and therefore money to share with the athletes. Winning at Kona, Hi-Vee or gaining an Olympic gold is not a realistic goal for most of the 800-1,000 currently listed professional triathletes. My guess is that maybe the top 30 ITU and top 20 long course athletes earn above the minimum Australian wage once travel costs and sponsorship in kind (bikes, shoes, sunnies etc) are taken out. If you compare that to any normal line of work, being in the best 50 in the world and you can’t make as much as a bus driver, let alone any of the “big money” sports like any of the football codes, golf, tennis, road cycling (men’s only) etc it is not a sport you would chose to be a professional in if you were financially driven.   

• Fame. Like the money, as tri is a relatively young sport it doesn’t get a lot of coverage in the media. When Mirinda Carfree won Kona in 2010 I went to all the Australian media sites to read about it. It took precisely 5 minutes to read all the articles written. Most were buried deep, three pages in from the back in the “other sports” information. How many people could name more than three current triathletes. Now try and name cricket players or footballers depending on your country. Even if you don’t like the sports you can probably name 10 current stars. 

• A need to win. Unfortunately I started the sport too late and with too many other competing priorities in my life to become the best in the business at the elite level. Take a deep breath Mirinda, Chrissy, Leanda, Rachel and Yvonne, (I am sure you were not too worried!) however this 42 yo mum with 2 years experience is not likely to be threatening your dominance anytime this lifetime. Although I believe that my best is yet to be found, I have a much better idea now after a few solid seasons of what my real potential is, and it is not in the league of World Champions. If I really loved the view from the top of the podium I would have stayed in the AG ranks where I am within my capability to expect to relatively consistently outpace any field.

So I am not here to make millions, become famous or win every race. I do chose however to train and race well above normal pain levels to adapt the body to go that bit faster, I  prioritise a home trainer session over a ski (who would have thought that a few years ago?!) and challenge myself to goals racing girls generally ½ a generation younger than me. So there must be some “amat” or love left even at the pro level because otherwise this behaviour is just not normal. In fact that is exactly why I am a pro. I do not want to be normal and I do really love the challenge, fears, delights and yes, even learning from disappointments that competing at this level allows me.I may not be the best of the best, but I think that racing at the highest level better allows me to search for and hopefully find within myself, the best that I can be.

Do it to your best ability and you are a winner

The major consideration for me is that I don’t want my significant personal goals and strong drive to get in the way of being a calm and happy mother, wife or friend. When shoving in an extra training session means I am too tired to enjoy playing with the boys at the end of the day, or manage their more difficult behaviour with humour, compassion or at least calm, clear direction then it has come at too high a cost. When I spend too much weekend time out following a black line in a pool or white line on the roads by myself rather than prioritizing time with my husband or watching the boys judo/rugby/ski competitions then I need to be clearer on the constraints within which I can be a triathlete.

This doesn’t mean I can’t train or can’t be a good athlete. With a very strong emphasis on “no wishy-washy” meaning that each session I do, I do well and to its’ stated purpose, and with the strong support of my husband, sons, friends and family, I know I can train well, up to 20 hours a week, and race at a level whereby pitting myself against the strongest fields in the world is a more rewarding challenge than being in the amateur ranks.  

So as Shakespeare’s Henry V so eloquently said “Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more” He  followed this well known phrase with the following (abridged by me to the more relevant bits)

KING HENRY V:
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;

In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:

But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,

Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit
To his full height.

I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot:
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'

Luckily for me it is not war and I have no Harry, England or St George to cry for, just my boys and husband who are all a big part of both the cost and benefit of this adventure too. However the game for this season is very nearly afoot, so time to go follow my spirit for another year at the highest level and give to it all that I can within the constraints set by a very interesting and rewarding life.

All the best for your game, whatever it may be and I hope you are finding the motivation and success you are striving for.

A bientôt / See you later

Christine