Where do all the champions go when the lights go down?
The transition to life after top-level sport is not easy. Being a champion involves no small amount of selfishness, an essential quality in the realm of being "all in", although not necessarily compatible to a "normal" existence. Then there is that thing called time. What do champion athletes do with themselves once they are no longer spending eight hours a day focussed solely on training, eating and recovering? Suddenly there is a surplus of time on their hands and a distinct deficit of purpose.
In the wake of several cases of retired-athletes battling with life post-career, there are some notable exceptions to the well-worn path of simply "fading away".
I was fortunate enough to meet Guy East a few years back. A very pleasant and open individual, the now-retired American rider was only too happy to share his story. A prolific talent on two wheels from an early age, the demands and sacrifices of a pro cycling career eventually proved too much for Guy. His solution? Call time on the sport and travel around Latin America, living and working in the impoverished communities of that region. The result? A refreshed sense of purpose and a second stab at pro cycling, while developing the success that Hope Sports has now become.
Then there is Tim DeBoom. A multiple winner of triathlon's Holy Grail (the Ironman World Championships), Tim reasoned that it was time to step back from the sport upon the birth of his and wife Nicole's daughter. The new addition to the DeBoom family was the impetus for Tim to pursue a new life direction. He went back to university and completed his degree, all the while supporting Nicole in her business ventures and keeping his physical fitness high and his competitive zeal low. These days, Tim does the things that serious pro training prevented him from doing - like taking incredible nature-orientated photographs on his morning runs in the foothills of the Rockies. It's exercise instead of training, he says, reckoning that all of life's problems can be solved above treeline.
Yes, sometimes it is better to burn out than fade away.
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While the worldwide news media seems to dish up more bad news than good these days, there is the odd the ray of light. Like today for instance. OK, whilst the "natural conclusion" of Team Wiggins-Le Col leaves a massive hole in UK domestic and espoir cycling, it is refreshing to read of the "name behind the team" declaring his future intentions.
Brad Wiggins is a name synonymous with winning. Olympic gold medals on the track and a Tour de France victory are part of a comprehensive palmares. Starting the aforementioned cycling team in 2015 and commentating on Eurosport are among Sir Brad's post cycling career activities.
Yet there is more to "Sir Wiggo" than riding the post-career gravy train. He recently stated that he intends enrolling in university to become social worker, the raison d'être being to help people.
Kudos to Brad on his newfound vocation. Good luck on your new journey and here's to finding further fulfilment and a sense of community.
As they say: carry water, chop wood.
