Book Review: To The Finish Line By Chrissie Wellington
If you’re looking for a book to help motivate you during the off season, this one should be on your bucket list. Chrissie Wellington’s publisher sent me the book to review and I’m really glad about that! It definitely helped me to rethink the training and the effort I’ve been putting into triathlons this season and I’m hoping it sticks with me to motivate into 2018!
To The Finish Line – A World Champion Triathlete’s Guide to Your Perfect Race by Chrissie Wellington is well-written and well-thought out! If you’ve never heard of Chrissie Wellington, she is the Ironman World Champion in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011. Pretty impressive resume, huh?
Ms. Wellington starts the book by talking about goal setting and how to structure your triathlon season. She discusses how to select your “A” race and follow that with a “B” and “C” race. Interestingly, my coaches have always talked about the “A” race, but I never really knew what they were talking about. This book explained it to me and made me think that I should plot out a plan for 2018.
I also love that she explained terms that I wish I knew when I started doing this. For example, she spends a lot of time on a summary of the different training zones.
Obviously, she has a chapter on the swim, bike and run but she also has a chapter on mental game. A lot of people have written books like this but reading Wellington’s view, puts it all into perspective.
Within each chapter of the book, Wellington has a Q&A section and also she has insights by Dave Scott, who had coached her at one point. It’s interesting to read both the questions and her answers and what Scott has to say.
I loved the chapter on psychology. She tapes little notes of inspiration on her bike.
In To The Finish Line, we even see a glimpse of the music Wellington listens to before the race. She even has a section on “Tri Anecdotes” and tells the reader where her best post-race party was to where the best dressed male spectator appeared and what he wore!
The book, which includes some beautiful photographs, sells for $27 on Amazon or at CenterStreet.com. If you want some inspiration, this is the book for you.