Source: Kendall Elli
The track, the weight room, and my apartment are where I seemingly spend the majority of my time. From the outside looking in, the life of a professional athlete seems to be filled with workouts and training sessions, with little time for a personal life.
That feels so far from the truth, or at least, my truth.
Once my training session is over for the day, I prefer to spend my time surrounded by those so removed from the sport, it feels like a break.
I get to be Kendall — the daughter, the bookworm, the friend, the YouTube lover. Not Kendall — the 2x Olympian, World Record Holder, Olympic gold and bronze medalist. I’m free to be my full self, more than an athlete, and at my most comfortable.
Maybe too comfortable.
I used to feel a sort of guilt surrounding my interests and joy away from the track. Guilty about maybe not being as “all in” as other athletes and my training partners seemed to be. Guilty for so much success because sometimes, just sometimes, on the weekend I enjoy being on my feet and walking around the museum, or going to a pop up restaurant, instead of resting and preparing for the next workout to come. I felt as if I was supposed to be one-track-minded (no pun intended) and felt a bit of shame about having so many other interests outside of not just my sport, but my career.
My once hobby and after school activity has thankfully become so much more than that. It’s been the privilege and honor of a lifetime to compete on the world’s greatest stages for a living and ultimately, at this level, it’s a job. My path to health insurance, the way my rent gets paid, a full-blown career. As a result, athletes are often criticized as being undisciplined, lacking focus, and not having their “head[s] in the game”, if they express interest in anything outside their sport, their job.
If their performance suffers, outside interests are immediately blamed and labeled as distractions.
But what if they’re actually stress relievers and catalysts for incredible performances? What if athletes’ additional hobbies and interests provide them the temporary escape they need so they’re able to really lock in when it’s performance time? What if the more time an athlete spends with their friends and families actually fuels them to the performance of a lifetime? What if?
My personal turning point was the realization and acceptance that almost nothing in life is a one size fits all. Especially not in sports. Different athletes have different methods and paths to success. Some athletes like to isolate before a big competition, while others need to be around their loved ones. Some athletes reserve their weekends for staying in and resting, while others need to get out of the house and explore a bit.
What one athlete does may not work for another, and it doesn’t make one method any better than the other.
To any other athlete who may be facing similar feelings of guilt for having diverse interests outside of your sport, I encourage you not to compare yourself. Comparison is the thief of joy after all. Your path and process is your own and I encourage you to find the right fit for you. It took many seasons of trial and error for me to figure out what exactly worked best for me. For now, I’m simply not the kind of athlete who can solely be about track, and I’m embracing that. I’ve found a healthy balance between putting in my all at practice, and still being the YouTube-loving cat mom I am once I’ve stepped away from the track for the day.
Part of that journey has been in thanks to Microsoft. For the last several months, I’ve been using the power of Copilot and data powered by Microsoft to see just what kind of athlete and person I really am. I’ve been tracking things like my sleep, time spent doing things I love like reading and going to the movies, and time spent amongst those closest to me. The results so far? Increased mental well-being when I spend more time with the people I love most. Who would’ve thought? (Me, I knew). I’ve learned a lot about myself as a person and as an athlete through data tracking.
Most surprising? I don’t actually need 8 hours of sleep to be in a good mood. Least surprising? The more time I spend on social media, the less good I feel. No matter how much I love TikTok.
Data tracking has shown me just how important it is for my mental wellbeing to be around other people, even more so than I initially thought. Looking at the data collected so far, it’s been both eye-opening and encouraging to see how my mental fares better when I’m intentional in dedicated time shared with friends.
Now that I have the data to back what I’ve actually known all along, that guilt of having fun during my time away from the track is lifted. I can go back to wandering art exhibits guilt-free and spending time with my friends without worrying about any potential negative effects.
Tracking my data with Microsoft wasn’t to determine whether or not I’d run fast. I knew I would be able to do that as long as my mental was intact. It was to see what affected my mental well-being, how social media was more detrimental than I thought, and how needed my circle of people is. Now, I’ll never truly know whether I run well because I’m happy, or if I’m happy because I run well, but that’s okay. It’s probably a little bit of both. More than that, I’m thankful for how far technology has come and how it can play a role in the success of world-class athletes, myself included. I’m valid in my methods for success, and I’m so glad I now have the data (and medals) to prove it!
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