Yeah! Traditional “work/life/balance” regular type life isn’t going to work for some. A simple, boring, drama free, low-key lifestyle pursuing excellence in relative isolation is how some people succeed. Anne Haug seems very intentional with her lifestyle and that’s a good thing. This has been her process and path to becoming a world champion.
I get that’s her individual choice. But we all know the coworker whose entirely life is work, and it’s not a healthy balance. I don’t care what your job is, you need breaks from the work, the mental (and in her case, the physical) stress.
Great thread so far.
While admiring her, I find folks on the other end of training spectrum even more fascinating and motivating.
You know, shitloads of other commitments and interests, fancy a pint or two.
Able to drink Nick Mallet under the table.
Then show up to the start line and do interesting stuff.
Agree. I am astonished by people who train 15-20 hours/week and race at a high level in addition to full-time career (not merely a job) with husband/wife and kids, etc. Some people are just built different.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDuHgep20c4
Seventeen years without a holiday is above and beyond committed.
And other pros do take holidays and do fine. Celebrating never taking a break does not sound healthy
As long as she’s happy and doesn’t hurt anyone, I don’t see any problem with that. She’s a true dedicated professional athlete in my book and I’m glad she’s getting the results she wants. Other people think spending several thousands of dollars on the bike, race and stuff is crazy too. It’s all about perspective.
Exactly, nobody is forcing her to live this lifestyle, she CHOOSES to live this way. I believe she also trains at Club La Santa a good bit so that would be a change of scenery.
100% agree. She is a fantastic athlete but in a year or 2 she will retire and it’s gonna hit her hard that she’s never going to have kids, a normal family or even a relationship, etc. I am afraid that she’s looking at a very very lonely life.
Look out age groups W50+ lol
Just maybe she doesn’t like being around drinkers and piss heads. Love how some people think because they enjoy piss heads atmospheres then everyone should. At party’s and events where drinking is the key element no one cares if the non drinkers are comfortable and enjoying themselves.
Great thread so far.
While admiring her, I find folks on the other end of training spectrum even more fascinating and motivating.
You know, shitloads of other commitments and interests, fancy a pint or two.
Able to drink Nick Mallet under the table.
Then show up to the start line and do interesting stuff.
.
.
Pretty easy to drink me under the table now. No more huge pub sessions in between Ultraman stages for me these days although I did see Kevin Mackinnon is in town for the Noosa Tri so I “may” venture up to the surf club tonight.
Anne’s lifestyle choice probably illustrates her “real” character as she seems to be a loner. No worries there at all as many athletes/adventurers are wired that way.
Just maybe she doesn’t like being around drinkers and piss heads. Love how some people think because they enjoy piss heads atmospheres then everyone should. At party’s and events where drinking is the key element no one cares if the non drinkers are comfortable and enjoying themselves.
You know, you can enjoy life and party without ever drinking a drop of alcohol? Although I enjoy the adult beverages, I go months without drinking but I love visiting with neighbors and friends. You know hanging out like when you were 13 when drinking culture wasn’t a part of it.
You can also be the person drinking “vodka” (but really water) at the party. No judgement from me if you don’t imbibe. I’m just saying some of those friends who invited her to their wedding or baby shower were probably saddened that she put a 4 hour bike ride over their fellowship.
Again you assume people like being in those environment whether drinking or not. For some it is and one of the most uncomfortable environments to be in.
I quit two sports (one an actually job) Cricket and Footy Umpiring due to drinking cultures. I have seen lives ruined due to alcohol and party cultures
True friends accept your choices and not ridicule people for not wanting to be part of partying. How dare someone do something they enjoy rather then doing something they don’t to please the masses.
Funny how society will praise party people and hang shit oon those that choose other things.
In 2023 we aren’t meant to have body positive stigma and accept people of different sizes but apparently we can’t accepted people who enjoy their own personal space and not partying
What part of you can have a party without alcohol is hard to understand? How do you think sober people enjoy company? They have dinner and watch tv or play board games. Yeesh.
Hey Andrew. My apologies.
I see your point.
Alcohol and no alcohol is a bit of a distraction, where a more relevant (IMHO) discussion would be around introvert vs extrovert from the definition of an introvert being someone that recharges away from people, an extrovert recharges by socialising with people. By that then alcohol at parties isn’t really relevant.
Equally, we talk a lot about diversity in many ways now. But diversity (I’m going to avoid neurodiversity specifically) also covers personality, and one persons loneliness is another persons tranquility and comfort zone.
Covid lockdowns were really interesting where for so many it was a real struggle. Obviously for those that needed to socialise, but also for those introverts who lived in situations where normally their recharge time was spent out on long solo bike rides or runs, or even time at home when their OH or families were out at work/school/etc.
Note that the above is just a general point building on the way the discussion has gone, and in no way am I going to play amateur psychologist and suggest how or if this applies to Anne Haug. What I will say is that for all I am the jokey ‘extrovert’ character at swim squad or training camps, I’ve never been seen at any of the tri-club annual dinners, social meets etc, as I’ll be at home enjoying a nice glass of wine and my kindle.
In the past when younger I tried to fit in and be social. And I did do, but it really took it’s toll as it wasn’t me being my natural self. Once I understood that (and in reality that was 11 months ago aged 48 when I fully understood) then it’s meant I can be a lot more comfortable and sure in how I spend my life - work, rest and play. I have no issues at all with people that do go out 3-4 times a week, are permanently at parties, etc. Just as I equally have respect for those that never go to any work socials, I know nothing about them other than they ride X bike (clubmates), do Y job (colleagues), etc.
Really? I find this sad. No work/life balance.‘’
What’s all this talk about work life balance? (in the context of a world champion)
It’s all life. There is revenue generating part of life, and non revenue generating part of life. Everyone figures out how they want to divide up their time and what makes them happy and excited. Almost everyone who is at the pointy end of best in the world at anything be it music, sport, math, coding, biz, law…those people get off on their craft and don’t need the “time away” like regular people need from where they generate revenue in life.
If a person can get paid for what they are totally jacked about, that person has the ultimate win. Then you don’t need much. When the daily grind/process is the intrinsic reward, how that person balances there life is totally different from the common person.
And that was my point about Haug not needing a holiday. Michael Jordon would not need a holiday from basketball, Bono does not need a holiday, Musk does not need a holiday…they may change their scenery a bit, but they are always doing this schtick. They don’t need to get away and that’s what makes them different from regular people.
Dev
Really? I find this sad. No work/life balance.‘’
What’s all this talk about work life balance? (in the context of a world champion)
It’s all life. There is revenue generating part of life, and non revenue generating part of life. Everyone figures out how they want to divide up their time and what makes them happy and excited. Almost everyone who is at the pointy end of best in the world at anything be it music, sport, math, coding, biz, law…those people get off on their craft and don’t need the “time away” like regular people need from where they generate revenue in life.
If a person can get paid for what they are totally jacked about, that person has the ultimate win. Then you don’t need much. When the daily grind/process is the intrinsic reward, how that person balances there life is totally different from the common person.
we can agree to disagree that you don’t need balance in your life
Really? I find this sad. No work/life balance.‘’
What’s all this talk about work life balance? (in the context of a world champion)
It’s all life. There is revenue generating part of life, and non revenue generating part of life. Everyone figures out how they want to divide up their time and what makes them happy and excited. Almost everyone who is at the pointy end of best in the world at anything be it music, sport, math, coding, biz, law…those people get off on their craft and don’t need the “time away” like regular people need from where they generate revenue in life.
If a person can get paid for what they are totally jacked about, that person has the ultimate win. Then you don’t need much. When the daily grind/process is the intrinsic reward, how that person balances there life is totally different from the common person.
we can agree to disagree that you don’t need balance in your life
I think what you are missing is everyone gets balance differently. Neither you now I know how Anne gets balance. A few years ago, Wout Van Aert decided to bike pack from the Tour of Lombardy back home to Belgium. As if he guy needs any more miles in his legs, but Wout’s way of getting balance was getting on the bike and just riding. No power meter, now VAM, not metrics, to Roglic to pace, no Pogacar to mark. Nothing. Just him a buddy, some camping gear and a bike. That was Wout’s balance getting home to belgium versus getting in an airplane.
Maybe Anne’s balance is just an easy ride or run with no target. Or some yoga…or whatever. She may get her balance differently from the rest of us.
Really? I find this sad. No work/life balance.‘’
What’s all this talk about work life balance? (in the context of a world champion)
It’s all life. There is revenue generating part of life, and non revenue generating part of life. Everyone figures out how they want to divide up their time and what makes them happy and excited. Almost everyone who is at the pointy end of best in the world at anything be it music, sport, math, coding, biz, law…those people get off on their craft and don’t need the “time away” like regular people need from where they generate revenue in life.
If a person can get paid for what they are totally jacked about, that person has the ultimate win. Then you don’t need much. When the daily grind/process is the intrinsic reward, how that person balances there life is totally different from the common person.
we can agree to disagree that you don’t need balance in your life
I think what you are missing is everyone gets balance differently. Neither you now I know how Anne gets balance. A few years ago, Wout Van Aert decided to bike pack from the Tour of Lombardy back home to Belgium. As if he guy needs any more miles in his legs, but Wout’s way of getting balance was getting on the bike and just riding. No power meter, now VAM, not metrics, to Roglic to pace, no Pogacar to mark. Nothing. Just him a buddy, some camping gear and a bike. That was Wout’s balance getting home to belgium versus getting in an airplane.
Maybe Anne’s balance is just an easy ride or run with no target. Or some yoga…or whatever. She may get her balance differently from the rest of us.
Yours and other comments suggested she doesn’t need it. My experience tells me otherwise.
Yours and other comments suggested she doesn’t need it. My experience tells me otherwise.
It’s movember this month and whilst that’s focussed on men’s health, the majority of posters on here are men, so I’ll say this. If you know Anne personally, and your comment is specific to her then I’m realy surprised that sort of thing is being shared by you in a fully open thread. If it’s not then it underlines my earlier point that it’s not about how you think you as an individual you would respond, or how some others you know, but mental wellbeing is built upon the shape of an individual’s foundations. There is no one size fits all. And so for anyone that has a good training buddy, then make time for a real conversation on this stuff with them over the coming 3 weeks. Give your buddy that space to feel that they can share and either talk through what is working and what isn’t. And do the same back. As guys we are really really shitty at this stuff. But then do that in a way that stays between the two of you. Do this now when hopefully there are no issues, so that if (when) in teh future one of you isn’t in a great space, then it will be a lot easier for that conversation to happen.
But don’t forget, there is no one right or wrong, and it’s not about judging someone else’s life. It’s about showing an interest to learn and let them talk it through to perhaps enable a bit of a self check as you speak it out loud.
Yours and other comments suggested she doesn’t need it. My experience tells me otherwise.
It’s movember this month and whilst that’s focussed on men’s health, the majority of posters on here are men, so I’ll say this. If you know Anne personally, and your comment is specific to her then I’m realy surprised that sort of thing is being shared by you in a fully open thread. If it’s not then it underlines my earlier point that it’s not about how you think you as an individual you would respond, or how some others you know, but mental wellbeing is built upon the shape of an individual’s foundations. There is no one size fits all. And so for anyone that has a good training buddy, then make time for a real conversation on this stuff with them over the coming 3 weeks. Give your buddy that space to feel that they can share and either talk through what is working and what isn’t. And do the same back. As guys we are really really shitty at this stuff. But then do that in a way that stays between the two of you. Do this now when hopefully there are no issues, so that if (when) in teh future one of you isn’t in a great space, then it will be a lot easier for that conversation to happen.
But don’t forget, there is no one right or wrong, and it’s not about judging someone else’s life. It’s about showing an interest to learn and let them talk it through to perhaps enable a bit of a self check as you speak it out loud.
I have no idea what Anne does or doesn’t do. My comments were more directed at others championing the idea that all she does is work and how great that is. I fully recognize that everyone achieves balance differently but firmly believe everyone needs a healthy work-life balance. My point was made and no need to belabor it any more.
Alcohol and no alcohol is a bit of a distraction, where a more relevant (IMHO) discussion would be around introvert vs extrovert from the definition of an introvert being someone that recharges away from people, an extrovert recharges by socialising with people. By that then alcohol at parties isn’t really relevant.
Equally, we talk a lot about diversity in many ways now. But diversity (I’m going to avoid neurodiversity specifically) also covers personality, and one persons loneliness is another persons tranquility and comfort zone.
Covid lockdowns were really interesting where for so many it was a real struggle. Obviously for those that needed to socialise, but also for those introverts who lived in situations where normally their recharge time was spent out on long solo bike rides or runs, or even time at home when their OH or families were out at work/school/etc.
Note that the above is just a general point building on the way the discussion has gone, and in no way am I going to play amateur psychologist and suggest how or if this applies to Anne Haug. What I will say is that for all I am the jokey ‘extrovert’ character at swim squad or training camps, I’ve never been seen at any of the tri-club annual dinners, social meets etc, as I’ll be at home enjoying a nice glass of wine and my kindle.
In the past when younger I tried to fit in and be social. And I did do, but it really took it’s toll as it wasn’t me being my natural self. Once I understood that (and in reality that was 11 months ago aged 48 when I fully understood) then it’s meant I can be a lot more comfortable and sure in how I spend my life - work, rest and play. I have no issues at all with people that do go out 3-4 times a week, are permanently at parties, etc. Just as I equally have respect for those that never go to any work socials, I know nothing about them other than they ride X bike (clubmates), do Y job (colleagues), etc.
Pretty fair, my wife is an introvert. But when she gets going she also can enjoy people, but it takes a lot of energy for her. Sometimes for me being alone takes more energy and I love being amongst people and sharing time.