Rachel Smith

“Life, to me, is a series of false limits and my challenge as an athlete is to explore those limits” – Lance Armstrong

I want to start off with a quote from one of my controversially favourite athletes of all time, Lance Armstrong.  Despite the recent revelations about his lifetime of successes with the Tour De France, he remains one of my heroines; and my continued support of him lies not only in his sheer determination, but in his ability to inspire and guide so many people, and to this day I can honestly say he still inspires me.  He may have had his 7 Tour jerseys taken from him, but the inspiration he has given to millions, and the hope to so many sufferers of life threatening diseases can never be questioned.  He gave people hope; he made people realise that despite being given only the smallest chance, it is still a chance, and from that you can build, recover and come back stronger; for those people, that hope will mean more than any trophy.

I live life spontaneously, morally and matter-of-factly; a door can be closed, but unless it has been locked, welded shut and the key thrown away, that path has not been cut off; it may take longer to get to the end, but giving up is never an option for me.  I see life as a series of limits and challenges, but where would the fun be if you could not push those limits?

“One of the redeeming things about being an athlete is redefining what is humanly possible” = Lance Armstrong

The body is an incredible engine, and I believe it has the capacity to be pushed much further than our perceived limits.  I have never accepted average; if you want something enough, you will work to get it, the harder the journey, and the more challenges you overcome on the way, the greater the sense of accomplishment at the finish line.

I enjoy the morning after ache of my muscles; the puffy face from camping out in the cold all night; rain on my tent; the sound of the river meandering through the hills.  The weather is my best friend and my worst enemy; my training partner when I’m out for hours with the wind in my face and the trail under my shoes.  There is nothing greater than being able to take yourself off to explore the natural world; its depths, its heights and its extremities.  Nothing man-made can match it.