Moving on

It's been almost 2 years now since the Games in London and a couple of months since my last judo competition. Transitioning from full-time athlete into not being one has not always been an easy process and there's a lot of stuff out there that talks about the sort of limbo land that people find themselves in.. Despite the fact I've done it before - I buggered off to Thailand last time - this is different as I've remained very close to 'the game' so I think coming to accept where I am has been a bit harder. I am grateful that I've had great support and plenty of opportunities to explore different avenues as well as having some pretty major life events. People can't help but place labels on other people - so and so the bank manager, so and so the teacher, so and so the judo athlete, as it's our way of identifying each other. It was always pretty hard to try and explain I did judo for a living, it was often met with a confused expression. Changing jobs it seems you immediately change your identity. One former athlete, who I met through working with the Dame Kelly Holmes legacy trust helped explain it, he said for a long time he still introduced himself or was introduced as Adam the swimmer. Now he's comfortable with being Adam who works for the DKH Legacy trust and Adam, so an so's husband. I'm not sure I'll ever have the 9-5 but I am happy with being Sophie the coach, and Sophie the athlete mentor, and I'm especially happy with my nest and being settled for what I see as the long term where I am, although it's still a relatively new concept, this putting down roots. As an athlete stepping away from the competitive scene it seems at first you only know a lot about one thing - but ifs possible to learn all the time. New adventures and new experiences are here already and I'm hungry for more.