Mother's Day Q&A with Chelsea Sodaro
Celebrating Endurance Moms this Mother's Day with WYN republic!
Today and every day we celebrate and honor the incredible women who do it all. We had the privilege of reaching out to our WYN republic Pro Triathlete and Mother, Chelsea Sodaro, to learn more about her journey balancing motherhood and professional triathlon. See below for the full conversation.
WYN republic: How has becoming a mother influenced your approach to training and competing in triathlons?
Chelsea: I used to think I was busy, but you don’t know busy until you have a kid! I’m way more intentional about my work and how I manage my time. I want to make the time away from my daughter count!
Life is also way more hectic. So I find a lot of peace during my alone time out on the roads, trails, and in the pool. Motherhood is selfless. My training, racing, and travel to events gives me time for myself.
WYN republic: What are some of the biggest challenges you've encountered as a professional triathlete and a mom, and how do you overcome them?
Chelsea: That’s a big question! I definitely struggle with Mom guilt. I often feel that I’m choosing between family and career. Ultimately I think that pursuing work that I love makes me a better Mom, and I’m definitely a better athlete since having Skye. But it’s a big challenge to show up as the best version of myself to my daughter and to my work.
The most important part of this puzzling, is surrounding myself with people who are willing to pour into my career and support me as a parent. All of the people on my performance team totally understand the specific demands of racing triathlon with a young family.
And I have a lot of help! My husband works with me full-time and stays at home with my daughter so we can all be together during training camps and races.
WYN republic: What advice would you give to other professional triathletes who are also mothers or to aspiring athletes considering starting a family?
Chelsea: Surround yourself with a community that understands and supports your goals! I think it’s possible to be a great athlete and a great Mom… but there probably won’t be a lot of room in your life for much else.
My favorite mantra is “make the most important thing the most important thing.” At this phase of life my daughter comes first, my work comes second, and that’s about it!
WYN republic: Can you share any memorable moments or experiences you've had as a mom while competing?
Chelsea: Winning Kona and greeting 18-month-old Skye at the finish line was pretty epic! Just this season, though, she’s started to understand a bit more about what I do. At Ironman New Zealand she was going crazy every time I ran by. This has really become a family affair for us, and I hope she’ll remember our time traveling the world and meeting cool people along the way!
Feel inspired by Chelsea Sodaro's journey balancing motherhood and professional triathlon? Dive deeper into her story by exploring her Instagram and website!
