A Life Without Limits

A World Champion's Journey

By: Chrissie Wellington, Lance Armstrong - foreward

Narrated by: Polly Lee, Chrissie Wellington

Length: 9 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

In this inspiring memoir, an Ironman World Championship winner shares the details of her hard-earned triathlon success and encourages others to set off on their own fitness journeys.

In 2007, Chrissie Wellington shocked the triathlon world by winning the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. As a newcomer to the sport and a complete unknown to the press, Chrissie's win shook up the sport. A LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS is the story of her rise to the top, a journey that has taken her around the world, from a childhood in England, to the mountains of Nepal, to the oceans of New Zealand, and the trails of Argentina, and first across the finish line.

Wellington's first-hand, inspiring story includes all the incredible challenges she has faced—from anorexia to near-drowning to training with a controversial coach. But to Wellington, the drama of the sports also presents an opportunity to use sports to improve people's lives.

A LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS reveals the heart behind Wellington's success, along with the diet, training and motivational techniques that keep her going through one of the world's most grueling events.

©2012 Chrissie Wellington (P)2012 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"What emerges from this book is the portrait of a thoroughly nice woman. Her exceptional qualities have led her to achievements that her readers can scarcely imagine. But she still remains touchingly connected to that ordinary girl from Norfolk."

---Jane Shilling, The Daily Mail

"What amazes me about Chrissie Wellington is not that she wins, but by how much...Like Usain Bolt, Wellington has burst on to the scene and destroyed the opposition. Those within athletics said that Bolt was coming but Wellington came from nowhere and wins by a relatively greater margin."

---James Cracknell, two time Olympic gold medalist, and adventurer

"Empowering and suitably commemorative."

---Kirkus Reviews

Excellent!

This is an excellent listen and introduction to the sport of triathlon. Another example of how great champions excel because of hard work and dedication.

Great story! I did not want the book to end.

Would you consider the audio edition of A Life Without Limits to be better than the print version?

Yes. I really enjoyed the story being read.

What other book might you compare A Life Without Limits to and why?

None

What does Polly Lee and Chrissie Wellington bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Polly Lee did a great job reading the book. It was great to hear it read in the proper accent of Chrissie.

Any additional comments?

I highly recommend this book to triathletes, runners and anyone interested in a great story. Chrissie's story is about much more than triathlons. She reveals what an amazing life adventure she has had so far.

Amazing and inspiring

It' s one of the best books about life, sport, relations and believe in ones powers! It worth reading and listening. Chrissie is amazing and incredible! This is the must read book for sure!

Slow start but gets good toward the middle.

You have to be patient on this one. It takes a while to get rolling, but once it does, it will not disappoint.

Inspiring and Motivational

A great story of embracing opportunities and pushing yourself to be your best. A great inspiration for any age-group Ironman competitor!

Mental toughness and grit.

Pretty cut and dry story of mental toughness, hard work, and grit. The tone of the story is very much just do it. She overcame a lot at times when she could have just stopped.
Personally it was hard to relate to her eating disorder but I still got a lot out of the book despite that.
Her story shows the strength of her body and most importantly her mind.

A Must Read for Athletes

Would you listen to A Life Without Limits again? Why?

This book is timeless. It is definitely something I will return to. It can be listened on repeat.

What other book might you compare A Life Without Limits to and why?

This book is a motivational fitness book. The flavor of the book is similar to Eat and Run and Born to Run.

Truly Inspiring

Where does A Life Without Limits rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It is in the top 5 audiobooks I've listened to. Her journey to become one of if not the best is truly inspiring and puts what is possible into perspective.

What other book might you compare A Life Without Limits to and why?

Finding Ultra by Rich Roll is another really good book about endurance sports. Rich goes on an incredible journey also from alcohol abuse to cheeseburger addiction to placing in ultraman a year after he started training.

Inspiring!

Great book! Was fun to hear about a woman’s perspective on endurance sports. Many reviews said the book started out slow. I disagree! I found her backstory extremely captivating and necessary.

Race to becoming an all-round person

Would you consider the audio edition of A Life Without Limits to be better than the print version?

To me yes. The narrative, especially those by two greatest athletes, made this story so much more inspiring and interesting.

What did you like best about this story?

I just got into the triathlon sport. Only two sprints last year gave me only a little taste of this challenging multi-sport. Chrissie Wellington's story taught me to see triathlon as more than one sport, but expand this sport to a life-long platform for maturing myself physically as well as mentally. I could never be able to do what she has achieved. But in my realm I am inspired to push my own limit day by day to build a better myself through training and racing, joy and tear, victories and setbacks, to learn meanings of my life and appreciate inspirations of those around me. That's the most important thing I have learned from this incredibly inspiring book.

What about Polly Lee and Chrissie Wellington ’s performance did you like?

I love Polly Lee's narrative. But Chrissie own narrative drew me in even more, of course because I am such a huge fan of hers.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Chrissie won the Kona race by raising from a devastating crash. "Seize every opportunity and make the best of it" is more than a mental game in a sport world.

Any additional comments?

This book tells other sides of Brett Sutton, who is covered so little by the mainstream media. "Life is nothing but a habit" is my new slogan for triathlon training for Olympic Distance this year.