Life After Turning Left

It's time for professional track athletes to be paid for what they do.

Written by Mindith Rahmat Last updated on Oct 20, 2021

The life expectancy for the career of a top-level athlete in any sport isn’t very long. In a sport as rough on the body as track and field, it can be just a few years. For an athlete who is outspoken against the establishment to flourish as a professional for over a decade is almost unheard of.

The Absurdity of Professional Athletes Literally Starving Under Rules Built for Amateur Athletics

But if you follow track, you’ve definitely heard of Nick Symmonds. The recently retired 800m specialist sat down with Pete Hitzeman to discuss how he went out on his own terms. They cover the dispute with USA Track & Field that led to him being left off the 2015 world team, and the absurdity of professional athletes literally starving under rules built for amateur athletics.

Nick has never been shy about sharing his opinions, and this interview is no different. He minces no words about the International Olympic Committee, his thoughts on doping in international sports, and the roots of East African dominance in the middle and long distances. We also dive into why the surge in the popularity of running hasn’t carried over to track and field, why professional athletes need to remember that they only get paid to entertain, and the field event he wishes he could have tried.

You can follow Nick on YouTube and Instagram, and download his entire 2012 training log at RunGum.com.

About Mindith Rahmat

Mindith is a born mover. She has spent her life exploring various athletic disciplines, starting with ballet and modern dance from an early age. She went on to become a E-RYT 500 certified yoga therapist and teacher and discovered CrossFit after the birth of her daughter.

Mindith coached CrossFit at a number of boxes near her home in Southern California, which lead to her involvement in Russian kettlebells and Olympic weightlifting. She has coached a wide variety of populations and cares deeply for women’s health, specializing in pregnancy and postpartum fitness. She is currently studying the principles of Natural Movement and Kettlebell Sport, and is working to complete an additional teacher training in the Taoist art of Yin Yoga with Master Paulie Zink.

Mindith founded Breaking Muscle in 2011. Over 5 million people a month have visited the site, hundreds of thousands of them follow Breaking Muscle on social media, nearly 2,000 coaches have written or appeared on its pages, and there are thousands of free, fully-formed training plans freely available. Breaking Muscle has won numerous awards in the industry and is recognized for pioneering new approaches to fitness and coaching techniques. In 2021, Breaking Muscle was acquired by Barbend. Mindith continues to devote time to her kids, pursue her doctorate in psychology, do research, and teach.

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