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Track and Field Blogs - Christopher Lukezic

Retirement and Life Beyond the Track

November 11, 2009

I'm stepping away and hanging up my spikes officially. When I entered this sport at the age of 14, because of a girl, I never thought it would take me as far as it did. This has been a grand journey. What I think back on the most are not the great races I had. I think back to all the people and experiences that came as a result of my circumstantial existence in this world. I will truly miss all the friends I've made over the years. Thank you all for your friendship, kindness, and inspiration. Thank you to everyone who has supported me through the years.

While I'm sad to leave the people in this sport behind, I'm not leaving on any terms other than my own. There are a lot of people who think I'm forsaking my talent. There are quite of few people who feel like running fast is the only thing that should matter. I'm not one of them. Today I've received a few nasty emails from people telling me I'm weak, that I'm stupid, and that I'm giving up. I have to say that it is painful to hear those things from people. I'm not giving up on anything. Running is a beautiful sport and it means a lot to many people, but it isn't everything to me. I'm not giving up. I'm just not happy being a professional runner any longer. It isn't there for me. The passion it once evoked has faded. It became a very unfulfilling pursuit.

I moved to San Francisco, unsure if I was really going to be able to divorce myself from the sport. I moved here and joined AirBnB, a start-up, as the head of marketing. Learn more about it here. And here. I can say that I've probably never been happier. I'm enjoying every minute of my days away from the track. I've poured myself into AirBnB as much I poured myself into running. I can happily say that I trained at the limits of my talent for a number of years, especially this past year in Colorado. I have no regrets. I never wanted to have my grandchildren sitting on my lap with a head full of stories that only stemmed from my time as a runner. It is a small part of who I am, but I am extremely proud of myself for what I did accomplish.

Do I think I could have run faster? Absolutely. Was I ready to wait around for it to happen? No. It no longer became something I felt like I needed to prove to myself. If I did run 3:28 it would have been fantastic. However, I know it wouldn't have made me any happier. It wouldn't have made me a better person. Running tended to suck the life from me. It became a very selfish pursuit and one I regret letting take such a hold over my life. You live and you learn.

I want my life to be filled with as many amazing and unique opportunities as I can possible manage to fit into my finite time on this earth. I want to live a full life. I knew I wouldn't be living that personal ethos if I had stayed in the sport. Running was a sure thing. I could have continued making a living, traveling the world, and living "the dream." The problem was it was no longer my dream. Continuing to run would have been making a safe bet. Joining a start-up certainly is not the safe bet. I can say that there are very few start-ups I have ever admired this much. What is happening inside the walls of our office, with our rag tag team of brilliant 20-somethings, is amazing. I can't wait to see where we land in the next few years!

Thank you again to everyone in the sport. I will miss you all dearly.

Over and out.

Join the AirBnB Running Group. Travel with your tribe.

Post a Comment

#62	Runner123 November 19, 2009 at 10:04pm I'm still one of your biggest fans, but would you really not care if you ran a 3:28? Running is that low to you now? reply
#61	Runner123 November 19, 2009 at 10:03pm I believe you would be stoked if you ran 3:28! So don't lie about it. I respect the decision but to say you wouldn't care to run another PR is just stupid. reply
#60	Anonymous Coward November 15, 2009 at 10:58pm Join the rat race! reply
#59	Ryan C. November 15, 2009 at 10:54pm So you traded one set of numbers (time) for another set of numbers (money). Have you ever really worked behind a desk for an extended period of time? I mean if you wanted to pursue other opportunities atleast be original. You know live in Borneo or work in South America , but come on, a freakin' head of marketing for a couch surfing company? I am actually pretty angry with myself for even reading this blog, and then responding to it, but I had to let you know that you sound like a litte brat. reply
#58	Alon November 15, 2009 at 12:06am anonymous coward...you're a d**k reply
#57	Taylorjt123 November 14, 2009 at 6:50pm i think the best thing about his decision is it makes him happy and he's able to enjoy his pursuit with others. reply
#56	Anonymous Coward November 14, 2009 at 2:17pm Who cares? Chris was a D-bag and everyone knows it! reply
#55	Tim Bayley November 14, 2009 at 1:22am Massive respect for following your heart Chris, you had a great running career. Best wishes with your new business and I hope to one day meet you in person out here in the bay area. Cheers, Tim reply
#54	Another Retired Guy November 13, 2009 at 11:19pm SHLONGE said: “"I can't stand meeting folks that have put their lives on hold for 10+ years just to qualify for the trials."” Huh? Just as we should respect Lukezic's desire to tackle another challenge, surely someone else's decision to pursue their own passion should be respected. Why on earth can you "not stand" meeting someone who is intent on running 2:18, as long as they're not asking you personally to pay their rent? As for Lukezic's decision, it is what it is. He doesn't owe anybody more years, or even an explanation (which is why it was nice of him to reflect on his reasons here). I do second the "never say never" advice -- maybe in a year or two, the pressure is gone and you might find you miss the heat of competition. I will say this (as a guy who retired at 28, then after a couple years came back and ran semi-seriously in my early 30s): make sure you read Pete Hessler's recent article on Meb in the New Yorker. And check out his advice to Ryan Hall at the end of the article, about cherishing the feeling of being ready to rock. Since moving on from running, I've found challenges really fulfill me. But I doubt I'll ever really find anything that will rival the feeling of a hard tempo run with a bunch of really fit guys, really early in the morning, just cruising along at a pace that would easily win most local 5K races, knowing you still have eight miles to go and the pace will pick up, but just feeling fabulous. I still miss that. (And you can't go back and recapture that, in quite the same way, when you're 40 and rich.) reply
#53	Dude November 13, 2009 at 7:17pm i once sold you a jacket your freshman year at georgetown. the EMS in clarendon. i worked there part time while taking some graduate classes at gtown. you were a kid. i have always made a point to follow your career since then and I was amazed at the level you reached in this sport. I hope you look back on your time in track as time well spent, but i certainly understand there is more to life than being fast. thanks for taking the time to tell your fans. b reply
#52	Go Away November 13, 2009 at 6:08pm please reply
#51	Anonymous Coward November 13, 2009 at 4:55pm what a bro reply
#50	John November 13, 2009 at 3:22pm Good luck Christopher, reply
#49	Respect November 13, 2009 at 12:47pm I hear ya. I completely agree with how running can suck the life out of you. Good to see you're being mature about knowing right from wrong for yourself reply
#48	Christopher Lukezic November 13, 2009 at 11:06am Thanks everyone for your comments. They really touched me. Your responses are probably the one of the fondest memories I will carry with me as I part from the sport. I may or may not be done. Who knows. All I know is that in all things I do in this life, I will follow my heart and pour myself into the pursuits I am passionate about. Living your life in fear is one of the worst things a person can do. I have a good friend that helped drive that point home over the past few years. I'm thankful for the perspective he has given me. I was fearful of leaving running behind for a number of reasons, but staying in the sport and continuing would have been out of a fear of uncertainty. Running was a certainty. But, I decided to jump all in to AirBnB. The unhinging of fear was liberating. reply
#47	Junior Taylor November 13, 2009 at 10:48am I reall respect that decision.Well said.People need to know that there is life after sports.GoodLuck in your other pursuits in life. reply
#46	SHLONGE November 13, 2009 at 10:28am Chris, Respect the hell out of your decision. I can't stand meeting folks that have put their lives on hold for 10+ years just to qualify for the trials. It's one thing if you have the kind of talent to actually qualify for the trials and have a very realistic chance of making a national or olympic team. I mean, say you do qualify for the trials (track or marathon) after putting your life, career, etc. on hold. You run 2:18:59 (marathon) and sneak in. Then what? You run the trials, finish in the bottom third and settle back into your parent's house. You have sacrificed all that time, when you could have been preparing yourself for the rest of your life with a job/career. It's hard enough breaking into a career you love right out of college. Waiting until you are 30+ years old, because you were chasing a dream that may or may not happen, seems like a big risk. I respect guys like Brian Sell who could very well still compete at a high level in this sport, but knows that the rest of his life is calling. At any rate, Chris, I think what you are doing is very noble. Best of luck in your future endeavors! reply
#45	Coach November 13, 2009 at 9:59am all the well wishing is great. but someone needs to say this: don't close the door on being one of the best american runners ever. do what you need to do now, but don't be afraid to return if your mindset changes in a year or 2. and the key to that is keep logging some easy miles 5 days a week. then you'll have the option. also, talk to don sage or others that have left and come back, just so you might understand what you could possibly feel at age 27 or 28. take time away, and possibly never come back, but nothing is final. your head and heart are always changing and evolving. Listen to them, just as you are now. And be open to a path back to racing, if you find that the fire is still burning in the future. reply
#44	Anonymous Coward November 13, 2009 at 12:50am I made the same decision this fall to retire from ncaa running....hardest decision I have ever made but putting all my time into my design work has paid off and been amazing. good luck with your career, im sure you will do great things. reply
#43	Don Betowski November 12, 2009 at 11:39pm Chris, Well said! reply
#42	Rob Rumsey November 12, 2009 at 11:05pm Hey Chris, I remember watching one of your Flo Videos and thinking "This guys has a life outside of track" and thought if was really cool. Congrats on making such a big decision and thank you for sharing with us "FloTrackies" your journey. If you don't at least pop up at Stanford and do the Flocast then you DO deserve a biatch slap though. hehe. Regards, Rob reply
#41	Pchemisfun November 12, 2009 at 10:22pm I am sorry to such a talent go but you gotta go to where you'll be happy. Good luck at Air BnB. reply
#40	Lol November 12, 2009 at 10:09pm who? reply
#39	Make Yourself Happy November 12, 2009 at 9:53pm thank you for letting us fans know....your retirement from athletics has brought tears to my eyes....a bio of yours I read said that you were born in '84, my first olympics. I'm still competing hard these days and recently beat one of my fellow olympic competitors from an '84 final. I guess it is still our dreams to run well. I enjoy it and I don't have to worry about the money. I understand it's no longer your dream. I'll miss not seeing such a young runner but you have to follow your path even if it leads you back. good luck. reply
#38	Sppedplay November 12, 2009 at 8:37pm Chris I have great respect for your decision. You don't owe anyone anything. Bottom line: Its your life bro. Live it to the fullest and do the things you love. You only live once...so make it count! reply
#37	Taylor Stinson November 12, 2009 at 8:20pm Chris, You have to do what makes you happy even if it does upset some people, but when running has become more a hassle than what you do for fun or a sport then I agree that it is time to hang up the spikes. Good luck on your new life and good luck with your company! Youre the man! reply
#36	Rob November 12, 2009 at 8:14pm Good luck Chris, and keep the healthy perspective. Not everyone has the opportunity to switch gears and careers when they'd like to, yet you're ready and able to do it on your own terms, and you should. Congratulations. reply
#35	Leo November 12, 2009 at 7:44pm Chris, Unfortunately, none of us stay young forever. Part of the difficulty is determining when to move on. Young people have the opportunity to stay in the sport longer than previous generation and that truly is a blessing. I hope you find working with a young ambitious company just as exciting! I hope you encounter many fulfilling victories!!! Always run... reply
#34	Anonymous Coward November 12, 2009 at 7:41pm I think it is complete crap that people that don't even know Chris are criticizing him for his decision. piss off and let him be, I think it is kind of cool to see that some of these guys are human reply
#33	Fleet November 12, 2009 at 6:08pm Chris, Don't listen to these people who don't have lives of thier own. You are doing what you think is right and thats all that matters. I respect your decision. Wish you the very best. reply
#32	So? November 12, 2009 at 5:54pm "If I did run 3:28 it would have been fantastic. However, I know it wouldn't have made me any happier" I don't believe that. You quit because you were getting upstaged by younger guys and it frustrated you. reply
#31	Nick Higgins November 12, 2009 at 4:50pm Hey Chris, Listen to your heart. You know what is best for you more than anyone else. That site of yours AirBnB is pretty interesting. I'm definitely going to check it out. Good luck with that. Sincerely, Some Random Chris Lukezic fan reply
#30	Runhappy978 November 12, 2009 at 4:49pm Hey Chris, Listen to your heart. You know what is best for you more than anyone else. That site of yours AirBnB is pretty interesting. I'm definitely going to check it out. Good luck with that. Sincerely, Some Random Chris Lukezic reply
#29	Mrs. Doubtfire November 12, 2009 at 4:15pm Great blog. You seem incredibly balanced and healthy. Good luck to you in your new dreams! How many professional runners actually quit on their own terms as you so aptly phrased it? Not many, whether it's injury or other circumstances, like an old football coach (hmmm any Seminoles out there) who refuses to see his time is over. I'm sure living the life as a pro is incredibly fulfilling at times and fun. But there is so much more to life and so many more opportunities out there. Have fun, and thanks for sharing. reply
#28	Auburn Staples November 12, 2009 at 3:39pm Chris, wish you the very best. You've got one of the smoothest strides i've ever seen. I totally respect your decision because I feel the same way sometimes. It took me a long time to realize that there is more to life than running. I wanted a family, career, etc. Now days when people come to my apartment they wouldn't even know i'm a runner...no posters, books, videos, or anything about running. Once I stopped letting it control my life and just relaxed, my running improved and i've begun to really enjoy it again. I make more time for family and friends and try not to be so selfish about my own endeavors. I'm now training better than ever, and when I leave the track I try not to take it home with me. I focus on other things. It seems staples the person will be much faster than staples the runner, how ironic. I pray everything works out for you, you seem so happy and content with where you are, so keep it up, you've made us all very proud over the years. reply
#27	James Thie November 12, 2009 at 3:08pm Good luck Chris, enjoy the next chapter and I'm sure you will do great, cheers james thie reply
#26	Kyle King November 12, 2009 at 2:23pm Chris - I wish you the best of luck outside the running world. I totally respect what you're feeling, because that's exactly how I felt when I retired from the sport after the Olympic Trials. Running just didn't have the same joy that I was so accustomed to. I felt it was a selfish endeavor, and that I was neglecting everything else in my life for the sake of trying to run fast. I was absolutely ready to move on and do something else. So I did. I started putting my energy toward time with my wife, graduate school, and working. But, I made a very big realization. That you shouldn't quit running cold-turkey as I did. It's now a release, an outlet, from everything else going on in my life. It's no longer my "life", it's merely an activity I participate in. I honestly never thought I would be able to make that transition. I hope that you are able to still enjoy it, or maybe you can find something else to compete in outside of work (indoor soccer? flag football?) I imagine that you, like I, love competing. I enjoy competing so much, and so I've found a way to get that experience, even if it's not trying to make World teams. I honestly wish you the best of luck in all that you do. I simply had to write you because your experience is so similar to mine. Again, best of luck. Kyle King reply
#25	Bla November 12, 2009 at 2:06pm lol Screeners...... reply
#24	Ray November 12, 2009 at 1:54pm Good luck and thanks for the perspective. reply
#23	Hoyafan November 12, 2009 at 1:41pm were going to miss you chris! you were amazing reply
#22	U R The MAN!!!! November 12, 2009 at 1:16pm "However, I know it wouldn't have made me any happier. It wouldn't have made me a better person. Running tended to suck the life from me. It became a very selfish pursuit and one I regret letting take such a hold over my life. You live and you learn. " I know exactly how u feel, good luck w/ everything reply
#21	SBtrack November 12, 2009 at 12:56pm Good luck man, love'd seeing you race over the past few years. Wish you the best. reply
#20	Max Group November 12, 2009 at 12:54pm Best of luck to you. It has been really fun watching you race and seeing your interviews the past couple of years. Hope everything works out for you. reply
#19	Nathanael Litwiller November 12, 2009 at 12:50pm Striving to be the best you can be until your peak has passed doesn't mean you would have missed out on living a full life, but i see where you are coming from.. reply
#18	Yoming November 12, 2009 at 12:49pm good luck with you business. Sounds like fun reply
#17	Danny Mackey November 12, 2009 at 12:31pm I liked your perspective in the 4th paragraph. I think it is cool that you wrote on Flotrack why you are retiring and moving on other challenges. Good luck with your next career man. reply
#16	Florent November 12, 2009 at 12:25pm Chris... Wish you the best of luck man, raced against you a few times back in my days at maryland. Though I never came close to your level of competition, I certainly do miss the sport but I'll never regret hanging it up and following another path. The memories will always be there, but like you said it's time to make some new ones. Best of luck, Flo reply
#15	Christopher Lukezic November 12, 2009 at 12:10pm Ryan, I'd be honored to guest commentate Stanford! Thank you everyone for your kind words. I will miss this community. reply
#14	Peter Gilmore November 12, 2009 at 12:07pm very admirable if you ask me reply
#13	Michael Jordan November 12, 2009 at 11:51am Maybe it is wishful thinking on my part, but I see you returning to competitive running once you tasted success in the business world. Hope I am right, but wish you the best on the path you take. reply
#12	Ryan From Flotrack November 12, 2009 at 11:43am gp said: “it takes a certain amount of ego to announce your retirement from T&F;.....does anyone recall Jim Ryun or Marty Liquori announcing thiers? Most of us just go away....” I wasn't alive back then so I don't know the answer to that. I do know that technology now-a-days gives us many platforms in which athletes (and anyone that has a follow really) to reach out to the people who care. Chris, and others that leave their sports for whatever reason, care about the community and have let us be a part of what they've done. I appreciate Chris taking the time to reach out and share with us whats going on in his world. To many people come and go and simply become forgotten, which leaves you to wonder what happened. Thanks for being open with us Chris and realizing there are people who care. Good luck with the new endeavors and maybe we can get you for a guest commentating spot at Stanford this spring! reply
#11	Gp November 12, 2009 at 11:33am it takes a certain amount of ego to announce your retirement from T&F;.....does anyone recall Jim Ryun or Marty Liquori announcing thiers? Most of us just go away.... reply
#10	Lionel Hutz ESQ. November 12, 2009 at 11:12am Good Luck with the start up and all your future endeavors! reply
#9	Justin Kopunek November 12, 2009 at 11:11am Gotta do what you love, can't resent it. Your prescence in the sport will be missed. Good luck. reply
#8	Anthony Nuccio November 12, 2009 at 10:59am Good luck man. I'm a long way from retiring my spikes but you know what you're doing in life. Just show the same grit and determination that you did on the track and you will be successful outside of track life no matter what you do. reply
#7	Khadevis Robinson November 12, 2009 at 10:59am Well said Chris. I sometimes try to explain to people that running is what we do, but not necessarily who we are. A lot of people get that mixed up. In the end, we have to be ourselves, because everyone else is taken. You understand that life is a journey and we only have so much time in this journey. Some may have a goal to make more MONEY or Make more time. Here's the secret. YOU CAN MAKE MORE MONEY, YOU CANNOT MAKE MORE TIME. I am certain that if you apply the same principles that made you successful in track to other aspects of your life, you will be successful. I wish you the best. Remember, THERE ARE NO ORDINARY MOMENTS! Sincerely, Khadevis K.D. Robinson "The Champion's Champion. reply
#6	David Pulliam November 12, 2009 at 10:58am Good Luck man hopefully one day I can say what I did has made me happy in this life too. Running is a sport regardless if some say it is a way of life or a release it is a journey and it builds something inside of you that you can carry into the career of your choosing, work ethic, perseverance, and ambitions for achievement. A great man once said "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." meaning that it is not because you are weak you choose not to run but that your heart is in another place. Find your joy man and live your dream. "God Bless" reply
#5	Dana Walters November 12, 2009 at 10:54am Solid dude! Everyone has to retire the spikes one day. reply
#4	Anonymous Coward November 12, 2009 at 10:54am Best of luck man! Ignore anyone who says anything bad to you! You've accomplished so much! reply
#3	J November 12, 2009 at 10:50am Awesome to see you have a "real job" to enjoy and I hope all the success you can withstand from it. It was awesome to watch you race over the years and good luck with your family and job!!! reply
#2	Logan November 12, 2009 at 10:08am Enjoy this next phase in life. Best wishes. Keep running at a level you find enjoyable. reply
#1	Cara Hawkins November 12, 2009 at 8:06am Best of luck! reply