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Surfacing: From the Depths of Self-Doubt to Winning Big & Living Fearlessly
Surfacing is the inspiring story of Siri Lindley, one of the world’s best triathlon coaches and a world champion. But before Siri came to dominate the sport of triathlon, she was controlled by deep-seated insecurity that sabotaged her races and forced her to hide her sexuality.
When her stunningly beautiful mother caught the attention of an NFL superstar, Siri’s idyllic childhood was ripped apart. A whirlwind of glitzy dinner parties and world travel pulled her mother away, and Siri grew up feeling forgotten. As her intense loneliness gave way to anger, she lashed out against her New England life of privilege.
Sports set Siri free. Shy and painfully self-aware, Siri came to life when she played field hockey, lacrosse, and ice hockey, and became a starter in all three sports at Brown University. When she fell short of making the national lacrosse team, she felt directionless once again until a friend invited her to watch her race a triathlon—and ignited the fire for Siri’s life work.
Siri failed early and often before she found her formula for success. Brutal swim starts, bike equipment failures at key races, crushing workouts—these were nothing compared to the performance anxiety that reared up from the depths of Siri’s early years. It took eccentric Australian coach Brett Sutton to tear up her script of self-doubt and transform Siri Lindley into a world champion. Once she had proved herself to the world, Siri turned inward to stare down the demons that kept her from finding love as a gay woman. Today, Siri guides her own triathletes to win world championships at Kona and around the world.
Surfacing is a breathtakingly honest book that shares Siri Lindley’s daring journey. Siri proves it's never too late to rewrite your own story and change the thoughts, habits, and behaviors that hold you back. Surfacing will inspire you as it shows how to stop being your own worst enemy and start uncovering your own potential.
220 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 10, 2016
24 people are currently reading
215 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 17 reviews
October 22, 2016
I really wanted to love this book (I pre-ordered it back in August). I'm a huge fan of Siri Lindley, both her accomplishments as an athlete and as a coach are crazy impressive. She came back from not making the Olympic triathlon team to dominate ITU racing for two years. She then retired from competition and was the first female coach to coach an Ironman world champion. She’s had two different athletes at the top of the podium on Kona. She's the real deal. The book however is woefully short and lacks the depth of introspection that I read memoirs and autobiographies for. Siri had her struggles with the mental aspect of her training and racing. She is also a lesbian and was not always at peace with that. The book touches on the inner conflict she had with this when she was racing but just scratches the surface of what was going on. She speaks about hiding her being gay from a sponsor but does not delve into things like what she was risking or gaining to do so. Would she not be able to eat or was the sponsorship a nice to have? Did other sponsors approach her and she just didn't talk to them because she did not want to address her sexuality with the them? Did she feel it was none of their business? What emotions were driving her decisions? When did it longer matter or is it still an issue with athletes and sponsors? I would have loved to have been let deeper inside her head as she navigated this issue.
Her training is treated similarly in the book. In another section she speaks about tearing her plantar fascia on a treadmill workout right in front of her coach. It's stated matter of factly but we get no significant insights into how she felt about it or what was going on insider her head as it happened. Was she mad at her coach for letting her continue? Was she more angry at herself for not sticking up for herself to prevent the injury? How did this incident affect the coaching dynamic she has with her own athletes? There was a lot of presenting of facts about her racing and training, but a lack of critical analysis and reflection regarding the salient events in her life and triathlon career.
When speaking about some tension between herself and the governing bodies of the sport the treatment is again superficial. There was animosity between Siri and both the USAT and ITU. She hints that it was because she trained on her own rather than with the rest of the national team. This animosity is never really delved into. Did her sexuality (or her hiding of it) impact this relationship? Did this relationship ever improve or change over time? If so what were the catalysts to the change? Does she have a better rapport with the governing bodies as a coach? How did that experience influence the advice she gives her athletes with regards to governing bodies? None of this is addressed in sufficient detail in the book.
Surfacing had the potential to be an extremely powerful book. There just seems to be so much material that could have made this book so much more impactful. Overall I enjoyed learning a little bit more about one of my favorite people in the world of triathlon. I cannot however honestly recommend this book. I really think Siri’s life and career deserves a more in depth look and believe that she has a lot more to say on so many topics.
Siri has a great story. This book simply does not tell it very well.
Her training is treated similarly in the book. In another section she speaks about tearing her plantar fascia on a treadmill workout right in front of her coach. It's stated matter of factly but we get no significant insights into how she felt about it or what was going on insider her head as it happened. Was she mad at her coach for letting her continue? Was she more angry at herself for not sticking up for herself to prevent the injury? How did this incident affect the coaching dynamic she has with her own athletes? There was a lot of presenting of facts about her racing and training, but a lack of critical analysis and reflection regarding the salient events in her life and triathlon career.
When speaking about some tension between herself and the governing bodies of the sport the treatment is again superficial. There was animosity between Siri and both the USAT and ITU. She hints that it was because she trained on her own rather than with the rest of the national team. This animosity is never really delved into. Did her sexuality (or her hiding of it) impact this relationship? Did this relationship ever improve or change over time? If so what were the catalysts to the change? Does she have a better rapport with the governing bodies as a coach? How did that experience influence the advice she gives her athletes with regards to governing bodies? None of this is addressed in sufficient detail in the book.
Surfacing had the potential to be an extremely powerful book. There just seems to be so much material that could have made this book so much more impactful. Overall I enjoyed learning a little bit more about one of my favorite people in the world of triathlon. I cannot however honestly recommend this book. I really think Siri’s life and career deserves a more in depth look and believe that she has a lot more to say on so many topics.
Siri has a great story. This book simply does not tell it very well.
May 4, 2019
Someone else should've narrated the audiobook. Siri's delivery was monotone and dry. I loved the stories about the nuances with her relationship with Brett Sutton and appreciated how much she divulged, though I was hoping for more details about the workout volume; often all she said was that it was "a lot" and "very intense."
July 31, 2017
A well-written and fascinating memoir by an endurance sports legend. This compelling narrative that also offers inspiration and advice to those who seek to reach ambitious goals without compromising a meaningful life.
March 19, 2018
Loved this book.
I respect and admire Siri Lindley for the professional trajectory in the sport of Triathlon both as a triathlete and as a coach. This book was a memoir of her own life and the especially dark moments she lived along the way. You can feel her honest heart through the chapters and her very special desire to serve and get the most out of life. This book came to me in a very special moment of my life and I am really happy I followed my intuition to read it. Thank you Siri and thanks to my own tri coach who posted this book and planted the seed of curiosity and dedication to persist.
I respect and admire Siri Lindley for the professional trajectory in the sport of Triathlon both as a triathlete and as a coach. This book was a memoir of her own life and the especially dark moments she lived along the way. You can feel her honest heart through the chapters and her very special desire to serve and get the most out of life. This book came to me in a very special moment of my life and I am really happy I followed my intuition to read it. Thank you Siri and thanks to my own tri coach who posted this book and planted the seed of curiosity and dedication to persist.
November 14, 2017
People are often much more powerful than they think they are.
The mental aspect allows people to break barriers, win races, and achieve their true potential. I constantly challenge my athletes with workouts that take them to the upper edge of their ability. Like Brett's, my philosophy is that your biggest competitor is yourself. I will never ask the impossible. But I will come close. The ones who answer with courage and self-belief instead of fear and doubt are the ones who realize their dreams.
p 184
The mental aspect allows people to break barriers, win races, and achieve their true potential. I constantly challenge my athletes with workouts that take them to the upper edge of their ability. Like Brett's, my philosophy is that your biggest competitor is yourself. I will never ask the impossible. But I will come close. The ones who answer with courage and self-belief instead of fear and doubt are the ones who realize their dreams.
p 184
December 31, 2019
This was given to me from a good friend who was once a competive dualathon American champion athlete and fast short distance runner. As a fellow marathoner, triathlete and high performer with relentless heart, I could easily relate to Siri's story and relationships. I echo the synopsis that it's never too late to rewrite our stories, vision the life we want and transform our lives! Never easy, always worth it and Siri delivers this message in a personal biography of sorts.
July 9, 2021
Almost motivated me to start training for triathlon! The unfurling of Siri's story is truly masterful.
Encompassed with never ending support, Siri still shows that the battling the demons in your mind is the hardest hurdle you need to conquer.
Personally, it blows my mind how we all have our own demons to battle. You think all these people have their lives sorted and then you read their battles. At any stage Siri could have given up, but she kept on.
Encompassed with never ending support, Siri still shows that the battling the demons in your mind is the hardest hurdle you need to conquer.
Personally, it blows my mind how we all have our own demons to battle. You think all these people have their lives sorted and then you read their battles. At any stage Siri could have given up, but she kept on.
April 30, 2023
I met Siri more than a decade ago when I was working as a correspondent at CBS news in LA. I interviewed her and that was the beginning of our friendship... The courageous, positive firecracker of a woman that I know comes to life on the pages of her book as she describes her incredible fight to becoming a professional triathlete all while trying to discover herself. This book has something for everyone!
March 22, 2017
Such an interesting book. A memoir of a pro athlete, a life so far from mine. A life you imagine to be so glamourous and filled with ego. Yet it is not. It is so far from that. Siri- live big!
August 11, 2018
3.5 Stars
Triathlon fans will likely enjoy Siri Lindley's memoirs, and it was definitely an engaging read for me. I particularly loved the epilogue of the book when she discussed her training philosophy a bit more, and took away some excellent thoughts on the importance of mental strength.
I felt that Siri didn't open up enough in sharing her journey with us at times. Events were sometimes described in a very "matter of fact" way and I really wanted to know more about how she felt or how reacted. She talked about only having one sponsor left and the importance of finishing two races in Japan to fulfill her contract and get paid. When she has to pull out of the second race she didn't circle back to what happened with her sponsor at all.
Overall, if you enjoyed Chrissie Wellington's A Life Without Limits: A World Champion's Journey then I think you'll enjoy this read as well. If you haven't read Wellington's book yet, read that first.
Triathlon fans will likely enjoy Siri Lindley's memoirs, and it was definitely an engaging read for me. I particularly loved the epilogue of the book when she discussed her training philosophy a bit more, and took away some excellent thoughts on the importance of mental strength.
I felt that Siri didn't open up enough in sharing her journey with us at times. Events were sometimes described in a very "matter of fact" way and I really wanted to know more about how she felt or how reacted. She talked about only having one sponsor left and the importance of finishing two races in Japan to fulfill her contract and get paid. When she has to pull out of the second race she didn't circle back to what happened with her sponsor at all.
Overall, if you enjoyed Chrissie Wellington's A Life Without Limits: A World Champion's Journey then I think you'll enjoy this read as well. If you haven't read Wellington's book yet, read that first.
December 21, 2020
This is another great recommendation from The Passion Paradox by Stulberg and Magness. I was curious about what Siri Lindley, a renown triathlete and coach, had to say about transitioning from one passion to another.
Landley's underlying story is captivating and informative. The author is candid about the highs and lows of her journey, which allows the reader to relate at the personal level. Along these lines, the book clearly articulates the transition from one passion to the next and the implicit maturity to ensure success (i.e. the "what"). However, I never got a clear idea of the "how" the transition happened. In the spirit of learning, I wish the author would have provided more details about the thought process to successfully transition from a world champion to an elite coach. I understand there is no one recipe that applies to everyone, but I was hoping to use this book to identify common themes in the process of moving from one passion into another.
Landley's underlying story is captivating and informative. The author is candid about the highs and lows of her journey, which allows the reader to relate at the personal level. Along these lines, the book clearly articulates the transition from one passion to the next and the implicit maturity to ensure success (i.e. the "what"). However, I never got a clear idea of the "how" the transition happened. In the spirit of learning, I wish the author would have provided more details about the thought process to successfully transition from a world champion to an elite coach. I understand there is no one recipe that applies to everyone, but I was hoping to use this book to identify common themes in the process of moving from one passion into another.
November 10, 2016
Triathletes will enjoy this book given Siri's standing as one of the most high profile coaches and her bubbly social media activity. (5 stars for that.)
I have found other memoirs more compelling, inspiring and informing e.g. Chrissy Wellington, but this still was an easy and quick read. I appreciated the author's candor about her background.
I have found other memoirs more compelling, inspiring and informing e.g. Chrissy Wellington, but this still was an easy and quick read. I appreciated the author's candor about her background.
January 23, 2023
This book was sent to me signed, not only have a read it twice now but I am in awe. I am truly inspired by this story 💗
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2017
Light, quick, and full of details about triathlons racing and training.
May 2, 2017
Every athlete will connect to her story! We all have been there and some cannot break through their own demons to win no matter what your level is. She did! Compelling story.
March 30, 2019
A great personal history of a world class female triathlete. It’s hard to find a female voice in this space so Siri’s account of finding her path and place in triathlon was particularly refreshing.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 17 reviews