PROFILE Tracey Clissold

Without a doubt, Tracey Clissold would have covered more kilometres in 26 years, than most people do in a lifetime. The only daughter of Ted and Alli Clissold, Tracey is synonymous with multisport in this area and a classic example of what grit, determination and a positive attitude can achieve. Tracey was educated at Wainui, Ilminster and Girls' High and completed a Physical Education degree at Otago where her interest in distance running evolved. Following university Tracey headed overseas to London where she ran 2 gyms, one for body builders and the other a womens only in a ritzy area where broken fingernails were the ultimate worry for clients! She returned home via Bali, totally broke, and within 2 months had purchased the Gisborne City Gym in partnership with Leana Moleta. Tracey enjoys triathlons, but not the swimming component. The monotony of swimming training looking at the bottom of a pool comes a poor second to the freedom of running. For this she relaxes, switching into automatic pilot and thinking about other things concerning her at the time. Never one to pull out, Tracey has come dangerously close to disaster as she had one thought in mind - to finish, in spite of the agony and possible damage to the body. The mountains to sea race was an example of competing at less than 100%. She had suffered from the 'flu the week before and this race took so much out of her, she took months to recover. It seems unbelievable that a fitness freak like Tracey who lectures at Sport Eastland on nutrition, has no special diet. Her "absolutely favourite food" is a banana, saltana and peanut butter sandwich and she eats anything. She approaches reading in much the same way, reading anything in her path until it is finished. Consequently she tries not to read. One can only wonder where she would find the time! Tracey is now in Africa, leaving Mid City Gym in the capable hands of Leana Aaron and Andrew. She went hoping to find direction in her sport and career. She enjoys teaching and lecturing and may end up in research which she has been trained to do and is not using. She intends climbing Mt Kilimanjaro (6000m -Kaiti Hill 150m) during her 4 months there and working in England for a few months before returning through Thailand and Malaysia. Just to keep her hand in, a climbathon up steps in Malaysia to a height of 9 kms, is pretty tempting. Home grown talent such as Tracey Clissold put Gisborne on the map in a sport whose popularity seems to have grown in leaps & bounds over the past few years. She is an outstanding athlete, intelligent, articulate and clever in business. Her great sense of humour and enjoyment of life comes across making Tracey an interesting personality as well as a champion.

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Tracey Clissold and Leana Moleta of Mid City Gym