"I’m going to take a nice long break" - When Allyson Felix opened up about her final race and future plans

Allyson Felix recently retired as one of the most decorated runners of all time. Having begun at a very young age, Felix dominated the track for the United States for nearly two decades.

Felix, who debuted at the 2003 US National Championships, made her first Olympic appearance in 2004 in Athens.

The runner hung up her boots after capping her incredible and iconic career with a bronze medal at the World Athletics Championships in July. Despite quitting, Allyson Felix is far from done.

The decorated track athlete has revealed that she will continue to contribute to the sport in her post-retirement life. She even held a street race in Los Angeles to celebrate her retirement and advocate for women, only weeks after she quit.

Allyson Felix on her final race

Allyson Felix celebrated a stunning 20-year competitive career by hosting another race on the open streets of LA. The five-time Olympian ran at ‘The Race for Change’, organized by sports brand Athleta.

Having completed her final race in the city where she grew up, Felix said that she had a to-do list to go through now that she is officially retired from the sport.

Speaking about the race, Felix said that she aims to be remembered even after her retirement. The athlete stated that she is proud of her long and illustrious career.

She added that she wanted to continue working for fellow women athletes. Felix also recalled her relationship with LA and added that holding the last race there gave her “closure”.

Opening up about the street race and her future plans for Elle magazine, Allyson Felix said:

“I want to be remembered as a fierce competitor. But what I’m most proud of when I look back at my career is helping secure maternal protections for female athletes who decide to start families during their careers…

Legacy has been on my mind ever since I crossed the finish line of my last ever 100-meter dash in Los Angeles a couple weeks ago. It felt full-circle, because I grew up in LA, and it’s where I competed in my first track meet. Being back in my hometown to run my last race gave me closure, in a way.”

Felix went on to add that she was “ready to transition into the next chapter” of her life post the race. She recalled her final season and said she was grateful for her achievements.

The athlete added:

“The whole season leading up to the final race was really emotional. When I first came into the sport, I was so passionate about winning. The performance of it all motivated me. But as I got older, my priorities shifted. I started to realize the power of my platform. While that happened, my relationship to running also changed. My career became more about what I could do off the track.”

Explaining her plans for the future, Felix said that she was going to take a “nice long break”. She said:

“Now that I’ve run my last race, I can’t help but think about my future relationship to the sport. Training to perform and training to be healthy are two very different things.

It’s going to take some time to let that sink in, because my life was about winning for so long. Right now, I’m looking forward to doing pilates and yoga and other exercises I haven’t had time for. I obviously love to run, and I hope it continues to be a part of my daily routine. But for now, I’m going to take a nice long break.”

It is pertinent to note that Allyson Felix was not focused on setting records or earning more medals in her final season. Despite extending her medal tally, she was more interested in working off the track for her fellow athletes. She claimed to soak in the joy of running while working for mothers in the sports industry.