Sissi Cussot : Running, a life lesson

Read the portrait of Sissi Cussot, a racing enthusiast who is not afraid to achieve the "impossible"! 

Sissi Cussot's Presentation

Can you introduce yourself in a few words ? 

My name is Sylvaine Cussot, I was born in Le Mans in the Sarthe region, but I left the family cocoon as soon as I obtained my BAC to migrate progressively to the sun ;). First, Angers for my 2 years of HEC prep school, then Toulouse to finish my studies at Toulouse Business School and Uzès (in the Gard). I live now and for almost 2 years on the Reunion Island. 

I have been running since I was young, and more particularly trail-running for 10 years. I am lucky to have different partners who support me in this practice and who allow me to live partly from it. I work for a company from Toulouse specialized in the online sale of running/trail/fitness articles (i-Run.fr) which has been supporting me for 10 years now and I am very honored to still be their ambassador! 

Your passion is running, how did you come to make it your profession? 

A passion since I was very young indeed, since I started at the age of 6/7 to take my first athletics license at the age of 10. The transition to sponsorship and high level racing was a bit of a coincidence. It was never a goal for me, nor a dream, nor a desired situation .... even though I am very fulfilled there today! 😊.

I left my first job as a recruitment officer in an IT engineering company in 2012, following a move (from Toulouse to the Gard), and I had this opportunity to join the company i-Run who trusted me by offering me a sports partnership contract. A telecommuting position, more time to devote to my passion for trail running, a few results that attracted other partners, and the virtuous circle was set up without even realizing it! 😊.

Today, I'm lucky enough to make a living from my sport, and to also have an employee position at i-Run, which allows me to mix passion and work! 

Your second passion is studies, why did you choose TBS Education and what did it bring you? 

I don't think I'm particularly passionate about studies, but I've always been very studious and it was important for me, when I was in pre-preparatory classes, to make sure that sport didn't come first.

I wanted to follow these two years of preparatory classes in order to choose the business school that attracted me the most!

TBS was one of the schools I had targeted, and these years spent in this establishment brought me a lot. 

First of all, I discovered a beautiful and rich city, Toulouse, then I made enriching human encounters by investing myself in the association (BDE), and of course, I had access to fascinating trainings which opened me to different branches and allowed me to choose the profession which corresponded to me the best. 

We know that running, like any high level sport, requires a certain amount of mental strength, what has running taught you and how do you use it on a daily basis? 

Before mental strength, there is physical strength, and I believe that when you want to progress, and especially to take pleasure in an activity, you have to prepare yourself properly.

This requires regularity in practice. As in many fields, no matter how well prepared you are, sometimes you fail.

Sport also teaches us to accept failure, to understand it, to "understand ourselves", and to know how to constantly question ourselves to try to improve. Not to give up at the first difficulty, to show perseverance and abnegation... 

And then in trail-running, you are confronted with natural elements: cold, night, mountain, altitude... we don't master everything and we learn to stay humble in front of all that! We also have to face many unexpected events and this management teaches us a lot about ourselves. 

Surpassing ourselves, pushing our limits, moving forward, getting back up, rolling up our sleeves, gritting our teeth in pain, ... so many things that sport allows us to put into practice and that can be useful in everyday life! 😊.

Do you have a personal story to tell us that could inspire/motivate our readers?

I would have plenty, because I believe you grow through experience and like I said right before, you learn from your mistakes, so even my own anecdotes can motivate me! 😊.

And then, the flip side of the coin, the good times experienced can serve as examples for the next ones! So you always have to move forward with what happened behind.

The one I'm about to tell you proves that you should never give up and that nothing is lost in advance! 😊

It was on a 40km trail in the Jura, I take the lead with a small group of guys.

We miss a fork in the road and go in the wrong direction without realizing it right away.

At the end, when we get back on the right course, we find ourselves at the back of the pack, last in the race! That makes us laugh a little yellow, but we relativize, and we cling to continue in spite of the annoyance of this misadventure.

We go up, we go up, it is motivating! And to my great surprise, I manage to take my place of the departure and to cross the line of arrival in winner! (with some kilometers more! ahah) 

Do you have a role model or a mantra?

Smile at life and life will smile at you!!! 😊

What is your next challenge?

At the time I should have answered this interview, it was the Diagonale des Fous in Reunion Island ... 😉 but as I was late, it's already passed and this challenge is done!

What's next? The Saintélyon, a 78Km race that starts from Saint-Étienne at midnight, crosses the Monts Lyonnais to finish at the Hall Tony Garnier in Lyon! It will take place in early December and it will be my 9th participation! 😊

And finally, do you have any last words for our readers? 

Get it out of your head that you are not capable of... we are all capable of great things when we give ourselves the means! 😊

⬇️ Discover Sissi's adventures ⬇️

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