“In her book Across the Line, Sue Reynolds dares to ask a bold question: What would happen if an ordinary age-group athlete in her seventies trained with Olympic coaches? The answer takes her on an extraordinary path filled with breakthroughs, setbacks, and powerful lessons in resilience, grit, and self-discovery. Candid, funny, and deeply inspiring, Across the Line is more than a story about sport. It’s a story about daring to dream bigger, finding strength in unexpected places, and stepping into the question, “Why not me?” Dive into Sue’s journey to explore what elite coaching taught her about life and sport, and discover how her story can inspire all of us, no matter our age or starting point.” —Rich Soares, triathlon coach, Grit2Great Endurance Podcast
“Across the Line shows that you can’t extract the athlete from the history they bring into the coach-athlete relationship…The book explores what happens when the same mental models that make her so incredibly capable blind her—and, more importantly, her coaches as well—to a dangerous level of exhaustion. The book reads like a memoir but also a method. Sue lays out a model of high performance that may be equally applicable to any athlete in any sport, and to anyone striving for excellence in the parts of life worth everything—being a parent, teacher, or coach.” —Maarten Bout, Age Group World Silver and Bronze Medalist, 8x National Champion, 2022 Triathlete of the Year
“Across the Line describes how Sue Reynolds stepped up to another level of training, learning how to balance multiple workouts with proper recovery and how to run by feel…[It is] an important book for coaches, athletes, and high performers in any field to read as it explores the fine line between pushing hard and pushing too hard…A lovely valuable book.” —Bobby McGee, elite running coach and former run consultation for triathlon Olympic goal medalists Flora Duffy and Gwen Jorgensen
“Sue brings the same enthusiasm, honesty, and work ethic to her book as to her training. Across the Line brings a really insightful piece of storytelling to life…I loved reading Across the Line—it has so many fascinating aspects lying within.” — Darren “Daz” Smith, elite triathlon coach and former coach of professional triathletes Lisa Norden, Sarah True, Anne Haug, Vicky Holland, and Daniela Ryf
“Across the Line is an exposé of the benefits and potential consequences of employing the ‘whatever it takes’ mentality to train and compete as is promoted in the world of elite athlete development. Sue Reynolds recounts in this book her courageous and harrowing journey into and through the high moments and darkness that can befall an athlete pursuing mastery at their craft.” —Jeff Troesch, internationally recognized sports performance consultant
“Across the Line is the honest version of a story most people romanticize. Sue set out to maximize her potential and surround herself with the best resources she could find, then learned the path was riskier and far less clear than she expected. What makes the book matter is everything she picked up along the way. I coached Sue through part of that journey, and I still came away with a deeper respect for the courage it takes to keep going when the map runs out. Essential reading for any athlete or coach chasing their limit.” –Jim Vance, coach to Ben Kanute (2 × 70.3 World Championship silver medalist); author of Triathlon 2.0 and Run with Power
“One of Sue’s favorite quotes is ‘Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.’ from T. S. Eliot. Across the Line is about taking that risk and seeing what is possible…[It’s] not just a triathlon story…but a dive into elite-level performance and insight into the minds and methods of some of the best coaches in the world. [Across the Line is] an experiment and opportunity to learn, improve and strive for the very best, with skills and understanding that translate to business and life.” —Laura “Sid” Siddall, professional triathlete, triathlon coach, and 6-time iron-distance triathlon winner
“Sue Reynolds lost over 150 pounds, took up triathlon in her sixties, and became a world champion…She wanted to answer a question most age-group athletes never dare ask seriously: what would happen if an ordinary amateur trained with the same expectations, the same daily habits, and the same meticulous standards as an Olympic-level athlete? That question took her to the World Triathlon Championships in Pontevedra in 2023, where she led the swim—alone, three minutes clear, asking an official which way to run because she had never been at the front before. It eventually took her somewhere she hadn’t planned to go at all. Her new book, Across the Line, covers all of it.” —Simon Ward, tutor and coach educator, British Triathlon High Performing Coach Programme, and host, Be Battle Ready Podcast
“Across the Line is a must read for anyone who shares a passion for the process of success and pushing yourself to the limits…This book is relatable for coaches and athletes…a must read for every triathlete!” —Todd Shellenberger, USA Triathlon certified coach and two-time Ironman World Championships qualifier
Explore Across the Line
In Across the Line, Sue Reynolds shares a story-driven case study of her transformation into a world champion triathlete.
Reynolds gained fame for losing 200 pounds after taking up triathlon at age 65. In this sequel to her debut bestseller, Reynolds shares her single-minded pursuit of performance, revealing Olympic-level training methods, elite coaching techniques, Overtraining Syndrome, and the dark side of personal ambition.
How good can you be? How hard can you push? Across the Line reveals truths about human limits and shares lessons on balancing joy and the pursuit of excellence.