Myriam Saugy: studies and elite sport

After graduating with a degree in political science, Myriam Saugy spent a number of years in a commercial role in a multinational company. This did not satisfy her completely, so she decided to go back to university to retrain as a teacher. At the same time as returning to university, she kept her part-time job and took up mountain bike racing. She eventually obtained a certificate in history and a Master's degree in geography, while achieving 5th place at national level in the mountain bike marathon, placing her among the top 10 to 15 athletes in the world in this discipline.

For Myriam Saugy, motivation is one of the keys to her academic and sporting success. The desire to learn and the fact that she had a real objective made it easier for her to return to university. She felt a big difference from younger students in this respect. What's more, the financial pressure of her choice was another form of motivation. Under these conditions, you can't fail! She was also motivated to combine her studies, job and high-level competition, even though she admits that she has benefited from an organisation that is particularly well suited to her work. Despite all this, managing the time between classes and sport was often an acrobatic task: regular training sessions, weekend races, the most important of which often fell during exam sessions, preparatory camps at revision time... These different demands had to be dealt with on a day-to-day basis. "When I started competing, I let myself be carried away by my passion and I didn't think about all the difficulties. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't have done it..." says Myriam Saugy. And yet she came through most of the time. Only once, when she had an accident during a race in the middle of an exam session, did she realise that she had stretched the rope too far. Imagination, finally, to find ways of financing her passion; she has to pay part of the costs, especially when taking part in international competitions. It's not easy when you're already struggling to make ends meet between a salary, a loan, a grant and a little help from your parents. Myriam Saugy has had to give up her holidays, but it doesn't matter: she travels thanks to her sport!

Having reached the end of her university career, Myriam Saugy took a skills assessment. She realised that teaching, for which she was destined, was not really for her. With a strong attachment to nature and sport, she decided to devote the next two years to her sporting career. So she's getting ready to change jobs: a sponsor has offered her an administrative position that will allow her to put competition at the top of her priorities. In the medium term, when she feels ready to invest herself more professionally, she could see herself as a product manager or marketing manager in the field of cycling or outdoor activities. In this very closed environment, where everything is based on networking, her contacts are a real asset. She is already preparing the ground by putting her training as a geographer to work on related projects, such as the creation of mountain bike trails.

Myriam Saugy's advice to students who, like her, are devoting themselves wholeheartedly to a passion outside their studies? Don't give up! Of course, you have to be highly motivated to overcome the obstacles. But if the motivation is there, anything is possible! "People are open-minded, and there's always a way of discussing things and finding solutions to suit an atypical career path. Some teachers, for example, have rescheduled my exams so that I could take part in an important race... And then, whether you're a sportsperson, an artist or something else, it's also good to do something else. It can help you stay motivated or get motivated again!