Shannon Simmons just won the national championship in women's pole vault for the 50 to 54-year-old Masters division.

She took 20 years off from the sport. Came back two and a half years ago. And won.

But this conversation isn't really about pole vaulting. It's about what happens when you come back to something you thought was behind you. What it takes. What it makes possible. And why the thing you put down might still be waiting for you.

Shannon is one of my clients and one of my Ohio people — and I was lucky enough to be on the track with her and her daughter the weekend before nationals. I photographed them together. Her daughter is now learning to pole vault. Shannon looked at the photos and cried because she could see her daughter looking at her in a way she doesn't get to see on the day-to-day.

3 Things You’ll Take Away:

1. Your past is a blueprint, not a dead end. The skills, discipline, and depth you built doing one thing — pole vaulting, parenting, building a business — are transferable to everything else. Shannon calls it the blueprint. This conversation shows you exactly what that looks like in practice.
2. Being in a different place than everyone else doesn't mean you're behind. Sometimes you're just doing something different. Or ahead. This episode has a Tour de France metaphor that will reframe how you see your own path.
3. Coming back to something you loved is its own kind of winning. Shannon didn't pick up a new sport. She came back to the one that lit her up — and it became the thread that pulled everything else together. Her kids, her marriage, her identity. One reclaimed passion. Everything else followed.

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✨ Want support coming back to something — or figuring out what's next?

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About Shannon Simmons:

Shannon Simmons holds a Master's degree in Christian Ministry and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Ministry Leadership. She serves as the Director of Grace College in Akron, where she is passionate about equipping others for leadership and ministry. Her background also includes degrees in nutrition and massage therapy — a reflection of her love for whole-person health and wellness.

When she's not working or studying, you'll find her outdoors hiking or boating. She is a National Champion in Masters Track and Field in the pole vault. And above all, she cherishes her husband, their two children, and the joy of living in the woods of Hinckley, Ohio.

About Robyn Ivy

Robyn Ivy sees people for a living. A trusted mentor, intuitive, and fierce advocate for a creative life, she spent over 20 years as a commercial photographer — honing her powerful skills as a witness.

She guides clients 1:1 through transitions, deep growth, and meaningful change. Her workshops, groups, and programs give you the insights and practices to live more confidently, creatively, and from your truest wisdom.

You'll often find her traveling in a camper van, sitting with the trees, or capturing the beauty of nature. Raising her now-grown sons Rook and Cole has been the greatest joy of her life.