For All Your Goals, There is a Method" -Jamie Armstrong, Owner of Method Personal Training

What makes Jamie Armstrong so unique?

It takes about five minutes with Jamie Armstrong to understand why he is one of the most sought-after personal trainers on the North Shore.

“What fires me up is helping people to achieve the greatness within themselves,” he says. “When people leave my gym feeling fantastic, I’ve done my job.”

His enthusiasm for health and fitness is legendary. He opened his gym, Method, at 21st and Marine Drive in Ambleside four years ago, which offers popular indoor cycling classes and personal training. The gym has grown steadily since it opened its doors, entirely because of impressed participants, who come from as far as Kitsilano.

“There is nothing like this anywhere on the West Side,” the gentleman beside me panted between hill-climbs during my last class. “For me, it’s worth the commute.”

The first time I walked into Method, I was struck by how hard everyone was working, both the trainers and the people in the class. The second thing I noticed was the positive energy in the room, the shouts of encouragement and high fives that abounded. This is a place where fitness goals are realized.

Jamie comes by his passion honestly, and precisely. He remembers the exact moment he decided to dedicate his life, both professionally and recreationally to athletics and wellness.

“I was in grade one, and my teacher put me in a race for kids in grade three. I remember the huge feeling of accomplishment I felt when I returned to the classroom, and I thought to myself, ‘this is what I am supposed to do.’ I haven’t stopped running since.”

He is not exaggerating. Despite having a three year-old and a baby on the way, Jamie’s personal athletic goals loom large. This year, he plans to compete in the Hawaii 70.3 Ironman, followed by the Schwalbe Tour Transalp, a seven-day road biking stage race through the Pyrenees.

People might find it hard to prepare for one of these races, not to mention two of them back to back, while working full-time with a young family, but that doesn’t faze him.

“I’m not going to win, but my personality is to race as hard as I can. I’m not a big excuse guy, it is what it is. Sure, I’d like to have all day to prepare for these races, but when I got married and started a family, my life really started.”

His resumé of races is as varied as it is elaborate, and you quickly get a sense that Jamie is willing to try anything. Amongst others, he has completed the 36 mile Run to the Sun up Haleakala, an ultra-marathon that sends runners from sea level up to the summit of the Hawaiian volcano at 10,000 feet; and a 5 day stage race running through the Sahara Desert with his wife, Sharon.

While most of us struggle to simply keep fit, Jamie dreams of one day completing the Canadian Death Race, a 125 km ultra-marathon in the Rockies, as well as the Ironman Triathlon in Kona.

Completing such awe-inspiring feats takes more than just a lot of training – it also takes careful consideration of nutrition, and not just on race day (or week, as the case may be). Jamie is sponsored by Flora, the distributor of Udo’s Oil, amongst other nutritional supplements. Aside from a healthy diet and attention to hydration, Jamie uses a host of Flora’s products, such as Floravit and Beyond Greens, and his personal favorite, Udo’s Oil, a unique blend of omega 3,6, and 9 essential fatty acids that is popular amongst athletes.

“The overall effect has been really positive,” he says. “I enjoy finding ways (naturally) that I can improve my health and performance and it feels like I am doing both with the Flora products.”

In speaking to other athletes who rave about Flora, this is just the beginning of the positive changes their products make. Speeding recovery, reducing inflammation, and improved sleep are as vital to an endurance athlete as their steely desire to push themselves harder and longer. Considering his athletic endeavors, Jamie can use any help he can find along his path to success.

So why not stick to a regular race schedule of 10K’s, with perhaps a few marathons thrown in for good measure? What motivates Jamie to enter these extreme races? “When someone says I can’t do something, I make it a point to do it.” Aside from the camaraderie and challenges these races present, he relishes the opportunity to push his own personal limits.

So don’t tell Jamie Armstrong he can’t do something. He’s liable to turn around and do it.

By Deanna Wigmore http://www.motherstonic.com/

Training Decisions

Decisions. We all make them. For better or worse, we are constantly faced with situational dilemmas, directional options, moral quandaries, self-compromising considerations or self-propelling invitations. The array of decisions we make on a daily basis is endless and when attentive and aware any outcome is a good one. Either our decision was the best option all around (for you and anyone else affected by the decision) or facilitated an impactful lesson, which will be of benefit when similar circumstances arise in the future.

Ironically, an unplanned detour is often staged along our perfected paved road with massive unavoidable “caution” signs flogging the sidewalks. Congestion and road rage often ensue even though we’re not the one in control. Frustration, anger and denial fuels more internal angst. Surrendering to fate is a lofty deposition even though we know it is the enlightened reaction. With perspective, we may decide to chill out and accept that what will be will be, no shame, no guilt, and no attachment, just acceptance. No matter how disastrous the detour, the decision to let go for most of us becomes an attractive option. If you are feeling perplexed by reading this, you are enlightened and the rest of us are envious.

As athletes, we are driven to succeed at our sport. We are notoriously focused on gaining fitness, speed and endurance with every workout. We gain inspiration from the droves of athletes that surround us in our athletic circles to keep going strong. The decisions we face in training are seemingly simple to the armchair observer that sleeps when tired, eats when hungry, and moves as the earth rotates. But, in reality, highly functioning athletes frequently encounter mentally challenging complex puzzles to assemble thanks to the gravity placed on the potential outcome. If the said athlete is beyond the scope of reason, the making of a sound decision may warrant a third party mentor or coach to step in with perspective. If you can relate, you are not alone.

As the tulips bloom so does the specificity of my own training sessions. Without coincidence, so does the complexion of decisions I am faced with as it relates to training despite having a very solid program and long-term performance goals. Do I swap a glorious spring ski day with friends for a solo 4-hour bike ride with gloves and booties? Do I stay in Friday night resting for the big weekend ahead? Or do I keep my open-minded mentality and train with 100% given my time, energy, recovery and goals without constraints, rules or rigid ideals?

This train of thought led me to wonder why so many goal-driven and highly inspired athletes find themselves in a predicament when their training feels threatened and their goals appear in jeopardy. The reasons are many. The rational is rare. Here is only a handful of what I come up with. Please add.

· Predicament #1: Programs. Most of us follow a pre-determined training scheduled as prescribed by a certified coach. Decisions become complicated when we fail to recognize that a program is only a guide. It can always be (and should be) adjusted according to our recovery and motivation levels without guilt or fear.

· Predicament #2: Recovery. The inability to recover from workouts is often difficult to accept. If fatigue and stress progressively build, a forced rest is no longer option. Being decisive about necessary rest is often beneficial in the long run in contrast to unplanned and longer-term rest. The decision was made for you.

· Predicament #3. Injury. Injury interrupts the prescribed training schedule. At some point, a decision was made to keep pushing through the discomfort, telling ourselves it will pass, my physio will fix it, I’ll ice it down after the session, nothing stops us. Injury plays havoc on an athlete ridden with drive and the unwillingness to stop training. Again, the decision to push an overuse injury only presents one possible outcome: ceased training until the injury is healed. Why didn’t we stop when it hurt?

· Predicament #4: Trust. The lack of trust in our training seems to pose interesting decisions for athletes. For example: Should I add time to this ride, run or swim? Should I push harder in this set? Should I be doing as much as my training partners? Should I take a day off? If there was a plan in place for the workout, we love to change it for our ego not our fitness.

· Predicament #5: Peer Pressure. Training in a group fires a multitude of decisions. Route? Intensity? Workout sequence? Individual goals are often lost in the heat of a group workout. How does one always make the best decision in light of their goals without compromising the greater community good?

· Predicament #6: Nutrition. With energy output comes nutritional considerations in hopes of fueling the body with clean and nutritionally dense foods. Typically, the more active you are the more motivated you are to put healthy fuel in your tank. Decisions and options are many.

Any athlete remotely interested in perfecting their sport intends to make sound decisions that will reap speed and power. A conundrum is encountered when egos could be wounded, peer pressure seeps in and blinders cloud a vision forcing poor self-sabotaging outcomes.

Personally I am inspired by athletes achieving greatness in sport thanks to learning what works for their own bodies and recovery cycles. Some athletes may need 30 hours per week, some may need 10 but both perform to their potential. Check out this Triathlon Magazine on Sami Inkinen as proof of individualism and awareness: http://www.purplepatchfitness.com/education/articles/sami-inkinen-natural

This article is simply an attempt to inject perspective into decision-making and relieve everyone, including myself (especially myself), of the self-inflicted complexities of training decisions. When encountered with a training decision, I have always benefited with doing one of two things: 1) Call my coach, Jasper Blake, to discuss my options. Without fail, he sheds light and encourages the best decision. 2) Consider the big picture in sport and my long term plans. I ask myself, “Will missing this one run really affect my performance? Unlikely. Will training on my scheduled rest day help me be stronger for tomorrow? Unlikely. Will my friends, family and training partners think less of me if I sleep in today? Unlikely.”

Training decisions have been popping up in my little life since running around my neighborhood block in Keds™. My only hope and resounding intention is to become more proactive in the process instead of the other way around. The outcome is far more empowering when I make the decision instead of something somewhere with much greater power and no options to negotiate steps in.

Simplify the decision making process by reflecting on your long term goals and toss in heaps of perspective, chances are the answers become crystal clear coupled with heightened motivation and confidence.

Christine

Mount Washington Loppet 30 km - March 31st, 2012

As I scampered to seed myself with two minutes to spare before the start of the Mount Washington Skate Ski Loppet, I spot Silken Laumann. She was dressed in a bright pink technical jersey with a floral beanie. Her vibrant smiled glowed and her athletic build towered over her peers. Although geared up in cross-country equipment, she was not participating but rather cheering on the competitors and celebrating in the festivities. Having followed Silken’s Olympic career as a 3-time Olympic medalist including her 1992 Bronze medal when she inspired the world with courage, perseverance and hope after overcoming a devastating leg injury just 10 weeks prior to the Barcelona Games. This accomplishment was realized despite being told by doctors she would never row again.

Silken and I exchanged an enthusiastic greeting as though we were long time friends. Although I kept my cool, I was star struck and jittery with awe. Gratefully, this interaction injected more positive energy and focus prior to an event that was now starting in 30 seconds.

More inspiration came from one of Method’s personal trainers, Ashley Holden, who joined me on a girl’s athletic adventure and to offer moral support. Ready with her vocal cords, spirit and camera, Ashley was taking in the excitement of the race as well as making her own way through the trails once the racers would be long gone for the 30 kilometer loop. It was not lost of me that Ashley’s precious Saturday (normally her long ride day in preparation for the Kona Honu Half Ironman in June and Ironman Canada in August) was sacrificed to join me for this race get-away. Since we never stopped chatting, laughing, eating, moving and dreaming up our next “big idea”, it’s fair to say we both lucked out on a great time away from the regular routine.

This would be my third Loppet of the season and I was quietly confident in my ability to execute a strong race. For the past two weeks prior to the event, my body was firing on all cylinders. I felt recovered and energized with significant depth in my engine. What a difference this was to sensations I felt in late February and early March. Life seemed busy then and lingering fatigue had a strangle hold on my energy. Nothing feels worse. Mid-March, I made a conscious effort to increase my Omega 3, 6 and 9’s (Udo’s Oil), Vitamin D, Iron (Floradix) and Greens along with extra sleep and less commitments. Over time, the internal fog cleared and a new found skip in my step returned.

The start of a loppet is not dissimilar to a stamped of Bambi’s slipping on a skating rink using the herringbone technique. Occasionally, skiers will collide, trample, slip, lock gear and ultimately swear. It’s much like a mass swim start except more oxygen and a hard landing. Typically a steep hill separates the field from the front, mid and back of the packers. The Mount Washington race organizers planned it well and planted a steep ascent within the first 500 meters. This gave me a chance to find a rhythm and position myself with others equally matched in speed and fitness.

The course was unforgiving for the entire 30 kilometers. The first half offered up long false flats, extended climbs and one nasty hairpin turn. Small packs of skiers formed, working nicely together for the first 10 kilometers. I found myself with a few solid yet somewhat sketchy skiers offering less assistance than interference. I made a conscious decision to slowly pull ahead in search of an uncomfortably maintainable pace. The race course lapped back through the staging venue before jutting out to the Lake Approach loop. The terrain became far more undulating, curvy and technical within beautiful tree lined pathways and hidden turns. My mind was sharp, my lungs were pumping and my legs were burning. I was in the zone with almost no one in sight and no sounds behind me. It was only the last five to seven kilometers when my gas tank started to dwindle. As luck would have it, the universe planted a jackrabbit 500 meters ahead to chase. It was evident that he was losing steam since I gained a few extra meters with each climb. It pushed me that little bit extra until we finally exchanged positions and saluted our relative efforts. I never did thank him but hope someone returns the favor on his next race.

Without mile markers to indicate distance, it was only my internal clock and experience guessing at how much of the race remained. Finally signs for Raven’s Lodge appeared and race markers lined the snow. The sweet sound of crowds and cheering became louder and louder. And whom do I spot but Silken Laumann, standing on the sidelines yelping at me to “go go, great job”, smiling from ear to ear in support of all the racers. Albeit far from the Olympic Games, it was disbelieving to have Silken cheering for me under any conditions!

The course took us up a short climb before a sharp turn to the finish line. It was during this section that I found my thoughts drift to Ashley, wondering if she was still out gliding the trails or bored to tears in anticipation of my arrival. She was neither. Instead there she was at the finish, as she said she would be, celebrating my arrival as the first female finisher. Her expression read like a book as I predicted she would soon be taking up the sport of skate skiing with gusto.

Once my post-race cough wore off and the excitement of a hard effort, us girls piled into our car heading to the Ferry terminal. Once parked in our designated lane for the 3:00 p.m. sailing bound for Horseshoe Bay, the two of us yanked on our New Balance Minimus Zero runners and headed out for a short run along the Nanaimo marina. We were out, back and flushed just in time to start the engine and rolled onto the boat.

Post-race - Ashley & Christine on the Ferry!

Two bonus observations came up during and after the race. Jasper Blake, my coach and confidante, pointed out the first observation as we debriefed post-race: pebbles are in fact being tossed into my pitcher (reference: “The Crow and The Pitcher”) and slowly but surely, my strength is building and finally surfacing (as witnessed at this race). The second bonus observation was thanks to Jamie’s incredible cycling sessions when he asks us for a tempo effort followed by a challenging yet slightly under tempo effort. I liken this type of drill to that of maintaining momentum after cresting a tough hill climb. This is a true test of fitness, endurance and ability to recover from huge efforts. As I crested each Mount Washington hill, I felt gratitude for all the times Jamie pushed us a little further.

For anyone considering the sport of skate skiing, let me encourage you to test it out. The action has tremendous cross over to running, cycling and swimming as well as being the highest aerobic activity option on the planet. Nothing compares to gliding along the snow using powerful strokes and a strong rhythm. The undulation of the trails, the speed of the descents and the surround nature encompasses the sport of skiing. All your senses will be tested and hopefully set your stage for a fulfilling summer of sport and success.

Christine

Race results:

http://strathconanordics.com/loppet/

"Our mental strength is where our potential lies. How do we use our imagination to create our future?"
~ Silken Laumann

Core Running = New Balance

I was 15 years old when I went for my first “real” run. I wore bulky, over produced Etonic running shoes. They had white soles, white leather detailing and very white thick nerdy laces. Anyone watching me jog by would think I was wearing marshmallows for shoes. I progressed to a Nike runner with pronounced arch support and a thick sole weighing in well over 14 ounces. For years, I shopped at La Boutique Courier and Boutique Endurance in Montreal and ran my first 5km, 10km and marathons with products from these “purist” running shops. All the well-meaning and seasoned sales staff advised me that with my flat feet and Morton’s Toe, my shoe options would be limited to the “stability, control, support” shelf. This advice was gospel to my eager and believing ears.

Over the next 15 years, I went on to invest in every running shoe on the market using those descriptive features and benefits– stability, support, control. To this day, my shoe closet has 10 runners for every one sexy pump or knee-high boot. My collection has, however, evolved to include a range of lighter weight stability shoes, trail runners, adventure racers, racing flats and most recently, two pairs of New Balance Minimus Shoes: the Minimus Zero and Minimus Trail.

Minimus Zero

Minimus Trail

Sports medicine practitioners, kinesiologists, exercise physiologists, human performance experts, running coaches, running bloggers, as well as weekend running warriors have heavily debated the subject of traditional vs minimal shoes. In simplistic terms, findings prove that a less corrective shoe and a progressive training protocol will produce biomechanically efficiency, improved neuromuscular control, reduced injury and ultimately improved economy and performance. However (and this is a very important however), the key to owning these running attributes is in the progression to becoming a minimalist shoe runner. Umpteen running protocols exist to guide newbies in their new slipper-like runners. And speaking from experience, I would highly advise seeking advice from a knowledgeable running professional and strictly abiding by the pre-determined rate of advancement.

In my case, an expert sought me out. Curb Ivanic, founder of CoreRunning.com read my blog reporting on my running “come back” after a 6-month injury influenced hiatus. Curb coins himself a running nerd with serious credentials and qualifications to back up his passion and expertise. His CoreRunning.com business seeks to help anyone that wants to improve his or her run performance. While his protocol with every athlete is based on developing a strong foundation (fundamental movement skills) before moving into the fitness aspect (endurance, strength, power, balance, coordination) and technical skills (biomechanics and economy), Curb customizes his approach to every individual once they have undergone an assessments, gait analysis and muscle testing under his watchful eye.

After reading about the severity of my injury and my slow journey back to unihibited running, Curb suggested he might be able to help. Following run specific tests, a thorough gait and form analysis, mobility testing, muscle balance assessment and some in depth discussion about my run history, Curb summed up his findings and how we could unleash some run potential with a healthy and progressive approach. In less than one week, we met again to review a customized strength and mobility program as well as the “Interval I” 8-week running protocol using a minimal running shoe. Here is the protocol: http://www.therunningclinic.ca/medias/pdf/interval-program-i-2.pdf

Curb, being an avid proponent of going back to the basics, believes that we can re-teach our neuromuscular pathways, recruit the proper muscles for force application, and develop a natural running gait by developing our fundamental movement patterns, dynamic fitness and sport specific skills using a minimalist shoe. In his view, I was the perfect candidate for success since my running was in fact starting over from square one. Square one felt like a purposeful place to start.

In less than a month and a half, my progress has been nothing short of phenomenal thanks to Curb and my long time coach, Jasper Blake http://www.b78.is/ (also a running guru with a rich running pedigree and minimalist shoe supporter). The strength and mobility program has noticeably improved my muscular recruitment, core stability and gait pattern. The progressive run protocol (in a minimal shoe) is re-training my neuromuscular patterning. Having started with 3 x 1 minute run/1 minute walk and only adding 1 minute each day allows my body, joints, muscles and brain to adapt and absorb the effort. The stress is methodical and progressive with virtually no margin for overuse.

With no need for orthodics, corrective shoes, and an air of lightness in my step, I found myself researching all the minimalist shoes making impact with respected runners. In a few quick days, Hayley McGowan of Method Personal Training introduced me to Jordan Cluff, co-owner of the New Balance Vancouver, Delta and Langley Stores. Jordan was well versed in my athletic career and quest to integrate a minimal shoe into my running program. Following a lengthy discussion on the philosophy and research behind a minimalist approach and the R&D behind the various minimal New Balance shoe options, Jordan had me try on over 6 pairs for feel, fit and function. Without much debate, I was ecstatic to leave the store with two minimalist shoes (the Minimus Zero and the Minimus Trail) ready to start training new running mechanics. Here is a link to a great video clip of Jordan explaining the Minimus Zero shoe. http://www.newbalancevancouver.ca/info/new-balance-minimus/

In my research on New Balance and the evolution of the Minimus shoe, I found this summary to be very helpful: http://www.newbalance.com/performance/running/nb-minimus-zero-9-things-you-should-know/

Without a doubt, nothing feels better than running in a lightweight, airy, freeing and roomy shoe, especially after a holistic approach to training that prepares the body to run. Born To Run by Christopher McDougall is a great read for anyone questioning the possibility of applying a minimalist approach to running. I welcome your experiences with a minimal approach to running and maybe even life.

Off to clean out my running shoe closet…

Happy Strides.

What Is Your Method?

Most evenings, as a ritual to unwind and enter a sleep like state, I take ten minutes and peruse the multisport websites. Typically, Slowtwitch accurately reports on the latest race results and athlete interviews. Once in a blue moon nuggets of insight stick with me. They get filed away in my memory bank only to be retrieved when I need reminders from seasoned athletes or sport historians. This is, after all, highbrow literature only read by the gifted and educated few.

Of late, two articles resonated with me. One was an interview with Brian Lamar, an ITU Pro Triathlete newer on the racing scene. He lives in LA and balances his professional athletic career with a full time teaching career. Victor Plata, an Olympic triathlete and world champion with an outstanding athletic pedigree, coaches Lamar. In the interview, Lamar shares one of Victor’s analogies related to the cumulative effect of methodical training: 

Lamar says, “Victor has a great way putting things in perspective. He has this analogy that he uses when discussing training. He likens training to Aesop’s fable of “The Crow and the Pitcher.” In the fable a thirsty crow comes upon a pitcher that has water at the bottom, beyond its reach. The bird then drops pebbles in the pitcher until the water rises to the point where it is able to drink. Training, he says, is like dropping a pebble into the pitcher: the change is imperceptible. But gradually you are building strength and endurance, and one day you will reach down and the speed you’ve been looking for will be there. This mindset helps take some of the stress off of workouts. If I have an off day or I don’t think I quite nailed it like I’d hoped, he’ll say, “just another pebble in the jar.””

Calm thoughts float in to my mind after reading this analogy. My jar is filling up with pebbles thanks to all the purposeful training sessions invested in rebuilding fitness and athletic confidence since three bolts were screwed in to my right hip last fall after a bone fracture. The fable gives meaning to the regularity and consistency of daily training sessions. It underscores the truth behind the saying that “patience is a virtue.” It breeds gratitude for being able to spend time moving our bodies knowing strength and endurance are the eventual result after repeatedly practicing the movement patterns. And best of all, it makes the rewards from the journey so much sweeter.

The second article deals with the topic of “training as much as possible”. http://www.xtri.com/features/detail/284-itemId.511713556.html  The article mainly speaks to endurance athletes that are training for long distance events such as Ironman races. It highlights the difference between an athlete that can afford the luxury to nap, wear compression socks, seek regular recovery treatments, and follow near perfect fuel habits to an athlete that works full time with 2.5 kids and maxes out at 6 hours of sleep per day. The message in this article speaks volumes since I often find myself in conversation with workout enthusiasts pining for more time to train yet constantly complaining of fatigue and ongoing obligations that impinge on scheduled workouts. As noted by the author, the stresses of life are often more taxing on our bodies than any given training session. The unrelenting combination of the two is a recipe for a mental and physical burnout. Fortunately there is an easy solution.

 

The fable and the training dichotomy highlight answers to questions we athletes are constantly asking ourselves:

“Are we getting stronger, faster, more skilled?”

“Is the consistency of training paying off?”

“Are we recovering from our training sessions?”

“If we sleep in, will my (swim, run, bike) be stronger tomorrow?”

“Are we balancing our training with life responsibilities?”

“Is there a method to our madness?”

If the answer is categorically “yes” then you are in the drivers seat. Keep on steering the ship and go back to the fable analogy for perspective or skip a session if your kids concert ran late.

This leads me to some exciting and recent news. As of last week, I formally partnered with Method Personal Training founded and owned by Jamie Armstrong. Method is a one on one personal training studio in West Vancouver, British Columbia. A small team of dynamic, highly skilled and ultra energized athletic trainers dedicate themselves to bettering the lives of hundreds of clients through personalized fitness protocols. As I witness every time I step foot into the studio, Jamie and his crew are offering unrelenting support and motivation to each and every client aspiring for more health, fitness and strength. The subtle trust and mutual respect perulates evidently  between trainer and client.

For the past two years, I have been a regular participant of their infamous cycling specific sessions and earned the affectionate reputation of “The Girl That Does Back-to-Back Classes.” (No Tattoo). I often turn up after a swim session with plans for a short run or strength workout to follow. I am one of many doing the same thing and as luck would have it, many of us do it together.

Method attracts powerful-corporate-time-efficient executives, stay-at-home-fashion-forward mothers, ultra-fit endurance athletes and one-hour-a-day twice-a-week exercisers. Whatever the persona of those training at Method, one thing is consistent amongst the clients – they are all inspired, believing, committed and methodical in following Jamie’s approach and philosophy. Proudly, I consider myself on the top of that inspired, believing, committed and methodical heap.

The Method Team: Jamie, Arimo, Hayley, Sharon and Ashley have the “X” factor ongoing on. It’s difficult to put a finger on it, but there is a "something unique” factor that exudes from the Method studio. Better yet, everyone wants to be a part of it – group event participation, destination races, 15+ cycling classes per week, Gran Fondo training rides, triathlon camps, sweat for six workouts, one on one sessions, coffee at Crema and everything in-between. Very often it is the in-between that influences highly functioning people to loyally return for huge exertion and energy expenditure, day in day out, year after year.

Speaking from personal experience, Method has been and continues to be a very important ingredient to my training protocol. It contributes hard-wired cycling sessions in a social and structured environment with super skilled trainers overseeing my whereabouts. It gives me a place to join in and share experiences about life, goals, injury and recovery, adventures and new discoveries. Little does he may know, Jamie sheds new insights (aka: little nuggets) every time I show up for a session. He is innately wired to offer precise guidelines that when followed, practiced and embraced breed excellence.  And I want to be excellent, don’t you?

Jamie and I formalized my role as an ambassador for Method after my sharing with him how grateful I was for what his organization has brought to me as a professional athlete thriving in the Method environment. I am very proud to be onboard and share the Method story with as many people as would benefit. Slowly but surely, the vast majority of my active peers are accompanying me for a Method experience. If my consistent attendance encourages others in any small way, the return benefit is far greater than could be expressed.

On the race scene…

The snow continues to fall in the west coast of Canada. Whistler received over 4.5 feet of new snow last week. This climate phenomenon has influenced my training strategies, keeping me off the roads and onto the cross-country trails of Cypress Mountain and Whistler Olympic Park (Callaghan Country). Fortunately, the fitness gains and enjoyment factor share no competitors. As an attempt to fire up my competitive juices, I jumped into the Payak 30km Loppet at Callaghan (Feb 25th) as well as the Sovereign Lakes 30km Loppet (March 10th). Both welcomed top-notch athletes and challenged my ski skills and race fitness. Both factors benefited tremendously from the experiences only to best serve me for one last 30km Loppet on March 31st at Mount Washington, Comox, BC.

After all this skiing, my legs, lungs and mind will be ready to roll when my new Specialized bikes arrived for 2012!

What is your method? If unsure, please join us at Method Personal Training. We will make you excellent.

Christine

2012 Has Arrived.

February is always an uplifting month. The dreary days of January are over, the snow levels are typically quite favorable at Whistler and Cypress Mountain (where I have been known to traverse the high alpine or glide through the cross country) and the majority of our wet west coast days turn sunny. This February, elation meets entirely new dynamic motivation and excitement.

After my surgery on September 13th, 2011 to repair a fractured femoral neck, I went for my first run today. This a major breakthrough considering the snail pace progress over the last 5 months. It went something like...absolutely sedendary to slow movement to gentle yoga to even gentler swimming to indoor cycling to carefully planned strength exercises to monotonous minutes on the elliptical to finally...wait for it...February 8th, 2012 when I was gifted with the freedom of a slow jog outside. While the pace was pedestrian (10 minute / mile) it was a running motion nonetheless. It was outdoors in the fresh air with the birds, sunshine and ocean views.

For the past several months my sole focus has been to heal and recover from a broken hip and the trauma of surgery. Health is a precious gift. Freedom of movement should never be taken for granted. Being an athlete requires a number of essential ingredients of which health and movement are key ingredients. As my body continues to repair itself and embrace its new found freedom to move, my mind must also make subtle adjustments. As I said two posts ago, this adjustment has not been overwhelmingly difficult thanks to a teaspoon of openness and an ounce of willingness to accept, adapt and surrender to the process of healing from an injury and knowing that this too shall pass on its own time. Don’t get me wrong, I am far from self-actualized but I do consider myself coachable, teachable and trainable. I am always ready to absorb any sound guidance if coming from supportive and trusted sources. Thanks to a trusted source, my journey back to health felt positive, enriching and maybe even bordering on enlightening.

This “setback” now coined “opportunity” gave me a chance to reframe my vision as an avid and elite participant in competitive sport. More importantly, it underscored the importance of tuning in closely to any future signs of overcompensation whilst steering clear of all the wonky things we endurance athletes do to get a bit more speed. My injury (after the fact) was not optional and therefore can only be an “opportunity”.  Funny how that works out nicely.

October through to December were very social months. With no early swims and late day runs to rest for, I opted to engage with friends (and Sunice logoed crutches) on the town. Since my body didn’t need to recover from a hard workout, I fueled with alcohol and delicious food. As movement became possible, the allure of the nightlife lost its luster but my attitude remained and still remains relaxed and playful. This attitude is one I plan to hang onto since it seems to be helping my swim times and bike wattage. If I feel energetic one day, I give my gusto. If I am exhausted when my alarm goes off at 5:00 a.m., I roll over. There is an associated sweetness with being true to your self and respecting your inner voice.

Jasper Blake continues to guide my training and coach my mind with openness and unconditional support. Together, we decided that I have a solid triathlon-racing season ahead in 2012. My bone has healed remarkably well thanks to rest, Vit D, Cal Magnesium, Udo’s Oil and a hefty dose of Greens. Judy Chambers of Dynamic By Nature reworked my nutrition plan to reduce the acidity in my body and consume a vast amount of bone building nutrients. Ivan Duben worked on my fascia and released all the nasty tension around my IT band, gluts and hip.

Since January, I have been easily found cycling with the pack along side Jamie Armstrong, Arimo Evans and their fantastically motivating clientele at Method Personal Training, swimming with the Vancouver Dolphins Masters Club at the Aquatic Center, gliding the trails at Whistler’s Olympic Nordic Centre or lifting weights with a solid squad of keener's at Steve Nash Fitness Club. And now, more and more, I’ll don my runners and jog along the Kitsilano beaches and through the oxygen plentiful trails of the UBC Endowment Lands. As the sun shines brighter and warmer, my Specialized bikes and I will start rolling over the West Vancouver hills, climb Cypress Mountain and maybe even hit the ever glorious Sea2Sky Highway leading us to Squamish and Whistler. Wherever I am these days, it is with a light heart and playful mind yet focused and purposeful effort. I never show up to win a workout. I show up to play the game, enjoy the sport and love the movement. I engage for the feeling of freedom and rawness associated with sports. I “train” because I have goals and because I chose to.

My Half Ironman Races as a professional triathlete include:

• Mont Tremblant 70.3, June 24th, 2012 
• Muskoka 70.3, September 9th 2012
• Miami 70.3, October 28th, 2012

Many more races before, after and during.

2012 Has Arrived.

Life is Good.

Almost seven weeks post surgery.
3 massive screws implanted in my right hip...and they are there for life says my surgeon.
New found time has opened new doors and new experiences.
A change in perspective has been the only option and a saving grace.
Gratitude for my friendships, family and sense of self has been pouring over me.

There is no doubt, I am looking at my toes alot more then I used. With a little buff and polish, they are not as horrible as I've always thought. Life is good.

Break Through

On September 1st I headed out for a run. I was looking forward to it and had been all week. It was going to be a hard session. It was going to tap into the upper end of my threshold. It was going to require a serious play list carefully compiled according to a warm up, workout and cool down. It was key session to savior.


My execution of the workout was near perfect. I hit my speeds and heart rates like clockwork and was reveling in my accomplishment the whole way home. Okay, maybe I felt a small “twinge” in my right hip flexor but that was to be expected after a tough session. Such a minor sensation paled in comparison to the ongoing glut tightness I have endured for years – always on my right side. I almost welcomed tension somewhere else.

Waking up on September 2nd for my first step of the day was cause for concern. That right hip flexor “twinge” was a bit stiff, stiffer than just typical post-workout soreness. I know the difference. Decision: drop the scheduled run in exchange for a swim. The weekend was nearing and so were some key workouts including a 5-hour ride, a long run and a threshold swim. Friday became a rest day in hopes of waking Saturday with vigor and fortitude. Muskoka Half Ironman was a week away; Austin and Miami races were six and seven weeks away. A hip flexor “twinge” was certainly not going to turn into a full-blown injury. I had big plans.

Saturday came and my “twinge” was no better. No biking, no running, just a swim would be in order. I hobbled to the pool with more than just a little soreness. Sunday would need to be another rest day. The days were getting long and my symptoms were anything but subsiding. My walk was becoming a limp with searing pain now inside my hip joint. Surely I just needed to untie all the knots in my muscles. I aggressively stretched, strengthened, rolled out and fired weak muscles. No progress. Concern and confusion were at an all time high.

One week after my initial symptoms, it was time for an x-ray to access the bones and joints. Results: Negative. Treatment: Morphine and Crutches. Could it be trochanteric bursitis? Could a soft tissue injury be this painful? Could a Cortisone Shot cure me? Wishful thinking.

My trip to Ontario was cancelled, as were any hopes of racing again this year when the results from an MRI and CT Scan showed a stress fracture of my femoral neck. The break line was amazingly clean and evident. How it did not show up on an x-ray is anyone’s guess. In fact, I’ve stopped guessing. I suspect a small undetectable split in the bone was always there but during my 10 days of hobbling, stretching, rolling, moving and walking, it spread like a crack on a windshield. The good news (because there is always good news) was the bones were in perfect alignment. Dislodged bones presented an entirely new scenario.

Not one to take an injury passively, I was anywhere but home waiting to get heal. In the preceding 10 days, I’d been to Emergency at UBC Hospital, consumed Codeine like candy, had three physiotherapy appointments, had an intramuscular stimulation (IMS) treatment, met with doctors on four separate occasions, agreed to a cortisone shot for possible Bursitis, and paid for a private X-ray, MRI and CT scan. The CT Scan cracked the code and it was worth every penny.

Allow me to digress. For many years, my team of medical experts in Vancouver has helped me prevent serious damage and rehabilitate from debilitating injury. Each one of them knows my darkest secrets and I owe them much more than just the odd breakthrough performance. For some reason, we all (myself included) had not suspected a broken bone until it was confirmed. I was being treated for soft tissue injury and we were all equally perplexed. I don’t fault any of them for not suspecting a fractured femoral neck. Apparently this type of injury only happens to people who are four times my age. Apparently not.

Ironically, my brother Mark had participated in a 24 Hour Charity Cycling event at Mont Tremblant over the weekend with friends. One of his teammates and close friends was an orthopedic surgeon specializing in Pelvic area. He graciously agreed to look at the image of my CT Scan and within in 5 seconds he called Mark to order me to VGH Emergency for surgery that night. My situation was suddenly “urgent” yet I was in the middle of making salad dressing for dinner with Ruthie! Mark’s tone was not to be questioned so I dropped the garlic, called Ruthie and we made our way to Emergency instead of to my patio for soup and salad.

I must digress yet again and mention a word about Ruthie…selflessly giving, unhesitatingly caring and authentically trusting, only begins to describe her nature and the meaning of her friendship to me. She dropped everything to take me to emergency all the while she too should have been admitted for an infected root canal she had had that SAME DAY. Her father, Dr. Coorperberg, joined us in the waiting room for moral support and to push the bureaucratic envelop a bit. He too had had a medical procedure that day. We were like the Three Stooges awaiting our fate.

Two and a half hours later, I was admitted, questioned, x-rayed, changed, drugged and checked into a single room much unlike the Ritz Carlton but a minor upgrade from the Motel 6. Ruthie was at my side every solitary second except for when she ducked out to retrieve our sushi dinner and fashion magazines. We dined in the casting room amongst plaster and medical supplies and somehow found laughter in every subtle occurrence (a.k.a: fatigue + nerves + girls = Giddy). Once we both knew I was spending the night, she made her way home to her own family and responsibilities.

Surgery was elusively scheduled for Tuesday. Somehow Ruthie made it back to the hospital just in time for a pre-operation farewell. She held my hand while tapping updates on my Blackberry to family and friends. She told me everything would be fine and I believed her.

Emotions flooded over me when I couldn’t see her anymore and the reality of someone playing around with my bones was closing in. Playing, may I add, with bones that were the lifeblood of movement and the hinge of my very important right limb. However, the importance of racing, training and my professional career as a triathlete was dimmed to a shadow in relation to basic mobility and health. It is amazing to me how perspective changes under dire circumstances and how our priorities, values and desires shift when striped of gifts as precious as mobility.

The surgery was a brilliant success. The bones were fused with three pins and the blazing pain was gone from the moment my anesthetic wore off. Post-surgery aches and throbbing persisted but trusty drugs rescued my wincing every time. Meanwhile Ruthie’s infected root canal went on to swell up and take over her lip and right cheek. Her beautiful face was transformed to that of a Fraggal Rock character. Had she not dealt with it I would have been accompanying her to a hospital bed.

My mother arrived from Montreal just as my four-post bed and IV was being rolled back into my Ritz Suite. Butlers and maids were waiting ever so patiently to refill my refreshments (IV) and change my bedding (plastic cover). In fact, they were so gracious and helpful, they didn’t even let me get up to use the Loo. They brought it to me. What a treat.

Thanks to fading anesthetic I was free entertainment for all my visitors with delirious and socially inept chatter and eyes at half-mast. My friends (even the ones I didn’t know I had) contacted me with concern and interest. From down pillows to sushi, books, magazines, flowers, super greens, yoga pants, home made lasagna, copious texts, emails, visits and phone calls and invaluable moments of laughter and tears, there wasn’t a moment to wallow in my sorrow.

Last time I digress. Promise.

A word about the way the universe works…I believe this was meant to happen. The Adjustment Bureau was in full control here. They even sent Angels to watch over me well before my final diagnosis, the surgery and prognosis. They wanted to give me strength before I even knew I would need it. I suspect they choose my coach Jasper Blake to deliver the message because it was he who stabilized my emotional wobbles and enlightened me to how it was going to be and who I needed to emulate. He repeatedly said the present moment is all we have and we must live it with integrity and perspective. “Don’t jump ahead,” he said, “and don’t regret the past. What’s done is done. Be in the now and live it out, as it should be. What lies ahead isn’t within your control so there isn’t any point worrying about it. Be who you aspire to be - authentic, respectful and grounded.” He also told me to think of someone I truly admired and how they would handle this situation. How would the world’s most respected athlete handle being somewhat derailed from regular training and the best laid performance plans? He also said (and always says), “Don’t panic.” Those simple words scream loudly and pointedly to someone as focused and goal driven as myself when I feel a tug at my carpet under foot. Breathing becomes easier without panic.

Jasper’s confidence in me as an individual (with or without my next bike ride) stabilized my emotions and planted my feet firmly on the ground. I knew how I needed to embody this situation and almost enjoy a completely unplanned change in direction and priorities. I also knew this mindset would cause the least amount of stress on others and myself. Having a peace of mind and patience was going to be a critical component to my recovery and neither pity nor negativity was invited to the party.

The number one question my (athletic) friends ask me is whether I am climbing the walls anxious to train. My reply is categorically no. Would I like to be mobile? Yes of course. But at this moment, I am far more inspired to regain my health. My goals have shifted 180 degrees from racing to rebuilding with the same passion and focus as applied to my training. Amazingly, when I gain another inch of mobility in my hip it feels gaining 2 seconds in a 100 meter swim.

What has been the biggest shift as a result of a fractured hip? Likely the newfound time and energy to dedicate to entirely different activities that don’t involve sweating or a heart rate monitor. This new time is also breeding rejuvenation thanks to living a little lazy, sleeping in a little late, chatting endlessly with friends and family, reading entire books, soaking in more movies and watching the grass grow one blade at a time. It’s been years - maybe 20 - since I have lived a little lazy. It is mandatory. It feels wonderful. It has a window. It is a break through.

Off to nap.
Christine

Summer Love & Integrity

Summer Love

 

It’s hard to believe Labor Dar weekend is already here and summer is closing in on us fast. As much as I enjoy the warmth and sunshine of a glorious summer day, I also love our seasons - the ebb and flow of nature, temperatures and daylight hours. Summer seems to be the only season that comes to an abrupt halt. One day it’s hot and sultry, the next day it’s breezy and cool. In the midst of an endless summer streak where day after day brings blue skies, the sun never sleeps, the beaches are packed and freedom of expression is rampant it’s hard not to notice that love is in the air, all around us. Can you feel it?

While our Canadian summer arrived late this year, it was one of my most fulfilling summers in some time. From a training, racing, professional and personal level, I found new heights of engagement, challenge and adventure. Was it the weather? Was it my aging wisdom? Was it a few good results? Perhaps a mixture of everything but likely it was the result of timing, perspective and letting it happen.

The experience of racing is something I have always loved. Building up to race day is a process. It begins with a block of training that is intense and purposeful followed by a taper that calms the body and mind down in preparation for race day. Race day (and the days leading up to it) are filled with emotions and only the grounded few are able to cope with the highs and lows of the stress and excitement surrounding race day. Exhilaration is intensely mixed with uncertainty and confidence. In reality, racing is simply a journey to challenge our fitness. It strengthens our character and provides resilience. There is unsurpassed effort, pacing, fueling, focus, integrity, respect, hopes and pitfalls all of which come together and drive us to a finish line of that given day only to tempt us to the next challenge. A successful race day experience can also provide tremendous satisfaction and fulfillment. For most athletes, myself included, training and racing are true love affairs. The unexpected injections of emotions we didn’t even know existed culminate in so many athletic endeavors. One might say these experiences are addictive. But true love isn’t addictive; it’s authentic, genuine and embodied with integrity. Maybe I am maturing but this feels like true love.

And so, it’s been a busy summer of love since my last post. Jasper Blake (just placed 5th at Ironman Canada) kept me on the program building strength and fitness with a packed race schedule. Victoria Half Ironman (3rd place), Desert Half Ironman (1st place) and Lake Stevens Half Ironman (5th place) filled the calendar nicely. My focus is now on Muskoka Half Ironman on September 11th followed by Austin (October 23rd) and Miami (October 30th). This schedule excites my senses and blends nicely with my perspective and feelings of centeredness, not to mention the adventures of getting to each venue and exploring the area.


But I must continue to share more on the topic of integrity and the weight it should carry more of in all our lives (I am taking notes here)…

Yesterday was a pivotal day for me to have re-emphasized the importance of perspective and approach to something as precious as having the ability to train every day healthily and happily (that can be a tall order). I rode with a friend, Mike Ryan. He is a seasoned rider having been a professional mountain biker and multiple road-riding champion (national and international levels). While in his 50’s, he continues to destroy the young pups in any given field. He does it with humility and integrity…every time. Mike and I have known each other for over 10 years. We met riding and continue to share our passion for sport and adventure. His easy spin is my hard effort any day of the week. He lost his father this week. He was with his dad when he died. He is training with his team today, hard. He is racing Gran Fondo next weekend. He has a V02max of a 25 year old. He brings one water bottle for 5 hour rides. He takes pride in his sport, workmanship and space in the universe. All of this does not go unnoticed. He lives in the present. He keeps his ego in check. He isn’t the centre of attention yet he is centered from within. He has many interests and embodies an old soul. He is grateful and inclusive.


Mike shared some of his insights with me during our ride. They were timely and relevant on so many levels. The most prominent was in relation to integrity. This is how I internalized our discussion and the lessons he taught me climbing the hill out of Furry Creek Golf Club.


No matter what Mike is doing in his life – training, racing, socializing or working, Mike approaches each scenario with integrity. He is relentlessly consistent, honest, truthful and accurate in his actions. He looks after his body and mind so that when the time is right, he can deliver. He knows the difference between comfort and pain. He knows how to hurt and endure. Mike is an amazing speciment with more battle scars than most people walking the streets have combined. He uses all his experiences to live more fully and perform on demand. Whether all those riders trying to drop him on Cypress see this in him doesn’t really matter. He knows.


Mike didn’t try to drop me at any given moment (although he did unknowingly, he then waited). With all his grief from losing his father, he willingly shared little snipets of wisdom. I was listening attentively. As I sit here finishing up this post, I think about the swim I have ahead of me. How can I best approach it with integrity, purpose and love? I think I’ll nap first before contemplating my strategy.


Hope you all had a Summer of Love. Maybe we’ll meet in San Fransico next year for Wildflower “Woodstock” Triathlon and express Free Love.


Christine

Summer Riding

Look Up. See More. Your Energy Will Follow.

Looking from the outside in with no emotional attachment to the outcome or performance, many situations are crystal clear to the spectator. Someone's path may appear ridden with pebbles and roots since their trees were too tall and forest to populated. Some people may be just one step away from a stumble that had they asked you, you would have had all the clarity, wisdom and perspective in the world (and very willing to share it may I add).

When on the inside following your own yellow brick road in hopes of finding Emerald City, it is sometimes impossible to see the man-eating plants and fierce beasts before it is too late. If we are enlightened enough to capture the lessons along the way your chosen path becomes all the more worth it and makes you oh-so much smarter.

Perspective is seeing the bigger picture, is it not? Perspective is when doors open to new possibility and the little things are minimized and belittled. When we look, listen and learn, perspective becomes our fuel and forward momentum is uninhibited. Consider life, minute by minute, with perspective. With perspective, we can manage the details but keep our eye on the distant lofty and tantalizing goal. One little hiccup is meaningless in the grand scheme of things. One windfall doesn't mean we can stop our journey now. Perspective and journey go hand in hand, don't they?

This journal starts with a philosophical slant simply because the past month has been ridden with people, experiences and observations popping up on my yellow brick road offering me signs and signals to see things with a little clarity.
As it is July and the heart of triathlon race season, I find myself unabashedly following the race circuits closely. My motive is part fun and part education. How do professionals get to the podium and how did the race flow. Did they lead from the swim? Did they have a strong run? Who was behind them? How has their season been rolling? What was their strongest leg of the race? How did they get there in the first place? What was their previous race? What's next? What can I take away from this and integrate? If anything.

When I am not in a race, perspective prevails. Would you agree? Bet you could win Hawaii Ironman from your Lazyboy arm chair. Had you been racing you would have attacked on the bike, waited until the second half of the run or practiced faster transitions. The race was lost in transition, right? Yes, we are so smart from the side lines. And yet, there is tremendous learning and observing that takes place from the side lines and if paying attention you might find yourself integrating the lessons to improve your own meager performance the next chance you get. To do so, I would hasard to suggest we must therefore pay attention to the things that matter verses the clutter that stagnates.
Being emotionally unattached and completely unaffected by the outcome are very powerful ways to have perspective. When I started my racing career, this "beginner's mind" depicted was my state. I didn't know what a split was. I didn't know I was racing in an "age category". I didn't know anyone cared or would care about a result. I didn't even know what the Hawaii Ironman was. I recall running my first sub-40 minute 10km in Montreal. Without formal training, a watch, any knowledge of pacing, fueling or course recon and certainly no idea what a "sub-40" meant, I was elated for the purity of the experience. A somewhat more competitive man approached me at the end and said, "wow, you ran sub-40." My "So What?" expression caught him by surprise. The ignorance to times, outcomes and results was bliss. The journey was bliss. Perspective, to be frank, was irrelevant since it was so innate. Until it wasn't anymore and the details started to matter.

My journey to a more competitive lifestyle is not unique. Many others have followed a similar path from the casual weekend warrior to owning a PHD in triathlon gear and becoming a walking encyclopedia for splits and results (of others). While I have played little attention to results (mine or others), I have been side tracked by the art and science of executing a sound, graceful, unchallenged and ideal performance. From my arm chair, an optimum performance takes perspective, and tons of it.
For some unfounded reason, I feel my beginner's mind journey is making a come back thanks to a few simple occasions that have shown up on my jaunt down the YBR. People (friends, coaches, family, therapists), insightful books, racing, travel and most imperatively, observing others with compassion and curiosity has gently nudged me back to see a bigger brighter picture. The details live on but there is no one entity that is the be-all-end-all. Another way of looking at it is to say our circle grows and so does our view.
Since many people read this blog from a triathlon/racing perspective, I will share these two small sporting examples. After Kona 70.3, I did not seem to recover well, physically or emotionally. I had tremendous discomfort in my right hip, was experiencing overwhelming fatigue and felt somewhat depressed. Adrenal suppression perhaps, post-race blues perhaps or a lovely concoction of both coupled with race effort, heat exhaustion and travel. All of which called for rest to rejuvenate. I begrudging did just that - rest - since training was not an option. Hoping to back up Kona with a stellar performance at the Victoria Half Ironman on June 19th was therefore a tall order and from this Lazyboy arm chair, not a realistic request of myself. Pushing all my inner voices aside and bottling up some lingering fatigue, I toed the line in my new Blue Seventy Helix Wetsuit (which contributed to fabulous swim and best leg of the event). Once onto the bike, my mind was unfocused. When I finally caught Sara Gross, I really just wanted to tuck in and chit chat. Where was my edge? Where was my fire? I had to go hunting for it.
Thankfully, I have enough race experience to always stay in the game and race with heart but on this day, it wasn't the effortless flow we athletes all envision to descend upon us. Out on to the run in first, I was searching for my stride. My hips were locked up and my loping gait was stunted. When I came through the first 10km lap, Jasper was encouraging me to relax and turn my legs over a bit faster. Wasn't I looking relaxed? Wasn't my turnover breaking world records? Couldn't he see how damn hard I was working? Apparently his perspective and my experience were worlds apart. Finally as I rounded up the race in 3rd place, thrilled to be finished at all, I stumbled over to Jasper. While proud yet consoling, he knew it was a sub par performance for me. His observation, "good job fletcher. you just looked flat on the run. you looked stiff." I was. And I realized that Jasper (in this instance) was my mirror. We went on to discuss the nuances of my form, training and what might help or what was hindering my run potential. Jasper's educated and skilled observation widened my circle and helped me look at things through a different lens. I needed to address the limitations in my hips, relax my run (and maybe in life?), switch up the order of some workouts and focus on form. Needless to say, I have since been tapping into what is holding me back and diligently unlocking my hips (and my potential?) with dynamic movement, massage, myofascial release and visualization.  Could there is some psychology wrapped into this example? Regardless, I will gracefully spare you my hypothesis. Just consider how locked hips means running nowhere fast (in a race and in life).
The second example of perspective is when I watched Vancouver Half Ironman on July 3rd. A race I was scheduled to do but opted out of since having learned my lesson from the aforementioned experience. Therefore my experience was reversed yet equally powerful to reinforcing more perspective.

Arriving upon a race in progress is like watching battery-powered energy bunnies moving purposely in every direction. It is organized chaos that draws you in. What is motivating everyone to move around so much? Let me in! While interested to know who was racing, I was mostly focused on observing body language, postures, facial expressions, leg cadence, shuffling strides or loping gaits, sources of propulsion, attitudes and subtle changes as the race progressed and fatigue set in.

From my trusty mountain bike, post-shower and nourished, I was the smarter of the bunch. Yup, all spectators were. For the few athletes and friends I zoned in on, it was compelling to observe them. A poised posture, quick cadence and good rotation coupled with a high glance says Speed, Power, Fuel, Strength. Conversely, a plodding gait, stiff shoulders and downward line of vision screamed "get me to the finish line, I'm done."

I found myself thinking, "if only they would look up" (your energy goes where your eyes go), "if only they increased their cadence", "if only they stood up instead of collapsing at the hips." And yet, experience is all relative. Maybe those racers felt a Gazelle-like resemblance moving swiftly at personal best speed's. Maybe their leg cadence was twice as fast as it was last year. Maybe this was their very best effort and if so, perspective becomes irrelevant and encouragement becomes essential. By the looks of how many racers finished with arms in the air and big smiles, the experience opened up a whole new world to them. Either way, observing helped me see a new perspective and if by shouting words of tangible encouragement helped just one racer, we all benefit.
I have been told that we must always look up. Where your eyes go, your energy goes. Consider this option the next time you walk into a stop sign while typing on your blackberry.

Next up, Desert Half Ironman, July 10th, 2011

Christine
@chrisy_fletcher