Category: Inspirational
-
How to stay conscious when you drown
I have often found that the end of one year is often the best time to reflect on what you’d like to see change for the following year. At the end of 2022, I found myself in a wintery blue rut, feeling a lack of purpose, and more gravely, a true sense of self. I…
-
Essential traits of successful coaches and leaders
Truth be told, there are millions of checklist items that help to form a successful coach, mentor, or leader. But at the bare bones of it all, successful leadership ultimately comes down to a focus on social relationships.
-
Merging repetition & race-practice together
There’s often a conflict between the old-school coaches who design “drills” focused on repetition, and the new-school coaches who provide actual education toward what players will encounter in a game. But in reality, the two can easily be merged together. You see, game-realistic activities around a specific session topic naturally allow for repetition toward the…
-
Falling Water Trail Marathon – Race Recap – “Rocks!”
It’s the first year of trail for the both of us, we’re both mid-twenties, and we’re both podium finishers at two of Ontario’s craziest trail races now. I think Dylan will be a great training partner to have in the coming months, and I’m so pumped now for The Bad Thing in October, knowing that…
-
Visualization and race-specific training
I’ve always had a wild imagination. Growing up, I’d play hockey and soccer in my basement for hours on end. Every single time, I’d visualize being the best in the world. I’d break all the records, score the wildest of goals, and mesmerize the commentators every time. When I quit hockey at age 12 and…
-
The art of downhill running
Much of the advice comes down to training with someone else that is good and watching their lines of travel, doing downhill intervals, or the very true facet of confidence. But you rarely here an elite runner discuss what they do from a technical perspective to run better at downhills. I discuss how to get…
-
The power of reframing negative thoughts
As the self-conscious individuals that we are, it’s impossible to go an entire day with zero negative thoughts entering the mind. Despite the difficulty of that task, I used to subscribe to a ‘no-negativity’ mindset. It’s incredibly important to always think on the bright side and come up with the positives in any situation, but…
-
Sulphur Springs 50k Recap – A photo-finish at the final climb
My first ultramarathon is officially in the books, and with a third-place photo finish, I feel great about how I executed the race.
-
How can you inspire others, if you can’t inspire yourself?
To kick off 2023, I’ve had the privilege of teaching a coaching & leadership class to undergraduate students at Western University. To end the final class, I asked them one simple question – how can you inspire others, if you cannot inspire yourself?
-
The anti-stick with a pack agenda – Around the Bay Recap
I will forever be dramatic. But three months ago I half-heartedly told my parents that I was going to have to retire from running. I had been out with plantar fasciitis for thirteen weeks, with minimal improvement and no end in sight for the vast majority of that time.
Rhys Desmond 