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2016: Thank You!

from the InnerVoice team

By InnerVoice

December 30^th, 2016

Thank You!

In July this year, we hit Publish on our first ever innervoice.life feature, which was about our friend Steph Corker. A month prior, we'd had a conference call about wanting to produce some content that told more realistic stories about the athletes in endurance sports. On the line, we had Travis McKenzie, the ideas guy, Chris Thorn, the photographer, Cody Royle, the writer, and Nic Tickner, the get-it-done guy.

We talked for over an hour about how there was a gap in the marketplace for telling more authentic, more vulnerable stories, and that most publications out there focused almost exclusively on the winners.

The thing is — endurance sports are about the journey, not just the outcome. Regardless of whether you're a world champion or a weekend enthusiast, to complete an Ironman you still need to swim 3.8 km, ride 180 km and run 42km.

There are very few endeavours out there where the first across the line and the last across the line are eternally linked by having struggled through exactly the same thing. There are very few endeavours where the last person across the line might have a more interesting story than the first person across the line.

On that call, we agreed to tell our stories in a unique way; using the athlete's internal dialogue to narrate, while pairing each story with world-class photography to give you an intimate look into the joy and despair of those who put themselves through so much. We put a concerted effort into telling a wide variety of stories from across the endurance spectrum, which has led us to feature everyone from an Olympic runner to Ironman Champions, a weekend cyclist to an ultra-triathlon couple, a running shop owner to a professional cycling photographer.

What we've uncovered through this process is that all of our stories link back to distinctly human themes — depression, death, body image, divorce, childhood influences, injury. These are topics that you can identify with whether you're an athlete or not.

Since first hitting Publish, over 80,000 people have read our stories, a number that we're eternally grateful for and hope to see grow. The response has been somewhat overwhelming, with emails coming in from around the world to thank us for telling a particular story, or for covering a topic that needs more discussion in society. But the way we see it, we just provide the framework; it's the wonderful people that we feature that build out the framework into a picturesque house that deserves to be seen. To our innervoice.life alumni, and to you, our readers, we want to say a big Thank You!

To say thank you and to round out 2016, we wanted to show our faces and let you know the stories, quotes and featured athletes that have affected us the most so far. We wanted to show you our inner voice:

Travis

Favourite Feature Story and Why?

My favourite feature of 2016 was Jesse Thomas, My Second Athletic Life.

There were a number of reasons why this story resonated with me. Firstly, the way the story came together. I was introduced to Jesse, by a very dear friend of mine Kevin Rutherford who is the CEO of nuun hydration. Jesse was training for his first Ironman World Championships and politely declined to be featured until after Kona, which was understandable. Further to that, I actually met Jesse for the first time Hawaii, he was riding his bike home from town in the middle of the day, a couple of days before the race. I rolled up next to him in a perfectly air conditioned mini-van and offered him a lift back his condo, after realising I wasn't a complete stalker, he took the lift and that was a great chance to officially meet.

Post-race Jesse obliged and agreed to share his story. What stood out for me the most was his articulate, thoughtful nature and the way he described his passion and love for everything he takes on in his life. I (and many others) are so impressed with Jesse's ability to balance his business, family and athletic life so successfully, he admits to having a lot of help, but therein lies the lesson for me. Ask for help, when you need it, to ensure you're able to function at your highest capacity. (Please Help!)

Favorite Feature Photo and Why?

This was from our feature of Kate Gustafson, Beating Down Doors.

Kate is an exceptional human being. She is inspiring, unique and an incredible leader in the world. This photo perfectly represents Kate and how she shows up in the community; she blends in and stands out all in the same breath.

The photo itself, by our lead photographer, Chris Thorn, represents how stunning Vancouver is when it's not raining! For me, this is one of Chris' best shots and a perfect representation of his extraordinary talent.

An Athlete Quote That Resonated Most?

"I love the lifestyle of being active and the quality of life it brings. I love how endurance sport makes me a kinder, more driven, and empathetic man. I love the resilience and tenacity it has given me, allowing for a confidence to find a way to truly thrive through any adversity life throws my way." - Ronnie Toth

These few words couldn't better represent my own thoughts and feelings. My goal for my business and my life is to make a positive impact on the world using endurance sports as the vehicle. I also resonate with Ronnie's story and his comeback from serious injury, embracing it with a positive attitude and thirst for life.

Favorite Personal Memory from 2016?

In no particular order;

Finding out my wife and I are expecting our first child in April 2017.

Winning the overall title at the Maine State Triathlon; signalling an 'I can still do this' moment after many months of uncertainty and doubt about my athletic career.

Launching NTSQ Sports Group in March, riding 300 miles over 3 days in June with some of the World's most accomplished Chefs to raise over $1,000,000 to put an end childhood hunger in America and finally leading the first of many NTSQ Velo Premium Cycling retreats in Carmel, California a couple of weeks ago!

I can't wait for what 2017 has to offer

Nic

Favourite Feature Story and Why?

Our contributors have shared countless nuggets of wisdom, emotion, and life strategies. I re-read our features often, I relate to every feature differently and whether it is a new teaching or point of view or a quick jolt to get back out there and tackle the world, I appreciate the influence these stories carry through after I close the laptop.

To bring it down to one, though, would be Ronnie Toth. I love Ronnie's fierce approach to chasing his personal goals and that he accomplishes them with an equally fierce amount of passion, care and appreciation for the world around him.

Ronnie's story resonates with me. It fires me up about being fierce where it counts and chasing life while showing me that opposed to what many may say, I don't need to ignore my instinctual caring nature to be successful. Thanks, Ronnie.

Favorite Feature Photo and Why?

This photo from Linda Wong's two-part story truly encapsulates what innervoice.life is to me.

In this picture, Linda is embracing her friend in celebration. Celebrating personal accomplishments in the overwhelming emotions that sometimes explode at a finish line. Celebrating a goal they had reached together.

The finish line can be a feeling which is next to impossible to replicate. You can be drained in every way, but on a high like no other. You want to cry, laugh, jump for joy and collapse all at the same time.

An Athlete Quote That Resonated Most?

"When you have a goal or a dream, or you're truly happy doing whatever it is that you love, quitting isn't an option. Where the mind goes, the body follows." - Kate Gustafson.

As do most things in my world, I can apply this in my endurance endeavours or with the rest of life. I am much better at things I enjoy. YOU have a choice. I also find I use a similar mindset to explain the drive it takes to be in love with racing Ironman. I am truly happy doing it; it is not a chore, it may be the spark that leads another to live a life they love.

Favorite Personal Memory from 2016?

I got engaged to the woman of my dreams while on a bucket list adventure weekend. I left a cushy yet unsatisfying job to chase a dream and a life I am passionate about — cue life at NTSQ Sports Group.

I shared racing goals for the first time ever and had them come crashing down on race day, truly exposing what my real goals in the sport of triathlon were. And they didn't match up where I thought they did!

We saw the fruits of months of planning come together with our first (of many) guests enjoying NTSQ Velo Premium Cycling Retreats.

Lastly, after many years on opposite sides of the world, my partner's family and mine laughed and created memories together in the same postal code. Looking from December forwards, I haven't ever been more excited for what lays ahead. 2017...lets do this.

Chris

Favourite Feature Story and Why?

This is a tough one; firstly, as the lead photographer for innervoice.life, I get to spend time some time with the local (Vancouver) athletes we feature and get a more personal feel for their stories.

I loved Linda Wong’s story of being a late bloomer and the success and community that she has found in running. As a close friend and occasional training partner, we’ve had long talks about how precious this all is, so I know how true this is for her. I can’t help but mention the Linda Barton-Robbins story as well. As a new parent myself, I'm absolutely gobsmacked by the dedication that it would have taken to train and run a 120-miler less than a year after having a child.

That being said, the brief (and very cold) time I spent with with Jessi Harewicz was as eye opening an experience as I’ve ever had behind the lens. We met up to get some images of her swimming, in the ocean, in Vancouver, BC….in late November. The air temperature was about 4-5 degrees and there was a strong, brisk wind. I was in a down parka and 3-4 layers, with gloves on, and she was in her swimsuit. Just a swimsuit. I’ll let you read her story to hear the rest.

What I loved about her story was the solitude, the humility, the taking of challenges and turning them into strengths. She has had many reasons to give up, as you can read, but has been determined to find her niche & passion, and excel.

Favorite Feature Photo and Why?

This is just as tough! We have had some amazing contributors over the last year and to have my work up there with some of theirs has been an honour. To echo my favourite story, I had to choose one from Jessi’s feature. I remember while taking this shot, thinking, “this is nuts”. I can’t feel my fingers on the camera and she’s about to go for a swim! I actually felt guilty at this point. But she was all business. She had a process and to waiver from it was not an option. Her breathing, her focus was well-rehearsed and totally on point. It was fully meditative at this point.

An Athlete Quote That Resonated Most?

“When I am absolutely nearing my limit and the thoughts of quitting enter my mind, I always think about my wife and son, and that if I quit, I have to explain why to them. I know my wife would understand, but I want my son to know that most people are capable of more than they think, and that inner fire is there, you just need to dig deeper to keep going when you think you’re done.” - Rob Smith.

Just change “son" to “daughter" and that’s bang on my goal too.

Favorite Personal Memory from 2016?

This year was a tale of two stories. I had surgery in January to repair cartilage damage in my ankle from numerous ankle sprains (basketball and ultra trail running are not ankle-friendly endeavours) and my daughter was born two months prior. As a new father I was torn between knowing that I’d be unable to care for her and carry her for a month or so, but also knowing that I was going to need to show her how important activity and movement are for a healthy life. I needed a healthy ankle for this, so surgery won over. Work suffered from being incapacitated for an extended period and so the first 3-4 months of this year were very stressful. It's not how I imagined the first 6 months of parenthood at all. I felt emotionally and physically compromised and I was not in a great place.

As the summer months came about, work picked up and Travis came to me with an idea: to shoot and curate images for innervoice.life. I loved it from the moment the idea was proposed. To share athletes and their personal struggles, revelations and victories was too good to pass up!

Cue the snowball….work poured in, ankle healed, I was able to train a little, and more importantly: I was falling in love with a small human in leaps & bounds.

2017 is almost here and I see this year as just another opportunity to get scared, to fail, to cheer, to succeed and to love what we do and the people that surround and support us.

Cody

Favourite Feature Story and Why?

My favourite feature was Jesse Thomas, but not for the reasons you might expect. Jesse, like me, is from a broken family, and as I move into 'parenthood age' I've been thinking regularly about how it has shaped my approach to life. When I was editing the piece, I saw so much of myself in this quote: "Those transitions forced me to be incredibly independent, self-directed, and make friends fast, which to be honest, just made sports more important as it was the primary way for me to make friends."

Favorite Feature Photo and Why?

This one from Matthew Clark's Behind The Lens. As a writer, it's usually words that take my breath away, but this photo left me utterly speechless when I saw it. It is just a spectacular combination of so many different things that it boggles my mind. And when you find out that it was -20 degrees in the Canadian Rockies that day, it makes it even more of a feat.

An Athlete Quote That Resonated Most?

"My biggest achievement was probably that I played against Roger Federer, and lost 4-6, 4-6." - Ronnie Schildknecht.

I just love the dryness of this comment. Probably? It's probably your biggest achievement to take 8 games off one of the top 3 tennis players of all time? I just find it funny. I want to have a beer with Ronnie.

Favorite Personal Memory from 2016?

In no particular order, but with equal amounts of joy: I moved in with my beautiful girlfriend, who is the best thing that has ever happened to me. We twice traveled to her hometown in Ireland and have been made to feel so very welcome by not only her family but the townspeople as well.

Professionally, I've been able to confirm to myself that I am capable of carving out a career as a successful writer, which I gambled on in 2015 by quitting my sales job to pursue.

Sporting wise, as head coach of Canada's national Aussie Rules football team, I got to tell 30 young men that they get to wear the maple leaf on their chest at the 2017 AFL International Cup. It was a spine-tingling experience and to see the joy on their faces was something that will live with me forever.

Lastly, an old friend approached me with an idea to create amazing content about endurance athletes. The process of creating innervoice.life has been life-changing and also kick-started my desire to get back on the bike — something that's been missing from my life since moving to Canada in 2009.

Thank You! See you in 2017

Footnotes

Words by the team behind innervoice.life, Photos by Chris Thorn, lululemon, Roka, Natalie Starr, Matt Clark, Ronnie Toth, Breakthrough Media, Published by NTSQ Sports

Button Label

FootNotes

Words by the team behind innervoice.life, Photos by Chris Thorn, lululemon, Roka, Natalie Starr, Matt Clark, Ronnie Toth, Breakthrough Media, Published by NTSQ Sports

Colin O'Brady

2016: Thank You!

from the InnerVoice team

FootNotes

No Human is Limited

I'm Here To Win

The Humble Son

My Incredible Journey

The Most Interesting Man In The World

Season 3