Health, Fitness and Joy with Colleen Cannon
When
Colleen Cannon injured her hamstring in the mid-1980s, she probably never
thought that it would cause such a significant change in her athletic career,
as well as to her overall life philosophy.
One of the world's leading professional triathletes at the time, Cannon was part of group of athletic pioneers pushing the boundaries of training and performance in the fledgling sport of triathlon.
“It was easy and fun” recalls Cannon who relished the family-like bond of this intrepid band of multi-sport buccaneers making a living doing what they loved.
“We made a decent living from sponsorship deals and prize as well lucrative appearance fees from the bigger races. We didn't really know how much was too much, so we all just went out and had a blast! We – the professional athletes – would do most of our long training rides and runs together.”
One of the world's leading professional triathletes at the time, Cannon was part of group of athletic pioneers pushing the boundaries of training and performance in the fledgling sport of triathlon.
“It was easy and fun” recalls Cannon who relished the family-like bond of this intrepid band of multi-sport buccaneers making a living doing what they loved.
“We made a decent living from sponsorship deals and prize as well lucrative appearance fees from the bigger races. We didn't really know how much was too much, so we all just went out and had a blast! We – the professional athletes – would do most of our long training rides and runs together.”
Whilst
daily long and hard training sessions in the early part of Cannon's ensured her
rapid rise to the top of the pro ranks, she was only scratching the surface of
her innate athletic ability and talent so to speak. Breaking down as a result
of over-training, her hamstring injury ended up being a blessing in disguise,
introducing Cannon to the often neglected phenomenon of holistic health and
fitness.
Overuse injuries are the bane of athletes of all levels, and – together with recurring illness – are often the warning signs of the individual being out of balance. Various lifestyle factors, initially appearing to be unrelated to the actual ailment, are often the trigger mechanisms to an athlete's injury or illness woes.
A by chance encounter with Dr. Phil Maffetone at one of her sponsors training camp was the turning point for Cannon. While her hamstring ailment was rapidly corrected ensuring another prestigious victory on the pro circuit only weeks later, Cannon's meeting with Dr. Maffetone affected her life positively with respect to long term health and well-being.
“Phil was the best thing that happened to me; he taught me so much about how to be fit and healthy. He was focused on not only working with us as high-performance athletes, but making us life-long athletes; that was his goal. I'm slower now at age fifty-two, but not that much slower! Phil saved my pro career and my life; he built my strength and endurance naturally and was always at the cutting edge of wellness.”
Under the testimonials section of Phil Maffetone's website, Cannon is quoted as saying that she didn't train harder when improving her 10km running split by over five minutes. This is a great statement, which needs to be put into proper context. A true indicator of an athlete's ability is his or her aerobic fitness, which has a direct relationship to their health and athletic longevity. By training within their respective aerobic function – in other words at a comfortable effort – for most of the time, an athlete becomes efficient at burning fat and builds a massive foundation of fitness, correlating into enhanced health.
Overuse injuries are the bane of athletes of all levels, and – together with recurring illness – are often the warning signs of the individual being out of balance. Various lifestyle factors, initially appearing to be unrelated to the actual ailment, are often the trigger mechanisms to an athlete's injury or illness woes.
A by chance encounter with Dr. Phil Maffetone at one of her sponsors training camp was the turning point for Cannon. While her hamstring ailment was rapidly corrected ensuring another prestigious victory on the pro circuit only weeks later, Cannon's meeting with Dr. Maffetone affected her life positively with respect to long term health and well-being.
“Phil was the best thing that happened to me; he taught me so much about how to be fit and healthy. He was focused on not only working with us as high-performance athletes, but making us life-long athletes; that was his goal. I'm slower now at age fifty-two, but not that much slower! Phil saved my pro career and my life; he built my strength and endurance naturally and was always at the cutting edge of wellness.”
Under the testimonials section of Phil Maffetone's website, Cannon is quoted as saying that she didn't train harder when improving her 10km running split by over five minutes. This is a great statement, which needs to be put into proper context. A true indicator of an athlete's ability is his or her aerobic fitness, which has a direct relationship to their health and athletic longevity. By training within their respective aerobic function – in other words at a comfortable effort – for most of the time, an athlete becomes efficient at burning fat and builds a massive foundation of fitness, correlating into enhanced health.
“I
was never injured again after meeting Phil; I just got faster and faster. The
main thing, though, is that I didn't over-tax my adrenal glands, since I was
never really pushing myself over the edge or breaking down. Phil made me
constantly build myself up, with a combination of aerobic-based training,
chiropractic, meditation, natural foods and a balanced lifestyle.”
Under Phil Maffetone's guidance, Cannon and a few of her contemporaries were ahead of their time so to speak, shunning conventional energy nutrition and supplements in favour of a more integrated approach. With many other athletes pursuing peak fitness at the expense of their health, Cannon and some of her contemporaries were a breath of fresh air in the often all-consuming arena of competitive endurance sports.
“I used to drink Green Magma after races and take arnica for recovery; no Gatorade or other energy bars and supplements. I just ate real food and feel that it preserved my adrenal glands in such a way that I've aged gracefully. My great friend, Olympian Lorraine Moller, was training for big city marathons and was following the same philosophy. We worked a lot together during our athletic careers.”
For Cannon, her professional triathlon career was more an adventurous journey than a job, which she thinks prepared her well for her life upon retirement from the sport.
“Triathlon was a spirit-filled adventure. Being a professional athlete taught me so many things that you cannot learn in books or at school. I travelled; learnt how to focus and how to relax; how to be in touch with my internal guidance system. It was really an education par excellence.”
Under Phil Maffetone's guidance, Cannon and a few of her contemporaries were ahead of their time so to speak, shunning conventional energy nutrition and supplements in favour of a more integrated approach. With many other athletes pursuing peak fitness at the expense of their health, Cannon and some of her contemporaries were a breath of fresh air in the often all-consuming arena of competitive endurance sports.
“I used to drink Green Magma after races and take arnica for recovery; no Gatorade or other energy bars and supplements. I just ate real food and feel that it preserved my adrenal glands in such a way that I've aged gracefully. My great friend, Olympian Lorraine Moller, was training for big city marathons and was following the same philosophy. We worked a lot together during our athletic careers.”
For Cannon, her professional triathlon career was more an adventurous journey than a job, which she thinks prepared her well for her life upon retirement from the sport.
“Triathlon was a spirit-filled adventure. Being a professional athlete taught me so many things that you cannot learn in books or at school. I travelled; learnt how to focus and how to relax; how to be in touch with my internal guidance system. It was really an education par excellence.”
Cannon's
holistic approach to athletics as well as her worldly educational experiences
through her pro career led to her starting a venture known as Women's Quest. These are training camps with
a difference, specifically aimed at woman athletes of all levels. Using a
concoction of conventional and complementary training practices, these camps
provide the attendee with all of the components necessary for peak performance
in athletics, whilst maintaining a balanced lifestyle. From running and
swimming coaching to natural cooking classes, the camps encompass the complete
range of skills necessary for women seeking to achieve their athletic goals
whilst living life to the full.
Interestingly, some of Cannon's fellow women competitors and friends are partners in Women's Quest, offering campers their combined wisdom in all aspects of health and fitness.
“I'm still great friends with many of the folks I used to compete against in pro triathlon. Jacqueline Shaw and Lorraine Moller both work with me at Women's Quest. It was a magical time back then helping each other; we were more co-operative than competitive. Women's Quest is really an extension of my competitive days, just sharing it with more people.”
When speaking to Cannon for this article in late 2012, she was leading a Women's Quest retreat in the Caribbean and getting her daily dose of “play” time.
“Right now, I am surfing about four hours a day because I'm hosting a camp in Costa Rica. Back home in Boulder, I have a daily routine of meditation followed by some kind of outdoor activity. Be it running, skiing, cycling or horse riding – if I don't get outside and move, I'm just no good. It's vital for people to stay in the flow and alignment of staying active and feeling great.”
Interestingly, some of Cannon's fellow women competitors and friends are partners in Women's Quest, offering campers their combined wisdom in all aspects of health and fitness.
“I'm still great friends with many of the folks I used to compete against in pro triathlon. Jacqueline Shaw and Lorraine Moller both work with me at Women's Quest. It was a magical time back then helping each other; we were more co-operative than competitive. Women's Quest is really an extension of my competitive days, just sharing it with more people.”
When speaking to Cannon for this article in late 2012, she was leading a Women's Quest retreat in the Caribbean and getting her daily dose of “play” time.
“Right now, I am surfing about four hours a day because I'm hosting a camp in Costa Rica. Back home in Boulder, I have a daily routine of meditation followed by some kind of outdoor activity. Be it running, skiing, cycling or horse riding – if I don't get outside and move, I'm just no good. It's vital for people to stay in the flow and alignment of staying active and feeling great.”
