There’s More Than One Way To Skin A Cat (9 Questions for Siri Lindley)
- filed under:
- comments: (44)
Photos
Coach Siri and an unkown mountain goat.
Coach Siri and Calvin
“There’s more than one way to skin a cat.” I know that this means there are several possible ways of achieving something, but I’ve always wondered about the origin of this idiom. I can’t imagine that there are more than two or three actual ways to skin a cat, which is quite a few less than several. And besides, as everyone knows – a cat has nine lives. Therefore, even if there are several ways to skin a cat, chances are decent that our feline friend may come out of the process okay. With this in mind – sort of – and in honor of skinless cats everywhere – I’ve come up with nine questions for some of my athlete friends, that illustrate there are plenty of ways to achieve success in sport and in life. I hope that their answers help you find your own way.
As an athlete, Siri Lindley was proof that hard work, dedication, passion, belief, and utter commitment to one’s chosen path could bring about success that would cause outsiders to shake their heads in disbelief. To insiders, however, and to a degree, Siri herself – I’m sure the outcome was no surprise.
Siri’s results are a product of the aforementioned traits, and others that I’m surely missing. As Siri has transitioned from student to teacher, her coaching results indicate she has found a way to instill these traits in triathletes seeking to get the best out of themselves.
SIRI LINDLEY
1. Triathletes are often considered Jacks-of-all-trades, but a master of none. What are your thoughts on this perception? I think we all start out having at least an interest in all three disciplines but you have to start somewhere. I stunk in all three, but I fell in love with the sport of triathlon. I decided that no matter what I was going to learn how to swim, bike and run, and do everything to achieve the seemingly impossible dream that fueled every minute of my every day.
As a coach, my goal is to have athletes first of all work on their weaknesses, to the point that they become a strength – while not forgetting the other disciplines. Achieving excellence within ourselves is the goal. Not winning a certain race, or winning a world championship – but I tell them, “Let’s see how fast you can go! Let’s see how fit, how strong, how fast we can get you!!” So the goal: work towards mastering all aspects of triathlon. But really, is there a point when you master it?? The sport continues to get faster – we will always be searching for more!!
2. With regard to training: quantity or quality? Definitely quality – but the right kind of quality. This is different for every single athlete. My goal is to get to know each athlete as well as possible – know what motivates them, what inspires them, what challenges them the most, how their bodies react to different types of sessions, how they respond mentally to different challenges, how they recover from different types of training, what brings out the best in them. Through this process of learning about them, while they learn about themselves - we come up with the perfect recipe for that individual. What recipe will bring this person racing to their utmost potential? When we find a recipe that works, that is when it really gets exciting!!!
3. When you were winning the World Championships and dominating the World Cup, did you strength train, and do you recommend strength training for the athletes you coach? No, I did not, although I did do a lot of “sport specific” strength work in all three disciplines – whether that be paddles and pulling in the pool, riding hills, running hills etc. … My coach was not a big believer in the strength trainer. Seeing as though I believed in him with all my heart, I listened to him and did as he told me to do. I still believe he is the greatest coach on the planet … but I have just found that strength training, within the structure of MY program, is a key aspect. Therefore, I recommend strength training to my athletes. We have a very specific plan that we follow and I believe in it entirely. Again, however, it takes different forms for different people. So … it is not just one plan for everyone – it is a plan for each individual.
4. What type of diet did you follow, and what type of diet do you recommend to your athletes? I never took any types of vitamins, or mineral supplements. I just relied on eating a very healthy diet – lots of fish, poultry, vegetables, healthy grains, fruit and water. I feel so blessed that I had an incredible relationship with my intuition. For example, I would be hammering out mile repeats on the track and craving steak and milk. This was my body telling me, “Tonight, you are going to eat meat and get lots of calcium!!” My body needed it and that is how it told me – with cravings. It did try to trick me sometimes – craving carrot cake and ice cream … but I knew when to call its bluff!! Haha.
I recommend a similar diet to my athletes. Although, again - everyone is so different. I have some gluten free athletes, athletes with certain allergies, athletes who can’t eat dairy … so we find out what their bodies respond to best and go from there. The key is eating healthy and giving your body what it needs. Our bodies will work so hard for us day after day. All it asks for in return, is to be treated with respect – thus being fed and hydrated and provided the things it needs to regenerate and come back even stronger the following day.
5. How do you balance triathlon and the rest of your life (past and present)? That’s a tough one. “My name is Siri Lindley and I am a complete workaholic.” I love my job. It is my absolute passion. I wake up every day, and I can’t wait to get to work. I feel so blessed to feel this way about my job. My athletes are like family to me. When they come to me, their dreams become my dreams and I want nothing more than to help them achieve them!!
This past year was the absolute hardest year in my life personally … but having a job that I adore and athletes that inspire me and make me laugh every single day … made it the best year ever as far as my job goes. So I feel very lucky. Very blessed.
It is so important for me to show my gratitude for the life and abilities that I have been blessed with. I believe the best way to do this, is to use the abilities I have to the utmost each and every day. To be the best that I can be for my family, my athletes, and the big guy upstairs, each and every day.
To me, that is showing my thanks in the best way I know how.
6. What do you love most in life? My mom, pets, athletes and my passion ( my job!).
7. What is your dream job? I’m doing it. Again … I feel so blessed, so privileged and honored to have a hand in helping these amazing athletes achieve their dreams.
8. What is the most inspirational sporting moment you have witnessed or experienced? I feel I get to see something amazing nearly every day. My athletes do things that just give me goosebumps. They show such courage, such determination, such strength … if you really want me to answer this question, we will be here all year. Sport moves me in every way, inspires me, and is such a great lesson for life. I honestly believe that my experience in training and racing, and in large part due to the type of training my coach put me through, is what has helped me get through the toughest times in my life – as has watching my athletes. For instance – Ironman Arizona, 2011 – Leanda Cave gets a flat coming out of transition heading out onto the bike, fixes it, has another issue, turns back, gets that fixed, and then heads off with a look of unrelenting fire. She goes on to have the race of her life, breaking 8:50 and running under 3 hours for the marathon – winning the race.
Mirinda Carfare, Ironman New Zealand, 2011 – two flats, pouring down rain – she loses 30 minutes, but gets onto the run and starts putting time in, and gets all excited – totally running beyond what she was capable of for that time of year, and ran her way into 2nd place.
Chris Foster, St. Anthony’s, 2011 – steps on a shard of glass, rips his foot open about 3 inches deep – blood pouring everywhere – rides incredibly strong, hops off his bike and has the fastest run split or maybe 2nd fastest out of a huge field of amazing talent – landing him in 10th place. He needed about 40 stitches – crazy stuff. He was in agony but the boy never, ever, gives up!!
That’s what it’s all about … believe in yourself … never, ever give up and know that when we persevere, and we never lose hope, we will always find our greatest power within!!
These are 3 examples of oh so many that I can speak of… and those just involve my athletes. I am constantly inspired and moved by the great athletes in our sport, the challenged athletes, the older athletes, every single person that does Ironman … so inspiring. I will never ever lose my awe for all of them!! I am constantly moved by all the athletes in so many sports. We all are part of a big family who are driven by movement, challenge, and discovering life through sport!
9. Finally, and most importantly: How do you like your coffee, and how much coffee do you drink on a daily basis? I used to drink coffee all day long, but it didn’t help my anxiety problems!! Haha!! So, now, I drink 3 cups in the morning with Coffee-mate Hazelnut creamer. I love it so much. I can’t wait to wake up and have that first cup and get my day going!!
Thanks Jimmy!! That was FUN!!
THANKS Jimmy! Always great to read stuff about Siri…great athlete and fun coach.
Thanks for the blog.
Although some positive efcefts of running an in school strength program exist, negative efcefts of having a strength program ran during the school day are abundant. Starting with a glaring positive, all of the benefits of the after school program still exist for those participants. Another positive is that athletes who participate in multiple sports and have limited after school time to participate in S&C will be able to participate; although we must then consider the amount of competing demands we are creating for those athletes. On the flip side, the fact that S&C is now a class that the athletes must take will detract from their high school experience through limiting the diversity in elective classes they take. This is very important because we must consider a job as a teacher being seperate from a job as a coach. There is no question that this time is a valuable experience for the athletes in the school, but equal access should be afforded to the non-athletes in the school. In that system all student’s needs could be met with the following premise: Rather than creating workouts and having students complete this pre-written, pre-determined program, which is a process of coaching, a process more relevant to a teacher would be relaying concepts of strength training, fitness, and conditioning and have the students design a program that would help them meet their fitness and performance goals. In this type of class’ setting, teaching goal setting, fitness principles, physiological processes, anatomy, physiology, and other fitness principles in an advanced way would strongly benefit every participant and every member of the school community. An individual should seperate a teacher’s role from a coach’s roll. Roll-out-the-ball weight lifting is an after school activity. By doing what Chelsea is doing we undervalue the roll of a teacher and relay an ugly message to the school’s students: That the gymnasium is for athletes, not everyone.
Although some positive effects of running an in school strength program exist, negative effects of having a strength program ran during the school day are abundant. Starting with a glaring positive, all of the benefits of the after school program still exist for those participants. Another positive is that athletes who participate in multiple sports and have limited after school time to participate in S&C will be able to participate; although we must then consider the amount of competing demands we are creating for those athletes. On the flip side, the fact that S&C is now a class that the athletes “must” take will detract from their high school experience through limiting the diversity in elective classes they take. This is very important because we must consider a job as a teacher being seperate from a job as a coach. There is no question that this time is a valuable experience for the athletes in the school, but equal access should be afforded to the non-athletes in the school. In that system all student’s needs could be met with the following premise: Rather than creating workouts and having students complete this pre-written, pre-determined program, which is a process of coaching, a process more relevant to a teacher would be relaying concepts of strength training, fitness, and conditioning and have the students design a program that would help them meet their fitness and performance goals. In this type of ‘class’ setting, teaching goal setting, fitness principles, physiological processes, anatomy, physiology, and other fitness principles in an advanced way would strongly benefit every participant and every member of the school community. An individual should seperate a teacher’s role from a coach’s roll. Roll-out-the-ball weight lifting is an after school activity. By doing what Chelsea is doing we undervalue the roll of a teacher and relay an ugly message to the school’s students: That the gymnasium is for athletes, not everyone.
Nice to find some intelligent content for once, I was getting sick of the
continual drivel I come across on a daily basis, thank you.
It’s going to be ending of mine day, except before ending I am reading this enormous piece of writing to improve my knowledge.
In a later comment, I shall explain some of the reasoning
behind our choices. Fantastic information here. I always do like looking up your blog.
I’ve learned a lot from them.
Excellent post, it is a breath of fresh air to at last find worthwhile writing
online, I am really suprised to find a blog
that is not full of the everyday trash,
congratulations.
All you need to do to be my friend is like me.
A man reserves his true and deepest love not for the species
of woman in whose company he finds himself electrified and enkindled, but for that one in whose company
he may feel tenderly drowsy.
Nothing against the article, but I disagree with a couple of points to some extenct. I’m probably a minority though, lol. Thanks for sharing it on www.riccitello.com . wish you luck
do you need a prescription for diflucan is it ok to take two diflucan pills do you need prescription get diflucan buy cheap diflucan online cost of diflucan at walgreens quanto costa diflucan 100 what is diflucan 100 mg used for how much does diflucan cost where can i purchase diflucan can diflucan interfere birth control pills diflucan vs generic fluconazole does diflucan require prescription precio de diflucan 150 mg
generic venlafaxine er is effexor xr generic the same efexor xr mikropellet kapsГјl 75 mg 28 cap effexor xr 75 mg weight gain generic version of effexor xr buy effexor xr 150 buy effexor online canada venlafaxine 75 mg tab teva usa why is generic effexor so expensive generic effexor 150 generic venlafaxine vs effexor xr generic effexor 75 mg price of generic effexor
buy nexium astrazeneca nexium price 20 mg does nexium come in generic form is nexium going generic cheapest place to buy nexium generic form of nexium what is generic drug for nexium nexium 40 mg tablets used when will generic for nexium be available difference between nexium generic much does 40 mg nexium cost canadian pharmacy online nexium nexium mups 40 mg 90 st
diflucan 150 mg sale walmart diflucan cost what is diflucan 150 mg for diflucan one price fluconazole buy online no prescription generic to diflucan how long does it take fluconazole 150 mg to work typical prescription for diflucan half life diflucan 100 mg can take more than one diflucan tablet how often can i take diflucan 150 mg diflucan 150 mg pour homme over the counter equivalent to diflucan
effexor xr generic not working difference between effexor xr and generic effexor xr buy what is venlafaxine hcl er 75 mg price of effexor xr 150 mg buy effexor rx when will effexor be available in generic much generic effexor xr how much does effexor cost in canada effexor 150 mg sale generic effexor xr vs name brand buy venlafaxine xr much does effexor xr cost
pink capsule w effexor xr 75 buy effexor generic cost of generic venlafaxine switching effexor xr generic will effexor xr have generic best price on effexor xr generic effexor xr not same effexor generic price cheap effexor xr no prescription how much does venlafaxine hydrochloride cost effexor xr 150 mg cost venlafaxine cap 75 mg er generic effexor prices
prices for effexor xr 75mg effexor xr generic cheap effexor xr online pharmacy effexor 75 mg cost effexor available generic xr efexor xr 75 mg 14 kap does effexor xr have generic generic of effexor xr in 75 mg effexor xr online no prescription buy effexor online no prescription effexor xr generic 150 mg cheaper substitute for effexor xr generic effexor xr vs effexor xr
doxycycline hyclate 50 mg rosacea malaria pills doxycycline cost buy doxycycline 100mg online doxycycline hyclate online doxycycline accord 100 mg dispers tabletten bijwerkingen doxycycline hyclate 100mg cap west doxycycline hyclate 100 mg en espanol where can i buy doxycycline buy doxycycline powder cost of doxycycline tablets boots doxycycline hyclate 20 mg tabs doxycycline mono 100mg cap doxycycline hyclate 100mg used to treat chlamydia
Hello. remarkable job. I did not imagine this. This is a great story. Thanks! wish you all the best
Those who have succeeded at anything and don’t mention luck are kidding themselves.