Super Nova of the Month: Jeremey Butler
Congratulations to Jeremy on being our September SuperNova!
Jeremy has been a dedicated member of Nova since our days on Thomas St years ago. Over that time, we've seen his deep connection to fitness, not only through his intense efforts in the gym but also by introducing his children to fitness, bringing them to workouts, and his participation in triathlons.
His children still come with him and his wife to their Saturday morning workouts and this past summer Jeremey completed challenges such as:
- June 2024: Guelph sprint triathlon in 1h 40 mins (750m swim, 19km bike, 5km run)
- July 2024: Grimsby sprint triathlon in under 2 hours (500m swim, 25km bike, 5km run)
- July 2024: Owen Sound olympic triathlon in 3 hours (1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run)
- August 2024: 5km open swim (1hr 30 mins)
Jeremy does all of this amidst managing a very busy work, family and personal schedule. He works full time in health care and still makes time for personal hobbies such as improv and writing.
We are proud to recognize Jeremy this month for his accomplishments. Read our interview with Jeremy below to hear more about his experience and some specific strategies he employed to achieve this recognition:
______
1)You have been training with Nova for 10 years! Where do you draw your motivation from to be so consistent with exercise as part of your lifestyle?
That's a fast ten years! I find that routine takes care of motivation. With too much time and options, every decision becomes arbitrary, then doesn't get done. I tend to get organized by deadlines and expectations, so for me, having a set training schedule takes away the question of "Do I want to?" by just having a time to show up. Working out with my wife and daughters has also been a great motivator--I'm trying to be more of a fitness role model than I grew up with and don't want to let them down.
2)In that time you’ve done a few triathlons but in the last year you have ramped up the number of triathlons significantly. What is your WHY behind doing these events and how have you been able to manage training consistently for these amidst a busy work and family schedule?
I got into triathlons when I hit 40. Shaken by middle-age, I have been inspired by the thought: What else can this body of mine do? As I've completed one event, another goal shows up on the horizon: Can I do it again? What about longer? What about faster? I usually sign up for the next event the same day I've finished the last (while I'm still in a state of shock). Once committed, fear kicks in which pushes me into the extra training. I leaned into Peloton classes and wearing a Garmin, both remind me of what I have/haven't done--the gamification of it all can be both nagging and rewarding.
In terms of time, I'm coming to accept that I'm not someone who likes to be idle. I'm really not a lying-on-the-beach vacation guy, and I've found that doing too little feels worse than too much. I've kept the long runs/bikes to the weekends and try for another two bike-run combos in the evenings on non-Nova days.
3)Can you share some key strategies or habits that helped you achieve your success? Any specific workouts, diets, or routines that made a significant difference?
I think that a focus at Nova on core strength, cross-body and single-limb exercises has done well in reducing back and pelvic stiffness that used to hold me back. Squatting in particular has helped me stabilize much better. Stretching, protein supplementation, and permission to take time off when the body asks, have all played roles too.
4)What goals do you have your sights set on going forward in the next year and beyond?
I swam in high school, so for me the runs in triathlons are definitely the biggest hurdle. I'd like to try for a half-Ironman in the next few years but that will require significant endurance improvement, so maybe a half-marathon next spring to start. I'm also curious about trying a 10 km swim next summer in either Caledon or Niagara.
