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jasondorland5441

Dad to a butterfly child & 2 rescues. Husband to an inspiration. Author. Olympian. High performance coach. Keynote presenter. Workshop facilitator.

I've been alone all week, and loved it! Okay, I k I've been alone all week, and loved it!

Okay, I know that sounds bad—but it's not what you think. I'm not thrilled that Robyn's away; it's more that I like my solitude. And, apparently, research tells us that's a good thing!

It’s that time of year when my wife, Robyn, jumps on a plane and flies to the other side of the country. Quite literally, from Victoria, British Columbia, to Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Robyn was born in Mulgrave, a small town on the Straight of Canso across from Cape Breton Island. And, in keeping with the cool and heartwarming things small towns out east do, every year they host an event called “Robyn’s Run” to honour her successful running career. So, Robyn flies out to start the race and hand out the medals—I love it!

Being from a family of nine, another thing small-town Nova Scotia does very well, she and her siblings take advantage of Robyn being there and arrange a family reunion. They gather as many as can come for a week to celebrate one another with home-cooked meals, walks, bonfires, and lots and lots of visiting. I’ve been to one, so trust me when I say they barely sleep for the entire week—it’s beautiful to witness!

Continued in my Substack—link in bio! Enjoy...
A Little More Like Uncle Ed My Uncle Ed passed aw A Little More Like Uncle Ed

My Uncle Ed passed away last week—he would've been 100 years old in August.

Shitty, right? So close.

But for me, it’s not the number of years; it’s the way he lived them, and the way he made others feel while he was living them—including me.

I remember, as a young boy, didn’t matter who you were; Uncle Ed was always so welcoming. And our family was on the receiving end of that generous welcome many times. Weekend dinners. Holiday get-togethers. Hot summer days by their pool. There were just so many occasions.

In late August of 1974, mom and dad, along with Uncle Ed and my aunt, and all eight cousins rented a cottage together on Lake-of-Bays near Dorset, Ontario. Despite being the youngest by five years, I still was included in most of the daily activities. But come nighttime, I would make a fuss about my earlier departure for bed.

Continued in my Substack—link in bio! Enjoy...
What Ted Lasso Didn’t Tell Me About FIFA I'm not What Ted Lasso Didn’t Tell Me About FIFA

I'm not a huge soccer fan—never have been. But I thought I would find out what all the fuss was about. So I went to my local pub to have a look-see...

I’m actually watching Canada play South Africa in the World Cup as I type this. Truthfully, the only soccer I’ve consistently enjoyed was from Ted Lasso. But here I am, watching Canada in a knockout match, trying to figure out why this pub is packed with red and white-clad fans loudly cheering on Canada. And sure, I’ll concede there have been some exciting moments—these are truly world-class athletes. But for the most part, there’s a whole lot of nothin’ going on. I mean, it’s actually kinda boring!

And, yes, I know that’s pretty rich coming from someone who's spent a good portion of his life either rowing or coaching rowing—believe me, I’ve heard all the comparisons: watching grass grow or paint dry. Therefore, I appreciate that a rowing fan has little to complain about, given how boring my own sport can be to watch.

Truthfully, it’s the diving culture that I find the most off-putting. In the short while I’ve been watching, I’ve lost track of how many Oscar performances I’ve suffered through. Clearly, some of these China Dolls could learn a thing or two from a hockey or rugby player.

Continued in my Substack—link in bio! Enjoy...
I've not written about the Toronto Maple Leafs in I've not written about the Toronto Maple Leafs in a while, and, as with the other times, this won’t be a jock-centric discussion of the finer details of NHL hockey. No, instead I want to focus on a comment that the new head coach, Jim Hunter, made in his opening press conference that speaks to a philosophy or a mindset, even, regarding how we embrace toil.

Instead of the predictable hockey jargon one might expect to hear while a new hire describes the style of play and the changes they want to implement, Hunter used an unexpected term when referring to the culture he wants to see imbued throughout the team’s spirit—fun! Yup, he said he’s looking to infuse fun into their style of play and make playing hockey in the NHL “fun again.”

The response amongst the Toronto sports media pundits? In a word, predictable.

What the hell does fun have to do with winning the Stanley Cup?
Continued in my Substack—link in bio! Enjoy...
You big show-off! Wow—four words that would've kn You big show-off!

Wow—four words that would've knocked my younger self to the ground. Back in the day, there was nothing worse than being accused of showboating. Well, today, things have changed!

To give this some context, I was out for a run the other day on one of my favourite routes. We call it a “Figure 8” run—circling both the upper and lower lakes in our local regional park, Thetis Lake, in what one would likely refer to as a figure-8 pattern.

It was a beautiful day: blue skies, low 20s with a breeze. I was feeling quite good and appreciating that, in my 60s, I can still get out for a run without any pain in my back,hips, or knees—I don’t take that for granted.

I’m no speed demon these days. Well, truthfully, there’s never been a day when I was. In fact, when I played football back in Lower School, my nickname was “lead-legs.” It stemmed from catching a pass with at least a 20-yard head start toward the end zone, only to be caught and tackled quite easily. Yup, I was pretty slow.

Oh well, speed demon or not, I still love the feeling of getting lost on the trails and allowing for the reliable rhythm of my marathon shuffle to get me to where I want to go.

Continued in my Substack—link in bio! Enjoy...
Outcome or process—which one is it? Goodness, you Outcome or process—which one is it?

Goodness, you could rattle this question around for a while and still be left thinking—I'm not sure? It's been THE running debate in the performance world for eons, and for good reason—it matters!

This conversation resurfaced between Robyn and me the other day as we recorded our 4th episode from our new podcast, Imagine The Good. (It’s not live yet—I’ll keep you posted) Naturally, when you have two Olympians with vastly different experiences and perspectives, you’re going to have some opposing views.

No surprise, I was the outlier in our process conversation. My rowing journey was unapologetically driven by the outcomes I pursued. Winning was the sole reason—or not losing, if we’re going to be completely honest. That’s the desired outcome that drove my training, my commitment to diet and sleep, and, of course, my reason for competing. That outcome occupied every ounce of grey matter I had during my years of competition.

On the other hand, Robyn’s reason was the complete opposite. She ran because she loved running—what a concept. She was not driven to win or not lose! Instead, she was in it for the transformative life experience on offer, stemming from her commitment to her process. Early on, she understood that the results she garnered were a direct reflection of how well she prepared herself and how she showed up to the challenges she willingly embraced.

Continued in my Substack—link in bio! Enjoy...
Why do I cry more now than I used to? I know, rig Why do I cry more now than I used to?

I know, right? Like, what the hell is up with that, anyway? And, for me, Terry Fox commercials are the worst—images of him running in the rain with some reflective piano music, and I'm toast!

In my second version as a rowing coach, I distinctly remember the first time the crew I was working with did a workout called “ten 70-strokers.” It was very much like it sounds; you row for seventy strokes at or above race pace, and you do that ten times on two minutes’ rest. If it sounds challenging, that’s because it is. 700 hard strokes that help build a quiet knowing in every athlete courageous, or crazy, enough to venture that there isn’t too much you can’t do when you have a good enough reason.

What I recall about the times I did that workout, as a teenager in high school, is that our coach, Neil Campbell, would putter off in his coach boat while we rested between pieces. It wasn’t until I began to coach that I understood why.

Watching a boatload of athletes writhe in pain, especially when you’re the catalyst, is hard to take. Knowing that the immense discomfort they’re feeling is a result of your instructions is a visceral experience. Part of why is that they trust you so much; they’re willing to endure that workout because you asked them to.

Continued in my Substack—link in bio! Enjoy...
Out of the mouth of babes. Last week, I had an "O Out of the mouth of babes.

Last week, I had an "Out of the mouth of babes" moment that came in the form of a question from someone much younger than I. It was a good one, and still has me reflecting.

What happened is, my wife, Robyn, booked an acupuncture appointment for me at the local college that offers a multi-year program in Chinese Medicine. I’ve been on the receiving end of those tiny needles for decades. So, no big deal, really. I always find that in the days following a treatment, I’ll experience better sleep, more energy and improved digestion. It’s what brings me back time and again.

However, this session proved a little different. When my name was called, I got up to meet the instructor as she came into the waiting room. Bright smile. Firm handshake. A good start. She turned and asked me to follow her.

As we walked towards the treatment room, I turned off my phone and tried to forget about the dozens of balls that were mid-air that day. I reminded myself this was a treatment, not a meeting—take a deep breath, Jase, and get present.

Continued in my Substack—link in bio! Enjoy...
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