Athletes in Motion Podcast - EP 025 Julie Olson

Tom Regal: 0:00

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Tom Regal: 0:40

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Narrator: 1:03

Welcome to the athletes in motion podcast from race to recovery. With your hosts Tom regal and Kenny Bailey.

Tom Regal: 1:22

Hey, Tom, how are you? I'm fantastic. Kenny, how are you today?

Kenny Bailey<br>: 1:25

I'm fantastic. Tom. Thanks you for asking. We have Julie Olsen here with us today. Hey, Julie. How are you?

Julie Olson: 1:31

Hey, good. How are y'all? Welcome. Hey,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 1:33

thanks for joining. We're excited to have Julie on because she's a health advocate. Absolute Rockstar. Just doing half Iron Man's Iron Man's and all that sort of stuff. But we were pretty excited to have you on because what I found out through our conversation, is it you used to be a Coxswain for the rowing team. Is it at St. Mary's right? Yes, St. Mary's College. So Tom and I was was fascinated by this whole thing. Tom, he said he spent some time in the Northeast. Just the idea of rowing. I think everyone loves seeing it. I don't think a whole lot of people know what's going on especially know what a Coxswain is if you ask 10 people, you know, one person probably knows and three people snicker, right? So we're excited to have you on. We want to hear all about sort of that sport and kind of what's involved in that kind of thing. But before we get kind of started down that path, Julie, we kind of wanted to talk a little about your history. So were you before you hit St. Mary's. Were you always athletic? Were you involved in sports earlier? Tell us a little about yourself. Yeah, actually.

Julie Olson: 2:35

So I've always been into sports. So to give you a little bit of context that it'll get it'll get come back when I talked about Cox being a Coxon is that when I started playing soccer at seven years old, but that was derailed because I ended up having arthritis in my hips did not know that. So I actually my first day of soccer practice, all of a sudden, I was complaining of

Tom Regal: 2:57

at seven? And

Julie Olson: 2:59

so that'll come back into the story. But so my sports, I guess, recreation life was delayed due to getting arthritis of the hip. And so spending a lot of time in rehab and in the hospitals and whatnot. But I bounced back right after that I'm and started playing soccer, and I actually would start playing goalie. And so I'm five, three, I mean, I was five, three in fifth grade, even like and so like, you know, this short, you know, active individual, and I just played goalie and for the rec team. And then, um, I really just dedicated myself to soccer as a child. And then in high school, I decided to do competitive and do competitive and high school. And that was back in like the 90s, when high school soccer was where the recruits would come. And so that was a big deal. And so, but I knew I wasn't really at that level, but I still have this passion for just sports. And so I knew, like going into college that I wasn't going to play sports. I was going to just stay active, though. And so I just continued to kind of exercise and keep myself active for the health reasons of it. But yeah, I grew up in a very sport focused family. My sister played sports. I mean, my sister was a little bit more. She did swimming and cross country and basketball. So she was but it was always something that we were raised on was sports and that discipline of sports.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 4:41

So as a goalie, then I mean, you you're already used to kind of seeing the broader picture, right? And just looking at the field looking at sort of where things are going, you know, seeing where the where the ball is going, right that was sort of already entrenched.

Julie Olson: 4:55

And being that coach on the field, you know, Seeing the full picture and having that leadership of okay, telling, you know, the players, okay, where things are and everything. So really having that perspective and growing up in that perspective. So,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 5:13

yeah, and you're on a team sport, too, right? So you got that camaraderie those those folks that you're looking out for all that good stuff. So, as a goalie, you know, being five, four, I mean, I take it, you were doing a lot more, you're doing a lot of work, right? Definitely was pretty quickness, right, you had to

Tom Regal: 5:27

jump, you had to be able to jump, right, you have

Julie Olson: 5:29

to be able to jump. Well, you also. And the funny thing is, is like, I didn't realize this as a, like, adolescent brain because your adolescent brain is just mush. Right? And so but like the, the geometry of things, like, as a goalie, you know, now looking back as an adult, and being and having those skills of reflection, like, you really had to be good at geometry, you had to cut off. Yeah, and, you know, you, you know, you don't just sit in the middle of the box like you in as like, the person short as I am, you have your bandwidth, like you have to make sure you cut angles off. And then like, even, I mean, at a young age, you got to learn how to thrust because, like, you had to, you know, throw your hips up in the air in order to push the ball over the net, or, you know, out of the way and so using those momentum for as like an adolescent, you don't really understand that stuff. But yeah, just this whole dynamic of, of all the different ain't like entities that go along.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 6:33

It's it's your thinking, right?

Julie Olson: 6:35

Yeah, your your brain is always moving. It's you know, now that you're saying like, you're always thinking it's kind of like my German Shorthaired Pointer.

Tom Regal: 6:43

Always move always on. Yeah.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 6:47

So Julie's like a German shorthaired pointers. That's what we that's what we concluded. Yeah, you're throwing you throw a ball and Julie's down. I got it. I'm gonna look like so you're so you're at St. Mary's, you're you go into parties. You're, you're enjoying the college life. How did I get it back? Yeah. Suddenly, you're

Julie Olson: 7:09

on? Oh, my gosh. Okay. So going in St. Mary's, um, I did follow my high school boyfriend. And he's the one that kind of got me into it at the time. So freshman year, just kind of getting my, you know, chillin, like doing my thing. Freshman year and sophomore year is where he met the captain of the rowing team. And at that moment, we had separated but he she had told him like, Hey, we're looking for a Coxswain for the varsity team. He was like, Well, what, you know, what? Will Tell me more? And she was, she's like, well, this person has to be really fatigued, because it has, they have to sit in this narrow boat. They're dead weight. So they have to be, you know, lean or thin. And, and also take command. So have a leadership ability. And he was like, Well you know, so he's like, Well, she, you know, kind of gave her a little bio. And she was like, Yeah, okay, well, let's meet. So we we met and like, it wasn't like, oh, let's try this out. It was like, okay, Julie, you're, you know, 430 and when you need to be down at the field, because that's when we get into bands to then drive to the lake and I was just like, Okay, so I'm like, Alright, cool. I guess I'm on a collegiate team. Wait, you get a grade for this.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 8:40

Awesome. Cool.

Julie Olson: 8:43

Started me up just for the grade, but like, so. So I really didn't know I just got asked and I was like, Okay, let me go see what it's like. You know, I've heard stories of like the freshmen that I started off with, and now we're sophomores, the, you know, waking up at the 430 mark, and just completely tired and all this jazz, but I was like, Okay, I'll try it. Like what else am I going to do? So? Yeah, you want the team we woke up at 430 We all met down at the bottom of the hill at St. Mary's and got in these vans, everybody was still asleep. And we would drive to the boathouse and I mean, I was just thrown into it. So I literally learned from the captain of the varsity team and she was our like stroke. So the stroke is, so you have with with rowing, you have a lot of different boats. So you have everything from single which are called scholars, to quads, which are for people to a four person vote because a quad is different than a four person vote even though there's four people because a quad is two rows versus a four person vote is Just one person, like one person has a role.

Tom Regal: 10:02

Oh, okay. Yeah, that's right. And you

Julie Olson: 10:05

have like, a few boats like, and usually when you have two people in a boat, that's like they both have the rowers. You don't typically like so you'll see that and then you have an eighth person and a person and for like, that's, like the eighth person is where you're going to see like the Olympics one, you know, like, when you think of the rowing, it's the eight person vote

Tom Regal: 10:26

and one person per or opposite sides all the way back.

Julie Olson: 10:31

Yeah, and so yeah, of course, for starboard and for ports and, and so you and then it's like, based on how good you are is like so if you're at the like, stern of bow then like, you're pretty good. If you're like towards the bow, like sometimes it's all about strategically too, so like, how are these people? So I'm, I think I'm trying to remember but I remember like observing and going okay, let me kind of see how this is and learning that the Coxswain. Basically, nobody does anything until the Coxswain speaks. So we're even talking about the minute that we're at the boathouse. And if I need to, if the cockpit the boat needs to get into the water, nobody does anything into the into the Coxon speaks Wow. And they'll say something like hands on. And that instantly means rowers get your hands on the boat. And then you don't the rowers don't do anything unless they're commanded to. So like the Coxswain is the one that says, Okay, hands on, boat up two inches, slide over, because you have to slide it off the racks interesting. And you have to go, you know, in three fold overhead, here's 321 up, and then you go, you know, show heads. So like, that's when the team will talk on which side they're going on to split the boat and put it on their shoulder costs and all of that. So let me tell that you're

Tom Regal: 12:13

not touching the boat, you're just marking it, you're just sitting there going up over it.

Julie Olson: 12:19

You are in charge of backing that boat up, making sure that boat doesn't crash getting into the water, like everything. So you you have to really walk and talk and know like cemetery so like where are you were in regards to the tree that might be in your way. And how are you going to get that over? And how are you going to articulate that to eight people so that they don't get all you know, yeah, they they so so. So basically what I'm getting at is is that you the Coxon is like the coach on the water. The coach in the boathouse, they are basically like nobody does anything until the cost of speaks. And

Tom Regal: 13:05

do you get your instructions directly from the head coach to you and then you give it to the rowing team that's on your boat.

Julie Olson: 13:12

So kind of kind of so what happens is during practice, that you'll always see the coach in like a boat launch like in a boat. And so they're, they're the ones coaching during practice. So really like during practice the Coxswain is just making it is guiding the boat. So they also have rudders. So we have rotors right next to us and we're like steering the boat.

Tom Regal: 13:39

Oh, really? Okay. Yeah, yeah, so

Julie Olson: 13:42

we're steering the boat. We also have a microphone that a lot of people probably have seen and that has a little box that's tucked that that shows stroke rate, power distance, so that I can then tell the team like hey, this is the stroke rate I need you all that but the coach is the one during practice that's calling the shots.

Tom Regal: 14:06

So when you're when you're sitting on the boat, or are you in position to the other rowers, I think different

Julie Olson: 14:14

so if the bow is what people think the front Yeah, the stern is technically is like the back back so I have eight women or men because I was one of those teams looking straight at me. Okay, sir. And we're going I'm going forward and they're like sitting back so as if they're going backwards

Tom Regal: 14:35

but that's right okay, that's what I was mixing that up. I was gonna say that you're getting back you're going backwards. I was gonna say how do you steer going backwards but no, you're going forwards. The rest of them are going backwards. Yeah, and

Julie Olson: 14:45

but that's only an eight person boat. Okay. Then you have a four person vote. There's two different types of four person vote. There's the the bow loader, which means the Coxswain has to slide their bow Audi into this little into the boat and lay down on their back. And only you only see their head crazy. And they're steering the boat with literally a pencil

Tom Regal: 15:13

like a Formula One driver

Julie Olson: 15:18

two, and that's when I'm in the bow of the boat. So the rowers are behind

Kenny Bailey<br>: 15:22

me. Got it? Yeah. It's crazy. Yeah. So

Tom Regal: 15:27

I didn't know that at all.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 15:28

So you show up to your first day, you have no clue, right? There's like, Hey, show up before the like, all right. Sure. Right, you're tired. You're How did you go from sort of? It seems like your personality that having you telling people what to do wasn't a leap for you. On that one. Just I think that part was like she got

Tom Regal: 15:47

okay, I can

Kenny Bailey<br>: 15:49

do they like did the coach put you off to one side and give you a handbook or no run on the boat, like at the beginning, and you're like, row.

Julie Olson: 15:57

So I utilize my resources. And I knew of a girl at school. So St. Mary is like, teeny, tiny. I mean, you all might have gone to high school bigger than seniors. So we know everything. So I utilize my resources. And I knew this girl had wrote in college or in high school. She wasn't on the team. She's like, I'm done with rolling. I don't want to do this. Like I did it all throughout high school. The girls are. We'll get into that later. And she was done. So I reached out to her. And I said, Hey, I've been asked recruited to do this. She was just like, Ron.

Tom Regal: 16:39

Just say no.

Julie Olson: 16:41

So I tapped into her. I became friends with her. And she I actually somehow talked her into helping me get up at 430 in the morning to practice and she we actually ended up tax sheet. We talked to the Coxswain role because I was so new that so she was teaching me being that she was never a Coxswain. She was a rower. So a lot of things I learned from her. I mean it we're talking about when we would have regattas and have to either drive or sell, we would drive. We would ride with each other. And she would literally be like, okay, Julie, taught me, how do I get the boat into the water? And so I would go over and over and over the, because there was no guidebook. I mean, I back then the internet, I think was just starting to be a big thing. I mean, we're talking like, early 2000s. So I was trying to find books on it, trying to find resources on it. But it was really this particular individual who spent the time with me. And it was like, Hey, this is what you are you are the coach on the water. When it comes, especially when it comes to racing. Racing is a whole different lengths.

Tom Regal: 17:59

Yeah, there's a strategy.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 18:02

Yeah, so walk us through that a little bit. So I mean, there was probably obviously, you know, getting the boat in the water and getting folks going, but you're in the middle. Like you said, you're at a regatta, you got eight people ready to go. What are sort of like, obviously, is it like keep the boat? I mean, you have three things you're probably like making sure you do. What would be the typical distance by the way, just to get a sense of it depends. So

Julie Olson: 18:25

there's two different seasons. So fall season in both intercollegiate rowing and in masters or rec rowing. Is there like the long distance so they are 3.1 miles? Huh? Five kg, right? Okay. Yeah. In spring is sprint season so intercollegiate. It's 2000 yards. And then for Masters it's 1000. So, um, and so yeah, so I started in sprint season. Got it, and no boy. So and I say that because with Sprint season, you have buoys that you have to stay.

Tom Regal: 19:11

Hey, stay in your lane,

Julie Olson: 19:13

stay in your lane and go real fast. Or, like go really far out. Just like so. I think so. And but at the same time, like Ken, you said, you have to strategize. So you spend all these hours practicing, Okay, now let's put the strategy and yes, there is a strategy, at least with, you know, the team I was on. And we haven't even talked about how the fact that in the bow, your seat moves up that right so you're not just have this or you're not just stagnant. So you have to know like, so it's called the slide. So the when the seat moves, that's the slide and they're strategically on Okay, I only want you to do half slide. I only want to do three quarter slide. Okay, cool slide. So, when, so there's that part of the race, then you have Okay, well, it's 2000 yards, you can't just go like, all out for 2000 yards. So you have to go. Okay, where are we going to settle? So where are we going to settle in the race, we're going to, you know, we do this, you know, we have about, it's around 250 to 500 yards that we'll get to pick up momentum. And then you just lengthen out is what we call it. So then you start really doing the really pretty stuff you see out there on you know, the head of the Charles which is in Boston, and you know, out here the head of the poor, you see the beautiful long, and then when it comes to the, like 500 yards until the end, that's when you're sprinting. Okay, that's when you have to start guiding the boat. But in the meantime, you have

Tom Regal: 20:58

to get up to your your opening your stride, so to speak, to put it into travel in terms and then it's the big kick for the finish. Correct?

Julie Olson: 21:08

Yes. Would you also add the Coxswain, you also have to like, watch your sides because that's where the other teams are that you're trying to be. And so as you're, you have your ratio and your ratio energy usually doesn't change. Honestly, like it kind of stays the same except for when like, you go. Like when you go to pass a boat. It's called walking. Let's walk that boat. And so you go okay, it's you know, and you have to give the rowers really good, sharp command like okay in three, we're picking it up two beats and rowers know that that means our cadence. So in in runners terms, our cadence is going to pick up. So we're gonna go up that slide a little bit harder, because I'm going to say as a Coxswain, I want to walk through this boat. And then I'm going to have to decide how many strokes it's going to take my team to walk through that boat. So you have all these like, just and but then you have eight lane. So there's eight other, you know, seven other boats that you have to kind of keep your eye out on and, and really just at the same time steer the boat.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 22:20

So how so for 2000? What would be the general time? Like how much time would that take to traverse to sprint?

Julie Olson: 22:28

Honestly, like, depends there's some teams that could do it in six to seven, six, you're looking at definitely under 10 minutes. Okay, typically under nine, you're around six to nine minutes.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 22:43

So if someone wants to get a feel for that, go to your gym rower and just absolutely crank that thing, right for nine minutes and see how you feel.

Julie Olson: 22:53

Yeah, and actually, that's what we would do. So I also had to be on on rowers, which are called and had to do how to row and we would, we would race each other II and even as a cop, put against my team, it's cool. And we would grow. And

Kenny Bailey<br>: 23:09

so yeah, I talked about previously so this is this is this is really cool, right? So you get all these really cool terms, right? So I think I'm most interested in sort of that eight that that 5k distance because that's the one that's like that endurance that to your point you help us to think so like you said, there's there's do the other rowers compete on like cheer is it like, is it like music or first chair like violin kind of thing? Pretty much. Yeah. How is that determined is it's not pure view, brute strength, right? It's that skill power kind of combination to help us walk through sort of who's the cool one on the boat, and

Julie Olson: 23:48

that's a really cool thing. So there's a couple of ways they do it. So, um, there's one way where if the team decides that they're going to do is called a seat challenge, and, I mean, it's a movie

Kenny Bailey<br>: 24:05

like this one, right? And so, chairs, right? So like drumline?

Julie Olson: 24:10

So I'm if you're starting with Coxswain, so if you're starting with me, the best person in the boat is C eight. Now that that person is typically I think it's typically a port side. So a lot of people are stronger on the port side versus starboard just kind of depends but usually your C eight and seven are your strongest, like those are the powerhouses because you have your port and you have your starboard.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 24:34

But why why back there? Why not closer to you is there so they are closer to

Julie Olson: 24:39

me. So okay, me and then the back of the boat? Yeah, so um, it's back in the boat. Okay, eight in your seven and then you have what some people sometimes call it your engine. So those are like, you know, just their good

Kenny Bailey<br>: 24:53

diesels kind of deal Yeah. And then

Julie Olson: 24:57

you don't have your more I don't want to say weak because I don't want to say roll my bow people under the bus but like experienced, they're not there they you can, you can put your Innit more experienced rowers there, that's where I was. So when I had to actually row in a boat, like that's you know, but like or you, you or you could strategize it and put like a little bit more of a powerhouse Savior to power houses and put them in the back. But mostly your eight in your seven is your power. And so the way that it's kind of cool the way that people want to get up into those seats, they will straight up be like, I want to challenge you for your seat. And you're like, No, okay, so So then they tell the coach and so like say number six wants to challenge number eight, because typically your your evens stay with the evens, because that's their role, right? So number six will be like certain, you know, turn the number eight, I'd like to challenge you for your seat. And that's kind of like, that's the captain of the boat.

Tom Regal: 26:10

Everybody creates a circle

Julie Olson: 26:14

upon where we're at, like, the coach might say, Okay, let's do it on the erg. Typically, no, they I mean, my experience is that they did it out on the water. And so what they would do is they would split the team in half. They would do two four boats. And you would have the two the eight and the six go at it. And who's ever bought the finish line the first or first that means that that person one?

Kenny Bailey<br>: 26:43

Wow.

Tom Regal: 26:44

So can you that's how my team did it. Can you? Can you like choose who you want to be on your boat? Are they take that? Yeah, they assigned the coach. Okay, cuz I was gonna say you could stack top, get your top rollers to help you getting the next seat.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 27:00

So in the middle of this sort of 5k thing what there must be like as a Coxon? Well, not necessarily. But I mean, there's gotta be some level of of like, can you tell when when everything's going well? Or can you so give us an instance? Like, I guess what I'm trying to figure out is as your role it's not just yell row, right and then row faster but and you know, your steering and and all that. So when does it like how do you know when things are going well? And is it do you have to yell less? And then when things aren't going well? How do you have to respond or how do they respond or

Julie Olson: 27:37

so? Yeah, the 5k is that's that's a doozy because that's a long one, not one. You know, the strategy really isn't too much because there's so much length, like there's so much distance that it really comes down to like making sure you're staying up with them just staying up with each other. You're it's a lot of swing rowing. So swing rowing, is that nice lengthening? Yeah, that's really what it is a lot of that and then it gets crunch time so the Coxon really communicates with the captain so see eight. Okay, he really like so I mean always even during like sprint season. So it'll be you know, so I'll do I'll have the the side conversations. So I see Oh, really short. So she or he will be okay, what's our stroke, right? And I'll be like, Oh, it's a 20 Ah, because I think the team, I think we can do a 32 and I'll be like, alright, well, let's try it. How many? I was like, Do you want to just do full on 10 strokes to get there? Or do you want to do five or I mean, like, how do you so like, I have that conversation with the whistle capital. Okay, so that's strategizing as well together. And so, but yeah, with your five K's, you know, I didn't have much race strategy with that because it was really heavy on the sprint and with the five P's, you're not my experience is that you're not I didn't race as much. Okay, you're so long.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 29:01

Got it. So on the Sprint's you're, that's when you're really shining, if you will,

Julie Olson: 29:04

you're you're racing almost every weekend, if not every other,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 29:08

okay? And on that one, you're you're talking to the Captain, you're you're going hey, can we What's your like? 3228 what's generally

Julie Olson: 29:17

what'll happen in the sprint is all before we're on the water, we'll establish a game plan, okay, and then I'll tell her, okay, or him and I'll say, hey, if we're behind, you know, if I see something, I'm gonna kick us up in gear. And then they're like, Okay, all right. And so then I just, you have and you can't just be like in 321 Go. You have to, like, get the rowers ready? In advance to like, kick it up. So okay, but yeah,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 29:45

if you see another boat advancing on you're trying to try to what is it on you walk on you. Step on better.

Julie Olson: 29:53

Like yeah, when I see when I see other boats walking, I'll be like, Ah, don't let that boat walk on us, ladies. Okay, one, three, we're picking it up to this and then we'll, and then we'll, we'll try to, we'll try to do that fine.

Tom Regal: 30:07

So, and you have a, I'm guessing you have a pretty good idea of who your competitors are from the other schools based on where you're raising when you're raising. So you how much how much research do you do to their teams and what their strengths and weaknesses are so that you can strategize how your race will kind of dictate out is? Or is that something you just kind of do based on the race?

Julie Olson: 30:31

I just do based on the race because back then, like we didn't, it's not like we watched film, like, you know, watch bill because, like, so you'll go to different. So you're in you're in a league. So it's it's very, it's, you know, it's I think I wasn't we were D for d3. And so we were racing against Long Beach, Santa Clara, Gonzaga, Sac State, UC Davis, sometimes Berkeley, you know, so we're racing against the local teams. And so you would see them at regarded. Also, we share to how we shared a boathouse with Berkeley, and mills, Mills College in Oakland. And so you can kind of figure out things, but it was mostly like everything is, you know, it's kind of like, I mean, let's compare it to triathlons. It's like, it's all about like your race strategy. Like you can like, something can happen. So you have because you have a horse, like someone can catch what they say a crab, and it's like, all of a sudden, there were goes flipping out in the middle of a race and you're like, Okay, how are we going to go to seven? Seven? All right, let me lean off the boat. So like you have those are like, you know, so you have, so you kind of have to every race is going to be different to like, in a sense of how people are feeling. Because a lot of these men and women are racing multiple times. Yeah, day by day. So it's like, okay, um,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 32:08

I know that I thought it was like one race, you're done and call the day

Julie Olson: 32:10

Because a lot of the people a lot of the athletes balance amongst boats. And so you'll have like, your your eight, and then you'll have so then you'll have your qualifying race, and then you'll have make sense. Yeah, right. And then you have like, your, some times they do a regatta is where there's the scholars. So it's the one person with the two oars. And then there's the four boat. But then, and this is where you know, you kind of transition into the lightweight bow. So lightweight bow is where athletes have to be a certain weight, and they can't be over the weight. So this is where it starts kind of getting down where body image making sure you know you are on you get on the scale. And the referee or the race official will look to sit make sure for women at the time I was doing it was 130 pounds. You couldn't be over. And so if you were over you had to make sure somebody could was like 126 or one you know they were

Tom Regal: 33:21

total weight. Yeah, total weight of how many rowers and a boat combined?

Julie Olson: 33:27

Well, typically it's Well, that's four I have I've never raised in an eight, lightweight, there. It might have they probably have them. But mine was four. And so that's where you get into the sweat runs the spitting in a cop.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 33:43

Yeah, so it's like wrestling to a certain extent, right? Because you're trying to make weight, if you will. And was that was the intention of the lightweight, the idea that you just don't put like 230 pound, you know, power houses on a boat and just crank the idea was to try to make a category for people that are sort of,

Julie Olson: 34:01

I think it's more of a category and to not just have like, oh, eight, for schoolers, like, trying to keep it fun and interesting. Exactly. And so, yeah, so they have that.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 34:14

So let's, let's talk about that a bit. I know, I know, when you and I were talking that. Like you said you were you were dead weight, right. There's a beauty and rowing, right? I'm assuming when everything's going right, and you guys are in the middle of that really long stroke, like you said, and you're just like this is this is freaking cool, right? The sun's coming up the lakes great. You're competing. Talk to us. And I know this is the part we kind of wanted to talk about it was it was sort of that look it you know, every kilo matters, right? I mean, it's it's sort of like cycling, right? It's sort of you look at watts per kilo, right though the lower amount of weight you can do and the massive amount of power you can put out. That's ideal. So you were mentioning before when we were talking that that it's it's a lot of pressure, not just for the Coxon, but for the row. First help us kind of understand that kind of underbelly of of that. Yeah, definitely.

Julie Olson: 35:06

So first off, like, in general, like you have this boat that is just super, it's narrow. And women, we have hips, most of us two, there's someone who don't, but most of us women have hips. And so you really need to make sure that your hips are in that narrowness and like, and so there's that functionality of it like making sure okay, that your body can fit in the bow.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 35:37

What is their ideal body type? I mean, like a basketball player, you know, you want them 636 Or you want them sort of a football players have different when you're looking at an ideal rower. Is it similar to like a swimmer, you know, thin sort of hips, big shoulders kind of do

Julie Olson: 35:50

in a sense. You want to, you know, I don't like to. I mean, I love my short, short people. But like you want to be typically between five, six and 510. You want the tallness. But you also like what people don't understand is it's the you need the strength in your legs. I see. Because you're Yeah, because your your momentum is coming from your legs because you're pushing off. So like the next time you get on an on a rower, really focus on you know, your glutes and your legs and see how much more strength because you're not pull. It's not like pulley. I mean, you are pulling but the momentum is coming from the legs. Okay, and so you have so you want someone that's strong. So a lot of times people will set those a sawed off or look to soccer players. Okay, because soccer players, we're all different heights. We got strong legs. Yeah. So yeah, so so. So there's that type. And you'll see like, and I heard and I listened to a lot of my vertically challenged teammates who were like I don't, you know, constantly comparing themselves like, I love it, I love it, I have to work so much harder, because I'm like, five, five, and I you know, and then like, really making sure that their stroke is matching the taller people and so I know that and that was a real so for like the vertically challenged role or sometimes that that they can go into the dark places. Am I good enough because I'm this short, even though I'm a powerhouse. Now when talking about dead weight, I can only speak about my experience, in the sense of once I committed to the rowing team. Ever you typical college sport, you eat sleep, everything together, right? So I was constantly looked at, on what I ate. And you would get like the side I have, you know, your dead weight, you know, so at the same time, I would do all the land extra workouts with them. So when there was time, so we did afternoon and morning mornings were typically on the water afternoons were typically on the earth, or we were running, doing weights. And so I would do those, I would always be rolling with them running with them. And so I was exercising as well. Or after the morning, I would go out for a run making sure I would do that. But you you really were looked at as far as like, are you gonna eat that? You know, in like, your

Tom Regal: 38:43

shoes, or are there other athletes teammates for doing that? Teammates? Okay,

Julie Olson: 38:49

so my coach actually was, I don't that St. Mary's the coach is kind of like outside, like they get paid. You know, they're a coach, but they're not like a professor and other colleges. They typically are professors, they're not full time faculty should I say? So. He had a different you know, he had his own job off campus, but so it was the it was the athletes that would watch and, you know, keeping in mind like, as a female, like 1920 years old, there's all this pressure don't gain the freshman 15 Don't do this, like look this certain. So we have all of these outside influences. And then also like I went to a very pretty school, like St. Mary's, the people are just beautiful. And so, you know, you have that pressure of like, just like staying up with the Joneses type was like, you know, so you had that pressure and I actually it was, I didn't really eat I ate in front of people but not my team. Not I would kind of pick up my food with the teammates, but then I would be You're not alone. I would wait till everybody went to class. And then the one friend that I recruited to help me learn this sport, she and I would eat together, because she knew she knew that this board is and because she also experienced it in high school. And she experienced it and the ugly side of like, you know, a lot of her teammates in high school were like believing they.

Tom Regal: 40:30

That's one of the high schools. I mean, college is bad enough, but high school. Yeah, just setting them up for eating disorders. You're just finding them an eating disorder.

Julie Olson: 40:40

And that's one of the reasons one of many why she didn't want to do college level. But she sure helped me with this. So she allowed me to feel comfortable eating, you know, a sandwich, because Hi, I need to eat. And so there was that. And I will say that, like during that experience, I became very resentful towards my team members, because I'm like, first off, we're not winning races. Like we weren't like this

Kenny Bailey<br>: 41:13

really powerhouse team you.

Julie Olson: 41:16

Were like St. Mary's, okay? Like, no offense to any of the rowers. We all tried our very best, but we would come into the finals sometime. Actually, no, not under my watch. Did we ever get to the top three? So like, you know, it was like, I was kind of I was getting resentful because I was like, Dude, you're not even we're not even winning. And you're like nitpicking it. Yeah. Yeah. But that. So there was that but then what during the summertime, I want to speak to so you have the fall in the spring and then you go so rowers we, we go home, or we do whatever, there's no like summer training or any of that. So I really liked being on the water. I'm a Pisces, I love being in the water. So it's just like, I was like, Okay, well, let me sharpen my skills in the summertime. So that when I come back to St. Mary's, I can be better. So I joined the local in West Sacramento. We have a team and I reached out to their their masters team and join their masters team and they were just absolutely the most amazing individual, the amazing women ever and so they didn't care about weight. They just were like, Thank you for being a Coxon.

Tom Regal: 42:39

We we can't find anybody.

Julie Olson: 42:42

They were shocked to me even though I was like I saw you know and so like they they were like, they were like my mom's Master's team is typically the older generation. And then the coach he was a former Coxon For you see, I think he went to Santa Barbara. And so so he was able to also help coach me. And so I really like even though like having, like the animosity and like the, like fighting with the demons of like this team that I'm rolling with in college and watching what I eat, and analyzing everything. I mean, literally, like we were at a regatta and one of the team members was like, Are you going to put that in your mouth, and I was like, I need to eat in order to like function. So I'm not like eating a burger. It's always salads and soups in front of them. And so it's just but yeah, so then I was treated just, I was just taken in by these women and during the summertime of trying to learn the sport because I had only at that time, I only had one semester under my belt and sharpened my skills. And then I came back refreshed. And I was like, okay, but the energy was still there. So the energy of watching what you eat and do all of this and you know, and then because we weren't excelling and not doing well, the blame came on the Coxon. So it's it's, you get to you. D It's like our fault, you know that we didn't win that race. Or you know, and so you and even if it's not said it's that pressure. Yeah, like Okay, and so um, I actually so I did the fall the longer goddess. What I would do is Yeah, and so I did that and I actually ended my season with St. Mary's because the emotional toll it took on me was not healthy, and I was thankful enough to have those skills at the age of I think I was 20 going on 21 to realize that this environment isn't a healthy environment. But I fell in love with the sport. Because of just like that experience of being on the water, seeing the sunrise being on a team having a purpose. So I fell in love with the sport, but I was just like, Okay, what do I do? So I reached back out to my master's team. And I said, Hey, even though I'm at college, I would still like to cops for you guys. So I can't practice. Like call me and so they did. And I would drive to Sacramento, when they have regattas. And I would get in the boat, and they'd be happy to see me and then or they were in the, you know, in Oakland, when I go to Oakland, so so.

Tom Regal: 45:56

So that masters team has, they still compete, they compete in a in a league, essentially, a masters league that they have around there. So there's there's life after college for rowers.

Julie Olson: 46:09

And it's, it's intense. Yeah, yes. And the thing about it is the women are phenomenal, like, so I never got to experience walking a boat on the intercollegiate team. But I was on the basketball team. And we it was we were on Lake Merritt. And that's an Oakland for people who don't know that like, but it's to walk a boat, I got chills. And I was like, This is awesome. Like, it's just so smooth. It's absolutely gorgeous to see. And all of a sudden, and like, I got to use the thirst wet race strategy, because when you're walking on a boat, you don't just go like Row, Row row you like, count down the other boats. See? So you'll be like, I want to get to see two in two strokes. Here's one and two, and they would get you. And so yeah, the Masters team is really like they, they they they take you as is. They don't like how much you weigh. They'll like even they they have light weights, and there'll be like, Hey, if you don't make weight, we got you girl. Yeah. Make sure we got it. There. So yeah, and so I would join there. During college, I would just sporadically go to their regattas and, and then row and then every now and then every summer I would roll for them did that actually, oh man all the way until after graduation of college. I even I did it and then I would take a break. And then I did it. I my last I did my last race in 2000. And I think let's see five. Just but um, it rowing is you because it's such a unique sport. It's just, but there's a lot that go into it. I think once you become part of that rowing culture, your love for it will never, it'll always be there. Because even now, so I you know, not to give away like exactly where I live, but I live like a mile away from the port. And that is really amazing. Like, just for me, like, Oh, my God, I I like really, I rode this port. Like I know it, like when they say go to the locks. And I now know what the locks mean. And we're not just talking about locks drive, like, locks at the port, like, you know, like, and then like when I'm running little and even. I was on my long run on Sunday with one of my girlfriends, and there was a regatta. And we were running along the port. And I said let's stop well and and I got to like, express to her like, Okay, so see these little boats, like at the front, the starting line. They're holding the bow ball to make sure that every single lane, there's a little bow in somebody's holding the bow ball to make sure the boats don't like go back and forth or like, don't go ahead. I was like so. And so then I'm like, Yeah, I'm and she's like, Oh, that's really cool. I wondered how they stayed there. Oh, my God, we'll be holding the ball. And then this one, they did a stagger start, because they had and so there was a Masters team. And she's like, Wait, why are they all not starting together? Because what they're doing is starting at the stagger start, which means there's a handicap. So clearly there's a boat, that's more of a powerhouse. So for this, they're gonna do this that we just can't get there and just watched. And yeah, got to see and I'm like, and I was getting chills. I was like, Yeah, this is, this is how it is and they're going to end in 1000 yards. And then you we we ran up and there was a canopy and there was like four different people with stopwatches because everybody you know, it's kind of like swimming when you get in and you do that time. So I'm like, Yeah, that's The that's the art of rowing when collegiate comm so right around the Ironman last year hashtag. I was doing my last run, and that's when like, the collegiates were all there so and they were rowing, and you just have these NASA people and I was able to be like, they were like, Hey, do you know much about this? I was like, yeah. Like, Oh, yeah. So this, you know, you want to watch here or go down a little bit further. And you can watch over there, like, you know, and just seeing and hearing the oars. So like, even though, like, what started off as a very bumpy like, road and like, massive learning curve. I mean, huge learning curve, the fact that they I mean, I mean, I guess I gotta say thanks, mom for giving me the resources to be able to even reach out to people and be like, Hey, can you like find people to help me really change? I mean, it's it was life changer, because now I just absolutely can, I can just listen to the oars and

Kenny Bailey<br>: 51:03

be what's going on? Well, and it's really neat that, like you said, you're able to learn a sport, unfortunately, learn kind of all about the sport sometimes. And we know this, right? It's not every program. And it's not every sport, but we know gymnastics, or any sport that requires sort of athleticism, but you have to be a small stature. But a powerhouse cycling, whatever is always going to be there's going to be prone to that that body image issue that you have to hit a certain way wrestling is just, you know, the same way as well. But the good news is you're able to pull yourself back and see the love of that sport and and see that there's beauty in that symmetry, there's beauty in that sort of, of how that works. And being able to see four or eight people be able to come together and as one unit and be able to get that, you know, get that maximum out of those people. I think that's fantastic. And then lucky experience for those people that are kind of going through that now. I mean, there's going to be people listening that are that are dealing with sort of that ugly, not ugliness, but just dealing with that sort of strain. What would you what kind of what would you say if you ran into your younger self? You know, in college, what would you what would you tell yourself?

Julie Olson: 52:21

I mean, that's a steep resort resources. I mean, but seek resources in the sense of like, seek positive people. So like, Yeah, I had that one, that one friend, who I was able to eat with. But I also had another girl on the team, who she wasn't, she was actually in the novice boat at that time. So that means that's like the JV team. And so she recognized that I what the women were doing, but she recognized people watching me, and II and but at the same time, she's like, you're out here doing the workouts to grow up as well. And so IV, we became friends and she became another person that if I wanted, you know, to have a bagel with cream cheese, I would be able to sit there and devour it and not be judged, you know? And so really, you know, just kind of being open, I would definitely say the people who are struggling to be open to, to recognizing that there's people who are noticing, yeah, what you're going through, and to not push those individuals away if they happen to say, Hey, let's go let's go get something to eat. Yeah, you know, I mean, I remember I was so hungry. One time. I will never forget this and let them we and Moraga. There was a there's a Noah's bagels in Lafayette. And I was like, you know, I can't remember the girl's name, but I was like, Hey, you want to go? You want to go to Noah's bagels? You know, get something to eat after rolling. And she's like, Yeah, sure. So we did and I was so hungry that I devoured two bagels with cream cheese. Like, I was starving and she no judgment. Yeah. And she was like, Are you hungry? I said, Yeah. She was like, eat, eat because you just did. We gotta eat, you gotta survive. So, you know, having those two individuals, like, really helped me and and giving me that positive reinforcement. Like it's okay.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 54:36

Well, with any luck, you know, we hope that the coaches and other folks are learning as you know, during your time, I think that was also a time. I think across the board coaching was very good. I had a very different kind of viewpoint. Yeah, very old school, right, which is, you know, even you know, we talked to Ian, who was, you know, doing wrestling where they were just like you'd cut weight for a fighter, but they do it in such a way that was it was detrimental to them where they'd actually be more dangerous in the Octagon than they would if they did it in a smart sort of way. So with any luck, you know, we're starting to understand that today that, you know, that approach just doesn't work anymore. And that is, I think the difficulty, too, I think that you're pointing out to Julie is that you're 99% in this world, right? I mean, there's no other, there's no other external voice saying anything. So you kind of feel like you're isolated in this area, because that's the whole world you live in. So maybe the important part is to like, you know, be able to talk to somebody outside of that world to give you a little bit of sort of like, Hey, this is what the rest of the

Tom Regal: 55:40

world kind of reality check. Yeah. And I think we get a, we've had kind of a reoccurring theme with everyone we talked to that says, succeeded, right, is that they were able to surround themselves with a team with positive, positive influences, whether it was family or friends or something along that way. And I and I think that's really important for us today that you keep positive influences in your life that maybe at certain times, they're giving you some some harsh news, in a sense to keep you honest on it, no, you have to eat no, we see a problem. And you'll have to be able to listen to them and keep them as trustworthy and in your circle, because that's what will lead to your success. And the fact that you were able to reach out the fact that your obviously your parents instilled something in you that allowed you to seek resources to, you know, to get that positive influence to help you navigate that. And obviously, you knew it was bad enough that you stepped away from it in college, right? So I did something right there. And learning that a bit, being able to see it, that it was going in a bad way. And being able to step outside of it, and then continue the love of the actual sport without being in that that negative environment type thing. So,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 56:55

Julie, you're also I know, you're talking about you're doing triathlons now, right? So you're getting geared up for the Ironman, California, we met at 70.3, Oregon. Do you? I know I get this once in a while. Do you get it today, that little thing in the back of your head based off of kind of that experience as well? Because I have people that come up and say, Oh, wow, it looks like you lost weight or you look good. And I'm thinking to myself, well, I've got you know, eight more pounds, 10 more pounds for a race weight. So no, you know, no, I mean, because, you know, you see some of these athletes when you show up to these races that are, you know, I'm six foot tall, these are six, but they weighed 30 pounds lighter than me and I'm not competing against them, you compete with yourself, but you still have that tinge. Do you find yourself once in a while, like in just like, gosh, I need to be this or I need to be this or I need to do that and kind of catch yourself?

Julie Olson: 57:41

Well, so I have had body image trauma since I was child. My and it's because I you know, just without being a therapy session, but think about it this way. Like I was a 10 year old going through puberty as a female. Yeah. 10 years old. Yeah, I was 532 100. or, excuse me, 100. And, like, 20 something pounds. Great. Like, oh, and I haven't grown, it's like, you know, it's like you have those. So body image has always been a trigger in my grief. And so what I bought what I and I had a lot of self reflection and therapy to help with that. But what I will say is a an amazing thing is being surrounded by like minded. The love like athletes. So like, my best friend is an ultra runner. And you know, there's times where we both will be like, I just want to cut the four pounds. Because I don't want to carry that. Like, I want to do this. And it's like we we understand because we're athletes. Yeah, we already know, we already know we look good. Okay, we are very athletic, we're confident now. But it's like, if I could just like like I mentioned to you because I have COVID It was

Kenny Bailey<br>: 59:15

just a terrible thing to do, by the way, like, Yay, I got four pounds.

Julie Olson: 59:18

But it's like, you know, so having those outlets, yeah. You know, having those people to when you are struggling, because you wish you could drop some extra wheat because either your units hard or you know your units, whatever you want. Want to look a little bit sharper in that. Yeah. There's that pause, you know, where I have friends who are in that athletic mindframe and they'll be like, What are you talking about? Girl? You look good. And y'all know, it's okay. I know I do. But it's like, yeah, yeah, so that's the that's really but It's always on my mind. So body image, and it's always on my mind. And it's just something that I have dealt with. And so that's where, like, but, I mean, it was a trigger when I started with the sport, but having that masters team take me, yeah, who I am.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 1:00:21

That's fantastic. Yeah. And that's like, like Tom saying you you surrounded yourself by a group of people that didn't care, they just cared about your happiness and you're having fun. And and that's, you know, it's funny is I think it's the same thing when I show up to to a triathlon event, I always think they're going to look like the pros from going from Kona. And you get there, and you just look and there's all sorts of body types, all sorts of people, they're just as nervous as you are on particular, they're asking questions like, hey, where do I put this? What do I do with this, and, and then you look around and go, Oh, wow, these are just people trying to hit a goal, just like I'm trying to hit a goal. It's not, you know, not everyone looks like, you know, Lionel Sanders on this, you know, 8% body fat running six with hips that are weird. And, and, you know, just it's, it's, it's fun, right? And that, that kind of reminder of being able to do that.

Tom Regal: 1:01:10

And most of those pros are, are going in underweight, which is wrong. And that kind of leads to us age groupers. Feeling like we need to be that fat, lean lean, you're going into a long distance race, a long course, you know, half half or full distance, and you're going in, under 10% body fat as a male, you're, you're to lean, and you won't, you won't have the success that you're going to have. And that I think that's something that hopefully we're having more discussions about is just if you eat to fuel your body for your workouts, your body will land where it needs to be. Exactly. And yeah, we took maybe a pound or two here would be nice, because yeah, I got a little bit of a Buddha belly that sticks out in my one piece suit that yeah, I don't want to have to suck it in every time I see a camera while I'm running along. But you know what? It is what it is, but it allows me to go longer distances, because I'm carrying a little extra fuel for my body. But if we're getting down to that we're getting super, super lean. And we think we can do it because there's a bunch of pros that are better like that. Yeah, it's just for us.

Julie Olson: 1:02:13

That's why I also like, loving triathlons is, you know, you know, being a collegiate athlete and then love of this, you know, rowing but then the community coming back to this the community, like, the community of that mass, you know, it was really cool. I'm not gonna lie to like, walk around and be like, Oh, I'm a Saint Mary's. Really? Yeah. Unity, because you're always trying to find acceptance in life, people that's human nature want acceptance. And then I finding a tribe, this triathlon community. And it kind of just, you know, was reminded me of like, there's the beauty of athletics. And it doesn't matter what your stature is, you know, we're all out there for a common goal. And, you know, I was, I mean, I still am, but I'm not teaching right now. I was a spin instructor for 10 years. And like, you know, Pete, there would be some members and athletes that would come up to me and be like, oh, I want to look like you have one. Like, you're here. You're doing great. Just keep going, like, you know, and just having that positive community. And like, one of the best things that seeing at these triathlons is body of every type. Exactly. It's awesome. And it's like, it gives me chills, because it's like, people are out here doing a positive thing for their health. But at the same time, man, like, Okay, so my first reason it was a triathlete, or not first one, but like, I was getting all this encouragement, and I was okay, I was, it was a trail. It was like, the the run with a trail run, and I hate trail running. So like, I was just like, and I didn't know where the trail run, I just signed up for it all. And I'm, like, really upset that I'm doing is 6.2 mile run. But the community they were like, Good job, good job. And like, I was just kind of like, oh, oh, and because like, I didn't realize, that's how the community is all cheering on each other. And so after having that experience, I'm like, Oh, this is amazing. Like, in like, I mean, they they're the lead people were cheering me on and it was just like, you got it like, and it's like, that's how it should be no matter. You know, yes, there are stressors on being on a team sport, but at the same time having that community of being able to be also like authentic with each other and be like, oh, yeah, I'm not doing too well, you know. But

Tom Regal: 1:04:55

I've heard of athletes switching from like a pure cycling racing background to strap on and they come over. And they go, yeah. And they and they go flying past that, you know, they they pass somebody on the bike or something. And there's like the weirdest thing he was cheering me on. He wasn't angry. I was like, Dude, where to go where to go. He's like, I just didn't know how to process that it kind of threw him off a little bit. I'm like, that's totally how we are. Yeah, I used to be a roadie that was like back race and the front lead pack is flying back, and I'm heading out and they're like, Tom, hey, way to go and go guys, you know, it's like, it's just the way it should be. Right? We should be supporting. None of us are making any money at this. It's costing way more. They should be just having fun. And if we're not having fun, we're doing it wrong. Yeah. And

Julie Olson: 1:05:39

that was so that that was a thing because I came. So after rowing, I switched over to running. And so I was you know, I'm a runner, I'm a runner. And like that, in your brain is not well, because it's like you're comparing yourself, and it's all about when did you finish? Yeah, how? What was your minute? Like, what was your minute pace? Like, all this stuff? And then when you come to triathlons, it's more of like, did you finish cool? Exactly.

Tom Regal: 1:06:07

didn't drown

Julie Olson: 1:06:11

you Oh, you didn't get a flat? Flat?

Kenny Bailey<br>: 1:06:14

Yeah. So based off of that, Julie, what what do you have coming up? You've got your Is it your first Ironman? And

Julie Olson: 1:06:22

so I have Yes, I have the Ironman California take two because I was the people who trained last year that didn't get to do it. As I say, you came over to my house, you would think it was there was a funeral because there was nothing but doughnuts and champagne.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 1:06:39

Didn't know California got like the one storm in 100 years. It was the day of Ironman California. Beautiful day before Beautiful day after that day as hell rain down. And you know, so yeah, right. to California.

Julie Olson: 1:06:55

Um, I actually have Tahoe 70.3 coming up. That one, I'm really I'm nervous. I'm excited because I actually did my first half marathon and Taco I do I am a typical person that does not take advantage of the

Tom Regal: 1:07:10

surroundings that I serve. You're not that far away. Right.

Julie Olson: 1:07:14

Right. I'm 90 minutes away from Tahoe and in my 40s and it's my first race that I did. So. Yeah. So I have that I'm excited about because that'll be really, the altitude is very different. And then also just the climbing. And then yeah, I have that and hopefully keeping our fingers crossed California Ironman, I do have a plan B. If that one doesn't go it's gonna happen this year. Better, then I'll try to get into Cozumel because I'm not trading again for

Tom Regal: 1:07:48

a while. You're not gonna commit the the year long training to do it again. Yeah, to try again. So yeah,

Julie Olson: 1:07:56

I mean, and even this year, I'll say it has been very mentally challenging to, you know, last year, the training so as my training plan is 40 weeks. And my end, I was super excited. I'm like, it's my first Ironman. Getting out of COVID we get to race again. Like totally gung ho, like hitting all the markers, doing all the time trials, all of that doing everything right. And then I mean, this year that I can just tell like, my heart's not into it as much it's starting to because now I have a countdown on my watch. 80 days and so it's like, okay, and I'm now starting to get into those five and a half, six hour long rides, you know, and so it's starting to like, Okay, this is actually coming again and getting and then Oregon racing an Oregon was phenomenal. It was my first race since 2019. Yeah, I mean, I felt like a newbie again like thank goodness, I had our friend Michelle there because she was just like, he can't do this. This this this that. I was like, I braced before but

Kenny Bailey<br>: 1:09:04

forget half of it. Yeah, I

Tom Regal: 1:09:05

went through that. Yeah,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 1:09:07

it took me three minutes to get my wetsuit off. I'm like how can I just not come off? Why is this coming off? My cat like this damn thing.

Julie Olson: 1:09:15

And then they will so did like Michelle was like, why did it take you so long and transition? I was like because I forgot what it was like what do I do and transition out of the loop but like yeah, so but yeah, that's what I have coming up and then Ironman California. I'm gonna take it easy. You know Ironman did drop that new race of Morro Bay

Tom Regal: 1:09:41

Oro Bay.

Julie Olson: 1:09:44

UI maybe because next year is all about just I think I might get back into CrossFit. I did that for a little while and get back into the kind of like just the more 70.3 the Olympics. Getting back into

Kenny Bailey<br>: 1:09:59

the About 40 weeks of training, right? Yeah.

Julie Olson: 1:10:03

So yeah, cool. Yeah. Sweet.

Tom Regal: 1:10:06

So how do we follow you on the socials? Are you on social media? I

Julie Olson: 1:10:10

am on social media. Like Mine is private. So like, I don't just open it up. Yeah, I'm Julie Olsson. 1616 was Joe Montana's number. And that was my soccer number as an eight year old soccer player. And so, but yeah, I'm also on Facebook, I think it's truly an Olsen but yeah.

Tom Regal: 1:10:37

Follow your journey through your iron man. Yeah,

Julie Olson: 1:10:40

I do. I'll post I'll post some stuff and talk about, you know, because like Kenny mentioned, I'm a health advocate, like, being, you know, struggling with demons and struggling with body image issues, since I was eight years old. You know, and trying at first, you know, to make sure I looked like the other girls. And, really, but just kind of, I do athletics because it feels my soul. And of all the beautiful people I've met. It really does feel feel my it's also very meditative for me. So even this morning, like, I call my Thursday morning runs a fun run, I take my German Shorthaired Pointer. And even though I still have a brick to do, like, it's a fun run, it's something I can do with my dog. Or it's something I could do with my husband's into running a little bit now. And, but it's just more of a health and just the positive side of it. And just, and then I actually became a personal trainer during the recession in 2008. And so I was able to actually educate myself through the National Association of Sports Medicine, and so which is NASM. And so big in that helped me as an athlete, because I learned about just all the functionalities of your body, and, and the things that you need to do. And so I'm very into making sure that you're stretching, I'm very into keeping, you know, I picked back up my massage therapist, P appointments and getting those in, and just really taking care of and making it a priority. Yeah. So this is my lifestyle. You know, somebody also said, you know, it's also your hobby, you know, but it's like, I'll, I'll do this, I'll do this, because it's just fuels my soul.

Tom Regal: 1:12:39

It goes from hobby to lifestyle, hobbies, when you're just doing it for a little bit, and then walking away and doing something else completely different. But when you're active lifestyle, which is something that we always try to promote. I've been trying to promote this for longest time, because it's helped me tremendously over the years, is that you just got to be active, it doesn't matter what you're doing. You just need to be active, be outdoors, be doing things, meeting people, just pushing your body, just using your body at that point just to move around.

Julie Olson: 1:13:07

People often. People ask me like, oh, well, you know, they a lot of times like my my friends who are not necessarily in this culture, they'll compare themselves. Oh, well, I'm not like you. And I'm like, that you don't have to be do what you love. Exactly. If it's orange theory, if you do you, you just want to go out and walk every day you do that what's feeling your soul? And that's what you like, then yeah, do that. You know, and you don't have to do these fab, you know, diets. You know, I did the Paleo before and this CrossFit and that was great. You know, now I am plant based. I actually am a cancer survivor. So I

Tom Regal: 1:13:52

Yeah, sure. Motivation.

Julie Olson: 1:13:54

Yeah, I battled cancer during my first season of 70 Point threes. I actually put my, my reconstruction on site on hold, because I wanted to compete in 2019 and 70, point threes. And so, you know, so that evolved into a plant based diet for me, and my body likes it better. Now. I love the smell of a burger on him, but, you know, my body responds better to more of the plant base. Yeah. But I'm also like, whatever, you know, you know, whatever is going to make you happy and feel that so. Exactly. Yeah. And I'm also like, if I see, you know, someone who's worked really hard, and all of a sudden kind of going down, like getting back into old habits. I'm also a person that will be like, Hey, how are you doing? Yeah, I noticed this. You know, what can I Is there anything that I can do like tomorrow to help you get back into that? I mean, I I've actually had that conversation with a colleague of mine, his rear end often to get to a very healthy state of mind. And and now you kind of see gaining the way to get me like, make sure this job is not taking over you make time for yourself. So get back, you worked hard. So it's also that the motivator to that I have as well, like it's just something that I just I'm so passionate about. Yeah, so

Tom Regal: 1:15:28

fantastic. Well, thank you so much for being on we'd loved hearing their story, and learning all about the rowing. Watch that always watch it. Have no idea what I'm looking at. But it's always impressive and pretty cool. So thank you so much for being is fantastic. everyone for listening. Thank you so much. We appreciate your comments, give us five stars, thumbs up all the good things that helps the algorithms and gets this out to more and more people. We really appreciate it as we as we keep learning and growing with this podcast. We're having a great time. So thank you again, Julie. Kenny, thank you so much. And we'll catch you on the next one.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 1:16:05

This episode was brought to you by OOFOS recovery shoes.

Tom Regal: 1:16:09

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Kenny Bailey<br>: 1:16:16

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