November 08, 2006
SWEAT MAGAZINE INTERVIEW WITH COACH ILG
Once called, "America's Outdoor Athlete," by OUTSIDE MAGAZINE,
coach steve ilg, now at age 44, is still setting Course Records such as
shown above at this years mountain duathlon; The Gaspin' In The Aspen
in Flagstaff, Arizona. Below, SWEAT MAGAZINE asked him about his
recent win at that event:
SWEAT: Did you enjoy the event? Why?
COACH ILG: I consider the Gaspin' In The Aspen Mountain Duathlon to be the premier off-track multi-sport event in Northern Arizona. Having podium placings in both the Short and Long Courses, I can assure any outdoor athlete that he or she will find this event to be peerless in terms of quality, intensity, and race organization. The Courses challenge kinesthetic fitness as well as aerobic and strength endurance. I deeply enjoy races that test an athlete's overall mind and body.
SWEAT: How was the course?
COACH ILG: Located on ponderosa and aspen terrain laced by volcanic rock outcroppings all at an elevation in excess of 8,000', this event produces a training effect that sizzles the spirit. I train on these courses during all times of the year and rare is the workout that does not include wildlife encounters with wapiti, deer, wild turkey, and coyote.
SWEAT: What was the most challenging part?
COACH ILG: The art of pacing is nearly always the most challenging part of any multi-sport outdoor race. When to be "yang" and explosive must be balanced with the "yin" of steady, sustainable effort that maximizes your highest average speed without 'blowing up' is, to me, the most challenging part. The outdoor athlete must develop an intuitive wisdom, based upon direct experience, that dictates when to take risks on the mountain bike and when to back off. By developing a continual flow of mindfulness, the outdoor athlete then becomes a yogi.
SWEAT: How was the weather?
COACH ILG: The weather is always perfect. Weather cannot be but perfect. It's a reflection of spiritual immaturity that an outdoor athlete superimposes emotions upon weather.
SWEAT: What are you training for next?
COACH ILG: As a Wholistic Fitness® warrior, I train for Enlightenment. Sport Performances and my podium placings, and the continued success's of my students are by-products from my own spiritual Practice of Wholistic Fitness®. Specifically, however, I am planning to defend for the third year, a Title at the Mt. Taylor Winter Quadrathlon in Grants, New Mexico in February. Before that, however, I do have several nordic ski and snowshoe racing events on my schedule.
i bow to you from beneath the Sacred Peak,
coach steve ilg
Flagstaff, Arizona
Steve Ilg is a mountain yogi, an online yoga and fitness teacher, and the author of five books, including TOTAL BODY TRANSFORMATION (Hyperion, 2005). He is the creator of www.WholisticFitness.com and High Performance Yoga®. He has competed in 5 World Championships in 4 physiologically diverse sports.
photos by www.myracepics.com