Photography by Dan Bannister
Clothing provided by Out There in Calgary

Syl Corbett talks about snowshoe running and the sports that led her to the 2009 national championship.

Syl Corbett, 2009 Canadian National Snowshoe Running Champion and long-time member of the Canadian National Mountain Running Team, is modest about her accomplishments. Reluctant to confirm that she "won" a race, she prefers to say that her life in sport has gone well and that she has enjoyed herself.

IMPACT caught up with Corbett in October 2009 and talked about her twenty-plus years in sport.

IMPACT: Where are you from and where have you been?
SYL: With sport, I have travelled a ton. I was down in Florida when I was racing triathlon. I spent eight years training down there. And then Colorado—the mountains were calling, yeah. And I've been up here like almost three years now.

IMPACT: So what drew you here (Calgary, Alberta)?
SYL: I came off and on a little bit before—because I had a sister who lived up here.

IMPACT: And you like it?
SYL: I like it, but it's cold. I keep a good attitude about it, but, to be honest, it's a little bit freezing. But, you know, I try to embrace it. It is truly an amazing place to live, with our proximity to the mountains.

Once, when I was in Florida, coming back from a race in Europe, I thought, "I can't survive in the flatlands anymore. I've got to go to the mountains." I mean, I didn't really know anyone in Colorado, but I knew that I just had to go there.

IMPACT: How old were you?
SYL: I was around twenty, then.

IMPACT: Were you pursuing a university degree?
SYL: I had finished university. I was doing the World Cup, ITU stuff, triathlon, and I wanted to swim with the best swimmers in the world, and they were all down in Florida at the time.

IMPACT: You were raised in Eastern Canada?
SYL: Yeah.

IMPACT: And so, you got into sport in high school, I assume?
SYL: Yeah.

IMPACT: Triathlon?
SYL: Everything. You know they have this thing where you get out of the last class if you're in sports?

IMPACT: Yeah.
SYL: Well ... (haha).

IMPACT: But you were good at it.
SYL: Well, I loved it, and I've basically played everything.

IMPACT: What was your first sport?
SYL: I guess it was badminton and basketball. I played quite a bit, and then went on to play basketball in college, junior college, university, but then started running cross-country, and then that led to lots of running. I'd want to go run before playing basketball. And so eventually that just took over ... and then it gravitated to triathlon.

IMPACT: When was that?
SYL: Around 1990. And then I started racing a few years as an amateur, and then went on and did the World Cup for a number of years.

IMPACT: And how competitive were you at that point?
SYL: Things were going well. I had some top ten finishes; 1997 was my last year racing the ITU stuff because I went on to do Extreme Racing ...

IMPACT: Extreme meaning ...
SYL: Basically, mountain bike, kayaking ... kind of like adventure racing. I had a contract around 2000 with Balance Bar for two years, and then I raced for Salomon USA doing the same kind of thing. I raced single and multiple-day events, which included running, biking, paddling, climbing, swimming, etc., the High-Tech Adventure Racing Series, that kind of thing.

IMPACT: And so they sent you to ...
SYL: Wherever they had these kinds of competitions. I liked all of it, but probably more the intensity and the shorter races.

That was the draw. Basically, it was just two- to four-hour races of really hard stuff, instead of four days of sleep deprivation. You're jumping over rivers, going upside-down on zip lines, then you're on roller blades, and then you're running up a mountain, and then, you know ... But it didn't really test my athleticism in the way I most enjoyed. I mean, it was fun and cool, but it wasn't ...

IMPACT: What are the prizes for that sort of event?
SYL: Cash. And we did pretty well. When I was with Balance Bar, I had a couple of teammates who were fantastic, both of them mountain bikers, and we had a good thing going; we got along very well. I mean, I don't have a clue where I'm going in terms of orienteering, but I just thought, "Okay, well, I'll carry your water."

I did that for a number of years, but it wasn't testing me. I needed to get back to a real challenge again, like I wanted to finish a race and be just spent. It's kind of like what I'm doing now, where I bring my love of running and my love of the mountains together. So now I'm challenged.

IMPACT: But you didn't go immediately from adventure racing to snowshoe running?
SYL: I mixed it up. I'd race anything. Whether on the bike, or just ... anything.

IMPACT: What do you like the best?
SYL: I've always had that love for running, and that's what I always go back to. I've got the energy and passion for sport, but definitely running has always been there for me.

IMPACT: Okay, so let's talk about your accomplishments.
SYL: Shall I tell you about my ballet background?

IMPACT: Sure.
SYL: I don't have any (haha).

IMPACT: You won the 2009 Canadian National Championship for Snowshoe Running.
SYL: Yep, last February, just north of Ottawa. I used to race for Atlas in Colorado, which began in 2004 or 2005.

IMPACT: And before you did that, you'd won the Yeti.
SYL: Yeah, well I did a couple of Yetis.

IMPACT: One on Seymour and one on Cypress?
SYL: Seymour and Mt. Washington, I think it was. The first two they had, and then other races came up. It was a ton of fun. It's just good, goofy fun. You're outside. You're not on a treadmill. You're out in areas where you would normally never be. It lets you have fun in the winter. It's so easy. Anyone can do it. It's inexpensive. It's such a rush getting the heart rate up that high. If you're looking for an alternative workout, you've got it. And it's always different.

IMPACT: What sort of advice would you give to somebody who'd never done it?
SYL: Go with someone who has already done it. Let them take you to a good spot. You don't want to go to a snow-covered parking lot. You want to really experience what snowshoe running really is. So go with someone who is knowledgeable and to an area where it's safe, where you won't be causing an avalanche or getting stuck in one. Bring water, make the experience more enjoyable, wear the gaiters, wear the right gear. Just rent a pair of snowshoes for the day, bring a pack with a whole bunch of different clothes, because you'll layer, and probably end up taking most of it off, like cross-country skiing. You don't really need much, but if you run into any kind of weather, you want to have it with you.

IMPACT: What about training?
SYL: Oh yeah (haha), at the beginning of the season, say you want to go for a snowshoe run, you take about ten steps, and it quickly becomes a snowshoe hike! But it feels good. And then you might go to some areas where there's deep snow, and you're forced to march through it, and then you run, but that's the fun of it. You could bring poles, but you don't need poles. But whatever you do, be accountable: Tell a friend, "We're going."

IMPACT: Right.
SYL: I mean, you don't have to be intimidated about speed or anything like that. You just go.

IMPACT: So, we were listing your accomplishments. You won the Calgary Marathon in 2005?
SYL: I did it a couple of years, maybe 2003 and 2004. I did a bunch of marathons—Powderface, Big Sur, trail—and you know they all went really well, but it was always a last-minute thing.

IMPACT: You won them ...
SYL: Yeah, but I didn't really plan, or I didn't really train for the marathon, like I tell other people to do, but I didn't. I'd just decide a few days before, okay, I'm going to run this.

IMPACT: You're saying that you didn't follow your own program?
SYL: Well, I was doing fitness competitions. I was doing all kinds of sports, so I had the ...

IMPACT: Fitness competitions?
SYL: You know basically, they have these what they call fitness competitions—not bodybuilding (haha) ...

IMPACT: No, no.
SYL: I'd be so off the back in that (haha), but it was more like doing ten sports in two days kind of thing. So I was doing that.

IMPACT: So you're not talking about getting on stage and showing off you're aerobic skills?
SYL: (Haha) Showing off my white, pasty muscles, jogging on the spot? Uh, no.

IMPACT: So, you're talking about a different kind of competition.
SYL: Yeah, I was basically doing a lot of different kinds of sports.

IMPACT: So you had the base. So you could go off and do Powderface 42 without training for it specifically because you were already fit.
SYL: Basically, when your connective tissue is used to that sort of stress, you can do that.

IMPACT: Right, so you won a number of them.
SYL: Yes, I did very well, for sure, but I love running ... It's more like, I find a challenge, and I like to go after it.

IMPACT: So what are you pursuing now?
SYL: Well, I've got a few things on the go, but probably mountain running in the summer and snowshoe running in the winter. So, I'll stay on track with those two. They're very compatible..

IMPACT: And you're part of the Canadian National Mountain Running Team right now?
SYL: Yeah. I've been with them for a number of years—after ballet.

IMPACT: Of course.
SYL: They go together. They're very compatible.

IMPACT: Yes, they go together.
SYL: One you look good, one you look bad. (haha)

IMPACT: You won't be doing a plié on the trail?
SYL: Not on purpose.... Yeah, so that fills the year.

IMPACT: And they go together, both very much associated with the trails.
SYL: Yup. And then, you know, I'm in graduate school.

IMPACT: And that's a program out of Phoenix.
SYL: Yes.

IMPACT: And you're pursuing a degree in what?
SYL: It's more neurophysiology.

IMPACT: And this would be a Master's Degree, right?
SYL: Yeah, but I'm rolling it right into a Ph.D.

IMPACT: Okay, so a combination. And you expect to finish in 2010?
SYL: (Pause) No. (haha)

IMPACT: But you did at one time.
SYL: Yeah, but I think, realistically, 2012. It's just a better balance: I love life. I love everything that's in it. I love for sport to be a big part of my life, and sometimes when I let the school work take over, I'm like Ahhhh! So, I think it's a better balance. It's not like I'm pitching my books out the window.

IMPACT: And you earned your Bachelor's where?
SYL: Concordia.

IMPACT: And that was also in neuroscience?
SYL: Exercise physiology. I've just always kept up with it. Even when I was racing in Europe quite a bit, I kept my textbooks with me. I found that to be a tremendous mental stimulation. I just loved it. I've always been kind of a science nerd my whole life. I find it really exciting. It's a great area, trying to figure things out.

IMPACT: Well it sounds like this is more than just study, that you've actually developed things too. Tell me about ONE.
SYL: ONE stands for Optimum Neuromuscular Efficiency. It's a way to optimize muscular performance generally in sport, but in general well-being as well. My interest obviously is in high-performance and maximizing someone's capabilities. I had an epiphany a couple years ago when I was working with some athletes down in Florida. I worked a lot on different biomechanical things, analyzing running pace and swimming, that kind of thing, but trying to optimize that. I had a running injury, and I was really motivated to fix myself. So, I was going the conventional route, and my progress was modest, but I thought we were really missing something, so I just had a couple of ideas that popped into my head, and I call them epiphanies because it has to do with how the body works in terms of neuroscience. So, I started developing more and more.

IMPACT: Could you explain it in layman's terms?
SYL: Basically, as the body gets hurt through sport ... the body does a very good job of compensating. And it might throw off your alignment or cause other injuries. I look at someone's kinematics and analyze where we can optimize it, where there is inefficiency, where there's a potential breakdown, because that could lead to another injury ...

IMPACT: Okay, so how do you read that?
SYL: Well, I look at them.

IMPACT: Literally, you look at them.
SYL: Yeah. Looking at how they move, you can tell a lot structurally just looking at someone.

IMPACT: Okay.
SYL: I've been doing it for a while. Everyone's a different puzzle. It's just matter of trying to figure out where are they breaking down? Where are their kinetic forces? Where is the weakness in the body? Let's try to solve that. And so, what I do, my method, I didn't learn from anyone ...

IMPACT: You made it up.
SYL: Yeah. I made it up, but that is probably my motivation for going back to school. I want to give this some integrity. I know that this method works very well. I think academia is the way to go. I have definite opportunities in the U.S., working with professional athletes that have benefited from it, but I think this way is the slower, right way to go with it.

IMPACT: Who have you worked with?
SYL: Various individuals. People who I worked with down in Florida, some who are the best at what they do. And now I'm working with them one on one.

IMPACT: Tell me about your training. You're a talented athlete.
SYL: I don't know about that.

IMPACT: C'mon.
SYL: I don't know. I think it just depends on where your interests lie.

IMPACT: Absolutely, but people have talents.
SYL: Well, I have to say, I have an interest. I have a passion for it.

IMPACT: But obviously, you train as well. It doesn't just come to you as a gift fully formed, and your involvement in sport is ongoing. It's something that you've been doing for many, many years ...
SYL: Yeah.

IMPACT: And at this point in your career, mountain running and snowshoe racing, which is where you want to focus, still require training, and it's not just a matter of going out and messing around in the mountains, right? There's a discipline that you bring to it. So if you can describe that discipline ...
SYL: I think it's an evolution. How I train myself is forever changing. And it gets harder as you get older, and I think that's fun! It makes it exciting every day. You can do a lot on heart and desire alone, and that's fantastic because it's a huge part of sport, but I think there's obviously a big disconnect. A lot of times, you don't pay attention to your body. I like that old adage: "Listen to your body"—actually, really listening and figuring out what those messages are, and trying to minimize the weakness and develop the strength. So, yes, it does change, all the time, and the way I train—I train myself, I coach myself—all depends on what I need. If I find certain aspects of weakness, whether it's tightening up on one side of my body, whether it's getting run down, I change.

IMPACT: Give me some examples.
SYL: If I find I'm starting to fatigue, I might just do a bunch of stuff before I stress my body in a certain way. If I'm starting to get tight in the knees, then, okay, my body is telling me I don't need much downhill running. So, I'm going to mix it up. And if I still feel like I need an anaerobic push, I might do my intervals on the bike or I might do skipping. It always changes, and I play a lot with how my body responds to different things.

IMPACT: You said you had an injury at the time you had your epiphany about the connection between neuroscience and training. Do you have weaknesses in your body that you find you need to address ...
SYL: I'm not telling you! (haha) Yeah, everyone has their issues. People say, "I can't run; I've got bad knees." I laugh at that. I think that's crazy. If you want to do something, find a way to do it. You can work around it. Your body is so malleable and willing to heal and it's just a matter of dialling in to that weakness and finding a way around it. But that's the exciting thing.

IMPACT: And that's what you help people with, of course, but that's also what you do with your own body ...
SYL: Oh, absolutely. It keeps it interesting. It's always fun. Okay, sometimes I wear myself out, but you know what? That's getting better.

IMPACT: So that's a component of your training, but that's not the specific nature of your training either.
SYL: When I train athletes, I follow their heart rate, so I might gauge their intensity and get feedback to know how they're doing. But I don't need to look at my own heart rate anymore.

IMPACT: But, as a scientist, aren't you interested?
SYL: Yeah, I know where I'm at, though. I mean, I might take some benchmarks to see where I'm at that way, absolutely, but I don't need to. It's good, because it also helps me when I'll see it in someone else. If I'm injured, it will help me tremendously in terms of helping someone to maximize their performance, whether they want to skate faster or run or perform well in skeleton. I've probably done some of that, so it's really helpful. Usually, I've been down that road. And I've still got a lot to learn, and that's what keeps me jumping out of bed.

IMPACT: You worked with Heli Visser and Roger Davies on Chi Running or Posture running?
SYL: Yes, I worked for years with Dr. Romanov down in Florida. We worked together for a number of years. I did a number of clinics with him. I did the illustrations for his book.... So we got on very well, and shared a lot of ideas. He's a brilliant man. So, yeah, worked with him on the Pose Method.

IMPACT: So was the Pose Method one you adopted in your own running?
SYL: Absolutely, because, with my background being in science, I came to him with my philosophies, and based upon biomechanics and everything, he was teaching was very much aligned with that. He did not have a fixed perspective on it, like, this is what I want to do to make my name in this world. He's a professional. And, again, he came from academia, so we got along very, very well. Now, he's well sought after.

The other method that's come along is the Chi Running and Natural Posture. The main difference is where they put their emphasis. From a biomechanical perspective, they're very similar, in terms of body alignment, but the difference is in how they teach you that. Where one might stress the way you are supposed to lean, the other might stress, okay, something like the importance of the mid-foot landing. It gets back to running without shoes, that kind of thing. If it gets people running, and pain free, I'm all for it. It's great for taking a closer look at the mechanics of running.

IMPACT: Tell me about your nutrition. How do you incorporate it into your life? What do you do?
SYL: Very clean. Actually, it means no junk food. Only premium fuel. (haha) I feel fantastic eating whole foods. I eat a lot of raw foods. I'm a hopeless cook, so lots of raw foods work for me.

IMPACT: So describe that.
SYL: When I travel, I'm not too crazy. I try to eat just fish.

IMPACT: So are we talking Brendan Brazier's style of nutrition?
SYL: Probably not to his extreme. He probably pays closer attention to it than I do. Certainly, I do not eat any junk at all, but a lot of whole foods, a lot of raw. Natural food has all the things I love. My boyfriend jokes that I eat "jail food," but, you know, I travel a lot, so I can't get too crazy and stressed about not having this or not having that. I mean, I take such good care of myself in terms of all the other stuff. Respecting yourself. It's a lot of fun. It's all individual. I've always been this way. I feel great doing it.

IMPACT: Have you ever studied it, formally? Does it form any part of your practice with other athletes?
SYL: No, it's more personal experience. I might say, "Hey, try this, it works really well." It's really not that complicated. It's more just a matter of making sure that the energy level is there, not following any crazy diets, but just making sure that the nutrients are there.

IMPACT: So what's your favourite breakfast? What do you make for yourself for breakfast?
SYL: A blueberry shake; it's gotta be purple. I do have a lot of different things. I go with whatever's fresh. I may have a salad. That's fun food for me. I'm not a chemical guy. Au naturel and I'm happy.

IMPACT: And protein ...
SYL: Yeah, you need that.

IMPACT: Where do you get your protein?
SYL: Nuts and seeds and fish, nut butter, that kind of thing.

IMPACT: Where do you see yourself in five, ten years?
SYL: Wow!

IMPACT: How old are you, by the way?
SYL: Forty.

IMPACT: Okay. Seriously?
SYL: Yeah. I turned forty this summer.

IMPACT: Okay, so where do you see yourself in five or ten years?
SYL: Not too sure. I'll be involved in sports somehow. I'm not sure what form it will take, even in terms of my research, but athletically I'll always be running. The passion's there for both my research and my running, but I'm just not sure how that'll turn out.

IMPACT: What would you like it to be?
SYL: Definitely continuing to help athletes. Coaching, clinically, privately. I love that. Start giving back. I get such joy out of athletics, and I've got so much gratitude for being able to do this for so long, and I plan on continuing doing it, absolutely, my whole life. I'm really lucky to be able to do that. I want to help my athletes be the best that they can be. Not to be corny—it's truthful.

IMPACT: That doesn't sound corny.
SYL: It's a really neat puzzle, for myself and for my athletes. I want to figure out what's going on with them. That drive will always be there. In ten years, I'm still going to be asking questions and trying to figure things out.

About the Photographer

Dan Bannister photographed Syl Corbett for the cover and cover story of IMPACT Magazine's November/December 2009 Winter Running & Fitness Issue. After ten years managing industrial construction projects, Bannister decided he needed more stress in his life, so he quit to turn his lifelong hobby into a career. He now regularly travels the world shooting advertising, editorial, and commercial photography assignments for ad agencies, magazine publishers, and large corporations. Bannister lives with his very understanding wife and two Labrador Retrievers in Calgary, Canada. See www.onewordphotography.com.

"Snow Way" first appeared in the November/December 2009 Winter Running & Fitness Issue of IMPACT Magazine.