Find Balance This Holiday Season with Coach Larry Cain

December 20, 2024By

Larry Cain, Paddle Monster Head Coach 343Views 1Like

As we dive into the heart of the holiday season, many of us face the challenge of balancing festive commitments with our training routines. It’s a period marked by family gatherings and, for many, increased responsibilities that could sideline our paddling sessions. But according to Coach Larry Cain, finding the right balance during these festive times is crucial, not just for maintaining fitness but also for cherishing those precious moments with loved ones.

During this week’s video, Larry puts a pause on our usual discussions about goal setting to address a topic that’s timely and resonant—training through the Christmas week. He understands the split between wanting to ramp up training when work eases off and juggling the demands of festive gatherings and commitments. His message is clear: “Do what feels right for you.”

Larry emphasizes that the key to holiday training is consistency without compromise to family time. He shares personal insights, reflecting on his first Christmas without his mother, underscoring how family should always come first. It’s a poignant reminder that while paddling is our passion, family is irreplaceable.

For those who find extra time to train, Larry sees this as an opportunity to enjoy a quiet paddle or run, suggesting it as a perfect way to bridge the gap between holiday activities. Yet, he reassures those swamped by holiday plans that missing a few sessions is perfectly fine. The focus should be on making healthy choices—like managing holiday indulgences and getting enough rest—ensuring that you return to training refreshed and ready.

Larry concludes with a warm Christmas message, reminding us that after the holidays, there will be plenty of time to hit our training hard, set new goals, and chase our paddling dreams with renewed vigor.

So, whether you’re hitting the water or hitting pause, take to heart Larry’s message this festive season: prioritize well-being and family, and the paddling will fall into place. Join us next week as we resume our goal-setting series, refreshed and ready to plan a stellar new year.

and the paddling will fall into place. Join us next week as we resume our goal-setting series, take to heart Larry’s message this festive season: prioritize well-being and family

Larry Cain, Paddle Monster Head Coach

Larry Cain began his career in 1974 at the Oakville Racing Canoe Club, now the Burloak Canoe Club, in Oakville, Ontario. Cain competed in three Summer Olympics, winning a gold medal in the C-1 500 m, and a silver medal in the C1 1000 m events. He also won a silver medal in the C-1 1000 m event at the 1989 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Plovdiv. In 1984, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada. In 1997, he was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. A trail in Oakville has been named in his honour running along the town's waterfront where Cain trained. He worked as a coach, preparing paddlers for the Olympic Games in Rio. In 2016 Cain co-founded Paddle Monster.