For the last three and a half years, Jimmy Lockie has been participating in running races, triathlons and a half Iron Man. Now he’s set his sights on Ironman Canada, taking place in Whistler, BC in July 2017.

While he’s had success, he hasn’t had the kind of results he was looking for. He started working with Julie Young, at Silver Sage Sports & Fitness Lab in April and his times are going down!

Julie started by doing a lactate threshold test with Jimmy to identify his heart rate, power output and recovery capacity at lactate threshold. The results of this test helped Julie create a training plan to help him move toward his goals.

“I PRd twice in a row right after I started working with Julie,” he says.

After the initial testing and training plan, Jimmy decided he was ready for a Silver Sage Sports & Fitness Lab gait analysis, where they use Dartfish video analysis software to analyze a runner’s gait frame-by-frame, from all views. “We focus on hip and knee extension, torso angle, pelvis stability, hip adduction and ankle eversion,” Julie says. “If we identify deficits in strength and/or movement, we can make science-based recommendations to improve strength, stability and mobility to then help solidify their technique and maximize efficiency.”

“There is no doubt in my mind that this testing is what is helping me improve my performance,” Jimmy says. “It didn’t make me necessarily faster, but it made me more efficient on my bike and running so I can become faster.”

Through the lactate threshold testing, Jimmy found out that he could get his heart rate higher without prematurely building up lactate, while running at a normal pace. “I wasn’t running to my full potential because I didn’t know what my full potential was,” he says. “I found out that I can push harder and it’s not going to hurt me.”

The gait analysis helped him further fine-tune his technique. “Once Julie put everything into the computer, we found out that my stride was too long and needed to move my arms more,” he says. “She also gave me different exercises to do before and after a run to loosen up my hips.”

Jimmy has made huge strides in just the few months he’s been working with Julie. Where he used to struggle with an 8-minute mile, he’s now down to 7:35 and he has 7:30 in his sites.

“Julie’s done wonders for me as an athlete and the possibilities where I can go are endless with her,” he says. “She cares about us, and is able to use these tools to make athletes so much better through all of the little things she does.”