Hybrid athlete Jordan Novota chatted about “going the distance” as he prepares for his upcoming first Ironman on August 25th in Penticton, British Columbia.
Margaret Mead once said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” This quote applies to Jordan Novota, 20.
As a hybrid athlete, Novota uses multiple training methods such as high-intensity functional training, bodybuilding, and endurance training, such as running, sprinting, and cycling.
Inspirations to become a hybrid athlete
On his inspiration to become a hybrid athlete, he said, “I just wanted a new challenge and to move into a new area of training,” he said. “I was bodybuilding for six years before that. I’ve always been an athlete my whole life. I had an alpine ski racing background at a high level.”
“As a young kid, I was a ski racer from the ages of six to 16, and I played high-level water polo for six years within that period as well,” he said. “Playing water polo helped with my swimming, for sure.”
“After all that ended, I continued weightlifting and bodybuilding. I miss the competitive aspect of sport, and then I ran into Ironman and triathlon and now we are here,” he said. “My full Ironman will be on August 25th in British Columbia, which is 37 days away.”
Future plans
Regarding his plans for the future, he remarked, “I am definitely going to keep doing endurance events, and I will also be bodybuilding. Weightlifting is never going to go away, and I will definitely be doing more endurance events in the future for sure. I might do an Ultramarathon next… we will see when the time comes.”
Advice for young and aspiring hybrid athletes
For young and emerging hybrid athletes, he said, “Just give it your all, be confident, and be committed. You are going to face defeat; defeat is going to come your way, and it’s how you get back up again.”
“If you are relentlessly pursuing it over an extended period of time, you are going to be successful, and that carries into all aspects of life. When you put the work in, that will translate into other areas of your life such as school, family, and relationships,” he added.
On top of his intense hybrid training each day, he has a full-time job as an electrician. “It is what it is,” he admitted. “I am just a normal person like everyone else who likes to work hard and wants to make his dreams a reality.”
Defining moments
On his defining moments, he shared, “Having the right coaches in the sports I did when I was younger was massive. These were high-level coaches who understood things from a third-party view. That really helped shape my perspective going into this. These coaches helped transform the way I view things as an athlete solo.”
Superpower of choice
If he were to have any superpower, it would be “the ability to fly.” “I liked Superman as a kid, and he could fly,” he admitted.
Novota listed freestyle as his favorite stroke in swimming, and the 100 meter sprint as his favorite track and field event. “I think the sprinters have the best physiques and they are super explosive, and that translates with lifting in the gym,” he said.
Best advice that he has ever been given
On the best advice that he has ever been given, he said, “You can’t give up. You need to keep pushing when adversity comes your way. Discipline is the biggest thing that I’ve been taught, and I’ve based my whole athletic journey on it.”
“Without having discipline, any progress that you’ve made before is going to get reduced,” he admitted. “If you stay disciplined during those hard times, the outcome is going to be significantly greater than if you weren’t.”
Stage of his life
Regarding the title of the current chapter of his life, Novato said, “Going the distance.” “I am going the full distance, and I am going to achieve something that at one point in my life felt impossible,” he explained.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, Novota said, “I think it’s a great way to show the world a side of you that only your friends or the people in your social circle can see. It’s a great way for people to get their message across to a broader audience.”
“Also, it’s a great way to influence and inspire other people who may not have the inspirations that you have. It’s a great way for other people to find healthy role models,” he said.
“At the end of the day, if social media is used the right way, it is a great way for people to share their experiences,” he added.
Lessons learned from this Ironman preparation journey
On the lessons learned during this Ironman journey, he reflected, “During prep, I am constantly tired 24/7, so motivation can either be low or high. It taught me consistency and to stay on top of my training.”
“It taught me to push myself, and how to do things when I don’t want to do them. Also, it has taught me to work hard,” he added.
Discipline
Novota is a firm believer that “discipline equals freedom.” “You need to be disciplined in order to allow for freedom within your brain,” he said.
Success
Regarding his definition of the word success, Novota said, “You can’t really define success. It is very individualized. For me, success is the pursuit of doing something, and accomplishing the end goal.”
“Even if you fail but learn something, that is a part of success as well,” he acknowledged. “Failure only comes when you try something and you don’t take away what you learned if you don’t succeed.”
Fans and supporters
For his fans and supporters, Novota said, “To everyone that has supported me on social media, I appreciate everything and all the support. Thanks for giving me a platform to speak to people… that has been huge.”
“I wouldn’t be able to do without you all. I am blessed to have a fan-base that is interested in my posts, videos and events. I hope they continue to watch me,” he said.
Rapid Fire Questions
Novota also took some time to answer a few “Rapid Fire” questions.
Waffles or pancakes? Waffles
Flying or driving? Flying
City living or country living? Country living
Summer or winter? Both… because I ski in the winter
Library or museum? Museum
Bath or shower? Shower
Pepsi or Coke? Coke
Texting or calling? Calling
Half-full or half-empty? Half-full
Curly fries or normal fries? Normal fries
Skydiving or scuba diving? Scuba diving
Indoor pool or outdoor pool? Indoor pool
Tea or coffee? Coffee
Rain or snow? Snow
Singing or dancing? Neither
Burgers or tacos? Burgers
Long course or short course pool? Long course pool
To learn more about hybrid athlete Jordan Novota, follow him on Instagram.
