How the CEO of Lululemon Stays in Elite Triathlon Form

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CALVIN MCDONALD IS on his bike, indoors, on this early Monday morning, alternately putting his head down and eyeing the iPad that’s serving up his Zwift digital-whisk course. He’s tackling three memoir climbs in nearly 30 miles. The cumulative 3,000 toes of elevation gain isn’t for the faint of coronary heart or the drained of legs, but McDonald doesn’t mind. He’s all in alongside with his digital training pals, who carry a combination of serve and ordinary bike-pack trash seek the suggestion of with grind by the pain. The workout ends with a merciful four-mile downhill.

After that, the 51-year-extinct Lululemon CEO shuts it down, turning off the fan subsequent to him, hopping off his trainer, and wiping the sweat from his forehead. One workout down, one to creep. And positive, you read that upright: Calvin McDonald does two-a-days.

In an international pudgy of busy execs who strive against to suit in workout routines, duration, McDonald, an performed triathlete, packs his workout routines tight to maintain his engine and schedule fine-tuned. And he does occupy an engine: This previous December, he positioned in the prime 10 p.c of the entire 2,300-plus-person area at Ironman 70.3 Indian Wells, a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, and 13.1-mile traipse. That licensed him for the 70.3 World Championships in 2024.

Lululemon bested market expectations with double-digit year-over-year increase in 2023, and McDonald says that’s no longer in spite of the ten to 12 hours per week he spends training. It’s in consequence of of it. With three disciplines to train and seven days to perform it, “you’ve obtained to be deliberate with your time,” he says. It’s an means he takes to training in addition to to existence in customary. “I examine at the put the astronomical opportunities and challenges are, and that’s the put I employ my time.”

McDonald loves the bike leg (the longest fragment of any tri) most. He’ll accomplish as a lot as six bike sessions per week, alongside with two swims, two or three runs, and two strength sessions. Zwift workout routines (which allow you to make employ of a ordinary bike for indoor workout routines) with chums offer camaraderie, but he’ll whisk on my own as properly. A setup in his office helps him be efficient with time.

Each and every session is about bigger than gains, too. “I employ the training time to work by any psychological roadblocks or challenges that I’m facing,” he says. “After the workout, this clarity enables me to be more existing and focused in conversations at some point of my day.”

Triathlons sync with McDonald’s being. He’s always been energetic (and outdated to play ice hockey), but the three-sports activities-in-one nature of a tri pushes his time-management abilities, in particular as a CEO who needs to be a present dad to his four teenagers. He races four or 5 instances a year. He speaks often of being focused, doing what you love, and dialing up efficiency—and you’re going to furthermore’t always repeat whether he’s talking about running an organization or training for a tri.

Each and every high-tail teaches him lessons, admire the atomize on the course at the Melbourne 70.3 in 2022 that left him with two broken ribs and transformed him into a spectathlete, cheering his teammates on. “It teaches you that you just’re no longer in maintain an eye on. For me, it helps me calibrate plenty of the feelings we in truth feel in existence and professionally when things don’t creep the arrangement you had hoped,” he says.

He shares these experiences alongside with his Lululemon team when he can. Remaining July, he and 40 Lululemon-linked riders assembled at the starting line of the 75-mile Okanagan Granfondo bike high-tail in Penticton, British Columbia. “Every person does their beget slump, and we connect at the cease of the day and occupy fun what everybody done,” he says. “I think sport is a ravishing learning platform for building personality.” Which is strictly why he’ll be abet on Zwift on Wednesday morning, too.

Manufacture Vitality and Persistence on the Bike Like McDonald

Strive this 60-minute workout on a stationary bike/bike trainer. This intense workout with tiny leisure helps form vitality and patience.

The Warmup

Begin with 5 minutes of straight forward pedaling, picking up the slump every minute. Finish at 85 p.c of your maximum coronary heart price (MHR).

The Main Situation

Employ the subsequent 5 minutes at 90 p.c of your MHR; your legs would possibly perchance likely furthermore soundless in truth feel continuously taxed. Then pull abet (only quite!) for five minutes, dropping to about 85 p.c of your MHR. Repeat this pattern 4 more instances. Maintain focused!

The Cooldown

Now spin straight forward for five minutes. Behind down ample that you just cease with a coronary heart price that’s as low as it would possibly in all probability perchance likely be in case you were taking a stroll.

BONUS

Lightning Round Q&A with McDonald

Dream workout accomplice?
“Bono. He loves cycling, and U2 is my well-liked band.”

Current cheat meal?
“Does wine count? If that’s the case, then a nice glass of red.”

Excellent time to traipse?
“In the afternoon or evening, when my physique feels quite more free.”

Current equipment?
“The AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill. I even occupy an aging knee, and running can irritate it.” This tech lifts your physique up so that you just’re putting only a percentage of your weight on the tread.

Hardest training block?
“The taper earlier than a high-tail. You sexy desire to win started and attain the high-tail.”

A model of this memoir seemed in the March/April 2024 distress of Men’s Effectively being.

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