The new life of Jonnyo

Jonathan Caron who is also known as Jonnyo has been missing from the racing scene the last few years, but he battled injuries and has been busy and fulfilled more recently with getting married, becoming a father, a real job and climbing in the Himalayas.

Slowtwitch: It is good to see you again.

Jonathan Caron: Thank you! It has been very busy the last few years and I haven't been involved in the sport of triathlon as much as I would have wanted to. It is time to change this now!

ST: You have been a very busy man.

Jonnyo: Very much so, after some serious injury in triathlon, I ended up committing to developing some triathlon brand in Canada. So, the past 4 years have been passed working for Podium Imports representing, Orca, Orbea [not anymore] Reynolds, ISM, K-edge, Arundel, Garmin, Wrightsock, bonk breaker etc. In addition of getting a real job, I got married, got a house, a dog, had a baby and a few other side projects that have keep my life extremely busy!

ST: Talk about that baby and how that has changed your life.

Jonnyo: It is the best thing that has ever happened to me! It really put a whole new perspective on my life. I am not the priority anymore. I am very lucky to be on paternity leave and can be around my daughter daily and watch her grow up so quickly! I am having so much fun playing with her and it has definitely made me a more relaxed person. I don’t sweat the small details anymore.

ST: I believe your daughter is almost 3 months now?

Jonnyo: Yes, she was born November 17th - she was a big girl and she is growing fast. She has been on some run and x-country ski adventures with me! She loves it! She also reads slowtwitch with me in the morning!

ST: She sounds very wise.

Jonnyo: Absolutely, wiser than her dad! It’s also interesting as I only speak in French to her and Kristie does so in English. We hope she will learn both languages very early that way. We are starting swim lesson next months. She will be training under the more is more philosophy of course!

ST: What about food for her, is the more is more philosophy applied there too?

Jonnyo: Well, she is allowed all the mommy milk she wants right now. We haven't really been tracking her power to weight ratio yet. But once she turns 1, all this is over and I am sending her to SD to train with the Triathlon Squad and from there, she better get on with the program.

ST: It appears that you are on a program. We have seen you in a wetsuit with a big axe on a frozen lake. Are you going into 2014 with more vigor?

Jonnyo: Yes, part of having a baby is, I want her to see her daddy do some triathlons and be fit again. So, it has been a fun ride in the past 3 months and I hope I kept on the same pace. I am just enjoying the process right now and we will see where it brings me! I am not the same athlete as I was 4 years ago!

ST: Will you still compete as a Pro?

Jonnyo: That remains to be seen, if I’m fit enough to do so, then yes, but right now, those are details that I haven’t really look into. I’m really enjoying the process, the daily grind of training, putting a few hours in and we will see how fit I can get after all those years away. I have so much respect for the pros that do this full time and I know the amount of work and energy they put in. I have no pretention to say I will make it back there.

ST: It seemed to be quiet around you the last couple of years. What was going on?

Jonnyo: The only quiet part in my life would have been on the racing scene. A simple answer - an injury to hips and knee and Crohns disease/UC. I have tried on many occasions to take part in some races but it has been very difficult. I never had the consistency and proper commitment to race well. It has definitely been frustrating but has also given me the chance to be on the sideline and work with athletes. I have taken on the role of coach!

ST: In late 2012 you and your wife Kristie went to Mount Everest. What was the inspiration for that trip and how long did you stay?

Jonnyo: It was our honeymoon. She told me I could pick the destination, and it has always been a dream of mine to make it to the Himalayas. Kristie isn't afraid of roughing it up so she was the one pushing hard to make it happen! We took almost 4 weeks to explore the Khumbu valley, Everest and climb Kalapathar.

ST: What is your favorite memory from that trip?

Jonnyo: On Christmas Eve, Kristie and I were at Everest base camp. We went up on a mountain next to Everest to get a good view of the summit. We laid down on the slope and just stared at the mountain for a good 30minutes. It’s so high, so gigantic, and mythical, that was perhaps one of the coolest moments in the trip. We were so close; we could see everything in details. I really wish we could have stayed there for hours…but Kristie was frozen and she started crying. I knew I had pushed my luck far enough at that point! We went down!

ST: Did you really make your wife cry up on the mountain during your honeymoon?

Jonnyo: It was windy, I could not hear her at first! But with only about 30-40% oxygen remaining, I wasn't completely there. I am sorry, I should not have made her cry! I would like to put that one on high altitude!

ST: Along those lines, I believe you had to deal with altitude sickness while you were there.

Jonnyo: To start with, I have never done well training at altitude. I am a non-responder. In the real height of the Himalaya, my body went into shock very early into the expedition. My oxygen saturation was low and I had a hard time staying conscious. It was a scary night with Sherpas running back and forth to find an oxygen generator to help me breathe. When they finally found one, the electric system of the house wasn’t good enough to insure proper functioning. We were pretty close to calling a helicopter to get me down. But I made it ok in the end, recovered and was able after 3 days of rest to kept going up. A very humbling experience.

ST: One would think that an oxygen generator is a common tool to have in that part of the world.

Jonnyo: Well, not really, that is pure luxury! Solar panel is the only way to power those machines in such remote location. At night, the only way to get the fire going is to use Yack poo. There is nothing else to burn. You really have to carry everything you need up there! For any medical issue, the chopper is your way out. And it can only fly if it’s not too windy…during daylight and only at the lower altitude. So if you get sick at night like I did, hold on for your life, there is no way out until the morning.

ST: Any thoughts on going all the way up Mount Everest or any other big one in Nepal?

Jonnyo: I would love to have a chance at going up, but that said, I was in such difficulty below 6000 meters and I can’t imagine what it would take for me to go higher. It is a very different game than triathlon!

ST: Is it too commercialized now?

Jonnyo: It depends on the time of the year. May and September are climbing months and it is very commercial and busy. We decided to rough it up and go in the middle of the winter. You have very windy conditions, extreme cold but the visibility is at his best and the mountain is empty. We had the all mountain and valley to ourselves. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. When I will go back, yes, I will return..., it will be in the winter again! I like the quietness and cold temperature doesn't scare us, we are Canadians.

ST: But you’ll wear more than a wetsuit we would suspect.

Jonnyo: Absolutely! Most night were around -20 to -25 degrees Celsius. We were very well equipped with some North Face -40 expedition mummy bag, lots of clothing and down jacket. You also go in your sleeping bag with a metal bottle full of hot water. Those usually produce enough heat for 3-4 hours and help fight the cold. I know I make it sound a little rough and inhospitable but it was really an amazing honeymoon!

ST: What else is on your bucket list?

Jonnyo: There will be another baby soon I m sure! I m also launching my new project, Jonnyo Coaching! I have worked with a lot of great coaches, Joel Filliol, Paulo Sousa, Brett Sutton, and trained with some of the best athletes in our sport, I m very passionate about triathlon and I m making my comeback into this world as a coach, I will definitely be around a lot in the coming years! This is a long-term project! Time to teach the process to others...

ST: Is there anything else we should know?

Jonnyo: Well, I forgot on my bucket list, I would like to beat Trevor Wurtele and Jeff Symonds one more time in a triathlon. I am undefeated against Jeff and I think I am still ahead in the score against Trevor. Now, lets be honest, I am not sure how this will happen, I will need an awful amount of luck but it is gonna be a sweet day!!!