Darcey Halvorsen is the personal trainer and coach behind Sole Training. Darcey's passion is fitness, and Sole Training was born from this passion. Darcey's goal is to help you "discover your athlete within", and lead a healthier, happier and more balanced lifestyle.
Darcey's specialty is running, however his coaching style is inspired from the sport of triathlon. Darcey is a holistic personal trainer and coach. His goal is to provide high-quality, innovative, and above all safe multi-sport exercise and training programs. Darcey works with each client to understand their personal goals and to develop an individualized program to meet those goals. With the addition of Lifestyle coaching, he is able to provide a much more balanced look at an athlete's overall wellness. He can look at how exercise can enhance your life, rather than complicate it.
Experience: Personal Training Certification NCCP Certified Triathlon Coach Certified Intrinsic Coach® Over 10 years running experience (actively competes in 5 km to Marathon distances) Over 5 years triathlon experience (actively competes in Sprint to Ironman distances)
My Personal Journey
Many people in my life have influenced who I have become. First, I would like to thank my dad for being the “dreamer”; he gave me the ability to dream big. I would also like to thank my mom for her “determination”; she taught me the strength and determination necessary to go after my dreams. Finally, I am thankful to my wife for her “support”; without her support it would be nearly impossible to achieve my dreams.
My goal as a coach/personal trainer is to provide high-quality, innovative multi-sport/exercise training programs. I will work with each student individually to understand their personal goals and develop a personalized program. My focus will be creating a program that meets their needs in a safe, fun, and challenging environment. I am dedicated to helping people of all ages and abilities find the athlete within themselves.
I would like to tell you a little bit about how I found the athlete within myself and what triathlon means to me. My personal journey started when my dad, who had been a runner for years, told me he was going to run the 2002 Calgary Marathon. On race day my sister, mom and I went to cheer on and support dad. We gave him a hug, wished him luck, and watched him disappear into the crowd of people. Afterwards we went for breakfast and watched a movie, all the while joking that dad was still running! At the finish line, through his tears, dad whispered in my ear, “now I want to run one with you”.
Those words changed my life forever. At first I thought the idea was crazy – I was an overweight smoker! The idea my dad planted that day took root and began to grow. I started running and my athletic journey began. After tremendous effort and training, I completed my first half marathon in Red Deer, Alberta, in 2002.
I ran with my dad, and had an amazing time - I was hooked. After that accomplishment, I became focused on finishing a marathon with dad. In 2007, at the Calgary Marathon, our dreams came true and we completed the marathon together.
In addition, I have discovered a passion and love for the sport of triathlon. For me, triathlon is more of a lifestyle than a sport; this lifestyle has taught me how to find balance in my life. My dad has always told me that “it is a heck of ride if you don’t weaken”. Fitness, and in particular the triathlon lifestyle, gives me the strength to endure the ride. I believe that once you embrace personal fitness and/or the triathlon lifestyle, you will gain the strength and confidence to “TRI” anything!
Thank you for the opportunity to share my personal journey. If you would like to get to know me better, you will have to join me for a run; there’s no better way to get to know someone.
The Journey Continues...
The summer of 2010 brought the first year of the Sole Training Summer Triathlon camp. This camp helped many of the athletes achieve personal bests at their events. Above all though, it gave me the opportunity to meet fellow athletes who share my love of the sport of triathlon.
The end of the camp brought about my first race in over a year at Lake Chaparral. As usual, it was a great race, however this year I was enjoying it so much that I did an extra lab on the bike course! Thankfully my athletes faired better in the race and achieved their goals.
After the Lake Chaparral Triathlon, I had to ramp up my training for the Nevada Silverman race. To succeed at an Ironman-distance race you need much more than the physical endurance and personal desire to finish. You need the help and support of many different people.
At this time, I would like to thank those instrumental to my successful first year. My wife tops the list with all of her support when my training time increased and I was gone from our home. Without her support, none of this would have been possible. Thank you to my Mom and Dad, who have always been supportive and encouraging during my training. They even made the trip to Nevada to help during the event, and there were definitely times that it was nice to see them on the course.
I SURVIVED THE SILVERMAN... the “toughest triathlon in the world"