Erik van Gend talks to people who know how to get the full potential out of themselves. What drives them? How do they manage to persevere when everything seems to be against them? How do they maintain their positive and results-oriented mindset? Erik invites Olympic speed skating champion Jochem Uytdehaage to the YEARTH Campus.

We agree to have our conversation on two indoor spinning bikes; have immediately had our daily workout. After all, Jochem and I share a passion for sports and both believe that physical and mental vitality are the building blocks for a healthy, rich life. So we talk extensively about that. Jochem also talks candidly about his skating career, the choices and setbacks that came along with it and his motives. The Utrechter may never have been known as a natural talent, but his achievements boil down to perseverance and hard work.

When did you get the idea; “this is more than just a hobby”?

As a little boy, I found skating very interesting. But I never felt that I was a good skater. In my eyes ‘being able to do something’ equals ‘winning something’. That was my motivation to continue; I didn’t win any medals back then. Only much later, when I was in the Dutch Junior Team, did I realize that I was among the best in the Netherlands. But I still did not consider myself a talent; I always wanted to improve, to get the best out of myself.

“I always wanted to get better, get the best out of myself.”

You still managed to turn your love of skating into a professional career.

After graduating from secondary school, I started with the Dutch Junior Team. Some time later in 1999 I got a contract with the KNSB, for the core team. In the 2001-2002 season I won almost everything I started with. Among other things, I became European Allround Champion in Erfurt, I won the silver medal in the 1,500 meters and I won gold in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. That was really a top time!

Did the win you got at the European Championships in 2005 have greater significance for you?

Sure! Four months before that, in late September 2004, I was in a car accident because I lost control of the wheel. My car spun, hit a sound barrier and caught fire. I luckily was able to crawl out of the car by myself but did end up in the Burn Center in Beverwijk with bruises and second-degree burns. The first part of the 2004-2005 season therefore passed me by completely. After my recovery, I took to the ice again, but with difficulty. I qualified by heels for the European Championships. Miraculously, I managed to win a gold medal.

“I won the EC on open-mindedness.”

Was that a victory over yourself?

It was mostly the emotional release. I had looked death in the eye. I was happy that I had survived that accident and that after perseverance and hard work I had still won. I always say ‘I won the European Championship on open-mindedness’. By that I mean that as a reigning Olympic Champion I always felt that I had to keep performing. After the car accident, with the scars still visible, it seemed like I could use some kind of joker. A real excuse that was visible, when I would perform less well. But, that joker I so did not use haha!

Eventually you decided to quit your skating career. How did you come to this decision?

My dream was, after the Salt Lake City Games, to perform one more time at the 2006 Games in Turin. That didn’t work out; I didn’t qualify individually. Of course I was very disappointed about that. Then there was that collision with my teammate Carl Verheijen, which left me injured and having to recover. It wasn’t easy. At the end of March 2006 I chose to ride for Team Telfort. I had a lot of fun here but this became the last chapter of my skating career. It was good.

“The goal doesn’t have to be profit. Having fun is also a goal.”

Your mindset before was always focused on results. Did that change when you stopped?

I hear many athletes say they miss that specific goal. I can relate to that. But the goal doesn’t have to be winning; it can also mean having fun at something. That’s why I ended up skating marathons again. Not to win, but to have fun. I also discovered that I really enjoy giving lectures. You can prepare for it, there is a starting moment, then you have to bang and be sharp and then you have an applause at the “finish line. Lectures are actually kind of like competitions.

Having a goal AND having fun is what you have as an ambassador for Skate4AIR.

Sure! I have been involved with this organization since its inception. Skate4AIR wants to give people with cystic fibrosis the chance to live a normal life. My niece has cystic fibrosis and so I experience this rotten disease up close. With Skate4AIR we organize skating trips to raise money for research. I think it’s a wonderful organization that deserves a lot of attention.

For me, vitality means more than just sports and exercise. How do you look at that?

It is certainly important. It’s part of total vitality. In general, I find that many (basically healthy) people do little to maintain their health. Both physically and mentally. I find that so wrenching because through Skate4AIR I see sick people working on their health all day long. By the way, there are other parts of vitality that are important. These include nutrition, rest and sleep. You already discussed the latter with sleep expert Merijn van de Laar in the Lesson Learned podcast. Interesting!

“If you want to keep all the batteries charged, you also have to take the time to charge them.”

How do you pay attention to the topic of vitality during your own lectures?

I address how people can ensure that they can (continue to) optimally recharge their “batteries of energy.” These batteries consist of four different elements. For example, your spiritual battery represents your motivations. Your mental battery has everything to do with your knowledge and experience. Your emotional battery equals your behavior and emotions; how do you react to others and how do they react to you? Then you have the physical battery which is all about exercise, nutrition, rest and relaxation. If you want to keep all the batteries charged, in other words live a vital life, you have to make sure you take the time to recharge them. That’s why doing nothing is also important.

I see it as a holistic approach; the combination of these mentioned batteries.

Indeed. Although, of course, a lot of research shows that sufficient exercise also promotes sleep, increases concentration and stimulates blood flow. I want to help people understand how these batteries interact, but as a former top athlete, I might put a little more emphasis on the physical battery, where real relaxation is also essential.

Why do you think there are people who don’t see the need for exercise?

At the beginning, it “hurts a little. When you exercise, you naturally choose to leave something else. The easy behavior is more desirable. When you are tired it is very tempting to lie on the couch, but actually you should walk for half an hour; after all, that is good for you. My advice is to look at the benefits and to start small. First walk for 3 to 5 minutes and then build up. Don’t go for half an hour.

You try to inspire people with your story. But to what extent do you adhere to it yourself?

I try to do that as much as possible. There is always room for improvement, of course. I also sometimes prefer something that is not really good for me but by and large I try to live a life that is balanced.

So, the busy Jochem also sometimes takes time to relax?

I’m always busy. Especially physically; I really get energy from that. It’s also not an option for me to leave my bike at home during a vacation in Italy. Yet I can also be busy “doing nothing. Maybe later, after this workout, I will do just that!