Reaching new heights

The second and third? Well, the 28-year-old isn’t a morning person and when it comes to eating, he prefers grazing during the day rather than big sit-down meals. That can be a challenge when your sport of choice is the decathlon.

As a decathlete, Pierce competes in 10 events over a two-day period that require technical skill, endurance and stamina. Along with the pole vault, those events include the 100-metre dash, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400-metre dash, 110-metre hurdles, discus, javelin and ends with a 1,500-metre run.

“Decathlon is just one of those events that once you do it, you fall in love with it,” said LePage, who is a world champion in the sport. “When you finish an event, it feels rewarding and it feels like nothing else I have done. All the hard work that goes into training and competing is worth it.”

Helping to ensure LePage competes at an elite level is Andrea Stephen, a physiotherapist and a member of Integrated Support Team for the Canadian Track and Field Team. She started working with LePage in 2018 and has helped him compete in several decathlons.

“At this level, all of the athletes are talented, so it’s the small details that make the difference,” she said. “When we are talking about millimetres and hundredths of a second, it can be helpful when we maximize something in their nutrition to be beneficial in their training, performance and recovery.”

Stephen said over the years LePage’s support team has refined his nutrition and training plan to help him compete in his 10 events. While some of the events are more technical, others are about endurance, so what he eats and drinks is key to his body’s recovery during training and competition. Milk, she said, plays an important role in his muscle adaptation, recovery and hydration.

Milk has 15 essential nutrients, Stephen said, so one glass really packs a punch. Those nutrients help enhance LePage’s athletic performance, giving him energy and a competitive edge when he is racing, throwing and jumping. Including milk in his nutrition plan helps ensure he performs to his full potential.

“Another key thing is the amount of protein that milk has. We know that one glass has nine grams of protein and for muscle adaptation and recovery, that is a huge thing,” she said. “And straight up rehydration. We are a summer sport, and it can get pretty toasty out there on the field, so any way that we can get him hydrated, and hydrated quickly, is always an advantage,” she said.

“It is safe to say Pierce is not a morning person, so a smoothie can make a big difference for him,” Stephen said. “Getting some fuel in him before he gets to the track is key. He is not someone who eats a ton, he is more of a grazer, so a smoothie, where he can have a little bit at a time, is better for him. He also likes chocolate milk, and he knows he can grab a chocolate milk post-training and that helps him with his recovery.”

“Milk plays a big role,” said LePage, whose smoothie of choice features mango, peaches, yogurt and milk. “When I need to wake up in the morning on decathlon days, and it’s 6 or 6:30 a.m., it is just easier to have a smoothie than a big meal. It’s simple and it tastes better, and I am getting all the nutrients I need to start my day.

“By properly fueling your body, you can see the results you’re striving towards,” he said.

This spring, Dairy Farmers of Ontario has partnered with four Canadian athletes to show how milk is helping to fuel their athletic performance. You can reach your performance goals by incorporating milk’s 15 essential nutrients into your everyday routine. Learn more by visiting milk.org or on The Kit’s Instagram page.