# Nick Pelletier — Center Stage https://mornings.network/shows/center-stage/guests/nick-pelletier What does the next stroke ask of you? An endurance athlete on returning after unfinished attempts, the limits of preparation, and the practical work of continuing. ## Their story Nick Pelletier is an ultra-endurance athlete and adventurer based in Kelowna, British Columbia. His official website describes his shift from college baseball toward swimming, cycling and running, and features Sink or Swim, a documentary about his Okanagan Lake swim. In this appearance, he tells Keith and Jon about separate attempts, difficult conditions, rebuilding confidence and the mental work of long-distance efforts. ## Full interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atA1eoFGxtQ ## Chapters 00:00 — Sophia's original guest introduction Entry point from the owner’s current opener-inclusive interview handoff. 02:02 — From baseball to endurance Entry point from the owner’s current opener-inclusive interview handoff. 09:37 — How the Okanagan Lake attempts developed Entry point from the owner’s current opener-inclusive interview handoff. 12:47 — Trusting the crew to make a call Entry point from the owner’s current opener-inclusive interview handoff. 16:29 — The shoulder problem on attempt two Entry point from the owner’s current opener-inclusive interview handoff. 21:07 — Finding calm on long efforts Entry point from the owner’s current opener-inclusive interview handoff. 23:45 — Solo cycling and uncertainty Entry point from the owner’s current opener-inclusive interview handoff. 36:39 — The next stroke, step or day Entry point from the owner’s current opener-inclusive interview handoff. 40:08 — Documentaries and where to follow him Entry point from the owner’s current opener-inclusive interview handoff. ## Highlights ### When His Shoulder Stopped Working Nick recounts changing his equipment after the first Okanagan Lake attempt, then encountering a different problem: his shoulder stopped working. The clip is about the second attempt, not the eventual completed third swim. That matters because perseverance here includes an unfinished effort, learning and returning later. The surrounding interview also makes room for the crew's responsibility and his trust in his father to help make a call. The cover is a planning metaphor, not an injury reenactment or proof of a medical outcome. Nick recounts changing his equipment after the first Okanagan Lake attempt, then encountering a different problem: his shoulder stopped working. The clip is about the second attempt, not the eventual completed third swim. That matters because perseverance here includes an unfinished effort, learning and returning later. The surrounding interview also makes room for the crew's responsibility and his trust in his father to help make a call. The cover is a planning metaphor, not an injury reenactment or proof of a medical outcome. Optional guest post: My shoulder stopped working. That was attempt two, not the swim I eventually finished. After my first Okanagan Lake attempt, I changed the equipment I'd been using. Then the next attempt brought a different problem with my shoulder. The complete story has three attempts. It has changes, a crew and decisions that weren't just mine to make. My dad was part of all three, and I trusted him with a central role in knowing when an attempt had to stop. When I spoke with Keith and Jon, I wanted to explain what actually happened along the way, not just the finish at the other end. The unfinished efforts are part of that story. This clip is one moment from our Center Stage conversation. My documentary Sink or Swim goes through the two failures and the eventual completed swim. What did a setback teach you before you tried again? Watch the clip below. ### Nick Pelletier on Taking the Next Stroke After describing an attempt stopped by currents, Nick and Keith talk about bringing a large effort back to the next step or stroke. Keith recalls a lesson from Kilimanjaro. Nick agrees and credits an ultra runner with an idea about each step being evidence against the story in the mind. The moment is an exchange between the host and guest, not a claim that Nick delivered a complete one-stroke method in this clip. The surrounding full interview supplies his discussion of continuous efforts, multi-day journeys, crew judgment and conditions beyond his control. After describing an attempt stopped by currents, Nick and Keith talk about bringing a large effort back to the next step or stroke. Keith recalls a lesson from Kilimanjaro. Nick agrees and credits an ultra runner with an idea about each step being evidence against the story in the mind. The moment is an exchange between the host and guest, not a claim that Nick delivered a complete one-stroke method in this clip. The surrounding full interview supplies his discussion of continuous efforts, multi-day journeys, crew judgment and conditions beyond his control. Optional guest post: One stroke at a time is how I bring a huge distance back to the present. A continuous swim or run is different from a bicycle journey where I can stop and sleep before the next day. I talked with Keith and Jon about how I think through both. In the continuous efforts, I come back to the next stroke or step. On a long trip, I deal with the day in front of me. There are still conditions and problems I can't control. Making the next action smaller helps me keep my attention where I can use it. That doesn't mean every attempt ends with a finish. I've had efforts stopped by equipment, injury and conditions. Those experiences are part of why the next manageable action matters to me. Watch this moment from Center Stage. What helps you come back to the next step when the whole task feels too big? ## Full appearance optional guest post I gave someone else the authority to help make the call. On my Okanagan Lake attempts, I wasn't alone. I had a crew on the water, and my dad was there through all three. Beforehand, I gave him an overarching role in knowing when I needed to come out. That trust mattered. When you're the person doing the effort, other people can see parts of the situation differently. My solo bicycle journeys have another kind of responsibility: when something goes wrong, I have to handle it myself. I talked with Keith and Jon about that difference and about the support behind the lake swim. The full Center Stage conversation includes the attempts, the journeys and the documentary work that lets me share what happened. Who do you trust to tell you something you might not want to hear? Watch the full interview below. ## Sources Official biography: https://nickpelletier.ca/about/ Documentary and athlete website: https://nickpelletier.ca/