And now for a message from our Canadian Win4Youth Ambassadors!

Anne Nguyen and Christian Robert are Canada’s representatives on the North American team. They were selected for their passion for Win4Youth, social media and fundraising efforts, and their dedication to The Adecco Group core values. Below, Anne and Christian tell us about their individual journeys to become Win4Youth ambassadors.

Anne Nguyen

What initially enticed me to consider applying to become a Win4Youth Ambassador was the opportunity to travel to Europe and make connections within The Adecco Group globally. However, I didn’t think I would be able to do the activities it took to get selected, like organizing a fundraiser and increasing my social media presence. I also worried about completing the triathlon if I was selected.

As I mulled over my application, I spoke with a colleague who had triathlon experience. She helped me realize that I can do anything I put my mind to. It also didn’t hurt that I made it a goal at the beginning of 2018 to push myself out of my comfort zone.

A few days later, I realized I wanted it. I wanted to be Canada’s Win4Youth Ambassador. I wanted to be the ambassador that could motivate all the underdogs! So, I took the leap. I figured I had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

With the help and support of my manager, we started a competition between our Calgary and Edmonton branches to see which office could log the most kilometres in 5 days. Let me tell you, there’s nothing like the Battle of Alberta to light a fire under everyone. Not only did I succeed at getting mostly everyone to participate, I was able to fundraise and create awareness for my charity of choice, Believe in the Gold, which raises funds for childhood cancer research and family support in Alberta.

Now as I begin to share my journey, I want people to realize that anything is possible. I want to be able to share all the highs and lows, and prove that self-doubt is nothing when you have an amazing support network behind you. My journey has only begun and I already feel so grateful for all the support I have received. I am so proud to be part of The Adecco Group Family and can’t wait to make you all proud! Please continue to follow my journey over these next few months and see me cross the finish line in Lanzarote, Spain in October.

Christian Robert

I have been running off and on for the last 20 years, and more regularly in the last year and a half. I even participated in a marathon in 2006 and have run a few 10K races and half marathons in recent years. But I’m far from an elite athlete; I’m especially not an experienced cyclist or swimmer. I even once told my avid triathlete brother-in-law that I would never do a triathlon. Too hard, too much training and engagement. Not for me.

Yet here I am, committed to my first Olympic triathlon in October. What happened? The easy answer is I lost my mind — but it’s a little more complicated than that.

In the last 18 months, I’ve been more committed to my training than ever before. I haven’t been training harder, necessarily, but I’ve been more consistent, focusing on my next run and striving to never miss a training session. It’s all thanks to the Win4Youth program, which got me started and keeps me motivated while I compete against my colleagues to log more kilometres than everyone else.

But, as I’ve learned about myself, I also need new challenges to keep me motivated. Otherwise, I get bored without a “mission” to accomplish and I slow down my training; running less often to the point where I have to start training all over again. Trying to maintain my ranking as one of the top 5 Canadian colleagues who has logged the most kilometres would only keep me motivated for so long. So, I registered for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon last fall and then for the Around the Bay Road Race in March. It worked. I kept training regularly.

But then what? If I didn’t have a project to concentrate on, I worried that my bad habit of losing motivation would resurface. And this time, I decided it would be different. I would continue training no matter what. There are just too many benefits! (Stay tuned for my thoughts on this topic!)

“What keeps me going is goals.” – Muhammad Ali

My main objective was simple: continue exercising regularly. To do so, I had to find a new mission. Even though I was scared to admit it, the Win4Youth triathlon was the perfect project. It would take me out of my comfort zone, but still be exciting and motivating! I mean, travelling to Belgium and Lanzarote (have you see what it looks like?) and having all your colleagues cheering you on — that’s exciting! For me, the scary part is having to swim 1.5 km in the ocean, cycle 40 km and run 10 km, but if I train consistently, I know I can do it. Besides, now that I’ve found my “mission”, I’m fine.

So far, it’s working. I’m concentrating on preparing for training camp in Ghent, Belgium by focusing on swimming to improve my technique and endurance, and adding cycling to my routine.

I’ll strive to do as well as the previous Canadian ambassadors and make everyone proud. This is the beginning of a long journey. My goal: enjoy every minute of it. Stay tuned for more to come on my adventure.

This is the first in a series from our Win4Youth Ambassadors as they get ready for the Win4Youth Triathlon in Lanzarote, Spain. Read more about the program here. And follow along on Facebook and Twitter with #Win4Youth.