Nunu Ishaka, University of British Columbia

Welcome to the Red Banner Race Report Podcast, your home for what’s happening on the oval, in the field, and on the trail across the NAIA. 

This episode will take us out west to the University of British Columbia. The Thunderbirds have a long tradition of track and field dominance, but our guest today is already rewriting that history just months into her collegiate career.  We are talking about elite jumping performance and the pursuit of national hardware. Joining us today is Nunu Ishaka, currently the number-one-ranked triple jumper in the NAIA.  She’s a freshman sensation who recently shattered a school record with a massive 12.56-meter flight - that’s 41 feet, 3 inches.  We will chat about the technique behind the flight and the mindset of a national leader while getting to know her as an athlete and a person.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome back to the Red Banner Race Report Podcast, your home for cross-country and track and field news in the NAIA. I'm your host, Maren, and today we will be talking about elite jumping performance in the pursuit of some national hardware. Our episode will take us out west to the University of British Columbia, where the Thunderbirds have a long history of track and field success. But our guest today is already rewriting that history just months into her collegiate career. Joining us is Nunu Ichaka, currently the number one ranked triple jumper in the NAIA. She's a freshman sensation who recently shattered a school record with a massive 12.56 meter flight that's 41 feet three inches, and we'll chat about her techniques behind her jumps and the mindset it takes to be a national leader while also getting to know her both as an athlete and a person. Welcome, Nunu, to the Red Banner Race Report Podcast. Thank you. Happy to be here. Well, let's start out you telling us about yourself. So, where did you grow up? How did you get involved in track and field, specifically jumping?

SPEAKER_02 1:09

Well, um, I'm Canadian, so I'm from Calgary, but I also lived in the Middle East for a little bit of time. But like always through school and everything, I've been involved in sports. Like sports was like the one constant in my life growing up. And I did everything from like floor hockey, netball, basketball, soccer, I was doing all of it. And really the thing that I liked most about doing sports was the running aspect. Like I loved sprinting down the court, chasing after a ball, and it was just it was just the sprinting part that I absolutely loved. So when my school was trying to put together like a little team, we had a multi-sport uh competition and track and field was going to be part of it. They're putting together a team and they had to teach us triple jump. So they taught us triple jump and I ended up really liking it and also being quite good at it. And that's how I decided I learned about triple jump. That was in grade five, and it was just standing triple jump. And from there, I just continued to do it. Like, I mean, at that point, my first ever medal was actually in triple jump too. So that was um that was just basically my origin story. And I just like throughout high school, I just continued doing sports, middle school, and then in grade 10 is when I guess I just started focusing more on track. Um came into high school just wanting to do my best. And uh when track season started, I ended up like doing really, really well. I was able to place third at provincials, and that was like definitely like an indication that like hmm, maybe I should like put more effort to this, maybe join a club and do it outside of school. So I joined a club and I guess I am here now. Started to train through it all, proper training every week, um, then indoor season, got to outdoor, went through all of that and got me to where I am right now.

SPEAKER_00 3:17

Yes, and where you are right now is currently ranked number one in the NAIA for the triple jump as a freshman. Did you come yeah, did you come into the season expecting to be, quote, the woman to beat, or has this kind of caught you by surprise too?

SPEAKER_02 3:34

Oh, this is definitely, definitely surprising. Like, definitely as a first year, it's like there's so many people that have like years and years and years on experience than I do. So I was definitely like not expecting anything much. However, going into like the season, I was still expecting to do pretty well. Like my high school personal best was um 12, 15. So like I was definitely aiming high. However, like with fall training, that went really well, but I got injured early in well, late uh January, and I haven't had as much training and practice as I would have liked. I was off doing like minimal training stuff for two months. It was only really in the start of March that I we started like fully jumping. So just going into like going coming back from injury, I wasn't expecting a lot from myself. So I was just like happy to compete. So I had my first meet, and I was like an 11, 61. It was quite far behind from my personal best, but I didn't really mind because I was just coming back from injury and considering everything, I mean jumping for two, three weeks before was like I was happy with that. And then definitely this meet in Vegas was a huge surprise. I was not expecting that. The weather was obviously like really good compared to in Canada where it's um pretty cold and rainy all the time in Vancouver. Um so this heat definitely was good, but yeah, that that jump was definitely a surprise.

SPEAKER_00 5:20

The whole competition was you set the program record for your school, correct? With that jump. Yep. Yeah. So when you landed that, did you feel like okay, I've I've got a record-breaking jump. I can tell when I land, this is what's happening, or did you get surprised when you you know you saw the the measurement?

SPEAKER_02 5:44

Well, it was my second jump. My first jump was also a personal best and also school record at that point. And that was like the first indication of like, okay, this is going really, really, really well. And then when I got to like my second attempt, my second jump jumped in. I was like, I could tell that like everything felt really good. And my landing and everything just came together really nicely. I jumped out of the pit and I was like just waiting to hear the distance because I I knew it was big. And when I heard it, I was like so happy. Like I was I was on top of the world.

SPEAKER_00 6:19

Yeah, that's exciting. Well, you've already secured your automatic qualification, obviously, for the NAI national championships. So, how did checking that box and the school record box kind of change your trajectory or your training focus for the rest of the season? Did that alter the way you were approaching some of the things you were doing?

SPEAKER_02 6:41

Yeah, a hundred percent. First of all, it takes a lot of pressure off. So, like my mental state is no longer, oh, I need to hit this certain mark. I need to do like half a certain performance, or like, I don't know, my season ends early. I don't have that anymore. So it's definitely like a very nice uh position to be in. And now it's just like fixing up the little things and also having like a proper few weeks of training. Um I don't compete for another like two weeks. So I'm able to have a proper training block that I haven't really been able to have since coming back from injury. So like now it's just focusing on the things that we saw in competition and just building up strength that um I lost. So, and just heading it to National Zen conference.

SPEAKER_00 7:29

Yeah, and you mentioned your injury, and I want to touch on that a little bit because the triple jump is very technical, it's very high impact. Um, people don't realize, you know, you take on several times your body weight and force with every jump and you're doing one leg at a time. Quite honestly, it really fascinates me because it doesn't look like it should be humanly possible to jump that way, but obviously people do. So, what special things do you have to give attention to as far as recovery or body maintenance because you're you know putting a lot of impact on your joints?

SPEAKER_02 8:02

Honestly, I think the the biggest thing is just listening to your body. Like once I feel something is off, I gotta be like, I gotta tell my coach, and then she'll like tell me what to do. And just making sure I like meet with my physio at school and getting athletic therapy massages, doing a proper warm-up, all those little things all build up. And they like if you miss doing like a proper warm-up, high risk of injury. If you don't do your physio, you're not gonna get better if you're already injured. So just like focusing and making sure you do the little things properly, because it's always the little things that get you.

SPEAKER_00 8:42

So, as a a runner myself in college, I have zero knowledge of what a triple jumper would be doing in practice besides jumping. So, what are some other things that your weekly training might entail? What are some things you're doing, you know, either out in the field or in the gym? What does that look like in a week for you?

SPEAKER_02 9:02

Well, training always, most of the days of practice are actually sprint days. It's always a lot of running every single day, honestly, and jumping. I think we only have we only have two jump days. So most of the time we're not even triple jumping at that point. We're doing uh specific drills, either working on um the hop, the individual phases, the hop phase, step phase, or even jump phase, landing, takeoff, all of those things. And quite rarely do we ever like do like a full approach. Well, I've only ever do like half approaches, eight steps, six steps, and never a full thing. And then other than uh sprinting and jumping, we do do a lot of um weights, so um and bios. So either like box jumps and um hurdle jumps. We also in in the weight room, it's usually like the power cleans and snatches and powerful exercises that we do quickly is a focus.

SPEAKER_00 10:11

What do you do for your warm-up?

SPEAKER_01 10:15

My warm-up, I think, is really like chill.

SPEAKER_02 10:19

I am I don't uh do anything crazy. It's just like the general lap around the track, get your heart rate up, then dynamic stretches. Um usually do some like uh hip stretches, lunges, um arm swings, stretching out my hamstrings, all those good things. And if I feel anything that needs to be stretched more, I'll stretch it. Then I love doing leg swings like on a fence or something. Those really help to open up my hips and stretching up my calves so they are not tight. And then after the dynamic stretches, I usually do um more drills. So it'd be like a marches, a run, ankling, and other sprint drills that I only know the the action and not the name. Right. Well, that makes sense.

SPEAKER_00 11:13

Yeah, yeah, it makes sense. You'd want to have power and speed to to get going. Um, well, yeah, once again, as a runner, I never had to deal with the aftermath of either long jumping or triple jumping. So on a scale of one to ten, how much do you hate finding sand in in your shoes or your hair or wherever it may end up?

SPEAKER_01 11:33

Oh, I'd say I'd say a six.

SPEAKER_02 11:38

I'd say like I'm okay. I don't get like extra, extra mad because I already like, I mean, it's occupational hazard at this point. But what really, really annoys me is when I don't like dust the sand out of my socks. I wash and do all my laundry. Oh I have I put on a clean pair of socks I think that are clean and then they feel sand in it. That it's so annoying.

SPEAKER_00 12:05

I bet. I I've only had that experience from you know the beach, so I can't imagine every day or every other day or however often it is that you're you're having to take care of that. So yeah, that would not be my fave either. Well, if we're looking ahead to the NAI national championships in May, I'm sure that an individual title is a goal on your mind. Are you also looking at a specific distance that you would love to hit as far as a mark?

SPEAKER_02 12:37

Yeah, so I definitely do want the title. That would be great, but I'm also focused on like how far I jump. That's definitely more important to me. Um, I like obviously 13 is like the big goal here. Um, because it is U20 world standards. Um but if I get there, I'm super happy. But I'm I'm already pleased with how the season's going. But I do, I am looking for more for sure.

SPEAKER_00 13:09

You were not there last year, but your team did win the meet. Um they were they were the team champions. So obviously your performance is gonna add some valuable points in there. Uh so spoiler alert, is the school, is British Columbia looking towards another team championship?

SPEAKER_02 13:25

I think we're we're looking pretty good right now.

SPEAKER_00 13:27

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 13:28

I think we are.

SPEAKER_00 13:29

All right. So if you were not a triple jumper, what other track event would you want to try? I I was gonna guess long jump, but that seems like an obvious answer.

SPEAKER_02 13:40

Actually, funnily, no. Long jump, I don't know why I find it a little bit not a little bit, a lot more difficult than triple jump and just not as fun, not as dynamic. Interesting. Um the one thing I would do, I am I would say I'm a more strength jumper, so I would like to do like throws, maybe a little bit of hammer, a little bit of shot, put um because I think that's like it really build on my strength. Um and my sister also does shots, so I want to see like, hey, I want to be her, maybe.

SPEAKER_00 14:18

Well, it is interesting to note a lot of coaches, throw coaches say throwing technique does come a lot from the strength in your legs. And since you have, I'm assuming, very strong legs, that could be, you know, maybe a secret weapon, an unknown advantage. It would be interesting to see. What is your go-to snack for a competition day? What do you like to munch on?

SPEAKER_02 14:42

I absolutely love Sour Patch. Really Sour Patch Kids, it's like perfect quick energy. It's not, it's definitely not a meal. My my go-to meal would be like a Tim Hortons loaded bowl. But as per snacks, especially while you're waiting in between jumps, it's hot. You can get tired, you're tired from already your previous jumps. Sour patch kids honestly gives you that quick burst of energy. Applesauce is also really good if like I need something a little bit more healthy, less sugar. But those are definitely my go-to.

SPEAKER_00 15:17

I am curious to know how long does it usually take you from the first jump of a competition until you wrap up. Uh, like how long is that time period for you to complete all of your jumps?

SPEAKER_02 15:29

It it's a wide range. It depends on the size of the field a lot. Um it usually is like an hour, an hour and a half. There's once that it took two hours because they combined like so many different age groups, there ended up being like almost 20, 30 people. And if there's like it's a really short, a small meet where there's like less than eight people, it'll be like 30, 45 minutes, you can you can be finished.

SPEAKER_00 16:00

Right. I have noticed that some jumpers like to kind of get the the crowd hyped up. You know, they'll clap and they'll look at the the bleachers or the stands, and that helps them. Do you like to do that or do you is that not your thing?

SPEAKER_02 16:16

Oh, I am a hundred percent a clapper. I love clapping. It is like I feel like an instant energy boost, and like whenever you clap, you're gonna do better. But I don't think I like doing it like my first few jumps because I mean I need to lock in and make sure I get mark in, and then I have a little bit more freedom to do whatever.

SPEAKER_00 16:36

Okay. Well, if you've just put your your body through some jumping at a competition and you're feeling tired and you're ready to either celebrate a great jump or just go somewhere you like to munch, what is your your favorite meal afterwards?

SPEAKER_01 16:50

Meal? I honestly don't think I have a favorite meal.

SPEAKER_02 16:56

Okay. I I'm fine with eating anything after a meat as long as I get a sweet treat.

SPEAKER_00 17:02

I'm like I agree with that. Big sweet sweet tooth. Ice cream, bubble tea, anything, I'm down. Those are all good choices I would also enjoy. Um, well, do you have a favorite workout or meat day music? Like, is there a jam that you put on and it kind of gets you in the right headspace, or it's like your song before a competition?

SPEAKER_02 17:26

Um, I just recently started practicing and doing my warmups with music. And what I've been listening to is being like Alex Jean, uh Right Over Wrong. It's like a Christian hip-hop song. And I also really do like Ray's new album, like um Lifeboat, I found was like a really good, like positive song to have before me.

SPEAKER_00 17:52

Got it. And as a uh also a North American or a uh same continent resident, we are not in the same country, but we do share, you know, a border. So I have to ask, what is your favorite thing about being Canadian?

SPEAKER_01 18:15

I would say the outdoors. I would say that it is super, super pretty here.

SPEAKER_02 18:20

Like especially in Vancouver. I'm originally from Calgary. That place is prairie, it's really flat, but over here in Vancouver, it is beautiful. Like this, it's currently spring, so everything's in bloom. Walk outside, the flowers are everywhere, and it's so pretty. And then you can see the mountains at the side, and it's just it's just amazing. It really is amazing.

SPEAKER_00 18:44

Uh, my senior year of college was 2001, so I'm dating myself here. You all can do the math on that. But um, that year, NAI and Nationals were in Vancouver, so that is where I ran. So, all of my pictures of my meet, you see the mountains around the track, and it was amazing.

SPEAKER_01 19:04

Yeah, it's it's very beautiful.

SPEAKER_00 19:07

Yeah. Uh, how did you end up getting from Calgary to the University of British Columbia? What made that decision for you?

SPEAKER_02 19:18

I will say my is very unorthodox. I did reach out to the coach, um, and I was able to like get a spot here, but the main driving uh factor in me going to UBC was definitely like um academics. Um I'm studying engineering right now, and UBC is like a great, great, great um engineering uh university. And also I got a really big um academic scholarship, so that was definitely a really big driving factor.

SPEAKER_00 19:50

Yeah, that would be for sure. How long does it take you to get home?

SPEAKER_01 19:57

Um, so that's like it's an hour flight. It's an hour flight. It's an hour driving.

SPEAKER_02 20:02

Driving is like 10 hours if you're like just going straight, straight to Calgary.

SPEAKER_00 20:08

Yeah, that's that's a little different than an hour flight.

SPEAKER_02 20:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:12

Yeah, not quite the same. Um, have you ever visited any of the Olympic venues that are left behind from the Winter Olympics that were held there?

SPEAKER_01 20:22

Actually, no.

SPEAKER_00 20:23

Okay. No, I was curious.

SPEAKER_02 20:26

I might do that now because you mentioned it.

SPEAKER_00 20:28

Yeah. I always thought it would be kind of cool to visit some of the former Olympic venues. I know some of them are are no longer standing in certain cities. They've been demolished or, you know, whatever the case may be, but kind of a cool history there. Well, what is next for you as far as competition? What's next on your schedule and where are you headed to compete next?

SPEAKER_02 20:50

My next meet is in two weeks. It's in Bellingham. It's the uh Ralph Frenage Invitational. I think that's what it's called. Um, it's just a one-day meet on Saturday. Looking forward to that, definitely. Um, just another chance to compete before a conference in I think May 9th to 10th around that time frame.

SPEAKER_00 21:13

I know. I was just thinking it's not too far away for conference and then nationals. It's like a month and a half. It's it's coming up soon. So yeah, things are gonna start coming together, and we'll keep an eye on your jumps because I don't think that where you're at is where you're gonna finish. I think there's some big jumps to come.

SPEAKER_02 21:30

Thank you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 21:32

Thanks so much for tuning in to the Red Banner Race Report. I can't wait to feature more cross-country and track and field athletes from the NAIA. So stay tuned because it just might be you. If you enjoyed today's podcast, please share, subscribe, and leave a review. You can find the Red Banner Race Report podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and other major media players. You can also ask for SmartSpeaker to play the podcast. If you have an idea for a great topic or guest you'd like to hear about, feel free to contact me through the show notes or reach out on Instagram.