Jan 23rd - Olympic Dreams
It is now almost 2 weeks since Olympic Qualifiers in Canmore, and I have finally found some perspective and acceptance. As some of you know, I was competing for the remaining spot on the Canadian Olympic Cross-Country Team. I have been training and racing with this event in my sights for about 7yrs now, always pushing forward to reach for this goal. This drive brought me through a broad spectrum of Canadian skiing; beginning on the Lakehead University Team, then National Training Center in TBay, and most recently the Alberta World Cup Academy in Canmore. I am proud that I fought my way to this point, and have found some measure of success along the way.
Unfortunately some dreams just don't become reality, as I wasn't fast enough to claim that one remaining spot. I raced well and was in the mix, but the win went to my friend and teammate Graeme. Big congrats to him, as he dominated the field and proved without a doubt he deserved the Olympic position. I placed 5th twice in the Qualification races (15km Classic and 30km Skiathlon), always being in the mix but just not for the win.
Now that I have had some space from the excitement and stress of that weekend, I can be proud of my efforts. I competed well, always in the right place to contend for a medal, but just that fraction off which separates "good" from "great".
The Olympic stress does strange things to people, myself included. Not being a favourite for the Olympic spot leading up to the races was a mix of relief and frustration. There was no pressure from the ski community to win, but at the same time I felt like I had been already written off before the start gun. This "Dark Horse" mentality, as my dad described it, has been with me for a while. I've been chasing a position on the National Team for years, with my teammates earning their spots but me just being a little bit outside the bubble. Training and racing against them daily has proven that I can compete against the best of them, but in the end I've always missed that magical "winner factor".
Unfortunately some dreams just don't become reality, as I wasn't fast enough to claim that one remaining spot. I raced well and was in the mix, but the win went to my friend and teammate Graeme. Big congrats to him, as he dominated the field and proved without a doubt he deserved the Olympic position. I placed 5th twice in the Qualification races (15km Classic and 30km Skiathlon), always being in the mix but just not for the win.
Now that I have had some space from the excitement and stress of that weekend, I can be proud of my efforts. I competed well, always in the right place to contend for a medal, but just that fraction off which separates "good" from "great".
The Olympic stress does strange things to people, myself included. Not being a favourite for the Olympic spot leading up to the races was a mix of relief and frustration. There was no pressure from the ski community to win, but at the same time I felt like I had been already written off before the start gun. This "Dark Horse" mentality, as my dad described it, has been with me for a while. I've been chasing a position on the National Team for years, with my teammates earning their spots but me just being a little bit outside the bubble. Training and racing against them daily has proven that I can compete against the best of them, but in the end I've always missed that magical "winner factor".
What got me through those feelings was the support that I received during the Trials. My parents flew in from TBay and I had some relatives and friends from Calgary all there to cheer for me. They were some of the loudest and most enthusiastic fans out on the course, and helped keep my head up once I knew my effort would not be enough to make it to Sochi. To see them proud of my efforts, even in failure, was such a enormous cushion from the disappointment.
I am now refocusing on the rest of the season. Eastern Canadian Championships begin at the end of January, and I am again gunning for success. If I can prove myself there I will earn a FIS race trip to Latvia and Estonia, and maybe a World Cup start. Otherwise I will compete for the rest of February in the US. Either way, its time to pick myself up out of the dust and move on.
I am now refocusing on the rest of the season. Eastern Canadian Championships begin at the end of January, and I am again gunning for success. If I can prove myself there I will earn a FIS race trip to Latvia and Estonia, and maybe a World Cup start. Otherwise I will compete for the rest of February in the US. Either way, its time to pick myself up out of the dust and move on.
During all of this racing and emotions, my Make A Champ fundraiser came to a close. I began the fundraiser in November to try and raise enough money to pay for my team fees and racing costs, as I am not funded nationally or provincially like most of my competitors. The support that I received from the community was amazing, as they donated $7,260 to my dreams. It was a huge boost to me to have this amazing team behind me, very much the "Herd" as I termed them in the fundraiser. Together they have made me so much stronger. Thank you so very much in believing in me.
Dec 1st - Join The Herd Fundraiser !!
I have recently launched a crowd-source fundraiser through MakeAChamp.com, a Canadian business that helps funding amateur athletes. I am attempting to fund my winter's costs though this campaign, as my savings are now exhausted and the money from my two jobs barely covers my rent and food. I desperately need your help to make it through the winter as my team fees, race registrations, equipment and travel costs may force me to quit mid-season.
My fundraiser relies upon word of mouth and social media to spread my story. Any and all donations are welcome and will go directly to my racing costs. I have developed a list of Give Backs to thank my supporters for their generosity in keeping my Olympic Dream alive.
So please visit my fundraiser site by clicking on the image below, and donating if you can!
My fundraiser relies upon word of mouth and social media to spread my story. Any and all donations are welcome and will go directly to my racing costs. I have developed a list of Give Backs to thank my supporters for their generosity in keeping my Olympic Dream alive.
So please visit my fundraiser site by clicking on the image below, and donating if you can!
December 9th - Racing Season begins!
The racing season has begun with the first official races last weekend in Canmore. This was the first Alberta Cup of the season, and I was able to stretch my body out in a 1000m freestyle sprint and a 11km classic. I had a good distance race, pushing through the flat 11km to a 4th place. I was happy with the result and how the body felt as I got back into racing.
The AWCA departed on wednesday for the first NorAm races of the season, in the perennial opener venue of Silver Star mountain. It is always the first race course in Canada to be fully open with 2 meters of snow already on the ground this year.
Saturday was a 15km freestyle race on the very hilly World Cup course, always a tough way to start the year. This time it was especially difficult as temperatures plummeted to -23C at race time at the top of the course. The Open categories raced while the younger kids where pulled from the competitions. I am one of the lucky few who seem to have anti-freeze in their blood, as other then a little bit of frozen toes I was unscathed. Many of my teammates and friends weren't so lucky, saw many puffy purple hands and faces at the finish line. Everyone bands to together on days like these, and there was lots of group huddling in front of the fireplaces to get thawed out and share in cups of tea and hot chocolate. I ended the day in 6th overall(4th Cnd) and was happy with the result. Congratulations go out to Brian Gregg of the US for crushing the course to take 1st in the Men's division, and my teammate Heidi Widmer for taking the women's crown.
Sunday was again a cold weather challenge with the first sprint of the season, a 1.4 km classic. This year the event is sponsored by Buff Canada, a company specializing in cloth face and neck warmers. They got lots of coverage as the entire field probably had on several Buffs layers each to keep the frost off. I unfortunately sprinted quite poorly, coming into the qualifier finish back in 39th. While I didn't get a chance to test myself in the heats, I was able to cheer and watch some of the Open heats in the afternoon. Alysson had a great sprint showing, flying into the finish to claim 2nd to her friend Andrea Dupont. The mens final was taken by Patrick over two more teammates Phil and Graeme.
I also have to report that the MakeAChamp fundraiser is going fantastic!! the generosity that has been shown is truly amazing, with donations coming in across Canada and a few from the USA. We have now broken the 50% mark of the target, and are well on the way to making the goal! Please visit the fundraiser website on the links above to follow the progress!!
I am also very excited to announce that I have very recently been joined by another sponsor! Dr. Blair Schoales Medical Professional Corporation has re-signed with me this year, and their support has been paramount to my success over the last several seasons! Thank you so very much!
I am on my way to Rossland, BC for the next NorAm races, which will begin this coming weekend. Please visit the Cross Country Canada website and Zone4 timing on Saturday and Sunday to stay on top of the exciting results!
Cheers!!
C.
The AWCA departed on wednesday for the first NorAm races of the season, in the perennial opener venue of Silver Star mountain. It is always the first race course in Canada to be fully open with 2 meters of snow already on the ground this year.
Saturday was a 15km freestyle race on the very hilly World Cup course, always a tough way to start the year. This time it was especially difficult as temperatures plummeted to -23C at race time at the top of the course. The Open categories raced while the younger kids where pulled from the competitions. I am one of the lucky few who seem to have anti-freeze in their blood, as other then a little bit of frozen toes I was unscathed. Many of my teammates and friends weren't so lucky, saw many puffy purple hands and faces at the finish line. Everyone bands to together on days like these, and there was lots of group huddling in front of the fireplaces to get thawed out and share in cups of tea and hot chocolate. I ended the day in 6th overall(4th Cnd) and was happy with the result. Congratulations go out to Brian Gregg of the US for crushing the course to take 1st in the Men's division, and my teammate Heidi Widmer for taking the women's crown.
Sunday was again a cold weather challenge with the first sprint of the season, a 1.4 km classic. This year the event is sponsored by Buff Canada, a company specializing in cloth face and neck warmers. They got lots of coverage as the entire field probably had on several Buffs layers each to keep the frost off. I unfortunately sprinted quite poorly, coming into the qualifier finish back in 39th. While I didn't get a chance to test myself in the heats, I was able to cheer and watch some of the Open heats in the afternoon. Alysson had a great sprint showing, flying into the finish to claim 2nd to her friend Andrea Dupont. The mens final was taken by Patrick over two more teammates Phil and Graeme.
I also have to report that the MakeAChamp fundraiser is going fantastic!! the generosity that has been shown is truly amazing, with donations coming in across Canada and a few from the USA. We have now broken the 50% mark of the target, and are well on the way to making the goal! Please visit the fundraiser website on the links above to follow the progress!!
I am also very excited to announce that I have very recently been joined by another sponsor! Dr. Blair Schoales Medical Professional Corporation has re-signed with me this year, and their support has been paramount to my success over the last several seasons! Thank you so very much!
I am on my way to Rossland, BC for the next NorAm races, which will begin this coming weekend. Please visit the Cross Country Canada website and Zone4 timing on Saturday and Sunday to stay on top of the exciting results!
Cheers!!
C.
Nov 20th - Welcome Winter!
A lot has changed around Canmore since my last update. Frozen Thunder (the buried pile of main-made snow) was dug up at the Canmore Nordic Center to create an amazing 2.1km ski loop. It has become an annual migration for most North American ski teams to come to Canmore to train on this amazing loop. The Nordic Center Staff and WinSport are Amazing!! The rollerskis were finally put away for the season(sigh of thanks) and the skis were brought back into the light of day.
As I adjusted to the feel of snow again, training with the AWCA took a new turn towards racing. The team participated in a number of Time Trials on Frozen Thunder, most notably the Buff Frozen Thunder Sprints. This great event is sponsored by Buff Canada, and is a great way to remind the body what racing feels like. For the first Time Trial of the season, it boasted one of the most competitive sprint fields in North America!
During all of this I moved out from my apartment downtown which I had shared with Mike and Russ. Alysson and I had decided to move in together and got a great little apartment. There was a fair amount of chaos as we packed and unpacked in the midst of a hard training camp, but we finally are now all settled in.
I was able to join up with Roy Strum from Canmore Nordic Ski Club, and have been helping coach his Midget category kids on Thursday nights. It has been so much fun teaching them to rollerski, do proper body weight drills in the gym and recently showing them the finer points of skiing. It really reminds me of when I was their age and skiing was foremost a chance to have fun with friends. I really am lucky to be able to spend time teaching (and being taught!) by these great little skiers!
I also picked up a second job, this time learning my way into a barista gig at GoodEarth Coffeehouse. It is a fun, high energy cafe located on Canmore's Main st, and is a nice change of scene from my usually retail employers. This new job is turning out great for a guy who is admittedly addicted to coffee and sweets! So next time your in town and want your caffeine fix, come and see me!
As I adjusted to the feel of snow again, training with the AWCA took a new turn towards racing. The team participated in a number of Time Trials on Frozen Thunder, most notably the Buff Frozen Thunder Sprints. This great event is sponsored by Buff Canada, and is a great way to remind the body what racing feels like. For the first Time Trial of the season, it boasted one of the most competitive sprint fields in North America!
During all of this I moved out from my apartment downtown which I had shared with Mike and Russ. Alysson and I had decided to move in together and got a great little apartment. There was a fair amount of chaos as we packed and unpacked in the midst of a hard training camp, but we finally are now all settled in.
I was able to join up with Roy Strum from Canmore Nordic Ski Club, and have been helping coach his Midget category kids on Thursday nights. It has been so much fun teaching them to rollerski, do proper body weight drills in the gym and recently showing them the finer points of skiing. It really reminds me of when I was their age and skiing was foremost a chance to have fun with friends. I really am lucky to be able to spend time teaching (and being taught!) by these great little skiers!
I also picked up a second job, this time learning my way into a barista gig at GoodEarth Coffeehouse. It is a fun, high energy cafe located on Canmore's Main st, and is a nice change of scene from my usually retail employers. This new job is turning out great for a guy who is admittedly addicted to coffee and sweets! So next time your in town and want your caffeine fix, come and see me!
And another picture to make you all jealous. Some of the morning sunrises while training on Frozen Thunder were UN-Believable!!
Oct 7th - A Canmore Edition of Fall.
Well, fall has come to the Bow Valley this past month, and is rapidly moving on. Living here in the mountains always seems to be spent in the transition period between seasons. Canmore has seen an amazing few weeks of fall, with crisp mornings and some beauty fall colours. Those leaves are now falling and the snow is becoming a permanent fixture on the peaks again.
I was able to get away this past week for a little fun run up Tent Ridge in K-Country to see the larch trees turning golden yellow. To my always amazing sense of ideal timing, managed to get to the top of the ridge at 2,500m just in time for a good wind storm(80km/hr??) and snow drifts a foot deep. But I really shouldn't complain, any day in the mountains is a good day.
Winter really is just around the corner, with Canmore Nordic Center digging out Frozen Thunder (a massive snow pile stored through the summer under sawdust) in a week's time. This 1 km ski loop will be my home until enough natural snow to accumulate on the ski trails. It is always a fun time to be in Canmore, with the annual migration of North America's skiers out here to get their first taste snow. It is going to be really nice to see all my friends and old teammates again, and get some time to catch up on everything I've missed from back home.
Things here have been a little hectic, but in a good way. Alysson and I are still waiting on our new apartment to be available, so we are crammed into my old apartment with my other roommates for now. I have been kept busy with my new job at Good Earth Coffeehouse, which may increase my already intense caffeine addiction. Rudy Project Sunglasses are again supporting me this year, with some fresh shades arriving two weeks ago, going to be unveiling the new look on Frozen Thunder! And ski selection time is almost here, with my new Salomon skis hopefully in my hands in a few more weeks. I am like a little kid at Christmas every year when the big brown ski boxes start arriving. Salomon was awesome this fall by also sending me some new training gear, was definitely time to retire the old smelly training tops! The even greater news was that I am now a part of Team Coatsworth! Jamie Coatsworth generously included me this year in his generous support of Canada's amateur athletes. He is one of those rare mega-volunteers who are the heart of amateur sport! Another huge Thank You to Jamie!!
I was able to get away this past week for a little fun run up Tent Ridge in K-Country to see the larch trees turning golden yellow. To my always amazing sense of ideal timing, managed to get to the top of the ridge at 2,500m just in time for a good wind storm(80km/hr??) and snow drifts a foot deep. But I really shouldn't complain, any day in the mountains is a good day.
Winter really is just around the corner, with Canmore Nordic Center digging out Frozen Thunder (a massive snow pile stored through the summer under sawdust) in a week's time. This 1 km ski loop will be my home until enough natural snow to accumulate on the ski trails. It is always a fun time to be in Canmore, with the annual migration of North America's skiers out here to get their first taste snow. It is going to be really nice to see all my friends and old teammates again, and get some time to catch up on everything I've missed from back home.
Things here have been a little hectic, but in a good way. Alysson and I are still waiting on our new apartment to be available, so we are crammed into my old apartment with my other roommates for now. I have been kept busy with my new job at Good Earth Coffeehouse, which may increase my already intense caffeine addiction. Rudy Project Sunglasses are again supporting me this year, with some fresh shades arriving two weeks ago, going to be unveiling the new look on Frozen Thunder! And ski selection time is almost here, with my new Salomon skis hopefully in my hands in a few more weeks. I am like a little kid at Christmas every year when the big brown ski boxes start arriving. Salomon was awesome this fall by also sending me some new training gear, was definitely time to retire the old smelly training tops! The even greater news was that I am now a part of Team Coatsworth! Jamie Coatsworth generously included me this year in his generous support of Canada's amateur athletes. He is one of those rare mega-volunteers who are the heart of amateur sport! Another huge Thank You to Jamie!!
Sept 1st - A Summer of Sun(sort of) and Fun
Oh the wonderful days of +30C weather and cloudless skies, where have you gone? Summer has again quickly flown by here in Canmore, and the weather is trying to decide if it wants to turn to autumn or skip straight to winter. The mornings are starting to get a chill and I will not be surprised to see the first snow fall on the peaks one of these mornings.
My summer was spent training like a maniac; hundreds of hours spent rollerskiing, weight training or trail running. I am always surprised when the first leafs start to turn and I think back to all the training that I have accomplish in the few short months since the ground thawed in June(no joke, its not uncommon to have snow out here in June!). I can proudly say this year that I have had one awesome training period with the Academy. We had some freaking hard training camps and some freaking awesome fun.
Whenever you combine a dozen fit guys things are going to be interesting. As a team we crushed some epic 5hr rollerskiis, some monster road rides and all learned how to push each other in the gym. I have to say I have been thoroughly impressed with my teammates this year, with everyone pushing themselves to be better each and every day. The team hard our share of training hardships this summer with some major flooding that effected several training camps and causing us to change plans often to adapt to Mother Nature's whims. But that is all part of the fun, "Adapt or Die"!
Instead of the usual long winded update, I am going to instead let pictures do the talking. So enjoy!
My summer was spent training like a maniac; hundreds of hours spent rollerskiing, weight training or trail running. I am always surprised when the first leafs start to turn and I think back to all the training that I have accomplish in the few short months since the ground thawed in June(no joke, its not uncommon to have snow out here in June!). I can proudly say this year that I have had one awesome training period with the Academy. We had some freaking hard training camps and some freaking awesome fun.
Whenever you combine a dozen fit guys things are going to be interesting. As a team we crushed some epic 5hr rollerskiis, some monster road rides and all learned how to push each other in the gym. I have to say I have been thoroughly impressed with my teammates this year, with everyone pushing themselves to be better each and every day. The team hard our share of training hardships this summer with some major flooding that effected several training camps and causing us to change plans often to adapt to Mother Nature's whims. But that is all part of the fun, "Adapt or Die"!
Instead of the usual long winded update, I am going to instead let pictures do the talking. So enjoy!
AWCA boys getting it done!
The crew really pushed each other through some hard weeks, with some leg busting workouts here in the Bow Valley.
The boys take in the view from the top of Sulphur, the tourists were very impressed at the crazy guys who ran up the mountain!
The boys take in the view from the top of Sulphur, the tourists were very impressed at the crazy guys who ran up the mountain!
New Crop of Rookies
I have been very impressed with the four new additions to the AWCA this year. Seb, Yannick, Alex and Zeke join up with us this spring and have should amazing talent. These young pups are going to be a force this winter! Here is Zeke being epic on the top of Buller Pass, dude is great to train with because he is so blown away by the sheer magnitude of the landscape out here. "The mountains are actually HUGE! Like crazy huge!!"
Just a little bit of rain...
As many of you heard, the Bow Valley had some major flooding in June. Many of the creeks and rivers that flow into the valley burst their banks, carrying away what ever was in their path. Canmore had some major devastation as Cougar Creek destroyed a portion of the East Valley of town, as it expanded over twice its historical volume record! K-country was destroyed with many of our favourite trails washed off the map, the Haig glacier isolated by bridge washouts, and many campers needing to airlifted out of harms way. Life has returned to normal now, all thanks to the amazing work of Parks Canada and the hundreds of volunteers that kept the area going. You guys rock!
Community Garden
Alysson and I decided this year to rent a plot in Canmore's Community Garden. This is a volunteer run program that provides garden plots for locals to grow their own organic veggies. It is an amazing program that brings together many people who share a love of good wholesum food and a community spirit. I was amazed with how much variety and quality of veggies that can be grown here in such a cold mountain environment!
Mountain Life!
The team has had plenty of epic trail runs, often involving rain, mud, washed out trails, and plenty of awesome mountain top views. This one was a sweet run up Ribbon Creek and over Buller Pass in K-Country. We had our share of trail finding as one of the flooded rivers demolished this route. But we made it to the top and had plenty of laughs on the way.
Summer Holiday
Even skiers are allowed a holiday now and then. Alysson and I were able to time our easy week this July together, and escaped to her family's place in Salmon Arm. It wasn't all relaxing, we still had workouts to do but the new scenery sure did help! Here I am getting a taste of the wind on top of Enderby Cliffs. Hope your not afraid of heights!
Beach Time?
We even had a whole week to live and train out at her family cabin on Shuswap Lake. Days were spent swimming, paddling, training and a fair amount of feasting! Here I am trying my skill on the paddle board, turns out I am a fairly efficient hand paddler! Was able to hold my own against Alysson and her father, Tom, in the canoe!
Harvest Time!
As I said, so much variety and quantity can be produced from such a small space! Alysson and I were able to grow enough veggies to feed us all summer and even share with our roommates! Been successful with; Lettuce, Kale, Chard, Spinach, Basil, Radish, Beets, Carrots, Beans, and Peas!
Yamnuska
Alysson and I were able to get in an evening mountain run this week around Mnt. Yamnuska, a beautiful wave of rock that rises up from the hills and overhangs in a massive 500ft cliff. We were reminded about the need to pre-plan as we found a group of lost hikers at dusk, kilometers from the trail head. They had underestimated the magnitude of the route and the time it would take them. After giving detailed directions, all of our water and food along with my headlamp, we were forced to leave them behind and run our butts off the mountain just in time for night fall. Thankfully there is cell reception out there and we were able to monitor their progress off the ridge. So remember, plan ahead and only go on routes that are do-able for the slowest member of your group!!
June 18th - Yes it has been 6 months(?!!!) since my last update. Time for the mother of all recaps(split into three segments to keep my dear readers from going permanently cross-eyed).
Spring has come and gone out here in Canmore. Training is now back in full swing with the Alberta World Cup Academy. Our season beginning boot camp in Vernon was a great success to shock the body back into shape. I am currently on the road for another training camp, this time we’re off to Nelson for a short 4 day camp with a focus on big volume and mental fortitude. Before I dive into much detail, I have a much much overdue update on the winter’s racing (better grab yourself a little snack this could take a while)...
Part 1 : Winter Has Come | |
File Size: | 2041 kb |
File Type: | doc |
Dec 22nd
A Whirlwind of Emotions and Racing
The Pre-Christmas race season always comes as an abrupt shock to the system. All of a sudden(or so it seems) you change from hours spent rollerskiing to the frenzy of the race site, and all of the accumulated stress and anticipation that come with racing. This year was slightly different as I have been training on snow for the last month and a half in Canmore, instead of my normal routine of dryland training in Thunder Bay eagerly anticipating the first snow fall. However the start of racing comes as a shock either way.
My season this year begun with a NorAm race here in Canmore on December 1st and 2nd. Saturday's race was a Skate Sprint, which not really being my primary focus, I used as a primer for the Sunday's 15 km Classic. Canmore is one of the most difficult courses in Canada and throughout the world, with laps up an unrelenting climb that never seems to end followed by a fast somewhat technical decent back to the stadium. To add to the stress of the first races of the season, these races were the only qualification for the World Cups which would be held in Canada from December 7th - 16th. I attacked the course with a good race strategy in mind, push hard on the first lap to gain a time advantage then find a nice consistent pace to eat away the middle laps, then attack the final lap with everything left in the tank. Knowing this course very well, I know the importance of not over exerting in the middle laps, which would insure ruin by blowing up your legs before the final climbs of the race. My race plan brought me through the course well, with enough energy in the final kilometers to make a hard effort into the finish. I ended up finishing 11th overall, my best pre-christmas race ever! However this taste of success quickly turned sour as only the Top 10 skiers in this race would earn a World Cup start. I was devastated. The World Cups had been a focal point of most of my training throughout the year, and it felt like my season was falling out from under me after the first weekend!
The Pre-Christmas race season always comes as an abrupt shock to the system. All of a sudden(or so it seems) you change from hours spent rollerskiing to the frenzy of the race site, and all of the accumulated stress and anticipation that come with racing. This year was slightly different as I have been training on snow for the last month and a half in Canmore, instead of my normal routine of dryland training in Thunder Bay eagerly anticipating the first snow fall. However the start of racing comes as a shock either way.
My season this year begun with a NorAm race here in Canmore on December 1st and 2nd. Saturday's race was a Skate Sprint, which not really being my primary focus, I used as a primer for the Sunday's 15 km Classic. Canmore is one of the most difficult courses in Canada and throughout the world, with laps up an unrelenting climb that never seems to end followed by a fast somewhat technical decent back to the stadium. To add to the stress of the first races of the season, these races were the only qualification for the World Cups which would be held in Canada from December 7th - 16th. I attacked the course with a good race strategy in mind, push hard on the first lap to gain a time advantage then find a nice consistent pace to eat away the middle laps, then attack the final lap with everything left in the tank. Knowing this course very well, I know the importance of not over exerting in the middle laps, which would insure ruin by blowing up your legs before the final climbs of the race. My race plan brought me through the course well, with enough energy in the final kilometers to make a hard effort into the finish. I ended up finishing 11th overall, my best pre-christmas race ever! However this taste of success quickly turned sour as only the Top 10 skiers in this race would earn a World Cup start. I was devastated. The World Cups had been a focal point of most of my training throughout the year, and it felt like my season was falling out from under me after the first weekend!
Without much time to regroup mentally, I quickly got packed up to travel to Silver Star Mountain in BC for the second weekend of NorAm racing. A portion of the AWCA team was selected from the NorAm sprints on Saturday to travel to Quebec City to race the Sprint World Cups there the same weekend as SilverStar. The change over to Silver Star was vitally important to reset the brain to continue racing, you can't dwell on the past when more racing is starring you in the face! Saturday's race was a 15km Mass Start Classic, normally one of my favourite events. After a strong start skiing comfortably with the lead group of ten skiers (some of which were Swedish national members prepping for the Canmore World Cups) for the first 5km, things started falling apart. I lost my mental focus and fell off the leaders. When this happens it becomes extremely important to quickly mentally rescue yourself before the chasing skiers catch you and you get sucked back into the masses. The mental turbulance from last weekend was clearly still effecting me, and I struggled to rally back. Thankfully with a few kilometers left I was able to get my body and mind under control, and made a desperate push to regain positions before the end. I crossed the line in 15th, a decent position but not nearly up to my own goals.
After a race where the most critical weakness is your mental fortitude, finding a way to analyze the problem and develop a recovery strategy is imparative. I believe it is one of the most important tools for younger racer to train and develop, how to combat yourself when you are your own worst enemy. For me, this requires a post race analysis of both the Good and the Bad. By figuring out what were to good parts of the race(the initial confidence to ski with the leaders, the somewhat successful rally in the final kms), and the bad parts(the lack for mental focus BEFORE THE RACE to be prepared for the effort(physical and mental) that would be required), you can develop a plan of attack for a successful rebound. In this case I had less then 24hrs to go through this process and prepare for Sunday's 15km Freestyle.
So how do you go about fighting yourself during a race effort? I find that a solid race plan that you completely believe in and can focus on throughout the race is key. For me I knew that I was lacking the preparation and drive to make myself hurt. So to make my race as simple as possible, I planned to "Make yourself hurt in the fastest and most efficient way possible.", "Go Hard, Ski Smooth", "Enjoy the Pain!!". Sometimes returning to the basics is the most effective way. Don't worry about the result, just do your job as best as you can and enjoy it.
With this in mind I attacked the 15km Freestyle with everything I had. Skiing within my own head, and focusing on making my body go as fast as possible provided a mental release from the tension of the past few weeks. Funny how extreme discomfort can have a relaxing effect... I ended up skiing to my best result of the season, placing 7th and being in contention throughout the race. This provided that much needed boost to get myself back into the positive mood for racing. With the SilverStar races behind me, I packed up my smelly ski clothes and headed home to Canmore.
After a race where the most critical weakness is your mental fortitude, finding a way to analyze the problem and develop a recovery strategy is imparative. I believe it is one of the most important tools for younger racer to train and develop, how to combat yourself when you are your own worst enemy. For me, this requires a post race analysis of both the Good and the Bad. By figuring out what were to good parts of the race(the initial confidence to ski with the leaders, the somewhat successful rally in the final kms), and the bad parts(the lack for mental focus BEFORE THE RACE to be prepared for the effort(physical and mental) that would be required), you can develop a plan of attack for a successful rebound. In this case I had less then 24hrs to go through this process and prepare for Sunday's 15km Freestyle.
So how do you go about fighting yourself during a race effort? I find that a solid race plan that you completely believe in and can focus on throughout the race is key. For me I knew that I was lacking the preparation and drive to make myself hurt. So to make my race as simple as possible, I planned to "Make yourself hurt in the fastest and most efficient way possible.", "Go Hard, Ski Smooth", "Enjoy the Pain!!". Sometimes returning to the basics is the most effective way. Don't worry about the result, just do your job as best as you can and enjoy it.
With this in mind I attacked the 15km Freestyle with everything I had. Skiing within my own head, and focusing on making my body go as fast as possible provided a mental release from the tension of the past few weeks. Funny how extreme discomfort can have a relaxing effect... I ended up skiing to my best result of the season, placing 7th and being in contention throughout the race. This provided that much needed boost to get myself back into the positive mood for racing. With the SilverStar races behind me, I packed up my smelly ski clothes and headed home to Canmore.
Upon my return home, I was quickly greeted with the excitement and anticipation of the Canmore World Cups. The town was cheerily decorated with banners, signs, and ice sculptures welcoming all the international athletes to Canada's ski Mecca. After a day of recovery at home, I awoke on Tuesday to an email ... a very exciting and nerve wracking email. Turns out one of Canada's distance skiers who had qualified ahead of me had gotten sick, and I was being offered his position!! And just like that I was in! I would start my first World Cup of my career in 48hrs, with the 15km Mass Start Classic!!
Nov 30th
Tomorrow racing season officially begins... that is always a daunting statement for athletes. All of the hundreds of hours spent training, working and focusing are over. It is GO TIME!!
Nov 14th
Wow. Where did the last month go?! October completely flew by with some great snowfalls and race prep as the ski season approaches. Where to begin...
Training continued as normal through the first week or so of October, with the intensity and total hours continuing to increase. I completed a hard three week training push that completely drained the body as planned. Training blocks like this really make me appreciate the one or two rest days that I get a month, such a good feeling to be able to sleep in. The end of my training push was coordinated with the opening of the man made Frozen Thunder ski loop at the Nordic Center. Every winter snow is stockpiled near the trails and covered by a thick cap of sawdust to insulate it from the summer sun. It is dug out in October to provide an oppertunity to add a bonus month of on snow training before the first races at the end of November. This year many teams from throughout Canada and the US made the pilgrimage to Canmore to training on the loop. It was a real bonus to see old teammates and friends on the trail and catch up while spending hours circling the 6min loop. The was even a few "fun" races to get everyone pumped up for the start of the season. The 7.5km uphill running Spray Drag Race was a great fundraiser event for AWCA, with most of the skiers in town competing on the grueling climb up to the dam high above Canmore. There was also a classic sprint race held on Frozen Thunder which saw the Canadian National Team, US National Team, two Canadian Training Centers, and three Elite American independent teams square off in one of the most stacked fields of any North American domestic race!
Canmore has settled down this past week with most of the teams returning home, and the two national teams departing for Europe for the start of the World Cup season in Sweden. Good luck to you all, especially my girlfriend Alysson who be away competing until the Canmore World Cups just before Christmas. We have also received some much needed natural snow to extend the Frozen Thunder loop to now include the World Cup Sprint course, making every feel like they have been released from the hamster wheel of Frozen Thunder.
The final prep work has begun with the first NorAm races being held in two weeks, which are also the final qualifier events for selection into the Canmore World Cup. This event will be extremely important as most of the starting positions are still up for grabs, and many racers intent on earning their places. Along with the many hours of training still underway, all of my new skis arrived. I am always as giddy as a kid on Christmas when the new boards show up. It is tons of fun testing them out and putting many hours into all the prep waxing that needs to be done to make them speedy. I promise to keep more news coming and more pictures of the last month once I can track some down. I hope you receive some snow to get you all in the winter spirit! Cheers!
Training continued as normal through the first week or so of October, with the intensity and total hours continuing to increase. I completed a hard three week training push that completely drained the body as planned. Training blocks like this really make me appreciate the one or two rest days that I get a month, such a good feeling to be able to sleep in. The end of my training push was coordinated with the opening of the man made Frozen Thunder ski loop at the Nordic Center. Every winter snow is stockpiled near the trails and covered by a thick cap of sawdust to insulate it from the summer sun. It is dug out in October to provide an oppertunity to add a bonus month of on snow training before the first races at the end of November. This year many teams from throughout Canada and the US made the pilgrimage to Canmore to training on the loop. It was a real bonus to see old teammates and friends on the trail and catch up while spending hours circling the 6min loop. The was even a few "fun" races to get everyone pumped up for the start of the season. The 7.5km uphill running Spray Drag Race was a great fundraiser event for AWCA, with most of the skiers in town competing on the grueling climb up to the dam high above Canmore. There was also a classic sprint race held on Frozen Thunder which saw the Canadian National Team, US National Team, two Canadian Training Centers, and three Elite American independent teams square off in one of the most stacked fields of any North American domestic race!
Canmore has settled down this past week with most of the teams returning home, and the two national teams departing for Europe for the start of the World Cup season in Sweden. Good luck to you all, especially my girlfriend Alysson who be away competing until the Canmore World Cups just before Christmas. We have also received some much needed natural snow to extend the Frozen Thunder loop to now include the World Cup Sprint course, making every feel like they have been released from the hamster wheel of Frozen Thunder.
The final prep work has begun with the first NorAm races being held in two weeks, which are also the final qualifier events for selection into the Canmore World Cup. This event will be extremely important as most of the starting positions are still up for grabs, and many racers intent on earning their places. Along with the many hours of training still underway, all of my new skis arrived. I am always as giddy as a kid on Christmas when the new boards show up. It is tons of fun testing them out and putting many hours into all the prep waxing that needs to be done to make them speedy. I promise to keep more news coming and more pictures of the last month once I can track some down. I hope you receive some snow to get you all in the winter spirit! Cheers!
Oct 3rd
SNOW!! Got my first tracks in of the season on a few inches of snow this morning, all the peaks surrounding Canmore are coated in a half foot of snow! Winter Wonderland!!
Oct 1st
An enormous thank you to Rudy Project for the fresh shades and helmet! I love the fit and feel of their equipment, always the best quality product available on the market! Check out they're selection online by clicking on the linked photo on the left.
Sept 30th
SUFFERFEST!!! Got the chance to test out my trail running legs at the 3rd annual Kaslo Sufferfest to end off a great 6 day training camp in New Denver, BC. Race was an epic 25km course with 2,100ft of climbing and tons of knee demolishing decents. Turns out I can run pretty good. Came through with the win in 1hr44mins. Great pull into the finish once I joined up with the leaders of the 10km after 15km of solo running, such a fun time! Great organization and course, definitely want to go back next year! Awesome job by the rest of the AWCA crew to clean the podiums in the 10km mens and ladies divisions!
Sept 27th
The highlight of this short 6 day camp will be the Kaslo Sufferfest Race held on Sunday. I get to test out my running legs on 25km of very hilly twisty single track in one of the most talked about races in the area. Scouted most of the course today, and I'm sure the race will live up to its name! 2,000ft+ of climbing! There will be some jello legs after this one!
Sept 26th
With the NST portion of the AWCA training in Park City, Utah, the remainder of the team packed up and drove over to New Denver, BC for a short training camp. It'll be a great chance to get some good workouts in at this cool little town deep in the Kootenays.
Sept 14th
A huge thank you to Rudy Project for continuing to support me this year! By far the best sunglasses I've ever owned! Going to be rocking some sweet shades this winter!
Sept 9th
Awesome hike up Lady MacDonald this morning, perfect way to enjoy the start of fall. Need to remember the decent is the hardest part, totally destroyed the legs running down. Rollerski intensity is going to hurt real good tomorrow!
Sept 8th
Amazing Gold Medal performance by Thunder Bay Paralympian Robbie Weldon in the Individual Road Race! She is a amazing athlete, competing in both Paralympic Cross Country Skiing and Road Cycling. Congratulations!!
Sept 4th
It feels like Christmas! Newest and most bad-ass looking heart rate monitor on the market arrived today! A huge Thank You to Fresh Air Experience and Polar for hooking me up!
Sept 2nd
Yep, definitely fall. First snowfall on the peaks in Kananaskis Park! Awesome 4hr rollerski and run combo to end off three week training camp block.
Sept 1st
First day of September greeted me with wind, rain and a muddy rollerski crash. Starting to feel like fall!!
Aug 27th
Back to Canmore after 10 awesome training days in the USA! Feels good to be home! But gotta keep this sore tired body going for week 3 of this killer training block!
Aug 26th
A very successful camp in Whitefish. Lots of gains made and workouts completed!
Aug 25th
Competed in the Whitefish Friends and Family Fun Run 10km today , organizers seemed a little surprised to see a dozen Canadians ready to blow the field away! I in turn was surprised by how well my body has handled the training load over the past two weeks, still posted a decent time of 34:24. Amazing running by the rest of the team as Kevin, Jess and Graeme all went sub 33min!
Aug 22nd
All work and no play?? Think again! Check out our surprised afternoon "team meeting"!
Aug 20th
The AWCA men had an amazing long distance workout today in Glacier National Park! Long uphill classic ski on the "Road to the Sun" followed by epic alpine ridge run. BOOM! 4 and half hour workout, and still ready for more!
Aug 19th
Settling into new place in Whitefish, awesome little condo near the water. Can't think of a better way to spend an afternoon recovering then on the dock in the 34C sun followed by evening BBQ on the deck?
Aug 17th
Whitefish is turning out to be an amazing venue for training, plenty of quiet roads for rollerskiing with some monster 45min+ climbs!
Aug 16th
AWCA begins its next dryland training camp, this time the team is off to Whitefish, Montana! Started things off with a road ride a portion of the way down; Canmore to Radium, BC 150km!
Aug 10th
Just got back from an amazing camping trip in Whiteswan Provincial Park near Invermere, BC. Swimming, trail running, tanning and s'mores with my girlfriend, can't think of a better way to enjoy my rest week. Now to catch up on four days of Olympic replays!
Aug 5th
I glad to be done the AWCA MiniTour! Ended the weekend with the HTFU 8 km uphill running race. That hill sure took its revenge on the legs, but I can say I enjoyed it in a sick self-mutilating way. Off camping tomorrow during my week off!!!
In Olympic news...BOLT. One Word, One Man, Unbeatable.
In Olympic news...BOLT. One Word, One Man, Unbeatable.
Aug 4th
Stage Two of the AWCA MiniTour complete, Double Pole Test. Body still feeling great, no PBs today though. Tomorrow is the epic 8km uphill running test!
Amazing day on the Olympic Track with Great Britain taking three Gold Medals! Canada also scored its first Gold of the Games in Womens Trampoline, and Tara Whitten(former NST skier) leads Canada's Women's Pursuit Team to a Cycling Bronze!
Amazing day on the Olympic Track with Great Britain taking three Gold Medals! Canada also scored its first Gold of the Games in Womens Trampoline, and Tara Whitten(former NST skier) leads Canada's Women's Pursuit Team to a Cycling Bronze!
Aug 3rd
AWCA begun its Mini-Tour Weekend here in Canmore with our Sprint Simulation test. I beat my PBs consistantly throughout all four laps!
Another amazing day of Olympic watching too, those track cyclists are nuts!!
Another amazing day of Olympic watching too, those track cyclists are nuts!!
Aug 2nd
And the Women's Eight matches the Canadian men with another Silver! Way to Go!!
Aug 1st
Canada's Mens Eight takes Silver! Amazing race to watch! Canadians timed the sprint perfectly.
Brent Hayden also blasts his way to a Bronze in the 100m Freestyle!
Brent Hayden also blasts his way to a Bronze in the 100m Freestyle!
July 31
One of the better commercial on mass repeat. RONA. Click on image on the left.
July 29th
Canada's on the medal board with a Bronze in Women's Synchronized 3m Diving!!! Way to go Abel and Heymans!
July 27th
Thank you Mom... Best commercial of the Games so far. Click on Image on left.
July 25th
After months of impatient waiting the Olympics have finally started!!! Opening ceremonies where lots of fun to watch. Queen parachuting in with 007, didn't expect that! HAHA
July 18th
AWCA had to pull out of the Haig a day early due to mechanical issues on the glacier, but still a very productive and fun camp. Really can't complain about being able to ski in July.
July 15th
Gymkhana 5 Released - Ken Block ripping it up through downtown San Fran. That is one mean little Ford!! Click on the photo on the left and turn your volume up LOUD!
July 12th
Just got back to Canmore from a 4 day training camp on the Haig Glacier. Unreal skiing conditions and great food! Three days of training in town before I head back up again for another mini camp!
July 1st
Happy Canada Day!! I got to celebrate today by running a 8 km road race here in Canmore. Placed 7th, Graeme Killick took the win today with an impressive last 4 km push. The AWCA again showed their stuff with 6 of the top 7 finishers. My post race recovery today also included taking part in Canmore's Canada Day Parade! Got to rollerski with the team, handing out candy to all the kids and doing fun demonstration sprints for the crowd! Awesome patriotic atmosphere out there today!
June 30th
I've now been living here in Canmore for almost two months! Time has been flying by. I've completed my first two training camps with the AWCA, the first in Bend, Oregon and the second in Nelson, BC. I'm feeling stronger and in better shape then I ever have at this point in the season. But tomorrow is the start of the summer months, time to set more goals and continuing to improve throughout July!
June 20th
Just went for a little road bike ride today... only did 215 km! The AWCA just finished the annual "Silver Triangle" ride in Nelson, BC, a short high volume / intensity camp to shake things up in June. The ride went better then I'd expected, considering I was sitting on a rock hard little road bike seat for almost 7.5 hrs. Some long exhausting climbs followed by insanely-awesome windy decents. Totally got me pumped for the start of the Tour!
June 10th
Bowness 10km Road Race - Calgary
First true race intensity of the season, was time to bring the pain. Definitely accomplished that, forgot that I was out of my peak running shape! Lead out the first 1.5 km at my normal pace, and paid for it. Was able to hold on with the Graeme Nish, Kevin Sandau and Graeme Killick until 5km. Was able to hold it together to finish 5th overall, not bad. AWCA cleaned house with 8 of the top 10 overall finishers!
First true race intensity of the season, was time to bring the pain. Definitely accomplished that, forgot that I was out of my peak running shape! Lead out the first 1.5 km at my normal pace, and paid for it. Was able to hold on with the Graeme Nish, Kevin Sandau and Graeme Killick until 5km. Was able to hold it together to finish 5th overall, not bad. AWCA cleaned house with 8 of the top 10 overall finishers!
June 1st
Finally got my apartment! Completely bare, time to hit up the Thrift Store! Not a bad view either.
May 9th
Goodbye Thunder Bay! Off to life in Canmore, AB.