The NEW Chocolate Milk

Well, now that Rick Say has left the Pacific Sport Victoria Swim Centre there is no more chocolate milk in the pool fridge to sneak. Chocolate milk they say does the body good. But Black Strap Molasses does the body more good. Packed with more calories per buck, more sugar, more iron, and more magnesium, molasses is "the new" recovery drink. Sure only 1g protein per 100g but protein can be taken from other sources. Black Strap, chug one down!



The theme to 2009 so far has been rhythm and style. Finding a rhythm in whatever workout i'm doing, and being in the moment with that rhythm. Finding the rhythm translates to feeling smooth and fluid. Sunday's long run at Thetis felt great mixing it up on Mckenzie Creek in a good rhythm. Today however my legs were very sore, the lateral stresses from the twisty trails took it's toll.

Many people have been asking me when my first race is. Over christmas my response was..."I don't know I haven't looked that far ahead." Then came an opportunity I could not pass up...I will be racing in a little over 10 days in Brazil as part of the Canadian mens FAST team. Very short notice and still up in the air if our visa's will be processed in time but if things work out,myself and teammates Jeff Phillips and, Austin Horn will travel to just south of Sao Paulo to race on Feb 1st. The event is very popular there as Kerry Spearing ,who just raced in the womens event last week, can attest to. The race is a super sprint format of 3x(300m swim, 4k cycle, 1.4k run) with 15' rest in between sessions. As a team we are definitely an underdog, but that hasn't stopped the Arizona Cardinals from reaching the superbowl so we will roll with that.

Time to down a black strap before bed, some hard swimming to be done in the morning.

Bowie blamed for Recession?

The Rolling Stone reported today that Sir David Bowie may be to blame for the present recession being felt worldwide...

Ziggy..No way man, but have a read here.

It is true there is a global recession though, but fortunately triathlon doesn't seem to have been affected by it yet. The number of ITU races for 2009 is up and there is more prize money. Kevin Collington, a US triathlete i've been racing the last couple years, did a post from the San Diego Union Tribune regarding this topic right here

Some of us from the centre ran an 8k this weekend on the peninsula. It was a fast field and it hurt! First good effort like that in a while though is bound to. THe plan is to race a 10k in two weeks and have a better, less hurting, effort there.

It sure is quiet around here right now, with half a dozen athletes and PK away racing. The rest of however are getting some great training in though. Now that the snow is gone cross rides are back on the menu du jour, often following a 6k morning swim with ample space (4x50m lanes with underwater video for about 8 swimmers!)

all for now.

My New Adopted Pull Bouy

At the conclusion of the christmas camp I lost my existing pull bouy. I was pull bouy-less thru the holidays so I just used the communal ones at the various pools i swam at. Now arriving back in Victoria, yesterday, I needed a pull bouy for practice this morning. So as PK is beginning to explain the workout I began to scavenge the deck for a float. I came across the perfect candidate.






Beat up, abused, homeless, and seemingly chewed by either a pool shark or water dog this pull bouy was ideal. No one would notice its vacancy and I could let it do what it loves to do best.

May my previous pull bouy serve its new owner as this one will serve me: letting me slack off and take the legs out of the equation.

Madonna and Angelina adopt kids, I adopted a pull bouy today.

Columbia River Hockey League

Monsieur Doon Sssshhhnipes It!

The Game

I knew the final game of the round robin between the US and Canada would be a good one so i made sure i was back from the ski hill in time to settle into the couch and enojy.

I didn't know that this game would be the best game I have ever watched....juniour, nhl, olympic....this was THE BEST! These boys on both sides were so fired up it was contagious and I rode the rollercoaster of up and downs throughout the game. The 3-0 hole we were in. Tavares getting us out of that hole. The hitting was unreal. THe cheapshot from the US bench, the mind boggling save by Tokarski and then the Tavares empty netter to seal the deal baby with pure strength.

Watching the game I took heart to PK Subban, something about his style and agressiveness at the blue line that hits home. I hope we can get a rematch in gold medal game or perhaps with sweden who look very strong crushing russka 5-0.

Juniour Hockey is the real deal. Passion, Fire, and for the love of the game. I'll remember some moments of this game this summer when there is 2k to go.

2006 WJ Vancouver, Swedish Fan for the Day

Finishing off the Camp

Ahhh Christmas morning. No other morning quite like it. I've got my robe on and i don't plan on getting into real clothes anytime soon.

Well, the NTC christmas camp was quite a good one. Starting on Thursday last week to Tuesday (6days) we got in a lot of mileage in all 3 sports. Most noticeably in the pool with 40+ km in the books. Five days of roller rides was tough, a lot of sweat and washing of clothes. Tuesday's swim was 100x100m, a new milestone for me.

I drove home to Revelstoke on tuesday and yesterday finished off the camp with a 4k swim here and a 75' skate ski. Felt really good to be out on those MacPherson trails. A lot of memories stirring, starting with Mr. Nicholson's beaver lake science trip, XC Mt. Bike rides and races, and then a particular ski where there was a 3 car Russell pile up coming down Forest Lane.

I'm always amazed at how full-on, full body, skating is. Everything is worked, legs, arms, core. THere is no pull bouy or kick-board to rest half the body either. Thanks for the poles Steve, just right.

Merry Christmas to all eh!

Rhythm

After a race prep run before Kelowna in 2007 I can remember Stevo saying the following:

"It's all about rhythm man, finding the flow."

At the time, I was so focused the race I don't think it sunk in as much as it should of, but recently I have been finding rhythm's in workouts and am now on the same waves as stevo 100%.

It is so true. If you think about it, it is true in all sports. The Sedin Twins cycle is a rhythm, in fact the Sedins know eachothers rhythm as well as their own. A basketball players free-throw is all rhythm, a figureskaters rhythm is from their music, a mogul skier performs their run in a very visible rhythm. These are the obvious ones, other sports may not be so obvious.

You ever find yourself in stride with a running partner? Happens all the time to me whether running outside or on a tready, and when it does it feels a little easier. In this situation your sort of floating for a while on their rhythm.

When Jordan would go off on a team and score 50 he often said he was just in 'the zone'. He had found his rhythm.

I like to think of rhythm as a means for your body to operate at it's peak efficiency. When you hit your rhythm it becomes almost effortless and your body flows.

Try this. Your motions as an athlete are a series of different waves. When you hit your rhythm, these waves interfer with each other CONSTRUCTIVELY. That means they amplify eachother or join forces. Your rhythm is a sort of harmonic and harmonics are powerfull, like the one that destroyed the Tacoma Narrows bridge.

Swim, bike, run. Rhythm, rhythm, rhythm.