Sunday, August 30, 2009

Cramin-it-all-in Last Chance Kinda Weekend

WAIT A MINUTE!!
How did THAT picture get in this blogpost....

This blog is about all the really healthy active things I did this weekend...AFTER we went for MamaBear Martini's at the Great Escape in Cumberland for our summer ELM Adventure Running wind up celebration:) *Note- those who know me know I am all talk ... couldn't even finish ONE:(

SO!
There is a rotten smell flittering amongst the sweet smell of warm summer earth...I know what it is and I can't say I am a fan...it is decaying plants falling to the ground, cold dewy mornin's and the edge of the END of summer.

BUT that means that B and I are on our way once again to our happy place on the north island for 2 weeks of sand, surfing, fishing and plain old loungin around time:) We leave next weekend and will be back at er for classes starting Monday September 21st. More details on that before I leave...

Every year around this time I must let out a big sigh, and allow myself permission to let go of all the bike riding, mountain running, and all round fun training ... for two weeks of r&r...RIGHT BEFORE MY LAST RACE OF THE SEASON: MOMAR CUMBERLAND.

I always wish I had more time to fit in one more ride or one more hike before the end of August and our escape up north.


Every year I wonder if I have done enough. I always wonder if I will lose all the conditioning on the beach, returning home with only a baileys belly and a strange fear of mountains along with an inability to remember how to change the gears on my bike.


But every year something else happens. I return with a golden glow on my skin, a well worked upper body (surfing, kayaking, canoeing and hauling gear/firewood all day), a well rested lower body (seated in my chair with many books) and a fresh energy flowing through my veins. It seems to work out everytime... I just consider it an EXTRA superduperlong taper:)

I AM CRAMMING IT ALL IN DUDE.
This was a splendid weekend fueled by GREAT sunshiney summer weather and a mission to log a few more miles before holiday mode kicks in.

After a great SUPER CLIMB Adventure Run on Thursday night (Miners and Waterboys anyone?) it was 3 days of good times, good sweat, and GREAT VIEWS.

FRIDAY: FAITH IN THE FUTURE OF THE HUMAN RACE.
Yes, there is a story in that headline...read on...

Marc and Niki met me in Cumberland after agreeing to take me along on the fantastic BC Bike Race course again:))) They did the race together this year and not only did they hold their own on the course (kick ass) they are actually still married :)

Marc had to bail about an hour into it with a busted peddle bearing or somethingorother so Niki and I did the girl thing and hauled through the course with BIG smiles and NO worries- 4:50 riding time- 65ishK...super!

Got home and was crazy tired ... dreaming about the shower, the food and the nap that were awaiting me...when I noticed something BAD...real BAD...

My waist pocket on my pack was wide open and there was an big empty space where my camera lives. CRAP.

Back to Cumberland...Marc met me there (bless him) and we split up riding towards each other on the final few trails of our big ride- from where I last noticed my camera.

*Side Note: When Niki and I were on the very home stretch (last 15minutes) of our ride we came across 2 sweet young lads around 8 years of age who were looking for a safe trail to ride. They wanted to know if we would ride Perseverance with them (so cute!) cause they were worried it might have big jumps and stuff. We cheered them on and pumped them up and sent them in the right, well left actually, direction ('front brake'- that is how their grandma taught them to remember Left...how cute is that?) and then we scooted off to finish our ride.

SO Marc and I met up after sweeping the trail and lo and behold HE HAD MY FREAKIN CAMERA! I was in disbelief but OH SO HAPPY! I asked Marc where he found it and it turns out he didn't find it at all... he came across two young boys and asked if they had seen a camera and THEY SAID YES and handed it over to him! SAME BOYS!

We arranged for them to go to Dodge City Cycles later to pick up their 'reward' and Dan at the bike shop was happy to pass on the loot to them as they are apparantly regulars at the shop.

It was one of those moments that makes your heart fill your chest and puts a sparkle in your eye. Look out world... Zac and Obry (sp?) are coming your way and they are going to be super cool humans! THANK YOU!

SATURDAY: PADDLE
Sleep in:) Then go to Comox Valley Kayaks for a paddle! They let me take out my boat for MOMAR and what seemed like a chore at first (I know I know...) turned out to be the best gift of my weekend:) BEAUTIFUL to say the least.

I don't know why I always seem to forget ... but I really do love paddling! Especially on a day like Saturday... Anyways 1:45hour paddle was a good start for me with plenty of race starts and cadence drills amidst the photo ops and Lorne Green wilderness sightings...

I saw a TONNE of Canada geese sunning themselves...seals popping up now and then...AND a TONNE of salmon waiting at the mouth of the puntledge to come up and spawn! They must have been pinks and there must have been hundreds of them.








SUNDAY: TODAY WAS A WEIRD DAY BUT A GOOD DAY
Changed my mind a gazzilion times about what I was going to do on my LAST sunday before holidays...

Missed the rats and went to the wrong spot for sunday ride...so was on my own for whatever adventure I went with...had my car loaded up with everything I needed...or so I thought...

Decided to fastpack/Trek Becher followed by a ride. Made it to the parking lot atop Forbidden at about 10am and was cursing my tardiness as I don't like late starts to big days...when I realized I was missing something kinda important. MY SNEAKERS.

SIGH. That was a test in patience I tell ya. Went HOME- can't believe I am admitting this to the world- and got my freakin sneakers then went BACK to the start.

11:00am I started up Becher solo. Let it all go in the parking lot and had an amazing trek! It was super quick for me as I was solo, trying to make up lost time and didn't have to wait for our old boy Yuki who is just not up to the climb anymore...sad but true.

Just over 1 hour to the summit and 45minutes back down. And that included plenty of blueberry stops:)

And man was it crazy hot ... 11-3 are the hottest hours of the day right? And you should avoid the sun during these hours right? Hmmmm.

After I got back to my car I rode my bike back up to Jake the Snake and out B21 then back up the logging road for a short 35minute but hard brick ride to wrap it all up.








Blueberry bushes are ON FIRE in the subalpine right now! You have to get up there to see it for yourself!





And there are still a TONNE of the biggest wild blueberries I have ever seen!






View from the top - right across at that gorgeous Comox Glacier:)




My new favorite homemade snack! Ever had a Lara Bar? Well I am hooked on them and created my own varieties...they passed the hiking test and you will just DIE when you try them! Stay tuned...they will be in my cookbook... Raw, Vegan, Natural, Fresh, 3 ingredient wonders. This one is Coco-chile. YUM.



Made it up to Jake the Snake! Now I have to try and ride down it...




YES. I have seen people actually ride this. Dressed like Darth Vader and sporting helmet cameras...

Hope you enjoyed my weekend as much as I did!
WHAT DID YOU DO?
SS

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Wednesday Wisdom


PERSEVERE
(From good old 'Webster')
v. To persist in an idea, purpose, or task despite obstacles.
-per'se-ver'ance n.
Just 8-weeks until we kick off the 2009 Perserverance Trail Run in Cumberland BC! This years run takes place: Sunday, October 25th at 11:00am at No. 6 Mine Park and there will be both a 3K XC romp and a 10K mountain run once again!
Need help preparing for this years run? Have no fear!
10K Training:: Join ELM's specialized 8-week 'Perseverance Adventure Running' clinic and train to run the hills of Cumberland. You will be ready to go the distance and complete the mountain run with strong hill climbing legs after this clinic!
3K Training:: Check out ELM's Free Online Training Programs to prepare for your first 3k run! Join ELM's Tuesday night Learn to Run clinic (for women only) if you need a little motivation and group support to keep you on track with your running:)
Ready, set, GO!
SS

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

ELM GEAR to make you MOVE!

Hello and Happy Tuesday!

Motivation is a funny thing.
Some days ya got it and other days you don't. What can seem like an endless waterfall of momentum propelling you forward can suddenly and unexpectedly run harshly dry.
And that, my friends, is where I come in:) Over the years I have learned a thing or two about the quirks of motivation. Working with all types of folks from all types of backgrounds has taught me that no two people are the same (duh) and same goes for our motivations. In fact, our own personal motivations can change from week to week and most certainly from year to year as we grow and our lives evolve and change over time.
There are a few tricks that we can fall back on during times of low motivation- when the sneakers appear to be snickering at you from the front door.
One tried and true trick is Accountability. This may be to a friend, but it also may be to yourself. Completing a daily log of your activity is a fantastic way to track, record and monitor your movement AND it will double as INSPIRATION when you see just how far you have come.
So to all the 'list-tickers' and record keepers:: Check out the ELM Daily Fitness Log!
This logbook has a page for every week of the year and a spot for every day of the week...minus dates so you can pick up and start tracking your progress at anytime you like.

The logbook is full of my favorite inspirational quotes and great local photos that will MOVE and INSPIRE you to get up and get moving!

The calendar style logbook stands front and centre when you hang it on the wall and put your fitness at the top of your personal 'to do' list.

$20 (inclusive) that will last you all year long- I think it is one of the best bangs for your motivation buck! Available at Laughing Oyster, Extreme Runners, Fitness Excellence AND from yours truely elmhealth@shaw.ca .

If you don't have one already, consider picking one up- $1 from every sale goes to local land conservation efforts like the Cumberland Community Forest Society!

WORKOUT AT HOME

There are two types of people in this world: gym folk and non-gym folk. You are one or the other and it doesn't matter which type you are you just have to know which is which.

Those who choose to stay out of the gym have plenty of options for exercise. And plenty more inspiration can be found in nature and in your own backyard in my opinion!

Of course you can workout at home or outside without any special equipment- just the landscape and great park benches that you find along the way.

But if you are looking to expand your repetoire and boost low motivation with some fresh ideas then you HAVE TO HAVE the following:

EXERCISE BAND. These come in a variety of resistances and have handles which allow you to perform a multitude of different exercises for the entire body. I have them available in light to medium weight rubber for $20 AND in medium to ultraheavy weight with a cloth sheath (protects them from damage, adds a safety measure and allows for heavier resistance) for $30.

EXERCISE BALL. Again this toy can provide endless hours of exercise options!! Sizing depends on your height but you will want to choose a high quality anti-burst grade ball if you want it to last, hold your weight safely and keep it's shape. You get what you pay for when it comes to these balls. I have them for $40 ready to go!

MEDICINE BALL. The final piece that will allow you to progress past body weight exercises by incorporating additional weight to your lowerbody and core exercises. Another inventory of exercises can be created by simple adding a medicine ball to the mix! Yours for only $20-$30...

Email me if you would like to place an order and you can start building your own HOME GYM today! elmhealth@shaw.ca

Cheers,

Sarah.

Monday, August 24, 2009

F.U.N. Weekend!

ELM ADVENTURE RUNNERS at the top of 'Cable Hill' after navigating to 'Cliffe Ave'. Nice route finding at last Thursdays run!
WHICH WAY? Choosing their route back to the dam after a super climb through some beautiful single track trails.

HORNBY ISLAND CREW! We had a fantastic day Island hopping on our bikes this Saturday at our first annual ELM Summer Cycle Tour!! Korky, Kathy, Lisa, Lynn and I had some great laughs, got a good workout and made some sweet memories together! Thanks for a fantastic day!See all the pics on the ELM Facebook page...

After biking across Denman we arrived at Hornby! We cycled for 50k in total on Saturday:)



After a day of riding, touring, snacking and chatting we arrived at the winery:))
Thanks for a great summer Saturday ladies!






John Simard trying to avoid my photo but I gotcha!! One of the best views in the Valley from 2 Sheiks...
Sunday was a great ride from Nymph up to Forbidden then all the way back down on the best flowly single track trails:) My little wee filly of a XC bike is starting to calm down and I am learning how to manage her on the descents slowly but surely. She still bucks me off now and then...woah filly!
I caught up with the Sunday Endurance Clinic at Nymph and they were all looking strong and full of energy 12k into their 29k loop. First of a few long runs preparing for the Royal Victoria Full Marathon in October...great job!!
And that brings us back to Monday...
SS






Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Wednesday Wisdom

Let's call today's quote 'Fridge Wisdom'...

Fridge Pickers wear bigger knickers.
-Wise but unknown


HA! I LOVE this fridge magnet saying and can hear my sisters singing it out in a nasty little harmony in my head. This is THE magnet to have on your fridge:)

Hope you're having a great week!
SS

Monday, August 17, 2009

Log Train Trail Run Half Marathon

LOG TRAIN TRAIL RUN: RACE REPORT! 19 ELM Racers head to Port Alberni to kick dust!

Perfect day for a sufferfest.

Ever had heart burn? I had never had the pleasure of experience this phenomenon, until that is, yesterday while I was mid way through a PB at the Log Train Trail Half Marathon.

I did end up taking 3 precious minutes ( *BIG SMILES* ) off my time from last year and finished in 1:46 (it's actually about 22k) but my joy was overshadowed by the sensation that an apple was stuck half way between my mouth and my stomach for about 50 minutes.

Not all races are fun. And I had one of those 'other' ones yesterday:)

First 7k was beautiful. I was on track and moving faster than ever but feeling just as good as ever. I ran my half in 3rds...first 3rd slightly easier than your goal pace (due to the wonderful but tricky effects of adrenaline). That was all good. No pain, just a smooth rhythm. It took me about 7k to relax however. I was on too much of a mission to keep pace until then.

Second 7k felt good and mod-hard. This third was to be run at a pace that was challenging but I thought I could keep up for the long haul. I did that. But at about 10k I suddenly felt what I thought was a huge bubble forming in my chest. I tried to breathe it away ... nothing. I tried to calm it away as anxiety crept into my chest along with it... nothing. I tried to burp it away- but those who know me know I never learned how to burp (but not without many attempted lessons from friends over the years who have thought they could teach me) so that was futile as well.

The baseball in my upper chest was not just painful, it was messing with my breathing, making it hard to get O2 in and making me nauseous. I had to slow down to make it calm down so I could get a few good breathes in and not chuck up my guts. No bueno on a hard run.

Finial Third- well, you can imagine it all compounding yaddayaddayadda...I was MORE than happy to cross the finish line:) Not exactly living in the moment and enjoying the beauty of nature on that run...

So c'est la vie for me. WaWaWa. I have had to deal with all sorts of discomfort and pain during endurance training and racing and somehow I manage to suck it up and move along without wasting too much energy on it. But for some reason this was different. There was fear in there along with the pain. I thought I might be having a heart attack or that I wouldn't be able to get enough air...crazy thoughts and crazy talk going through my already crazy head.

I whined about it alot after the race and look I am still whining about it now! OK BIG sorry to you all for that! I am officially putting it in the past (except I still have this echo of heaviness in my chest today- how long does this stuff last???).

ENOUGH ABOUT ME.

This race was about the 18 other ELM racers who endured their own joys, suffering and range of emotions on the course:)

Our solid crew of Half Marathoners took to the trail to test out their 14 weeks of consistent training this summer. They ran to see what they were made of, to see how their training would pay off and to see how it would feel.

And they ran well. Really well! Congratulations to all of you for putting one foot in front of the other all summer and all through your finale run in Port Alberni!

Some had PB's- including all our first time racers of course!

Some took a wrong turn and did a 26k run:)

One (Cathy Livsey) did it all twice and ran the marathon.

All had BIG smiles when they stepped across that imaginary finish line ( you time yourself and stop around the spot you started:)

Here are some pics...the rest are on the ELM facebook page::

Michelle and Lance rushing the finish line in stride...

I LOVE THIS PIC! But I am sure Ruth will hate me for posting it! She was going to stop when she saw us thinking we were the finish line. BUT then we had to send her up the hill 40 meters to the real finish! She was mid-realization in this pic...


Lance is all smiles after 21.8k...



Megan and Ingrid finish their first Half Marathon together, along with Megans biggest fan...

See you next year!!!
((Except for those diehards who are carrying on to train for their first Marathon in 8 weeks- the Royal Victoria Marathon!! The long runs are just beginning...))
SS


Friday, August 14, 2009

You CAN have your cake and eat it too...


Happy Friday!

I am looking forward to another great sunny weekend in the Valley complete with bike rides, The Big Time Out and the Log Train Trail Half Marathon in Port Alberni on Sunday!

FRIDAY Q&A:
This rant is about having your cake (literally) and eating it too...just not all at once.
The parallels between financial management and weight management never cease to amaze me. I am constantly noticing direct reflections between budgeting calories and budgeting pennies in order to reach one's goals.
Haven't thought of this before? Answer this::
Do you budget your cash to meet your monthly goals and longterm dreams? Do you track your dollars / spending so you don't go into the overdraft by the end of the month? Have you ever recorded all your expenses to find out where you can shave off a few dollars and meet your budget?
Now look at your weight management:
Do you budget your calories to meet your monthly goals and longterm dreams? Do you track your calories so you don't over consume and gain weight by the end of the month? Have you ever recorded your caloric input/output to find out where you can shave off a few calories and meet your weight goals?
Maybe you said yes. Maybe you said no. Either way, the parallels are there and you can draw on them in many ways.
Just recently I was reading one of my favorite blogs from Gail Vazoxlade... She is the host of the show 'Til Debt Do Us Part' and is a great blogger who cuts straight to the point- no B.S.ing with Gail. Anyways, one of her blogs this week made me consider another parallel between weight goals and financial goals ( I see them everywhere). It was titled::"I want it all" and struck a chord with me on a few levels.
Gail writes:
Yeah, I know, you can't always get what you want. Or so say the Rolling
Stones. I've found that it's not true. It's a timing thing. You CAN have it all, you just can't have it all at the same time!
Oooooh this is soooo applicable to calorie control. You can enjoy all of the naughty, deliciously sinful goodies that you crave- just NOT ALL AT ONCE. You must decide how much of yoru caloric budget is going to be blown on empty calories (and I recommend no more than 10% naughty OR 1 FREE meal a week) rather than dumping those calories into the fat pantry day after day at the expense of wholesome nutrition dense foods.
Somewhere along the line we lost the 6th sense- common sense. Seriously. Who ever started this whole self-destructive, self-indulgent, self-satisfying "I can have whatever I want whenever I want" society of ours sure messed us up. If you want to be healthy and live in a lean, healthy, vibrant body that will get up and go when you ask it to you CANT HAVE IT ALL AT ONCE. It is simple math: You must consume fewer calories than you expend in order to create a caloric deficit and dip into your extra fat stores. But, you know that already.
Some people kick and scream and rebel against the idea of setting limits to what they can and can not do. I see this with fitness and especially nutrition/food all the time. Something about 'sticking it to the man' or 'I will not abide by your stuffy rules'. The tragic thing is that these people end up losing in the end. They end up eating themselves into heart disease, diabetes and hip replacements in an effort to 'fight the power'.
The power really is in your own hands. By making healthy choices 90% of the time today, you will get the health, the future and the body that you want tomorrow. It is a gift to yourself to limit your naughty choices NOT a punishment. It is the biggest gift of all and you can give it to yourself. It is your health.
...
And for goodness sake, find some balance between your big goals and your day-to-day living. The pursuit of huge objectives to the detriment of your normal ife is dumb. Most of life is lived in the here-and-now. So a lot of what you'll spend money on will be daily expenses. you also have to have some fun along the way. Fun's okay, as long as your longterm needs are part of the equation.
Ohhhhh this is good too and is the flip side of the situation. Some people swing the other way and go with the 'all or nothing' approach to weight management, suffering and depriving themselves every single step of the way. Fun (when it comes to food) isn't just OK it is an integral component of your life! Food is one of the biggest joys of life! The flavors, the colours, the tastes and textures. The joy of breaking bread with friends and family. The memories that are often created over beautiful meals in any season will be cherished for a lifetime. You have to LIVE TODAY. Just not at the expense of tomorrow:)
...
Most importantly, if you ever expect to have all you want you have to get
started. NOW. The longer you wait to set your goals, the more time
you'll have wasted spinning your wheels.
And yet another great point that also works for weight management! The longer you wait to get started, the longer it will take to reach your goals. Every single small step you take TODAY will move you in the right direction tomorrow. You know: the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, right? Well, sometimes it is better to just start walking while you are making up your mind on your destination. This is one of those times. Get a few more minutes of exercise TODAY. Eat 1 less cookie TODAY. And you will be moving in the right direction tomorrow.
Thanks to Gail for the inspiration!
Money Money Money...keep your eyes on the prize:)
Cheers,
Sarah.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Wednesday Wisdom


Enjoying the journey is even better than arriving at the destination.
-Unknown

Enjoy each moment...cause man, when they're gone they're gone.
SS

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

No, thank YOU.


I am inspired to blog after arriving home from my afternoon personal training clients.

I have been feeling TIRED lately. Just sleepy tired and a bit behind in the zzzz department. Dragging my heels a wee bit to get up and get going. YES, it is true! Even hyperactive Sarah get's tired now and then.

And without fail, I am re-energized, re-inspired and revived after meeting with my clients.
You fill me up and I thank you sincerely!

You make me laugh. You WOW me and you always inspire me with your dedication, determination and persistance.

You always thank ME for helping you, inspiring you and providing you with the tools (and kick in the pants) that you need to move.

But you may not realize that it is I who must thank YOU for all you give me.

THANK YOU!

Sarah.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

MOMAR 101 and the BIG RIDE

Hello and Happy Sunday!

I have been having plenty-o-fun this weekend and wanted to take a moment to share some pics with you!

FRIDAY: 'BIG' RIDE

Ever since the BC Bike Race came through the Comox Valley this summer I have been itching to do the Cumberland stage course- one that links ALL the best trails in the Valley together. Thursday night I sent out a last minute idea to my buddies Marc and John and when I woke up on Friday the wheels were in motion and we were set to ride the course!


5hours and 65kms later we were all smiles and licking triple chocolate gelato cones on the way home! But there were plenty of smiles throughout the entire day too! What an amazing route! I can't wait to do it again this summer if I can convince them to join me:))


To give you an idea:

Started in Cumberland and rode the dump trails to the dump of course...

Dump road to Comox Logging road to Bevan XC trails (snowtosurf route)...

Bevan to Dam to Bears Bait to Nymph Falls park...

Up Forbidden plateau road to Branch 21 (that was a good 10k climb in itself)

Down Screamin Deamon and the trails above the Dam, finishing on Transmission, the suspension bridge and KMA then back to the Dam...

Back to Whites Bay (coal hills by the lake) in Cumberland via a logging road network I had never been on...

Then a super fun Cumberland route including Two and a Juice, Buggered Pig, Climb to Sykes Bridge, Teapot, Back of Allan Lake, Short and Curly, Soggy and Space Nugget...

PHEW! See what I mean that was every fun trail out there!

Boys at the lookout on Screamin Deamon...

Nice view after exiting the new branch off Transmission (does anyone know the name of this new trail??)

Time for a dip in the lake mid course!



SATURDAY: MOMAR 101!




Good times were had by all on Saturday at the MOMAR 101 clinic at the Comox Lake Dam. 7 keen Adventure Racers turned up for a crash course in the best sport on the planet:) and in preparation for their first (or third:) MOMAR! All have signed up for the 10th anniversary race this September in Cumberland and they are all fired up to race after the course yesterday. I enjoy the course as much as the participants because I get to gab about adventure racing all afternoon (to people who really want to hear my stories:).




After 8 years of Adventure Racing I have had the opportunity to make every mistake in the book and these fortunate racers get the advantage of learning (the easy way) from all of my screw ups. I wish this course was around when I was starting racing! I tell them all my tips and tricks to save time and energy during ARing and they are ahead of the game when they hit the start line.




Good luck to you all and I look forward to seeing you in Cumberland!! 6 weeks to go...



SUNDAY: TODAY!


This morning kicked off with a taper run for the ELM Half Marathon Clinic at Seal Bay Park. After running for hours and hours over the past few Sundays the gang enjoyed a special 'reward' taper run of a mear 50 minutes which left plenty of time to hang out at Becky's Bakery and enjoy good coffee, yummy baked goods and great conversation:) Thanks for another FANTASTIC summer endurance clinic! And a HUGE thank you to our fearless ELM leaders who donated they time, energy and passion to support our running habit!



Post run smiles (or are those pre-latte smiles?) at Becky's Bakery...
The perfect latte!


Now I must get off this darn computer and get back to enjoying the rest of my weekend!

SS

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Wednesday Wisdom and Last Week in Pics

HELLO AND HAPPY WEDNESDAY!
I can't believe nearly a week has past since my last post! It has been full on summer fun all week as I have been trying to make the most of each of these beautiful summer days:)

Training has been going well as my legs have now fully recovered and I have been able to add speed work and increased running mileage to my calendar over the past 3 weeks once again.

Biking is as fun as always ( I know I really must take it more seriously if I want to improve but...I just feel like a kid on my bike!) and strength training has come back onto my plate as well.

The only thing missing is that darn kayaking sport...heres hoping my lake swims are counting as cross training for the water sport...

Here is how last week looked on the old training calendar:
  • Monday- day of rest (after a 24k Sunday run last week)
  • Tuesday- Trail Run: Max speed intervals. 6min loop with 2mins all out max speed and 4mins to get back to the start...5 intervals. These are soooo good for your running speed and leg turnover...not to mention mental determination! Strength & Power
  • Wednesday-XC Bike Cumberland (with a swim in hot Allen Lake of course)
  • Thursday- Adventure Trail Running (with a swim in hot Allen Lake of course) followed by outdoor Yoga with Sharon Daly Strength & Power
  • Friday- 1.5hr Bike from Comox Lake Dam...up B21 to 2 Sheiks (haven't done that climb in a while)...down Cabin Fever super duper fun! (swim in Comox Lake!)
  • Saturday- 1.5hr Bike in Cumberland...climb up the back way to the top of Bucket of Blood...down Bear Buns...Teapot...XC etc... Strength & Power
  • Sunday- 3hour trail run with the ELM Endurance Clinic
Read on for some pics from my week and my 'Wednesday Words of Wisdom' at the bottom of this posting...

This week the temps have cooled off, I got to teach ELM Womens Hiking, we are Adventure Running in Merville with Yoga on the beach, and Saturday I get to teach MOMAR 101 at the Comox Lake Dam! Good times!

Have a great week!
SS
The beautiful Puntledge River called us back day after day this weekend to dip in her waters and cool off from the hot summer sun....

Secret spot...I'll never tell...

Sand dollars stay cool in the clear waters off Kye Bay...perfect spot to start the day on Monday, BC Day:)


Thistles amongst juicy blackberries along the cliffes the border Kye Bay beach....yup, sad but true I ate my first sweet blackberries this weekend and you know what that means...




Yuki loved the cool morning temps at the beach on Monday morning...

Yuki getting de-fluffed on the beach...that coat is just a bit excessive in a heat wave!

Simone and Kathy on our long Sunday morning trail run - heading to Nymph Falls on Twister trail...


Helmet off and ready for a soaking in the river above the resevoir on Bucket of Blood in Cumberland...

Mama Bears was our cooldown at the end of last Thursdays ELM Adventure Run in Cumberland...

Kickin up dust on Broadway in Cumberland...

Sunrise Bootcamp did not disappoint at Kin Beach...warming up our balance systems on a beach log with the best view in the Valley:)

WEDNESDAY WISDOM::

I have been scrounging around to try and find a new summer read that will force me to practice the 'art of doing nothing' once and a while, without much luck. So, I looked over my familiar bookshelf one more time and decided to re-read a 'contemporary classic' that is said to hold many life lessons...The Alchemist.

I don't read books twice...or watch movies twice...ever. It absolutely kills me to waste precious moments of my short life redoing things when I have a list that I won't ever be able to get to the bottom of even if I live to be 100.


BUT I also have a terrible black hole of a memory so really this is like reading The Alchemist for the very first time! If you haven't read it, you must. It is a quick easy read that will inspire you to truck along and continue to reach for your dreams...


There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to acheive: the fear of failure.
-Paolo Coelho, 'The Alchemist'