Wonderful Weekend

Hello Friends!

GREAT NEWS...my new Dell computer is up, running and my entire hard drive was backed up and is now fully functioning! Can't tell you how relieved I was to have all of my email addies and sent/received emails recovered! The ' MyTechGuys' in Comox were fantastic and I definately recommend them for fast, friendly, tech service. And they are self proclaimed computer geeks so their passion is fixing your technical difficulties.

Anyhow...had a most excellent weekend of climbing, hiking & biking in the snow. There are so many fantastic things to do in this Valley...I never run out of adventures to keep me happy:)

Climbing in Cumberland...There is a great little climbing wall at the Cumberland Rec Centre that is a bit of a hidden gem. On Friday nights Arran and I have been playing around on the wall and trying to get our climbing fitness back after an extended vacation...so fun!

Trekking at Forbidden Plateau...we were out on Saturday scouting out a route for our members event on Feb 16th...snowshoe and feast at Coastal Trek Lodge!

My silly pooch Yuki is in heaven playing in the snow. Since retiring from Avalanche rescue he doesn't get to spend as much time in the white stuff.

My boys trekking along at Forbidden...

Stomping out a route to Coastal Trek Lodge...

Biking In Cumberland...aka Sunday church

Here is my home made camera mount rig...worked like a charm!My Sunday morning biking crew- the River Rats- gearing up for a ride in Cumberland.

Andy cruisin down the bridge at the entrance to Shaker...Dr. John navigating an icy decent on Buggered Pig.Tim takes the log ride...daring!

Get your ELM Gear!

ELM Winter 2008 Gear!!

I am excited to say that we have finalized the details of our winter clothing order! We will be placing the order next Wednesday, February 6th so please don't delay if you are looking for some hot winter clothing deals for these cool winter temps! You can place your order

a) At your next class or b) by emailing

elmhealth@shaw.ca .

*****FYI: We are also working on the first ELM Racing Jersey with details to be announced later in February!!!

Here is the Winter Line-Up from our sponsors, Extreme Runners & Sugoi:
**Note, unfortunately, their 2008 line is not up on the Sugoi website so I cannot show you the photos! I will try to describe them below...

1. Womens OR Mens Longsleeve technifino BLACK...$49

(womens seen here)

2. Womens Flash Short Sleeve BROWN WITH BLUE band on top 1/4. Similar to the technifino short sleeve seen here but two toned colour...$54


3. Womens Hathy Hoody in BLACK. This is a soft hoody great for casual wear or warming up/cooling down. Longsleeve, deep v-neck, hood, very stylish...$84
(no picture sorry!)

4. Sugoi Thermal Beanie toque...BLACK...$25

5. ELM tech running cap with reflective striping BLACK...$25

Happy Shopping!!!
Sarah.

February Events

Hello friends...sorry for my lack of blogging this week! I had a fantabulous weekend of snowshoing and running with my buddies-but failed to remember to take photos...so this is my plan for the coming week: Capture my week in photos and share them on the blog! Wish me luck...

The February program calendar is online now!! http://www.elmhealth.com/MONTHLYCALENDARWINTER2008.html.

Check out our Bootcamp workout locations and come try something new with us as a drop in this month! And...the annual Womens 10K Training Clinic begins Thursday February 21st!! Don't miss out on this fun training program that brings women of all running abilities together to prepare for the Times Colonist 10k in April.

Members Only Event!! If you are a Current ELM Member then you will have heard by now about this special event on February 16th. Snowshoe Event at Coastal Trek Lodge! Non-members will have to hang tight until after the Feb 9th deadline to see if there are spaces left...

ELM MEMBERS Snow Shoe Event at Coastal Trek Lodge!
http://www.coastaltrekresort.com/
Date: Saturday, February 16th, 2008
Guests: 20 maximum Cash bar available: choose from Mulled wine, VQA red or white. Cancellation: One week notice.
Reserve: By calling or emailing ELM today! Spaces are limited to a first come first serve basis...
Cost: $55 plus gst. Must bring your own snowshoes-rentals can be reserved at Valhalla and Ski Tak Hut for approximately $9.
Includes: Shuttle to/from base of Forbidden Plateau, group snowshoe hike, gourmet meal at Coastal Trek Lodge (see menu below)and use of facilities including steam room, hot tub and great room overlooking the Valley below!
Tentative Itinerary
3:30 Pick up at Nymph Falls Parking lot
4:00 2nd shuttle
4:30 Depart for Snow Shoe
6:00 Return to lodge for fire side appetizers.
6:30 Dinner is served at dining table
7:30 Dessert and coffee and tea served around fire.
7:30-8:45 Free time to enjoy hot tub and steam room or just relax by the fire…8:45 First set of shuttles depart
9:15 Second set of shuttles depart.
MenuCurried Pumpkin Soup with feta and toasted pumpkin seeds
Choice of one of the following mains:
Pistachio crusted chicken breast served with mango and black bean salsa.
ORMiso glazed wild salmon
ORPortabella mushroom stuffed with peppers pesto and parmesan.
All mains served with spring greens and maple lime vinaigrette and wild rice
Dessert: selection of homemade squares, cookies, chocolates and fruit…
RSVP ASAP to reserve your spot!
Hope to see you there!
Cheers,
Sarah

Fitness Festival this Weekend!

Attention all Fitness Buffs (that means you)!
This weekend kicks off the first annual Comox Valley Fitness Festival at the Comox Rec Centre. This festival will house all local fitness pro's under one roof and include demo's, displays and giveaways. Come on by and say hello to us at the ELM booth! We will be sharing a booth with Extreme Runners and Island Pilates and holding a BOSU balance competition with a BIG prize package for the winner!

We will be joining forces with Extreme Runners for a Fitness Fashion Show at 1pm on Saturday so be sure to stop by to get a glimpse of your trainers and friends in action on the stage!
411: Saturday 10-5...Sunday 10-4 Comox Rec...bring a donation for the foodbank!
S

Team ELM kicks snow in the YETI!

Hola Amigos!

A big shout out to Team ELM who endured 5k of thigh high snow at altitude for this past weekends YETI snowshoe race! Korky, Lo, Audrey, Pascale and I toughed it out for 2nd place overall and 1st place for Womens Teams! Korky and I took 2nd in our categories too!! Here are some pics...hope to see you out there next year! Go to http://www.theyeti.com/ fmi.

at future shop...

well...im at future shop right now...posting from the laptop isle. Thought I should try typing on these keyboards before comitting to a computer...mac? pc? vista? hp? 15inch? 17inch? ANY ADVICE IS WELCOME! Im getting some odd looks here...gotta go!
S

Program Update #3

GREAT NEWS!!

Sunrise Bootcamp LIVES ON this winter! We are excited to announce that the early morning session of Fitness Bootcamp is back on and will be kicking off tomorrow morning, January 17th at 6:15am. Meeting tomorrow in front of Island Pilates (303B 13th St off Cliffe Ave) ready for anything! Please come prepared for either indoor(clean shoes only please) or outdoor workouts depending on the weather. Stay tuned for another update as I am hoping to post the January schedule on our website later this week...

Still in the dark,

Sarah.

Update #2

Hello! I am still 'off-line' and feeling out of touch with the world! I am 'computer-surfing' at a friends house to keep you up to date:) Classes are underway and we are having lots of fun moving and shaking our bodies! We have had some renewed interest in our Sunrise session of Fitness Bootcamp and it looks like we may be able to kick this one off!! Please call me asap if you are interested in joining some or all of our Sunrise sessions Tues/Thurs mornings at 6:15am as we are finalizing the details this week. 338-8998...my phone is working again at least!
Go back up your files!
Sarah.

Program Update

As my technical difficulties continue...my phone line died in some bizarre co-incidence yesterday...I cannot access my website to update the program calendar. So, here is a summary of what is coming up this week for all of you just itching to know!

Monday:
9:30am Womens Off Road Trail Running Seal Bay Park Bates rd.
5:00pm ELM Fitness Bootcamp Testing Session at Lewis Park Tennis Courts

Tuesday:
6:15 ELM Sunrise Bootcamp CANCELLED
3:45pm ELM SCORE at Island Pilates Studio (above sure copies on Cliffe ave)
5:30pm Womens Learn to Run CANCELLED

Wednesday:
6:30am ELM Adventure Mix at Fitness Excellence Gym (come ready to RUN first)
9:30am & 5:30pm ELM Fitness Bootcamp CANCELLED

Thursday:
6:15am ELM Sunrise Bootcamp CANCELLED
5:15pm ELM Need for Speed at Vanier Track

Friday:
9:30am ELM Fitness Bootcamp CANCELLED
5:30pm ELM Fitness Bootcamp meeting at Island Pilates (in foyer) ready for out or indoor class.

Deep breathe,
Sarah.

Technical Difficulties

Oh Merde.

This morning my computer crashed and burned and I am now cut off from the world as I recently knew it.   FYI I do not have computer or internet access at the moment and will not for an undetermined length of time.  If you need info or, hey, just want to chat:) please call the office 250-338-8998.  Or check back to the blog for updates...

PS!!!  Please listen to this very carefully:: If you do not have an external or back up hard drive system for your computer GO TO THE STORE TODAY AND GET ONE.  Cause man oh man I am happy that I got one 10 days ago...it saved my life today.  Phew.

Thank you for your patience...can I please borrow some??!!##$$

S

More Nica Videos...

Nica Downhill. It all started with great idea...to bike around Ometepe Island-around Volcan Maderas. No shocks, no brakes, 1 gear, a pointy broken seat and 7 hours of pure pain...
But of course the views and the experience were well worth the suffering!

...

Nica Ferry. The only way to get to Ometepe Island, the largest Island on a lake in the world, is by Nica Ferry. We had a hard time convincing our buddies Cathy and Peter to go to the Island but I can't imagine why...the last time they planned to make the crossing, the ferry sunk half way across the 2 hour ride. Here is how they do it in Nica...eat your heart out BC Ferries..

...

Little Corn Island Seascape. This is how you spend your days on a semi-deserted caribbean island...collecting conch shells and harrassing the local sealife...just listen to the waves gently rolling on the white sandy beach...

Nica Fishing Trip Video

Somethings are so much better on video...
Here is the first of a few classic clips from our Nica adventure...enjoy!

January Program Update!

The JANUARY 2008 PROGRAM REGISTRATION DEADLINE has been extended until::FRIDAY JAN 11TH!
Planning on joining us for a fun fitness adventure this winter?? Then don't delay any longer! Call or email ELM to reserve your spot today!

WE NEED YOU!!
The following programs currently need more pre-registration to get off the ground next week:: Bootcamp, Baby Bootcamp, Off Road Trail Run, Adventure Mix

AND...ONLY 5 SPOTS REMAINING in our new SCORE class...Stretch and CORE seem to be a very popular combination as this class is filling up very fast.

We really want to see you out this January so please be sure to call or email us asap to reserve your space before Friday... elmhealth@shaw.ca 250-338-8998...

Check out our complete winter line-up and join us for more fun group outdoor Fitness Adventures this winter! http://www.elmhealth.com/

Home for a rest:)

We are heading home for a rest after our amazing Nica adventure! Unfortunately I wasn't able to update my blog from Nica but now you can check out the blog updates for the complete play by play and photos. Nica was more than we could have imagined and we feel like we were away for months as there was so much to see and do while we were there. We will be returning again for sure...

Feliz Navidad!

Sara:)

Final Nica Update: Las Penitas

The boys getting ready at sunrise for their big fishing trip...ate well for the next couple of nights!!
Playing in the sea all day...
Seriously?
Kayaking up the mangrove estuary at sunrise...
Bird in flight...they were always one step ahead of my camera!

Fantastic sunsets every night...

Orange tree at C&P's...

Another sunset at the rocks...

Our Nica 'family'...Cathy with baby Sarita and older sister Jexira...
Sweet Jexira...
Sunset on the deck...
Action packed tree falling session. Brought down a giant 100year old rubber tree with only a machette, an axe and a rope...yeehaw!
View of estuary from the deck...

26 babies to be released at sunset! Cutest thing I have ever seen...
Reserve area where turtle eggs are relocated and watched around the clock...


A sand tortuga...

Oh Las Penitas...the final leg of our Nica journey...we finally arrive at the Pacific for some beach time! We had a fantastic time hanging out with friends Cathy & Peter and Leno. A quiet fishing village that only get's going on weekends when the locals come to the coast for a day at the beach, Las Penitas is a gem...Highlights:

• Staying at Qtr Sarita's (Cathy and Peters big green house)...daily orchestra of chickens, piggies, bats, and songbirds...limes right from the tree...sunrise and sunset views from the deck.
  





• Kayaking up the mangrove estuary within the protected reserve...hundreds of birds including white and blue herons...2 aligator sightings!! 18kms of undeveloped sandy beach...





• Surfing and body surfing in the warm pacific ocean for hours each day...I still have sand in my hair:)





• Delicious meals at Casa Patricias...giant bowls of fresh fruit and fluffy pancakes...fresh fish from the sea...fresh squeezed pinapple and grapefruit juices every day...we were seriously spoiled and took a break from rice and beans while we could...




• Long beach walks...endless beach means endless beachcombing every day.




• Bike ride with Cathy on the road to Leon...great ride to the farm lookout!




• Visit to see the baby tortugas at the reserve across the river...26 babies were ready to go the day we went for a look...they hold them until sunset and then release them into the sea.




• Just hanging out in the hammock reading and visiting with our friends...a great way to end a fantastic adventure.

Nica Update #6: City of Leon

The local Nica gym...reminding me of my fitness dreams to look like this babe with Arnold...
Angels at sunrise...

Colourful, spanish style streets...
Central Park, with Lions for 'Leon' of course...

Next we were off to Leon for an overnight before heading to the beach to visit our friends in Las Penitas. Leon and Granada are similar cities with similar architecture and timelines in history, however, they have evolved into unique cities over the years. Leon has a very liberal political and social history and is home to the University. Although Leon has many similar grand cathedrals and buildings as Granada, it has not received the same foreign investors and thus has not received the updates, renovations and fresh pain that the city of Granada is blessed with. Here is the untouched version of Nicas colonial past...We stayed at a good hostel/hotel that is affiliated with Oasis-Lazy Bones was a comfortable place to stay with all the fixins we needed...and a pool to cool off in:)

Nica update #5: Masaya Market & Volcano

View from the craters edge of Volcan Masaya...
Amazing scenery as we walked the rim of this crater...
Stairs took us to a viewing point above the active crater and the third crater...The Spanish placed crosses at the edge of all craters when they arrived in the Americas because the believed that volcanos were the entrance to hell...makes sense...
Sulfer or something else toxic burning out my nose and sinus cavities...
Snake crossing??

Heading to Masaya via Expresso bus...the best way to travel! Sights at the bus depot...gotta get a chicken home? What's a girl to do?
Looks calm enough...should have added a video of this scene to give you a real taste...with smells too...2.5hours of torture...'POLLO! POLLO! ARROZ! ARROZ! GASEOSAS! AMIGA! AMIGA!
Mercado in Masaya...pinatas are huge at Christmas...
Hmmm...rice or beans?

We ended up visiting the area of Masaya twice on our trip-once on our way to Las Penitas and once on our way back to the airport. Masaya is a pretty big city of over 150,000 and offers the best markets in Nica-for locals and tourists alike. You can find absolutely anything you need and plenty of stuff you absolutely don't need in these markets:) We brought a few key souvenirs home but none of them are dust collectors and I am sure they will all be eaten or drunk before we are too far into 2008...In addition to the lively (and stinky) markets we checked out a lively (and stinky) volcano- Volcan Masaya which is within a national park and contains...get this...3 craters!! With one very active crater, this was a must see...burnt the inside of my nose and I am still dealing with the painful aftermath...but it was definately worth it! We were pleasantly suprised by the high standards of protection, staffing, signage and information presented in this park-just like a national park at home! Except for the snake and armadillo crossings! No bears or elk here...

Nica Update #3: SJDS and the night of the Turtles!

San Juan at sunset...soccer game on the beach...

She was massive...
Brad gets up close and personal with the video camera on night shot...stay tuned for the u-tube video...
Her eggs...they are the size of golf balls with a flexible leathery shell...
This would never happen in a protected area in Canada...

Filling in her nest with sand...
Back to the sea she goes...

Unreal national geographic experience in San Juan Del Sur (SJDS)! Came from Ometepe to this beach town that is probably the most touristy that we have seen in Nica so far...but that really isn't saying much as we have not seen more than a handfull of travellers. The cruise ships stop here and wisk away cruisers to local markets so this spot is hitting the raidar with Americans. Surf town with a few surf beaches in the surrounding areas and your basic needs are met including internet, good accomodation, good food options and even a bar or two. We only stayed one night as we are not here to party or rub shoulders with yankees and we were only here for one reason...the Tortugas!! The turtles come to shore to lay their eggs each year at a protected beach area-La Flor which is about an hour on a bumpy dirt road (which road aren't bumpy). So we hired a guide with another couple-brother and sister from Colorado and made our way at night on a crazy safari truck to the park...the visit was from 8:00-12:00midnight as this is the only time to view the turtles in their natural habitat...to avoid predators. Stay tuned for a little video of the action...amazing experience and not one we will soon forget...Only this past year have the turtles been protected as they have entered the list of endangered species. But, the harvesting, selling and eating of turtle eggs has been a way of life for the Nica people for hundreds of years and there is much conflict regarding this current situation. Tough one... Here are the highlights of SJDS:

• El Puerto-good accomodation, patio view of town, clean, coffee and cookies in the morning! $25per night for private with bath...


• Tortugas for sure! Check out the pics of this amazing national geo experience...After making it all the way to shore, digging a deep nest, laying 100-150 eggs, packing it back up with sand, struggling back to the sea the eggs incubate for 45-60 days and the babies break free to the surface...only the strong survive and the lucky ones make their way to the sea for a shot at life...