Well Rested

Just got home from a fantastic weekend in Tofino at Middle Beach Lodge http://www.middlebeach.com/with my sisters. The 3 of us were overdue to spend some time together-and MBL was the perfect place to get caught up. Although I squeezed in a couple of amazing beach runs in the mornings, most of our time was spent on pure intensive relaxation-curled up on the couch with a book and huddled around the scrabble board breaking out in fits of laughter. We walked the beach for hours on end each day and enjoyed every type of weather imaginable...blue sky, snow squalls, sideways rain, hail and sweet warm springtime sunshine...so crazy! Some of my fav pics from the weekend are below. Can't wait until June when we return for the ELM Womens Fitness Retreat!! http://www.elmhealth.com/wellness_retreats.html

Hoppy Easter:)
Sarah.

(Panchita the amazing mexican jumping bean)

Paddling in...SNOW?

Just got home from a mid-day paddle and finally managed to warm up my digits (painfully). Launched from Comox Valley Kayaks around 1 pm and turned directly into the wind and chop on my way out to Comox. COLD wind combined with clounds moving in meant that I missed my window of warm sunshine and had to buckle down to keep on track. In between gusts I enjoyed the amazing view of the Beaufort range and an eagle feeding frenzy along the shore of Dyke Rd. Tooo cool! I counted over 40 mature and young eagles before losing track. Not sure what they are eating but there was also a flock of mallard couples around and I have heard they tend to be a tasty eagle snack at times:((

I tucked into the Comox Marina to take shelter and warm my chilled fingers in my armpits for a few minutes. It did the trick and in no time I was turned around and heading back. Didn't want to stray too far as the wind and waves had gotten a bit more wild since I launched.
What's this...a SNOW storm coming right at me!! That's right, I experienced snow while kayaking for the first time. Couldn't stop laughing...tried to capture it but the pictures don't do it justice at all...
Tried out my racing boat for 2008 and a wingblade paddle for the very first time. Racers swear by these crazy paddles and some of the research shows they can increase output by 10% using the same energy input. Sold! But wait...they are crazy. Got a quick lesson on how to paddle and avoid swimming while using these super scooped out blades. And after my first stroke I realized that the word for the day was going to be::CAREFUL. So, I took it very gradual and felt the paddle to see where it wanted to go...totally different technique than a standard paddle. After a while I got the hang of it and by the end of the paddle I had a good flow going. But man, am I going to be sore tomorrow. Lift the elbow and wing out to the side...repeat 3000 times.

Heading to Tofino with my sisters tomorrow for a girls weekend!!! That means a break from dirt but there will be plenty of sand and surf to play in:)
Adios!
S

Comox Valley Half Marathon!

Congratulations to our ELM superstar participants who raced in this past weekends Comox Valley Half Marathon! Cindy, Korky, Kim G, Mary Ann, Kim S, Andrea...you rocked the course! It was the perfect day for a half-no wind, no rain, no sun, and no snow! Great job you guys-now you have a baseline for your 2008 racing season. Check out the results online:

http://pih.bc.ca/results/Series.php?race=153
S

Map my Run

Ok this is something cool that I just found out about...ever wonder how long your run was? Or, perhaps you want to map out a route but forgot to drive and clock the distance? Wellllll.....now you can do it from the comfort of your home! Check this out:

http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/canada/dc/courtenay/763926915

I just tried out this totally FREE site to map our run for tonights Womens 10K Clinic from Extreme Runners to the Courtenay Airpark...too cool! Try it out and let me know how it works for you!

Sarah.

Training Opportunity

Hello and Happy Tuesday!
What a beautiful sunshiney day! I wanted to let you in on a training opportunity that has just come available:

Semi-Private Personal Training 3-4 persons
2 spots have just become available!
When:
1) Mondays 7:30-8:30am personal training time. Minimum 10-weeks March 31-June 9th (no session BC Day)
Where: Vanier Track
What: Personal training in a small group setting. Individualized attention, with group energy and a discounted training fee. Full body strength, endurance, flexibility and dynamic/interval cardio training.
Cost: 3 people $25pp per session. 4 people $20pp per session
Interested? Call or email me asap! First come first serve basis. I may have some additional spots opening up in mid April (Tuesday 10:00am and Weds 7:30am) so please give me a shout if you are interested in these times and I can add your name to the interest list.

Cheers!
Sarah.

Spring? Come ON already...

Well yes, spring is teasing us with a nippy chill in the air this weekend. Come ON I am so ready for 10-plus weather!

Regardless, Saturday was a BEAUTIFUL morning for a run in the foothills of Forbidden Plateau. Pascale, her pooch Jack, and I climbed to the top of Tomato Creek to reach the most amazing view up Comox Lake to the might Comox Glacier...on a clear day this view really takes your breath away. Man oh man do I feel lucky to have this in my backyard. From Tomato Creek hill we crossed the CL logging road and trekked up Arbutus trail...well we found our own loooong route which gave us more amazing views of the lake, the mountains and the Glacier. Up Up Up we climbed on with sunshine on our faces over rocky outcroppings on our way to the summit. I thought I was hearing voices...and I was! We ran into some fellow 'Rats' who were heading our way so we joined forces and ran a few miles of trail together. Made our way to Branch 21...PondPass...and downill all the way home. Managed to shoot a bearing that got us home through the bush to our car...good but small start to navigation training in 2008. 2.5hours total time.

We don't know what we are training for at this point as we may not be able to get a team together for this years Full Moon in June. http://www.fmij.com/index.html But we are having fun anyways!!

Sunday:: Bike ride with the Rats...F.U.N.! From the dam we did the B21 climb (once again) and downhill via Lower Monkeys yadda yadda yadda...2.5 hours total time. Figuring out how to ride with these leg hold traps one ride at a time. I am getting a bit more confident and I have figured out that I can ride without being clipped in cause my shoes are super gripy with Vibram soles! I must recommend the peddles that have a flat base AND a clip in the centre so I can still ride rather than having to drag my bike along when I freak out and unclip on technical or steep sections. I must admit...I have regressed. My fearometer is set WAY higher now that I am attached to my peddles. It is painful but true. I can only hope that I will be back to my usual riding confidence no time...

Gotta Go! See you sooooon:)

S

Don't get injured...

Last Thursday, Kim Senechal, Physiotherapist and Owner of Ascent Physiotherapy shared her knowledge of injury prevention with our Womens 10K Running group. Very useful information indeed!! Kim is a runner, a mom and an ELM Bootcamp survivor! She knows first hand how frustrating a running injury can be. Kim discussed some common running injuries, how to prevent them, what causes them and what treatment is required. Thanks Kim!

FYI Ascent Physiotherapy are ELM Membership Sponsors! Check them out...

http://www.elmhealth.com/sponsors.html

More to come from my weekend of training...

S

Spring has sprung:)

It is official in my world...spring has sprung! My daffodils are ready to burst, there is an orchestra of new birdsongs in my backyard and man oh man was it a beautiful 10 degree sunshiney day today! Yippppeeeee!

The ELM Spring Program (http://www.elmhealth.com/upcomingevents.html#APRIL) registration is underway and I am excited about bringing back many of my favorite clinics this April & May: Trail Running, Fitness Bootcamp and Womens Only program details are all posted on the ELM website...check it out and register early to save your spot!

Our Womens Fitness Retreat in Tofino June 13-15th is already filling up with only 2 spaces left! This years event promises to be filled with fun, fitness and fresh westcoast fare! Not to be missed:) http://www.elmhealth.com/wellness_retreats.html#Surfing

I had a great 3 days of warm, sunshiney training with my buddies this past weekend...

Saturday: Cross country run in Cumberland...through Space Nugget, Mats Trail, Entrails, behind Allan Lake to Trent River Main and towards Nikei mountain...unfortunately there was active logging taking place on the mountain so we couldn't climb to the top!!! Brutal. Is no hill sacred?? Anyways don't mind me...it was a great 20ish?k run with the group then I tacked on an extra half hour to make it 25ish:) Home for a quick snack and then off again to meet Pascale for the first paddle of the season!! A beautiful afternoon to be on the water. I had forgotten how fantastic the view of the mountains is from the water! Across to Royston wrecks for a quick paddle to refresh the muscle memory and start building up those paddling hands:)

Sunday: Tried to ride with the rats...but...don't want to admit this...got all the way to the dam and discovered I had left my front wheel in my driveway. I hope this makes you feel better for all the stupid things you have ever done.

Worked out for the best as Pascale and I did a nice long ride (3.5 hours) on our own and after the longest transition in the history of Adventure Racing we were on our bikes on the Pipeline heading to the dam once again...via Bevan & Bears Bait trails...then from the Dam we climbed the road up to Branch 21...up up up...past big men pushing their big bikes wearing big armour and carrying their big helmets....(love that) we made it to Pond Pass and pushed through snow to our summit at Monkeys. Then it was downhill all the way through Lower Monkeys, The Plunge, Johns Trail...and of course back UP Cable Hill and out to the river trail for the ride back home. Woooo hoooo! The first big climb of the season and I am ready for more! Love the up..can take or leave the down...

Did I forget to mention I was wearing those clippy bike shoes for the 2nd time ever?? Serious stuff. Not convinced yet. Don't like them at this point cause I feel like wolf caught in a leghold trap. In fact I sounded like one as I flung myself into the bushes multiple times as the apparent result of some neuronal deficit which does not allow my brain to tell my left foot to unclip. But the theory is there and so I am willing to keep trying and waiting for proof that I will save energy, generate more force, and be faster for it.

Stay tuned.

Sarah.

New Toys

While in Victoria last weekend, we took the opportunity to pick up some 'essential' outdoor equipment:) Back and forth comparison shopping I swear we went to MEC & Capitol Iron 6 times...but what's new! We also ate at our favorite spot 3 days in a row...Ferris' Oyster Bar...if you haven't gone yet...go.

MEC loved me as I picked up bike shoes, trail runners, a new pack and every flavor of Clife Bar that they had. I am working on a Clife Bar review at the moment and will post my findings once I have munched my way through this mountain of Carrot Cake and Chocolate Peppermint...

And Brad finally got his secret fish finding weapon...a GPS that triples with road, topographical and marine chart maps. This, he promised, would ensure we would be eating more prawns and salmon than ever. And it actually worked...a 20lb Spring turned up for dinner yesterday!!

We had a great time playing with our new toys on a fantastic trek at Mt. Work park near the 'dump'. Hours of entertainment...easily entertained?

S

Building a Better (BERG) Bike

Hola Amigos!

Sorry for the looong break between posts...things have been busy around the ELM world with road trips and preparations for our upcoming Spring programs-www.elmhealth.com starting in April.

Last weekend Brad, Yuki and I went to Victoria to spend time with my family-well really all we do when we go there is eat and shop! On the way down we made a detour to Cobble Hill to meet with Al Bergman, owner of BERG bikes - http://www.bergbikes.com/html/home.html the islands up and coming specialty bike builder. For those of you who missed the excitement last October-I won a credit with BERG bikes at the end of the MOMAR adventure racing season as a super duper grand draw prize (you can search back in the old posts for a nice shot of my shocked face when I actually won something).

It was excellent to tour the shop, check out the bike building process and get measured up for my new bike. Al is a wealth of knowledge and his passion for high quality bikes and components just gushed out of him. It is this passion and knowledge combined with expert craftmanship that come together to create a BERG custom bike!

Al and I used to fight fires together at the Rapattack base in Salmon Arm, however he suffered a life altering injury that changed his life, his career and his future. His story is one of inspiration, motivation and passion that blows my mind and uplifts me in everyway. Once you hear it you will always find inspiration when you need it.

"Perhaps you might be wondering what a guy in a wheelchair is doing building and selling quality bikes. Well, we need to go back a few years to figure this out..." Follow this link to read Al's story http://www.bergbikes.com/html/about.html

I have learned a great deal about life from Al...even though he may not know it. Thank you Al:)

Sarah.

The Joys of Winter Riding

Last weekend we went for our usual cross country adventure to Cumberland on Sunday morning. The snow melt...freeze...melt...freeze patterns have added another interesting technical element to our winter riding...

Check out this cute video of our very own Sue Muldoon as she slip slides away in Cumberland...after about 5 minutes of sliding and public ridicule Sue's husband Tim came to the rescue and pulled her across this iceberg.

Tee Hee:) Sarah

ELM Members Snowshoe Event!

WOW!

What a fantastic evening at Forbidden Plateau! The first annual ELM Members Snowshoe Event was a huge success:) Thanks to all our participants for participating in this special event...sorry to those who couldn't make it (it sold out super quick)...we are booking again for next year so plan to join us then!

A big thanks to Andrea and the crew at Coastal Trek Lodge for putting together such a fine feast for our hungry snowshoers! Fireside appies...soup and main course at the GIANT dining room table that seats 20...dessert by the fire and mulled wine in the hottub...what could be better??

Check out coastal trek and give Andrea or Shane a call if you would like more information on the services that they provide. http://www.coastaltrekresort.com/

See you next year!

Sarah.

Chicks who Click Part Two

Hello!

Some of you may know that I took a 6 month photography course with Karen McKinnon last year and absolutely LOVED it. This program, for women only, is a great opportunity to meet other gals who enjoy taking photos, increase your knowledge of manual photography and most importantly give you a reason to take more photos.

Karen is starting up a new session at the end of this month with 3 times to choose from and there are still a couple of spots left if you are interested. Check out the details on the Mckinnon website and give Karen a call if you want to join in on the fun!

Cheers,

Sarah.

Photos, ramblings and more on the blog
http://mckinnonphoto.squarespace.com/
McKinnon Photography
http://www.mckinnonphotography.com/
(250 ) 890-9222

Seal Bay Park is the BEST

Hurray for Seal Bay Park!

I had a great time this past weekend playing in the trails of Seal Bay Park. It doesn't matter how many times I have been in SBP (and I can tell you it has been quite a few) I always leave rejuvinated and inspired by this magical forest. Check out my recent article on the ELM homepage for more info on great trails in this popular park... http://www.elmhealth.com/. And be sure to go to the regional district website for a map that you can print off and use to explore new territory in the park. I always manage to find new trails every time I go!

Saturday I ran from my home to the park via the Mitchell road entrance then made my way downhill to the beach-about an hour from my house...a short beach run gave me an amazing ocean view and led me to the base of the ' MIGHTY RAVINE' ( some of you know what I am talking about) where I paced my way up the 400m incline one switch back at a time. Then it was all the way back up to the top/west side of the Park for a couple of loops to the Fitzel Road entrance, where my 'knights in shining armour' -Brad and Yuki- met me for a cooldown and a hitch home:) Nearly 2 hours and never a dull moment. The IPOD playlist that made it all happen...priceless:: Madonna Confessions of a Dancefloor...don't laugh it has a super good beat! And of course a few of my other faves::Fleetwood Mac...the "Young Folks" song with the contageous whistle...and that great one from KOS- Crabs in the Bucket...I could listen to those over and over...and I am right now actually:)

Sunday was a girls ride from my house on a similar route to Seal Bay Park...just couldn't get enough so asked Pascale and Barb to join me for more SBP. The trails are super fun for fast non-technical x-country riding and we had a great time ripping along the outer 'horse-bike' loop. On the way home I convinced the girls to follow me on a short cut back to my place...ended up in knee deep black gooey-sticktoyourgumboot mud. Well...Pascale did anyways:) 2.5 hours later and it was home for a hot showers and blueberry wholewheat pancakes!

What will this weekend bring?

Stay tuned for photos from our Members SNOWSHOE EVENT this Saturday at Coastal Trek Lodge!! Can't wait:)

Happy Valentines...better get back to my deathbychocolate brownies:)

Sarah.

Only 2 weeks to go...

ELM Women take note::

The annual 10K Running Clinic begins on February 21st at 5:30pm!

“10K training forms the foundation of all-around fitness, because it includes ample amounts of the three core components of running- strength, stamina, speed. When you race a 10-K, you immerse yourself in near-mythical tradition.” Runners World

ELM is getting set to train women of all running levels in the 6th annual ‘ELM Women’ Times Colonist 10K clinic beginning Feb 21st.
This 10-week clinic takes place on Thursday nights from 5:30-7:00pm and will offer programs for both novice and advanced runners. Novice runners start by run:walking 3kms and work on building up to completing (and enjoying!) their first 10K. Intermediate and advanced runners are provided with a challenging 10-week program tailored to meet their 10K goal. Hills, speed work, pacing, mental training and race strategy will be the focus for the experienced runners program.
This special running clinic includes weekly discussions on running related topics specific to women. Learn about running form, nutrition, stretching, injury prevention, motivation, goal setting, and much more. New participants receive a training manual, log book, program, and weekly emails to help motivate them along the way.
Racing provides opportunities to set and meet goals, stay committed to a running program, boost motivation, and challenge your self physically and mentally. Some people race to win and others race against themselves and the clock to see what they are able to accomplish. Once you cross the finish line, you are destined to be a runner for life!
Register at Extreme Runners @ 436 5th St. or call ELM @ 338-8998. Check out http://www.elmhealth.com/ww_running_clinics.html#TENK fmi.

See you there!

Sarah.

This Weeks Favorite Things...

Favorite Soup
OH YUM. You have to try this soup from the REBAR cookbook (my personal recipe bible). A good Sunday afternoon recipe that warms you from the inside out...
African Yam & Peanut with ginger and pineapple (thanks Pascale)
8 cups veggie stock
2 tbs veg oil
1 large onion diced
2 tsp salt
6 tbs minced ginger
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 red bell pepper diced
4 medium yams chopped and peeled
1 14oz can pineapple
3 ripe tomatoes chopped
6 tbs natural peanut butter
1 bunch cilantro chopped
juice of 2 limes
hot sauce to taste

Cook it all up except the pinapple juice, lime and cilantro. Simmer 30 minutes or until yams are tender. Blend with food processor or hand blender. Add pineapple juice if needed and top with cilantro and lime. To die for.

MUSIC on my favorites:
""Young Folks ""(Feat. Victoria Be 4:37 Peter Bjorn And John....SO GOOD...just try not to whistle along...

Have a great weekend!
S

A DAY IN THE LIFE

So here it is...a typical Monday in my life...

6:00am...rise and shine for breaky...stoke the fire...feed the pooch...look outside and see a beautiful but crisp morning...check the weather channel...minus 2 hmmm...put on another layer.

7:15am...client body composition assessment at Sports Centre...assessments are an excellent way to stay on track with training and nutrition.
7:30-8:30am...semi-private personal training at Vanier Track...what an amazing view of the mountains in sunrise we get every monday morning! Cardio and full body strength and endurance combo with individual attention...shared training is a perfect way to get personalized attention without personalized cost.
8:30-9:00...Pack up the car/office...quick gear change...head to my next session...
9:20-11:20...Seal Bay Park, Womens Off Road Trail Running. 3 different Groups, 3 leaders, tonnes of fun navigating through the trails. Chat on running gear for winter then head out with my group for a 1:15hour run from Fitzel down to the ocean and tackling the mighty ravine!

11:30-12:30...Home for a hot shower and lunch...
12:30-1:30pm...Hot mug of tea and time for computer work (returning emails, creating programs & class workouts, putting out fires etc), returning phone calls...

1:30-2:00...zip to My Tech Guys and pick up my new computer! Out with the old in with the new...

2:00-4:00pm...Personal Training Clients at Fitness Excellence Gym on Moray Ave. Push, motivate, correct technique and challenge my clients to sweat their way to success!

4:00-4:40pm...Squeeze in my own 40 minute strength workout at Fit X. Efficiency is the key when you are short on time-the 'cage' maximizes strength, balance and core co-ordination.
5:00-6:15pm...Fitness Bootcamp at Comox Marina Park! X-training at it's finest, this is the all in one workout that pushes our participants to reach their upper limits. This workout included 4 Dynamic circuits including cardio, dynamic strength, endurance and sability. We were super happy to have daylight to start in and took our first couple of circuits out onto the Pier for the most inspiring scenery. Don't know if they actually stopped to look around, however:)
6:45-7:45pm...home for dinner and prep for Tuesday training sessions and SCORE class!

8:00-9:00...settle into my book and curl up on the couch to quiet my mind before bed...

9pm goodnight and see you at 6am tomorrow!

Sarah.

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!