Skiing Big White Christmas Day & Boxing Day.....

The girls went out and did their thing for the two days. They're actually on snow for pretty much every day from 24th - 1st - while we're slaving the system.....

A couple of interesting points.
I have never told Ilana she has to go wow the camera - just ski and be themselves. She gets to see the whole spectrum from filming he footage to editing to final cut. She is taking quite the interest in it too.

For whatever reason - the girls have named the Hero HD camera " Xavier ". It could be worse - but it is actually quite cool. The professor from the X-Men I say - they say " Who ?? ". Oy !!

You be the judge....

http://vimeo.com/8409513

Mountain biked up Knox yesterday morning in the dull and dreary cloud. Nordic skate skiing on the misery sticks at Telemark in the afternoon. Blissful blue sky and gorgeous sun.....WOW.
Sounds like that is Jaegan's and my New Years Day plans - with Xavier....video to follow.
Hmmm - could be epic if I run - then bike - then skate ski......Heh Heh

Cheers,

Brent

Been busy....

Boxing Day am - about to get ready to go for a run with Trevor. Been slammed lately with skiing, running, and some biking. Oh yah - work and family too.....

So I finally purchased a Hero HD camera. Helmet, chest, gluteus maximus - you name it - you can mount it. So Jaegan & I christened it with a very dark Knox to McKinley and back mtn bike ride 12-11-09.
40 kms of fun - I was pumped on how the video was going to turn out - wow was it dark.....
The video made one realize how damn good our eyes are as core instruments in daily activities.

So a scant four days later - we hit paydirt. Tuesday December 15th - we did a night mtn bike ride at Rose Valley. I even rode on the frozen reservoir. Fun - slick - a tad cold. You be the judge....

http://vimeo.com/8230497

 Then our daughter Ilana got her wish and used the Hero on her training day prior to a two day race at Apex Alpine in Penticton. I think she had fun. You be the judge.....

http://vimeo.com/8346055


We just had a perfect bluebird day at Big White - she had the helmet cam on again. Today too.
Will keep you posted....


Cheers,
Brent 

K1 Camp Silver Star

So here is the K1 group of Big White Racers. Awesome bunch of kids. We just spent 3 days at Silver Star - skiing, dryland training, learning how to edge & wax skis, boot fitting, racing brushes, racing gates, and most important - having FUN.

 Head coach Trevor Haaheim ( right above this sentence ), our daughter Ilana far right. Besides being on snow as much as possible - the main goal was the group to gel together away from family and other distractions. It really worked. The kids had a full - full schedule - so there wasn't a lot of goof time. With our temperatures averaging minus 14 - nobody came in early because they were cold. Wow. Trevor even had them running in snow AFTER skiing.
Trevor is an amazing leader. Besides being our Program Director - he's won our Okanagan Int'l Marathon ( a few times ), and is an accomplished road racer. 2010 will be his first year not racing with Total Restoration. Why I say this is he commands your attention and respect - no matter the age. I believe he exemplifies the expression " Lead by Example " and then some. In addition to the days he runs, skis, and teaches the kids - him & I even squeezed in two 5:30 am runs to Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre and back.

Yes that is the moon above Trev. It's too bad I didn't have a night savvy camera - cause these runs were AMAZING. Our full moon was earlier in the week - but I really didn't need the HID light for the runs. Snow covered trees - snow blanket everywhere - full clear sky of stars - the crunch crunch of our feet on the snow - running at altitude - good company. What more could you ask for ? All of the kids were mouth-gaped in amazement at what time we got up and where we ran. Our response - it's nothing - anybody could do it. LEAD BY EXAMPLE.
A few parents have also commented same - my answer - had we run to Vernon and back - YES that would have been superhuman. But not this weekend - not enough time before 7:30 K1 dryland...

So - sounds like last Tuesday Night Ride dudes ride - will be Knox to McKinley - will be ~ -14. Lead by example......and bring hand warmers too !

Thanks to Trevor, Kasey, Jesse for coaching this weekend. Thanks to the kids for their enthusiasm and commitment to the Camp. Thanks to the chaperons Heather M, Diane D, Anne Marie K, oh yah - and me.

Cheers,
Brent

first day...

So - yesterday was the first Sunday in to long a time that a kahuna bike wasn't the main course. This is what I did instead...So I'm not whining - for the record. It was a relaxing and charge the batteries day. Ilana has been on her sticks seven ( 7 ) days to my first. She LOVES the skiing - and it is bloody awesome watching her with the K1 group. Seventeen uber-keen  racers with a dose of adolescent goofiness for fun.
As parents - this is a huge dose of new fun. We volunteer HEAVY for the club - her training now has no part of us. In the Nancy Greene E level - I was always helping the Head Coach set-up and take-down gates. The K1 kids do that.
So she's out there ripping it up - and I got into the trees for a bit.
Big White is at ~ 100 cm base - so we're in awesome shape for this time of year.
But I couldn't stop thinking about the training. Ultraman Hawaii was in it's 3rd day - the peach - double marathon. IM Cozumel. And what was I doing about my training. Well for starters - Trevor & I will be running 2 hours Tuesday 5 am - and Jaegan & I will be tackling Vapour that night for a XC bike ride. Cannot wait to get the HD helmet camera. So nothing has changed. I'm also going to get some " misery sticks " and go skate skiing this Winter. Never done it - heard nothing but the words " brutal " and " self-inflicting " .....
Most importantly though - No. 1 triathlon rule is whilst on these sticks the theme is " Mellow ". I never charge it hard on the skis. Why ? Well my buddy Rick is a hard-mouthed fast-tracking skier and boarder. When he actually shows up for a Steamy hot Summer bike - he bitches non-stop about wanting to ski. So he's the perpetual flow of snow and working the sticks. So this Saturday - he's boarding hard - and hits a tree about 8 feet up. Sounds like preliminary reports are a tweeked or small tear LCL. He is f*cked for December anyways.
This blog is not - I told ya so. I guess with age advancement - I'd rather take this youngins ribbing about my casual pace than grenade my knees. The dance card is FULL for 2010 - and it still has some possible entries. Why risk it ?
Youth - I was there and stumbled through it like a drunk bear at an all-you-can eat buffet. Some moments not-so-pretty. I think I've tried to learn from the awkward moments and not keep repeating them. So - Rick - grab some grey matter and THINK about your December. I don't call you " Klik Klik " for nothing. Your right knee does that for you.

There is a huge unquenching emotion that stirs when I see untracked powder. But it's not as strong a desire as the bike course at the Oliver Desert Half or a smooth flow climb & descent at Vapour.
Heal up fast Rick - and hopefully we can get you out on a night ride up Smith Creek or Vapour soon.

Here's also BIG kudos to C. Foulk & Rich Roll at the Ultraman World Championship in Hawaii this weekend. Both had hard falls - but soldiered on ( Cory was an eventual DNF ). All the UM competitors are big in my books - that's why I'm volunteering again next August long weekend at UMC.

Pictures and blog to follow re night rides. Have a good day everybody. Cheers B

another good ride....

Smith Creek/Soul Train/Feel the Love. 55km XC ride. Tarmac out to West Kelowna. Hooked up to old culvert trails near Shannon Lake GC.

Not sure of the exact age of these old water supply / irrigation culverts - 50's ? The trail to the left makes for less tarmac and automobile interaction.
They are a hunk of history that is slowly disappearing.

So we hit this trail to Smith Creek trailhead. Up Smith to Feel The Love junction. Snow at this point - with four tracks ahead of us. Up to Summit - then down Soul Train to it's top. The a greasy snow sliding descent to FTL junction.

Hooked up with the four dudes at this junction - they asked if we were the dudes that rode in from town. YUP.
So we followed them to the bottom - and enjoyed every minute of it ! A great day ride. Thanks Jaegan for keeping the pace solid. NIGHT RIDE SMITH TUESDAY - pics to follow.......

Ilana has now done two straight days of K1 training. Big White is still sub 100 cm base. But we're deeper in base than any previous year in the past five. I'll be up there next weekend - and every weekend after that. So I'm not giving up on skiing - just wanting to ride as much and as long as possible.
The smile on Ilana's ( on right ) & Ella's face says it all. Wow - they are pumped to be using the sticks !!

Here's to more snow - and some XC riding in before the base is too deep.

Kudos to all IMAZ competitors too. Jaegan & I would periodically call out today - yup swim over - yup well into bike - what's the temp down there ? - how many competitors you think ? - flat course no doubt.....We're Xc riding to keep the IM 2010 results solid.

Cheers,

B

pre Snowflake

So - it's a milestone day. Ilana is first year K1 ski racer - and this is her first ride in the iron lung ski van to Big White. May seem trivial to some. For us - it's another stepping stone. Soon she'll be a veteran with the van and it's seemingly endless journeys - always chasing snow and races...

Jaegan and I did a pre-work ride up Knox and over to Paul's Tomb. Good pace - and incredible morning vista views. Hell - when you're riding before the sun rises - who can complain ? So we finish the ride running into Brad Pattison of " At the end of your Leash " TV fame. He was in the middle of filming an espisode at the Beachwalk by the Dolphins. I told him Ilana loves his show - and I also complimented him on the episode with Christine of Medicine Hat. That show for the non-viewers was Brad coming in and cooling a situation where this poor girl was housebound because of the dog. Labrador sized beast that would even drag poor Christine in the park. Brad established boundaries & training for Christine with this pooch. You see - Christine has MS or MD ( sorry - I cannot remember which ) - and even with the help of a roommate - the dog was ruining her life. I gotta be honest - I was teary at the end of this episode. He turned her life around - and the mutt was with the program. 

I am really happy that I could look him in the eyes and thank him for that. Brad even said to the camera dudes that was one of the most memorable episodes they had ever done. It's a karma thing - and letting him know my 25 cents worth hopefully fuels him further. It is cool to know he has moved to our Shangri-La - he even told us he isn't here long enought to enjoy it.

Snowflake Gala tonight. Looking real forward to that. Even better is tomorrow's planned ride. XC bikes on the tarmac for ~ 15 kms TO Smith Creek trailhead - UP said and Soul Train - then down Fell the Love and BACK the tarmac to home. Should punch in ~ 50kms if the groove is right.

Will upload pics if they are worthy........

cheers
B

Post Dryland

This Snowflake Gala is going to be HUGE ! The kids were filmed today at Dryland - with individual messages about their love of skiing and family support. These will be played at the Gala. Guess the Nota Bene wont be the only motivator for the purchases !!

This is Ilana racing at Sun Peaks March 2008. She LOVES skiing......

I cannot believe the incredible leaps our Club has made since last year. The synergy is incredible. People are contributing their strengths to the Club and it's functions. This is the inaugural Silent Auction - and it's so exciting to see the event take shape. To plagarize my last post - I'm gonna sit back and chill whilst the cake drops for the Club !!

Going to gun for a hard XC ride Saturday morning - and a possible alternate route Sunday morning.
Cannot wait for that flipping HD helmet camera to come in !!

Cheers B