Norway World Winter Champs

Last week I set out to the northern land of Norway. On the way from LA to Amsterdam I flew in a Jumbo Jet, a beast of an airplane. I read some interesting facts that might interest the general reader.

Facts
The 747 has 274 km of wiring
The 747 has 8km of tubing
The 747 tail height is 63 feet or 19 meters
The 747 has an average cruising speed of 965km/hr

I slept most of the way on account of being tired.

Norway is a great land. Cross country skiing dominates the sporting culture and that is refreshing. People young and old venture out daily to take part in the most physically encompassing endurance sport on the planet.

We stayed in some quaint little cottages right by the start of the race. Our Canadian team was made up of the following individuals:

Jasper Blake
Proud Canadian

Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky
Canadian endurance legend....a brilliant skier, runner, rider and above all research scientist from McMaster University. This guy is the real deal and has the whole package including short running shorts and long grey socks....smart, fast and surprisingly funny.

Matt Richardson
A recent export to Sweden, Matt is one fine piano player on top of the fact that he used to run a pretty darn fast 800m in highschool. He is doing a Phd in Sweden so I was surrounded by smart people.

Christian from Liechtenstein
We had to borrow Christian for our relay team. Christian is the fittest man in Liechtenstein and one of the most provocative thinkers of his time. A mild mannered lad with a will to punish himself, he graciously filled in for us on the relay on account of Matt's bad knee. We were sad to have Matt absent but Christian became an honorary Canadian citizen.

The race was dyno-mite, great experience and massive learning opportunity (which is what you say when you get your butt kicked). Tire pressure and selection are crucial on the bike as well as a sound feel for how the bike reacts in snow. On the first day we had very little of this so I essentially received a spanking on the bike and finished back in 24th. On the second day tire pressure changes made and slightly harder more forgiving conditions, I came off the bike in second....a grand improvement on the previous day. However I proceeded to show how not to perform a transition....here are some things not to do:

1. Do not slam on the brakes at the dismount line and launch over the handlebars onto your head into the snow
2. Do not spend 3 minutes trying to get your ski boots on in transition
3. Do not forget to take your helmet off when you are about to start skiing or they make you run back and put it by your bike
4. Do not chose ski boots with multiple straps....stress, gloves, cold and fiddly straps do not mix.

Yes it was an entertaining series of events. We actually did quite well as a relay team, I think perhaps somewhere around 6th but we were unofficial and as such have been unceremoniously removed from the results.

And so that was that.....a great experience and I am looking forward to the World cup circuit next season......I think it will be a good addition to the year.

Mark and I headed to Oslo Sunday night and whammy, I was on a plane heading for home on Monday......adventure done!

Until next time, keep fit and have fun

If I die.....bury me here....only up to my knees....so I can keep looking at the view

Loppet

This weekend I raced in my first Loppet. A loppet is the Norwegian name for a cross country ski race. Don't quote me on that but it is something to that affect. I think it may actually mean a community cross country ski marathon.....along those lines anyway.

The Vancouver Island Loppet took place at Mt. Washington ski resort and what a spectacle of a day. Not a cloud in the sky and temperatures around zero made for incredible conditions.

I am new to the cross country ski thing but the bottom line with all endurance sports is that you just give'er and do your best. I have some technique from all those years of pushing myself to the ski lift on downhill skiis. I used to try practicing cross country technique back then just incase i ever needed it for the Vancouver Island loppet race....good thing.

I went out hard but like all endurance events, everyone else went out harder so at the 1km mark I was in 12th. But like all endurance events, the lactic wall hits hard when you start like a maniac and by 2km I was in 3rd. What I am neglecting to tell you is that there was a 30km race and a 15km race. I was in the less flashy 15km on account of never doing one of these before. So, the races split up at about 3km and I found myself alone at the front and screaming down a mad hill totally out of control, it's a wonder I didn't end my day there....it was a good bit of humour to remind me that my cross country style could use some tweaking. Regardless, I pushed on and had a jolly good time and won my first ever ribbon....fantastic, love it!....I also won a green shamrock cookie which I promptly ate with much haste.

I am off to Norway on Tuesday for the World winter champs and can't wait. The race this weekend was a good boost and another good reminder why I am going to Norway.....simply, I love winter sports and I love competing. There are some great skiiers in Norway so it should be interesting.

If you are ever going to Mt. Washington, stay in Cumberland at the Riding fool hostel and go for dinner in Courtenay at the Atlas cafe....brilliant on both accounts.

Until next time, keep fit and have fun.

PS. Mount Washington is unreal.

Kenny Rogers

When you get hammered with an injury or get something like pneumonia there seems to be several distinct mental phases that follow.

My first reaction is one of outright and pure optimism. I usually figure it will take about 24-48 hours to kick and in two days I will be back on track and be no worse for wear.

The next stage seems to happen after 48 hours when you realize that it actually takes longer than two days to solve the current problem. For me this is a time of slight panic and less optimism. I still feel there is a chance that in a day or two I will be dialed up and ready to go but at the same time I feel a little anxious because of lost training.

By the 4th day I usually slip temporarily into a phase where I am angry and feel a bit sorry for myself. This usually lasts about 12 hours until I go to bed. I don't particularly like this phase because it just feels rotten.

Finally, about a week in I regroup and resign myself to the fact that this is just part of the journey...Another bump in the road and somewhere in there lies an opportunity to create something better. I think it's this stage that keeps people going. If you get stuck in the stage before this it ain't fun. The bottom line is that there are always people worse off...and that's the bottom line.....n'uff said.

But as a wise man once said "you've got to know when to hold'em...know when to fold'em....know when to walk away....and know when to run". So, after realizing that pneumonia is something you don't mess with, I packed my bags and flew back to Vic to regroup, get healthy and re-establish fitness.

It's taken about 12 days to get to this point where I can lightly go through the motions without sending my body into a coughing fit. Half California is out and I am making a decision on Norway in 5 days. My lungs are my meal ticket, which means no messing with them....n'uff said!

The last stage, when I am getting better, involves a series of anxious moments wondering how much I have lost if anything at all. This is a stage of high motivation so I have to be careful not to fall back down the slope. So much goes into this sport and it takes something so little to derail your efforts. All I want is to be World Champion, is that too much to ask.

It is not uncommon for me to be seen running down main street in a swim brief and racing flats with a number I drew on myself with a sharpie pen.....I love that part of getting healthy and so do the spectators..yes all those people driving there cars and honking at me, it feels good to have that kind of support so I always oblige by giving two thumbs up.

Until next time, keep fit and have fun!

The Roller Coaster

Ok, this trip just got crazy! On Tuesday after the race, we were packing up to leave Phoenix when I started feeling a little less than stellar. I thought it was a bit of fatigue combined with some dehydration so I drank and rested but by the time we arrived in Tucson, I was done for. I felt like I had been hit by the big Oscar Meyer weiner truck (what is that thing anyway?). Luckily we are connected with the greatest guy on the planet, Dr. Josh Riff who is the closest thing to Doogie Howser I have ever seen (and not the version from that white castle movie).

I met Josh in '98 at the World Duathlon champs in Germany but haven't really seen or spoken with him in 8 years. So, we show up on his doorstep somewhat unannounced and whammy, the guy is a legend! I am not sure what I would do without him up the street. I was nearly KO'd when we arrived and in desperate need of some medical attention. The next day, no improvement on my condition so he helps me arrange a visit to the hospital for blood work and chest x-rays......And whammy.....Pneumonia!! Pneumonia!!....How on earth does that come about....Life can throw some garbage at you sometimes.....But there it was on the x-rays. This one is a doozy. I can't remember feeling this awful in a long time. Horizontal is the only position that feels remotely ok and vertical is definitely not the place to be for extended periods. Major hot flashes, followed by shivering, followed by coughing attacks, followed by nausea, followed by the most hyper-sensitive physical state I have ever experienced. This is not fun!

So, antibiotics, rest, fluid and TV which is like the plague but not sure what else to do and it takes my mind off my current state for brief periods. Sam just dropped off the new Wallace and Gromet movie along with some other fun looking features. Its going to be an interesting few days.....hopefully this is over quickly.