Good ski pulling the boys yesterday along the Spray trail, great to squeeze in two skis this week. The boys both fall asleep 5 minutes in so works out perfectly. Into a rest week now, hours cut down while still keeping active.

Marn has been dialing in her yoga classes which start tonight. As well she just signed up at the Banff Springs Hotel to teach every Saturday all winter long, check her class at 10:00am.


2012 what will it bring?
No expectations with the racing schedule. Do not want to get all excited as having 2 kids and full time work is the priority, still want a family at the end of the day :). Hopefully a few road and local mtn races thrown in there at least.

With this current program, it is not a do or die for 2012. I more so look at it as having a plan now for life. If 2012 summer opens up for racing, great, if not no big deal.

MSP has promos on, perfect for helping kill time while spinning downstairs
http://www.skimovie.com/

Hjorleifson clip  http://vimeo.com/33038392

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQOI2DXBd2Q&feature=player_embedded

Sweat it out

Good slug pulling the kids along the Spray Loop Trail yesterday afternoon. The trail was freshly groomed late morning where I had the first skate ski tracks of the day. Out to the bridge and back, the little kickers were painful pulling 50lbs of kids. Excited to have that trail a 2 minute drive from home now.

Quick jog this morning to the golf course, the wind was howling down there.

Felt good to sweat out all the food/junk and booze from the last week.

Christmas

First year in ages the entire family has spent Christmas together. Marn's dad, my parents, my sis Ali,Bruce and their kids Connor and Coleman with Jack and Christie hosting dinner.

Seth randomly had been asking for a 'real guitar' for the past month, he lost it when he opened the present

Cousins

Breakfast spread

X mas afternoon at the Waldhaus skating rink & toboganing

Rory getting into my new Sorel boots box

A fun few days with everyone, no shortage of food and drinks. Christie's brown sugar yam/pecan dish along with dad's rum cake were the favourites. 

Picked Seth up from playschool and headed to Norquay for several hours. The technique using the harness around his boots is genius, night and day improvements now. A number of local families up there so it turns into socializing half the time in the lodge, great to see all the 3yr olds keen this year.

Came home and put the kids down for naps. I cruised outside on the mountain bike while Marn dialed her upcoming yoga classes she will be teaching next week. Rode out to Vermillion and Tunnel Rds, sure beats the trainer in the basement. Though earlier in the week had a solid trainer session with 2 x 10 mins intervals with the HR up more than usual, much improvement compared to last week's version of the same sets.

Late afternoon toboggan across the street. So fortunate to have this park and skating rink a stones throw away...and with this backdrop.

Rory is too cute lately

Entertaining skate ski this afternoon on Cascade Fire road with Guiallame, Scotty and Keith. Pace was more comfortable than last week's effort with Colin, either way still a grind.

B.C tough man Svein Tuft, hope he comes alive in this year's Classics.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tuft-i-finally-started-learning-how-to-race-in-belgium

Speaking of tough men, last week's race

And then the ugly of cycling
http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/2011/12/a-dark-side-of-cycling/

Winter wonderland

After 2 weeks of practically no snow, town received a solid 10cms this morning. Saying that went to Cory's last night for a few bevvies at his firepit where all of a sudden it started pouring rain around 10:00p,. The bike home was sketchy as it gets, streets were complete skating rinks. Relieved to wake up and see it snowing this morning.

With the new snow, Spray Lake Loop trail should be a go this week. Blessed to have that a 2 minute drive from our house to take advantage of.

Donned the spiked shoes and went for a 1.5 hr run this afternoon out to 3rd Vermillion Lake. Plowing through 10 odd cms around Fendland Loop was like running through quick sand, kept the HR low though.

That has been the hardest part the last 1.5 months since starting this plan, keeping the HR low and sticking with that pace while not succumbing to the urge to pedal or run harder...aerobic base building time.

Night ski

Spur of the moment skate ski last night with Colin at the Nordic Center.

Donned the headlamps and headed out on a beauty under full moon and clear skies. Not sure how far we ended up out there but we were in the boonies, not a soul around after leaving the stadium.

Think you are in somewhat good shape then you hang out with Colin, my God the pace he sets. Still learning the old one skate poling technique which sky rockets the HR while turning the arms into jelly and the offset technique for the stupidly steep sections we came across, at a stand still almost.

Lightheaded and passing out 3/4 of the time with HR through the roof, but what a blast that was!!

The intervals on the trainer are still the same, just the durations are longer as the weeks go bye. Like wise with the Strenght workouts, the sets are increasing.

Fun afternoon ski at Norquay Tuesday afternoon with the family. Tied a harness around Seth boots while skiing behind him, wow what a difference that makes with helping him turn.

The boys

Seth with Santa at Whyte Museum on Saturday

It's my Friday today :)  Enjoying some vino and dark chocolate after a spin downstairs

Go girl

Remember Keith saying he used to see Emily at races in Ontario when she was 14 yrs old killing it against the women....Olympic and world cup podiums in her future no doubt. Would love to be her enjoying a 'winter' in Arizona training.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/emily-batty-climbs-the-ranks

Beauty 8pm run last night under clear skies and near full moon, the mountains looked surreal out at Vermillion Lakes.

Besides days off work, 7am or 8pm are my times to be active.

Marn is keeping steady with 5 or 6 yoga classes / week, she has 4 classes to teach at the end of December which she is very excited for....more opportunities in the new year as well.

All about balancing life with kids, work and our passion for yoga and sports.

Another solid day OFF work

Plan today was to ski the 1A at Lake Louise after Seth's playschool finished at 11:00am. But last night we remembered we had a Playschool Christmas planning event to attend late afternoon, not enough time for a Lake ski.

So plans changed where Marn then wanted to shop in Canmore at Nutter and Safeway for their discount days. Going from last week's experience at the Nordic Centre, was not worth pulling the kids with the limited trails. So Marn suggested I just go for a little ski, wow what a change in the number of trails opened now....should have brought the boys. Good ski out and back with loops in and around the stadium. Quick stop on the way home for some tasty dirty Chinese at Safeway.

Evening yoga class which both burned the legs and stretched them and entire body out.

Great pics of the Ptarmigan slide courtesy of  http://lakelouiselowdown.wordpress.com/

Miss this wall

Heard some people were involved in a Class 3.5 slide in Rogers Pass last week, eesh play safe 

2011 AB and BC Cross champ

Aaron Schooler wins BC cross champs last week, combine that with winning the AB champs this fall. Would have been an epic sweep with a road provincial win but our RMCC's Gord nabbed him in the sprint finish, stellar effort either way
 http://www.norco.com/news/5498/aaron-schooler-wins-bc-cyclocross-championships/

Norquay

1:30pm and already an action packed day.

7am Strength workout at home, jumped on the trainer right away for the purpose of riding following fatiguing legs after squats, lunges etc. Fun sets of high cadence intervals to keep it interesting, HR low though.

One hour later at Mt. Norquay with the family. Several runs on Cascade chair, into the lodge for snacks and tea then back out for a few more. Seth is too cute out there saying peanut butter / jam for turning left and right while going down the run.

Skating last week

Marn is currently at a parenting course with both boys napping now.

Good on Tiger for winning the Chevron tourney this past weekend, his first win since 2009. All things aside with his personal life, he is back and I am sure will go on a tear next year. 3rd in the Ozzie open 2 weeks ago while winning his matches at the Presidents Cup last week, now finally a win with clutch birdie putts on 17 and 18.

My opinion he is hands down the most mentally strong athlete in the world in any sport. Everyone else buckles under pressure where he thrives on it. He believes and knows he will make shots with others guessing. Funny watching the Golf Channel with announcers I have watched these past 2 yrs blasting Tiger saying he is done, will never play like before....now these same guys were praising him last night saying he is back on it and to look out in 2012 - jump on the bandwagon as they say.

Mtn bike video

If you have 5 mins to spare, check this bike video with cutting edge cinematography and mellow soundtrack. Boys are beyond talented, Ryan Leech's trials section after 2:00 mins is mind boggling, how does one have that much balance?

http://www.nsmb.com/4801-kranked-tedx

Another year of sponsorship

Recently signed on for another year of sponsorship with Banff Lodging Company.

A continuous supporter of community living - once again purchasing this winter a season's pass at Mt. Norquay for every elementary and high school student in town....wow.

http://www.bestofbanff.com/community/

Thank you once again Wim, Gord and company for your support.

Solid days off work

Go go 2 days OFF work this week.

Started with a Keg birthday dinner for Marn's mom taking advantage of their November special with 40% off wines. Top few steaks of my life - fillet wrapped in bacon with blue cheese.

Monday morning a strength workout at home to start the day.
Marn woke up with a stiff back so she suggested I rip to Canmore to purchase a few things while sneaking in a skate ski at the Nordic Centre. Was sure hard to keep the HR down to prescribed # with the limited trails they have open - little steep kickers followed by sketch descending (that's just me), repeat that 100 times. Bumped into Top Gear's Ian Auld on the top of a hill. Had not officially met but introduced myself and had a chat, he is just starting x country as well. What a banner last year for him -Masters 40+ National champ on mtn bike with a 10th GC place in Banff Fest....40 years old as well!! awesome!

Tuesday Marn, her mom and Rory went to Calgary first thing to shop. I dropped Seth off at playschool and went for a little run. Picked him up and went to Sushi train with his buddy and parents. Afterwards we all went skating at the Rec Centre, Seth is crazier more and more each time he goes now. Evening yoga class to top off a solid day.

Spin last night at home with varying intervals of cadences.