Another get stoked for winter video from the very talented http://sherpascinema.com/
http://www.biglines.com/video/balance-powder

Good thing I got out for the ride yesterday, tad of snow on the ground this morning.

Day 1 of the program started this morning, strength workout at home. Quite weak in the arms, literally never lifted weights in my life...excited to see the progression.

Leighton and Ryan end up 13th GC, looked like an epic race
http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/brasil-ride-sr-1/stage-7/result

Remember at the Bow 80, Leighton laughing/being concerned that he only had 3 full days of rest between Brasil and La Ruta- eesh.... all the best in Costa Rica!

Another review on the race.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/la-ruta-de-los-conquistadores-sr-1/preview

On my bucket list of races no question!!

What an unexpected 3 out of 6 days this week of mtn biking for me. Off work a few hrs early today, headed out for a 1.5 hr ride while kids slept. Shorter version of race loop, coastline in both directions, down and up Star wars and back down to s.corner. Everyday now outside is a blessing....

Playschool Halloween, all the kids were too much

with friend Aidan

This afternoon at the side of our house

3 big bucks off our deck

I had a spur of the moment 1.75 hr mtn bike ride this afternoon. Kids were going down for afternoon naps where Marnie wanted to join them, out I went around Tunnel. The cool weather sure does not matter in the trees, shedding layers within a couple minutes. My god the heart rate sure skyrockets on the mtn bike instantly, love it! Will keep jumping on the opportunities to ride outside as long as the weather holds, beats the trainer in the basement :)

Sure worse views out there when fixing a flat

Received my November plan from Dave today. Since he looked over my lactate results and noticed I needed improvement in my lower zones, that type of training is all I have seemed to come across of late on the internet - needing a strong aerobic system to power the anaerobic. VERY exciting to actually have a program training specific systems during the winter for once! 

Another useful nutrition article, love all the mention of cakes and tarts.
http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/2011/10/last-minute-tips-for-the-warny/

Schleck brothers interview

Hilarious interview with the brothers - Dopie brothers, how's it hanging on the bike? Too much!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CofKpGRdb0&feature=player_embedded#!

I have to get on video a quote Seth has been saying since watching the TDF this summer.
"When Rory and I get a little bit bigger, we go in the Tour de France like the Schleck brothers"
Mark the calendars now his quote.
Similar to Thomas Grandi at Skoki Lodge as a youngster writing in the guest logbook, but don't quote me 'I am Thomas Grandi and I will be the best skier in the world someday'

All in the genes. While at Sylvan Lake, Marnie's dad was telling stories of his old football days. Twice recruited to Hamilton Ti-Cats training camps but never was selected for the big leagues. Combined with her mom's fluid skiing, this is where her advanced athletic capacity is from.

Our little boys have no shortage of athletic gene pool in them. Look at Taylor Phinney and his folks......

Looks like Leighton is holding his own in Brazil

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/brasil-ride-sr-1/stage-3/results

So jealous of the next race he is taking part in down south - 39k feet of climbing coast to coast in 4 days!
http://larutadelosconquistadores.com/ruta2011/


Xterra World Champs
Calgary's Cal Zaryski won his age group (2nd year in a row) and 28th Overall
I have know 2 people that have hired Cal with positive feedback about him
http://www.criticalspeed.com/

Sylvan Lake

Blue skies with highs of 15 degrees and delicious home cooking with no shortage of vino made for a relaxing 2 nights in Sylvan Lake. Cannot wait for visits in the summer to enjoy the lake and water slides for the boys. Arrived back to snow in Banff....

Early morning sleepy town

Looks like Aaron Schooler repeated his Cross Provincial championships  

http://pedalmag.com/?p=144415&c

Making bunny hopping look easy

Cory Wallace and team mate with strong 10th & 12th GC results in Malaysia, tough crowd against 2 former Vuelta winners   http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/langkawi-international-mtb-challenge-

2011/stage-5-short-track/results

And last but certainly not least, Canmore local laying sikbird lines!
http://www.biglines.com/video/eric-hjorleifson-winter-2010-pov-edit

Watching this reiterates how I have to get back out touring to enjoy what I love in the winters. Rogers Pass I cannot wait to be see you again!

Good job....losers!

Wrong choices boys
http://pedalmag.com/?p=144380&c

The boys

Our little boys are growing too quickly, too cute as ever!

On the move now non stop

Wicked spur of the moment road ride after work today. Keith stopped by my work as I was leaving asking me to join him. Well Marn has yoga at 5:45 tonight, sure let's go for a quick rip. Around s.corner/tunnel to minnewanka. Saw Colin on a loop which in turn ramped up our pace, his simple little accelerations are painful to the average souls like us. This coming off 3 days in a row for him skate skiing at the Nordic Centre, try and get out there next week with him and have my arms fall off.

Off to Sylvan Lake tomorrow after work to visit Marn's dad for several nights - 3 days OFF work  :)  Hope to catch up with high school friend Paul and his family that live in Red Deer as well.

Useful Crit article

http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/2011/10/golden-rules-of-crit-racing/

The last few afternoons have warmed up nicely enabling me to enjoy 2 mountain bike rides around Tunnel, combined with a game of squash, a yoga video and drinks with friends one night kept me entertained on the days off work.

Have to try and get back at it the next few weeks as I was just 'voluntold' to enter the Winterstart run again on Nov 5th representing the company. I have not run since last year's race, should be fun running around in the dark with the beer incentive afterwards.

Juggling activity

With Marnie finished work, she has been enjoying more open time getting out for walks with the boys and more so back into practicing yoga. She is at a class currently with her mom, what a great way to start the day.

Pre kids we were outside together non stop playing everyday. Marn was one of the boys keeping up in any sport whether skiing at the Lake, skate skiing or on the mountain bikes...not uncommon for her to be dropping the boys out there especially in the 24hrs races.

Needless to say after kids, things change where it has turned into individual time outside - one of us go play and the other watch the kids. We are planning our weeks out giving both of us the time we require to keep active...and sane with the busy life we live now with 2 little boys.

This week when we have had free time, suggested to Marn to attend classes which she has jumped on. Love seeing the spark back in her after yoga, truly a new refreshed person. This means I have not had a single minute of activity since the lactate test last Wednesday. All good though, get out for a mtn bike ride this afternoon and some squash tonight after the kids go to sleep. Excited to play squash again this fall/winter, psycho workout with friend Cory. Will try a yoga video tomorrow morning, first go since India 6 years ago.

www.corywallace.com for his Malaysia race. Langkawi was beautiful but I sure miss the East coast Perhentian islands  http://www.malaisie.org/perhentian_en.php3

Beauty race pics

Gorgeous scenery along the Great Ocean road, as beautiful as I remember it taking day trips from Melbourne when I lived there. A former Banff Bike fest rider leading KOM as well!

http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/2011/10/jayco-herald-sun-tour-stage-3/

Lactate Test

I have always wanted a Blood Lactate Threshold test but just never got around to it. Finally had one performed yesterday at http://www.ascentphysio.com/ in Canmore.

Would have liked to had higher watts but am sure my fitness dropped a tad after 3 weeks of zero exercise since Bow 80. Felt well but hit the wall quite quickly at the end, try another one in the spring.

Sending the results off to Dave for him to look at and devise the plan accordingly.

Skiing starts in Colorado

With 36 inches of new snow
http://www.powdermag.com/latest-news/ski-season-to-begin-tomorrow-in-colorado/

Go rub shoulders this weekend in Calgary
http://www.freshtival.ca/announcements/the-godfathter-mike-douglas-returns-as-host

Will be some slick gear next year with his input
http://www.backcountrymagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=625&Itemid=66


mmmm skiing

Getting some flack

Out for a casual cruise in jeans with Keith on the mountain bikes yesterday where we ran into Colin and Craig coming off climbing Mother's Day Butress on Cascade Mtn.

Craig was laughing how I hit a wall in the Bow 80 due to road biking all year and how different mtn biking is....and the fact that he kicked my ass in the race. I know I know even if it was only my 3rd day on a trail, your upper body does not receive the same beating on the road as on a mtn bike - but the only excuse that day is my legs were not there. Told Craig I am getting back to 'my roots' next year while hoping to mtn bike race more. Hope to get out with them Wed afternoon down Upper Stoney. Colin said he was shredding some pow at Rae Glacier the day before. Some nice lines with a 'hot shot 24yr old with dreads' he said.....

Rory's 1st birthday

Cannot believe Rory turned one this week. 1 year ago we got thrown into the most heart pumping experience of our lives, suddenly delivering Rory on our bathroom floor. Little Rory comes roaring into the world then scares us over x-mas with his serious viral infection, no more frightening us bud.  :)

A number of friends and kids were over, great to catch up as it had been a while.

Not impressed at first

After a few bites, gobbled Christie's choc/zuchini cupcakes down. 

in heaven

being silly with all his 'gear' on

1A goodness

Beauty ride with Keith this afternoon to Lake Louise on the 1A. Crisp out with blue skies, dusting of fresh snow on the peaks with fall colors on the trees and a rather LARGE black bear just off the road that made us give a quick sprint by him.

Have to take advantage of decent weather days and get out on the road, once it cools a tad more stick to the trees on the mountain bike.

Keith was down in Fort Collins last year for this race
http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/usgp-of-cyclocross-new-belgium-cup-2011/elite-men/results
See Mark Mcconell made the trip down. He is having a solid year, wow long season starting with Velocity and now consistent top 3's in Elite during cross season.

What to do tomorrow? looking like a light spin as legs quite heavy now after 6.75hrs riding in 2 days.

A new partnership

I am super excited to start working with Dave Vukets with not only nutrition but on the training side of things as well.  I met Dave at the TT bike check during the Banff Fest, he offered advice on nutrition after hearing my lackluster bonking perfomance during the 1A race. Several e mails back and forth this summer where this week we confirmed working together.

This will be the first time I will have a structured program with actual training phases and peaks etc. I have done well myself winging it in the past gathering info from the web and magazines throwing it together some way or another. But riding at this caliber requires more than winging it, especially maximizing the limited riding time I have.

Check his nutrition business www.performanutrition.ca/
Rides with www.trekredtruckracing.com/

Marn, the boys, Jack and Christie drove down to Little Bow Friday morning for Thanksgiving weekend, I am unfortunately stuck working. After they left, I dusted off the trainer and spun for 1.5hrs as it was pouring out and 5 degrees. The rain subsided a tad several hours later where Keith and I spun out to Healy Creek / Sunshine road and around Banff. 1.5hrs later and back home. Solid day!

Excited to get outside over the next several days, dust off the road bike with spins on the mtn bike as well.

Back to work with Marn finished work

Well my 4.5 months Paternity Leave has finished. What an amazing, bonding experience with the boys. Sure pulling my hair out some days but would do it full time no problems.

Marnie's last day was yesterday, off for 7 months now with the boys. She is obviously beyond excited, to reimplement rules (sorry seth not as many timbits at timmy's now) but as much to spend more time doing her yoga practice and to teach again.

Took the boys out for spins last 2 days -Norquay, s.corner/tunnel and Vermillion Lakes. 50 lbs with them and the 10lbs over I am made for good grinds

Only from Red Bull
www.salomonrunning.com/os/blog/400m-uphill-vertical-sprint-in-austria-45-gradient-steep--.html?sf2245512=1

Making time

Time management article buy Gordo Byrn, Canadian now living in New Zealand.
http://coachgordo.posterous.com/real-world-personal-planning

Winner's wiff

Eventual winner of the tourney. This during Saturday's round, he made it up with the front 9 of Sunday
http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/golf/blog/devil_ball_golf/post/Swing-and-a-miss-Kevin-Na-completely-whiffs-on-?urn=golf-wp6111

Nutrition article

Another useful article on pre race nutrition
http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/2011/10/nutrition-tips-for-the-warny-and-the-grafton/

Run much?

Phil V running and running around Canmore
http://x-cphil.blogspot.com/2011/09/canmore-4-peaks-challenge.html

And looks like he could not get enough so headed down to Kaslo for this http://www.kaslosufferfest.com/

He mentions Leighton and Jon Firth were 1,2 in the 100km mountain bike race. Looks like quite the event which will hopefully continue to grow

More running -
former HR Block Seb Salas wins Grouse Grind, misses his own record by 9 seconds. www.grousemountain.com/grousegrind

Makes we want to relive my younger running days, Calgary cross country city champion in grade 6 - ha ha
Though my IT band likes to flare up with pain when I run these days, from a mtn bike crash 5 years ago that still hurts.