Haig Glacier 2008

This past week I made the trip to Canmore, Alberta to spend the week at the Haig Glacier in Kananaskis country. It's a 18km run hike in to the camp where we sleep, eat and relax during the week. Our hike to the glacier from camp is 2.4 km one way and 1000 feet vertical. It takes about 40 minutes for myself to hike. I managed to put in a solid week of training and have a great time as well! This camp is great for 2 reasons; The training at altitude is great for boosting the oxygen carrying capacity in my body, as well as for working on some on-snow technique in the middle of the summer! So far I have been able to ski during every month of the year this year. After hiking to the glacier, skiing and then returning to camp we work on recovering and regenerating for future workouts in the week.

It was exciting to also have some younger up and comers from my home club in Burns Lake attending the camp, I don't remember the last time 3 Omineca skiers attended a BC team camp together. I also have to add that only 20 BC athletes were selected for the camp!

All in all it was a great camp my ankle held up just fine and solid training was put in by everyone there, big gains were made in technique from every single skier and some delicious desserts made from various athletes!


until next time...


C

Land of Peaches...

I have just returned from Peachland where I was lucky enough to be involved in the one of many Outreach camps put on by the National ski team. The 4 day camp consisted of rollerskiing, ski walking, running, strength and of course some much needed lake Okanagan time!! with temperatures reaching near and slightly above 40 degrees by the final day of camp one could see the effects of it on almost every person at the camp! We had many adventures such as double poling up the Coquihalla highway...Sketchy...But all in all it was a great camp it gave the younger aspiring athletes a chance to see the big guys out there training...or at least attempting to. Emily and myself don't deal with training in that heat so well. It was amazing I was probably drinking about 1.5-2 litres of sport drink per hour while training and guzzling water back in between workouts and it was as though I could not get enough liquids in me. The nights at camp started to get warmer and warmer in the cabins at the bible camp which only meant that sleeping became harder and harder with 5 guys in a small 15x 15 cabin. The final night Sam, my teammate had decided at 3 am to take a 30 minute cold shower...apparently it helped him sleep afterward.

So Sunday, the final day of camp arrives. I am debating running the run scheduled for that morning or just calling it a week and heading back early. So the final decision comes down to sure it will be nice to get a quick burn in before sitting in the car for 4 hours. After all Amy said it would be 45 mins. So I show up at the trail head and was then informed it would be minimum 1:15, not so big of a deal, except I planned for 45 mins worth of water, still no biggie. So we get about 45 minutes in and start descending to the lake we are running around...POP! I roll my ankle...Bad. I am lying on the ground trying to watch my P's and Q's while the younger kids start to surround me. I am mad. So I turn around and start heading back for the car. Hobbling. So Amy and Emily join me so they could go ahead and get the van. Long story short, I got back to camp with my grapefruit of an ankle ice it a bit and clean up my bunk, jump in the car and drive home. Next day I decide to get x-rays just to be sure. Good news, just a level 1 sprain to 2 of the 3 ligaments in my foot. should be good in a week. At least it better be I have a haig camp! anyway thats enough ranting from me for today. just thought I would let everyone know what was going on. i'll keep ya updated on my status.

until next time.


C