My mom gave me the idea of writing a post that really shows what I do on a regular week of training.  Everyone always hears about the hours we spend a week or how we can`t work a job, but you never really know what we are doing all this time!  Summer training is different from winter training, so I will give you a week from the summer and once skating training starts in the winter I will let you in on that too.  There is quite a bit of jargon when it comes to training.  I will try to esplain, but feel free to ask questions on the blog and I will clarify or let you know whatever you want.  Ok, here it is:

Monday: 

830-1130 immitations (photo above - we “immitate” skating movements, this is a kiiler on the legs!)

3-5pm interval ride (this consists of below aerobic to above anarobic thresholds)

Tueasday:

830-1130 weights (we have a weight training that writes up mostly leg weight lifting excercise)

3-5 jog and stretch or skating

Wednesday:

Morning 2-5 hrs ride (depends on the time of year, but this is always a long one)

Afternoon Time for massage, physio and chiro

Thursday:

830-1130 immitations (again, ahhhh!)

230-4 interval run (this one is shorter than the ride, but it is mostly for aerobic power, in other words “as hard as you can go”!)

Friday:

repeat of Tuesday

Saturday:

Repeat of Wednesday

Sunday:

A day off (usually I am trying to get errands done, but I always treat myself to homemade pancakes or waffles just to make sure it feels like a rest day)

Ok, well that is a week of summer training.  We work with heart rates and also with times that simulate race times.  Interspersed through that schedule I get homework, errands, eating, therapy and some socializing done.  Most importantly, I rest between workouts.  It is critical that I can recover before the second training of the day.  When I look at this, all I think is, I can’t wait until racing season starts!

Monday

Here’s a warm salad that works well in the winter or summer.  We eat it as a main course, but if I have a hard aerobic training before, I add a side of rice or some nice bread.  It is best with beans from the garden, but frozen works well too.  In the summer, Arne grills the salmon on the BBQ, but in the winter we just saute it all together.

Ingredients:

Salmon (enough for 2-4 people or however many you are feeding)

2 C Creen beans

1can Black beans rinsed

1/2 an onion diced

3 stalks celery chopped

fresh sage (add to taste)

Dressing:

1/4 C canola oil

1/4 C apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp dijon mustard

Salt and Pepper to taste

Start with sauteing the onions and celery (and salmon if not BBQ’ing) in a little canola oil.  When they are almost translucent, add the green beans and saute until they are bright green.  Add the rinsed black beans just until they are warm.  Toss everything together with the salmon, dressing and the fresh sage.  The sage can be substituted with any fresh herb you like.

Please post a comment if you try any of the recipes.  I’d love to know what you think!  Enjoy.

Today I was doing a 2 hour ride out on the back roads between Calgary and Cochrane.  It was a typical training ride and I was just pedalling and enjoying the warm sun (finally!).  When out of nowhere I was passed near the top of a hill.  I looked over and it was an old man with gray hair on a mountain bike.  What?!  Was I really going that slow?  I must be more tired than I thought.  Soon, on the flat, I passed him back.  That was weird.  I couldn’t stop thinking about it.  About 10 minutes later he came up beside me on a hill again.  He intriduced himself as Bob.  He was sorry that he was bugging me.  My jaw dropped as he said he was 66 years old!  We rode side by side for a bit and he told me all about himself.  He was from Poland, hence the thick accent, and just moved from Montreal to Calgary 2 years ago.  He said that he started biking when he moved to Calgary.  He said that the first time he came out of the saddle he could barely hold himself up.  Now two summers later he said, and I quote, “I think I am good at the mountains.”  All I could say was “Incredible.”  He explained that he was a professional cyclist in Poland when he was young but lost his passion for it, but now found it again 44 years later.  We soon parted, but I was still in shock.  It was truly inspirational.  If anyone knows Bob or he is reading this all I have to say is, “GO BOB!”

I just got back from our second Vancouver camp of the summer.  We were there for 10 days.  We were on the ice most days and experienced more rain this time around.  On our one day off on the weekend we spent the whole day at the beach!  It was awesome to be near the water since I haven’t had the chance to get home to SK to visit Crooked Lake, my favourite place on earth!  Spanish Banks was beautiful and satiated my need for water relaxation.

The last day that I was in Richmond, the oval was expecting a visit from the Emperor of Japan.  Our flight was going out at 6 and he was expected around 3.  We weren’t sure if we had time, but finally we decided to go.  I was on my inlines and my two friends, Justine and Shannon, were on their bikes.  We were at the last intersection before the oval and about to cross when a police officer on motorcycle yelled for us to STOP!  We turned and were stopped again by the cops.  We figured out that the street was closed for the Emperor’s arrival.  We stood by while a giant motorcade went by.  We waved and the Empress gingerly waved her hand out the window.  As soon as they were by, we jumped on the back and followed them to the oval.  There was tons of security so we couldn’t get too close.  There were Japanese drummers and a huge crowd.  We got a glimpse and the Emperor is a very small man.

Well, I guess that is just aanother thing I can check off the list of things to do!  Hahaha!

Isabelle

BBQ at the park

Brady

For Father`s Day weekend, my sister Jody and her boyfriend Eric and Arne and I went down to Swift Current, SK to visit my brother`s family.  It is his first father`s day with their new daughter Isabelle.  I have introduced you to the two kids already, but here are some updated pictures.  I am one of those aunts who brags about how cute and smily and awesome my niece and nephew are!  We had a great weekend, including a BBQ at the park.  On Father`s day we all drove to a Winery on the way to Cypress Hills called Cypress Hills Winery http://www.cypresshillswinery.com/.  I was expecting something less fancy since I had never heard of a winery in Saskatchewan.  It was really nice, with free wine tastings, a menu for lunch or dinner and a beatiful deck surrounded by a narrow water feature.  The setting rivalled a lot of wineries that I have visited in BC.   Arne and I loved the specialty wines of Rhubard (white), Saskatoon (red) and sour cherry (red) wines.  I really reccommend it if you are ever driving down the Trans Canada.  Happy Father`s Day to all those Dad`s out there and especially to my Dad and my brother!