It is very quiet out there!!!!

[kiwichris]

hi Team - noticed that it is very quiet out there at the moment - what is everyone up to???

Here is what is going on with me;
1) Have the flu (thanks Toby!!!) so feeling sorry for myself and eating to reflect that (mmmmmm - chocolate!!!!)
2) Have a foot injury - some severe soreness under my right metatarsal heads - hoping it is just a little bruised from Cultus Lake - but still trying to manage it.
3)Starting to plan my training leading up to my half-ironman race in New Zealand in January - here are some thoughts
a) need to VO2 test bike and run and play around with some new stuff Andrew and I have talked about - will further identify/clarify weaknesses/compensators for me to work on in the next 3 months.
b) will be focussing on power-cranking A LOT - hopped on the other day and managed 3 minutes before the crank bolt came lose - got off the bike and could hardly stand up my hip flexors were so worked over - 3 MINUTES!!!!!!! Needless to say I shook my head and went for a run - aaahhhhh!
c) Spirotiger has been non-existent for the past 6 months - after the VO2 test I will get back on that wagon
d) STRETCH - with the long season over I can now dedicate a little more time to stretching out my insanely tight hip-flexors and quads - which I need to do for my running efficiency.

Anyway - excuse my ramblings - thought I would get some ideas on paper to keep me on the straight and narrow - let us know what you guys are up to!!

Chris

[StephenU]

Well if you must know Chris!
Have been enjoying some fun mountain bike rides in and around the Kelowna area.  The one that stands out is of Matt, Ian, and myself spending almost an hour at the top of McDougal Rim trail 'trundeling' (this is what Ian called it) boulders off the edge of the cliff!  If you heard massive rock slides and saw giant clouds of dust a couple of Saturday's ago in west Kelowna, that was us!  Oh, and we mountain biked for over 5 hours as well and even created a new route up to McDougal Rim.  If anyone want's to join us on trundeling ride, there are still more boulders to push off the edge!
Also, Ian and I finally made it to a toonie race at Smith Creek.  It was so much fun!  There is one more this year and I plan on going for sure to see if I can keep up with Evan on the climb.  I will do it or bust.  (most likely will bust)

The cat may be out of the bag on my secret training for the Xterra in kelowna, but I have been shuffling around in my running shoes a little bit so I don't feel massive pain on Sunday.  Also, the Vernon Ellison Project 6 hour enduro mountain bike race is this Saturday and I will be doing the race solo.  (because you cannot trust most teammates, HA!)  It's going to be a very fun and exhausting weekend.  I hope to see some other BPR people at both events!

Sorry for the lack of physilogical information, but I have not been wearing my HR Monitor lately.  I have been paying attention to my breathing, but that is about it!  I've been training and riding purely for fun.

Cheers,
Quail

[GinnySellars]

I was thinking the same thing....missing the usual banter.

I've been under the weather this week also, and taking care of my sicko daughter.

Prior to that though, the weeks post-IM have been pretty fun! I went on the Two-X-Elle Women's ride through the kootenays the weekend after IM. The first day, I could feel my lungs, but then felt better and better throughout.

The next weekend I went to Whistler with Madeline to hang out with friends that I've been neglecting. Great to re-charge.

Last weekend I put the final nail in the coffin for my immune system. 30th b-day party for a friend, and I was trying to prove that I'm not pushing 40! Not only was a little worse for wear on Sunday, but my feet are super cut up and blistered from those silly party shoes!! Not a single blister at IM, but just a wreck after a night out.

I'm now waiting to feel healthy, but still able to be a little active. I've enjoyed a few cold lake swims and water running.I've started Majorie's strength and stability class at Meridian. It's KILLER!!!!

I'm looking forward to ramping it up again soon! We'll be at the Ellison Project Enduro, but the Sellars clan will be more social than racing. Andrew will do the xterra in Kelowna on the Sunday. See you there Stephen!

[GinnySellars]

Those of you that are working hard inside today, don't continue reading...

What a stunning day!! After 3 days straight with my little girl, she happily went off to daycare this morning to hang out with little people. I spent the morning getting some work done, then rode into town to do Majorie's strength/balance/core class at Meridian. I'm so darn fragile that last week I tweaked my neck, and still can't shoulder check! Today I did the class without weights just to get some range back. So after class, I had time for an amaaaaaazing bike ride!! It was 25 degrees and sunny. I climbed everything possible. The Rise, Predator, Adventure Bay. My legs felt fantastic even after Majorie's squat and lunge routine. I'm soooo lucky to be able to take advantage of the last of the warm weather. OK....off to pick up my little person.

[GinnySellars]

On Tuesday, I couldn't find enough hills to climb....by Thursday, I was re-routing my ride to S.A. to avoid all inclines.

I knew I was a little tired this morning, but Andrew really wanted to enjoy this fine weather. He drove to work in S.A., and I planned to ride in, pick up the car, and let him ride home. Our morning banter included..."3 hrs? What...do you think I'm an old lady? I do it in 2:30"

Let me prefice my note by letting you know that we've started a low-carb plan to drop some weight, and make a change after our carb dense summer. So I threw some emergency food in my back pocket, but planned to go easy, and just drink water.

By O'Keefe ranch, I had a good shake going on, and my legs were jello. I wanted to cut time out of my ride, so considered Deep Creek instead of Salmon River...but then remembered the climbs, so re-routed to the highway towards Kamloops then S.R. the rest of the way. I rationalized that I was just having a sugar low, so took the gel in my pocket. 15 min later, I was still jello. By the time I got to the store on the flats, I stopped in the loo, and couldn't get up. I'm not kidding. I had to psych myself up to just stand up. At this point, I abandoned my low carb plan and bought an almond Snickers...yum...but that only lasted 20min. I was on Yankee flats and decided that if I was going to hitchhike, then was not the road to be on. I got down to the flats and began looking for trucks. Quiet morning in the valley. I then got too tired to even get a ride. I just sat in 1st gear and toddled towards S.A. I decided to top it all off with a crash in the middle of town. I didn't realize I had dropped a chain when I geared down at the light, so stepped on the pedals and hit the deck....what a rock star!

Anyway...here I am, having a latte and panini (yay carbs!). I'm skipping my strength class cuz Majorie scares me on the best of days. Time to add some yams to the diet.

[Andrew]

Ginny's warning was well-heeded and I took a few extra bites of my low carb salad before raiding the hospital pantry for some digestive biscuits. My ride was a tad more pleasant than Ginny's, and it only took me 2:45 to ride home, with a cadence average of 104...already dreaming of Kona, and some MTB training with Ian. Did I tell you he beat me by 17 minutes at Xterra last week-end?

[tannille]

Has anybody made definite plans for November 11th yet?

Tannille

[GinnySellars]

Hey Tanille
The post is here:
http://www.balancepointracing.com/forum/index.php/topic,484.0.html

Looks like a Kelowna crew and Vernon crew.

Gin