Elevation and Hydration!

I have been in Colorado for a few weeks now, and it has turned out that the Park City World Cup has been cancelled due to lack of snow.  Therefore, my time here has become a very useful training block where we have had long days on snow and some time in the gym. 

Lately, all this training at elevation has brought my attention to the state of my hydration and how easily I can become dehydrated. 

Up here in Summit County I am living and training at around 9,000ft/2,700m, even higher when I head to Breckenridge. When you are at elevation like this it means your body is working overtime, putting even more emphasis on keeping it hydrated.

Being properly hydrated is so important for everyone, especially people like me, athletes.  Water plays a vital role in the functioning of your body including the excretion of toxins, lubricating your joints and muscles, contributing to healthy cognitive function, and transporting oxygen and nutrients around your body. For me, all these things are huge when I am boosting in the pipe, carving up the mountain, or pushing heavy weights.

Here are ways I make sure my hydration level is kept up: 

 1.) Pre-hydrate: - The best offence is a good defence; this motto is also good for water. I am sure to drink a pint before bed and nearly two pints in the morning with my breakfast. This way I am certain my body has water over night, key for that eight hour gap (you can lose up to 16oz over night), and extra to get it kick started in the morning.

2.) Listen to Your Body – I understand that we all get busy, and so do I…but staying conscience of what the body is telling you about water levels will pay off. The best sign that you need some water is if your mind feels cloudy or you feel tired. As soon as I get this feeling I am sure to stop take a few sips. If you feel thirsty then dehydration has probably already set in, and if you get a headache or nauseated then you better make it a priority to get some H2O!   

3.) Add Electrolytes – By adding electrolytes to your water you can help maintain proper hydration levels because of the way your body will use the water.  I use a product called “Concentrace”which has important trace minerals and trace elements like potassium, phosphate, magnesium, calcium and sodium. I use this concentrate because you only need 10-15 drops per litre of water.  This is awesome because I can stay away from expensive sports drinks which have a lot of sugar.  If I want a something like a sports drink then I will mix half a litre of juice in my litre water bottle as well as the electrolyte concentrate.  

4.) Keep Stimulants to a Minimum – Stimulants like sugar and caffeine have the tendency to be acidic and dehydrating.  I try to limit myself to one coffee per day, mostly in the morning.  When I have my cup of coffee I am sure to follow up with some water. If I feel like I need something in the afternoon I switch to green tea. I also stay well away from syrup sodas and strong juices.  Maintaining proper PH balance will help in many ways…but that is a whole other blog!

Because I like to stay realistic, a word of warning comes with a great hydration plan. You will pee. When I am on the mountain I pee almost every third run, just ask my coach.  It can be a hassle, but I like to keep this machine well oiled and in top working condition, that way I am staying safe and healthy.

Being properly hydrated is just one more thing to help you achieve your everyday goals, whatever they may be, and for me to achieve mine…Getting to the 2014 Games!!      

5 Ways to Boost That Metabolism

The metabolism is a misunderstood and overlooked aspect of losing weight, but its relevance is huge. As the dictionary tells us, metabolism is the sum of the physical and chemical processes in an organism by which its material substance is produced, maintained, and destroyed, and by which energy is made available.

 Basically it is how the body takes in and uses food for energy and to support and sustain the body and its functions. This is a complex process which requires simple steps to keep it fired up and burning those unwanted calories and soft spots.

5 Ways to Boost Your Metabolism  

Move – Do any activity that picks up your heart rate and lets you break a sweat. High intensity workouts for 30-40mins three times a week should be enough to keep the burn up. It is said that morning workouts are best, but really, anything your can squeeze into your day is awesome. I suggest picking a contest to train for, this way you can find focused workouts with varying intensities, and you will stay self motivated a lot easier. There are always trainers at gyms or other professionals to help.

Drink Water – Water is the lubricant and a main transport system for nutrients and waste in our bodies, if this is low so is our body’s efficiency. Being properly hydrated will help speed or maintain your metabolic rate therefore its calorie burning capacity too. I like to pre-hydrate with at least a pint, around 500ml, of water before doing activity, and am sure to keep a water bottle close while doing my thing.

Eat Frequently – Eating 5-6 small meals during the day is a great way to speed things up. The idea behind this is that your body will not be storing calories because it knows it will be getting more soon. When we wait all day to eat our bodies start to go into survival mode, storing calories as fat, this is not good. Measurements for meals should be around the size of your fist for meats, half a fist for carbs and two fists for veggies. Lastly, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day…Eat it!

Eat Right – Make sure those 5-6 small meals consist of quality ingredients and are low in fat. Meals should be packed with protein and fiber  Protein, to keep your body’s repairs up from the killer workout you had the day before and for whatever you did today. Keep in mind the body can only process 20-30gms at a time. Fiber is important because it will stabilize your blood sugar so cravings for items with sugar, or fat, should go down. Don’t be afraid to supplement with protein shakes, vitamins, and Omega 3-6-9. A vitamin B complex is a great choice to help your metabolism and decrease stress levels, even coffee has been linked to burning fats; I like to have a cup before workouts.

Relax – Stress can cause havoc in your body, including slowing your metabolism. Stress causes the adrenal gland to produce cortisol which causes your body to store fat, sort of like when you’re starved. So be sure to do what you need to do to unwind and find the ability to reset in stressful situations. Sleep is included in relaxing, be sure to get restful undisturbed sleep, this will help keep your hormones in check and reduce things like hunger cravings. Sleep and rest will get and keep your engine burning hot and efficiently. 

As you can see there are some simple steps to kick up a complex process. So, get healthy by Moving, Drinking Water, Eating Frequently, Eating Right, and don't forget to Sleep it off!! 

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Getting to the Core

 Snowboarding, and most sports, is very dynamic in movement which requires a great amount of leg strength and that is normally one of the first things we train. However, a lot of people out there neglect their cores, no matter what you are doing, from playing soccer to desk surfing. Check what I have to say about that.

 
Reasons Why You Need To Train Core

1.) You can do it any where – Most core exercises do not require any equipment or a membership to a gym so there are no real excuses not to do core exercises. Anything that involves coordination of ab and back muscles counts as a core exercise.

2.) You will do everything better – Having a strong core will make everything you do better. It is the base for all physical activity, be it swimming or playing golf, and especially snowboarding. This definitely includes everyday life like running to catch a bus or picking up kids. A weak core means being more susceptible to muscle injuries and pain, particularly when if comes to your posture or lower back.

3.) You can reach those fitness goals – Fitness goals can be elusive but you can make them more attainable if you have a great program to get you there. This program should include an array of core exercises to compliment the other exercises in the program. As I mentioned before, core strength will help you be better at anything.

4.) You will improve your balance and stability - Training every piece of your core, not just your abdominal and oblique muscles, but including your pelvis, hips, lower back to work in synchronization will provide your body with greater stabilization. Then you could do stronger dynamic movements or hold static positions for a longer time.

5.) You want to tone that belly – There is a lot of emphases on aerobic activity to lose flab, but you still want that six pack to show once you’ve burned that unwanted layer off. Core exercises will make that toning happen and you will love your mirror again. 

If these reasons have inspired you to get down on some core strength then here are a few of my favourites, just grab some floor space and get to it.

Top Ab Crunch – modified from a traditional sit up

• Start on back, knees bent so feet are flat on the floor, elbows are bent and hands are touching side of head at ear level 
• Lift upper body, while thinking of lifting the chest and chin to the ceiling in a smooth motion by engaging the abdominals and keep the upper back flat 
• Only lift until the top of the mid back is off the ground and then return to the starting position 
• Try 3 sets of 15-20 

Lower Ab Crunch

• Start on back with knees drawn up so knees are close to chest and feet are as close as possible to your bum, hands at your side 
• Use lowers abdominals to rock knees close to your shoulders while keeping your feet close to your bum and shoulders on the floor, then back to the starting position 
• Feel the crunch in your lower abdominals 
•  Try 3 sets of 40- 50 

Superman

• Start on front with arms and legs out stretched in a flying superman position
•  Bring legs and arms as high as possible off the ground and hold for 20 seconds before returning to the starting position 
• Try 3 sets of 20 seconds 

V-Twist  

• Start seated on the ground with knees bent to 45 degrees and feet flat on the ground 
• Twist to one side and reach behind as far as possible and touch the ground then rotate to the other side to reach as far back as possible and touch the ground again. 
• Try 3 sets of 40 touches 

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Keys to Recovery - Decreasing Muscle Soreness

 

I defiantly know what it is like to be sore from a workout.  I have been scared of stairs in my path, and even getting out of bed or a chair.  September and October is the time of the year when I am close to two great half pipes and have the afternoons to hit the gym. I can get some of the best training in. This translates into doing two workouts a day, probably four or more days a week.  With all this training I sure suffer from DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) and over the years I have come to believe in these keys to recovery. 

  

1.) Blood Circulation - Included in this point is stretching, roller work, contrast baths and massage. All these actions will increase blood flow to and from the muscle to help flush muscle toxins like lactic acid. It's the muscle toxins which cause the most discomfort the day of or a couple days after a workout. I try to incorporate at least ten to fifteen minutes of stretching and roller work post workout and possibly again during the night or before bed.  As for the contrast baths, it may be a luxury to have a hot and cold tub in your gym or house but we all have showers.  I try to do at least five to eight minutes total in cold, aiming for multiple one to two minute rounds of cold followed by some hot.  This also depends on how I am feeling and how long I can withstand the cold for.  For best results I finish with cold. I try to get a massage at least once a month, if I am lucky I may be able to get one once a week, still one of the best ways to increase circulation and relax. 

2.) Eating - After a workout, no matter the intensity, your body is primed for taking in nutrients and materials to repair and build muscle.  It is vital to a good recovery to intake 100 - 200 calories within an hour post workout.  This can be something as simple as a peanut butter and banana sandwich or a shake, I prefer a shake, you can mix right after.  I found this site which explains good ratios to follow depending on if you're trying to cut weight or gain muscle check it out HERE  

3.) Hydration - This is probably the easiest to do but most don't do it properly.  Considering our bodies are made up of 60% water, we need it to maintain balance and smooth function for our internal systems.  Being hydrated will allow our bodies to dissolve, transport and absorb nutrients, flush out toxins (which aids the first key, circulation), regulate its temperature, and help energy production.  Generally speaking one should intake around 16oz of water per pound lost during exercise.  You can find out how much water weight you have lost if you weight yourself before and after your workout. Some use urine color as a gauge of your bodies' hydration level and this is a good instant indicator. I also like to consider my lips as a sign if I am getting enough water, a bit chapped means I need to hit the bottle while smooth and moist lips means I am doing pretty well. Although this is a rather delayed indication of hydration I still find it to be a good cue.  For more info check out this site HERE

4.) Sleep - I think this is the most important key for recovery and is easily overlooked.  This is super important as an athlete but probably just as important for everyday life.  While we sleep our minds have a chance to process all the information taken in during the day including the cementing in all of the new neurological pathways we built during our workout, especially if a new workout or exercise was preformed.  Our bodies are also releasing hormones that rebuild muscles.  Lack of sleep could lead to plateaus in workouts and other detrimental effects on your body, not to mention a cloudy mind.  During these days of long training I even take a 20-30 minute nap between on snow and gym sessions and I get 7-8 hours of sleep each night.  I also have to add that the quality of sleep is important.  The less you can be disturbed the better, I use ear plugs and sometimes even a sleeping mask to minimize distractions, especially important for traveling. For more info on sleep deprivation check this out HERE

These keys; circulation, eating, hydration, and sleep, are just guidelines that I have found to work really well.  I believe they are applicable to a high intensity athletes, like myself, and to recreational athletes who are trying to reach a personal goal.  One thing I can definitely say is that your body will adapt and DOMS will decrease with workout frequency.  So keep it up, because in this case whatever doesn't kill you will only make you stronger.

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First World Cup Down

It’s the day after the Cardrona World Cup and I feel good.  Although there was lots to celebrate; consistent runs, staying lose in a big contest, and top Canadian, I found myself back in the gym this morning building my strength again to get ready for these eighteen months of qualifying.  Last night there was no excessive drinking and dancing to celebrate, just dinner with some good people and a movie at home to cap it off. 

Still, as I recall yesterday, I feel very satisfied with my nineteenth place finish.  The sunny day helped a lot with my riding, since I was visualizing a sunny day in my mind practice for the past four weeks.  The pipe was in great condition, at least it was to me, and the competitive field was thick with seasoned athletes ready to show their stuff for the first qualifying World Cup for the 2014 Olympics. 

I spent the morning stretching and riding in my mind, keeping my body loose and staying focused for my task; that was to just land big clean runs. 

My coach, Roberto, and I were hitching a ride up the access road so we arrived very early to give ourselves the best chances of getting a ride.  A sheep farmer stopped and we hopped on the flatbed of his utility truck, it was a bit cold in the morning, but the view down the Cardrona valley was the best I have ever seen.  Probably because there was no roof or walls to block any scenery, the most unique ride up I have ever been on.

The practice was great, two straight air runs, two contest runs then I just stopped to save energy.  I am happy with how I kept calm at the top of the course, I had a lot to be confident in with all my training and good practices I had the days before the contest, and I knew I had to trust in those. 

My runs were smooth, even adding my invert at the end of my second run to boost my score another ten points to push me into top Canadian position.  I just missed my goal by a few spots, but there was a lot for me to be happy with.  On the flipside I know what I need to work on to be in the top eight.

One of the best things that happened was when I came to the bottom and I heard girls commenting about a bumpy flat bottom throughout the pipe, and I thought to myself, ‘I didn’t feel a thing!’, that was a sign to me that I was really in the zone for my run.  I have to thank my mental trainer Bob for that!

I really have to thank all my partners, Sony Canada, Scott Canada, Iyashi spa, Ifound, Make-A-Wish Canada, G&G, and the great people who are donating to my cause for helping me do well at this World Cup.  Most of all my trainers Roberto Marfia, Crispin Lipscomb, Bob Palmer and Geoff Barnz for preparing me thus far.   

So, with my goals set out for the upcoming training weeks I feel excited to start on them. I know that every day is an opportunity to improve in some way, so I can’t be missing time due to self-inflicted sick days, especially when I am here in New Zealand to get more winter to train.  This is why I woke up early today, the day after the contest, made a good breakfast and found my way to the gym. 

In so many ways I am much stronger then I was yesterday and this passion is taking me towards excellence, towards my greatest dream.       

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For the Love of Sport

I really do love sport and I loved watching the Olympics.  So much that I neglected to do other work, like writing blogs, to take in all the inspiring athletes pursuing perfection in front of judges or being the fastest in their craft.  I don’t feel too guilty because it was a bit like homework for me. 

Rosie MacLennan has to be the first to mention.  I feel amazed that I chose her to follow, and she ended up Canada’s only gold medal.  In times of high pressure and somewhat being under the shadow of Karen Cockburn, she performed fantastic and kept Canada at the top of trampoline.  Canadian’s are so proud of what she accomplished. 

This is not to say that I have forgotten about JessicaZelinka, who may have been a bit behind in the heptathlon but she still killed it in the hurdles, just missing the podium.  Her story alone is so interesting, being a mom and an athlete, two full on major jobs; I can only imagine what that must be like.  

Of course, last but not least Phylicia George, from my home city of Toronto, and even closer to my home town, Markham.  A still blooming athlete with more Olympics to come I am sure. 

The work all these athletes put into their sport is incomprehensible to people who do not pursue a sport and just watch them perform.  It is easy to say how “disappointing” it is for someone to miss a mark but hard to truly empathize with those feelings.  I suspect a small business owner may understand, but then their window of opportunity is a little winder when compared to an athlete.

I get it.  My life for over ten years has been snowboarding, and I love it.  Still it never has been easy.  Lack of guidance at the start and middle was a struggle.  The stigma snowboarding has had in the past never helped me in any way.  

 The looks my parents got when they told people their daughter was a snowboarder are memorable, I am thankful they are so awesome.  They gave me a chance to prove snowboarding is a real sport, like diving or gymnastics, just like them I do this though hours of hard work.

I am excited to have a chance to change what it means to be a snowboarder in Canada.  This movement is happening all over, especially with riders like Kelly Clark, Gretchen Bleiler, and Hannah Teter, who I see on snow and in the gym on a regular basis. 

We are the ones who are diligent and committed to our profession in every way, and are willing to try new ideas.  We will be inspiring for other females of all ages all around the world and we deserve to be called Olympic calibre athletes.              

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Olympic Fever

I really love the Olympics.  This is a most exciting time.  I love waking up and checking what I missed, being glued to my CTV Olympic app, and checking in on all the action, sometimes even drama.  Although I do feel as though I am missing out on most of the Canadian coverage of the Games, since I am in Oregon for some on snow training, the Americans do a great job of showcasing their athlete's talent.  All the way from NBC national broadcasting to the local stations, they are supporting their athletes.

I almost expect the USA to be at the top of the score board with an astounding 539 athletes at the Games. China has a close second in medals with only 384 athletes, still much lower considering the population of both counties.

Then there is Canada with our 281 athletes, and a fraction of the population compared to the powerhouses of USA and China.  Still we're holding our own and currently in 11th place; great for a small country that is 35th on the list of world populations, much lower than any of the countries who are the top of the score board.  This just shows that Canadians love sport!

Jessica Zelinka

Rosie Maclennan

This is a time, just like the Winter Games, where I thrive off seeing these athletes perform no matter what sport they are doing.  Seeing the 'eye of the tiger' in their look is inspiring and something I can easily relate to.  I am so pumped to have relations to athletes like Jessica Zelinka, heptathlon athlete, who I share a mental trainer with, Bob Palmer.  Also  Rosie Maclennan, trampoline athlete, with whom we have the same Pilates instructor, two time Olympian and bronze medalist Fanny Latourneau- Roussel.  Lastly with Phylicia George, running, we share a best friend, Tenika Davis.  Makes me feel that I am on the right track.

Phylicia George

Jessica is scheduled to start her seven event competition tomorrow and I am excited for her to start as she is the first to begin of the three I am following closely.

Regardless, I have been anxiously following all my Canadian athletes through the press and twitter feeds. I love seeing the medal count grow every day as our dedicated, diligent, and brave athletes achieve their dreams though following their passions.  No matter what their finish is I am proud to have them representing my country.  To even make it to the Olympics is a feat and a journey, I should know, I am on the path myself right now!

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My Rope for Hope Experience

Four months ago when Make-A-Wish and I decided to team up for their first Rope for Hope event I really didn’t know what to expect. All I knew was that I was interested and wanted to help. Our phone conversation concluded with me being a guest celebrity and although it wasn’t necessary for me to raise money I felt inclined to do so. Mostly because while I get to live my wish everyday the Make-A-Wish kids are facing life treating challenges which affects both them and their loving families. 

Within a week I was already at $1500 and decided to up my goal by a thousand dollars.  It took a while but all these people helped me come very close to my goal. Overall, I raised $2380 with the help of; Sony of Canada, G&G Electronics customers, Cheryl and Gary Tsuyuki, Edith, George and Kimberly Myslicki, Linda Nakamoto, Teddy Guay, Kris Owikawa, Linda Owikawa, Anna Holancin, J Peter Milner, Stacey Carmichael, Susan Sims, Derek McDonald, SportExcel Inc., Edison Wai, Canadianweb Solutions, Kristina Jacobson, Ken Coombs, Ray Edamura, Derek Salvatin, Anita Cristan, and Helen Thomas. These people made a big difference in lives that needs change. 

It was amazing how fast the time flew by and before I knew it I was in front of City Hall in Toronto being greeted by the wonderful volunteers of the Rope for Hope event.  I had a great support crew; Garrett, Kimberly and my parents, who showed up along with my trusty camera man Roberto.  Before I knew it I was being whisked up the elevator to go up the 27 stories of City Hall to the roof. 

A company called Over the Edge were the professionals running the ropes course and I could tell they were well educated in their craft.  I would even say that climbing was their passion.  Jeff was helpful getting me into my harness and making sure it was tight and all the clips were closed and I was safe to go.  Next, I was on to a mini training course to make sure I knew how to work all the equipment.  Mad Dog from Virgin Radio in Toronto was repelling with me, and his comical comments relieved some of the tension, which was mostly coming from him…I was calm still, but that wasn’t going to last long.

The last step was getting on to the roof, it was at this time the true height of the building hit me and as my head poked out from the well of the ladder and I saw over most buildings in the downtown core.  Without even thinking I was strapped into the repel device and the safety device.  My camera man radioed in for the green light and it was my time to go. 

So now I had to get on to the ledge, the ledge that leads to nothing.  I was pretty good until I was told to turn around with my back to the abyss of air.  It got even worse when I had to lean into my harness and trust it was going to hold me…it was a 30 story drop behind me.  Once I was comfortable I was really excited to get on the move. 

It seemed like it took forever to get down the first half and I was sure to stop and take in the views of the cityscape and the lake.  I knew this was a chance of a lifetime.  After the halfway mark the rope was feeding through the device smoother and I was able to cruse down.  When my feet hit the ground I was a bit sad it was over but relieved.  It was also great to see all the wonderful people at the bottom greeting me. 

 

Other participants in the event included wish children and families, such as Tara, 18, Cystic Fibrosis, 

whose wish was granted in 2011 and had a double lung transplant in February 2012. Tara is doing so well that both her and her dad went over City Hall as a team to support Make-AWish. Wish dad Brian , and firefighter Shaun, rallied together to raise funds and support MakeA-Wish, post 4-year-old Owen’s wish to be a firefighter, which was granted on World Wish Day® in April. Wish child and wish ambassador, Madison, 14, Leukemia, and her best friend, YTV’s Life with Boys star, Michael Murphy, took part in Rope for Hope yesterday as well. 

Make-A-Wish really knows how to put on a good show and I am proud to be associated with them.  I strongly suggest everyone should do a charity event like this.  It was new and exciting and a unique challenge for myself, another gala, walk, or run does not seem that interesting after doing Rope for Hope.  So keep an eye out for the next Rope for Hope event that will be coming to your city soon!!    

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Family Matters

Have you ever worked with your family? My family’s lively hood is based on working together and it makes for an interesting dynamic.  I swear that we could get our own TV show from all the shenanigans. 

The past few days have especially been exciting.  The gym I work out at in Toronto is no more and Gary, my dad, found this most advantageous.  Through special circumstances all the equipment in the closed gym was purchased and had to be moved to the new space in G&G Installation’s building. 

It all started on Monday, I went into former ATP for a workout and was met there by the whole gang, Mom, Dad, and Brother.  They were working the deal and taking inventory, which seemingly was irrelevant because they took everything, and I was there to do the last workout in that gym.  The deal was done and in the middle of my set and I noticed my Bro and dad were already ripping out the special flooring in the other room.  Before I was finished six helpers were loading dumb bells into a van.  I got into the packing action too, adding to the workout I just had. 

A prior commitment kept me busy for that night but the next afternoon I met the crew in the new space.  I was surprised to see the mirrors and floor already installed and a lot of equipment to be set up.  Apparently I arrived just in time to start unloading what remained in; 2 vans, 2 suburbans, a cube van, and a full size closed trailer. Everyone was in full swing. 

Dad was directing, Mom designing the space, my Bro literally throwing things out of the vehicles.  Me, I was the floater, helping where ever they needed me; washing windows, carrying stuff, sweeping ,etc.  As easy it as it sounds on paper it’s never that smooth in reality.  There were really three bosses instructing associates who were slaving away to create this gym.  Some yelling happened, miscommunications, and a lot of confusion.  Never the less, we did it and within 48 hours we fully tore apart a whole gym and reassembled it to make a beautiful place.  Surprisingly only few sustained an injury. 

 I had my first workout there today, it felt great to be in the new GYT Fit private gym.  Thanks to all who helped put it all together :)

It was a great reminder that when it needs to happen I have a family who can be counted on even when things are on the line and last minute.  I can’t forget about all of the other awesome people who are always there for us too, yes Jenna, Derek, and Dan that’s for you, sorry if I missed anyone.  When the bat light goes out these people really step up to the plate. 

Although working with family has it challenges the benefits are worth it.  I guess it helps when your family has been doing it for over 60 years!

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Empowering the Youth

Seems in these fast times with more attention to the media and less to ourselves we can easily get lost in the mix. At least, this is how I feel and I am an adult…most of the time. 

Empowering ourselves and others give the chance for change.  This can be a catalyst to something grand, something imperative to a life. 

Today I was able to see others in my hometown community of East Scarborough take steps to empower the local youth at the 2012 Unity in the Community Youth Conference hosted by the East Scarborough Boys and Girls Club.  I was invited to speak on a panel discussing empowerment and how we were empowered. 

One person spoke about how education and being self sufficient empowers them,  referring to the “catch a man a fish or teach a man to fish” phrase.  Another spoke about how expression through art empowered them with the freedom of creativity.  I spoke about how inspiring youth through setting an example of following a passion supported by hard work empowered me.  What I didn’t say was that even just being there, feeding off the energy in the room also empowered me.  What a feeling!

I then found my way around to different workshops.  The first was with Claude, he was speaking to a group of males about how education was the key to success.  He emphasized that it doesn’t matter if you do it all at once, because sometimes life happens, but you do need to complete it at some point to give you the best chance at success in life.  The next was with a group of young females and that leader spoke about how media contradicts itself constantly, how it is important to recognize this and take it into account when buy products or thinking about one’s body image.  The last one was with Amir, this was mostly a discussion on how our perception of others affects us and why certain faces makes us feel differently about people before we become acquainted with them.  I am sure the participants in the groups were as enthused as I was. 

The last big event was the community walk, a 5km walk around the heart of East Scarborough.  Not only was it a chance to get out into the beautiful Toronto sun, but it also gave me the fortune to speak to some of the youth at the conference on a more personal level.  Three students in particular caught my attention.  A bubbly girl named Khusubu, the creative one, Taylor, and the comical one Mayo.  I loved learning about what their passions were and their special roles in their clique of friends.  I was so impressed on how bright and insightful this gang was for being in grade 8, they all spoke at least two languages and were so open minded.  I was especially taken with 13year old Khusubu and her discussion on how insecurities are derived from fear…she is going to email me the book she is writing and the one her friend is writing…no big deal.   

 

When I left the conference with certificate in hand and a thank you card I really felt as though I needed to thank the East Scarborough Boys & Girls club for having me at the event.  I loved meeting new people, like constable Mat Crisp, and talking about how to make changes and improvements in local communities.  I felt recharged and motivated to go out and empower the people around me.  This day was the best part of my week and I will be sure to carry it for a long time! 

Special Thanks to Nneka for the invitation

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Passion Pushes Athletes

Lately I have been trying to notice everyday people who live with passion in their lives.  Since I have been spending a lot of time in Blackcomb’s park I have had the chance to meet up with new riders who are truly locals.  

First, I met Martin; he is from Argentina and an instructor for the resort.  He packs in whole days where breaks are seldom.  Next I met JP, fully educated and trying to make a  career in Whistler in the fitness industry.  He also is on the mountain every day he can be with big smiles, taking full advantage of his pass.

It is clear to me that snowboarding is their world.  It’s what they dream of day and night, where goals are not necessarily to be a pro, but to learn, practice, and improve.  Snowboarding is their passion and I was excited to see them expressing it.  The past couple of days have had a lot of great times. 

All this makes me think of the passion of other athletes, not just snowboarders.  With 76 days left until the start of the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games, I can almost feel the excitement building across the country, and I too want to get involved.

I decided to choose an athlete to follow to and though the Games, this will give me an inside feel to the big event from a participant’s point of view at the Summer Games.  

Rosie MacLennan

I have a connection to a few athletes who are potential or are going to the Games already but none who’s sport can be related to snowboarding.  That is until I remembered my Pilates trainer, Fanny at Health Movement, also trained a trampoline athlete, Rosie MacLennan.  Trampoline would be perfect as it is several acrobatic movements in a row and it’s judged.  I definitely felt there is a connection. 

I contacted Rosie and she is thinking about it now. I am excited to connect with another athlete whose passion is pushing them towards perfection and greatness.  There must be many similarities in our journeys to the Games.  This also gives me the change to help promote the interest of our Olympic team, so we are all active in supporting them. 

Until I get a response, it’s back up to Blackcomb to practice my own craft.  My own qualifying for Sochi starts August 25^th at Cardrona resort in New Zealand, and I am going to be ready to bring it!

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Above the Clouds

Seems like life always has more curve balls than expected, thus far my time in BC has been a bit frustrating.  Festivals, weather and other miscellaneous happenings are interfering with my plans.  As I have said before, during these days it is important to see the positive side.  

Yes, those are people!
Where's the Pipe?

I have been home for two weeks and due to weather, contests and photo shoots I have not ridden a solid day in the pipe.  Most of the time the pipe looks like this.
 That’s not to say that I haven’t been getting work done, just not the work I planned to do.  I came here to work on two specific tricks, but end up riding jumps, rails and the natural features of the mountain.  The positive part is that I still work on the essence and fundamentals of the tricks on these other features, and I must admit that I do have a lot of fun working new components. 

This makes me think about my seminar on passion and how a good work ethic supports my following of snowboarding.  Sometimes I don’t want to try new things because I know I will be awkward at them, let’s face it…no one wants to look uncoordinated and sloppy.  But in the end I trust my coach and am determined so I am willing to put myself out there; at this time of the year it means getting soaked too!  I know it will all contribute to the successes of my goals in the future. 

For today, it’s getting some house and computer work done.  I have the privilege of Rope for Hope, a thirty story repel in June for Make-A-Wish Foundation, so, I will be looking for sponsors.  Check out all the action HERE. 

For tomorrow, it will be waking up and looking to get the most out of my day.  My fingers are crossed for the sun to be out!!!    

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Passion

The last ten years of my life have been passion driven, and I must say that I am privileged to have found things I was passionate about at a young age.  I was lucky enough to be exposed to many experiences to gauge what my possible passions were.  However, not every kid out there is as fortunate as I was, and I am pretty sure the schooling curriculum does not include finding your passion.  So, for the past few weeks I have been composing a presentation to take to schools and social groups to get kids thinking.

My goal is to get them to think about what they are good at, enjoy, and are interested in.  Or to just be more conscience of what is happening around them so they can get some ideas on what they could be passionate about.  I feel this is an important step to get kids motivated and confident again. 

Included in my presentation is talk about how to make passions a realistic occupation, since I have so many great examples around me to pull from.  I live with examples like my friend Tenika, who is pursuing acting and modeling, but has her Bachelor of Arts in political science.  When speaking to her about this project she reminded me that your passion almost has to be an obsession, where perseverance gets you though many set backs.  With her, it is audition after audition, where getting turned down is a very common occurrence.  Another amazing example is my parents and our family business.  They deal with a lot of crap, but they are passionate about retail.  My Mom loves the social aspect and my Dad loves directing and taking care of everyone.  At times he sounds like air traffic control, making it happen for the people around him.  Lastly, I think of my own adventures and how the love of snowboarding makes me responsible and have initiative to work on my own on the mountain and off the mountain.  We are all people who followed our calling.   

 

Even though all our passions are different we all have one common trait…a great work ethic.  This characteristic allows us to live our passions as a job, where we live to work and not work to live, and we are okay with this.  It would be amazing if the next generation of workers lived like this too.  More people would take pride in what they do, work quality would rise, and the ordinary person would live a much happier life.

I am excited about this project and having the opportunity to inspire others to follow and live their dreams, as I was inspired to do years ago.  I have found great supporters like Sony of Canada, Iyashi Bedrock Spa, Anakie, Scott Goggles and iFound.  And I can’t forget about my incredible parents and coach/partner Roberto Marfia.  My supporters mixed with passion and work ethic is a recipe for success.  And with a little help, I believe anyone can follow this recipe.  I would love the chance to help a kid find their way and place in this world.         

If you would like more information on a presentation, which right now is a free presentation, please fill out a email form at http://www.ktathletics.com/   

The Refresher

Sqamish from Above 

My time home in Squamish after nationals was invigorating.  Not only did I get quality time in my house but I also was able to ride my favourite mountain, Whistler Blackcomb and pick up some new techniques on riding. 

Being back in my own bed was heaven; I even call that bed the coffin because you could spend the rest of your life in it.  The feeling of my own effects around me was comforting after the long journey of traveling for competition.  When I am on the road I hardly think about how much I miss my room in my home, but when I return I definitely appreciate my belongings and their placement. 

Aside from enjoying my house I also spent time tidying my garage and the small things that always need tending to after I have been away.  I also must admit that I cleared most of the Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles WII game, love my video games! 

Heading up to Whistler was beautiful too.  There, it was still a winter wonderland with fresh snow right to the village.  I met up with my great friend and snowboard tuner Yohann Sheetz to take some peak to creek runs.  In spite of it being spring it was cold there maybe minus five to minus ten.  That first day my legs and feet were burning from the long runs, my feet were used to six minute pipe laps and we were riding twenty-five to thirty-five minute runs! But it was awesome to get some last powder days in before the end of the season.

Whistler Blackcomb 

 

I finally had the opportunity to get together with Olympian and Whistler local Crispin Lipscomb to learn new edging and stance techniques on my snowboard.  I felt it was necessary to get back to some fundamentals; at times you can take leaps ahead by going back a few spaces. 

Crispin Lipscomb

One always feels a bit awkward when trying new things, and so did I, but I was pumped to be learning new ways to use the full potential of my snowboard.  Crispin had a lot of great pointers to improve my carving, and I had a blast putting them to use. 

I cursed thought the on snow techniques, but needed more practice to refine it off features.  Riding some mellow small park and rails was so enjoyable; we only took one run though the full sized half pipe.  I loved learning these new things about my sport and applying them. 

The continual learning of snowboarding is one of the most alluring aspects of snowboarding.  The three days with Crispin were fun and they now leave me with new concepts to think about and utilize in my half pipe riding.   

Summit County 

Home is always the favourite trip during the year, but now it was time to go back to Summit County, Colorado, to get in some spring conditions to train.  Breckenridge and Copper are great stomping grounds to have consistent courses and learn new tricks. 

So far it has been a great riding trip, getting back some old tricks and I even won a quarter pipe contest in Breckenridge.  The time ahead will be short but intense and I will achieve great accomplishments from it…but I am looking forward to heading back to Squamish after :)   

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Canadian Snowboard Championships

The Canadian Snowboard Championships are over and as I had forecasted, it was a great contest.  The contest was unlike any I have been to before.  Probably the best Canadian contest in a while.

For me it started with arriving in Calgary three days in advance.  My first day riding was a fun one and it was great to see some new faces around the Calgary Olympic Park pipe, but I was especially stoked to see the old faces too.  The sun was out with warm and soft conditions. 

There were the same conditions the next day, so the officials made the decision to cancel practice.  It was a little funny because I was starting to see a pattern emerge.  This was the third cancelled practice before the contest this season.   

Once again I turned to my mental coach, Bob Palmer, to help me visualize some snow time, giving me an edge on other athletes.  We had a great session in substitute for the last day of training.  Although almost nothing could prepare me for the conditions on contest day. 

It was a Friday and it was warm all day.  We didn’t get started until the late afternoon hoping the cooler temperatures would help keep the pipe’s shape.  Although we waited later in the day to start, the semi-qualifiers of the women and men left some ruts and bumps across the bottom and down the walls.   The worst part was that the temperature was dropping leaving the rutted shapes frozen in the snow.

I had qualified in third place and it was time for finals.  Dropping in was like a rodeo, not knowing where I was going to be bucked, but I was able to pull together a run on my first one and it was decent but I thought I could improve on it. At the end of the women’s first run I was in second. 

At the start of the men’s first run I could see a crew of people start walking up to the pipe course.  They came up the rider’s right side of the pipe and all the way to the starting area.  They were even walking all over the drop on the right side of the pipe.  A bunch of people had costumes on like 80s one piece ski suits with wigs, astronaut cowboys, pokey, etc.  People started walking down the bob sled track and one guy even passed was lying in the patrol toboggan; it was mayhem.  Once we got some crowed control at the top the men were able to start dropping again.

I saw a lot of men getting bucked around the pipe and when I went for my second run all I was thinking about was just staying on my feet.  I accomplished that but the run wasn’t so pretty.  So I was relying on my first run’s score.

  

My first run won me second place.  I wanted to do better but I was so happy to see how proud my parents were.  It was enough for me.  

                                                                                                           Another awesome part was the flash dance mob and their 2000 boom boxes all tuned into the same transmitted station, from a FM transmitter, the party was pumping in the viewing area.  It was nice to have a Canadian contest with more than 50 people at the bottom.  Here are some pictures, as you can see it was crazy. 

I was satisfied with second, but winning would have been awesome.  Still, it felt good to get back on the podium; it has been a long contest year.  Looking back at all my results this year I noticed that I had a better placing with every contest.  This is the important thing to look at because it’s going to be a build up to Sochi.  I don’t want to be hitting the ceiling now, peaking at the right time will be paramount.  

I didn’t get to say a speech on the podium but I am so thankful for the people who came out to support me.  Of course there were my biggest fans my Mom and Dad, Stacy Carmichael, Bruce Inguard, Chris Castle and Wyatt (my littlest fan).  Thanks guys for hanging out in the cold.  I can’t forget about Joanne Wright, she was our snowboard mom when I was starting all this and it was great to see her again.

Of course none of the people who make my life less stressful, my sponsors Sony of Canada, Scott, Anakie, Iyashi Bedrock Spa, iFound, and Allian.  I am the luckiest person because I get to live my dream every day.

I could never forget about all the hard work my coach puts into me as well.  His dedication and commitment has been paramount to my season results.  So a huge thanks to Roberto Marifa and Focus Elite Training. 

Now I am excited to get some time again to train, and I have taken more things into account this time.  I know what I need to work on in the pipe and out of the pipe to help spring me in front of the competition.  Training season here I come!!

  

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