x-Alps training video

Fall is still amazing around here. It is cold without snow.
I am happy without snow as for now most of the ski lifts are not open anyways.
In the mean time I am very busy with work and with the x-alps preparations. Joining the Nova-wings.com team was the best thing ever. I do have so much support from European pilots that I have a hard time to follow up. Thanks again to everyone. I will get back to everyone and I am looking forward to work with your ideas and suggestions.

A lot of people are asking about my workout plan.
For the last 3 month I am concentrating on walking with bag-packs on pavement and on the mountain. On an average i hike about 15 km a day with up to 850 meter elevation gain. I am also strengthening my Achilles tendence by running up stairs. Just 5 minutes from my place we have about a 40 meter vertical stairway going down to the beach. I call them stairways to heaven and run them about 10 times up and down before I go to the gym. Penny also put me on a program to work out one day a week in the gym to improve core strength and hip-flexes. Right now I work out at least 5 - 6 days a week. On some weeks I have a bigger break due business travels.
Below is a video of the stair workout and a hike up Mt.Swansea. This also gives you a good idea about the area I am living in.

Back from meetings and more support is shaping up

I am so glad that I can work from my home and do not have to travel and work like many others have to in the cooperate world. The last week I had to attend meetings, presentations and conferences in Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver. This was kind of a wake up call to see how many others are going through their carrier. Now back home I am catching up but can get back to the long hikes and my training program right from the house. I do feel very luck where I live, as this kind of training would almost be impossible living in big cities.
In the mean time we are getting more support. Till (head of Nova team) arranged a sponsorship with CRAFT. Craft is a high end sporting cloth manufacture. CRAFT will sponsor clothing for training and the race. You should check out their products at www.craft.se and see your self the cool and hot stuff they offer.
I am amazed in how much support I do get from Nova team pilots offering their local knowledge to us. Thank you again to all Nova pilots for all the support and keep up the great spirit.

Nova Paraglider support and Nova Team

Nova-wings.com confirmed to support us with a glider, help in route planning and to get some sponsors for equipment. Thanks to Till Gottbrath (Nova Team leader) for his very fast responses and to get this all organized. This is very exciting as we will be able to discuss strategies and have access to local knowledge with some of the best pilots from alps. Already I have some of the team members contacting and sharing information with me. I am very happy and proud to be with the Nova team. I have to say that I have never seen such a warm welcome and fast support from any paragliding company. If anyone from Europe likes to get some information to fly in the Canadian Rockies, please do so as I like to keep up the Team Nova philosophy.

In the mean time, the last 3 weeks I was training hard. I train about 6 out of 7 days. At my last blog you can see that I trained a lot on the mountain. Now I split it up with one day of walking (with full gear and more) 15 km on the flat and a 450 meter hill. Then the day after I run about 400m elevation on stairs to warm up for the Gym.
Now I am off to a conference in Toronto and Vancouver and I will only work out in the hotel gyms.

I will keep you updated on more news.

Max Fanderl