January training update with Panorama flight video

10 days ago we had 2 days of rain, which resulted in icing over of the x-country ski tracks on the lake. A positive side of this is that it forced me to mix up my training a little, and do some skating. The skating loop is 15 km and is also a good workout.
At the same time, I am spending more time in the gym and in the swimming pool. Penny has created 2 new programs (legs and upper body) for me, which I thought I am doing fine with it. A couple days ago she came to the gym with me just to make sure all was on track and that I was doing the exercises correctly. Well I was doing the exercises, but not the "Penny Powers" way. With her corrections.....Boy could I ever feel it the next day. I did not even know I had these muscles. Anyhow it is quite amazing to see how muscle memory works. Just before December I hiked 20,000 meter in elevation in 6 weeks, with no problems, and no pain, and then Penny gives me a leg and lower body workout which hurt the next day. You can see it is important to switch your routine on an ongoing basis.

Some people have been asking me if I am sacrificing my young family (Erik is 2.5 years and Katia 4.5 years old) with all the training and preparations. Interesting question, which I had never thought about it before, as my life is all about Penny and the kids. I am a very lucky guy and work from home, so I spend a lot of time with these little rascals, plus we include them in all our activities. I do have a write up about Penny and the kids at our presentation script.
The only time the kids are not with us is Thursday afternoon. This is my date day with Penny. There we go skiing or flying without the kids.

Here is a helmet cam video of a flight from www.PanoramaResort.com summit (cut in half otherwise it is to long)



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Happy New Year - MBT

Happy New year, we wish everyone a great and healthy 2009.

We had some great holiday and spend the whole time at home. It was just great. The temperatures climbed into the minus 10-15 Cecilius range from the mid -20th. The lake was frozen solid and this allowed us to create a 20 km skating and x-country classic ski trail. Best of it, it is only 5 minute walking distance from my house. Classic and skate skiing is one of the best exercises for endurance and overall strength. So this will be one of my main workout in the next 2 month. So far I logged plus 200km at Panorama, Nipika and on the lake.
Christmas day we spend up at Panorama Mountain Resort (25 minute drive) to go skiing and flying. We (Frank and I) dressed up and flew as Santa Claus, Penny was flying as an elf and we all landed in front of the day lodge to entertain the kids. Katia (my 4.5 year old girl) figured out who Santa was, but Erik (my 2.5 year old boy) was full into it. Katia and Erik set a milestone for themselves in skiing, Katia can take now the chair lift on her own and Erik is now skiing all by him self (he likes the moguls the best).

Just before the holidays I got a package from MBT. MBT is a very unique shoe and is also called "the anti-shoe". I first heard about MBT talking to Urs Loetscher. Yes, good old Urs from the x-alps. Back then he told me he likes these sandals because he has such a wide foot. "Right ..., the old fox new better." There is more to it, check out what makes MBT so different from any other shoe at http://www.swissmasai.ca/Principle.aspx . MBT is sponsoring us with their shoes and currently I use them for my daily walks and in the gym. I have to say that I can feel a difference on my overall posture while walking and standing. I am not sure if I will be using them during the race, if so, I might only use them while we walk on the road, but first I need to use them more with longer walks and a caring my backpack to see how I do with it.