The never ending search for almond meal

Midway through week 2 I am on a never ending hunt from almond meal. Has anyone who has spent time in Canada got any idea whether they actually make it or where I could find it? I have a MASSIVE flourless chocolate cake craving!! Negotiating the supermarket with a few changed diet requirements has been a little bit of a challenge. Not to mention, the Australian check-out boy who didn't know what a parsnip or a sweet potato was. Really?

The plan for this week is as follows:
Sunday - Training at Lake Louise & recovery jog. Next time I'll take my camera it was such a beautiful view where I ran!
Monday - Training at Lake Louise & new gym program day 1
Tuesday - 10 by 1 mins bike sprints, agility work & yoga at night. My legs are hating me right about now as I lie on the couch writing this.
Wednesday - Training at Lake Louise & new gym program day 2
Thursday - Training at Sunshine & recovery in the gym
Friday - New gym program day 3
Saturday - A fun parallel Slalom race at C.O.P the Olympic Park just out of Calgary. The national hard-boot/alpine coach is organising an event, as he wanted a soft boot category we thought we would head on down!

As you can see the week is fairly intense. My body is feeling stronger everyday but it is also hurting a little! Learning to make the most of down time is going to be critical to maintaining the ability to work hard. The new program is hurting like it is meant to with much more focus on endurance and agility rather than heavy weight strength building.

On Sunday I was running up to the upper reservoir behind our cabin, the sun was shining on the mountains and I just felt so lucky. This life is incredible and I could very easily get used to it, though I really can't wait to get to some races. Thanks so much for all the messages I have received, it is really nice to wake up to a comment or two to read. I will post some pictures on Saturday from the race!

Learning to slow down...

So, I'm use to running full pace ahead. Gym, Uni, Tutoring, Catching Up With Friends... day's in Melbourne always seem packed full of action. I've decided life in Canmore is more like life on a tropical island (minus the climate), time seems to cruise at a slower, slightly Jamaican, pace. I wake up, I go snowboarding or to the gym in the morning. I go to the gym in the afternoon. In between, there is not much to do. I eat, I read, I play on the internet. Life is a calm interspersed with intense training sessions. Now I get why footballers are s good at playstation, the day does need filling in after all.

Today I decided to ignore the memo that Saturday = rest day and headed up to Lake Louise. It was the World Cup Men's Downhill ski racing. CRAZY! Last Sunday we had seen the staff injecting the run with water to make it nice and icy and today I saw these ogre of men hurling themselves down that icy runway. Thorpey definitely would have said it was 'fully sick' (thanks sultana bran).

As you can see it is not quite a European 10,000 people watching but there were enough to make it fun to be part of the atmosphere!

So life is good here in the mountains. I am starting to get to know town, I've seen a coyote eating a bunny rabbit and the weather is warmer!

Sending smiles from Canada.

Mountain High

This is the view from our living room. Enjoy! I did this morning....

Just back from a freezing day riding at Lake Louise on my new snowboard. It was beautiful and we were riding with the silver medalist in the Men's boarder cross at the Olympics - our coach's brother.

Well I better get changed for the gym!

Getting sorted

Hello to anyone who chooses to read this (eg. mum and dad but hopefully some others!),

I arrived in Canmore, AB, CANADA on Saturday the 20th of November after a long flight. I felt like I had been anywhere and everywhere after flying Melbourne, Sydney, LA, Denver, Calgary. Waiting at Calgary was my soon to be housemate Justin. He could not have been kinder making me feel very welcome in Canada despite the best efforts of immigration to send me home again.

After a short drive we arrived at our little cabin in the woods... literally. I am living a little out of town, with Justin (from Calgary) and Nathaniel (french-canadian), both racers on my team. We are probably a little further from civilization than I had expected. But it is very warm, comfortable and fully furnished. Plus there is apparently an awesome view. Though it has been fairly foggy since I arrived so I'm yet to enjoy. The boys have been very good at driving me around which hopefully doesn't wear thin too soon as it is a bit of a trek into town!

Sunday was the first day on snow. No serious training but seriously cold, it was about -20 when it warmed up. There is only a little of Lake Louise open thus far but from what I could see it looks like the next few months are going to be great fun. Adam, the coach, is very young, very focussed and terribly accommodating. I can't wait to get into this more!

Due to it being way too cold (about -30) Monday on snow training was cancelled for two gym sessions. I am really glad that I have been training pretty hard at home, because there was no mucking around here! Also, given that the Canadian Cross Country team are the only other people who use the gym I wouldn't want to feel anymore unfit. I already kind of look like a behemoth compared to their tiny lithe bodies!

So, on first impressions this winter should be great. I am feeling really happy with my choice to come here and am confident that there will be lots of improving done.

Heres to hoping it warms up pretty soon...