Pique Magazine, published 01.17.06

Rest and Re-fuel

A winter race season is long and with races running almost every weekend it can sometimes feel non-stop. This is why it is so important to recognize the times when you can take some rest in order to refuel your system. It is especially important this winter to find that extra time as we are in an Olympic season. And, the Games will arrive after already having had three full months of World Cup racing!

The goal for all athletes in an Olympic year is to peak for the games. You want to be racing your absolute best by the time February comes around and if everything goes to plan, that Olympic edal could be yours.

In the months leading up to the games emphasis by Alpine Canada and our coaches has been put on our off hill preparation (dryland), our on hill training, our nutrition coming into and throughout the season, and our mental preparation. We have even had a chef come on the road with us a few times this season. (Remember our trip in the Czech Republic – yep, the chef was there and he was appalled at the level of food that was served to us!) My point is that all effort is being made in order to ensure optimal performance at the Games. But, the one piece of the puzzle that is easily forgotten is taking the time to rest and rejuvenate.

Rest to me, means a few days off snow, and taking myself away from the team. In the winter this can be very difficult, but if you can find the time to squeeze in a few off days in it can make a world of difference for your next weeks of racing.

The more important factor for me is to step away from the team. Many of the North American athletes have apartments that they rent for the winter season. This allows them to have a home base overseas away from all the madness of the race circuit!

I was able to “escape” at New Years and visited some friends in Austria. I still went up and skied, of course, but the difference was that those days were for myself. There weren’t any coaches around, no teammates, just friends and time to relax

I have also just had the past week at “home” in Collingwood (Whistler is still home to me!) as the race schedule has allowed it. I will be back in Europe and racing by the time you read this, but as I sit here today on the day I am flying back over to Europe my mind feels fresh and my body rejuvenated. As is the case with any job, it is easy to just keep going, jumping into the trenches day after day. The hard part is recognizing those moments when the best thing for you is rest.

My schedule for the next few weeks will be just like the last trip, constant! I will be racing Europa Cup’s to start and if my results are there then I will go to the World Cup’s. We have four technical events left before the Olympic games and I have the opportunity to qualify right up until the Games. So, that’s the plan.

The team is currently spread all across the European countries, racing FIS races, Europa Cups and World Cups.

Last week, the girls were running a new Downhill in Austria and Allison Forsyth posted some career best finishes. I spoke with the girls and all were very excited about the new track as it was more technical than most on the circuit. I think that’s why we saw more of the technical skiers finishing in the top ten, girls like Marlies Schild who is known more for her slalom talent.

The men were running the track in Wengen, Switzerland and I’m not sure if many of you were able to catch the coverage, you were probably out skiing powder, but the views from that race are just unbelievable. Every year when that race runs, the skies are blue and the sun is shinning. This downhill is over two minutes long and challenging from start to finish. It is amazing to watch – I wasn’t skiing powder that day!