Tour Life

Tere Paevast! Or "good day" to all my non-Estonian readers! I am settling into a new routine, new hotel, new ski trails, and new country. I have recently traveled from Ridnaun, Italy and am currently in Estonia with part of the Canadian National Biathlon Team preparing for some international racing. It's easy to go on tour around Europe and be so focused on racing you forget to look around! So lets start off with some fun Estonian facts!! 

1. Inventors of skype

2. Connected! Internet speed and access is always an issue on tours through Europe! Good news for us Estonia is ranked 34th in the world for percent of population with access to the internet (1 007 020 of 1.3 million). Unfortunately they didn't make the list for internet speed (average connection being somewhere less than 1 Mbit/s). Can you believe South Korea's average connection speed is 23.6 Mbit/s?? Canada sits at a comfy 9.7 Mbit/s according to wikipedia. 

3. Online voting. Estonia actually has an online voting platform! kinda neat

4. Top literacy rates (tied for 10th in the world at 99.8%, slightly ahead of Canada 99.0% and the US 99.0%)

5. Host of 2015 IBU Open European Championships in Otepaa!

I will keep you updated as the week goes on, but for now some highlights from our travels!

IBU Cup 5 Ridnaun, Italy...still getting over some nasty jet leg!

Race ya down!

But first... lets take some selfies

ok and on the red sled, reppin the maple leaf 

Ich mochte eine tasse kaffee....bitte!

Frozen Thunder Time Trial

Had a good 10km effort in Canmore, sneaking into the top ten!

(photo credit: Justin Brisbane)

Photo credit: Nathaniel Mah

Why do we fall?

I approached this year with one goal: crushing the Canadian Olympic trials in November. I had my second surgery of the last four years going into this season and so a big part of the summer was spent simply getting back into my previous years shape. All said and done, I finished Olympic trials ranked second overall behind the demanding lead of Brenden Green-one spot off going to Sochi. I was fired up because I had had great performances and done what I felt was my best to prepare. Eventually the realization settled in that my dream for the last 4 years was not going to come true.

I was offered a World Cup start shortly after which got my heart pumping and I arrived in Oberhof, Germany motivated and hungry to debut on the WC scene. The day before the first race I found out I would be watching sideline because of a qualification misinterpretation from our national sporting body. In about an hour I went from being on top of the world to embarrassed and uncertain about everything. I followed up with three weeks of racing in Europe and all I could think about was how screwed I had gotten. The results don't need to be discusses. The rest of the season followed the same excuse-centred path. 

(Ridnaun Italy IBU Cup)

With the season wrapped up and Spring training coming up in one month, where do I lie? To be honest, I'm still bitter about how this year played out. Actually, I'm furious. Anyone who saw me race knows how sick it was. How am I going to use that to my advantage? I'm thinking along the lines of using it as fuel for my fire to pursue another 4 years of racing. I'm thinking of all my lessons from the past four years and how to improve or change them to make the next step in performance. In one month, all bitterness will be behind me as I pursue another goal.  My goal is to fully commit, to fully believe, and to do everything I can in the process to find out the result I am capable of.

I've slowly learned that most problems are out of your control, and you just have to let them slide by... but when you find that little something that you CAN control and you CAN have an influence on, take that opportunity, grab it by the balls and take full advantage of it. Here's to finding those opportunities!

(Wrapping up the season in Charlo, NB at National Championships)

Thank you Rudy Project, Aplina, NFA, and PGRGC for your support this year!

(A big inspiration and even bigger Bad Ass...Beau T)

Olympic trials preparation and outcome

Canmore, AB hill on the notorious 3.3km Loop

I have spent the majority of 14 years working towards one goal: to reach the Olympics in my chosen sport of Biathlon. Particularly, the last 4 years have been committed to competing in Sochi, Russia and I believe the next 4 will be focused on competing in Pyeongchang, South Korea in 2018.

For the Olympic Games this winter, the final fourth spot for the Men's Canadian Biathlon Team was selected based on two trials races over two days. I was in good form with an excellent summer of training but I had been nervous for the past several months. Managing the pressure was the toughest mental test I have experienced in my 24 years. I knew I had to perform my absolute best. Even if I could have the race of my life on the given selection day, I had no control over the results of a hungry pack of competitors all fighting for the same goal.

Months went by in suspense as I critiqued everything in my game plan. I had run through the races in my head so many times that the Canadian Olympic Trials races felt almost like a dream. I knew what I had to do, and I was ready to do it.

I am proud to say I finished the races with no regrets about the summer training, my preparation, and my performance. On the given day I gave everything I had and mastered (almost) everything in my control, and that is all we can ever ask for. After the final race I took a deserving few minutes to lie face down in the snow as my heart rate slowly crept down from just shy of 200BPM. I had finished the races ranked 2nd, and after a lifetime of training I was left sitting in that lonely first spot shy of the Canadian Team. The entire experience will stay with me for the rest of my life and hopefully drive me over the next four years towards the 2018 Winter Games.

In ten days I will be off on another new experience. my first World Cup start in Oberhof, Germany. In front of one of the biggest Biathlon stadiums in the world, Ill be very proud to wear the maple leaf and compete against the best of the best. The stadium fits around 10000 people with another 10000 spectators out on course!

Oberhof, Germany DKB Ski Arena

Approx. 10000 spectator stands

First time trial on snow of 2013!

Full results below:

http://www.webscorer.com/racedetails?raceid=15244&did=18030&cid=99918#bttnShowAllLaps9

Spinning Through the Alps

A significant portion of our training camp in Switzerland was done on the bike with multiple climbing opportunities and mountain pass loops. Jasper and I brought a camera up Goschenen on a 4 hour ride which basically captured the essence of euro-riding (especially in the mountains). 

Tight, windy roads...

Small traditional Euro towns every few km...

Perfect pavement...

Roads built into the side of mountains...

Traditional cobble stone portions....

Another typical portion cut straight into the side of the mountain...

And of course phenomenal destinations!

Every trip to Switzerland reminds me why I love riding so much. So many climbs that recreate what I watch on TV in the Tour de France every year and fast 80-90km/h decents to keep you on your toes. Very fortunate to have this opportunity!

Alps Altitutude Opportunity

At the beginning of the year I decided to spend August in Europe preparing for an Olympic season. I planned with team mate Jasper Mackenzie (and old coach iLmar Heinicke) to spend three weeks in Switzerland at high altitude with an additional 4 weeks in Altenberg, Germany. I just rounded the 11 day mid point to the altitude camp and everything is running smooth and looking positive. 

Easy running/hike up at Furka Pass, Switzerland to +2500m

The goals in the first week of altitude training is to adapt to the altitude while monitoring recovery. This means paying close attention to resting heart rate, eating and sleeping well, and insuring training does not exceed more than 70% of maximum capacity. The next few weeks will include increased intensity and really taking advantage of the altitude benefits.

Altitude training, in theory, allows an athlete to push their boundaries which would normally not be possible at sea level. An athlete can push their body to 100% with reduced oxygen quicker and test the limits to which their body can go. For this reason, I did not hesitate to take advantage of this altitude opportunity when it arose. I invested in this relatively expensive endeavour in anticipation to be in top form come Olympic trials at the end of December. Time will tell if it pays off towards my goals this season, but at the moment all I can do is take control of every little detail to be best prepared for one of the biggest seasons of my career! All this said, it is most definetely my dream to compete in Sochi 2014.

I hope to keep my family, friends, and supporters up to date over the next few weeks as I build a base for the winter and experience new scenery and push my physical limits! I am very appreciative of my sponsors to make training at this level possible and send a big thank you! Cheers and stay posted!

...And off to Europe

At the end of the month (a few days) I'll be heading off to Andermatt Switzerland and Altenberg Germany for a 6 week training camp! I'll be traveling with Canadian team mate Jasper Mackenzie. The Andermatt, Switzerland camp will be a high altitude camp sleeping at 2427m. According to wikipedia Furka pass (where the hotel is located) is the 20th highest paved road in Europe!

(Furka Pass)

(Furka Pass)

We are continuing from the Swiss alps to Altenberg, Germany where we will continue our training. The camp ends with German National Biathlon Champs in Ruhpolding! Stay posted...

Rundle Mountain Stage Race pics

Canmore Declares State of Emergency During Flooding

Despite an obstacle filled start to an Olympic season I’m feeling surprisingly optimistic and encouraged leading into the summer training. I have definitely had some momentum killing incidents that shifted my focus from my typical spring training. I encountered my second ski related surgery in the past 3 years as well as coped with massive flooding which actually left me homeless. So aside from focusing on training I had to coordinate my schedule with recovery, work, training, finding a new home, moving out of my flooded place and preparing for a 6 week camp in Europe starting August 1st all while keeping my goals in mind!

Fortunately I didn’t lose much in the flooding considering the devastation that hit Canmore but it certainly threw a wrench in my routine. There were approximately 100 000 people homeless in Calgary and close to 50 homes lost in Canmore during the Southern Alberta flooding. The place I was staying in Canmore had a few inches of water in the basement, just enough to cause a hassle and some water damage. The flooding also limited training opportunities in town with many of the roads closed or destroyed. I found a place to stay until I leave for Europe July 31st and I have a new place arranged when I return in September!

Here are some local pictures from flooding this past week. Thoughts and prayers with the families affected.