Chandra's Ski Trax Athlete Blog

March 3rd, 2008

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Chandra's Latest Update

June 23rd, 2008

With training activities temporarily grounded while I get over a head cold I finally have time to write an update. My training, life, and Fast and Female Foundation are all doing very well. The ski community at large came together this past weekend to celebrate the marriage of our teammate George Grey to the lovely Lesley Austin, also of Rossland, BC. Congrats to both families. I'm more excited than ever for the Olymps after a mind-blowing seminar in Whistler, my boyfriend Devon has moved in with me in Canmore, and I have an awesome new coach.

Following a May training camp in Whistler Devon and I were lucky enough to participate in the COC's Olympic Excellence Series which brought in medalist/heroes of Canadian Amateur sport to give us advice on how to prepare for the 2010 Games. I would rate this as one of the most useful things I have ever experienced and came home busting with inspiration as well as ideas for how to stay focused, grounded and having fun in order to perform my best when the pressure is on.

(Feeling great crossing that finish line at Canadian Championships on the Whistler Olympic venue, Callaghan Valley, for my personal best 30km classic silver medal)

(Here's how a mass start will look on the Olympic Trails in Callaghan Valley, south of Whistler. Front row left to right: Sara Renner, Dasha Gaiazova, Me.)

Organized by rowing superstar Marnie McBean, the woman who improves my perspective on life and sport for the better every single time I talk to her, the emphasis on knowing who you are and being yourself really resonated with me. Suddenly the 2010 Games no longer intimidate me as some crazy overwhelming thing... it's just a really cool opportunity I'm going to have to ski as fast as I can while a lot of people cheer for me. I'll embrace the attention and do normal things like yoga and hanging with friends and family in between practices. I have lots of ideas for how to maintain balance while using the energy around me.

With 1988 figure skating silver medalist Brian Orser describing how amazing it is to 'walk in the opening ceremonies or step onto the ice when your the home team and the crowd goes nuts,' I began to truly grasp just how amazing it's going to be to compete at in a home games. And 'Games' is going to be one of the keywords for me. David Pelletier, 2002 Gold Medalist in pairs figure skating told us of all the adversity he and his partner Jamie Sale overcame, and also to just focus on the word 'Games' and the enjoyment that conveys.

Nathalie Lambert, a short-track speed skating medalist will definitely be there for the Canadian team as they attempt to be their best in February 2010. As the Chef de Mission I feel supported by her sincere passion for competition and believe her when she says her goal is to 'not have you feel like you are responsible for the happiness of Canada and it's a weight on your shoulders.' I think she'll be a good person to talk to to about getting some in-house yoga teachers in the x-c ski compound.

Long-track speed skater Catriona Le May Doan is the real deal. The only Canadian to ever repeat gold medal performances 4 years apart, her advice was so honest and useful. When she told the crowd of 100 athletes from all the different winter sports to 'expect a breakdown here and there with all that pressure... know who are your trusted supporters that you can be raw and emotional with and release some of the stress.' Beckie Scott also emphasized her support crew, as well as the tremendous strength she took from knowing she was the skier who had spent the most time on the Salt Lake Olympic trails and therefore very well prepared to race them when she won gold in 2002. American speed skater Dan Jansen was also incredible and reminded us that there is more to life and that if you 'be a great person and a great athlete, you'll always be satisfied.' His tips for preparation were not only useful but grounding as well.

So between the summary here and the 16 other pages of notes I have in my journal I have a lot of ideas as well as resources I can count on in Marnie McBean, Nathalie Lambert and then gang as new issues come up. Fantastic support surrounds me. With Devon all moved in to the wonderful condo that the fantastically generous Blair Murdoch of Vancouver rents to us for a pittance, daily training practices are ameliorated on every level. Between Devon's bread baking and ski-rack-building in the garage we train well, eat well, sleep well and enjoy the company of good friends and the peacefulness of Canmore.

(Devon demonstrating his Man Skills while building a ski rack in the garage for our collection of fast Fischer skis with friend David Leoni)

(Devon is always ready for training action. He's in the zone even when he's just reading Velonews online...)

We are really stoked about our new coach, Arild Monson of Norway, who will be with our team through to spring 2010. Now that I've wrapped my mind around the fact that I'm training harder, longer, and faster than ever I'm extremely excited for the fitness I will be gaining through the summer and the speed I hope to unleash in the winter. My focus is on building my overall capacity by doing more 'normal' ski training rather than such a sprint focus in order to increase my cardiovascular system's ability to withstand the world cup pace for longer and win more sprints.

I continue to work very hard on classical technique in preparation for the 2010 Olympic sprint; the goal is to be there when the final sprint to the line starts with another gear to go. My new friend G. R. Juarez put it well when he took the time to write and mail me an interesting dissertation detailing his insights following many years of study of classic technique. I will be putting his advice to 'focus on altering your current internal kinetic sense of classic so that it parallels your internal kinetic sense when skating,' to use as I continue to find the freedom and float in classic.

(There will be lots of cheering for us Canucks when racing our home games. I'm lucky enough to have my mom on course at many events showing people how it's done. Here she is in the Callaghan with her life-long friend Sherry Ulazonek from Victoria.)

Spending July on snow with new coach Arild will help a ton as well. Following a trip to a Quebec Team Training Camp June 26-29, I will be on the Haig Glacier July 1-7 and then at the SnowFarm on New Zealand's South Island July 12-August 2.

Happy trails,

Chandra