Just a glimpse . . .

I've been taking my time and really enjoying building my Desalvo. I'm just about done - only a few last touches and I'll post some complete pictures. Here is a peek at it so far:

Today turned out to be a recovery day. I had to check my training schedule as I thought that I could go for a skate ski (would have been perfect too with the warm temperatures - snow would have been fast!), however, today was a scheduled recovery day. Got to stick to a plan - if you're not planning your training, you're wasting your time.

Was going to do an 40 min active recovery ride (slow, slow easy spin) but opted to get some stuff done around the house and some loose ends tied up - good way to free up the weekend. I did do a nice long, slow stretch - great for loosening the muscles and promoting recovery and growth.

The OmegaWhey

I'm uber-happy to have OmegaWhey supporting me with my nutritional needs this race season.

OmegaWhey is made by Nutrablend Foods, a division of the Grober Group of companies. Grober is a company that for years has specialized in dairy proteins.

So back in October I met with Beth Mansfield of Peak Performance to have an individual nutritional counseling session and body composition assessment. I had also attended one of Beth's Power-fuel Sport Nutrition Workshops. During one of our meetings she gave me a few samples of Omega Whey shakes to try. At the time I had a broken arm (cycling accident) and hadn't had the need to sample one, as my training had ceased. I tucked them away with my other nutritional supplements and kind of forgot about them.

It wasn't until this past week when I was going through my nutrition supplements when I came across them again - my training has picked up the past couple of weeks and I need to fuel my body to get through my workouts and recover to do it all again. So, this past week I started using the sample shakes that Beth gave to me.

I was completely surprised with the the results that I had noticed over the course of five training days. Three days were a tough, 2 hour plus skate ski and two were 1.5 hour spinning workouts. I had one day of recovery (3 on and 1 off) to split the five days. In the past I had been using a maltodextrin/protein (3:1) shake for recovery. I've always found these tough to stomach as the sugary powder upset my stomach and gave me gas for days. Maltodextrin is also very high in calories - so I've always found it hard to trim down to my racing weight while taking it. You also have to drink close to a litre of water with the mix (I've found it doesn't mix well with smaller amounts of water).

However, with the Omega Whey shakes I was able to mix it easily in a water bottle and drink it down. I actually looked forward to drinking it at the end of a workout. And, no upset stomach or gas. Love all those flavors too, especially Banana Berry - yum! I noticed, especially so on my fourth and fifth training days (when I am normally starting to feel fatigued) that my muscles weren't sore or tired and I had more energy than normal. If a nutritional supplement does that for me, I'm going to use it!


And tonight I did just that. Robbie O. put us through a killer "Base" (yeah right!) workout. I don't think my heart rate came below 80% of max. And you know kids, when you're training your base you should be between 75-80%. I don't think that 11 minute standing climbs constitute a "base" workout! The legs felt cooked on the way home, but I got my OmegaWhey protein drink into me right away, with a little carbohydrate to help it absorb. Got to get that good stuff into you within 15 minutes after stopping exercise so to reap the full benefits of the nutrition. Should be fine to ski tomorrow.

Thank you Progold - Prolink Chain Lube

A new sponsor is onboard. Many thanks to Van at Progold for sponsoring me this upcoming race season. I have used Prolink Chain Lube for the past three or four season and nothing else. It runs clean and smooth - just what you need on your bike! I'll add reviews once I've had the opportunity to try out other Progold products. Check them out here:
http://www.progoldmfr.com/

Didn't post yesterday, had a pretty busy day. Did an 1.5 hr spin class at the RA Centre in the morning - Gilles is gradually working us harder. I enjoy the class and it goes by fast with others to ride with. After that I came home and worked on the new bike for a while -will post some pictures shortly. And last night we were with friends enjoying some fine Mexican cooking - thanks Chantal & Collin!

Had a hard workout today - skate skied 1hr 55 minutes for a total of 24km. Too many hills in the Gats! Didn't break any land speed records, but kept a steady state throughout with only two or three little stops. Got back to the car, changed quickly, refilled my water bottle and grabbed my classic skis and headed out for another 1.5hrs. Was slow, steady and a good way to cool down from the skate ski. That's it - going to bed. Cheers!

I can't believe my eyes

My beautiful frame from Desalvo Custom Cycles today. It arrived at work and I couldn't wait to get home to open it. I tore into the box right there in front of my class. Even they were impressed! Words don't do it justice. Mike sent me a photo from his shop once he got it back from Spectrum and said it didn't do it justice. I am speechless and completely stoked to get it built and to be able to ride it.

Steel (Columbus Zona) frame with Reynolds carbon seatstays.

Check out that headbadge.

Missing from photo is the matching Reynolds Uzzo Pro carbon fork.

What a paint job.

Signed by Mike.

That's not a decal - "Desalvo" is handpainted.

Cool integrated seat clamp.

Thank you so much Mike Desalvo for building me this incredible bike. You are an artist indeed! Once it's built up I'll post some photos. Cheers.

More boxes

Long, slow, steady training ride inside. Felt great, felt strong. An hour and a half, consistent heart rate = 152 avg. bpm. Rode to a Spinnerval Aero Base dvd. I'm better to use the video and have Coach Troy push me along than left to my own devices. I'm a lazy, slacker and need the push.

While I was on the bike, my build kit arrives. Ultegra drive, shifters, brakes, FSA stem, etc. The frame should be here tomorrow from here. Can't wait to get it and start building it up.

My two boxes from Kenda also arrived today with all my race tires for the season, a couple jerseys, media kit and wheel bag. Things are coming together. Giddy up.

Box O'Fun

I was waiting for a box to arrive in the mail.

What could be inside?

FSA K-Force road bar

carbon composite fun

mmmm, new wheels . . . . drool

Easton Orion II wheelset

front hub

rear hub - check out that flange!

Just waiting on the frame, drive components and the rest - should be here Friday. Stay tuned!

Snap On

A friend from work and I were chatting last week and somehow the topic of coffee mugs came up. Apparently he collects them. Seemed to me at the time a kind of strange hobby to have, but then again he thinks I'm nuts spending as much time on the bike. All the power to him.
I recalled to him in university a drinking buddy's dad worked for Snap On tools and we use to sit around swizzling beer out of them. Today at work I show up and what do I find sitting on my desk . . .

. . . . nice, very nice . . . .

. . . two lovely ladies on one fine mug. Thanks Rob and apparently you do have a fine collection of coffee mugs!

Skate ski

After a weekend of living the high life, it's back to business. Got out for a skate ski right after work with Chrissie. She went her own way and did classic as I hammered up some hills (Pinks is a long drag of a climb!). Only out for a little over an hour and a half - it was pretty cold, despite it only being -15 celcius - guess I didn't dress warm enough or wasn't working hard enough.
Glide was better than expected with the Keski taking place on the weekend and the old snow and cold temps. Waxed with Swix Blue (glide) hydrocarbon CH6 - probably would have had better glide with green - it's better to have a bit harder wax than soft. Still not bad glide.
There I go.

Here I come.

Got home ate then spun the legs for a while on the trainer. Not a bad days end.
Cheers!

Earlier this past week my wife told me that were going away this weekend and it was to be a surprise. I was not to nag her or bug her about where, just be ready to go. Over the past couple months she’s mentioned maybe going to Montreal or getting away to a bed & breakfast somewhere. I figured it was going to me a low key weekend full of antiquing, looking at quilts, drinking tea and eating crumpets. Wasn’t too thrilled about it, but didn’t let on. All I wanted to do was ski and ride all weekend – get a good weekend of endurance training in.

She kind of surprised me actually, I thought my wife knew me better - she must of known that I was going to be irritable and cranky sitting in a b&b someplace doing nothing. However, I figured that if I bit the bullet now, then later on when it gets nice out (a.k.a. bike season) that I wouldn’t have to go away. Not that I don’t love spending time with my wife, I do . . . . it’s just if we’re were going to go away together I’d rather have an active weekend away, doing something.

So we hit the road Saturday morning, unbeknown st to be where we were going. I’ll let the pictures tell the story.

Any ideas where we went yet?

Toronto vs. Edmonton

Go LEAFS Go!


'67 Stanley Cup Champions - it was the 40th year since the Leafs last won the cup.
The place just blew up when Dave Keon came out onto the ice. Just awesome!

Recognize that tough guy over my shoulder? And who's that he's with? That's Tie Domi and Belinda Stronach.

Getting ready to give Tie a shot! Belinda in the background.
Jeez . . . all the celebs were out last night! I wonder who the guy just across from me voted for in the last federal election?


Mmmmmm . . . . skittles. Anyone not from Canada might not know that this guy is our Prime Minister (Stephen Harper)! Mmmmmm . . . skittles.

And the boys get the win to boot!

Got this shot of Chris and Carelton right outside the Leafs dressing room after the second period. Right after I took the shot we got booted from the area.

Thanks to my awesome, beautiful wife! It was an early birthday present and probably the best hockey game I ever saw in person. Will always remember this night. Love you Chrissie!

Short XC Ski

Right after work I quickly waxed my skis, got dressed, grabbed my stuff and flew over to the Gats for a ski. Started from Kingsmere (P7), headed up to Ridge Rd., out to the Fortune/Ridge intersection, continued on Ridge up to Champlain Lookoff, back to Burma (#3), down that to the Fortune Parkway, back up to #1 and back to Kingsmere. Conditions were overall pretty good - some debris on Burma. Took 2 hrs on the nose, not too fast, not too slow - had to stop to re-wax twice - Swix green was the ticket today.
That's it, going for a soak.

Waiting, waiting . . . . hurry up.

I've been waiting for this to arrive . . . .

. . . . it left Portland, Oregon two days ago from here. Can't wait. It's not like I'm going to get to ride it anytime soon - for another month and a half or two, because of this

Snowy Sickness

We're going to get a small dump of snow. Though I'd really rather be biking, I know that that is not going to happen anytime soon. I do a heap of skiing in the winter, however this winter has not been the best with the lack of good snow on a consistent basis. We've been due for a while and I'm glad. Looking forward to getting out for some more long XC skis in the Gats. It's the only way to get some long endurance based km's without having to sit on my trainer for hours at a time.

My dog, Jacks, is loving this weather. He could lay outside all day and eat snow and he'd feel like he was in heaven.

Can't get out today though . . . . I've been home sick for the past two days with the flu. If you come visit, you'll need to wear one of these: