This year has been a completely different experience right from January 1st until today. I'm currently off work with a separated shoulder (AC joint) and a newborn baby. They both arrived within a day of each other and I was totally helpless when my beautiful daughter showed up.
The beginning of the year was unseasonably cold and the Comox Valley had a foot of snow frozen for 3 months everywhere. And this being Canada it might not seem out of the ordinary. But, not here on Vancouver Island. We normally see a few days of minimal snow each year, if any. So the trails that I normally train on were plugged with snow and the roads were crappy to run or bike on. I did, however lucky, was get a Mid-Fat bike this fall. It's kinda like a cross between a normal mtn bike and fat-tire snow bike. The tires are 27.5 Plus sized, which is anything between 2.8x to 3.2x. It means the bike floats ontop of the sand, mud or snow and doesn't get too bogged down. I was able to ride this 3-4x/week through those frozen months.
In addition to the new snow sport of fat-biking, I have kept up with my Nordic roots in the cross-country skiing. It is a bit slower these days with hauling around a crew in the chariot. Sometimes I get a bit a help with my dog Penny by hooking her up to the leash for a lead out.
One other sport I have been interested in for a long time. Surf-ski! A racing kayak with possibilites to surf waves or ride a wake for long distances.
Leading into this year in regards to racing, I was planning the traditional early running races (Island Series) from Jan - April, and then Mtn bike racing (Island Cup) from March - May. I was either away or sick for every running race and only make 2 back-to back Island Cup Races in early March.
The Canada Cup @ Bear Mountain was an amazing venue, as it is the location for the National Mtn Bike team training centre. Lots of trails, and some new ones from last year.
The hammerfest xc bike race in Errington (just north of Parksville) is a really fun rolling and flowy trail system. Not as many top elite riders showed up but I managed to hammer it hard.
Now, with the newborn and getting back to work soon, I don't really have any races on the calendar. Except for the Cumby, Cumberland's newest trail running race. I will be in the 23km "short course" as this year also has a 50km ultramarathon. May 13th with be a good day.
The rest of the summer with be hanging with my little family and training for the World Cross Triathlon Championships (Off-road) in Penticton mid August.
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