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Welcome to the CAN Fund Athlete Blog!
This is where Canadian Athletes will be posting as they train and prepare to represent Canada on the World Stage! Keep up to date on when and where our athletes are training and competing!

Friday, December 24, 2010

Happy Holidays!

I have to say that I have been quite lucky with my winter sailing conditions here at home, as Vancouver's been somewhat mild apart from the odd really cold day (-1), making my training on the water quite manageable. It couldn't have been done without my coaches who have become experts in a variety of hand-warming techniques! (Sailing with gloves just doesn't work). My workout schedule is intense, I have been putting some good time in at the gym as well as hitting the mountains for some cross-country skiing. It's been busy and painful for my body at times but fun too! I'm loving been home too - it brings some balance into my life again, something that's not easy when I'm on the road 7-8 months of the year.

To each one of you that supports me, I thank you, the inspiration goes both ways.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and all the very best for 2011.

Nikola

Attached are some pictures of my training - both on the mountain (full moon skiing) and on the water (with rainbows). I am so fortunate to call this home and to be able to enjoy Vancouver's beauty most days!!!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

December 22nd, 2010

This morning I was looking for some inspiration for my training so I headed out towards Newington Armoury along 'Louise Sauvage Pathway'. Not only does she have a bike path named after her but she even has a ferry boat with her name plastered on the side. Perhaps I should have a few words with BC ferries?

There are an endless amount of bike trails around here that are wide, smooth and mostly flat which makes for great training. I really cannot be more thankful for to the CAN Fund for making this possible. Thanks to them and the funds I received, I know I will be ready to take on the world in 30 days.

I enjoyed taking my boys with me today. We 'biked' our way through the Baxland and along the Parramatta River walk. The sun is so hot here that we have to be careful. Although we all had 50 SPF sunscreen on, we still got a little red after 1.5 hours.

Well, we are only three days away from Christmas and the boys have left the building. While they are out ice skating (yes, apparently Mark wanted to get an ice skate in before Christmas), I will be busy wrapping presents before myevening session in the weight room! Wishing you all a happy, healthy Christmas filled with tons of joy and love.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

ALI LEE- Field Hockey

Donate Online to CAN FUND!

Every year several athletes are able to receive financial assistance due to a non-profit organization known as the Canadian Athletes Now Fund and this year myself along with four of my team mates were chosen to each receive $6000. As individuals this money helps cover costs of team levies, travel, food and rent. Every little penny helps for us and our team because this year, each of us donated $2000 towards our team which gave our coach $10, 000 to plan some new tours. In order for our team to excel on the world stage we need to gain more experience which means traveling to play games and therefore fundraising. Each team member fundraises over $2000 per year and our resources are beginning to run dry.

The Canadian Athletes Now Fund helps supply our team with the funds we need to get moving the right direction to qualify for London 2012! On top of that, the CanFund helps many, MANY other athletes in all varieties of sport. It is for this reason that I believe donating to the CanFund will not only help myself and my team mates but "TEAM CANADA" as a nation-wide multi-sport team and family. Please think of the athletes this holiday season and realize that every amount truly makes a difference in our lives. We are playing with passion and pride for you as a Canadian! We want to help do you proud and this is a great way to show your support:



You can also find out more information about the Women's National Field Hockey team by visiting the Field Hockey Canada Website! Please donate online today and support CanFund's Athlete Holiday Drive. For a copy of the above poster to pass around, please email me at: alilee05@gmail.com

You can meet this year's 2010 CanFund recipients on the Women's National team by watching the following video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XCD_qh3NOjs

PETER DOUCET - Roller Sports

Jade Pauley Peter Doucet, Travis Shaw, Leo Frusteri, Morgan Williams, and Scott Pauley

This year's December deep freeze hasn’t been motivating for me to bundle up and spend time training outside. Rather than spending hours outside getting volume by running & cycling, I’ve spent hours on the treadmill and on the bike trainer in the gym.

These indoor workouts, in conjunction with weights, short track speed skating, jumps, running stairs, and skating indoors at the Scooter’s Roller Palace in Mississauga are allow me to be in reasonable shape.

When it comes to selecting which races to compete and focus on for this upcoming season, there’s a healthy selection- as long as I'm willing to travel. There are some key events that I will focus on. One of these is the Pan American Championships in Argentina in March 2011.

Potential events for 2011 include a battery of marathons, a host of track races featuring short sprint races on 200-meter & 400-meter tracks, and a few ultra distance events including 24-hour relays, a 100km race in Brooklyn, and a 140km race in Atlanta. Canada’s success in qualifying for the Pan American Games at the Pan Am Champs in March will determine how I will treat the remainder of the season.

When preparing for these possible events for 2011 and in selecting a small number of key races to really focus on, there’s a fundamental training base and key things to work on. This includes improving my technical efficiency, increasing high-end speed, and improving overall fitness.

I find it interesting to take note of what some of my team-mates and competitors are doing during the off season to train and to get deeper into their motivations & reasons for their choices. Some skaters are still racing on inline & roller speed skates, this of course in places where the weather is suitable. Others are training and competing in long track speed skating and performing very well in marathon races as well as regular long track time trials. Some are training using short track speed skating, while others are off skates- ice & inline- entirely, and are focusing on cycling & cross training. And there's a unique group of athletes who can somehow do everything- race, train, & race on roller and ice, hitting every event possible throughout the entire year.
Peter Doucet (in black) at short track speed skating practice in Toronto

This weekend, some skaters will be competing at an indoor race on a 100-meter indoor track in a roller rink in Montreal while others will trek down to Lake Placid to compete in a long track speed skating marathon.

One thing's for sure; 2011 is shaping up to be another fast and competitive season.

Whatever you’re all doing for training & racing for your chosen sport or in your calling, Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, happy Kwanzaa, and Happy New Year to all the friends and supporters of CAN Fund, of Canadian sport, and to everyone striving to represent the red & white maple-leafed flag.

Always be well,

Peter Doucet, OCT
www.SpeedSkateWorld.com
~Fast Online & On Skates~

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

SASHA MEHMEDOVIC - Judo


Medals in Paradise                                           

On November 7, eleven members of the Canadian National Judo Team began their long and hard trip to Apia, Samoa for the 2010 World Cup event. After twenty-two hours of traveling, everyone made it in one piece and surprisingly with no luggage lost. By managing to ignore the gorgeous weather, unbearable heat, and crystal clear waters, the athletes fought hard and came out successful at the end.  The Canadian Judo Team returned home with 9 medals in total.  The medals consisted of 3 gold’s, 4 silver’s, and 2 bronze, which put Canada third in the overall ranking.  Way to go team!

-60kg - Sergio Pessoa - Gold
-66kg - Sasha Mehmedovic - Silver
(2010 Canadian Athletes Now Fund recipient)
-81kg - Antoine Valois-fortier - Silver
-81kg - Guillaume Perrault - Bronze
-90kg - Alexander Emond - Silver

-48kg - Bianca Ockedahl - Silver
-57kg - Stefanie Tremblay - Bronze
-63kg - Myriam Lamarche - Gold
-70kg - Marylise Levesque - Gold

SARAH BOUDENS- Canoe/Kayak


First Brand New Venue for London 2012 Completed!!!
The 2012 Olympic whitewater slalom venue was opened on December 9th by Princess Anne. Construction on the course began in July 2009 to complete the 300 meter whitewater section. 
This is extremely exciting for us slalom racers!  The British Team was able to paddle on the course for the opening and the reviews are great!  All of the paddlers are saying that it’s possibly the best artificial slalom course they’ve ever paddled on.
The British Team will be relocating to London in January and will get exclusive use of the course until April 2011.  International paddlers will have access after that and I’ll be getting on the course as soon as I can.  I’ve moved to the UK to be closer to the venue and I’m really looking forward to taking advantage of being here. 
The Canadian Team will be taking part in the Olympic Test Event next July.  It’s going to be the first major competition on the course and the international slalom community will all be watching.  I CAN’T WAIT!!!
Check out this article on the BBC website where you can also watch some video of the new venue…

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

SHERRAINE SCHALM - Fencing

You certainly don’t pick a job for the perks, but sometimes it helps. My husband gets air miles from all his business travel. My dentist gets free toothpaste.  One of the overlooked perks of being a full-time athlete is that, without even thinking about it, you get a fantastic body… at least until you retire, get injured, or get knocked up.

I fall into the last category; a 35 year old fencer who has spent the last 7 months watching her well-formed abs go from Olympic calibre to Homer Simpson. Thankfully, I’ll have something to show for it in February: a baby!

Yup, I’m pregnant. As a pregnant athlete you contend with a different set questions than the rest of the gestating world. “Are you still training? Are you going to compete after the baby is born? Are you going to make your baby an elite athlete?” The answers are as follows: a resounding “Sort of”, a “Definitely” and “My crystal ball broke so I don’t know!”

Olympic qualification starts less than 3 months after I give birth so I’ve gotta stay in the  best shape possible. During my formative sports years, when I was forced to learn good eating habits, I remember thinking, “Damn all this restrictive dieting… when I get pregnant, and have an excuse to get fat, the first thing I am going to
do is bake myself an apple pie… and eat the WHOLE thing.” Well, it did, and didn’t, happen. Yes, I got pregnant and but I couldn’t bring myself to eat like bullemic at 2 am. In fact, my eating habits have gotten even healthier. First of all, because there’s a helpless little life depending on me for good nutrition. Secondly, because there is no such thing as “dieting” while you’re pregnant so if you over-eat, you’re stuck with it for at least 9 months. Lastly, the more room the baby takes up, the less room there is for my stomach  so I physically can’t eat very much which means I have to chose carefully.

As far as training, I’ve been doing power walks, swimming, taking lessons and doing footwork and yoga. Once thing I haven’t done, is fence. I figure its not fair to make the baby do it without a mask… so I haven’t had any swords threatening me in 7 months and to be honest, its a nice break.

When you’re injured and forced out from training you usually resent it. You think about how everyone else is improving and you’re just trying to get back to fighting form. You feel behind schedule and it takes all your mental control not to be too over-eager once you re-start training. You’re dying to be back.

Pregnancy is a different ball game. I’ve “forced” myself out of training, sure, but I do not feel behind schedule at all. While I’m sure they are training as best they can, I don’t feel like my competitors are improving beyond my level. Its the same feeling as when you are reading a book which you put down for a few days. The characters are not carrying on the story without you but neither are they frozen in time, doing nothing without your observing eye. It is the magic of storytelling… life goes on hold but doesn’t stop completely.

Its the same in sports when you take a pregnancy break.

Perhaps I’m lucky because I do a sport that demands as much from my brain as it does my body so I will not be far behind as long as I keep thinking. In fact, women in fencing can come back much stronger after
having a baby.  Nearly half of the Olympic medalists in women’s epee history have been moms!

For all of you pregnant women still wanting to compete in sport, don’t fear! Above all, do what makes you feel the best about being a mom. Paula Radcliffe trained for her marathons until the end of the 9th month while Kim Clijsters didn’t hardly touch a tennis racket for 2 years and both of them have given birth and come back champions.

I plan on staying active in my sport and being healthy for my little one. As for the rest: the achievements, the medals, the glory… we’ll just see what happens. One thing a mom knows is that making promises is a sure way to disappoint. But I can promise that I’ll wait until after the Olympics to eat that whole apple pie.

Monday, December 13, 2010

BENOIT HUOT - Paralympic Swimming

We just had our first CAN AM Championship of the year and Canada did really well. There was over 11 countries that attended to meet in Etobicoke Olympium pool this past weekend. This meet was our first big one after the World Championships of last summer and we wanted to see where we were in our training. I swam a season's best time and it's looking good for the next year. I will be in Florida for most of January and February getting ready for Para Pan Pacific trials that will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota in April 2011. I want to wish everyone a happy holidays to you and your family. We will be back in the new year.

Talk to you soon

Ben

Monday, December 6, 2010

CONNOR TARAS - Sprint Canoe/Kayak

It’s the beginning of December…already. I just got back from a 4-week training camp in Florida. It was very productive and I think I can speak for most of the team in saying it was pretty successful! It looked to me that everyone had a little fire under their behinds, which is very encouraging! 

Anyways, I am home and although the lakes aren’t frozen yet and there is no snow yet, it is too cold to be out on the water paddling here in Dartmouth, N.S. Not a bad thing because its been a long year of paddling and it’s a nice break to do some other types of training. We mostly will be in the pool swimming three times a week, doing weight training and running or skiing when it starts snowing!

I was at the Canoe Kayak Atlantic Division awards this week. I got to serve ice cream to some of the up and coming athletes of our sport! Awards and aggregate trophies were awarded to all age divisions. Congrats to my future competition!
  
Not much else going on right now. Most people are busy with finishing up papers and studying for exams this time of year.  Then there is Tom Hall, Olympic medalist. He is getting ready to climb mount Aconcagua in Argentina. Good luck Tom! He leaves in a few days will be back at the end of December around Christmas Day!

Connor