Sweating it Out

I hope your spring, or summer as of today, is going well. As we all know too well, time is flying by! With the Olympics a mere 236 days away, everyone is getting down to task.

Although the last month has been filled with a lot of media, charity events, and work, the real focus has been in the gym. This is a great time of year to put in the hours required with sponsors, community events, charity events, and of course working with the media. This is all a part of the job as an athlete, and even more important heading into an Olympic year. Still, no matter how much is going on externally, at the end of the day my job is to be an athlete.

Training:

The time in the gym and on the bike has been extensive the last 5 weeks. With two fitness camps in Calgary so far, we still have one block of group fitness in Whistler. The time together in the gym helps us all stay in touch, push each other, and bank even more hours of training. During a training week with the team we’ll add a few workouts that keep things fun. Last week we tried rock climbing as a group. Some of us had a bit of experience but for the most part we were true beginners. We’ll, it didn’t take us long to push our limits climbing some pretty tough climbs. I worked with Shona Rubens as my partner and we really got into it. Shona’s been doing some climbing outside recently so she was great to work with since she had more experience than I.

Although the climbing was a fun diversion from our regular training, most of our hours are gruelling and sweaty. In the gym we’re working through a high volume few weeks here with some pretty painful sets. I can see my body’s experience falling into a trained rhythm of eat, workout, sleep; eat, workout, sleep. It feels good to work this hard…although at week’s end I’m always pretty run down. But, 1 or 2 days off is enough to feel ready to go again on Monday morning…or so I try to convince myself.

This last training camp in Calgary had the added challenge of a 9 hour drive to and from my home. It is nice to save a bit of money on flights but that money saved goes down the drain if you get a speeding ticket. Luckily….when I was pulled over going 114km/h (in the park where the speed limit is 90km/h - this isn’t great) the cops were big fans of the Olympics. I can’t believe it, but they let me off! Ahhhh, a rare but much appreciated bonus to being an athlete. Although I have no plans on pushing my luck on that front…so I did slow down.

Media/Charity:

I have had a few cool opportunities come my way the last few weeks. One was Chilliwack honouring me as their Hometown Hero which I thought was amazing. CTV was out in the ‘Wack’ shooting my Olympic profile, and interviews (radio, print, TV) have been piling up faster than I ever thought possible. Luckily last week I was able to take a break and join some of Canada’s greatest athletes in Canmore to support one of my charity organizations, Right to Play. The golf tournament was a huge success and I’m glad I could be a part of it. Emily Brydon and myself joined an outstanding roster of athletes that included: Beckie Scott, Jennifer Heil, Patrick Chan, Kristina Groves, Thomas Grandi etc. etc. After the dinner portion of the event was over Clara Hughes gave a speech. Her speech, reflecting on her Olympic Gold medal and her work with Right to Play, was nothing short of inspirational. I left with renewed spirit and excitement for sport and in the positive impact we can have on the world at large.

Up Next:

Training, training, and more training. 2010, here I come.


Till next time,

Kelly

Spring Update

I hope you are all enjoying spring and some warmer weather!

I thought I would send out an update since the last two months have been pretty exciting with a wedding and final preparations for 2010.

Spring Training Camps:

Since my last blog our team spent 2 weeks training on the Olympics track in Whistler and one week training in Nakiska. Both camps were excellent and a lot of good work was done.

In whistler we had a good chunk of time on the DH track and, for Whistler, the weather was extremely cooperative. Although we only got one run from top to bottom, it was excellent to have that kind of volume in sections of the course. I don’t want to give much away about the track, but it’ll be exciting to watch come February 2010!

Our camp in Nakiska had a very different focus from Whistler. This camp was all about volume and hard work. Our coaches got creative with rollers, exercises (including downhill skiing on Cross Country equipment), jumps, and courses. This made for a fun and effective working environment. I really believe a lot was accomplishes in this short but intense camp. We also lucked out with amazing weather that gave us winter conditions in April! Although this was great for training I can’t say we were too excited about the freezing toes and fighting off blizzards….I know many of us we’re more than ready to hit the beach!

With how much volume we were doing, you can imagine we were hitting a lot of gates. With my wedding coming up I got extremely creative with padding, I didn’t want to be black and blue to accent my white dress! I had nearly 4 layers of padding on my arms which, other than looking like the Michelin man, worked great and may even be something I’ll continue doing. When I couldn’t feel the gates I was even more aggressive.

Wedding:

Once the camps finally came to an end, I was able to fully devote my energy and excitement to getting married! My long time boyfriend David Ford and I tied the knot on April 25th in an intimate wedding on BC’s Sunshine Coast. It was a weekend affair with close family and friends. David and I aren’t sure what we did to deserve such amazing karma but the weather and weekend was perfection. I couldn’t have dreamt of a better ceremony and setting, everything about it felt ‘right’.

Since the wedding David and I enjoyed time at home as newlyweds. It was nice to feel like we got into a normal type of rhythm. It’s amazing how long it takes me to realize I can do laundry as often as I want; and that I have access to all my clothes; and I can just go to the fridge to eat whatever I want! After so many months on the road just settling into normal life felt great.

Back In the Swing of Things

However, the bliss of normal life at home was far too short as always. I’m now in Calgary for a ten day fitness camp. We’re starting the block with fitness testing at the University followed by a week of a rather intense schedule. 2010 HERE WE COME!!!!!

Till next time,
Kelly

Are - World Cup Finals - Looking Back

I am sitting here in front of my computer trying to summarize another season, to find insights into the highs and lows, and a way to fully express my motivation heading into next year. However, at this moment, I’m finding my body and mind need some time to ‘catch their breath’. It’s an odd feeling when the race season concludes; the racing has gone by too quickly, yet the season feels like it has lasted far too long. The travel and stress that comes with the competitive season certainly takes its toll in different ways. I know right now we are all excited to be heading home for a week of recovery. I haven’t slept in my bed since January 2nd, the thought of doing my own laundry excites me, and knowing I’ll get to make my own coffee tomorrow morning has me brimming with happiness. But above all of those things it’ll be the massive hug from David upon my arrival that will make me happiest.

With such high hopes and expectations heading into the season I’m sad to finish with so little, as far as end results, to show for it. I look back on this season and I feel at odds with the different emotions that arise. I feel a sense of accomplishment, proud of my perseverance and willingness to face my demons, yet I feel disappointment as well. There is a sense of sadness that this season has passed and I, for the first time in my career, didn’t have a career best result during that winter. I never made any herculean leaps and bounds in my career, however, I have consistently gotten better every year. This is the first season that this hasn’t happened. But again, these sentiments crop up when I think of world rankings and podiums, not when I look at the season from another perspective. In that perspective I see the challenges I faced and I’m proud of the strong performances I continued to demonstrate.

It was a tough year for the Canadian Speed Queens as a whole. I finished as the top Canadian in the DH World Cup standings in 15th, just ahead of Emily, but pretty far back in SG. Both Emily and Britt had rough seasons as well, and as a group we struggled. We have had several discussion about why that is and for each of us the story varies. We all came into this season expecting the high’s from last season to carry on. Sadly they didn’t, for any of us, and we finished with not a single podium and Britt just missing the qualifications for the finals in DH. Still I’m proud of my season on a personal level; with no summer training due to a knee injury, severe whiplash after a DH crash in Lake Louise, an arm infection in St. Moritz, having both my shoulders pop out in Cortina, fighting the chest cold then a gastro intestinal bug, and finally a concussion in Bansko, I still qualified for the finals (you have to be top 25 in the World) in both Super G and Downhill. It’s not like last year, but there are some things there that I know I can build on and take into next year. A few glitches to iron out….and believe me I’m all over identifying them and taking steps to fix them. This is a sport where things can change in an instant, but you still have to work hard for those changes. An example of this is Tina Maze, a fellow World Cup racer who’s had a lot of success but has struggled for a few seasons. She started the season ranked outside the top 30 in both Downhill and SG – she’s now ranked 3rd, 6th,& 7th (GS, DH, SG). It takes a lot, yet not much, to drastically change the path we’re on. I know like Tina, we’ll be back with a vengeance next year.

What will I focus on in training? I want to make a few key changes in my technique and there are some equipment testing I’ll be doing as well– especially with my boots. I’m extremely happy with Volkl and Lange, I just want to be better acquainted with my equipment and in tune with a set up that works best for me. Having missed last summer’s training I felt rushed to decide on a set up for the racing season. Changing boot models the week before we started racing was a tough decision. I’m glad I made the switch, however, during the season I should have spent more time with those boots to play with angles and heights.

Then of course there is the mental aspects of racing, which is vital. I think our team suffered a similar fate as the men’s team did after their record breaking season. It’s rather remarkable how similarly our teams performed the year after such stellar seasons. Once the raw emotions from the season have subsided, and I’ve ‘caught my breath’, I’m looking forward to delving into the mental side of what went on this season for myself and well as the team’s dynamic.

When I list the challenges I faced within the last 8 months I am happy to say I’m still here pushing forward. This season, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that I am stronger than I thought I could be and that I can endure. I look forward to getting back to work.

Up next is a training camp in Whistler then another camp in Nakiska later in April.

Till next time,

Kelly

Bansko & Concussion

Well, that was a tough weekend of travel and racing. I never thought I’d hear everyone in the finish area saying they’d rather be on the track in Val D’Isere! Although, that is slightly unfair to Bansko since the hill was fun and offered amazing potential. However, our Downhill was set with the intent to keep our speeds as slow as possible. Our course, that started and finished in the same place as last year’s men’s Europe Cup, was a whopping 23seconds slower. The track was also reminiscent of Quebec/Ontario snow with a light sugar layer on top and sheer ice underneath. By day two it was a skating rink with bumps the whole way down.

Still, I had good splits and was simply struggling with this one section in particular. I was determined to figure it out and after a training run where I went too round, on race day I went too straight…I was definitely over thinking this section as I felt I needed to do something special when really you just had to suck it up and ride the bumps out. After being the only Canadian to finish on the first race with a disappointing 23rd position, I was getting set for the second DH. Doing what I could to let go of thought and just race hard, but also stay as relaxed as possible. I won the top split but was taken out by one of the wholes they had been working on earlier in inspection. I went down pretty hard bouncing back in the air after the first impact, then coming to a fast stop in the fence going from about 90km/h to stopped within 3 meters. I was amazingly fine after the crash, but I had hit my head hard. I cracked my helmet (something I’d never done before) and suffered some whiplash. Unfortunately, it was the pounding headache and mild disorientation that tipped the doctor off to the fact that I’d suffered a concussion. Although it was a fairly mild concussion, there was no way the doctor was going to let me ski the Super G on Sunday. I was pretty sad, although I understood the decision.

So, I watched the race from the sidelines.

After the race there was a lot of time before the police escorted convoy of busses was scheduled to leave. By 5pm we hit the road, however the American, Canadians, and Brit’s enjoyed a few rounds of bowling (in the hotel) first! That was good fun and brought out a lot of laughs. On the road, the laughs continued in the back of the bus with card games and silliness. After a bit my head was pounding too much and I had move to a quieter spot. Still, I enjoyed the drive. Once at the airport we (meaning the entire world cup) checked in together, and made our way to the flight (the only flight that appeared to be flying that night in Sofia). Once we reached Munich some mild fog prevented our plane (with substandard instruments) to land and we were rerouted to Stuttgart. Once there, we sat in the plane for 1hour before they decided what to do with us. Finally we got our bags and began waiting for busses to arrive to drive us back to Munich. By this point it was midnight, or 1am Bulgarian time. Everyone was tired. By 1:30 am (2:30am Bulgarian time) they said the buses couldn’t take us and we then made our way to the hotel where our big group slowly checked in to sleep.

The next morning, Monday morning, we boarded another set of tour busses and the convoy began its journey again, this time to Munich.

Ah, the joys of travel.

My headaches are almost gone now, and the whiplash is already lessening. My left shoulder took a nice hit and was put back about 2 weeks in its recovery, but I’m extremely happy it didn’t pop out! This week we’ll be training, looking for some GS races, and then off to Are, Sweden for the World Cup finals!

Till Next time,

Kelly

Val D'Isere - World Champs

Here I am, one year out from the 2010 Olympics and having just competed in our World Championships. There have certainly been a lot of lessons I’ll be taking with me from the last two weeks’ experiences to better prepare myself for 2010’s big show.

This last week in Val D’Isere has been filled with many demons and with a near comical rollercoaster of emotions. It wasn’t until the second training run in the DH that I truly realized there were some strong emotions that were crippling me out on the hill. I had a good plan in the start, I felt confident with where I needed to go and what I needed to do. Yet, once on the hill my body went completely rigid. I went into protective mode. Yes, I’m still hurting from my crash in Cortina less than two weeks ago, but it was more than that. I was being crippled with fear, on two levels. I was scared of crashing again and feeling such pain, and I was afraid I wouldn’t live up to the results I knew I was capable of. Between these two fears, I was a mess and I felt lower than I had in years. I know that even with all my faculties, it would have taken everything I had to perform here in Val D’Isere, and with my two bad shoulders, near complete exhaustion, and lingering sickness, it made my task that much tougher. Still here I was, needing to compete and unwilling to concede defeat.

Due to weather conditions, we only got two training runs (and both I skied like a scared and protective school girl). We then had one day off while the combined racers did their thing, with the training run cancelled the following day, and a long day on Sunday as the race was delayed until it was finally cancelled. During this time, I had been hard at work trying to get my brain and body working together again. I made lists of affirmations, reminding myself that I actually love this stuff! I also had a wonderful conversation with my sport psychologist Roger Friesen. Things started to come back together, and I could feel my passion for racing overpowering my fears. John Kucera’s win was also an inspiration and really helped me (and others) remember why we’re here. It was an epic race and one I will never forgot; I’m glad I was there to be a part of it….not to mention getting to sing our national anthem at the top of my lungs was pretty amazing!

Finally, the DH race day arrived. I was ready. I went out of the start and it was me again, I was loving the hill and totally engrossed in racing. Unfortunately, when I reached the forest, it was my first time doing that section with any real speed and I went too direct causing me to almost go out. I fought to stay in the course but I lost tons of time. I crossed the finish line far from the leader, but knowing I’d faced my fears and won. I showed up to race and I raced.

Since my crash in Cortina I’ve been on a whirlwind of emotions but I’m coming back to my own now. I’ve learned a lot by continuing to move forward; by pushing through; by racing. I may have no results to show for these last two weeks, but I have so much more. I know these hard times will make the highs feel so much better and I know the lessons learned will make me stronger – something I’ll need to be come Whistler next February.

On the health side of things, my shoulders are mending. Now that they settled down a bit, we were able to do a proper exam to see the damage. Chris Irving checked them out and found tears in the front of my left shoulder’s capsule and tears in the posterior (and slightly inferior) part of my right shoulder’s capsule. I was pretty emotional after the exam, I have had too much experience with shoulder exams, and it scared me to feel their condition. Especially the left one, it felt loose.

I’m now heading back to Canada for a few days to recover. I’ll be in London visiting Dr. Litchfield to have my shoulders further examined. Likely, this will become a waiting game. If they can stay in with proper rehab and strengthening then that’s it. However; if this is the beginning of more trouble with them popping out, then surgery will be required. I’m hoping it won’t get to that point, and if it does, I hope it can wait until after the Olympics.

It’s been a tough two weeks. I fought and I’m winning the battle.

Till next time,

Kelly

Unbelievable Yet True

When I was thinking about how to write this blog I didn’t know where to begin. Just thinking about it as a whole made it seem unbelievable, even I couldn’t wrap it all together. So here it goes, a summary of the last week – the last 2 days being the most…‘exciting’.

We’re all in Cortina, Italy getting set for the DH training runs that were supposed to start on Tuesday. After a dissapointing race in Altenmarkt I was ready to get at it again, with less clutter in my mind and renewed passion in my heart. David also joined me in Cortina on Monday, a very welcomed roomate. I always feel at home when I’m with him, he makes the time on the road much more pleasant.

As many of you already know, plans changed here in Cortina as the snow started to fall. In a matter of two days over 2 metres of snow fell. Finally, we ended up with 1 training run on Friday, DH race on Satruday, GS race on Sunday and a Super G race on Monday. (The second DH race was lost.) In the training run I had a solid, normal run and finished 3^rd. Going into the race I had a clear focus, just ski. I had a good normal run for me but I was a bit dissapointed to see that I finished 9^th. However, I later found out that I’d kicked the wand before leaving the gate, we were able to time this and I lost between 0.30 to 0.45 of a second because of this error. Without this mistake I would have finished between 4^th and 2^nd. My skiing is there, my mind set is there, now I just need to clean up that start (usually my best asset). I think this was the first time in my career I’d kicked the wand, I figured out why I did it and will learn from that mistake. Still, it really bothered me that I made such a silly mistake.

Also, throughout the week the whole team was sick. Half with head and chest colds, the other half with a gastro bug that really took people out for 2 days. In some ways I was lucky to have the head/chest cold. It didn’t completely knock me out.

Sunday was the GS race and while Gen Simard and Marie-Mitchelle Gagnon ripped in up in the race finishing 9^th and 16^th, we were training Super G at a hill nearby. It was soft snow and we were planning for an easy session of 3 to 4 runs, enough to hit some gates and be on our skis. Unfortantely, on my final run in the course, I crashed hard. It happened quickly and it’s hard to say what happened first, hit a rut, ski popped off?... I fell just before heading into a compression and I went down so fast I was unable to brace myself. My face went right into the snow and both my arms were above my head. Both shoulders popped out. The left subluxed for the first time ever, and the right one was out for the duration of the fall then went back in after I got up.

Obviously, the pain from having both shoulders come out was horrific. The pain settled down, although I was shaken up and upset.

The rest of my day was filled with icing and therapy on all the bits that hurt. In the end I had two bad shoulders, a scrapped up face, skiers thumb on the right hand, a pulled adductor, and the next morning I woke up to realize I also suffered some nice wiplash. Oh ya, and I was still sick as a dog and coughing up a lung. The check list of what could go wrong was rediculously high. Still, I had hope I could race. My legs (for skiing movements) and core were fine.

Monday morning started at 6am and David was with me every step of the way. Essentially, David did everything for me that caused pain, other than skiing. My goal was to see if I could get my brain and body to put a run together. There was no pressure from the coaches, if anything it was the opposite. They said they’d support me in whatever I chose to do. Once in inspection, I knew I wanted to run. The track was beautiful and the day was picturesque. Although I drew a later number than I would have liked, 27, everything else made me want to race. As David helped me get ready, boots, suit up, etc., I went to the start. I knew I had a run in me and I was totally committed to that. I saw it as a challenge and a mental exercise, yet even I was in the start hut almost laughing because I couldn’t believe I was there.

And so I raced. I had, for me, a pretty pathetic start but a solid run. I was a bit round in one section that I was a bit nervous about and more tense than I’d usually be, still I finished 20^th. In the finish area I just stood there, bent over, waiting for the pain to subside and my lungs to open up again. Britt (who had a good day finishing 12^th) helped me take my boots off and get me moving again. I had my bib cutt off because my shoulders were too sore to raise. But I did it, and I did it as well as I think I possibly could have. Even now, I can’t believe I raced.

This evening, now in Kirchberg, Dr. Litchfield (who ironically surgically fixed my right shoulder 6 years ago) was here to check them out. I’ll need some x-rays when back in Canada, but for now just rest. I’ll be taking the next few days off, completely off.

Hopefully, next week won’t be quite so eventful.

(Sorry, I chose not to take any pictures of my banged up face and body.) I do have a video of my crash in training…I’ll try and post that on You Tube in the next couple days.

Till next time,

Kelly

Training in Europe, 1st in Altenmarkt Training Run

It almost feels like the season hasn’t even begun. The fall was so packed with training leading up to the races, then having 2 out of 5 races cancelled due to weather….it now feels like we’re starting anew. However, I think this slower start to the season hasn’t been bad for me, giving me more time to adjust to my new boots and find my racing legs. After the holidays you could tell which athletes were technical racers and which were speed skiers. The technical skiers (GS & SL) are a bit more tired and felt the holidays were too short, the speed skiers on the other hand are itching to race. So finally we’ll get our wish, racing begin again this weekend!

Since arriving in Europe just after the new year, we quickly jumped into training in Garmish, Germany and Kirchberg, Austria. We also had the honour of being hosted on the Kitzbuhel downhill by the chief of course, and a few other excited and proud gentlemen. One of whom raced with Nancy Greene Raine! This hill was spectacular and the history it holds certainly left us all in awe. It was fun to see Rob Boyd, our coach, look like a kid in a candy shop…we could all see the racer in him come out on his old turf.

I’m now in Altenmarkt, Austria with two training runs finished as I get ready for Sunday’s race. I was a bit surprised to win the first training run, but also happy to know my normal skiing is fast. It was only my second time to ever win a Downhill training run, the last time I won a training run was in Torino during the Olympics. It was nice to win the first day knowing I had another training run to feel the jitters that come with winning the day before. I was again fast in the second run, but made a massive tactical error trying to go way to tight to the gates in one turn, giving myself no chance to make the next gate. However, I was fast in the other sections…that had turns at least….but I was dog slow on the flats. In other words, there are a few things to iron out for race day but no mysteries to solve.

I’m simply happy to know that this weekend is the beginning of a long stretch of racing. From here we’re off to Cortina, Italy, then Garmish, Germany. David Ford, my fiancée, will be joining me for those two weeks! A special treat indeed.

All the best,

Kelly VanderBeek





Posing with a statue in Kirchberg, Austria.













Can you see the injection?.... Kitzbuhel is injected nearly the whole way down.

Breaking in 2009

Today I wrote 2009 for the first time and it certainly made it feel official; a new year has begun. I’ve always embraced, in fact loved, birthdays and moment’s like these that mark the passage of time. It reminds me how much there is yet to come, how many dreams I have yet to achieve, how many unknown adventures still await, and that my journey is a work in progress which keeps me on my toes.

I was thinking about whether I should write a list of New Year’s resolutions. What would it look like? Oddly, I’ve always felt that New Year’s resolutions were made to be broken. (Case and point with how busy the gym gets around this time of year…somehow it doesn’t lastJ). It’s because of this sentiment that I’ve never been someone to make resolutions. I do however regularly revisit my dreams, my goals, and re-affirm the kind of person I want to be at these times of year. I suppose it’s through sport that I’ve learned to see where I want to be then start taking steps to get me there. That old saying, ‘One step at a time’ is my reminder to not only remain in the moment, but to enjoy and appreciate those steps along the way. It’s a good reminder for myself because it’s those steps that make up our lives, not the destination.

Ok, enough philosophical stuff. As for the everlasting (and ever exciting) game of ‘Where’s Kelly’ my family plays, I am now heading to Europe for some training before we kick off more racing in Altenmarkt, Austria. The season started slowly, with only three speed races getting off before Christmas. However, once January 16th hits it will be nonstop racing for the rest of the season. Before the Holiday break I was feeling strong on my skis and more consistent with my racing. This makes me both excited and nervous to get back on my skis…a good combination. I certainly soaked up the time off the hill though to rest both physically and mentally. This fall was packed as I made up for lost time in the summer training. I’m now excited to be heading back to find my feet back on my trusty Volkl’s; getting bruised all over my arms again hitting those gates; and to feel the wind in my face!

Till next time,

Kelly

Merry Christmas! - St Moritz

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!!

I simply cannot properly express how much I love this time of year. I love the festive feeling in the air, the time with family, the food, and the general good cheer all around. It’s even snowing here in Chilliwack today, a true white and Canadian Christmas. It is because of my love for the Holidays that the final races before Christmas are my favourite. I’m lucky enough that I will be home for Christmas and New Year’s! (In our world it’s a rare for a North American to be home at all during the Holidays) I will be in Chilliwack, Victoria and (powder) skiing in the mountains over the holidays.

Since Lake Louise we have been in St. Moritz. I always loving being in St.Moritz because I have a sense of home and belonging there. Many of you know Peter Bassin (my coach growing up), well he grew up in the village next to St. Moritz. This has always made me feel some kinship with the valley and a strong pull to my roots as a ski racer. Normally I get to Madulain to visit Peter’s Aunt, but I sadly didn’t get there this year. I didn’t want to show up with my big arm…(explanation to follow)..and during the race week things just got going in a hurry.

So, about the big arm. Well, the night after the SG in Lake Louise I up scratching my arm. Assuming it was an allergic reaction to the fish I’d eaten the night before I didn’t think much of it. I simply took lots of Benadryl and iced down my arm as it started to swell. Unfortunately, the arm simply continued to swell more and more…to the point that I ended up in the hospital in St. Mortiz Wednesday evening. As it turned out my arm somehow got a bacteria in it (with no cuts this was extremely bizarre…). So, I was on a high dose of Antibiotics and after a few days the swelling started to come down. I had some side effects to the drugs, but otherwise I was ok! I was thankful I didn’t need to race that week.

The start of the season has been a challenging one, with no summer training, crashing in Lake Louise, a bizarre infection in my arm, and more than enough snow for us all to say enough! Still, I’m feeling extremely strong on my skis and I’m working towards that level where my feeling and creativity can come out in my skiing. We’ve gotten three speed races in so far and we’ve had two cancelled. I’m feeling strong on my skis and my training runs and splits show the podium potential is still there! I’ll now have to hold my excitement in for a while since I won’t be racing again until later in January…hard to do when I’m just itching to go!

For now, I’m going to enjoy this break since I’ve been on the road nearly the whole time since September 15th. Turkey, gravy, cinnamon buns, and powder skiing here I come!!!!

As for the painting on E-bay, the painting raised over $500 for Right to Play and is going to an avid ski racing fan from Ontario! Thanks to everyone who bid!

Best Wishes to you all this season and throughout the New Year.

I’ll keep in touch!

With Smiles,
Kelly







Our coach Brett was ready to play hockey! The coaches has some exciting scrimmages happening on the beautiful outdoor rinks in St. Mortiz. Us girls got out one afternoon on our skates as well – we had so much fun!



















Britt Janyk held Canada up in the Super G with an 8th place finish. Emily Brydon, Larisa Yurkiw and I were DNF’s while Sherry and Emile failed to make the top 30. Emily and Larisa both had strong results the day earlier in the Super Combined – Emilie Desforges was a DNF in that race.

Lake Louise 2008

Hello Everyone,

The first races are now finished and I’m once again back in the airport leaving for Europe. I certainly was excited and enjoyed racing in Lake Louise once again. I simply love to race in Canada – there’s nothing like it.

Looking back on the weekend I’m happy with the solid performances and the clear indicators that I’m getting closer to the podium more consistently. With the challenges heading into the week of; no summer training; changing of boots a week and a half before the race; adverse weather conditions; and finally crashing on the first training run I certainly had a great opportunity to practice being mentally tough. My goal heading into this season was to do just that, to strengthen my resolve and to learn how to overcome challenges, no matter how big. I left the weekend knowing I was extremely fast in sections and that my SG is back! I really wanted a podium this Sunday and came just short of that. After the race I saw the splits and I was leading coming onto the flats. Unfortunately I made a few errors in line and got pushed into the soft snow a bit…costly on the flats. However, I was happy with how I raced, charged, and that I can still turn my skis! I was also excited to see Emily, Britt, and myself have such strong finishes in the first weekend of racing. We’re all in the mix which makes it loads of fun. Larisa Yurkiw also had her first ever top 30 result in the DH with a tie for 29th! We might have a new Speed Queen in the midst!!!

If you’re curious and want to check out my crash from the first training run I’ve attached the You Tube link for the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rpl2MsfX5I

On a side note, be sure to check out my website, there are some new updates with videos, speed queens t-shirt links, schedules, etc, etc.

Take Care Everyone!

Kelly

Auction for Right to Play

Looking for a Last Minute Christmas Gift?....

On December 5th, at noon sharp, the online auction for this painting done by Rossland artist Stephanie Gauvin will officially open. I have attach images of the painting…although I swear nothing is better than seeing it in real life. 100% of the money raised from the auction will go to Right to Play.

What You Need to Know:

- Auction opens December 5th at Noon
- Link: www.ebay.com/righttoplay
- This is a Right to Play Holiday campaign, so there will be other items up for bid
- Each item will have its own individual Page
- Auction will be open for 10 days
- If you win the item, it will be shipped to you before Christmas
- Painting Dimensions are: 24" in height and 30" in length
- Feel free to learn more about the artist at: http://www.artiststephaniegauvin.com/
- Bids over 1 million dollars will include a free ski day with me and a free Kelly VanderBeek go to Joe Mug!! :)….

The image is of me racing at the Whistler World Cup in February 2008.

Let’s join together and help raise money for Right to Play!!!! To learn more about this wonderful organization please visit: http://www.righttoplay.ca/.

Please pass along this e-mail to anyone who may be interested!

Best Wishes,

Kelly

Heading to Lake Louise

The season is about to begin! The world is showing up in Canada, looking for snow and rearing to go. (Yes, that rhymed…corny I knowJ) The men’s races in Lake Louise are under way and we’re cheering loudly as we await our turn. I’m currently in Panorama finishing off our final training block before the race season kicks off next week.

Since leaving home on November 5th we’ve been busy with fitness testing in Calgary, meetings, 5 days in Nakiska, 5 days in Lake Louise, and now Panorama. It’s been a lot of moving around as we tried to make the best of what little snow was available. Since arriving in Panorama though we’ve had some great SG and even DH training. The whole CPAST (our paralympic counterparts) team was also here training earlier this week. I was completely blown away by their abilities and willingly kicked myself in the butt – if they can ski that well I’d better get in gear!

As other world cup teams arrived in Panorama for training we got a chance to see a glimpse of how we stacked up against other countries. As a whole, we are all skiing stronger, faster, and there is a much smaller margin of error allowable if you want to be in the mix! Britt has been extremely fast, and consistently fast – usually leading the charge out of all the countries. Another girl who’s stepped up this last week was Larisa Yurkiw (a fellow Ontario racer). I was strong and right in there, but it usually took me a few runs to get in there. (Oddly my GS was my fastest out of the block!) I’ve made a move to a new model in the Lange boot – I’m excited about the change and I’m learning this boots’ limits as I go. This boot has a higher end performance and I’m extremely fast when I get it!

I’m extremely excited about racing next week, and putting on a show for Canada!

There’s a lot happening this coming week so keep you’re eyes and ears open!

Many Smiles,

Kelly

Engagement, T-Shirts, Fitness Testing

As always this time of year is a whirlwind of activity that is always fraught with emotion as we head into another race season. Upon my arrival home from Europe I had a life changing surprise awaiting me. David asked me to marry him…and I said Yes!!!

Therefore, on top of the regular whirlwind of gala and media events in Ontario, Vancouver, and Calgary I was enjoying extraordinary moments with my family and friends to help celebrate this wonderful news. It was great timing for me, so I could share such happy news with so many people.

I’m now back with my teammates in Calgary and looking forward to getting back on snow. We’ve just completed this fall’s fitness testing, and from what we’ve heard so far the whole team is moving forward and reaching new heights. I was extremely excited to see that I was fitter on the bike and in the power tests than ever before, even with the lost time because of the knee injury. Now it’s just about translating that fitness into fast skiing!

We’ll be training in Nakiska and Panorama over the next three weeks leading up to the Lake Louise world cup. It’s been warm here so there isn’t much snow, but their now making lots during the evenings as the temperatures are starting to drop.

As for what I have on the go, The Speed Queens have some new t-shirts! (This is a picture of David and I with our t-shirts on from the Vancouver Gala)

The shirts will be sold for $20 and all the proceeds will be going to Right to Play. They’ll be sold at the World Cup in Lake Louise and we’re sorting out a way to get orders in for individuals as well. If a group wants to order 20 or more shirts, send me an e-mail with the order and I’ll get it through! The shirts come in Black, White, and Pink! (Pink is my favourite!)

Another fundraising initiative that I’m working on has been in the works for several months. A local artist from Rossland, Stephanie Gauvin, painted a wonderful action shot of me from the Whistler World Cup. This painting will be auctioned off to the highest bidder on an online site. More details to come…

Best Wishes to Everyone,
Kelly

Training in Solden

Well, one month and 19 days of skiing later I’m on my way back home to Canada. I’ve truly enjoyed my training camp and return to snow program. This camp (after a 4 days in Calgary) began with 3 days in Passo Stelvio, Italy (which was a throw back to my days on the development team), and 16 days of training in Solden, Austria. I’m now set to board the plane and begin my journey back to my own bed where I’ll rest my head for a short break before the racing season kicks off.

During this camp I spent most of my time on getting my skiing back to a place where I was comfortable to push my limits again. This consisted of a lot of drills to help organize my skiing body from the feet up. Although we didn’t have any intense speed training, I did get a good number of days of my SG skis and one day of DH ski testing. We tried some new ideas with my boots (that unfortunately went terribly awry) however, we did learn a few things in the process.

In many respects, October training reminds me of the first week back to school. Running into old faces, revisiting friendships, seeing what retired athlete’s have moved onto, catching up on summertime gossip, and generally enjoying the excited air around the hill. I’m happy to be back.

I also spent 8 days with our Development girls before my team arrived. I really enjoyed getting to know these girls better and was impressed with their work ethic. We had a lot of fun both on and off the hill.

I also caught up with our Men’s Teck team – most notable was seeing Thomas Grandi again (he spent the last year in retirement). It was great to catch up with him and see him back on the hill representing Canada as well as ever.

The World Cup opening race in Solden is happening this weekend, so be sure to tune in and cheer the Canadians on! Racing for the girls’ side will be Gen Simard and MP Préfontaine.

As far as my knee goes, it’s still not 100% but I pushed it pretty hard and it held up quite well. Otherwise, I’m feeling great and look forward to the upcoming season.

Till next time,

Kelly

Back On Snow

Well, I certainly have been avoiding my blog, mostly because I wanted to wait until I had something positive to write...and now I do! I’m in Europe after a few days in Calgary where I was given the go ahead to ski. As many of you already know, my knee wasn’t good enough to go skiing in Chile so I missed that camp entirely. I heard it was great training and I was sad to miss it, although, I know the physiotherapists and doctors made the right call.

I’m now close to 100% and I’ve been skiing the last two days. The knee held up well and I’m adding volume each day as things progress. I was happy to see that I hadn’t forgot how to ski!

Since my crash in New Zealand (and my last blog) I have been busy with physio, staying in shape and rebuilding my right leg. I’m now back physically and feeling nervous and excited about getting back on skis. It’s such an odd feeling to be a ‘ski racer’ yet be away from my skis for such a long time.

During my time at home, I was able to watch a lot of the Beijing Olympics, spend time with David, take little vacation, and attend my sister’s spectacular wedding. All and all, life is good and moving forward.

I'll be in touch again soon with another Blog!!

Smiles,

Kelly

Little Hiccup

Sadly, my training camp in New Zealand was cut short due to a crash in GS training. Although the tumble wasn’t a severe fall, it was awkward and twisty. My right knee was forced into hyper extension while it twisted. From my experience last year in Chile with a very similar fall, I was quite sure I hadn’t torn any ligaments but had once again suffered a bone bruise to my tibia plateau. It didn’t feel too bad though, so we waited a few days to see if it would settle down.

Unfortunately, the swelling actually increased in that time frame so the team’s doctors and physios made the call. I was sent home to recover because the likelihood me skiing by the end of the camp in New Zealand was slim. I was on crutches once again with instructions to have no weight on the injured leg. The most difficult part of this injury was the timing, this injury meant I wasn’t skiing and I wasn’t with David in Beijing. It was a double hit on to the emotions.

A week after my crash I was in for an MRI at a private clinic in Abbotsford, BC. The results came back as expected, a bone bruise to the tibia plateau. It is less severe than the bone bruise I suffered in Chile last year which is good news. Therefore, I’ll be back ready for our next camp in Chile which begins at the end of August.

I am now off crutches and back doing as much training as possible working around the injury. I expect to be back with full weight bearing lifting & twisting by the end of next week.

Hey, it wouldn’t be skiing without a little injury here and there to keep you on your toes! They didn’t call them the Crazy Canucks for nothing!

I hope the West is enjoying this amazing hot summer weather and that the East is surviving the rain!

From The Heart

As a winter Olympian, and long time girlfriend of a summer Olympian, my take on the Olympic journey is, well, intimately connected to everything I am. In Torino I wasn’t an Olympic medal hopeful, yet I finished 4th, a mere 3 hundredths of a second from a podium. Now, I’m working towards 2010. When I’m competing I’m in control, I accept the challenges I face and I dive in head first. Yet, the hardest and most rewarding role I’ve ever had to play is that of a fan, that of being part of a support network to a fellow Olympian.


David Ford, my partner for the last 6 years, was in Beijing representing Canada after battling through overwhelming adversity to get there. Yet is was a quiet battle, fought daily, internally, and fought with class.


I know I’ll never be able to truly convey the emotion involved in David’s journey, the struggle, and the drive that kept him going through endless training session, battles, and setbacks. Sadly, I am simply not a skilled enough writer to articulate the passion I see in David, and the utter respect and pride I feel for him and his journey.




Last year, a few months after David’s 40th birthday, and in the final stretch to the Olympics, the Road to Excellence fun cut his $75,000 funding to nothing. David received a total funding support of $1,500 in the year leading up to Beijing. Once David heard he was cut, he weighed his options. He had come this far, he had to see it through. The changes he was making to his paddling were starting to show and he knew by Beijing he would be ‘in the mix’ for a medal. This decision meant he forked out over $50,000 of his money to carry him through the months leading up to and during Beijing. Unfortunately, he had to cut some corners and sacrifice due to the reality of money constraints.

The loss of funding was a hit to pocket book but it was more than that. It was the emotion and the message that came with it. ‘Too old, sport’s not culturally significant enough, not considered a medal hopefully…’ He felt his country had abandoned him; that they no longer believed in him. This hit was likely more severe than any financial penalty.

I watched David face his demons and doubts head on. I watched him day in and day out be completely committed to his goals. I watched him sacrifice more than I’ve seen anyone do because he believed in himself, and at the end of the day he had to see his story through. I loved him for it, I loved him for every challenge he faced, for every time he picked himself up. He was very much alone on this quest, and he held his own. He kept his head down, did his work, and every step was taken with the intention of moving towards winning a medal in Beijing.

To define if a result is a success or not, one must understand the sport and the dynamics that come into play. In the pool or on the track it’s measure by personal bests and world records. In gymnastics the experts guess the results with are around 90% accuracy. These sports, not to undermine the difficulty or challenges they face, are more predictable. Usually there are around 4 or 5 medal hopefuls, the rest are participants working towards their goals of someday reaching that elusive podium.













Then there are two sports who’s dynamics are sorely misunderstood; alpine ski racing, and whitewater kayaking. There are not 4 or 5 medal hopefuls, there are 15 – 18 medal hopefuls (out of the 21 Olympians participating). These athlete’s also not only medal hopefuls, but in the eyes of their country they will have failed should they not bring home the hardware. Beyond just the medal hopefuls, there were 10 athletes with Olympic Gold medal potential. This means a lot of athletes will go home being considered disappointments – this saddens me because it simply shows a lack of understanding of this unique sport.

Because of the dynamics of the water, nature, and the extreme environment that this race is run in, it is virtually impossible to guarantee a medal. All an athlete can do, is set themselves up to be in the mix, to be one of those gold medal hopefuls. David did that, he was in the mix.

A prime example of the dynamics that exist in whitewater kayaking is in Fabien Lefevre story. Fabien finished 2nd in Beijing, yet he didn’t even qualify as one of France’s top three paddlers last year. This means that the year before the Olympics Fabien didn’t even make his National team. Yet this didn’t mean he wasn’t a great paddler, as he showed in his Beijing performance. He went from being a World Cup medalist ‘06, to not making the national team ‘07, to an Olympic medal ‘08 – this is the sport of whitewater.

Yet David’s 4th at the Pre-Olympics, and 6th in the overall World Series (with an injured right elbow), a 5 time Olympian, and 4th in Athens Olympics, was not enough to secure him any funding according to Canada’s Road to Excellence fund in the year leading up to Beijing.

Now it’s over, this 4 year block where the total focus has been on development and working towards Beijing has run its course. The results are in. David finished 6th with a mysterious 2 second penalty which knocked him out of 4th place. No, David didn’t win a medal, but he did so much more than that. He continued moving forward when everything was pushing him backwards. No one was closer to him than I was through this journey, and no one will ever know how much of himself he put out there. He’s proud to be Canadian, and wanted nothing more than to make his country proud, and in the process fulfill his dream of standing on the Olympic podium.

If this had been Hollywood David would have won that medal. In my eyes, he did so much more than that. He has set new heights in his sport, blasted boundaries, and proven you can hold your head high after an Olympic 6th place finish. He was in the mix for a medal in Beijing, in whitewater kayak that’s all you can ever do.

David, I'm proud of you.

Opening Ceremonies

Goosebumps, every time I watch, I get goosebumps.

It’s the Olympic Opening Ceremonies, and Canada has just walked in. Ever since I can remember watching the Olympics it was this moment that filled me with excitement, anticipation, and pride. I’m lucky enough to call myself and Olympian, and even luckier to have been one who was in the hunt for a medal (sadly missing a third place finish in Torino by 3 hundredths of a second.)

I often ask myself what it means to be an Olympian and why the Olympics represents such grandeur in my (and the worlds’) eyes. I suppose its the chance to achieve an ideal, a level of excellence, the chance to inspire a nation, and the chance to rise above politics, war, and discrimination, to a playing field that comes down to hard work, dedication, and a pure connection to the moment and movement that is sport.

Sadly, this is the real world where very real problems and challenges face the Olympic ideals head on. There has been no more obvious an example where the world’s politics and Olympics have collided than in Beijing. Yet, when the gun goes off, the countdown begins, or the music starts, nothing else matters but the athlete’s performance, the moment. It is then, and only then, that true Olympic ideals are reached. It is my hope that those brief moments in time will extend beyond short-lived performances and reach the forgotten corners of society, like Darfur. It is my hope that the equality reached between races, religions, and countries on the playing field that is the Olympics, will someday reach every gym and playground around the world.

Sport has a way or bringing people together. It can unite a community, teach tolerance, and be used as a tool to enlighten our spirits. The opening ceremonies unite a world in one march, one celebration. I love its simplicity, its tradition, and the hope it gives me as I dream of a brighter future for everyone.

Winter's Coming!

I should apologize, I hope I didn't scare anyone with the subject line in this e-mail. Winter is coming, but only if you're about to head onto a plane, fly 22 hours, to find yourself on the South Island in New Zealand. If that's the case, then yes, winter is coming!

I have caught myself saying things like, 'It's been a nice summer'. And people keep looking at me sideways and ask, 'What do you mean? Summer's just getting going.' I then explain that I'll be spending the next 3 weeks in New Zealand, with a short break at home before a 3 week block in Chile as well.

I have to say, I have enjoyed a wonderful summer. I'm not sure if it's because of Beijing and David's final preparations for the Games, but I certainly sense a shift in my daily motivation levels and my attention to details. 2010 is only 1 1/2 years away, I want to win, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes.

The last month has been filled with travelling for training. I spent two weeks in Calgary with my team training, then one week in Ottawa training. My last week I was happy to spend at home with David before seeing him off to Beijing then hoping on a plane myself to head Down Under.

I'm looking forward to getting on the snow again, although it still feels unreal that I'll be skiing soon. This will be my first trip to New Zealand, so I look forward to seeing this part of the world that I've heard so much about.

Here are a few images to showcase what I've been up to this last month:

Emily Brydon and I petting to horses during the Calgary Stampede.











Jumping off the bridge after some waterskiing and wake boarding in Calgary with the Brewington's and friends.















My parent's in Ottawa when they came up to visit me for the weekend.












The group (and Terry Orlick) about to spend an afternoon climbing trees!











David on the Rutherford - the first race was held last weekend on The Rutherford, Canada's first artificial whitewater course. Check out the You Tube video I made showcasing this event: http://youtube.com/watch?v=0Fo242trjSQ

I volunteered for the Brunch For Books event held at the Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver. I read a new book called, Jazlyn J to the kids then signed them afterwards.

I did some work with Play it Cool this last month. Encouraging BC's people to put their $100 climate change dividend towards going Carbon Neutral, and through an interview with Global National (which aired Sunday, July 27th). The Global National piece showcased Adam van Koeverden and I working with Play it Cool and the programs initiatives.

That's about it from my end. My next entry will be filled with skiing images and snow!!!!

Wishing you many Smiles,

Kelly

Why I joined Team Darfur

Growing up in Kitchener, Ontario I was blessed with an amazing family, stability, and support. It was through this amazing support network that I was introduced to a different world, a rough world that kids face everyday. When I was in Grade 7, my teacher Mr. Covey who is also an activist, showed a bunch of 13year old kids that their voices had power. We learned about child labour, mostly focused in the Philippines. In that class, we formed a coalition against Child Labour, one of my classmates made it all the way to Parliament to speak on behalf of this group. Our voices were heard, awareness was raised, and pressure for change turned into action.

Since that time I have always known I wanted to be a part of positive change in the world. As an Olympic Athlete I have been given an opportunity to inspire and lead in Canada and around the world. Last year I joined Right to Play as an Ambassador and I am extremely excited about that relationship. Teaching the world’s children how to play and learn through sport is a simple, pure, and perfect initiative, one that I am proud to be a part of.

However, I felt there was more I could do. It was then that I was approached by Team Darfur to ask if I would be interested in joining their cause. Team Darfur is an international coalition of athletes committed to raising awareness about and bringing an end to the crisis in Darfur, Sudan. I am extremely excited to represent this movement. Team Darfur have affiliations with Right to Play so I spoke with Right to Play to get a better sense of this organization. Obviously, I was impressed with Team Darfur’s mission and the people running it.

I have been told Darfur is a political issue and therefore I’ve seen people back away from this cause. Often organizations and individuals back away from topics of a politically-motivated nature. However, when I thought about what a politically motivated topic was, I usually fell on issues where both sides made valid points. However, with regards to Darfur the issues are simple. You are either for or against genocide.

Like many people I had a vague understanding about the Darfur Crisis. From the news, the Oprah special, etc. I had a generalized picture of what was going on in Darfur. The ethnic based violence began in 2003, and it’s still happening. It is estimated that 400,000 people have been killed as a result of this conflict and 2.5 million have been pushed out of their homes. Sadly, causes come in and out of popularity with the public, my hope is too help keep Darfur in the public eye, giving this cause voice and strength.

The mantra of Team Darfur is to Learn, Fight, Lead, and Unite. Currently they are working towards influencing the Chinese government to put pressure on Sudan and evoke real and lasting change for Darfur. China purchases two thirds of Sudan’s oil and sells weapons to them. China has a lot of pull in Sudan, and hopefully in the spirit of Olympic Ideals China will use their weight to evoke lasting change in Darfur. If you are interested in supporting an Olympic Truce for Darfur sign this letter at:

http://teamdarfur.org/truce

I believe in the power of one, I believe in the power of voice, and I hope the addition of my voice will help this coalition of athletes move towards peace in Darfur.