New Site, New Blog

It's Snowing on my Site!!!!!

All New!

CLICK HERE to soak up the winter Wonderland.

Concussion Culture Must Change...Among Other Things

Click this link to Read My Latest Blog:

Concussion Culture Must Change

I think this is one of the best Blogs I've ever written - hopefully it will strike a cord and evoke change.

Healthy is Normal...Right?

New Blog Posting on CBC!

Topic: Healthy is Normal...Right?

Check it out:

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/blogs/kellyvanderbeek/2011/01/healthy-is-normal-right.html

CBC Blog: Surgery - Just What I Needed...Really

Check out my latest Blog on CBC's Website:

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/blogs/kellyvanderbeek/2011/01/more-surgery-just-what-i-needed-really.html

I had a good day in Physio today - it was nice to get out of the house and feel a bit more independent.

My Week in Cell Phone Pictures

Here we go again! But this time....much less pain and injury to bounce back from.

(Here are 4 days in Pictures around my Knee surgery Last Monday)

1 Day - Pre Op.
Last Sunday - Day before Surgery. Shoveling snow in this winter wonderland!

Day 1 Post Op.

Day 2 Post Op.

Day 3 Post OP - Funky new bandages that let you shower right away.

Some Pictures they gave me of the inside of my knee.

Bend on Day 4 Post Op!

Battle Field

What a great way to Start the New Year! This is me on January 1st!

Well, this is it! All that talk about 2010 for so many years…and now…it’s all history. In many ways it’s a bizarre feeling looking back at 2010 – but I prefer to look forward and I’m excited to see what 2011 has in store for us all.

The holidays is always a favourite time of year from me. I was lucky enough to have a big family that kept our house filled with the holiday spirit – yes, that manic and hectic kind of spirit of course - is there any other kind? I’m not often with my siblings and family in Ontario so it was great to have time to catch up, chat, and enjoy the holiday treats my Mom made.

To kick off the New Year I skied Mt Baker the morning of the 1st. It was sunny, -2, and no wind made for a perfect morning. It’s days like that when I know, I’m nowhere near finished with this sport. I may be a bit crazy, but, I love it! It was a stark contrast to how I started 2010 – getting pumped with morphine to help me deal with the post-surgery pain.

Let’s just say this January 1^st was better, much, much, better.

Since last January our National Ski Team has been incredibly healthy. Nearly a full year passed without incident or injury. Sadly, that trend changed last week with some teammates going down. Closest to me being Kelly McBroom – lets all send her some healing vibes in Austria! Otherwise, the team seems to be finding its stride – especially on the technical side with personal bests being posted by nearly every athlete. It’s exciting to see new talent emerging!

Thinking back to last year makes me see how far I’ve come. From a dislocated knee with extensive damage to; skiing; lifting; biking; etc. Still, there is more improvement needed for me to be race ready.

I’m now in Calgary and we started the year with a group pow-wow.

I connected with our team doctors and physios to make a plan moving forward. It has become obvious that I will not race this season. Sad news I know, but smarter than trying to rush back and fall short.

With that knowledge, we looked critically at how the knee is doing and our best course of action moving forward. We’ve decided to go with some minor medical intervention as a push to get this knee race ready. Although it’s never desirable to have the docs poke around inside you, we’re all confident this will get me feeling strong heading into summer training.

I have made amazing improvements and was consistently getting better - but our sights are on the World stage. Luckily, I have a world class medical staff around me to get me there.

I’ll remain in Calgary for the month of January making sure every step we take is in the right direction.

In my own way, I’m excited about what lays ahead. I’m a fighter and I see every challenge as a battle field. I’m know I’m winning this battle and there’s no way I’m about to back out of this fight.

Bring it.

New Video!

I made this video over the Holidays. I was watching old skiing footage and heard this song on the radio soon after - I just had to make this video!

You'll understand why when you see the correlation with the lyrics.

Good Fun!!!

TSN's 'Twas the Night Before Christmas'

Check out TSN's...

'Twas The Night Before Christmas' Athlete Montage

http://watch.tsn.ca/featured/clip378304#clip393607

I'm reciting a line near the end!

Smiles,

Kelly

Randy Starkman's Blog - Toronto Star

Randy Starkman (reporter for the Toronto Star) just wrote a blog about our conversation the other day.

Check it out!

http://thestar.blogs.com/olympics/

(Randy Starkman)

Canada's Olympic Hangover Cure

Check out my latest Blog on CBC.

Topic: Olympic Hangover Cure

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/alpineskiing/

Also, be sure to support the CAN FUND Holiday Drive!!!

http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?EventID=29252&LangPref=en-CA&RegistrationID=1039771

Free Movies In the 'Wack

Come out to the new Cineplex in Chilliwack tomorrow morning 8:30am for;

free movies;

cheap popcorn & pop;

and help raise money for the Chilliwack Bruins Minor Hockey!

David and I will be on hand to sign Autographs and hand out posters/swag.

See you there!

Kelly & David

New Blog at CBC Site

Put this link into your browser and see what I had to say about Lake Louise & getting back Racing!

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/blogs/kellyvanderbeek/2010/12/small-steps-towards-home.html

Winter Wonderland

Here are some images I took while David was playing hockey at the Chateau Lake Louise.

Snow covered trees are always beautiful!

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Frosty!

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Hockey while the sun set.

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The puck as seen through the mesh of the goal.

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Now THIS IS CANADA!!!!!!!

KV is Back Skiing!!!!!!

- - -Enjoy the Video!- - - -

Article Links & Pic From Skiing Today

CBC Article - The Pain Game

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/amateur/story/2010/12/01/spf-athletes-injuries.html

Vancouver Sun Article:

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Vanderbeek+back+hill/3909648/story.html

This image is from DAY 3 of my return to snow.
It was great to spend the day skiing with my hubby, David!

Links, links, and more Links

Check out all the amazing coverage and support I've received with my return to snow!

FIS - Video and Article:

www.fisalpine.com

Article in The Province:

http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Kelly+VanderBeek+takes+first+step+skiing+return/3901716/story.html

My Blog for CBC:

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/alpineskiing/


Today was my second day on skis and it went well! I did 4 runs today and I had my GS skis on - I could still turn them!

Like Coming Home...

Yesterday was a spectacular day and the culmination of a years' worth of extremely hard work.

It was the day I skied for the first time since my crash on December 17, 2009.

I can only describe my return to snow as if I was finally 'Coming Home'.

This is me on the chairlift heading up for my first run!

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Stretching it out - making sure I'm limbered up for the run!
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Myself and Dr. Bob Litchfield (the surgeon who put me back together). It was special being able to share this day with him, his family, and Kent Kobelka (team physio).

It was a beautiful morning for my first day back.
Skiing continues to take my breath away in all the right ways.

CBC & Big News

I did some work with Doug Dirks and Scott Russell today during CBC's coverage of the Men's World Cup in Lake Louise. It was a spectacular day and it made me want to race more than ever. Being around the World Cup has been good for my soul.

BIG NEWS: Last night I received the ALL CLEAR from my surgeon, Dr. Litchfield and our physio Kent Kobelka. Tomorrow, Sunday morning, will be my first time clicking into my bindings since my crash Dec. 17, 2009. Litchfield and Kent will be joining me for the morning ski: I couldn't be in better hands.

I'll just be missing my hubby David; he's been such a big part of this recovery and I look forward to the first time I'll ski with him!

I'll let you know how the ski goes!

CTV's Canada AM - Short n Sweet

Kelly (Me), Jeff Hutcheson, & a local longtime skier Eddie Hunter

This morning I was on CTV's Canada AM for a short 'n sweet moment to talk about the World Cup events here in Lake Louise. The men will be racing this weekend and the women next weekend.

Chilly Morning for a Work Party at Tamihi!

This is a gate the kayakers go around for training: frozen solid.

Climbing ladders was part of the job this morning!