Sorry for my lengthy absence in updating my journal, things have been busy for me in Nova Scotia, but the good kind of busy. In terms of training, I am very happy with how it has been going. I have been working at Banook Canoe Club (the club which I race for), and enjoying some hard practices with my teammates. 

We are off the water now, as Banook Lake has been lowered a great deal to prepare for next summer's world championships. Things are appearing in the muck and uncovered lake bottom that have not seen the light of day in years. Yesterday's finds included an old skateboard, signs, and a salvageable resistor to name a few. Towards the 500m mark in the lake, there is now a small islands of rocks that have surfaced, that would probably be just off the outside of where the race course would normally be situated. 

We have been doing lots of running and weight training, and are now swimming two mornings a week. I am feeling more and more the ability to handle the training with greater ease, and have found a noticeable increase in my overall power. I also have been trying to make a reinvigorated effort at improving my flexibility, something that should never be overlooked, especially in canoeing. 

One of the questions we recently received in our "ask us anything" forum asked how we were able to stay motivated during the autumn months, so far removed from the racing season. I would like to take the opportunity to answer that one here, and link it to an experience I just had.

Recently I was able to meet the CEO for the Vancouver Olympics Mr. John Furlong, and watch him speak at two different venues, and was really moved by his words. This is a man who truly exhibits the type of passion for sport that every fan, coach, athlete etc. should try and embrace. He spoke of the need to find the challenge within yourself and hold on to it, to strive for greatness, and to be passionate about what you're doing. 

These are all sentiments that I believe can help with the fall portion of training. Obviously, with canoeing our training schedules are cyclical, and the fall months include longer sessions aimed at building your base and improving technique. It is important to remember that the fall is a time when you have a real opportunity to improve upon things that will affect your whole season. As Mr. Furlong had said, you cannot simply turn on and off the passion switch, a true commitment must be made, because you may just find yourself after the big moment has passed wishing there was something else you could've done in advance. Don't make this mistake. Remember to enjoy it, work hard, and continue to re-invent goals on  week to week basis that will better set you up to get the most out of your training. I hope this helps answer that question a bit, it has been something that has definitely helped me.

Lastly, moving on to my random thoughts:

 

-the Toronto Raptors need some help at the wing, but Gerald Wallace (mentioned in the sporting news rumour circle), while explosive is a huge risk

- San Diego Chargers officially have given me a major heart condition this season

- my attempts at becoming a cultured individual have been enjoyable, Ernest Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises" has not disappointed so far

- Dartmouth is a beautiful city

Thanks for reading, and as always keep it real.

Andrew