A quick thank you to Coach Kat at Optimum Performance Training for her guest blog post below. Kat Elvidge, MAHN, BSc, Coach Optimum Performance Training Inc. “Despite there being much evidence to support the profound benefits of strength training for endurance athletes, year-round strength training is not common in many athletes’ programs. This is mainly due to the misconceptions associated with strength for endurance sports. Misconceptions such as: strength training will bulk you up too much, which will make you slow strength training will decrease your conditioning due to increased energy ..read more

When was the last time you set aside time to work on bike handling skills? Today – last week – last month – last year? If you are like most triathletes, the answer is probably “not lately”. But, triathlon bikes with aero bars and front end hydration systems can be tricky to maneuver when you have to do anything other than ride in a straight line. And, in a short event like a sprint race, every second counts. So, to become a faster triathlete it is important to become a better cyclist. Spending some time practicing bike skills like cornering and becoming confident with tight turns, will only ma ..read more

Let me start by saying that it was not like the picture above or anything I had anticipated…but it was GREAT!  As of Friday, July 10 at 6am, four city pools – Bob Bahan Aquatic Centre, Canyon Meadows Aquatic Centre, Glenmore Aquatic Centre and Killarney Aquatic Centre – re-opened. In our COVID-19 environment, going for a swim in a city run pool is a bit different than before. Here’s what you need to know: Access to these four city pools is “by appointment only”.  You need to go online (pool links above), check availability, create an account and book yourself in. You get an hour sl ..read more

Many races have been cancelled this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic but did you know that Ironman 70.3 Calgary has not been cancelled but instead been postponed to September 5, 6, & 7, 2020? Here is some information from the Ironman 70.3 Calgary Facebook page: “During this pandemic we all have concerns and questions about how a race can go forward. Our dedicated staff of 11 years and team of volunteers are working with local officials and Ironman on the logistics of managing a mass participation event with social distancing protocols. Multiple heats, zones limiting the numb ..read more

Have you heard of Fascial Stretch Therapy (FST)? I had not. But I recently met Megan Sullivan, M.Sc., BA H.Kin Certified Athletic Therapist & Fascial Stretch Therapist of Ossum Wellness who introduced me to this full body approach that manipulates the body into a number of different stretches to target fascia. For my hour-long session with Megan I was instructed to wear comfy clothes. Her workspace in Bridgeland has a beautiful mural on the wall, ample natural light and tranquil blue paint. Her treatment table looks like a message table but with some straps and no “face holder ..read more