Explore Sweden July 2-July 9 2009

I will be joining Mark , Sara and Sarah, Jen and Jenna (support crew) for what looks to be one crazy adventure race in Sweden. We will be racing as team Yogaslackers under USA/CAN. It will be my first experience racing with more than one girl on a team (here we have five of us...woot woot). I am looking forward to the challenges, the excitement, the strengths, the weaknesses etc etc etc. There are generally few women in the sport and it is so exciting to be racing on a team with so many amazing ladies on it. Check us out and follow us on the Explore Sweden Website. There is a lot of packing to be done: this race has it all from mountaineering, inline skating to hydrospeeding.... I leave tomorrow and will be in Sweden Monday!

A little bit about Yogaslackers. I was blessed to meet Jason and Daniel from Team Yogaslackers just over a year ago in Baja Mexico during Baja Travesia, a wonderful race put on by Karen and Paul from Team Sole. We met, we bonded and we rocked the course. Last summer we had the oppportunity to race together quite a few times(and podium on all of them) considering they all live all over the states. I had felt like I met a team in which we could really make a difference in the adventure racing world as well as life in general. I had met them at a confusing and difficult time in my life. They introduced me to Acroyoga, slacklining and general beautiful life values and ways of life. I spent a week in Nevada and Red Rocks with them, a trip for me that I will never forget (a tyoe of trip they do on a regular basis). I cherish the Yogaslacker gang and hope that one day I will meet other slackers around the globe. I enjoy introducing others the things I have learned from the yogaslackers and love bringing along my slackline along and flying folks whenever the opportunity arises. I believe in the Yogaslackers and infact am so proud to be a yogaslacker myself. Thank you gents and ladies! Forever yours,

live, love, laugh,...DREAM!
lina

12 Hours of Cumberland: 4 Horsemen of the Apokalyps take home the Cup

This past weekend I found myself back on the island... I am starting to really enjoy the island this summer (biking, kayaking, good people). Andrew, Paul, Jacek and I comprised the Vancouver contingent and headed over Friday evening to good friends Mark and Nikki up in Comox. A woman's team (Nikki, Joan, Chris and me: 4 Horsemen of the Apokalyps) and a men's team (Andrew, Mark, Paul and Jacek: Fig Rolls Racing) entered the 12 Hours o Cumberland race on Saturday. It was to be my first type of 12/24 hour mountain bike race and what a way to get introduced to this type of racing (great race. I'm nervous as I had such a blast that now am thinking I want to try a 24 Hour Mountain Bike Race Solo.... to be honest I am not too surprised by my thoughts on this (a little surprised that it is 24 hours of just mountain biking, no running or water sports to help me out)... The course was fairly short but in mind perfect. With four people on a12 hr race team it was nice to keep getting laps in. Our laps were from 27min to 40 min long and the fastest guys were around 22 minutes. The course had tons of rooty single track a little log road to bring you to more rooty single track. I was definitely getting the hang of the course by lap 3 and really starting to enjoy it a lot. The ladies were fantastic and we all raced with our home made horse heads on our bikes. Once again I loved my Giant X0 Trance from Steed Cycles! The guys were whooping butt out there but some sneaky strategic passing of the shit bike didn't give them much opportunity to grab it too often and therefore landed a solid second place finish. I managed to sneak in 6 laps and our team delivered a full 20 laps to finish up the day. There was a tasty bbq with yummy home made snacks, I managed to set up a slackline, read some radio stuff, listened to music, hung out and generally had a fantastic day. Bryan from MOMAR brought along a team so it was nice to catch up with him... I definitely recommend this race to anyone who enjoys biking in some fun trails!



Sunday a Forbidden ride was organized by Mark. We rode up the hill (I think I pushed for this more than the shuttle....gotta enjoy the ups). Mark took us down some great new trails. I really enjoyed them as they were a little more flowy for me (not as many stunts or huge rock slabs....) We ended the day by jumping in a beautiful river at the end of the trails. Mark and Andrew caught some big air while the rest of us dried out in the warm sun.





Another fabulous weekend! NO complaints only smiles... Now its all about Sweden and the Yogaslackers!

more pics here form the weekend

live, love, laugh,...DREAM!
lina

i can't lift my arms above my head!

After two back to back crossfit workouts and two big run/kayak days I found myself lying in bed this morning unable to move (for real). I was up early swallowing robaxin and taking a hot bath to try and ease my sore muscles... I feel like I have been run over a truck and aged to an old woman but fit at the same time.. Not so sure how that works?!? I have to give a loud THANKS to Andrew for dressing me and literally movin me from position to position.... He is the man!

Due to a cloudy day and me being unable to move properly (although I did somehow manage a 1.5 hour trail run?!? Although it did feel like I had one massive full upper body bruise as each step of the run my everything jiggled and hurt and was kind of funny but laughing hurts the stomach muscles soo... not really funny.... ) Andrew and I went to see Les Miserable on Granville Street. A great story really, it had been many many years ago since I saw this fabulous musical. Although I seem like a fitness junky I do have a love for the arts.

So, getting things organized for Sweden, and guiding and acroyoga and crossfit and just being excited about life everyday!

12 hours of Cumberland this weekend!

go play in the sun!

live, love, laugh,...DREAM!
lina

Back at Crossfit Vancouver... YAY!

It had been 2 weeks since my last crossfit workout due to my wilderness first aid course. I was definitely missing it. Yesterday was my first workout back and this morning I once again could feel the ramifications from the workout... I suppose though if anyone were to do 100 pullups, pushups, situps and squats would feel it the following day. I love it though (odd as that is). Todays workout was just as tough and even more so doing it while sore. I look forward to more workouts-pumped about it all. If you haven't yet checked out what it is all about.... go to www.crossfit.ca good stuff

live, love, laugh,...DREAM!
lina

I love the Outdoors!

The last two weeks have been filled with learning new skills and knowledge about the wilderness, rescues and first aid. I spent 10 fabulous and long days learning how to deal with trauma, illnesses, exposure in the wilderness. I needed to complete this course for guiding as well as for me and increasing my confidence in the wilderness. I met some great folks who obviously love the outdoors and had two fantastic instructors. I definitely recommend a course with Slipstream.


Andrew, just couldn't bare to spend another day without me (hahaha) and biked over to the island to meet me in Victoria. The two of then bike toured around victoria and Salt Spring Island for the weekend. It was so great to see him again and as usual we had a blast on bikes together. We tried to limit the weight as I had to bring back all of my first aid equipment and so we made a make shift tarp/tent with the tarp I had and poles that Andrew brought. Comedy but to my surprise functional.
Saturday we caught the tail end of the Salt Spring hippish market... lots of unique local art, clothes and food.... one of the best markets of all the gulf islands. That night we went to the tree house cafe for some drinks and live music.... Stephanie Rhodes and friends were playing and they were just fab. I really really enjoy small venue chill live music.... Sunday we spent the day on our bikes, found a little trail and hung on the beach until theferry ride back... we even managed to sneak in the very last bits of car free day on commercial drive...






oh and I just went for a sweet trail run in my new runners from inov-8.... so good!

coming up: 12hours of Cumberland and Explore Sweden.....

live, love, laugh,...DREAM!
lina

Multisport Weekend

No pics from the weekend... too much in the moment fun (and I forgot my camera at home).

Friday I finally met up with a fabulous old friend Megan for a road ride down to Horseshoe Bay and back. I hadn't been on my roadie in quite some time and just had a blast on it... so light and fast. The ride motivated me to pull it out more often than not!

Andrew and I stayed in the city over the weekend although, we didn't actually spend much time in the apartment (which is stellar). Saturday morning we met Johnny and Ben for a paddle in the wind and waves in preparation for the Around Bowen Challenge Kayak Race June 7th (Andrew and I are battling it the double baidarka). So we headed off from Eagleridge Harbour out to an island, around it and into Horseshoe Bay. It was such a neat feeling to paddle into Horseshoe bay via kayak (you get a whole different perspective from the water looking in). The waves and wind were definitely tricky in some areas and the hefty boat traffic didn't make things any easier but I suppose that is what we were after in the end. Ben and Johnny did circles around us in the double surfski but thats okay we were working hard pulling the heavy yet fast Baidarka around. After lunch at the Lynnwood cafe (one of the original truck stop cafes on the Shore we headed to Ben's for beers, boat chatter and trampoline fun. Since on the shore ANdrew and I decided to run around in Lynn Valley. I;ve been missing the shore trails for running and inspiration. The run started off slow and blah but as we sailed over rocks and roots and among beautiful BC forest my legs came back and my smile grew bigger. The trails were emptying out as it was past dinner time on the weekend and it felt like we had the park and rails to ourselves.

Sunday morning I had a fun new experience. A dance audition! woohoo While I was there ANdrew headed out onto the elaho to do some whitewater kayaking (something I am hoping to learn about this summer). After my audition I headed out on my mtn bike and hit up some of the Seymour trails (it was so nice to ride them again...just like old times: although I am much better now). We finished off the weekend with friends and music down by Jericho beach. A lovely beach with views of downtown, marinas, mountains and killer sunsets.

Tomorrow I begin my wilderness first aid course. 90 hours. 2 weeks. I'm looking forward to it.

live, love, laugh,..DREAM!
lina