And the Ski Season is around the corner.....

Yep!  I am so excited I could almost wet my pants!  It is getting colder, the mountain regions are getting snow, prodeals are being sent out!!  That means one thing!!!  Ski season is here! OK, so I have to tell the truth, ski season beats tri season any time anywhere!!  If you dont like winter, well, now is the time to take a short break and not read my blog, because the next few months wil talk a lot about this amazing sport!
I promised a while back that I would give some ski tips over the winter for those who might want to polish some skills or push the envelope a little.  I love teaching skiing as much as I love coaching triatheltes and runners.  I am qualified and have spent the last I dont know how many years training.  I am a CSIA Level 3 certified instructor and a CSCF Level 2 coach.  I coordinate a Proffesional Training series for the CSIA in Ontario.  So, hopefully my insight into skiing will help provide you some fun this winter!
On a training note......By the way, any training I have ever done since I was a kid was about one thing....SKIING!  I ran to be a better skier, went to the gym for the same reason....did wall sits for hours to be stronger....pounded hills for weeks for endurance....trained mentally for racing...all for the thrill of flying down a hill or off a cliff on a pair of skis!  This week I spent a couple of days on that very effort.  I had a couple of decent runs this week to keep me going.  On Sunday was out after a great yoga practice that I was privildged to lead at Lululemon.  A fast 8k run to round out a good morning.  It was a great day all around, with 40+ for the morning session.  After my run I also got out to the studio in the afternoon and shared some more yoga with 25+ people joining for my instruction.    This morning I was also in the pool for a good 2000m workout.  I must say the pool is amazing!  I get in feeling strong and come out feeling the same way.
Here is my ski tip as we get set for our impending Ontario winter........
As we finish each season some of us take the time to put our gear away in an organzied and careful manner.  Others, in a rush to get hte golf clubs out and the bikes on the road, throw them in the corner and forget about the gear.  Now is the time to get that stuff out of the corner and give it a once over. 
A few things to think about.....
 - get your skis out and get the summer wax off of them.  If you did not summer wax them, not is the time to get them to the shop for a tune u before winter kicks into gear.  Most shops offer deals this time of year, another couple of weeks and you will be in line waiting for your gear and paying full price to get it done.  Skis are like any other gear, over time they wear out and now is the time to discover that.
 - gets your boots onto your feet.  Over the summer and training who knows how those puppies feel on your feet now??  Before the snow flies learn if you need any adjustments made to them.  You can get a boot fitter to talk to you now, another couple of weeks he is going to be booked up until after Christmas.
 - check your clothing out.  when you put your things away confirm that both gloves made it home and your goggles are not cracked.  Take the time to give them a wash and check the overall condition.  Some shops might still have some deals, but not for long.(winters coming and its time for them to make money)
 - are you buying a season pass or paying for each visit?  look online to see what deals might be available, great time to find some incentives to buy early.
 - are you enrolling in a lesson program(highly recommend)  DO IT NOW!  If you want to be in the optimum group for your ability, this is the time to make your request.

OK, the boring part is now done......do some dryland to get you ready!!  This will be quite simple and I wont elaborate in the nitty gritty, what to think about!!!!
1) CORE! CORE! CORE!......your legs might be tree trucks but your core is what you ski with!!!
2) Cardio!  At 2000' or at 10000' feet your cardio will make day one a pleasure and make the end of the weekend a pleasure.  You are an athlete if you are reading this, so not as big a concern
3) POWER!  Think a little about developing some explosive power.  DO burpees, jumping jacks, step onto a box, hop onto a box......It will make some of the technical elements of your skiiing a greater experience all around.
4) THINK SNOW!!!  If we all wish it bad enough, it will DUMP!!

I am a skier at heart and am jumping for joy as I see ski resorts starting to open.  Off season is a great time and it is here!  Hope you are as excited about the prospect of snow!  Yahoo!  If you ever have any questions about skiing at any level, please feel free to reach out.  I will share with you anytime.  Better yest, if you want to go skiing, let me know!  I do not need much of an excuse to get out there!