Settling in and fighting off colds

We went for our first ski up at Callaghan Valley today. Well, not actually our first ski, but our first of the Games. The conditions were lightning-fast up there. We flew around the 2.5 km course, even though I was still not feeling great. I found all the uphills super difficult today even though I was trying to go up them really slowly. This cold just keeps on hanging around. I can't shake it! I talked to the team doctor today, and he said it's nothing more serious than a cold (thank God!), but he thinks it's this virus that's been going around that produces a really long-lasting cold with a cough and congestion. Sounds about right, and I've had this cold for about two weeks. So here's hoping that it's almost gone. All I can do right now is just get lots of rest and ski as well as I can. So that's the plan! And I know I really have to get some new pictures for the blog, but it's been pretty hectic and I've been pretty tired. I will definitely try to get some sightseeing around the village in tomorrow!

In other news, I got picked for doping control...again! But thanks to having done it just last week, I found this one to be a breeze. My first pee attempt was successful and the team doctor and I were out of there in no time. So hopefully this means that I'm done with testing for the Games, but you never know, it is after all random.

We also got our HBC clothing back that we wanted exchanged. Amazingly, they were able to get me all the sizes I asked for, and now all of my clothes fit! I'm so happy! The uniforms we got are so nice. I would definitely wear most of the stuff after the Games.

We had a little CPC orientation meeting tonight as well. They introduced all of the mission staff and described their roles to us. So now we know everyone and are all set for the Games to begin. We just have to get over our colds (we have a new casualty in Mary). Pray for us and send positive vibes our way everybody!

Good night from Whistler.

Last day in Canmore

Our last day in Canmore was pretty uneventful, which is okay: we might as well save all the excitement for tomorrow! We went for a short ski this morning, which, by the way, I found really difficult today - I guess I'm not as recovered as I thought I was. What's worse, it seems everyone staying at the house is sniffling and not feeling 100%. I'm sure I am, if not fully, then at least partially to blame for that, though Jamie also brought something back from Vancouver with him. No matter whose fault it is, we're officially the "sicky house" now, so much so that the "A" team declined our dinner invitation today, for which we don't blame them in the least. We wouldn't want to be around us either if we were healthy!

The rest of our day was spent packing, cleaning and resting. We also had an amazing dinner tonight: steaks and saussages on the BBQ, sweet potato fries, salad and steamed kale with lemon. It was delicious! And pretty mcuh everyone had a hand in making it (not literally, that's not why we're all sick).

So tomorrow morning we're off to the Calgary Airport, from whence we fly to Vancouver, where VANOC will pick us up and take us to the Athletes' Village near Whislter via the new Sea to Sky highway. We get to have our first taste of Paralympic surrooundings. We also get out sizable clothing package and other "swag." All in all, quite an exciting day ahead. Better get a good night's sleep. Good night from the Sicky House!

Of colds and Paralympic dreams

I'm sitting on Andrea's parents' back deck revelling in the spring sunshine. I'm wearing my new red Canada warm-up jacket - hard proof that I did make the PARALYMPIC TEAM! The "press conference" finally took place yesterday and the long awaited team announcement was finally published on Cross Country Canada's Web site.

I've still got a cold, which is part of the reason I haven't been blogging in the last couple of days. My cold took a turn for the worse after our Mount Shark adventure, and I've been resting for the last three days as a result. I'm trying really hard to get better before our trip to Whistler because, as my dad said, it's better to come to the Games undertrained but healthy than overtrained and sick.

It's not uncommon for athletes to get sick as they start peaking for a major sporting event because they push their bodies to the limit, and as a result, their immune systems become more fragile. It is definitely better that I have this cold now than a week from now, on the day of my first race. I just have to make sure I do everything in my power to get better. I'm already much better today, but I must ensure that my body is strong enough to resist other infection before starting serious training again. I will probably be going for an easy ski tomorrow and maybe just a walk this afternoon. It's no fun to be sick at a Paralympic training camp, but it would be so much worse to be sick during the Games!

Yesterday, we finally got all of our team clothing from CCC including a warm-up suit and parka (which we will have to return or buy out after the Games), a racing suit, a cool sweater with First-Nations designs, touques and gloves. There was also some kind of press conference, which generated pretty much zero actual media attention, just as could be expected for a Paralympic press conference. We took our team picture with our CPC media jackets, and that was about it. Then I went home and veged, while the rest of them went to a yoga class. I would have loved to go, but thought I'd do myself more good by staying home.

Today's been another quiet day for me. I slept in till 11, while everyone else went skiing, and then have been checking my e-mails and cleaning up. Sorry this blog entry is so boring, but there's not much to say when all you're doing is nursing a cold. Things will pick up soon, I promise!

Good afternoon from Canmore.