Thursday, March 24, 2011

The Begining of the Champs

Well since Ben and I just got engaged I thought I would write about how the champs became the champs in the first place:

Ben and I met in June of 2007, and he brought me back to life. I was not in a very good place at the time: I had just quit my hockey scholarship in the states, and moved to Edmonton where I got a job in an office in order to be with my (ex) boyfriend. Our relationship was not a very healthy one, and needless to say it ended badly in less than a month of living in Edmonton when one of my second cousins came and picked me up at 2 in the morning with as much stuff as I could grab and he took me to his parent’s house. The next day my aunt, who happened to be in Edmonton for the weekend, picked me up, and took me back to the house to grab the rest of my stuff, and drove me back to Calgary. Thank goodness for family.

So, there I was; broken and lost. I found myself living back at home and looking for a job in Calgary. I wound up getting an interview at COP for a guest services position. It sounded like a fun job, just what I needed. I remember walking in and seeing this really good lucking guy at the front counter when I asked for directions to human resources, little did that he would be my future husband. I had the interview, got the job, and started the following week.

There was a great group of people working in guest services that summer and I made some really awesome friends, but most importantly I met my champ. At first nothing much happened between us, except for the fact that I would go out of my way to ask him questions, pick the till closest to him, and offer to work any extra hours if I knew he would be there. Yes, I had a crush on him, but according to all the others that we worked with Ben was not looking for anything. After a few group functions we wound up getting to know each other a little more, but Ben was focused on running his first marathon in Calgary that was just a few weeks away and he was training like crazy. After the marathon, we started doing more things together. Then one weekend in late July, I managed to score tickets to the Stamps game (thanks grandpa) and it was more or less our first official date. We had a blast and then met some friends from COP after for a few drinks. The next day, hung-over, we decided to go climb Heart Mountain and boy were we naive; we had only packed ONE bottle of Gatorade and some trail mix. It was tough, we were thirsty, hungry, and hung-over, but once we got to the top (or as far as we could get since we took a wrong turn) we were awestruck by how beautiful it was and have been hooked on mountain climbing ever since. That was our first champ weekend (although we didn't have the name champs yet and had called it the weekend of fun). We continued to plan weekends full of fun and adventure every weekend and by any definition we were dating but we were both cautious of getting into another relationship, plus the fact that he was my supervisor at work. But we couldn’t resist. We had an awesome summer; we went hiking, mountain climbing, camping, running, white water rafting. We talked, laughed, and just enjoyed each other’s company. Ben ran the Edmonton marathon after the Calgary marathon and inspired me to pick up running, we trained together for the Okanagan half marathon in 6 weeks and we both have been training for some sort of running related event since. I remember one morning I woke up beside him and the first thing I thought was “you will wake up forever next to this guy.” I brushed the thought aside thinking that I was just being a girl. But, it was true; I had met my soul mate, my champ. In only a few months, Ben had brought me back to life.

Towards the end of August, we were inseparable. We worked together, and more or less lived together. My family had Sunday night dinners every Sunday, and Ben and I would go to dinner, at which point I’d pack a fresh bag of clothes and head back to his house. There was no official moving in. Gradually more and more of my stuff started staying behind. That was nearly 4 years ago and we have been together ever since.

In the last 4 years we have climbed mountains, hiked hundreds of kilometres, camped on top of mountains, skied waist deep powder, I finished my University Degree, I ran my first half marathon and then marathon, Ben ran the Boston Marathon along with other marathons, we started doing triathlons, Ben did the death race, I went to Peru, we moved to Revelstoke, along with everything else in between. It has been the best 4 years of my life, and I look forward to a life time together.


here is a picture of us at that first stamps game.
Here is Ben on heart mountain
And me on heart mountain!

Monday, March 21, 2011

Engaged!

Well, last friday the champs got engaged! Ben had mentioned that he wanted to go camping this weekend a few weeks back, but unfortuneately the weather was not cooperating and it was supposed to be pouring rain. Plus there is still over 3 feet of snow on the ground, so it would have been almost impossible to find some wood for a fire. So, we didn't really have any plans going into the weekend other than training. Nevertheless, we had a great weekend. It was a gorgeous spring day on friday and since ben has friday's off and my work is very slow right now, Ben hung out with me at work in the afternoon and we sat outside and enjoyed the sunshine. We had some spaghetti and meatballs for dinner (mm one of our favorites) and some wine, went for a walk, and then I went to have a nice relaxing bubble bath when Ben came in and proposed! and obviously I said yes! So we are officially engaged! We spent the rest of the evening calling our family and having a few drinks before heading to bed.

Saturday morning came and we planned on training first thing, but instead we decided to head to Vernon and Kelowna to get some errands done. The ring was a little bit too big, so it had to be sized down and there was a jewler in Vernon that would do it that day. I also needed to get some new glasses and Ben needed some tools. So off we went. It was a pretty busy day and we didn't get home until 6, too late to go to the gym. So we had some nachos, watched a movie and relaxed.

Yesterday we woke up to rain, and wet snow. We had a 2 hour run and a 2 hour bike to do (making up for the day before) and we set out on the road. Within a half our I was not feeling so well. All week my stomach had been bothering me, and so I hadn't really eaten properly. Plus I had a tea before the run, which I haven't done in a while and I dont think my stomach can handle it. Lesson learned. So I stopped and walked home and ben continued on. I decided to try and take a short cut because it looked like there was a trail through the trees. Well that was a bad idea because every second step I was sinking past my hips in snow. It was horrible. I was freezing, and I almost lost my shoe. I finally made it home, stripped out of my soaking wet clothes and stuck my feet in the bath to try and defrost them. Ben came home shortly after, and we set off to the gym for the 2 hour bike. Ben did awesome, me on the other hand, not so great. I just had no energy and was not feeling great, plus I was in a horrible mood after that trek through the trees, so I left and went back to pick him up later. The sun finally came out that afternoon, and after doing some cleaning up around the house we went for a huge walk outside enjoying the sunshine (and admiring how the sun sparkled off my ring!). When we got home home we had an afternoon nap and just relaxed. We love lazy sundays after training. So, although we did not end up camping, we still had a great weekend together. I learned that the only things I can eat before running are stone wheat cracker, water/gatorade, half a bannana, or a fruit to go. And I am still getting used to the whole ring wearing thing and having a finacee (it just sounds so weird saying it)! Hope everyone had a great weekend!

--Jen

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Crash and Burn

Ok, well yesterday I had the whole day off. I usually get one afternoon off a week since i work 9 hours a day with no lunch break, but since my boss is going on a caribean cruise (lucky guy) I would not be getting my half day off next week so I got the whole day off this week. I had some errands to get done in the morning, doc's appointment, eye doc appointment (for the first time in 9 years), sending off my passport renewal, ect. By the time I got home it was 11:30, so I grabbed some lunch and thought I'd start doing homework at 12:30.. then 1.. then 2.. I kept pushing it as I found better stuff to do such as cleaning the house, watching the sex and the city movie, and reading my book. When I finally sat down it was 3 pm and I sat there staring at the pages trying to read, but instead I kept thinking "what the hell am I doing," and "why am I doing this" which eventually turned in to tears. I have been crying alot lately, and I think it is just because I am so burnt out that it makes me emotional. I really do not have much time to myself, and when I am relaxing I feel guilty because I should be studying. During the week I am up at 5 am, at the gym by 5:30 then working 8-5 straight, then back at the gym for 6, dinner by 7:30-8, and bed by 8:30-9.. then repeat. It's pretty busy. By the time the weekends come, Ben and I are so exhausted and our friday nights are typically spent on the couch watching TV and then in passed out in bed by 8. When saturday comes around we still have training, skiing, and often company visiting. Cramming in time to study ensured that whenever I was home I was studying. Even if I was exhausted from my long run, or my eyes were tired from reading so much. So after talking to Ben and my mom yesterday I have decided that now is not the best time to be taking the CFA and here are the list of reasons that I have come up with:
1) Time or lack of it. As explained previously training for the ironman and working eat up alot of my time. But there is another aspect of time which is that I am cramming it into 4 months. I applied for the CFA scholarship in November, and didn't find out I got it until January, and it took another 2 weeks to get the books. That is almost 3 months of studying that I could have had. At the rate I'm going at now I would only have a week of review, when they say you should have at least a month.

2) It's a 3 year comitment. It would be one thing if I could just hang in there until June and get the test done, but it's not like that. That is only the first of three exams, which take place every June. Essentially I would be dedicating myself to another 3 years of schooling, which has felt like an endless dark tunnel with no light at the end of it.

3) Money, aparently there are alot of really good programs out there that help cut the studying time, but they are 500-1500 dollars. Considering I couldn't justify spending that to take the course I defnitely can't justify that to help me complete the course.

4) Employability, I thought that taking this course would make it easier to find a job. But with much research and job searching I have found that most analyst jobs expect you to have 3-5 years of experience, which I do not have. So I think I need to first find a job to get my foot in the door, which would also help me figure out if this is actually what I want to do. I mean I have an economics degree with distinction, I should be able to find some sort of job.

5) Isolation, just with where we are living right now it is tough. I don't know anybody who is taking the course, I dont work with anyone who has or is taking the course, I don't work in a related field. It's just me battling through the large books and formulas.

6)Then there is Ben. The poor guy has put up with 4 years of stressed out Jen trying to finish her degree and doing homework on the weekends. He deserves some attention. Not to say that he complaines, he has been so supportive through all my endeavors and I have been so lucky to have him in my life. But I want to spend my weekends with him, just enjoying our life for a while, and enjoying what maybe the last few months in revelstoke.

7) And finally, I am only 23. I don't have to do EVERYTHING right now. I have my whole life ahead of me and I will have lots of time to go back when I am ready to really commit myself to to this course.

Basically, I think the bottom line is that I am capable of doing this course right now. I mean I am not having a particularily hard time with the material, but I don't want to put the required time and effort into it. I am not willing to sacrafice my weekends, training, and happines. When I made the decision last night it felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders, and with that I knew that it was the right decision. I just have to accept that perhaps I'm not superwomen, and maybe I can't do it all right now. So here's to focusing on training, and time with my champ and our adventures.

-Jen

Monday, March 14, 2011

Reminiscing

So training last week started slow, but in the end we got through it; we even got our weekend workouts in! We attempted to ski on saterday morning but the snow at the hill was nothing compared to our epic day last saterday, and the top had 50+ km winds, so we took one run down from the top back to the parking lot, headed home, and hit the gym for our long bike. We got the darn thing in, but it was tough. The gym is so hot, even with our heart rates only at 75% we were dripping with sweat, and we didn't have music. So we decided that it was about time we purchase 2 new ipod shuffles (hopefully these ones last a while :s). SO we left revelstoke and headed to vernon, where we spent the afternoon doing errands and getting out of snowed in revelstoke. On Sunday, we got up and did our long run outside with music. It was awesome. Then I hunkered down and did some work on my CFA course while ben lounged, and that was the extent of our weekend!

The CFA course is coming along. I have already read over 1800 pages and writen over 60 pages of notes. I have no idea how I am going to remember everything, but I think practice problems will be the key. I have been making sure I do all the questions at the back of the book, and I have found an online question bank that I have also been using. I am a little bit freaked out though because only 30% of people passed this test in December. But I am going to do my best and that's all I can do.

Last night, while laying in bed trying to fall asleep despite the time change, I started to go through all of our old photos, and I couldn't stop smiling.It's pretty crazy, in nearly 4 years we have gone on some pretty amazing adventures and racked up some pretty cool pictures. So I thought I'd do a top ten of my favorites. Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time, until it got down to only choosing 10 because they are all so awesome! Anways, here are a few that I picked out:

Number 10:
This picture was taken this past summer (2010) when we climbed up Mt. Begbie and camped just under the glacier.

Number 9:
This picture was taken the first summer we were together (2007) and it was our first time in Fernie. This was on the top of Mt. Fernie. The view wasn't great because of the smoke from BC forest fires.

Number 8:
This picture was taken out in kananaskis by Black Diamond in 2008. We eyed a cool hill and decided that we wanted to camp on top of it. It was cool because that night we could see the city lights in the distance

Number 7:
This picture was taken while snowshoeing up Mt. Revelstoke a couple of weeks ago. It was so beautiful and peaceful.

Number 6:
This picture was just taken this past new years day (2011). This was climbing up the sub peak on the ski hill with an inversion in the background.

Number 5:
This picture was taken during a 3 day backpacking trip of North Over ridge in 2009. This is in the morning after our first night.

Number 4:
This was on the same 3 day trip in 2009, this is the view from on top of the ridge!

Number 3:
This was on top of Mount Temple in 2007. I was pretty excited!

Number 2:
Ben on top of Mt. Temple. Pretty amazing.

Number 1:
Sunrise while camping on top of Mt. Proctor in Fernie in 2007. Wow.

The song that came into my head while I was looking through all these pictures was "I still do" by Paul brandt. So this is to my champ, my other half :

It's in the way you move me
The way you look right through me
Still brings me down to my knees
Every time you smile
And after all this time love
It's still hard to get enough
From the very first time I thought you were the one
Who'd make all of my dreams come true

I still do
I'm still amazed every time that we kiss
I still do
I'm never gonna stop feeling like this
Like the first time that I fell for you
I still do

They all might say we're crazy
Sometimes I think we may be
When I think about the way we
Live like life's a dare
I'd lay my life down for you
I'd do anything to prove it's true

--Jen

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Powder Saturdays

This has been an incredible snow year for the BC Interior. El Nina has treated the snowlovers well. Up here in Revelstoke, the average snowpack of 40 -60 feet is quite apparent. I can honestly say ive never seen so much snow in my life. It has been a great year, and there might still be some decent snowfalls to come.
Yesterday was no exception. The funniest thing about Revelstoke hill skiing is that the snowreports are always undervalued/under reported. They claimed to have 14 cms overnight, but we were being blasted with cold smoke facials all day. There must have been closer to 34 cms, but who cares about numbers when we skied lap after lap of quality snow, at a very uncrowded hill, on the weekend!
The temps were about -5 at the top and 0 at the bottom, and we skied straight to 1:30, instead of stopping for lunch and then going back because we would have gotten cold and wet and we were having a blast.
Even the last runs were blower and we love the Volkls skis were on. With a 194 length, mine ski like 180's due to the rocker and they carve groomers like i couldnt beleive, and jens game has been on point with her burly kikus 178.
We spent the day skiing the north facing aspects and we keep discovering more and more terrain here! there is what seems like endless tree skiing on some serious pitches. pillows everywhere, and little and big cliff bands all over the hill
Because the visibility was much better in the trees, we spend most of our day on the ripper side/ lower north bowl area, but found some honey pots with a little work hiking
after the day of skiing, we hit the spin bikes and much needed stretch, but hopefully we can get just a few more days like this. its great to spend our saturdays skiing diamond dust, even though were supposed to be getting prepped for the race season in the summer, but i figure there's plenty of time for that later. lol.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

6 months out

So last sunday officially marked the 6 month mark until Ironman Canada. It's hard to believe that 3 months have already past. It has definitely been tough, but we are doing the best that we can. We are now just focusing on getting the next workout down. Last weekend was the first weekend in a while that we either weren't headed to calgary for doctors appointments or people weren't coming to visit. So we were kind of excited to have an old fashioned "champ weekend." Since we haven't had any snow in the last 2 weeks, on Saturday Ben and I decided to go snowshoeing up the Summit Trail, which is a 10 km trail up Mt. Revelstoke, instead of skiing. I figured it was a nice alternative to running on the treadmill for 2 hours (which it painfully boring at the best of times but even more so now that we have both lost our ipod shuffles.. again.) We went about 6 kms up.. and I mean up.. there is no flat parts on this trail. Then we had a quick break and came back down. It was gorgeous! there was so much snow! We were on top of well over 5 feet of snow, if not more. We didn't see a soul. SO peaceful. When we got home we were pretty tired, had a nap, relaxed, grocery shopped, amde dinner (and froze the left overs), rented a movie and just hung out the two of us. It was awesome. Sunday we were disappointed to not wake up to any new snow, since there was some in the forcast. So instead of skiing we decided to try and get an olympic distance triathlon in to celebrate the 6 month mark. Well, it was alot more then we were supposed to do that day. We got through the biking, and most of the running, but never made it to the pool. We were pretty tired and hungry. The gym doesn't open until 10am here on the weekends, so after running and biking it was after tweleve and our bodies were wanting to eat. So we headed home, I worked on the CFA course, and ben lounged. We finished it all off with a yummy dinner, froze the left overs for dinner that week, and then I made pate chinois (french sheperds pie) for another dinner. So by Sunday night we were organized for the week with our dinners made and frozen and were all set to train and hit all the workouts.

Then monday come, and we hit the pool like we were supposed to. Then we had a solid ran tuesday morning, but then things took a turn. When we showed up at the gym tuesday night all the spin bikes were taken. So we left and decided to post pone the workout until friday, no big deal. You have to be a little bit flexible. We ate dinner and relaxed. It was funny because last night when 7:30 came around and I "thought OMG we would JUST be getting home from the gym.. that's crazy!" This morning we dragged our butts to the gym, and it wasn't open. This happens about once a week, and is SO SO frustrating. You drag your butt to the gym for 5:30 am, and the girl who was supposed to open decides that she wants to sleep in. Don't they think that maybe I'd want to sleep in? Anyways, we waited until 5:45, watching the precious minutes that we have tick away, and decided to drive home. So, we had to miss ANOTHER workout. But we are focused on getting every workout in so we have just adjusted our schedule so that now we're doing the bike we were supposed to do yesterday today, then moving the workouts from today to friday. Friday is supposed to be our day off, but it has turned into more of a flex day, where if we miss something during the week we can make it up then. Here's to only another 6 months of this!