Go With The Flow

I have to say: I really don't like the expression "go with the flow". The top definition on Urban Dictionary is to "not push against prevailing behaviour/norms/attitudes"--an ideal that was definitely not prevailing when anyone accomplished anything on any level of importance! I prefer to think more along the lines of non-conformity, because the path of least resistance is seldom the right one.
The only time that I see "going with the flow" as having any idealogical value is when it comes to avoiding stress over events that you have no control over. As a ski racer, and as a fairly high-strung personality, I find that stress is a bad thing. It tires you out, it makes you forgot things that should not be forgotten (like the ring of power), it makes you think you have a concussion when you actually don't (haha), and, it makes you perform below your potential in ski races.
One thing that I've learned over the years is that if your pole tip comes of in a race, if it dumps 2ft of snow when you're supposed to go for a bike ride, or even if you're plane is about to leave and you are stuck in security--don't stress! When you can't change the situation it's better to just "go with the flow" and come to terms with the circumstances rather than work yourself into a tizzy stressing over things.

Coincidentally, this past week has, pretty much in its entirety, been a lesson in coming to terms with and adapting to adverse circumstances!

Last Monday I departed for my first training camp with the World Cup Academy--a road bike focused camp in Nelson BC! Nelson is a pretty cool place, and not exactly what I expected it to be; the first thing I noticed when we arrived was how humid and rain foresty-like the terrain was.

This person on our wall in Nelson is not prepared for adversity--demonstrating a lack of outdoors knowledge by snowshoeing with no pants

After checking into the motel, getting groceries and a solid nights sleep, day 2 went perfectly according to plan and I went to bed looking forward to our solid 150km road bike ride that we had planned for day 3! But when we woke up on day 3 we were greeted with pouring rain, so in favour of not being cold and wet for 5hrs in the saddle, we found other ways to get in our approx. 5hrs of training that day (rollerskiing, running, weights). 

View of the North Shore of Nelson from a sweet lookout Seb and I found after our weight workout on Tuesday

Seb: admiring the view from the lookout and striking a majestic pose

"No worries", we decided, "we will bike part of the route we'll be taking for the drive home on tomorrow and get in our long bike ride that way." But the pouring rain theme continued on day 4. When we heard in the morning that Canmore was in a state of emergence due to flooding we decided to book it back home ASAP before the roads got closed down. 

Stupid rain

"I Got Swagg" on our ride home. We found some snow in the pass we were supposed to ride over

Through the Rockes we drove, arriving in Radium Hot Springs right after the road that we needed to take towards Banff got closed. At this point it was 3pm in the afternoon and we were all feeling a bit groggy from the driving, but instead of giving up and crying in the cars, we took hold of the situation! It was no longer raining so we hoped on our bikes and rode for 105km north to Golden BC (we actually rode the distance in 2hrs 55min--a time that somewhat impressed me) where we spent the night, ate some fairly cheap food (pizza and ice cream) and were happily surprised when the roads opened; just in time for us to drive back to Banff the next morning. But the adventure was not over yet!!

Arriving in Banff we found that the Trans-Canada highway was closed between there and Canmore--our only route home--due to the highway being pwned by crazy water. With only the approx. 20km ride between Banff and Canmore left, we hoped on our bikes and rode down the closed highway back to Canmore! After the previous day's 100+ km ride this 20k one would've been a cake walk--but I decided that to make it a challenge (and because I didn't want to leave my stuff in Banff) I would ride with my 50ish lb duffle bag on my back. And it dumped rain the entire time. 
It was uncomfortable.

This intersection near my place in Canmore is usually not a lake

And so we all made it back home to Canmore safe and sound but were greeted with flooded basements and lakes where there were none before, upon arrival. Three days later the ground water levels are finally going down and stuff is getting back to normal. What a crazy week!!!

Dream Big, People!!