May, 5 Update

Hello everyone,

During the Canadian Coaches summit there was alot of very good information . As ski racers we can always look for details to give us an advantage. My first topic is on aerodynamics! The Canadian Team does alot of wind tunnel testing. Did you know that the Canadian Team members use their One piece racing suit only once for each race. They have found that even in using the suit once it slows down! So for each race They use a Brand new suit! For YOU what is suggested is that you have a race suit, and a training suit. Of course your race suit is for race only! Training suit for training. Your race suit should always be stored in a clean plastic bag. You must care that it stays as clean as possible, and does not have any rips , cuts, or lint build up!

If your suit size is too small that is also slow! You need a suit that is the perfect fit. It is better if it is slightly big!

Wearing fleece under your suit is also slow. Smooth fabric is best! Under armour style Fabric.

For those of you with long hair. Pony tails and hair should be tucked into your helmet when ever possible!

Your suit should also be pulled over the top 2 buckles! The buckles when exposed was also found to be slow!

Back protectors are also used by all. The protector must fit properly of course. It was actually found that when using the protector it was faster when tucking.

When tucking it is important that hands are high in front of your face, elbows in line with your knees.

Please take note for next season! Lets set high goals! At Accel Ski System we are teaching you all the things that will help you achieve the best! You have to see and feel What you want! Do not see and think of things you do not want!!!

Bye for now!

Doug

May, 5 Update

Hello!

Chrissy and I are trying to eat better for good health! Chrissy made Spaghetti squash. The Squash when cooked comes apart looking like spaghetti. We cut it in half and put the sauce in the middle and baked it with cheese on top. The other dish in the picture is Mexican okonomi yake. I used a burrito shell shredded cheese on it, put in a frying and heat it. It melts ! After that add scambled egg with mushrooms and put it on top of the melted cheese. Next, put another shell on top and cook on both sides. We put salsa on top with a little sour cream. Very good!

More later!

Doug

May 3, Update

Hello Everyone,

So my Drive to Calgary was around 6 hours. It was snowing high in the rocky Mountains the day befoer my drive. No snow on the road though.

they are changing the highway in sections of the Trans Canada Highway. Making it safer in the future for all drivers! That part of the high way is sometimes very dangerous because of the extreme weather conditions at times!

Bye for now.

Doug

May 1 Update

Hello everyone,

I have had such a great couple of days. I am at a coaching summit in Calgary Alberta! The national team coaches are here as well as many provincial and many head coaches from club teams. Many different speakers on many different topics. I will update my blog with the seminar information when I return home. I have a few pictures which I will also attach!

More in a few days !

Doug

April,27 Update

Hello!!!

I hope everyone is having is settling into life after the ski season. Yes, I have here! In the spring there is always so much yard work to do. I also had this old van in my yard for the past 2 years collecting dust! I cleaned it up and plan to sell it in our garage sale this weekend. Garage Sale? Sell your used items in your home! People put ads in the local paper and put signs up on the streets advertising the sale. The sale takes place, Yes, in the garage of your house or in the drive way. They are very popular! Buyers for the sales drive around and look for things they want. Of course always asking for a cheaper price! The sales usually take place on the weekend. It should be fun!

So 2 years ago an old ski racing friend of mine became the editor of SRC, SKi Racing Canada! His name is Gordie Bowles. I took a few issues to Japan this season. The magazine is very good and has many good articles! In the latest it talked about the great season the Canadian National team had. The best season for top 10 finishes ever!!! Great job to all! They will get stronger! I also Know we will get stronger! Please take this off time to look at your past season! How do you feel when you finish a race? Are you overly tired? If your goals in ski racing are to win then please strengthen that important body of yours! Run , swim , bike! Longer, low, intensity work outs for endurance training! Sit ups and back work. Strengthen your core! ( middle body)

See what you want out of skiing! Fun, Friends, sportsmanship, Victory, respect, health! What ever it is for you. See it, believe it, Do it!

Bye for now.

Doug

April 26 Update

Hello !!

I forgot to show you my glasses I bought in Oasaka. So get this, I bought 3 pairs of glasses with special UV protection lens for 11 000 yen. 3 Pairs!!!! With normal lens they would have cost
5 500 yen! What a deal! The Telephone # for the shop is ( 06) 6714 0464.

More later!

Doug

April, 23 Update

Hello every one,

It was my first game of soccer in over 5 years tonight. We won 4-2 ! No I did not score. I played mid field. I did run like a dog and got a great work out!

Oh, I also played golf once and shot a 86. Not bad for my first game of the year.

It has been warm to hot here ! Very nice!

More later!

Doug

April, 21 Update

Hello My Friends in Japan,

I have settled nicely into my life here in Canada!

The weather here has been good lately! IT is suppose to be 22 C this weekend.

I have been doing some muscle training here. Running, sit ups, push ups!! Feels good! Mrs, Matsura gave us a gift before I left their hotel! It is called the XaviXPORT, Aerostep! It is very fun especially for the kids. Makaiya has been doing it and has been having so much fun, plus she is getting stronger! It is great because we all do it together. I would suggest it for all families! strengthen , challenge, support, fun, good building blocks in many areas!

I also went to a talk on positive thinking last night. I hope we can always work on our thinking in our everyday lives. Make a commitment to take control of your thoughts and feelings! Every morning before you get up, see what you want in your day! Only what you want! Now your subconscious thoughts may tell you other wise. YOU MUST BELIEVE AND HAVE FAITH!

April,15, Update

Hello!

No rest for me on the weekend! We did tonnes of yard work. trimming trees, cutting grass, cleaning the garage and so on.

This picture is of me piggy backing Tajanna and Makaiya! My leg training. Hee Hee! This is the season for endurance training. That's longer not so intense work outs to work on strengthening your heart and lungs. That's 45 minute to 1 hour work outs!

Bye for now!

Doug

April12, Update

Hello from Kelowna, B.C. , Canada!!!

I am getting settled in to my life here. Lots to do around the house!! I am finding that I am a little worn down from the busy season. It would be nice to havea bit of a holiday! Maybe later inthe summer!

So I liked Okonimi yake so much I made some here. Chrissy liked it. Tajannas is working now so she can try it later. I will let you know if she likes it!

Bye for now.

Doug

April,11 Update

Here are some pictures from Big White Ski Resort! It was great skiing! Long runs and fast! Enjoy!

April 10 Update

Hello everyone,

I am finally back in my house!

After I left Nagano I spent one day in Tokyo, then went to Osaka to visit Family and friends. Osaka is a very fun city! and good food! well I think Japans food in general is the best! It was great talking to my cousins and seeing how many more relatives I have in Japan. I plan to leave from Osaka every year so I have a chance to get to know more of them! I did stay with Cagi San. He was a very good host and took me to many geat places to eat. Plus a great eye glasses shop. Great place!

I arrived home on the 6th, stayed the night in my house then went up to my home ski hill for 2 days of free skiing with my family. it was so much fun. Super long runs! You would not believe it! Nice and icey in the morning, you would all love it!

I have so much to do around my house. No rest for me!

More soon! Bye for now!

Doug

PS: The pictures are of my family in Osaka and some restaurants. More pictures next time!

April 1 Update

Hello Everyone!

Well, it is the last day of the coaching season here in Sugadaira! I am sad to be leaving but , of course excited to be going home to see my Family! I am very proud of every ones effort and it was seen in the looks on your faces and in your results! Nice job to all!

It is now packing up and cleaning time here at the hotel. Lots to do before I leave for Tokyo. I will unfortunately miss the team Rush meeting on Tuesday! Sorry ! I am off to Osaka to visit my family down there.

I am looking forward to the summer and doing a summer camp with the Accel junior racers! When I return home I will check to see where the best training will be!

Speaking of skiing I will be able to ski the last weekend of the year with My family at my home Ski hill Big White!!! I will take pictures and update my blog soon after!

Please keep that positive thinking going through out the summer and use it everyday !!!!

Bye for Now!

Doug

March 27 Update

Hi Everyone,

I can not believe this is the last wek of the season! It has flown by too fast. Well I am excited to return to Canada though. Makaiya has been in lessons at my home ski hill. I have heard she is doing wel, and having fun! I willl be able to ski with her after my return. I am looking forward to that!

The junior camp is underway. There are 5 here today. We are rtaining gates inthe morning and free skiing in the afternoon. We did the ssame yesterday. We skied on the mogul run and on the GS Champion course doing basic drills. The kids had fun on the mogul run but were scared at first. They improved quickly!

I am thrilled with everyones progression! It has been a stellar season for race results! Great Job! PLease keep on with your positive thinking and loving, happy feelings. The combination of both will produce gerat results in all areas of your lives! Expect only what you WANT in your life! Think of only what you WANT! Negative will bring negative. POSITIVE WILL BRING POSITIVE!

Have a great Day!

Oh, it has been cool during the evenings, so the snow has been ok.

Hope to see you soon!

Doug

March 18 update

Hello Everyone,

What a crazy stretch of weather! I am in Hakuba now and the race conditions here are like January. Lucky! The Tea clippers guys did not get any points in the race so they are a little disappointed. I believe they did learn some good lessons though that will help them for the future! Many of them did not do any free skiing before thier start. That is needed of course to get a feel for the snow and of course get into your personal tecnical zone. It is important before the ski warm up to warm your body up first. Warm up to ski , do not ski to warm up! We want the most out of our ski warm up. Of course before the race start do our mental imagery and image warm up, as well as doing a full body warm up agian! Of course our skis are tune perfectly to match the snow conditions. Prepare in as many areas as possible to give yourself the best chance to win!

I hope to see you at the Accel Cup race on the weekend .

Best Regards

Doug

March 8 Update

Hello my great freinds,

It was a great day of training! It has been cool the past few days and is suppose to stay this way for the next week. If you are planning to come this weekend make sure those edges are very sharp to get the most out of your training time!

See you soon!

Doug

March 7 Update

Hello Again,

I ahve been talking aout the mental side of sport and life lately. Please, of course we must be prepareed Physicaly. I good muscle warmup and and full body strech is always recommended before and after skiing! Warm and flexible body and mind!

Good luck ! Hmmmmmmm! No make your luck!

Doug

March 7 Update

Hello, Hello, Hello!

YYIIPPEEEEE!!!!!! It has cooled off here again in Sugadaira!! It even snowed a little. It was very icey today and will also be tomorrow. The guys from Totori arrived this afternoon. Good timing for the cool weather. I hope all of you are doing well! See you soon!

Doug

March 5 Update

Hello everyone,

Ok, It was very windy and it did rain slightly! We did do very good training on the flats though. I set a very straight course and we did crouching training. It was great! All guests had very good improvements. I would like to do it maybe in the afternoons on the weekend when the snow condition is bad. See you all soon. Good Luck with your races this up coming weekend if you have one! Think positive and feel happy!

Best Regards

Doug

March 5 Update

Hello everyone!

I hope you all had a great weekend! It was a very warm but positive weekend here at Sugadaira! I know I may repeat the same point to some of you many times. I want you to know that point what ever it is , is vital for your next step. If you are having trouble in doing a movement, it maybe because you are holding on to an old image of how to do the turn. We are all creaters of habit and for some it is very hard to do something new. This is why it is important to see all new movements in our minds first. See what movement you want and also feel what that movement would feel like. If you are scared to do the movement see yourself confident. Play that movie in your mind over and over! You have the power to change quickly if you choose to. The movies we play in our minds are future reality!!

We have thousands of thoughts everyday! Those thoughts make us feel a certain feeling. Control what you are thinking! When we are feeling happy, confident, secure, fearless, you will create a positive future! In and outside of ski racing! Lets move forward positively! I see us all
happy, creative , and winning!

Bye for now!

Doug