Brrrrr.. SNOW!?!

Ponte di Legno

Here we are in Ponte di Legno! It's chilly and rainy, but beautiful! I never thought I would have to be running in the sleet when I was training for Italy! Totally crazy! It was snowing just a bit up from us!! We got to run a little bit of the course today, its going to be tough! There is one part that is literally the steepest hill I have ever walked/ran/even rolled down! I just started laughing when I saw it! Wowsers! That's all I can say! We went out this afternoon and toured the little city. It was really nice and hopefully we will get to go out tomorrow.. we went out during the naptime so basically everything was closed. But I got a great mugachino! Aka a normal american sized cappachino! Time for our team meeting though so I must leave you now! 

Love, love, love!

Shanny

J'ai arrive en Ponte di Legno!

Well, I sure can't speak Italian, so there's a little French for you! Just writing to let you all know that we arrived here safe and sound in Ponte di Legno! It was a much further trip than I had planned! Our bus ended up being over an hour late and then what I had assumed was about a 1 hour drive was actually over 3 hours! Thank goodness for Kashi Bars! We had dinner once we got here with parts of the Australian team, US team, Mexican team, Japanese team ,and Canadian team. Fortunately there IS WiFi here so I can continue to harass you all with my banter! Muaha!

I'm really looking forward to the next couple of days! I think its going to be just marvelous! It's really cool already just seeing all these different athletes hanging around the hotel! (my kind of hotel!) Hahaha. Today was a rainy bus trip up and I think tomorrow is supposed to be, too! So it's a good thing I have all my rainproof hiking gear! We might go and explore the race course tomorrow. I can't wait to see what the town looks like when it's daytime.. I think it's going to be stunning! I'll keep you posted!

Here's a picture of me on the walk to the Castle in the Old Town of Bergamo, it was a trek and a half! Thank goodness I wore my new Hokas and not flippy floppies!

The mountains here in Ponte di Legno look intense so far! It will be exciting to see what they actually look like in the daytime! Hope you have all had great days!

Love you bunches!

Shanny

Kintec Race Team Goes to Italy

Run, run, run... photo op! Run, run, run... Ohhh pretty! Run, run, run... Panini Break! Run, run, run! 

(aka: Best way to tour a city ever.. Running Tour!)

I'm off to the airport to catch my shuttle up to Ponte di Legno now!

Love you all, 

Shanny

Ciao Bergamo!

View from the Castle

Hey guys! I'm just off for a run up to the castle! Some hearty uphill.. when I was walking up yesterday, I was sure I had found Italy's equivalent to the Grouse Grind, minus the stairs and plus some cobblestones! I check out of my hotel in Bergamo today and will be meeting up with my team in Ponte di Legno! I can't wait to get to know my team members more plus meet all the other international teams as we will all be staying in the same hotel! Yay! I don't know if there will be wifi there or not, so if I don't write for a couple of days, I'm still alive! Just out of the internet world! I visited the Old Town of Bergamo yesterday, boy is it ever beautiful! Cobble stones everywhere, amazing architecture and stunning views! This was sure a real treat!! I went into the most stereotypical tourist shop and kids toy store in attempt to find a hard ball.. but couldn't find one for the life of me! However, not to be stumped by this, I have purchased a 3 pack of tennis balls and am rolling like a mad woman! I also practiced my handstands in the barren fitness centre last night.. When in Italy? Lol. Anyhoo, I must pack up my massive bag and hit the cobblestones! Hope you are all doing well! 

Ti amo!

Shanny

Ps. I just looked at this picture up close and noticed the writing on the railing.. Wow! :)

An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Well today has been a day of a little TLC.. and by that I mean taking a coma! My room has one fancy smancy skylight/window that has these electric blinds you close with a switch and after shutting it last night I was amazed with the absolute pitch dark I was plunged into! And no.. it’s not what you think.. I’m not a vampire.. I know I’m pale… destroy blue rare steaks… and sparkle in the sun (at least when I’m working out, sweeeaty!), but I’m just a human. Anyways, I woke up at 5am to pitch darkness and was like: a) “whoa, it’s pitch black!” b) “breakfast isn’t being served for another 2 hours, I better go back to sleep”. So I went back to sleep and woke up again, after some weird dreams of bears and lakes, to pitch darkness. I checked my phone.. 3pm?! In Vancouver time??? Nope.. here in Bergamo! Eep! Talk about a coma! I guess if you divided my sleep up into 2 it would be the right amount of hours for 2 nights. Go, body, go! Hahaha!

Along these lines, Here’s a big ups to Eddie for teaching me how to roll out my muscles on Monday! My feet have been bugging me for the last 2 weeks and preventing me from running, which I’ve supplemented with other crosstraining.. including the pool! Yes, back in the chlorine! Anyways, on with my point here. I mentioned it to Eddie and he spent a big chunk of time with me and helped me roll out my feet and legs and holy smokes! I had no idea I was so tight! One of the most painful, but best things ever! It made the biggest difference and now I am on a quest to continue doing it as my body clearly needs it! (I swear it must have been a build up of like the last 23 years of my life!) I ran into a problem yesterday though.. I forgot to bring my lacrosse ball! How is one supposed to roll out muscles without a ball?! Well, I’ll tell you, because I’m kind like that and don’t want you to lose sleep..

Taadaaa! This my friends is what they call innovation! Plus it made for a really juicy apple ;)


Love you all,

Shanny

Carbo dreams in Italia!

There's no place like Italy to carbo-load! So what if the race is days away.. and it's less than 9km.. and well who cares! All I can say is yum!

Needless to say, I've arrived here in Bergamo! It's a cute little area! Nice to arrive in a smaller town. I'm staying in a pretty sweet hotel here.. it's got a rain shower and bidet! How does one even use a bidet? Wait.. don't answer that. I don't want to know! I will continue to use it as a fancy towel rack. I didn't sleep a wink on the plane rides (not much of a surprise there), so after arriving and becoming human again with a hot shower and fresh clothes, I set about exploring the lower town of Bergamo. Lot's of good shopping if you are into that sort of thing and just beautiful buildings and sculptures! Oh and to all those who doubted me... I FOUND APPLES! Muahahaha! I learnt that you need to put your own stickers on your produce at the grocery store though.. that was interesting being sent back to the produceland when you just want to pay.. But my two Granny Smiths were well worth the attractive blank look on my face when they tried to tell me in Italian to get a sticker (I think). One was a pre-pasta snack and then other... well just wait for my next post. There's even a few nice parks (with dogs swimmin in the fountains and everything! Well, I exaggerate.. it was only one and it was super cute).

I took a nice night run up to the old town tonight and found a guys soccer game to watch! Soccer in Italy! Who would have thunk it!? So naturally I pranced around the field a couple of times before carrying on my way. I must say it's very nice here so far!

Tomorrow I am off to explore the old town with a friend I made on the flight over, Lisa. I hope her luggage has arrived.. it got lost today! Poor lady! Anyways, I'm off to try to catch some shut eye!

Mucho Love,

Shanny

All Aboard!

Well it's finally the time....

Italy, here I come! But first the plane ride! I just got on board my 10 hour flight to Frankfurt! This will be an adventure in itself.. Shannon.. sitting still for this long?! Is it possible?? There might be some relay races around the aisles. If you can jump a passenger, you can run a mountain, right??

Wish me a safe flight and I'll let you all know when I arrive.. Hopefully there won't be too many injured passengers from my fidgeting. The good news is that I did bring my laptop and season two of Heros.. plus some cartoons for good measure! ;)

Love you all so much and thanks for all of your support!

Shanny

PS. I'll let you know what the airplane food tastes like.. I do have a backup Subway sandwich and last minute energy bar grabs just incase. :P