Sometimes the race season looks more like collecting pumpkins..... (Kneža, October 2009)
...but you also know you are never to far from ultimate success! (Peter Kauzer - 2010 slalom world champ)
So at the end of the season you make a bit of partying.......
.....and you remember how you did it when you were a small kid.... (Niko Testen at Solkan slalom course, October 2009)
....and you know the road will continue to be all uphill - but you love it that way! (pathway to Kozjek waterfall, October 2009)
And slowlly you start training for the 2010 (but you continue eating chocolate).....
.....climbing some mountains before winter comes....
.....to wake up the body for the hard winter training that will follow (Mt.Rombon, October 2009)
But soon you start paddling a lot......
...in the morning light.....
.....in the evening light.....
...in a group....
...with just one buddy.....
.....but mostly alone....
...lots of paddling...
...and winter really strikes and it's freezing cold.
So sometimes you need to heat it up with some racing! (Christmass marathon, 6th December 2009)
And sometimes you take it a bit seriously...
....trying to measure your stroke power and efficiency....
But sooner or later real hard core winter comes!
And you are down to hard winter training......
Winding up the kayak erg.....
..to develop some serious endurance!
You do skike.....for some more endurance..... (top of Čepovan plain, November 2009)
...and you know you should never fall on these things, 'cos it would be a messl!
But you should go hard as often as you can....and when you go hard, you test yourself and your equipment....and ofcourse the material gives up first! (3 pole tips broken in 1 skike session, Dolenja Trebuša, December 2009)
The cross training i like most is the row erg... (my friened Igor's basement, December 2009)
New Year's day football match! (Most na Soči, January 1st 2010)
More indoor football... (Most na Soči, February 2010)
...and the best ever football match site! (sandy beach in Sabaudia, December 2009)
Ofcourse you do lots of runnning...... (Mt.Circeo, December 2009)
....and still running (Paola lake, December 2009)
Swimmming is great endurance training too!
After you are tired like this!
And you get dizzy each time you start feeling you got it right! (Žusterna, January 2010)
But it doesen't really matter what endurance sports you do as long you push hard! All roads lead to Rome at the end!!!!
There is only one thing you probably can't escape as a kayaker: weights! Heavy weights......
More specific weights.....
Core training.....
Long hours in the gym.....
Med ball sesssions... (can be fun if you do them outdoors in a warm weather training camp, Sabaudia, December 2009)
And some are literally back-breaking.....
...and super heavy!
But core trainigs are your bread and butter in winter!
And no matter how much gym you do, there is always gonna be someone around with bigger arms than you!
So you continue lifting. And they say bench-pull is pretty much anything that counts for kayakers.....
...and you keep pullling.....and pulling.....
...untill you get a bit red in the face!
And you still keep on pulling, untill you start seeing a double picture...
...and you are all sore and full of blisters! (Ski camp 1, Pokljuka, February 2010)
And the dark tunnel of winter looks endless........ (WWI bunkers near Kobarid, September 2009)
...and you just want to say stop!
Because it is so cold...... That your car freezes inside-out! (Most na Soči, November 2009)
And even the coaches freeze! (Ptuj, November 2009)
Paddling in -9 builds character... (Most na Soči, February 2010)
All your clothes freeze really quickly in such cold!
Even travelling home is difficult. (Sorica, November 2009)
So when it gets to hard and to hectic you should just sit down for a moment .....
....and slow down. (Kranjska Gora, January 2010)
Have a good.....
...stretch!
Go to the sauna....
...and enjoy it properly!
This really helps to relax and make it through the winter's cold!
You might make some relaxation practice....
Or remember the warm places you've been in winter.....
And when you are not out there training like a mad man, you should spend time with friends....
Chill out with friends....
Or literally hang out with them......
You shouldn't be shy to have funny friends....
Or suspicious friends....
...or even gangsta friends!
While a doctor friend always comes good!
What is especially invigorating, is having nice company in special places. (Lungomare di Sabaudia at dawn, December 2009)
Special moments to refuel your energy: morning bath in the Tyrrhenian sea. (Sabaudia , December 2009, 7am)
Sometimes you must take time to prepare well your equipment....
...cos it might mean the difference between winning or loosing the next day!
And you should eat good food to stay healthy in winter!
And when you start thinking about supplements.....you find out there is just to many different religions out there: some drink water (bottom left), some drink tea (bottom right), some drink protein shakes (middle), some drink god knows what (top)...while some simply drink beer with a LIVESTRONG bracallet attached (second from left).
Untill you keep it fun, it's all fine!
Sometimes you should learn from slalom guys.....
But always you should keep distance from these 2 men that are payed to kill: Coach no.1 - armed and dangerous
Coach no.2 - not armed, but he is East German (and that's enough)
So by the time over the winter you became an aerobic machine and a powerlifter in the gym and you had your 2 days rest.....you can again see the beauty of paddling in the cold of the last winter days.
And as long as the winter hasn't driven you mad...and you aren't sure wether you are a zebra, a leopard or a lion..... (streets of Kranjska Gora, January 2010)
...and you haven't started to wear funny socks like this (norwegian pattern)...
...or this (left and right sock confused on a tiger carpet).... (For the latest trends in socks industry please contact Mr.Lovro, Most na Soči 80, 5216 Most na Soči, SI - he will be happy to advice you!)
...or you haven't moved into the Milka village yet.....it's all fine!
With so much snow and cold even i do sometimes hear some strange dance music coming from seemingly nowhere! (DJ's cottage on the ski slopes in Kranjska Gora)
...but now i can allready hear the warm winds of change in the trees (Pinus silvestris)!
...if i look to the south i can almost smell the spring! (Savudrija, February, 2010)
AND I KNOW IN A WEEK I WILL BE FLYING MY BOAT IN A WARM PLACE ALREADY!!!!!!!!
