CALI COLOMBIA -WORLD CUP

So, after last year being a challenging time in Colombia, I wasn't really sure what to expect this year, much of the same, or could I make it different. It wasn't a horrible time last year, but is discouraging when you can't go out for a run, get sick from drinking the water, and are always "watching your back" as encouraged by the hotel staff as the locals think canadians are all rich!

So this year, the neighbourhood is much nicer, still not 100% safe to go out alone, but my roomate Tanya Dubnicoff is always up for a mini-adventure and I know I will get her out exploring in the few minutes we have free!

The big perk about this hotel as well is the GYM and POOL: Last year I think a big part of the letdown was the fact that I couldn't train or exercise myself. Being around a bunch of inspiring professional athletes all day, then not being able to train myself was really tough! I don't usually have a lot of spare time throughout the days here, but as you know, I am pretty efficient with my time, and will get a lot of things done in a short period, so I manage to squeeze in some "Jenn fit time" into the schedule.

I have been fortunate enough to acquire a position working with Cycling Canada and their National Team programs, specifically I work mostly with the Track Program and their build to the Olympics in 2012. We have just returned from a successful World Cup race in Cali, Colombia.

From a team chiropractor perspective, Cali was a great learning experience, which is something I am always up for. The role that I have with the team at this point is multi-faceted and I get to use much of a lot of the training that I have as a Sports Chiropractor to be useful and help this team and Cycling Canada go forward.
To this point I have been working

with the team for about 2 years. This year thanks to the support of a company called B2Ten, I have been able to see the athletes on a consistent basis. I have been to travelling quite frequently to Los Angeles, where the athletes live and train as well as seeing many athletes at Moveo here in Vancouver. This is much different than the work I have done in the past with athletic teams as the frequency I see the cyclists, the better able I am to monitor athletes progress and build with subsequent treatments. This allows me to make a bigger difference I feel as I can focus on both injury prevention, and performance enhancement as well as injury management of any current issues.

As a chiropractor, I am doing a residency in Chiropractic Sports Sciences. This has allowed me to broaden my spectrum from typical "chiropractic" duties. I predominantly do a technique called Active Release Technique, which is a soft tissue technique that helps break up adhesions and scar tissue that forms in the muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia due to trauma or overuse. I also use Graston technique, modalities and exercise prescription as a huge part of my treatment plans.

Cali was the second World Cup race of the 2010/11 season, and after a great start to the season in Melbourne, the athletes were hungry for more success. We had a bigger team than ever attend and came away with a new Canadian Record in the Men's Team Sprint, bronze and silver medals in the men's and women's omnium. We also had an impressive number of top 5 placings, which shows great potential for future development.

Next up is Beijing World Cup, which takes place on the same stage as the 2008 Summer Olympics. I am looking forward to a few more sessions in LA with B210 early Jan, then to experience Beijing Track Style!