I love you Yellowknife!

Posted In: ChiRunning | Fitness | Running | Triathlon June 1st, 2011 divider No Comments »

What a great few days spent in the great Northwest Territories. And like my homeboy MLK, it all started with a dream. A dream and a friend we call Sexual Chocolate…

A few months ago my friend Mark Henry jokingly asked me when I was going to teach in Yellowknife, I just chuckled. Well it all finally came together last weekend. Thank you to all that made it happen. Krystal Thompson. Dana Britton. Kelly Hinchey.

The teaching weekend started with a great spin session with the instructors from the Racquet Club. Then I did talk about triathlon on Friday, where some folks came in with some beers. I knew it was going to be a good weekend!

Met up with the local boys (Mark Henry, Hart Shouldice and Loren McGinnis) at the BK Lounge (also known as the Black Knight Pub). Then I was brought to a Yellowknife institution, The Range. All I can say is wow…

Saturday was a spin class (Hills to the Core) before I taught an Intro to ChiRunning workshop. This was the biggest workshop I ever taught (24 people I think) since it’s not like I’m coming back next weekend to teach! What a great group and an awesome way to spend the afternoon.

Sunday was another spin class (Tour de France, complete with French music) before an Intermediate CR workshop and a discussion with the Spin instructors on the patio. Great turnout for the workshop as the majority of the participants like Saturday’s session enough to come back…

Then a lovely dinner at the Henry’s (Yellowknife’s cutest family) with a bunch of former Mounties. Great food, great folks and a great catch up session. Then another episode of Mad Men (Season Four) with Fred and some rye. I felt incredibly blessed to say the least!

Monday was pretty relaxed with a great lunchtime run with some of the participants from the weekend and then another run on the highway in the late afternoon with another participant. Then another dinner party, shocking I know!

Tuesday was a run with Dana to make sure she will enjoy it down the road (and she will if she keeps it up) and then a tour of Yellowknife by local celebrity Loren McGinnis. Awesome!

This weekend made me wonder how I get paid to do this stuff. I love teaching open-minded folks and seeing them improve as runners and I also love sharing ideas with other fitness professionals.  Weekends like these make it all worthwhile

Needless to say, I had a terrific time. A great mixture of work and play. It seems there’s an appetite for a repeat visit. I’m already looking forward to it! A special thanks to one of the coolest families I’ve met in a while (Dana/Fred/Olivia), you folks are wonderful hosts!

To all the new friends I made this weekend, thank you and please provide feedback about the sessions. Stay tuned for some follow-up materials coming your way. And please stay in touch!