March 1, 2009 (Canmore, AB) – Next week I will be going under the knife to fix what has turned out to be the most serious injury of my career. A lot has changed since my last Skier Diary report. In my last report I was optimistic that one final cortisone injection was the best option to fix my foot problem and avoid surgery, however the morning that I was supposed to head into Calgary for the injection I got a call from my doctor asking if I had left for the hospital already…he explained that the doctor who was going to do the injection reviewed the MRI and felt that a cortisone shot wouldn’t fix the problem, only temporarily relieve the pain.

Since we need to treat the cause of the problem, not just the symptoms, he recommended cancelling the injection and revisiting the surgery option. The doctor who reviewed the MRI thinks that the tendon may be subluxing (popping out of the groove in the bone that is supposed to keep the tendon in place) and the only fix for this is surgery. If in fact this is what’s happening, a cortisone shot would have only delayed the inevitable and set my recovery back three months or more. So back to the surgeon I went, we discussed the situation, any remaining options, possible complications, and we decided that it’s time to go ahead with surgery. Next Wednesday I’ll be going under the knife for what will be a largely exploratory surgery. The surgeon will look for a tear in the tendon, clean out scar tissue and have a look at the bone for signs of wear. Depending on what has to be done, I’ll be in a cast for 2-6 weeks and if everything goes as planned I should be able to start training again by May…only time will tell.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my sponsors who have been so supportive through this difficult season. Being unable to race means that I haven’t been able to give my sponsors the exposure that they deserve and I really appreciate their understanding. I have two new sponsors this year that I am very excited about:
The first is Alpina Boots – I had the opportunity to test their new boots last spring and I was extremely impressed. Skiing is one of those sports where innovations tend to be very ‘gimmicky’ but there’s nothing gimmicky about the new Alpina Elite Boots. They’re designed purely for performance; extremely light weight, comfortable and the overall feel is incredible. The minute I jumped on my skis I could feel the difference in performance, the feeling of these boots is comparable to going from regular running shoes to racing flats or track spikes! Teamed with the NNN bindings and the NIS system which Fischer has recently adopted for their skis, I think this is an unbeatable setup. A big thank you to Mike Doble and Alpina Sports for their support!

My other new sponsor for this season is Ryders Eyewear. Ryders is the official eyewear supplier of the Canadian National XC Ski Team and I am very happy to have them as a personal supporter as well. I tested their glasses throughout the summer and was impressed with their great selection of eyewear designed to fit the needs of a wide range of athletes. I have found that some of the best pairs for cross country skiing are the Slipstream Pro, Intersect and Treviso. They work well through a variety of weather and temperatures and are very resistant to fogging, one of the biggest challenges when it comes to finding good eyewear for XC skiing. Maybe best of all, the prices are reasonable! After spending a pile of money for a ski, boot and binding setup the last thing you need is to shell out a ridiculous amount of cash for sunglasses, with most Ryders styles in the $40.00 range you can’t go wrong!

Overheard:

“I think cabbage is going to make a major comeback.” -NST Team member Dave Nighbor on his love affair with cabbage.

In the Tape Deck:

Song: I’m in Miami ‘Trick’…(Radio/Ski Trax Edit)
Artist: LMFAO
Finally, I’d like to thank my long time sponsors, including many that have been with me since the start of my career. Without the generous support of these sponsors I’d have had trouble reaching the level of success I enjoy today!

Title sponsor:
Earls Red Deer

Gold Sponsors:
Vellner Leisure Products
AES Industrial Suppliers
Can Fund
Dr. Michele Benedictson
Donem Electric Ltd.

Supporters:
Collins Barrow Alayne Viberg and Bill Erfurth

Gold Equipment Suppliers:
Alpina Sports
Ryders Eyewear

Other Equipment Suppliers:
Thule Racks
OGIO
Fischer Skis
Swix Sport