Training in Canada through the winter is always a challenge. Pool work and weights are fine indoors. Cycling though is limited to the CompuTrainer or a windtrainer set up in the garage. Running surfaces outside include ice and snow, not to mention often high wind chill factors. Most of the crowd we train with are 35 plus years of age and fairly mobile. When looking for a warm break over the winter season, people usually think of Hawaii or Mexico. What is generally not though of is New Zealand, which is 20 hours from Calgary and is truly summer in December and January! Why not combine a great vacation with a bit of training!

Bev and I did just that in December 2001/January 2002. We were fortunate to have 30 days for the trip. We very much recommend it for periods of 10 days or longer. After a stop-over in Taupo to participate in the ½ Ironman on December 15, we made it to Christchurch on December 20. While we did not participate in one of the Multi-Sport training camps, we did get a very good sampling of the facilities.

The 50M QEII pool is a world class facility. We were very fortunate to be able to arrange four hours personalized coaching from the resident pro coach - Roly. All prices including pool access and coaching were cheap compared to Calgary.

Running trails around Mt. Pleasant offered a variety of terrain, including high on the ridge over looking the city and Lyttelton Harbour. There are more bicycles around Christchurch than I have ever seen before. Great riding and drivers who are accustomed to sharing the road with bikes.

Coach Gordo Byrn went over lifting techniques at the QEII weight room and also lined us up with Mark, the stretching (Yoga) coach. We had more first class coaching and access to facilities than there was time in the day! What amazed us most was the low prices and the ease of access. North Americans have yet to figure out 20 hours of travel is really not that far (three in-flight movies and some snoozing) and it is certainly not expensive when a person considers how cheap most everything is in New Zealand.

The New Zealand break is at the top of our priority list during the Canadian winter season. Cheaper than Hawaii or the southern U.S. Daylight from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.! Great people and excellent beer! Once word gets out about the Multi-Sport Training Centre in Christchurch, I expect there will be a line up of people from Canada and the northern U.S. We will be there for sure!