My Canmore with Sara Renner

The Olympic medalist and her downhilling-star husband know their way around the mountains.

One assumes Renner and husband Thomas Grandi get a little excited every four years around this time. Between them they’ve represented Canada for eight Winter Olympics: he as a member of the Alpine ski team, she the Nordic. (You might remember her and Beckie Scott snagging the Silver in Turin.) Now she and Grandi are turning their sights on the very competitive world of luxury lodging—their acclaimed Paintbox Lodge is Canmore’s first boutique hotel. We asked her for a few spots in her hometown that she thinks are fit for former Olympians and weekend warriors alike.1. The best place to enjoy nature, cross-country ski and bike with friends, enjoy solitude, create exceptional experiences with your kids, get your heart rate up and work on getting tight buns is the Canmore Nordic Centre. Phew!2. If I had one last meal on earth, it would be at Crazyweed. Chef Eden Hrabec always creates a taste sensation.3. The Legacy Trail (seen above), the bike path connecting Canmore to Banff, is a good ride or a really good run and a great way to meet people.4. All the beautiful fit people hang out at Elevation Place. It’s the hub of the community for climbing, swimming and picking out a good read at the library.5. It’s a small bit of self-promotion, but the reason we opened Paintbox is to do things like Cooking Classes at the Box—where locals and visitors can meet and fill their bellies with inspiration while expanding their culinary repertoires.