West and the rest

Ok, so a lot has happened since I last wrote, which I suppose is why it has been so long since I wrote... Busy!

First of all, West Yellowstone. The team drove up unofficially two Saturdays ago. We immediately threw our stuff into our rooms and went skiing. Although there was no snow on the lower trails (not at first and not for the rest of the week) the skiing up on the plateau was really nice. It had some big hills, a few iffy spots and insane elevation. We did have to bus up, maybe a 20 minute drive, but it wasn't so bad and we never got stuck!

A typical day at West went something like this:
7:15-short 15 min jog around the o so tiny "city"
8:00-drive up to the plateau and ski for 2-3 hours. (we worked on technique a bunch)
12:00-sandwiches in the lobby followed by napping and pretending to do homework
3:00-ski #2, this time until it got dark, around 5
6:00-dinner at the Days Inn prepared by the kind people of Sun Valley
After dinner we would go to the expo or watch movies, stuff like that.

Basically it was a ton of skiing and super fun. My dad came out, which was cool too. We had Thanksgiving dinner together! Overall I saw a ton of people from the Midwest, which was nifty, almost as good as being home...

The races at the end of the week were an 11k classic, then a 9k skate. The results weren't anything too exciting one way or the other (summit timing if you want to look them up) but I thought just racing was awesome. They were tough races to be sure, but fun courses with decent conditions!

The Monday after we came back my grandma died. I flew back on Wednesday to attend the memorial service and be with my family. I am very thankful for all of the support I have received, everyone has been just wonderful.

Finals are in one week! I am studying already so hopefully everything will turn out ok. Saturday coming is the Bobcat Christmas Pole, a citizen race the team puts on each year to raise money. It should be interesting....

ouch...

I mentioned that this next week would be intensity. I had no idea exactly how correct that was. We did something like 7 sets of intervals over 10 days. To name a few we ran all out for 20 minutes (25 min boys), we did bounding intervals, then classic roller ski relays and something called natural intervals, which to me are anything but. To me it seems pretty intuitive to sprint down the hills and take it easy up, but I guess it is the opposite....

At any rate it actually ended up being pretty rewarding if nothing else (productive I am hoping, but who knows). On Sunday we were supposed to do a pursuit style session where we all were timed around a 5ish minute loop, then sent off slowest to fastest for another go. In total the team ended up sprinting the race some four or five times. I dropped out after the first time though. I felt a really deep muscle fatigue different than just being tiered, I was beat. So I stopped, which I still feel really bad about to be honest. I realise it was probably ok to stop when I did, but I still feel like I wimped out to some degree.

This week is recovery. Yesterday we had a one hour run, and today we had nothing-not even weights. Tomorrow we will get back to it with some roller skiing. I wish we were really skiing, but it won't be long! West Yellowstone is coming up in something like 9 days!!

Waiting it out

The snow here has melted. There is nothing left. It is really sad, actually! The weather has been beautiful, all 50s-60s and sunny, but that really is not what I want. Slushy, sleety, I just want snow!
Training has been lovely. About a week ago we ran the M time trail, which is a leg burner if I ever ran one. The time trial starts at the parking lot of trail up to the giant M on the side of one of the Bridger mountains. Logically, it ends at the M. The whole thing takes less than 15 minutes, and every second is torture. When it was done, though, then it was cool! To be honest, I did take an accidental shortcut. I took a wrong turn at the very end and took a very steep way up rather than a switch back that I missed. Oops!
This next week is intensity, and it will be tough. There are a handful of time trials and relays planned, even some sort of pursuit race on roller skis! Today I went swimming, and it felt amazing. I ended up doing a handful of sprints, and it felt really good. I really miss swimming with the team, and I really hope they do well at sectionals! Good luck Warriors!

SNOW!!

Ok, you have read the title, what more is there really to say? It snowed. A lot, actually, and I was really impressed. What was even more exciting than the snow I know, I know, is that possible?) is that we actually got to go skiing!! On Sunday Sarah took Corrine and I up to Bohart where the snow was really beautiful. It was groomed and thick and no dirt at all. We classic skied (there was no track, but it was October 12th, how much can you really complain?) for three hours! I was so tired at the end! Monday we went back with the team and did some skate skiing. It was super fun. We might even go again tomorrow.

Overall getting back on snow was amazing. My technique was nothing stellar, but it felt better than I thought it would. I can tell that a little extra arm strength would go a long way. Leg strength too, actually.

Other than the super fun skiing, we have been running and weight lifting a ton. Apparently I need new shoes because the ones I have now are contributing to a little bit of tendinitis in my ankle/calf. I am not too worried about it though. We went bounding this morning, and did intervals which killed us all! I am having a really good time and can't wait until it is really winter here!

Homestead Race and other stuff

This past week was an intensity week, and it was intense. We did all sorts of sprints and time trails, and I am tiered!
On Sunday the team went out to Homestead Lodge to participate in their second annual 5 mile run. The Lodge and trail system was set up by a former MSU skier and her husband. It was a beautiful area and the lodge was gorgeous. They use solar power too! As for the race itself, I thought it was tough! The first half was relatively flat on wider trails, while the second half had more extreme terrain. I started off running with two other girls from the team, Kailen and Jamie. Around mile 1 I was pushing pretty hard, but I felt good. Then Gretta came up behind us and yelled <> So they all took off and I was on my own. The rest of the race went alright, although I could probably have done a little better job of pacing myself! All in all I thought it was pretty fun and I am excited to try it again next year.
Mackenzie, the girl who had her hand smashed during the ridge hike, is back at school and doing really well. The surgery went well and recovery should take some 6 weeks or so. She is very upbeat and positive about the whole experience, and even comes to some practices, running and some weight lifting as her injury allows. She will show pictures of her hand to anyone who will agree to see them. Despite how well she is doing, she will still have to take this year as a medical red shirt, but considering what happened, she is very lucky.
Today has been a rest day, and the rest of this week will be medium volume. The weather here is fabulous and warm, but I am crossing my fingers for some snow soon!

A Time Trial and Other Such Stuff

Last week's rest week finished off nicely. I went on a hike on Saturday and on Sunday the team went to Cottonwood Canyon for a long run. It was so beautiful. The trees were all changing color and there was a little river we crossed a handful of times.
This week has been intensity. And it has lived up to it's name. Monday we started out with a set of intervals. First we ran out to the trail system, maybe 15 or 20 minutes away. Then we did a couple of spenst drills. The intervals then were 1 minute of bounding up this killer hill. I could not even believe it. My lungs burned, my limbs kind of gave out on me, and that was only the first one!
Tuesday wasn't much, just a little 45 minute run, but this morning we had a time trial. The course was a 4k loop of nice blacktop in who-knows-where. It starts out with a series of hills that build on each other, than a gradual downhill into a long flat that takes you back to the start, so all in all, nothing terrible. It took me 14:11 to complete. The hills were hard to convince yourself to keep pushing through, and the flat was tricky just because I didn't know what technique would be best. Overall though, I think I put in my best effort and I am happy with the result.
The rest of the week will look something like this: Thursday is spenst at the stadium, Friday is classic rollerskiing for maybe an hour and a half. Saturday is some sort of long over distance workout, and then Sunday the team will go to a little running race, 5k or 5 miles, no one seems to know.
As far as classes go, I turned in my first paper on Monday and yesterday I had my first test-math, and it was bad. I have another test on Friday in chemistry, and hopefully that one will go better!

Bridger to the M

On Sunday the team drove out to Bridger Ski Area and began one of the most intense four hours of my life. The plan was to climb up the ski slope and join up with a trail that runs along the ridge of the mountains. We would then follow that trail about 10 miles across several peaks and end up at the giant M.

It was very tough going to say the least. The very beginning was like climbing a slope at Granite Peak, but pretty soon we ran into a part that required some actual rock climbing. The boys headed almost straight up, while the girls (following Dan Campbell), went around a more winding way. It wasn't long before we heard a scream. Apparently Mackenzie had gone the first way, and somehow a rock had come loose and crushed her hand. Thankfully, Dan and several other members of the team were able to help her down and get her to the hospital in a timely manner. At last update she had successful surgery in Bozeman yesterday where among other things they put in a pin.

Meanwhile the rest of the team continued on. We got to the ridge in about 45min-1hr of climbing, and it was beautiful to say the least. Being so far up was frightening and amazing. Running along a rough trail no more than a half foot wide was terrifying. I couldn't decide which was worse, running up, which burned my quads, or running down, which was flirting with disaster as far as I was concerned. Late in the hike I would slip and land on my butt or roll a little and scratch up my legs. I even have a little hole in the shoulder of my chariots of cheese t-shirt. But despite all of this it was unbelievably fun and exhilarating. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

I have been paying for it ever since, though. Everyone is just unbelievably sore. This morning Corrine and I went to the training center and soaked our legs in ice water. Lifting yesterday was ridiculous! Today was a rest day and it couldn't have been timed better.

Meet the Team

I have put in my first week of classes and am settling into life here in Bozeman. The place is awsome, all hippies and outdoor enthusiats. And, finally, I have met the team.

Overall I would describe them as really positive, passionate people. We had a team dinner at the surprisingly plush Norweigan boys house, all pasta and salad and general team dinner fare. There are 10 or 12 freshman total, two boys and a van load of girls. Everyone is super friendly, if not equally intense about their skiing.

Today we went to a run. Most of us weren't registered, so we ran along and cheered for those who managed to get the paper work in on time. The course was killer, practically striaght up these mountain faces, then follow a ridge or plumet down the other side for a total of seven miles. At the end you have to cross train tracks, and about half the field was cut off by a train. Then you have to go through a river, ice cold and just under waist deep to finish. We all had a pretty good time.

Practices will be starting soon. We have a couple more meetings and are waiting on some paper work stuff to clear, but I am really excited to start fall training! Next week we run from Bridger to the M!

Bozeman!

After months of planning, shopping and nail biting, I have finally moved into my dorm here in Bozeman! I am still getting used to it all, how the dinning halls work, where to find stuff around town, how long it takes to get hot water for the shower...

I went weight lifting yesterday, but today I went rollerskiing for my first time here. I am not sure how I managed it, but I ended up going out just when it started to get windy. Going out wasn't really a problem, but coming back I was going straight into the wind. I could hardly move! It was unbelieveable! I went for a little ways with the wind at my back and it was so strong I couldn't stop without turing to the side!

On a totally seprate note, it is beautiful here. I can't believe what a fabulous view I have right from my room. I can't wait until classes start and practice begins.

Triathlon

Yesterday was the Wausau Triathlon. From the minute I got there I saw tons of people I knew, which was fun.

It was my first time participating in a triathlon, so I was a little sketchy on the details, transitions and all that. I was a touch nervous, but I found a four leaf clover while I was stretching out, and so I figured it was a good sign...

Stef swam amazing fast, second in our division with a time of 10.21 for a half mile swim. Wow! I was actually surprised to see her coming into the exchange zone when she did, I just grabbed my bike and ran off and started my race.

The biking was really fun, surprisingly, seeing as it was a 28 mile course over some pretty hilly roads. Despite that I managed to pace it really well. I am sooo glad that Dad and I went and checked out the course last week! I passed a couple people, but mostly I was passed by super-fit men on beautiful bikes. I mean, there were some really nice bikes out there! On the course I saw all sorts of people, including my ski coach on a rollerski! Random... Overall I was 6th in our division with a time of 1:32.

At the end I came into the exchange area, tried to get my left foot out of the pedal, and was STUCK. So I just pulled my foot out of the shoe and thanked my lucky stars that I didn't fall over... Scott ran up, took the exchange scrunchie, and then took off.

Scott was awsome. He stepped in at the last minute to take over for our first runner, who was injured. At any rate he ran extremely fast. He ran 10 miles in somewhere around 35 minutes, the fastest time in our division.

Overall our relay placed third of seven in the co-ed long course relay division. I had an amazing time. It felt so good to race again, and I definatly want to to do another triathlon. Maybe next year I will even try one on my own!

summer training

So far my summer has been going pretty rock solid. Thanks to the plans my new coach sent me I have been able to set up a training schedule that works for me, month by month.

At the camp in July when they tested my VO2 max I got a nasty little surprise. The test showed that I was still over trained. I was pretty upset, to be honest. After all of the time I had taken off and how careful I had been to get enough sleep I was disappointed to be told that I still had the condition. The upside was that it confirmed that over training was what I was dealing with, not some obscure and more serious disease. Fish explained to me that I had to stay away from L4, which means no racing for now, and that I needed to be glued to my heart rate monitor. In the end I really am just hoping to be able to put the whole mess behind me.

Saturday is the triathlon. I realise that racing in it breaks the above mentioned <> decree, but I really don't know if this counts as a race. I'll be aiming to finish at a fast clip rather than hardcore sprinting to place. Dad and I went to preview the bike course today,which is the leg that I'll be performing. It was hilly, extremely hilly. I knew there were hills in that area, but I had no idea that the race organizers would string so many together! My legs will BURN by the time I am done! Still, I am looking forward to it, I think it should be really fun.