Post from new SLUskier Sam Martell!

Hey there! I'm going to be a freshman this coming year and am so excited to be a part of SLUSKI. Thought I'd post and say hi!

Training this summer is going fairly well. I've been training with the Mansfield Nordic Club at least twice a week which I really enjoy because those two days are usually the only time I get to train with other girls my age. The other 5 days of the week I'm either training on my own, with one of the guys from my high school team, or with a group of middle aged women. That last one is my personal favorite. I see the same group of women twice a week at the local gym for strength classes. Mondays are weights. These are fun, but slightly embarrassing because these women may be 30 years older than me, but they put twice the amount of weight on their bars. It's quite impressive. Wednesdays are cardio strength. Now, this is hard. This class is the "I better go for a run first because I won't be able to move afterwards" class and it is taught by a woman I fondly refer to as "Crazy Lisa". This woman is about 5 foot nothing, but what she lacks in height she more than makes up for in muscle and energy (she reminds me of the energizer bunny on like 10 redbulls). Other than rollerskiing and trying to keep up with Crazy Lisa I've done some running races and most recently, the kayak leg of a local triathalon in St. Albans Bay. I've canoed since I was about 10, but never alone and I've never really kayaked, so I felt the race went well becuase a. i didn't flip the kayak and b. i made it to the finish. Ah, success.

Besides training I've been working in my dad's office (he builds houses and his two partners sell real estate) and also at the City Pool teaching swimming lessons. And let's not forget the Tour de France! The reason my family has the hardcore cable package is for the Tour. We have all chosen our favorites and I have declared myself a fan of Cadel Evans. Now just cross your fingers he isn't doing loads of drugs...

The rest of the summer is looking about the same and I'm not complaining. Though I am looking forward to heading to SLU in the fall, I have no problem enjoying summer for the time being. Hope everyone else is enjoying it as well!
-Sam