Thanksgiving Camp: Tuesday (by Kate)

This blogpost is written by Kate

Skiing!!

Last night we got about five inches of snow, a nice addition to Forets man-made loop. We started up the morning with a two-hour skate ski. After about half an hour, we switched to no-pole skating. As I was going around the loop, Adam skied up beside me and told me to give him my arm. Slightly perplexed, I offered it over. He instructed me to keep my arm straight then promptly pushed against my rigid limb, causing my full weight to be transferred over my ski. We continued this way for about a hundred meters, him pushing and pulling on my arm like a game of tug-of-war and me getting the feeling of how dramatic a weight shift he wanted me to be making while skiing.

After a lunch break, we headed out again, this time for up to an hour and a half of classic skiing. The original consensus on wax had been blue, then violet, and finally, when more than half the team returned with complaints of slippage, drastic measures were taken and red was applied. Like bubble-gum in consistency and color, I globbed it on, knowing I’d need all the help I could get to make my ever-resistant-to-kick classic race skis actually get some kick. I succeeded and skied the ninety minutes comfortably kicking up the hills, slipping only when the tracks were too washed out or I faltered technically.

The team took advantage of the end of the loop to get in some no pole striding, focusing on getting total weight transfer, driving the hips, and keeping the arms relaxed. After a few trips down this portion of the trial, some members of the team opted to incorporate some one-pole skiing while others strapped both poles back on to integrate what they’d just worked on into real striding.

Kyle/Gramps lookin good with some classic no-pole technique

C-Town

After learning that snow is cold on your bare hands, Calvin entered our previously relaxed lounge room and began running around, demanding to know where Tickle Fingers (Phil) was. By the time Phil arrived, Calvin had informed us all that he was going to sneak up on Phil to tickle him, not the other way around. He built a fort to prevent such an attack and managed to escape Tickle Fingers for another day.

Ctown having some crazy times in an old cardboard box

Dad Dier Schedules a Massage

On our way back from Foret, Matt Dier requests that we drive through the shops by the alpine area to confirm that there is a spa he can go to for a massage. He meanders in, looking slightly out of place as we drive away. Taking a few laps of the parking lot, attempting to “whip shitties,” we waited for Dier before creepily peering into the window of the salon to see him leaning suavely against the counter talking to the cute, smiley receptionist. As he came sauntering out with a wide grin stretched across his face, like he just won the lottery, he tells us he scheduled a massage for Thursday at 5 and there were fluffy rugs inside. Van passengers:“Thanksgiving is Thursday Matt;” “Go-carting is Thursday Matt.” Matt: “Wait what?” Classic Dier.

Dad Dier heading in to schedule a massage at the luxurious Stoneham Spa

Van-Bus Collision

After recruiting Phil, our native Canadian, for his translator, and myself, a certified driver, to go with him back down to reschedule his massage, the three of us pile into the van. Then the action begins. I slowly give the van some gas, not wanting to make a crater to give stuck in or simply spin the tires, but the van just slid backwards. Hit the brakes; try to give it a little more gas. The van slides sideways towards the bus. Gramps comes strolling out of the trailer to analyze the situation. We try backing the van up so it’s no longer angled at the bus before putting it into third for another attempt to make it up the modest grade of the driveway again. We just slide backwards. By now the coaches have made their way outside and Adam tries driving it out of the driveway. Apparently a different person hitting the gas pedal doesn’t work either. Phil, Matt and Kate all go to sit in the backseat while Kyle opens the back door and sits on the bumper with the idea of putting more weight on the back tires to add traction. Going forward is still an impossibility for with the guidance of Ethan, Adam backs the van further up, getting ever closer to the bus, hoping to find a spot with a little more purchase. This final time of giving it more gas, the van and bus collide. This persuades everyone that its time to push. The van finally breaks free of the driveway thanks to our manpower, and Kate is coerced into still driving down the treacherous roadways. Massage rescheduled to Friday at five, so Go-Carting is on for Dier!

Dinner and Beyond!

After returning from our trip to reschedule Dier’s massage (I still can’t write that without laughing), showers were taken as the dinner crew, Meng Dynasty, Smellanie, and Wilhelm Klaus, made us up some south of the border burritos. After dinner, the coaches met with team members to go over our pre-race strategy sheets and Settlers of Catan was brought out to continue the game from lunch yesterday, the board meticulously re-set up from a picture taken the previous day. Meanwhile, I slaved over this blog post as the rest of the team roared with laughter as they watch Pitch Perfect. #feeling left out

Tomorrow and Goal for the Week

Our plan is to go for our morning run as usual, while Adam makes us another fabulous breakfast, then head up to Foret to get in some skate ski intervals and check out the new 10K loop. Fingers crossed on that last one! Then a run in the afternoon to finish off our fifth day of being in Canada. Things we all need to keep in mind over the next few days are that being tired is normal but take advantage of the downtime to do recovery activities such as stretching, using the foam rollers, etc, finish our pre-race strategy sheets, and DRINK WATER!

And because we don’t say it enough, a big thanks to Mom and Dad Town for all their help and cooking and to the Frielinghaus’s for their great meal and stocking our fridge with leftovers!