Camp wrap

We didn't quite achieve my goal of having a new blog post by a new author every day over the course of training camp, but I think it was an admirable attempt. At the very least, we got some new voices on here instead of just mine!

Plus, I think everyone did a fine job of incorporating stories and photos to the point where there isn't a ton left to say...the skiing was excellent: up to 40k or so was groomed and tracked by the time we sipped the dregs of our last Tim Horton cappuccinos. 

Typical morning arrival scene at Foret Montmorency

This is my 6th (!) year in a row of attending this camp as either an athlete or coach. I think our fitness leading into this camp has been the best yet. Focus was high and it seemed like we never really hit that wall that often arrives 3 or 4 days in...the kind of wall where everyone complains about the afternoon workout and struggles to drag their heads away from their drool-soaked pillows. 

That never happened. Morale was high, and the 20+ hours we put in went almost effortlessly. The TimeTrial we ended up doing with many other teams (not far off of a miniature Carnival) was a success as well. We had a lot of process goals for the race, with minimal focus on results themselves. For the most part I feel that the results for many were right where we wanted them to be, however. What's more, those who weren't happy came to me immediately afterward with not excuses, but instead well-constructed analyses of their races and what they wanted to change. Taking those steps yourself as a racer, before just bumming out or dragging others down, is a big sign of athletic maturity I think. 

The finish line for the timetrial...as the starting line for the season ahead

Now that we are back on campus the focus shifts a bit. We are putting in some lower hours this week to recovery, yet still taking advantage of the snow that has graced the North Country to keep skiing. Areas in Vermont like Craftsbury and Rikert are utilizing manmade loops to get their training in. For us, our northerly latitude is the original snowmaking machine. I groomed about 5k of skating at Higley yesterday, and Bob is out to continue the work before practice this afternoon. A warm spell is approaching for the weekend, but future forecasts are calling for more cold and snow. 

A little Monday morning grooming at Higley Flow