Back to it!

After successful, but nonetheless delayed, travels back east, we had a few days to spend at home. It was nice to see family, catch up with friends, eat home food and sleep in my own bed. I even got to take part in some classic high school fun in watching the homecoming parade and going to the football game (the NAHS float was the best, and we lost to North).

I drove back to school the following Sunday for a quick dorm change and a great week. Sometimes the first week back after break (or being off of campus for about a month) can be a little bit rough but it was not bad at all. We jumped back into classes and it was just like we’d never left. The one thing that makes a place like Burke really work is the teaching staff, because they understand how demanding the athletic schedule is and are committed to making it work for each student. It was also fun to get back into workouts at sea level. The fall training block is generally the most intense in preparation for the ski season, so we are doing a lot of intervals and speed work, and so far it is feeling good! My favorite workout from last week had to be a hike up Burke Mt. Even though it was cloudy and even drizzled a bit, the view, combined with the foliage was spectacular. We finished off with some sprints and penalty kicks!

Last week was also spirit week. Festivities included gender switch day (pick someone of the opposite sex that looks like you and swap clothes), twin day, and color day.

Here are some twins!

This weekend, I ventured back to Concord with my friend Jenna for my Mom’s birthday (22, I think), and to watch my sister race in the Head of the Charles. It was a beautiful day for the regatta and we had a lot of fun poking in and out of the vendors tents and acquiring all sorts of stickers and other swag. The Concord Crew girls rowed an amazing race and finished up 26^th/75- achieving their goal of placing high enough to auto-qualify for next fall. 26^th out of some the best high school crews in the country!

I’m back at school for what promises to be a great week! I’ll leave you with some pictures from campus last week. 

Emilie

Camp Wrap

And that's that! We're currently hanging out in a Super 8 in a grey and rainy Boise. It has been a truly amazing camp, and though many of us are excited to return home and see our families, we are all sad to see the camp come to a close. 

This week was our intensity week, and we kicked it off right with some hard intervals up Dollar Mountain on Tuesday:

Truckin'

Feeling the burn on the last repeat

Sucking in fog!

After some recovery spinning and erging that afternoon, we were treated to hard rain and 40 degree temps for a 30k rollerski on Wednesday. To keep the bike paths smooth, they are coated with some kind of oil which made the ski quite slippery!

The girls skied as a group the whole time, and we had a good time switching leads and playing follow-the-leader type games. 

The next day we headed to Lake Creek for some natural intervals. This is a workout where you pick a loop that has varying terrain and run it at a consistent pace so that the 'intervals' occur with the terrain.

Friday we did a double pole strength workout, but not after doing a fun agility/spenst warmup!

Jenna and I midair during a 'race'

Here is a video I made with footage from the coaches camera!

After a day off on Saturday, we geared up for time trial. It was difficult but a great effort with great views

On-course

Spent!

Here's another video- thanks to Tom for some great footage!

(I can't get it to embed, but it's worth a cut-and-paste into your search bar!!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2THMXOOWR_U

See you in the 603!

Emilie

Business Time

Greetings! I know the "it's been a great couple of days in wherever!" must be getting old, but I am running out of ways to say it- it's true every time! We've gotten in some great workouts, and have been treated to the presence of a few great guests. Olympian Simi Hamilton and NCAA champ and alum Sam Tarling left yesterday morning for US Ski Team camp in Park City, Utah. Simi stayed with us for about a week, and Sam had been with us since we got here. Living in the same building as these guys is a great opportunity to see what it takes to get it done in the upper echelons of our sport. Former BMA assistant coach and current director of The Utah Nordic Alliance Matt Johnson also hung out for a little, and there usually a couple of dinner guests a night as we get to meet some of Pete's old friends and other skiers and coaches from the area. 

Friday we got to work with a skate ski warmup and some speeds. The first set of speeds consisted of a 5 minute loop in which the first 120 yards were to be ran with increasing speed before running the rest of the loop at recovery pace.

Kate leading us through our six

The boys recovering

After that, we switched gears to uphill sprints.

We did four of these as hard as we could before cheering on the boys and cooling down.

It was a hard workout but we all agreed that it was fun and great "teamwork" workout as we all pushed each other!

Saturday was SAT day for most of the gang (Kaitlin and I got a nice sleep in and one-on-one technique session with the coaches!), so in the afternoon we had a little adventure workout.

After a single-leg squat activity, we shuttled out to Trail Creek for some spenst.

Our spenst progression consists of a two-legged take off and six alternating single leg hops with a two legged landing. The goal is to get as far as possible.

Incoming!

From there we took a rolling single track path home!

Yesterday was the annual "Run around Redfish Lake." We drove about an hour and a half through the Boulder mountains to the Sawtooths to get to the lake. It took us about 3h15 and totaled out at 12 miles, and it was beautiful!

The group running the downhills

I sometimes had to be careful of where I was running- it was easy to get distracted by the scenery!

Team plus Evan, an alum who is doing a PG year with the Sun Valley crew

Pete took some amazing photos while we ran!

Some of the clearest water I've ever seen

Post-workout refuel and swim!

Tired and happy!

On the way home while we were driving over Galena pass we were stopped by some sheep!

Sawtooths from a distance

Today we had the day off and we took advantage of it by getting a sleep in and some team putt putt at the Sun Valley club. We are preparing for what should be a gnarly week in many ways. It is supposed to get a lot colder and wetter and we might even see some flakes in the mountains! Also, after a lot of long workouts (money in the bank), we are getting into the intensity part of camp. There are all sorts of intervals on the schedule for the next week, and it's time to get down to business!

Getting ready to rumble!

Typical NE fall weather expected out here this week!

Thanks to Kate and Pete for great photos!

Cheers, Emilie