Fall Into Winter

It’s been a while since I last updated this blog, and we’ve quickly gone from watching the first few autumn leaves turn to eagerly awaiting the first real snowfall. I think every skier recognizes the inevitable push and pull of this time of year: on the one hand it seems like we’re hurtling towards race season at breakneck pace, but on the other hand, stick season seems to never end, teasing us with glimpses of winter. It’s only a matter of time before we click in our boots in West Yellowstone, and the anticipation for real snow under our feet is high.

Since the GRP returned from our September training camp in Austria, we had a few weeks at home in Vermont to soak up the training and enjoy the changing leaves.

Just another Northeast Kingdom sunset over the windmills

Dirt road cruising with the GRP women's team (Photo Caitlin Patterson)

My favorite fall activity- apple picking! The apple
monster (Casey + Hallie) getting to the top of the tree

Then it was off to Park City, UT, my hometown, for a US Ski Team training camp. I was really excited about the camp, and already planning to post a blog from there with lots of wonderful mountain training photos. Well, on the first day of the camp I woke up with a bad sore throat, which turned into a full blown cold, which turned into a sinus infection. Yuck. So instead of lovely outdoor photos, I could have shared a screenshot of my Netflix account as I whizzed through my 5th Scandal episode of the day, but I decided to spare you all! Needless to say, it was really bad timing and I hated sitting out all of the intensity and most of the distance workouts during the camp. Luckily, Park City is still a great place and if I had to be really sick in one place, I would choose a place where I could spend time with my friends and family.

Sunrise at Cutthroat Lake in the Uintas- from a quick backpack
trip before the camp started

Mountain biking on Mid Mtn. trail with my dad (Photo  Logan Jones:)

Rolling on the Mirror Lake Highway, and happy to be out and
about after sickness!

Heather, Kait, Caitlin and I post-ski at Provo
River Falls

Luckily once we got back to Vermont and reunited with our biathlon teammates, we had a cool opportunity in the east. Usually the west gets all the early snow, but this year the touring center in Foret Montmorency (up in Quebec) saved a huge pile of last winter’s snow under sawdust and spread it into a 2km loop. Finally feeling healthy, I joined the team for a 4 day intensity-focused camp on snow. Although it was a short camp, it was really productive and we squeezed intervals, speeds, tempo work, a time trial, and some distance into our six sessions. I left exhausted but definitely feeling more confident in my preparation for the season.

Em and I hammering out some L4 intervals, taking turns leading
and following (Photo Caitlin Patterson)

Skiing into the sunset with Heather (aww) (Photo Caitlin
Patterson)

Specific strength and focus (Photo Caitlin Patterson)

Part of the women's team, sporting our new gear
from Craft, Skida, and Bliz!

Back in Craftsbury we jumped in the Concept 2 World Sprints.
1 k on the ski erg = total pain and suffering (I think this photo
conveys it pretty well) Photo Judy Geer

So that’s the quick and dirty that brings us to now! We have a little over a week left in Vermont before Caitlin, Heather, Kait and I leave for West Yellowstone and the first SuperTour races of the year. I absolutely can’t wait to put on a bib again and see all of my skier friends from around the country. I’ll check back in after our first races, thanks for reading :)