This is the 7th year that I’ve come to the Lake Placid Olympic Training Center for a fall training camp. Crazy! It still feels like it’s maybe my third year here. Some things haven’t changed at all…the same chicken, pasta and marinara sauce are always options at every single meal (but there are, of course, other food options too!). I still give the bobsledders plenty of space in the gym because I’m scared of getting a 10,000 lb weight dropped anywhere near me, and the hallways still reek of smelly boots whenever it rains.
One of the perks of training camp is that you’re never training alone…(USSA photo)
We’ve been doing a lot of swimming in the lake lately!
But some things are different. I still feel like death at the end of our L4 interval sets, but we are all going faster and doing more than we were in the past. I have more time to kill because I’m not frantically trying to do make-up homework for all the school I’m missing. With that extra time, I’ve gotten better in tune with what my body needs for recovery that day; maybe foam rolling, yoga, a cold tub or contrast baths. You could say I’ve perhaps gotten older and wiser, but I know better. I’ve just gotten older and formed better habits. At some point it’s kind of the same thing; good habits make you look like you know what you’re doing! And who do I look to when forming those habits? Well, you could start with my teammates and coaches.
Annie got clever with taking post-workout food to-go!
Starting a classic sprint time trial at the jumping complex. So much pain, so much technical and tactical gain! (USSA photo)
This camp is always a really high quality training camp, and a sort of crossroads where big volume training weeks clash with high intensity and higher amounts of L4 intervals. So, needless to say, we haven’t been an especially lively group in-between training sessions since it takes a lot for our bodies to recover from 7 x 4 minute L4 intervals in time for running and strength later that afternoon!
Matt running alongside our uphill skating intensity session, helping with technique and cheering us on! (Pat O’Brien photo)
Girls rounding the corner during our sprint simulation. Skiing in packs is something I always need to work on! (USSA photo)
Ida and I working on our reaction time and spatial awareness. Ok, ok, we were just having a grand time on the playground.
While it’s certainly not all fun and games, there are some fun things going on at camp! My 23rd birthday was on the first day of camp here, and I’d like to thank everyone for all the wonderful birthday wishes! I had a fantastic day, despite the incredible intensity session we had (uphill skating L4 intervals) that morning. 🙂 I had so many funny and thoughtful cards and fun surprises from my teammates…I was overwhelmed with all the love! The SMS girls planned a fun surprise for me, by secretly ordering in white cotton tanks with the words “Sparkle Chipmunk doesn’t sweat…she glitters” on them. (A sparkly chipmunk is my official spirit animal, and it must be true because Chandra Crawford approved it!) They were white because the girls brought along a tie-dye kit, and we spent the afternoon doing arts and crafts on our shirts! I was totally thrilled.
Apparently, this is what post-interval snack-time looks like when it’s your birthday! (photo by Erika)
Erika, Katherine, Liz and Anne all cramming in the car so we could go into town!
Tomorrow is our day off to rest after a big week of training. We finished it off today with a 3:45 hour run up Mt. Marcy, and unfortunately the weather wasn’t entirely cooperating so we were not rewarded with the amazing views you usually get in the fall here. However, I didn’t care because for once I emerged from the Adirondack trail system without any blood on my knees. Yes, you read that right – NO INJURIES! BOOM!
Annie P., Anne H., Me, Paige and Katherine on top of Mt. Marcy in 40mph wind. Beauty views, eh? (photo by Anne H)
