First off, here’s a link to a super cool video on the Frozen Thunder sprint time trial presented by Cross-Country Canada and Buff! http://vimeo.com/52513533
Second, I read back through some older blog posts and came to the realization that I seem to always RANT about how much I love being home. And for good reason!
I love being able to come back from a workout and flop down on the floor, and then take up residence in my usual perch at the end of the counter with my computer, or in the corner of the couch with a book. My puppy-who-isn’t-quite-so-small-anymore has made a habit of sticking his nose in my ear and sort of snuffling around, which is both really ticklishly annoying and adorable, especially when he starts eating my earring. (Kidding, he knows I’d kill him if he actually bit it). It’s also good to sleep in and go for a ski at whatever time feels nice, which is usually when the sun is highest so I can continue my shorts and a t-shirt streak as long as possible.
At the same time, it’s so weird not having the team around! When I’m with other skiers it feels like I maybe have a normal job…there’s nothing weird about training, resting, and training till you’re super sore when everyone’s doing it. But at home most people I know are either in school or at their real-life job, and it makes me both super oober happy about being an athlete and also wonder what it’ll be like once I retire and am in one spot for years at a time. Crazy!
I guess this shot is a bit of a team tradition by now...(E. Packer and Hoffman pic)
The SMS T2 team took some photos while we were all together in Canmore…here’s 2 of my favorites!
From left to right: Andy, Gus, Skyler, Eric, Jessie, Sophie, Erika (Packer and Hoffman photo)
Also, I got a good laugh when USADA showed up at my house the other morning for testing, because they initially thought my little sister, Mackenzie, was me (I was finishing up a rollerski). So they were super nice and everything, shaking her hand and introducing themselves, and then when they said “so today we need a blood and urine sample from you” poor Kenzie was like “WHAT?!?!? Why ME?” They got it figured out when I came in the door after getting back from training, but it was still funny.
I also think it’s great that when USADA shows up, the only thing I have to worry about is “gosh, I hope I still have time after this to make the farmer’s market before closing time”. It’s good to be part of a team that has never, is not, and will never cheat.
That said, there’s a great anonymous rant on JohnnyKlister up now about how Lance has really messed up people’s faith in endurance sports. It’s very well-written, and worth the 2 minutes it takes to read it.
Thanks Lance, for making people who have worked honestly and hard their entire life be suddenly overshadowed by doubt from another sport.
Here it is: http://johnnyklister.com/anonymous-rants-from-skiers-who-care/
