First Week

The first few days of official training have been packed - all kinds of stuff going on here. In addition to the Phlail, we started off with some fitness testing early in the week - a 500m sprint on the SkiErg and a combined skate/classic rollerski time trial on the bike path (results below).

Fall Break began at the end of the week, and we went straight into training camp mode. We stayed on campus for the weekend. On Saturday, most of the team did some hard bounding intervals at Lost Valley with Tim, but a few of us (Rainer, James, Wilson, Riley, and myself) opted for a 5k trail race in Cumberland, the Craig Cup. We found ourselves severely limited by a lack of leg speed, but put up respectable results nonetheless. That afternoon, the team did a short technique session and an easy recovery rollerski. Sunday's workout was an OD skate rollerski through the Pownal/New Gloucester area ending at Pineland - a great route that we haven't visited in a while. As if everyone wasn't already tired enough from all of this excitement, we headed up to Western Maine for a long run/hike in the Bigelows on Monday and another OD rollerski (classic) on the Long Falls Dam Rd on Tuesday. On the hike, we had 3 different groups using slightly different routes, covering 14-18.5 miles and multiple peaks on one of the most rugged mountain ranges in New England. The views of Flagstaff Lake and the Carrabassett Valley were fantastic. I've never been up on the Bigelow Range with clear skies - absolutely stunning. For the rollerski, Long Falls Dam Rd was its usual placid self. Even better, the pavement was in good shape, the weather was perfect, and the fall colors were still out in force.

We were lucky to have wonderful hospitality for the trip from the James family, who hosted the girls and made a great dinner for the whole team, and the Whiton family, who generously let the boys use their camp. Special thanks also to Mike and Louise Gilmore for hosting their very exhausted son-in-law. All in all, a great trip, and hopefully a sign of good things to come! I'll try to get some photos up soon, and perhaps a more detailed account of camp from one of the athletes.

500m Erg Test

Men
Alec	01:38.7
James	01:39.1
Riley	01:41.3
Wilson	01:47.3
Mark	01:48.0
Scott	01:48.6
Rainer	01:55.2
Women
Emma	01:52.9
Steph	01:58.9
Kaitlynn	02:02.7
Hannah	02:03.8
Grace	02:05.4

Bike Path Time Trial
Women - Skate

Grace	12:35
Hannah	13:23
Kaitlynn	14:12
Steph	14:41
Emma	14:50

Women - Classic

Emma	14:16
Hannah	14:28
Kaitlynn	15:12
Steph	15:14
Grace	17:04

Men - Skate

Alec	11:21
James	11:33
Marc	12:09
Rainer	12:12
Riley	12:48

Men - Classic

James	12:31
Alec	12:53
Riley	13:48
Rainer	13:54
Marc	14:46