Training in Maine

James and Tyler are living and training in Brunswick this summer.  Here's an update from James on their adventures:

Last March, when I first got accepted to a summer research fellowship at Bowdoin, I was a little ambivalent.  Sure, everyone talks about how summers in Maine are unbelievable, and sure, I would be able to eat more than my share of lobster and corn on the cob, but could I really stomach running and rollerskiing on the same roads and trails that we train on for the rest of the year?  Well, I decided to go for it, and about four months later, I am glad I did. Together with my trusted sidekick Tyler, we have been having an incredible summer and learned that Maine is one heckuva place.

A three-day-old zebrafish embryo in a transgenic line we created to cause developing teeth to fluoresce.

Here is a rundown of a typical week in our lives:  From Monday to Friday, I work with my advisor in the bio department to try to isolate the effects of a specific cell-signaling pathway in zebrafish embryos.  Tyler works at the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust, doing random tasks throughout the community such as developing new trail systems and working at the farmer’s market on Saturday (he brings home a lot of freshly picked strawberries).  After we are done with work, we’ll drive somewhere to rollerski or run; so far we have found some great new roads around Hallowell and Woolwich but also visited old haunts.  We fittingly celebrated the week of the Fourth with a rollerski threshold up Penny Road, known far and wide as the most patriotic street in America.

 

Penny Road, where even graffiti is pro-establishment.

While our weeks are great, the weekends are even better.  With no homework to speak of, we have been able to spend almost every weekend away from campus, getting to the far reaches of the state for some pretty cool workouts.  Some of the highlights include running up the Camden Hills, bounding up Sugarloaf, traversing the entire Bigelow Range, and most recently, visiting Acadia where we got to do some massive hikes across the park and visit ski team alums Will and Maren. 

Tyler (looking pretty bro) on the ferry to North Haven. 

 Bounding up Sugarloaf.



Tyler and Dan atop Little Bigelow.

Sadly, my time in Maine has flown by and I am headed home soon. Some exciting things are in the near future, though.  In just under a month, Tyler and I will be reuniting in Jackson Hole, WY to visit Henry, Tess, and former skier Rainer Kenney.  More to come on that soon!

Nice and sweaty atop Mt. Megunticook.