First Couple Weeks

Time's been flying by since we wrapped up tryouts two weeks ago.  After a couple good training days, we hosted the Phil Soule 5k for Homecoming Weekend.  This is always a hectic day, and it's extra exciting when it happens during Fall Break, since we have to bolt out of town right after the race to get Fall Camp started.  Fortunately, the race went pretty smoothly - 70+ runners competed in a light rain, and a good time was had by all.  After a quick brunch we took off for Northfield, MA, where Leslie had been able to set us up with a couple cabins (her own and a neighbor's).  We shook out the legs with a good hard bounding workout at Northfield Mountain before settling into the cabins for a delicious chili dinner.

Next morning we ran/hiked all over Pisgah State Park across the border in New Hampshire, a beautiful expanse in a corner of the state we never pass through.  That afternoon we completed the triple play with a nice roll in Vermont, ending on one of the best rollerski roads any of us have ever seen (Huckle Hill Road in Vernon).  Fall colors were amazing against the overcast skies, and we finished a hard day of training happy.

That evening we cooked a nice pasta dinner and spent some quality time learning interesting stuff about each other, playing games, and toasting marshmallows around a bonfire.  We left Northfield the next morning and stopped on the way home to check out one of Gabby's favorite training routes, the classic CSU rollerski in Littleton, a winding series of country-ish roads through small towns and farmland.  All in all, a pleasant little camp with three days of quality training.

Since then, we've been settling into our regular fall training routine with some old and new favorites:  30/90s on Ridge Rd, rollerboard, pool running, Marty sprints, Wolfe's Neck roll/run, and of course a little sand skiing.  It's a small crew these days, with 6 juniors abroad - that feels odd sometimes, but it makes for a nice compact training group out on the roads and trails.  Health and energy has been good for the most part, and the skiers look fit and technically sharp - so far so good!