Nicole De Yong- Soldier Hollow training camp

Soldier Hollow Training Camp

I just returned to Ketchum from a 5 day training camp in Soldier Hollow. We took advantage of the great roller ski trails at the venue and used the terrain to work on V1 and striding technique…two things we do not have much of in Sun Valley.

The first day we worked on our hops with plyos: jumping over hurdles, jumping up multiple stairs, single leg hops, etc. We completed the workout with an hour run around the Soldier Hollow trails. I spent the afternoon resting and relaxing, trying to make-up for the little sleep I got the night before. Our afternoon workout was spent doing max strength at the gym. I think everyone is getting pretty strong!

The next morning we woke up to do some 5x4minute level 4 intervals up Hermod’s Hill. If you are not familiar with the 2002 Soldier Hollow Cross-Country Olympic Venue, there is a long, tough hill called Hermod’s Hill. Even though it was a tough workout, I was pleased with the way I held my technique together and completed the workout as it was meant to be done. After watching my technique on video and reviewing it with my coach, I went out that afternoon and skied Hermod’s Hill a few more times to work specific things.

Wednesday morning we woke up bright and early to hike Mount Timpanogos. With 4,580 feet of elevation gain, it took us about three hours to reach the summit. The trail brought us behind waterfalls, across snow fields, along ridges, near lakes, eye to eye with mountain goats, and glissades down snow. All in all it was an awesome hike! To top off the day we spent the afternoon at the water park!

Thursday morning we did a 13k pursuit time trial. A pursuit consists of racing the first half with classic gear and then switching to skate gear for the second half. The classic portion of the race started out really well. I felt like I was able to hold my technique together and maintain a good pace. After switching to my skate gear for the second half, my legs cramped up and felt as heavy as bricks! Ug…a horrible feeling! The long over-distance hike from the day before had done my legs in. I lost a lot of time on the skate portion and was disappointed to end the way I did. I immediately iced my legs after the race by sitting in the 50 degree river! Brrr!

Friday morning we went for a distance classic roller ski, focusing once again, on technique. I received some good feedback on things I was improving on and things I needed to keep working on. That afternoon we made our trek back to Sun Valley. After a long drive and some time spent gathering equipment that fell of the roof rack onto the freeway, we finally made it back home.

All in all it was a great camp!

Rebecca Sorensen- Perks of being an athlete

Perks of my Job...Okay it’s not a “real” job- but, it (training) is what I do all day, every day. So, for argument sake- let’s just call it a job. My week started like any normal week... Little did I know what a great week it would turn out to be. A few amazing perks popped up this week and made feel quite lucky to have the job I have. I got invited to meet with the execs from Procter and Gamble. We had a great lunch and I got the opportunity to thank them for their recent agreement to come on board with the usoc and let them know how much it is appreciate, especially in these economically hard times. That meeting, lead me the following morning into a possible national ad campaign for another usoc sponsor. I’ll be working hard this weekend to come up with the special material that they are looking for. Keep your fingers crossed for me. It is a special opportunity that rarely comes around. In addition to all of that, I will meet with the Hartford group to have dinner and even make a few (much needed) almighty dollars Thank you perks- I really needed you *remember~ when life takes a turn, make sure to have your hands on the wheel.

Annie O'Shea- Working out to music

I love listening to my Ipod when I work out at the track or in the weight room. Although I do need to update my music selection some, and download more music.

I haven't had much time to make good playlists so I have been working out to certain artists. No one would probably guess but I am a heavy metal girl at heart. I'm pretty girly on the outside, don't get me wrong I love pop every now and then when I'm in the car singing with friends, but put me in front of my computer and its metal all the way.

I would say right now I'm on a Five Finger Death Punch kick, but my all time favorite would be Mudvayne. I also love Disturbed, Slipknot, Korn and MushroomHead. On the lighter side I go for Seether, Staind, Finger Eleven, and Nickelback.

Everyone does a double take when I put my music on in the weight room, it makes me laugh and I just start rocking out. I love listening to music it makes me happy. I just thought I would share a little something extra about myself. I might start a fact a week. So this week is I love Heavy Metal!!

Must get ready for work now!

Chris Cook- Recovery Week

Northside Update 2

Another training week in the books… After a couple large volume weeks of hours totaling more than 20, I got a good sized recovery week in. With the training volume down I was able to get out on the boat and do some waterskiing and the woods of Wisconsin actually offered up some warm sunny weather which was outstanding. Got through another week of moto camps and had the campers extremely sore after a solid core strength workout. Each and every one of them had trouble sitting and twisting the next day, which means the workout was a complete success. I have a weekend free of mountain bike racing and rollerski camps so I will most likely get a nice long ride in on the road bike.

A fellow teammate of mine and friend, Garrott Kuzzy, was coming through town yesterday so we hooked up for a nice interval /speed session. We knocked out 3 sets of 6x30seconds on skate rollerskis. The workout intensity was supposed to be a little more controlled but Kuzzy and I were pretty much pinning it for the last set. All in all it was a great workout and good to get an intensity workout with Kuzzy, where we could push each other head to head.

After the weekend training should hit the off day on Monday and knock off a 21 hour medium volume week. Back to business as usual.

Play hard, Train Harder.

Kaitlyn Farrington- Snow Test

Rehab…July 23, 2009 by kaitlynfarrington
It has been a little over 5 weeks since my surgery and I am now just waiting till the day Jess (physical therapist) at the COE give me the okay.
Last week I took my first, “back to snow test” hoping that I was ready to ride at Hood this week… I was mistaken! When taking the test I realized that my knee was not as strong as I thought. So long story short I started doing PT 5 days a week so I will be ready to ride in New Zealand in the beginning of August. Next Friday I will be taking a second, “back to snow test” again, hoping that this time I am ready.

Jennifer Rodriguez - 2010 Olympic Oval

Hey Everyone!

Well right now I'm in Vancouver, Canada at a 2 week training camp with my team. Actually, we're in Richmond just outside of Vancouver. That's where the Olympic Oval is. So far things have been great. I was able to get on the ice once before I got out here, but since we've been out here we've been on the ice pretty much every day.

It's a good and exciting feeling to be able to train where you know you're going to be competing. I'm not going to lie though...the ice is not very fast. It seems like they are still trying to work the kinks out which is to be expected. Right now it feels pretty soft and slow, but we knew that coming here. I think things will be a little better for the Games, but don't expect to see any world records being broken.

The facility itself is very beautiful though and sits right along a river. On one side of the building is all windows so it has a very pretty view. During the Games though they will blacken out all the windows for tv coverage.

Like I said, training has been going very well although I just found out through an MRI last week that I have a torn labrum in my right hip. Its an injury I've had for a number of years, but this year it seems to have gotten worse. When the results came back from the MRI, the news was not good. The only good news is that so far it doesn't seem to give me any pain to skate. Right now that's all that matters.

Dr. Heiden has recommended to me to have surgery done, but that would require a month of rehabilitation which is something I can't afford to do at this time. Since my hip seems to be okay while I'm skating, I will just deal with it the best way we (trainers, doctors, coaches) know how and get the surgery done after the season. I just have to make adjustments with some of my other training. If I have to later in the season I will get a cortizone shot, but I hoping I won't need to.

Other small news...I traded in my car for a 2005 VW Beetle. I needed to save some money, so I got something quite a bit smaller with better gas milage. I'm just curious to see how she runs in the winter time! :)

Other than that, not much else worth talking about. Hasta luego!

jen

Chris Cook- Summer training

Northside update #1

My training continues here in Rhinelander Wisconsin and summer has been extremely busy. My training volume has been ramping up since May and I should hit my biggest month of the year as July comes to an end. So far I have been putting in lots of big hours but I have been getting some quality intensity training in as I have been racing Mountain Bikes nearly every other weekend. The next big mountain bike race will be coming up August 8, Ore to Shore, in Marquette MI. I will be up in Marquette leading into the week to get a little change of training scenery.
To explain why this summer has been so busy, I not only have boosted my training hours this year, but I have been involved with motocross camps and running roller ski clinics on the weekends. Before you wonder how I got involved with motocross camps with no motorcycle skills to speak of I will explain. A long time friend of mine and profession motocross rider Chad Johnson has returned to Rhinelander for the summer to run camps. He asked me to take the campers three mornings a week and take them on a hour long mountain bike ride. He then gets the campers back for the middle of the day to focus on engine related riding and then I get the campers back at the end of the day to go through a core strength session. The camps have been a blast and it’s always great to work with highly motivated kids. The rollerski clinics have been a success as well. So far I have done a double pole clinic and a skate technique clinic, and the improvements made by the end of day has been extraordinary.
So between training sessions and motocross camp during the week, and rollerski clinics and mountain bike racing on the weekends, the summer so far has been nonstop. But as Chad would say you got to pin it to win it!