I think this trait of mine is both a curse and a blessing. Although I seem to struggle with writing, staying organized and sitting still, I thrive when I have single task and I never seem to get bored or burnt out.
Fast forward to this month and I have found myself flying solo up in Canmore, AB skiing laps on the snow of Frozen Thunder! Brian and I were both here but when it came time to leave I had an epiphany...what if I stayed and really focused for the next month on training and recovery! No distractions and no other obstacles. Canmore offers the perfect environment for Elite athletes to thrive, there is the 3k of skiing on snow!, the rollerski loops, the running trails, first class fitness facilities as well as countless other high level athletes and ski enthusiast everywhere you look. Talk about staying motivated!!!
When my plans changed from heading to Europe early I decided that I could use the huge savings in travel costs to invest in other areas. Brian and I have been able to get great food, rental cars, gym passes and massages, all which make a huge difference on our recovery and overall performance. I feel like royalty right now! Living a dream life. I get to ski everyday, do yoga, wake up to snowy beautiful mountains and I can tell that it is making a difference in my preparations.
Before I get too soft though...I still have a very driven attitude and operate with extreme intention while I am working (training). This has never been a challenge for me, it's always the little things that I have to do when I am home or traveling to an event that seem to take away from my most important area. REST!
In a strange way, as the season quickly approaches, I am finding that I am training my hardest yet feeling my best. I am sure it is any number of the above reasons about just being in Canmore, but I also can't ignore the 10+ hours of sleep I am now getting and the extremely low level of stress!
Brian and I have worked hard throughout the spring, summer and fall to get to this point where we can solely focus on skiing. We miss our home in Minneapolis, our husky Lahti, our great friends and supporters in the Midwest and of course the kids at the Boys and Girls Club.
I can honestly say that none of this time "staying focused" would be as special without all of the wonderful memories from this previous training season. My life was full of distractions and I am grateful for that! Now that it is Go Time I am ready and excited!
I had my first victory of the season in a time trial this past Friday. Makes me happy to be feeling good and know that my equipment is dialed :)
Frozen Thunder Distance TT
Friday, November 1, 2013 9:30 AM (GMT-6)
| Place | Bib # | Racer name | Category | Gender | Lap times | Finish time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 | Caitlin Gregg | Open Women | F | 18:30.3 | - | |
| 2 | 23 | Rosanna Crawford | Open Women | F | 18:37.6 | +0:07.3 | |
| 3 | 27 | Katerina Smutna | Open Women | F | 18:39.3 | +0:09.0 | |
| 4 | 25 | Chelsea Holmes | Open Women | F | 19:00.9 | +0:30.6 | |
| 5 | 24 | Megan Imrie | Open Women | F | 19:28.5 | +0:58.2 | |
| 6 | 17 | Chisa Obayashi | Open Women | F | 19:32.4 | +1:02.1 | |
| 7 | 7 | Rose Kemp | Open Women | F | 19:42.2 | +1:11.9 | |
| 8 | 9 | Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt | Open Women | F | 19:59.5 | +1:29.2 | |
| 9 | 3 | Emma Lunder | Open Women | F | 20:04.6 | +1:34.3 | |
| 10 | 21 | Zoe Roy | Open Women | F | 20:08.4 | +1:38.1 | |
| 11 | 12 | Andrea Dupont | Open Women | F | 20:09.2 | +1:38.9 | |
| 12 | 19 | Anne-Marie Comeau | Open Women | F | 20:13.9 | +1:43.6 | |
| 13 | 13 | Audrey Vaillancourt | Open Women | F | 20:19.3 | +1:49.0 | |
| 14 | 28 | Chandra Crawford | Open Women | F | 20:21.5 | +1:51.2 | |
| 15 | 18 | Cendrine Browne | Open Women | F | 20:25.2 | +1:54.9 | |
| 16 | 8 | Mary Rose | Open Women | F | 20:37.1 | +2:06.8 | |
| 17 | 20 | Alana Thomas | Open Women | F | 20:40.1 | +2:09.8 | |
| 18 | 22 | Amanda Ammar | Open Women | F | 20:44.6 | +2:14.3 | |
| 19 | 4 | Lauren Brooks | Open Women | F | 20:47.8 | +2:17.5 | |
| 20 | 11 | Maya MacIsaac-Jones | Open Women | F | 20:58.1 | +2:27.8 | |
| 21 | 1 | Bella Howden | Open Women | F | 21:14.4 | +2:44.1 | |
| 22 | 16 | Alannah MacLean | Open Women | F | 21:15.2 | +2:44.9 | |
| 23 | 10 | Jenn Jackson | Open Women | F | 21:34.9 | +3:04.6 | |
| 24 | 14 | Erin Tribe | Open Women | F | 21:39.4 | +3:09.1 | |
| 25 | 5 | Maja Zimmerman | Open Women | F | 24:07.3 | +5:37.0 | |
| - | 6 | Betsy Mawdsley | Open Women | F | DNF | - |
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