Truckee Training Camp 2015

Sporting our new Madshus hats with pride!

 Team Gregg's 2015 Truckee Training Camp is in the books! Truckee and the surrounding areas has become one of my favorite places to train in the summer. Between the numerous training groups, Sugar Bowl Academy, Unleashed Coaching, Auburn Ski Club and more, there are endless training partners and workout opportunities. Add in some awesome terrain, amazing weather and the fantastic hospitality of my aunt and uncle who live there and the you got an ideal training and recovering scenario!

After two BIG weeks of training in Utah, a quick stop back in Minneapolis for some intensity training and the Fast and Female event, I had one more big week of training left in my monthly progression. I was able to make this past month my largest to date and I was very happy with the quality and capacity I was able to maintain throughout. My first week in Truckee was a big one with over 28 hours of training on the tail of two 25+ weeks already! Honestly the drop of 2,000 ft in altitude was very noticeable compared to our living and training base in Deer Valley for a good part of the summer. I have been focusing a lot on double pole this summer and I am really happy with my new strength and technique adjustments. I was able to "hang" with the boys on a few big workouts and tried to keep them in my sights on the interval days.

It was great to join up with Welly Ramsey for each workout!

Brian and I post Squaw Mountain Run with the Olympic Rings from the 1960 Olympics!

We ended the big week filled with 20 mile runs and long rollerskis with the annual Squaw Mountain run! I would not say our tapering for the race was very adequate but I was happy that both Brian and I were able to set PR's and Brian came away with a big win! My legs felt pretty heavy from a week of chasing the boys but my fitness feels good and I am humbled by Kristin who smoked the women's field again!

Drifter Time Trial. Not my best but still a very solid effort! I look a little too comfortable!

Brian crushing the uphill altitude running!

I saw a lactate of 17! after the Squaw Mountain Run! Not sure how accurate that one was but after 5 minutes it was still 7.7 mmol! Ouch!

After a lot of thought I realized that I haven't had a ton of time to train and travel with the US National Team this season. This is my first time on the US Ski Team and as a B-Team member I am invited to all the camps but responsible for my own expenses. Originally I had planned on attending all the camps and even a trip to Sweden to join the Summit Nordic Team for their camp but as I added up the costs and looked at the travel I was humbled by what the total would be. I realized that I had some major improvements to make in my fitness after a busy spring of working and volunteering and I needed to save some room in my budget for what is guaranteed to be my most expensive season (now that I am on the World Cup all year) ever!

Post Drifter Time Trial! I was psyched to get out with Annika again (we trained last year together in Truckee) and meet new training buddies (even if it was only for the suffer days). Thanks ladies for pushing me and keep shattering those PR's!!!

Post 19 mile run feed! I could have eaten the entire watermelon at this point but I was too tired!

With training going well and the incredible support of the National Nordic Foundation as well as some good advice from family and coaches I decided to make the trek to Norway this summer for the Toppidrettsveka races. I have to admit that the thought of traveling to Norway to participate in numerous classic rollerski events was (and still is) a bit daunting! My skate skiing is far stronger but I need to face the reality of my weaknesses and see where my progress and training has brought me so far this year. 

Brian helped me find a great flight from Sacramento to Trondheim and I joined up with National Team last night in Aure, Norway. This is my first time to Norway in the summer and I am excited (albeit a bit nervous) to train and race with the other US Athletes and Coaches by my side. I just finished up a solid recovery week (which was seriously needed) and I am excited to get in some good training sessions before the events kick off next week!

Best send off ever! Thanks Kelly and Fran!

Here is the breakdown of the race program that we will be following:

August 20th:

10:00 AM - Uphill Running 5K race - Fonna Opp Aure, Norway

2:30 PM - Classic Sprint Prologue - Aure, Norway

4:30 PM - Classic Sprint Finals - Aure, Norway

August 21st:

3:15 PM - 13.5K Skiathlon Race - Knyken, Norway

August 22nd:

4:00 PM - 15K Classic Pursuit Race - Trondheim, Norway

I want to send a HUGE THANK YOU to Fran and Kelly for hosting Brian and I and a HUGE THANK YOU to the training groups and athletes we joined in Truckee over the past two weeks! It's become a tradition to visit and I hope to keep coming back every year!