Methow Valley Living + Training

Sprinting up one of the many steep hills here in Washington

 I have been in Washington State for 3 weeks now and I can tell that my training here has been making a difference. Brian and I are working with a local coach and learning all kinds of new approaches to training. After 8 years of living in the Twin Cities and training the same way, both my body and mind have enjoyed the new regime.

Brian leading the way along the Mazama Community Trail with the Cascades in the Distance.

 

 

 

 Brian and I were together for a little over a week before he had to take off for a training camp in the Midwest again. I loved having him around to bring me to some of the most spectacular scenery I have ever witnessed on a run. Without him here I mostly run alone and freak out about the wildlife I see along the way. My wildlife encounters have quadrupled this year and it is a direct result of me traveling to Colorado and Washington instead of staying in the Midwest. Needless to say I am still not sure I have the correct protocol down for when I encounter a bear.

What a girl from the City does when she sees a Bear!

The Methow Valley is filled with Horses! It seems like most people own a horse and some own 50! I enjoy watching them in the fields while I am running. I came across these two pregnant mares who were lending each other a hand, or mouth, for some itchy spots they couldn't reach on their own. Clever Teamwork!

I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine :)

 Brian and I together in the Methow Valley has been great for the local ski team kids. We usually get to train beside them on the track or in the gym a few days a week. There is no better way to learn then by surrounding yourself with those who are better. The young athletes have jumped in with us willingly and I think the results will show the great benefits from or training together.

Trail work for the Local Methow Valley Ski Team

 No life in the North Cascades would be complete without living in a round tent, otherwise know as a Yurt! Brian and I are staying in a 300 SQ/FT yurt that chad, his twin brother, has lived in for the past 5 years. Chad got a new job in Seattle and offered the yurt to us for a place to stay. The yurt is incredible because you never realize how small a space you can live in until you live in a really small space and it WORKS!!!

My new Residence for the next couple of weeks!

Inside "Yurt Life" Everything has it "special place" in such a small space!

Colorado Dreaming

 Hello From beautiful Colorado! I am currently at my first full training camp of the year in Telluride with the CXC Team. It's been a great camp so far filled with mostly distance training in the form of long hikes/ runs and roller skiing. Colorado is absolutely beautiful and despite the additional 8,500 ft of elevation I am starting to feel really good. I think the key has been the amount of water/ sports drink I have been drinking and the opportunity to relax between training sessions and soak up the hard work I am putting in.
Most of the team is comprised of junior athletes from the Midwest and primarily girls! I have had a blast hanging out with them and providing perspective about life as an elite athlete. We have a super talented team this year and I look forward to hopefully traveling with these girls during the winter as well.

The View from the top!

So STRONG!!!

A break for lunch near the peak of Lizard Head.

The all-important balancing pose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will be here in Colorado until Thursday and will then join Brian in the Methow Valley. It feels so good to have completed my work and school last week and to now be able to relax and train again!

OH Yeah!!! I had such a blast finally getting to WATCH the Olympics here in Telluride. Congrats to all the Amazing ITA athletes who Competed:)

 

The Games in London are On!

I made a guest appearance at the City of Lakes Loppet Adventure Camp to talk to the campers about my experience at the 2010 Games and to share the excitement of the 2012 Summer Olympics.

I am usually quite happy to not have a television, but it has been tough to not watch the Opening Ceremonies and first few days of competition live.  My days are still super busy as I wrap up my final week of Physiology.  My favorite study break is to stream the video highlights for the days competition and read articles about the different athletes.  I love learning everyone's story and their struggles and triumphs towards becoming the best.

I look forward to joining my CXC teammates in Colorado for an altitude training camp at the end of the week.  I hope the place we are staying has a television. Best of luck to my In The Arena teammates as they compete in the next few weeks: 

Kristin Hedstrom, women’s lightweight double sculls: Sunday, July 29th (heats) at 5:50am ET; Tuesday, July 31st (repechages) at 5:10am ET; Thursday, August 2nd (semifinals) at 5:30am ET; Saturday, August 4th (finals) at 5:00am ET

Sarah Groff, women’s triathlon: Saturday, August 4th at 4:00am ET 
Lea Davison, women’s mountain bike: Saturday, August 11th at 7:30am ET

Gregg Center of Excellence

On the outside our house is a simple 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 674 square foot bungalow.  The house feels way bigger on the inside with a full basement which we quickly transformed into the Gregg Center of Excellence.  Similar to the multi-million dollar USSA Center of Excelence in Park City, Utah but basically the Craigslist version.  Don't let the dirty walls scare you, most everything you need is in it for good solid training.

Angela on the treadmill.  Perfect for those super hot days or late nights.

Mellia and the squat rack

This gym is for working out, not hanging out!

The newest addition a Conept 2 Ski Erg for specific measurable double pole training.

Working out can be fun!

The neighborhood crew earner their new (lightly used) running shoes after their workout.  Huge thanks to Santi and Carolyn, Fox Rivers Sports, Salomon and Gear West for the shoes.

Studying

After a break from formal education for the past 8 years (where does the time go?), I decided to jump back in to school and studying.   I just finished an intense 5 week anatomy class. After being away from school for so long I had a steep learning curve when it came time to study and review for the next day's exam or lab practical. I have never found myself sitting still for so long in my entire life! The class was fantastic and I loved learning every bit of information in the condensed format.

Preparing for the Final Exam.  I had a test each day of the week leading up to the final too.

Uphill Sprints

Focusing on class has allowed my hamstring/glute injury a chance to heal and I have been feeling really good running.  Last weekend I filled in for a friend in the Tri-Loppet 5km and felt great.  I ran even faster than last year.

Tomorrow, I start my next course, Physiology.  I again look forward to learning a lot. There have been many topics that I wish I could have reviewed way back when I was a young athlete. I am in the process of fulfilling my prerequisites for PA school.  My goal is to start full-time school in May of 2014, so right after the Olympics.

From Dirt to Food

This spring the kids and I started a Garden Club.  We wrote to the Harrison Neighborhood Association to apply for a plot at the community garden a short walk from Harrison Park.  We collected a small amount of money for seeds and went to go check out the piece of dirt which was now ours. 

We came back to the Park and developed a plan for what we wanted to grow and where we would put it.  Spring came pretty early to Minneapolis this year but we didn't want to plan too early.  We started by drawing and coloring signs to label our rows.  Unfortunately, our plastic sleeves didn't work as well as we had hoped and our beautiful signs need to be redone.  You can still make out the outline of the vegetable growing in a particular row.

A month ago this garden was only dirt, and last summer only weeds.

Can anyone guess what this is?  Who wants a salad?

Angela proud of her first harvest.

Radishes, better than Extra Spicy Cheetos

Sometimes good comes from bad things

Leading in to Memorial Day I planned to head up to Hayward, Wisconsin Thursday night to celebrate my friend Dennis' birthday and guest coach a workout with the Ski and Tea training group.  My plans changed when Minneapolis received over 5 inches of rain in a 24 hour period and our basement which has been dry all spring started leaking water.  I spent the day soaking up the water, making sure everything was off of the floor and trying to correct the issue with the gutters.  I had to push back my other errands and by the time I had everything set to go it was early evening.

With the water issue under control the doorbell rang and I opened it up to see some of the kids from the park Jerry, Quinn and Javari smiling back at me.  They said they had a favor to ask of me.  They were all performing in the middle school concert that evening and were wondering if I would come listen and help bring their mom to the concert.

Javarie with his percussion crew

 

Anne Watin Middle School Band

Jerry on the drums

 

Speaking with the kids mom as we waited for the show to start I learned that this was the first time she had been to their school since she had enrolled them.  She works full time at a restaurant and without a car making it to school is a challenge for her.  She cried during the concert.  We all drove home together with big smiles.

If the water hadn't come in to the basement, I wouldn't have been there to answer the door when the kids stopped by and their Mom may have never heard them perform.  Turns out I enjoyed a great concert, confirmed that the basement stayed dry for another night and had a smooth early morning trip to meet up with the Ski and Team women's training group.  Sometimes good things come from what might seem like a bad thing.