Putting the Pieces Together
This was a Thanksgiving Camp full of “mosts”.
- Most snow to be had (30+ kilometers all skiable on race skis for the whole week)
- Most food to be had (the size of the dining hall has literally doubled)
- Most training to be had (endless options)
- Most motivated group (endless enthusiasm)
It’s no secret that we’ve worked hard all spring, summer, and fall. If you’re reading this blog right now, you’ve probably read the rest of the summaries from this website all year. And seen the Instagram posts. And watched the Youtube videos…so you know what we’re about. What’s difficult right now is that there’s just not one single media compilation that can fit or capture everything we accomplished this past week. That goes for training accomplishments, emotional accomplishments, teamwork accomplishments, and more.
The good news is that we have a whole season ahead of us, and it feels like we’re only just beginning to taste the possibilities. We put in hard work when it came to distance workouts this week, but also some important other sessions. We got in freezing cold skate intervals in Murphy’s Field, and showed some guest skiers how far we’ve come with strength training over the course of the year. We dialed out zones with the now-annual “kickwax reduction session” and then dialed in our speed with some of the fastest fifty meter sprints in the Northeast Kingdom.
Then, we raced on Sunday and started to show why we’re aiming to be stronger than ever before. In a 5- and 10-km skate race against teams like Williams, Harvard, UNH, CSU, and Craftsbury the Pugs straight-up threw-down. Just taking video was making me and Sara more excited than ever, and we kept shouting our excitement over the radio to each other as we watched MNC skiers fly by on separate parts of the course.
“Julia has a really good tempo up this hill!”
“Eli caught up to Everett and is hanging on!”
“Ava’s glide is so smooth, nobody’s gonna catch her!”
“Timmy’s V2 is so strong! And Charles V2’d up all of Moss Run!”
Good results were exciting to see, but so was great skiing. Everyone was limited to LF wax so it was a nice simple affair as far as ski prep was concerned. We used up the last of an old chunk of LF8 and put on some structure and let it rip.
So…where does that leave us now? Hungry for more! We are experiencing a boost to start winter off with great on-snow options, we get to kick off the “official” winter season with BKL and Masters programming, and the real races are right around the corner. Go Pugs!
Pausing briefly to look ahead…
Bonus video! Check out Jenny’s edit from Thanksgiving Camp below 🙂
BONUS: Masters Training Starts this week!
With snow on the ground we are kicking things off early this season with training at the range starting Nov 27th and a Mini-Camp at Craftsbury on Dec. 1. If you have already signed up you will receive an email with your preliminary Winter training groups and you can find all the key information you need for the upcoming season at the following links:
If you haven’t registered it isn’t too late, but do so before Dec. 1 to avoid rate increases.
BKL Practice- First Week! 11/26-12/02
Reminders:
For directions to the Range, click HERE
They are now checking ID at the Range entrance. Bring your Driver’s License.
Be sure to drive the posted speed limit in the Range (25mph). They check!
The skier’s parking lot is the large lot on the left, just as you crest the steep hill and before you get to the Groomer’s Garage. Use the tunnel to walk the trail to the Walker Building or just ski downhill on the left on the access trail. DO NOT PARK ALONG THE ROAD. Thanks.
The water at the Range is not potable. Bring filled waterbottles- kids get thirsty!
We start at 3:45. Try to get there beforehand if your kids need to change or put on their boots so they are ready to go at 3:45.
Tuesday, 11/27: Skate Technique (Penguins classic)
The weather looks like snow, rain & snow. Please check the website before you come today just in case they close the Range and we have to make a last minute change. I will post by 2 pm if we need to make a change.
We will start inside the Walker Building today. In addition to your ski equipment, please bring your running sneakers- if we loose too much snow, we will be on foot. Also bring a rain coat that you can ski and run in. Some dry clothes might be good too. After some introductions, we will be doing some name games, team building games and a little technique work on and off our skis!
Thursday, 11/29: Skate Technique
Check the website before you come today too. Meet the coaches on skis outside. Parents should meet Coach Rosemary inside the Walker Building at 5 PM for the Parent Meeting.
Saturday, 12/01: All Racers
10 AM- 11:30ish: Classic at Craftsbury Outdoor Center! Meet Coach Rosemary at 10 AM in the wax room with your skis. After we are waxed we’ll do a little technique followed by a long easy distance ski. If your child needs a ride, please e-mail me. We can arrange some carpools. sheacobb19@gmail.com
To get to the Craftsbury Outdoor Center: https://goo.gl/maps/CcJMurGDDnS2
More First Snow
With a blizzard on the way tonight, a solid base up at higher elevations, and the snow guns firing at Craftsbury, we’re off to a lucky start in November. My friend Ben is an actual carpenter (as opposed to the Terko method of “measure 0 times, cut 10”) and helped craft a human-powered tracksetter in addition to our homemade skate groomer. So the Notch Road was partially-tracked for a Sunday morning classic ski. Thanks Ben! Of course we didn’t spend all the time going back and forth in the tracks when there was plenty else to explore…
On a day like Sunday, the Notch Road was a “who’s who” of VT skiing. It was great to see everybody out there and getting the snow time! It looks like we’re in for a lot more in the next 48 hours so be sure to keep tabs on www.xcearlysnow.com for some word on where the getting is good!
