Archive | Junior Blog

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With COVID-19 tearing up the “norm” of the upcoming college season, many of our graduating athletes are considering taking gap or “post-grad” (PG) year with other clubs and teams. In fact, some of our current college athletes are facing a school semester that may never start in 2020, and are also looking into some non-college options for the coming ski season.

This phenomenon isn’t new, with programs near and far offering PG years in some capacity or another. Some of these (such as Sun Valley, Sugar Bowl Academy, Bridger Ski Foundation, or GMVS) are institutions with a complete PG system including lodging options, potential coursework, and a structured living situation. Other skiers choose to do a PG year with other clubs that offer training and racing support just like MNC, in a weekly structure with athletes handling their own lodging, meals, transportation, etc.

Below are some of the most well-known and easy-to-learn-about PG programs in the US, with links to various website and, if applicable, some takeaways and notes from current and former MNC athletes who current have/have had involvement.

Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (Sun Valley, ID)

Sun Valley is a resort town with a wealth of resources for skiers including bike paths, great mountain trails, a rollerski treadmill, and a gym specific to the program. Some current/former MNC athletes include Will Solow (PG ’18/’19) and Magda Lelito (PG ’20/’21).

Bridger Ski Foundation (Bozeman, MT)

The central club in a recent massive surge of college skiers in the area, BSF is led by Andy Newell (jointly with Nordic Team Solution) and is a big presence in Bozeman in terms of Nordic training, events, grooming, and racing. Some current BSF/NTS athletes with MNC connections include Greg Burt (Summer Collegiate ’19, ’20) and Conor Munns (Summer Collegiate ’19, ’20).

Montana Endurance Academy (Bozeman, MT)

As noted above, Bozeman is blossoming with Nordic options. MEA has both a summer collegiate option as well as a more traditional PG offering. Meredith Stetter (Summer ’20) is a part of this program along with several of her college teammates from Bowdoin.

New York Ski Education Foundation/NYSEF (Lake Placid, NY)

Across the lake is a long-standing Nordic program that is also offering post-grad opportunities for athletes. NYSEF has awesome access to a rollerski loop, the Olympic Training Center, and the great ADK mountains.

Sugar Bowl Academy (Truckee, CA)

On the opposite coach from us is SBA, one of the few “ski schools” outside the east.

Green Mountain Valley School (Waitsfield, VT)

A bit closer to home here! Many of us know GMVS skiers and coaches, and our athletes often train and compete year-round with GMVS athletes. For an option that doesn’t involve moving across the country, this is certainly an option to check out along with SMS (below).

Stratton Mountain School (Stratton, VT)

Again a program many of us are familiar with. Without jumping across the USA, you could dip down to southern VT for a different experience and familiar racing within the NENSA framework and beyond.

Strong Nordic programs and clubs that offer summer and year-round training (though not necessarily a dedicated “PG” program):

Auburn Ski Club (Soda Springs, CA)

Loppet Nordic Racing (Minneapolis, MN)

Endurance United (Minneapolis, MN)

The first week of summer training has come and gone. It was quite busy, as “Virtual REG Week” brought us the chance to jump in several tests and challenges (linked below).

MNC 3km Run Test

MNC Canadian Strength Test

With 40 young skiers of all levels, the summer program really shows the impact MNC can have on our local ski culture and community. It is a big task to work with skiers who have never been on rollerskis all the way to D1 collegiate skiing athletes, but a good reminder that even the speediest racers among us started out rollerskiing in parking lots, and had plenty of broken poles and scraped knees before taking the next strides in our ski careers.

The vlog world has a new fire lit under it from MNC alum and SMS T2 racer Bill Harmeyer…but you may not know that our “Pugcast” vlogs were pretty famous all the way back in 2018…

Anyway, the VLOG IS BACK for at least one week, as we delve into what the first week of summer entailed!

We also have some additional video content from Friday’s classic intervals for those interested!

Continuing this non-traditional spring and summer season, most of MNCs contingent has now graduated. Whether from 8th grade into high school or from high school out into the rest of the world…the crew is going places! We’ll end the post with a little shoutout to the college-bound skiers, but first here is the week in order, with media to share.

We hit it big with a volume week, meaning high total hours, a few double session days and a big epic adventure on the weekend. Very impressed to see a good-sized crowd on morning run or bike days: in years past, it was like pulling metal off a kickwax tin just to get people to try a 2nd training session in one day. With some steamy weather on Tuesday, intervals mixing the CVU track and the hillier running trails were pretty tough…but for the most part it was just a beautiful Vermont summer week.

A college contingent has begun rolling in, so athletes from UVM, UNH, and SLU are mixing it up with the squad. On Thursday we had some skate speeds and while we’re kind of getting sick of the Southridge neighborhood for rollerskiing (looking at you and tapping the watch, Camp Ethan Allen Training Site…) the quality of work has been high.

The weekend was reserved for running long distances. With a lot of grad ceremonies on Saturday we split it up to have the U16 crew out on Saturday and the older kids on Sunday. Everything centered around what some people call the “Triple Crown” section of trail networks in Hinesburg/Huntington. The three networks are:

-Sleepy Hollow

-Hinesburg Town Forest

-Carse Hills

Each of these networks is its own small hill, bisected by dirt roads between Huntington Road and Richmond Road/116. A connector trail from each network leads down to a dirt road where you can pick up the next network…

-“Yoda” at Sleepy Hollow leads to Texas Hill, where you can pick up Hinesburg Town Forest

-“Back Door” at Hinesburg takes you down to Lincoln Hill road, where you can pick up Carse Hills

-“Front Door” at Carse takes you onto Hollow Road, where a few miles of pavement lead you back to Sherman Hollow Road/Sleepy Hollow

I hadn’t planned to accomplish the whole Triple Crown loop with the group on Sunday. But it was an amazing day, and the mood just felt right. People had shown up with running vests, good spirits, and focus.

First stop, the cabin at Sleepy

Perry was with us on a bike and with easy car access, so we had numerous bailout options along the way. But the crew made it happen and to my unbridled excitement there was not a complaint to be heard. The trails were dry and the air was cool. Mountain bikers were getting after it as well, but it was actually pretty quiet out in the woods despite the nice weather.

Texas Hill/Hayden Hill East the connector between Sleepy and HTF

That includes the 6 miles of pavement we had to slog through after being on beautiful trails for the 2.5 hours preceding. Probably my promise (which I delivered on) of picking up some Red Bull and potato chips at the general store in Huntington kept the spirits just above water. When you’re doing an “ultra run” you’re allowed to have the common items in play at ultramarathon aid stations around the world, I say.

Vermont is looking its best right now!

During the last few miles the pace was still consistent and you could tell that the energy was coming from 30% fitness and 70% endorphins, but that’s what a big ski training week SHOULD feel like. The connection was made, and the “Strava loop” was completed for a full 17 miles, 3.5 hours, and 2,200′ of elevation.

Psyched to have a great squad accomplish that and still be pumped at the finish!

Big congrats to the 6 who underwent this epic run journey! Silas, Julia, Rose, Isabelle, Jessie, and Hanna! Here are 2 maps that show the route…the left is from Trailforks, which highlights the individual trail networks. The right side is the Strava data which shows where we went and the loop itself!

And, on a graduation note…this is far from a comprehensive list given the wide number of athletes our club has. BUT here are many of our high school graduates and their upcoming adventures!

Ali Priganc (Bates)

Julia Oliver (Bates)

Lily Porth (UVM)

Rose Clayton (Colby)

Sammie Nolan (SLU)

Silas Brown (Bowdoin)

Charles Martell (St Mikes)

Jax Lubkowitz (SLU)

Isabelle Mittelstadt (U of MN)