Today concludes the CXC Elite team’s second training camp of the year. Bryan, Gus and I drove back to Marquette this afternoon and we are sitting at Caitlin and Nielsen’s house watching the end of today’s Tour stage.  It is always great to be home after a long training camp. I miss the lake, my garden, and my Marquette friends when I am gone.
Last week was a recovery week for me, but most of the team participated in an intensity block.  I have been writing my own training this year and I did not think the intensity block would fit in well with what I had been doing.  It was a little different for me to be watching some of the hard interval sessions.  I did get a chance to do some of the intensity with the group, including the OO Skate time trial on Saturday.  I felt very rested and was able to drop about 30 seconds off of my time from the previous week.

On Friday, some of the CXC Elite women stopped by the Ski and Tea’s practice.  Then, my good college roommate and friend Emalea Landgraf came to visit us in Hayward. We went to the Ideal Market in Cable for a beer, tried out the Sawmill’s Friday fish fry in Seeley, and watched a movie with the rest of the team. She brought us some of Dave Landgraf’s home roasted coffee which is always amazing.

Emalea Landgraf

Right now, the CXC team is gathered in Hayward, WI for our third camp of the year.  Last week we were joined by the Midwest regional elite group and some additional coaches from around the area.  Matt Whitcomb of the USST also joined us to give an additional perspective on technique and training.  We are all staying at the Vortanz’s old house in Seeley which is beautiful.  Our strength room is in the garage and we can do a lot of training right out the door.  Last week was a big week of volume and testing.  The week began with some VO₂max testing on the treadmill.  Then, the team ran the 3000m on the track on Tuesday (I did not race because my ankle has been bothering me.)  Wednesday morning we did the strength test and then the week ended with the infamous OO skate roller ski time trial.  All in all, the testing went well.  As usual, it was fun having the junior team around.  I got a chance to catch up with some of the Ski and Tea ladies and we drank lots of coffee.

Kristina Owen, Kelly Chaudoin, Audrey Weber, Maria Stuber (the 2009-2010 CXC Elite Women's Team)

Saturday was an off day, so Bryan and I met some of my family and friends in Eagle River, WI for their annual, “Up North” summer vacation.  Then my brother Thomas, Bryan and I stopped at the Cook residence in Rhinelander for some waterskiing and a little taste of the Hodag Country Festival.  We got to hear the Zac Brown Band, Julianne Hough, Darryl Worley, Sawyer Brown, Billy Ray Cyrus, Blake Shelton, Merle Haggard, and the Neal McCoy (the Hodag favorite).  It was amazing.