CAN(we ask for)MORE?

I've spent the past week in the nordic skiing paradise of Canmore, Alberta preparing for the pre-Olympic World Cup races. This is just my second World Cup experience, both as an athlete and a spectator, and I'm fired up to be here. The sunshine, warmth, and perfect tracks make it easy to enjoy the preparation process. In times like these I forget about all the days I spent rollerskiing on busy roads in the rain and sacrifices I've made for training and think, "there's nothing else I would rather be doing with my time right now". Here are a few Italian skiers making a climb up "the wall" which is steeper than it looks. We are staying in the same hotel as the Italians and are having fun picking out all the famous superstars skiers, many whom I've only seen in Olympic or World Cup videos. Canmore is the home of the 1988 Olympic games. They have completely reconstructed their trails since that Olympics and have created some of the largest, most sustained climbs I have ever seen. Katie Ronsse taking a breather. Its easy to train too hard during recovery workouts when surrounded by the World Cup buzz. Luckily I have discovered a few tricks-- either stop for photo ops when on the challenging trails or get lost on one of the more mellow trails in the woods.Holly Brooks ascending one of our favorite finds called the "Rundle" trail, which is just below Mt. Rundle. Im not sure if I like the trail more because of the serpentine turns through the towering trees or because of the Rumpelstiltskin type name.

Im sure it wont be all fairy-tale style fun and games once the racing begins tomorrow. There will be lots of suffering to fight for places throughout the spectrum of the result list. Also, the top World Cup nordic skiers redefine being fit and tough. It should be fun to watch and also a great opportunity to test my skills against the best in the world. More to come!