Nothing gets you back into the training regime faster than a training camp. Ok, maybe that and a kick in da butt. It's a great time of year to tune up training and recovery habits, catch up with the team and take advantage of the on snow time to work on technique. To switch things up a bit the Academy headed to Bend, Oregon to ski at the base of Mt. Bachelor this year instead of the spring skiing available in Silver Star, BC. Both the American and Canadian, Cross-country and Biathlon, teams were represented around the trails and the Academy added its own contingent of racers to the scene. Meaning: it was a big ski scene in Bend.

Yeeeah skiing. Great conditions just kept coming all week.

Chandra and the EmNish gettin their offset on.. or off?


	Trifecta. Peri, EmNish and Chandra all members of Canada's National Team

Erin Tribe-ster

What would you have done if your keys were locked in a 15 passenger van? That's right, you would've broken the window too. Definitely not intentional, but it gave us that extra 'badass' street cred we were looking for when we rolled out of the parking lot with a smashed window. No one wanted to mess with our team.

The day-to-day routine consisted of technique, volume and intensity hours on snow in the morning followed by either an afternoon run or strength session in Bend. Could you ask for a better setup? Winter conditions and skiing in the am, lunch, siesta, dance party and followed up with a pm workout in summer conditions.

Somewhere between siesta and dance party

Decorating cedar planks at Thump and enjoying an afternoon cappo in Bend. It's here that I discovered 'cappy hour'

EmNish, Kate and Janelle crafting in up

Afternoon run along the Deschutes river

So much pony tail action

Baseball has become an Academy tradition and although my game has not gotten any better over the years, I heckle like it has. You know it's a good time when you're still having fun but your team is hurtin'.

High five, very nice

Crank dat soldia boi. Brent up to bat

Apparently our pre-game strategy didn't do us much good

Champagne birthday girl!

Singing that song

Team brainstorming and goal setting sesh

This time of year it is great to set new goals and visualize how you want to train and compete in the upcoming season. My goal events this year will be the World Cup sprints in Canmore and Quebec City in December as well as the World U23 Championships in Liberec, Czech Republic. Putting goals from mind to paper is as intimidating as it is inspiring, it is that fuel that keeps the fire burning on and off the trails.

Metric performing on our last night in Bend, followed up by headliner Beck. Great outdoor concert scene!

Training in and around Bend just gave me another reason to love Oregon. It was a great training environment and I feel even more focused and determined coming out of the camp to tackle the training that awaits in the upcoming months.

Thanks for checking in, Hasta Luego!

Driving home along the Columbia River, if only we could trek West and get some windsurfing in Hood River. I will be back Oregon!