Everything is running smoothly here in Park City as we near the end of our National Training Group residency stint. Not a lot to report, except that our training has been of the highest quality lately, and of equal importance, that it has been a lot of fun. A few gnarly hikes with quad-busting descents, some new intervals sessions, and as always, sick riding. In bittersweet honor of our impending departure from Utah, posts will be vastly more frequent for the next week and a half, and should include lots of photos.

Our speed-raid of the Pfeifferhorn

The girls ice-bathing on the way back down

Note my limited edition "Hi-Viz" colorway rollerski shorts… thats right

Saving our knees by downloading the Town Lift at Park City after some ski-walking

It’s crazy how fast time goes by when you’re having fun. David and I, as well as the three NTG girls, have been here in Park City for nearly five weeks now. You know that feeling when you were ten years old, arriving in Hawaii for a week of family vacation, where it felt like there was no way the week would never actually end? The beaches and smoothies and humongous plants would just go on forever? That’s basically how it was when we got here to Park City on the first day; two months seemed like an eternity, and we set up shop here in Pete V’s condo as if we had just gotten Utah plates.

But I just realized that we are way past the half-way point. Weird how the outlook can be so different depending on the circumstances; I’m rejoicing when the three minute mark ticks by on those 6 minute level 4 intervals, but saddened that only a minority of my Park City summer is now left. But I guess that’s just how it goes; what can you do?

Speaking of training, it has been going supremely. As far as venues, this area of Utah has to rank among some of the best anywhere. Even with rollerskiing basically every single day for 35 days, I think we have only skied on the same road a maximum of thrice. There is so much singletrack snaking around the hills right behind our condo, it’s almost enough to make one want to go for a run. Almost….

Besides the obvious, we went fly fishing a few days ago on the Provo, and then hit up a sketchy hot-springs hole on the side of the road a few days later. This was pretty much the opposite of the cold, Alaskan mountain lakes we are used to; so hot it was, quite literally, unbearable.

From here on out, the training starts to seriously ramp up again towards our last week. We get to run the Agony TT next week, and if you don’t know how I feel about that, maybe you should check a post I did a few weeks ago of the same name. Overall, it should be a good block. It will be nice to capitalize on the situation here in Park City, which is conducive to world-class training.

Me skiing up and over the top of East Canyon, looking down into Salt Lake City

David teasing the Provo

Me again, working on some double-pole

The crew, taking a break from the scalding pools

Coach Whitcomb uses his zen powers to fully submerge; David makes sure he doesnt boil to death

After being here in Park City for three weeks, we are finally getting into some serious training. Last week was out first significant volume week, and this week is scheduled to be noticeably bigger while containing two intensity sessions, a skating time trial, and three strength sessions. It’s fun to be taking full advantage of our living situation, which for the first time in our lives, is fully dedicated to the pursuit of professional training.

Oh, and by the way…. the mountain biking here is UN-REAL!

The crew gearing up for some lactate tests just outside of Salt Lake

Ripping up the singletrack on an OD

Morgan A and Liz S shuttling down after a long ski

The lake felt awesome after a hearty set of threshold intervals

What do they do in Park City on the 4th? Drink and play rugby…

Skiing through one of many ritzy neighborhoods, followed by some of the patrons

Speed limit? Pssh…

FAST just finished the first official time trial of the season this past Tuesday. The course was a 2 mile consistent uphill run on Ester Dome. All of the team members in town ran personal records, making it quite reassuring to know that all of our training is moving us in the right direction.

The Challenge. UAF’s June 4th blog post said that there will be a race, 5k Ester Dome, Saturday September 5, from the base to “the saddle”, with a 100 dollar cash prize to any guy who breaks 20 and any woman who breaks 24. 200 more dollars have been added to anyone who can break those record from our team coach. Come and race because its going to be a good one.