FasterSkier

Author: Caitlin Gregg

  • Training Update from the Methow Valley

    Brian and I
    Brian and I were invited to come and train with the MOD Squad earlier this spring. I was waist deep in school and work obligations so I decided that I would let Brian head to the mountains to work with Scott Johnston (the coach of MOD), Sam Naney and Maya Seckinger, while I stayed back home for the summer.. After hearing the incredible stories about training in the Methow and the positive feedback from Brian about working with Scott, I decided to venture out West after my  CXC camp in Telluride, CO to work with the MOD training group.
    Brian, Sam and I about to start training up Falls Creek Road

    I have been here working with Scott on my training and technique for almost 6 weeks. I have seen huge gains in the short time I have been here.  Working daily and so closely with such a great team and a passionate coach.  My workouts have been tailored for me, reflecting a later start to my training season, but the technique workouts have been relentless and exhausting. Scott has an incredible ability to not only identify technique shortcomings, but also communicate them to the athletes he works with, and enable the athletes to fix their inefficiencies quickly. I have always been told that my skate technique was good…Scott didn’t think so!, which is great because I am now faster simply by skiing more efficiently! We work together as a Team on almost a daily basis where each session, no matter what the workout is, emphasizes proper technique. Working so much on technique can be both mentally and physically demanding but the payoffs have been evident in my intervals times and lactates values decreasing.

    Brian working on core strength
    Double Pole Strength

    Life in the Methow is wonderful. The training here is second to none! Prior to this trip I have only been to the Methow in short bursts during the winter, where the 200K of groomed trails welcomed me before the 2010 Olympics and no doubt enabled me to qualify for them.  I returned in the spring to get MARRIED but the mountains were still covered in snow. There are countless miles of running trails on fantastic terrain and with beautiful vistas. The roller-skiing is fantastic and after 13 years in the Midwest I am loving change up of terrain. We can ski up to 3 hours all uphill and gain 5,000ft of elevation in one run.

    Brian running on the Pacific Crest Trail near Granite Pass
    Climbing my first mountain in the Pacific Northwest

    Getting Strong

    Last year Brian and I were so busy with work, clinics, lessons and CXC events that we didn’t have a weekend off from July first until we got to West Yellowstone. This year I am taking a different approach, after a jam packed summer I am taking the fall off from work and enjoying the lifestyle as a full-time elite athlete. I have been sleeping, recovering (more sleeping) and eating better than ever before and I hope to enter the season fresher and healthier because of it.

    Here is a sweet video of the terrain and trails that we train on!  The video will play on the Methow Grist website.

  • Big Foot

    The smoke continues to haunt the Valley so we took Highway 20 about 40 miles west this morning.  When we leave Mazama and head up the Pass in to the Mountains there is a good 70 miles before the next town or services.  This area is pretty much all National Forest, National Park or National Recreation Area.  I remember reading Pete Vordenberg’s book growing up and he talked about a crazy friend of his who spent his summers scouring the Pacific Northwest for the elusive Big Foot.  Those guys were training further south in Trout Lake, WA and I wonder if he ever made it North in search of the big hairy guy.
    Ready to Roll

    Almost every long ski we have done this year we have had the good fortune to have vehicle support for dry clothes, spare gear and ride back down the mountain.  Thank you to everyone who has supported our skis over the years.  Today was an early morning and we were self supported.  I brought my bike to set up a shuttle, but we decided to take our chances with hitch hiking from the top.  Many times this has worked quite well, but every so often drivers just think you are an Alien with sticks and drive on by.  The unknown at the end of the ski can lead to some poor recovery.  We made sure to ski with plenty of water, clothes and food to make the wait as comfortable as possible.  Days like today really help make me appreciate the countless times: Scott, Igor, Andy, Mom, Dad, Chad, Alieta and others have run support. The pack wasn’t too heavy though and I think the extra training weight is good for us.  Some day we will race the Norweigian Birkebeiner and be ready to roll.  Plus, I have found that Solomon makes a fantastic ultra light backpack.  The pack is made for running so it is ergonomically designed for activity and adjustable it almost every way imaginable.  I have used it with a CamelBak for most of the summer because it allows me the luxury of drinking without having to stop.

    Caitlin heading up the North Cascades Scenic Highway
    We skied the first kilometer together because we thought we might have seen some strange tracks crossing the road while we were driving.  Our training paces are different but we decided to stick toghether for the first little bit as we both warmed up.
    Big Foot?

     

    Kuzzy often recommended to visualize  ‘skiing like Big Foot’ while working on classic technique.  It works particularly well while tracking him.

     

    Caitlin enjoying a good homemade turkey sandwich and dry clothes after a great ski.

    Sometimes things really work out well and as I reached Rainy Pass I took my skis off as a train of cars approached from the other side and stuck my thumb out.  They all drove right on by.  A bit further down the road a car near one of the trailheads a car did pull off the side of the road.  I walked towards it knowing that once I expained my situation surely I could get a ride back down the mountain.  As I got closer I recognized that the person was my good childhood friend Leah.  She was heading up to run the Maple/Heather Pass loop but offered us to use her car for the shuttle.  Huge thanks to you Leah.  We had to be a bit creative because of the smoke in the Valley, but the day worked out pretty well.  Now it is time for a little strength session indoors.

  • Big Foot

    The smoke continues to haunt the Valley so we took Highway 20 about 40 miles west this morning.  When we leave Mazama and head up the Pass in to the Mountains there is a good 70 miles before the next town or services.  This area is pretty much all National Forest, National Park or National Recreation Area.  I remember reading Pete Vordenberg’s book growing up and he talked about a crazy friend of his who spent his summers scouring the Pacific Northwest for the elusive Big Foot.  Those guys were training further south in Trout Lake, WA and I wonder if he ever made it North in search of the big hairy guy.
    Ready to Roll

    Almost every long ski we have done this year we have had the good fortune to have vehicle support for dry clothes, spare gear and ride back down the mountain.  Thank you to everyone who has supported our skis over the years.  Today was an early morning and we were self supported.  I brought my bike to set up a shuttle, but we decided to take our chances with hitch hiking from the top.  Many times this has worked quite well, but every so often drivers just think you are an Alien with sticks and drive on by.  The unknown at the end of the ski can lead to some poor recovery.  We made sure to ski with plenty of water, clothes and food to make the wait as comfortable as possible.  Days like today really help make me appreciate the countless times: Scott, Igor, Andy, Mom, Dad, Chad, Alieta and others have run support. The pack wasn’t too heavy though and I think the extra training weight is good for us.  Some day we will race the Norweigian Birkebeiner and be ready to roll.  Plus, I have found that Solomon makes a fantastic ultra light backpack.  The pack is made for running so it is ergonomically designed for activity and adjustable it almost every way imaginable.  I have used it with a CamelBak for most of the summer because it allows me the luxury of drinking without having to stop.

    Caitlin heading up the North Cascades Scenic Highway
    We skied the first kilometer together because we thought we might have seen some strange tracks crossing the road while we were driving.  Our training paces are different but we decided to stick toghether for the first little bit as we both warmed up.
    Big Foot?

     

    Kuzzy often recommended to visualize  ‘skiing like Big Foot’ while working on classic technique.  It works particularly well while tracking him.

     

    Caitlin enjoying a good homemade turkey sandwich and dry clothes after a great ski.

    Sometimes things really work out well and as I reached Rainy Pass I took my skis off as a train of cars approached from the other side and stuck my thumb out.  They all drove right on by.  A bit further down the road a car near one of the trailheads a car did pull off the side of the road.  I walked towards it knowing that once I expained my situation surely I could get a ride back down the mountain.  As I got closer I recognized that the person was my good childhood friend Leah.  She was heading up to run the Maple/Heather Pass loop but offered us to use her car for the shuttle.  Huge thanks to you Leah.  We had to be a bit creative because of the smoke in the Valley, but the day worked out pretty well.  Now it is time for a little strength session indoors.

  • Big Foot

    The smoke continues to haunt the Valley so we took Highway 20 about 40 miles west this morning.  When we leave Mazama and head up the Pass in to the Mountains there is a good 70 miles before the next town or services.  This area is pretty much all National Forest, National Park or National Recreation Area.  I remember reading Pete Vordenberg’s book growing up and he talked about a crazy friend of his who spent his summers scouring the Pacific Northwest for the elusive Big Foot.  Those guys were training further south in Trout Lake, WA and I wonder if he ever made it North in search of the big hairy guy.
    Ready to Roll

    Almost every long ski we have done this year we have had the good fortune to have vehicle support for dry clothes, spare gear and ride back down the mountain.  Thank you to everyone who has supported our skis over the years.  Today was an early morning and we were self supported.  I brought my bike to set up a shuttle, but we decided to take our chances with hitch hiking from the top.  Many times this has worked quite well, but every so often drivers just think you are an Alien with sticks and drive on by.  The unknown at the end of the ski can lead to some poor recovery.  We made sure to ski with plenty of water, clothes and food to make the wait as comfortable as possible.  Days like today really help make me appreciate the countless times: Scott, Igor, Andy, Mom, Dad, Chad, Alieta and others have run support. The pack wasn’t too heavy though and I think the extra training weight is good for us.  Some day we will race the Norweigian Birkebeiner and be ready to roll.  Plus, I have found that Solomon makes a fantastic ultra light backpack.  The pack is made for running so it is ergonomically designed for activity and adjustable it almost every way imaginable.  I have used it with a CamelBak for most of the summer because it allows me the luxury of drinking without having to stop.

    Caitlin heading up the North Cascades Scenic Highway
    We skied the first kilometer together because we thought we might have seen some strange tracks crossing the road while we were driving.  Our training paces are different but we decided to stick toghether for the first little bit as we both warmed up.
    Big Foot?

     

    Kuzzy often recommended to visualize  ‘skiing like Big Foot’ while working on classic technique.  It works particularly well while tracking him.

     

    Caitlin enjoying a good homemade turkey sandwich and dry clothes after a great ski.

    Sometimes things really work out well and as I reached Rainy Pass I took my skis off as a train of cars approached from the other side and stuck my thumb out.  They all drove right on by.  A bit further down the road a car near one of the trailheads a car did pull off the side of the road.  I walked towards it knowing that once I expained my situation surely I could get a ride back down the mountain.  As I got closer I recognized that the person was my good childhood friend Leah.  She was heading up to run the Maple/Heather Pass loop but offered us to use her car for the shuttle.  Huge thanks to you Leah.  We had to be a bit creative because of the smoke in the Valley, but the day worked out pretty well.  Now it is time for a little strength session indoors.

  • Adventure Day

    photo 111

    Yesterday was a good day! Brian and I both got to sleep on till 8:30AM which never seems to happen! We then pack the cooler, loaded up the car and headed up to the mountains for an adventure!

    photo 29

    Brian grew up here in the Methow Valley and he knows it like the back of his had. I am lucky enough to be married to Brian and have my own mountan guide at hand everyday! Brian gets very excited about heading up into the high country!

    photo 210

    The Views are absolutely amazing on all sides and the weather was perfect! Brian and I both opted to bring our light-weight Salomon Tech jackets which were good sun and wind protection. After long climbs we could simply wrap them around our drink belts and continue to move fast.

    photo 36

    Brian “cruising” he doesn’t even sweat when he runs with me!

    photo 45

    I on the other hand just try and keep up!

    photo20

    Especially when things get technical. After yesterday’s run I now have a new level of comfort when running in the mountains!

    photo 110

    One of the three peaks we reached. This one had beautiful views of Mount Baker and Shukstan.

    photo 56

    After a long day in the mountains we were excited to rinse off in the swimming hole.

    photo 37

    As you can tell it was a little colder then we expected. After “icing” our legs and bodies we headed back to the yurt to make meatloaf for dinner with the Gregg Family! Such a good day and I feel like the luckiest girl in the World!!!

  • CXC Man Camp September

    September Camp at Telemark started with a huge bowl of fresh blueberries, oatmeal, hard boiled eggs, coffee, juice and just the boys.

    Eric, Karl and Adam and I haven been enjoying a small camp here at Telemark Lodge this week with Igor, Andy, and Kyle (Team Physio).  We have had some pretty large camps this year which have been great, but it is nice to have a small group.  It is also great to have almost a 1:1 coach to athlete ratio.

    Cool weather has allowed for great training and recovery.

    Classic Speed Session– few skiers in the country have the double pole finishing speed of Karl and it was great to try and hang on to him during our classic speed session.  Igor had us do the majority of the speeds with weights on our write.  They didn’t feel like much when you put them on, but you felt like a rockstar when you took them off for the final few of the set.
    note: Video plays on Eric’s new blog www.BootsSkisPoles.com
    Skate Intervals- I have logged a lot of time climbing up OO in the past 6 years.  I would even wager that I have gone up and down it on roller skis more than anyone else (although I believe the Team FAST skiers should hold that honor soon).   The pavement was getting pretty bad and this summer the county repaved it.  Sadly the shoulder is even smaller than before, but it is one smooth ride which is nice.  The pavement made a one minute difference in interval speed according to my training logs.
     Mt. Telemark Bounding Intervals-  Igor mowed out a loop on Mt. Telemark which makes you wonder if you really are in the Midwest.  With a wonderful mix of steep and gradual ups you are either climbing or descending the entire 20 minute loop.
     
    My Roomate is pretty chill, although he needs to pick up his boots and helmet. (yeah he is a boy dog so he can come to Man Camp).

     

    Video Review
    Man Camp has been fun and we have two more days to go.  I enjoy hanging with the boys but I am looking forward to seeing the Mrs. on Wednesday.     

  • A New Way of Life – Yurt Life!

     

     

    Living in the mountains again!

    photo 52

    After 8 years of living and training in the Midwest, Brian and I had an awesome opportunity to head out west to the Methow Valley for some quality training in the Mountains! This is the view from my current training camp residence, Brian and I are staying in a Yurt below Lucky Jim’s Bluff, which towers above. The “yurt” is incredible, it is a glorified tent really with only fabric between myself and the wildlife on the other side. As a child in New York City walking alone in China Town and riding the Subway in Soho never seemed scary…wild animals, however, kinda freak me out! I have run into Bear, RattleSnakes and even had a Wolf Pack out my back door a few nights ago. I am also getting more comfortable with the idea that there are Cougars around here! I can’t help but run along the rocky outcroppings thinking that there is a Couar watching me from above. Apparently it is rare to see a Cougar but I am not putting it past this City-Slicker who seems to find the wild animals when I least expect to!

    photo 34

    The yurt is where Chad and Alieta Gregg have lived for the past 5 years! It’s been cold here in the mornings sometimes registering around 44F inside the Yurt when I wake-up. I can’t even imagine how cold it can get during a winter below 0F night! Cad and alieta have done a wonderful job of making the yurt feel like a home. When they moved to Seattle for new jobs, they were gracious enough to let us stay in there home away from home! Alieta talks about her abrupt change from life in the suburbs to life in the yurt and how much she has grown to love yurt living. After being here for a  couple of weeks I totally get it!

    photo 43

    Life inside a 300 SQ/FT Yurt! There is quite a bit of space for a single round room! The windows are plastic and roll up during the day while the walls are reinforced by a wooden criss-cross pattern.

    photo 17

    Nothing beats morning Yoga in the yurt while looking through the amazing circular sky light! I will also say that although it has only rained here in the Methow ONCE in the past 3 weeks, listening to it fall on the roof of the yurt was one of the most pleasant ways to wake up.

    photo 16

    Training is the focus here in Washington and we have been getting in a ton of it! With endless miles of trails in the mountains and the Methow Community Trail down the road from the yurt, Brian and I have been able to log some of the best training sessions of our careers. The change of venue and scenery has proven to be a good stimulus for me in terms of keeping things new. The training methods we are using are also new which also keeps my body guessing. As Brian mentioned a quote he heard that summed up our experiences here “Madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results” I will second those feelings and welcome the change!

    photo 26

  • Caitlin Goes Hog Wild in Seattle

    After Leaving Colorado and the CXC Team I traveled to Seattle where I met up with Chad and Alieta. Colorado was a bit of shock to the system as we were staying at training between 9,000 – 10,000ft. I entered the camp one day after my last final and I was a bit fatigued from the late nights of studying and the quick tur around Since it was a Friday and they had to work I “commuted” to work with Chad by running from their apartment in Magnolia to Downtown. Both Chad and Alieta work downtown but they have a fantastic bike path that runs along the water front to get there! After I toured both of their offices I set out for a morning in the City.

    It didn’t take me long to find fun places to pose for a photo.

    I waked down to Pike Street Market which is quite a sight with all kinds of beautiful  produce, flowers, nick knacks and of course fresh caught FISH!

    I saw aome of the largest whole fish I have ever seen. After being landlocked in the Mid-West for so many years it was fun to get back to the coast and it’s awesome perks!
    I got to sample a Washington Peach! Wow, it was the most delicious piece of fruit I have ever had!!!

    The Methow Valley is just outside of the Skagit Valley where all kinds of fruits are grown, especially apples.

    I am looking forward to eating lots of fruit from the local stands around the valley.

    Honey good enough for the bees.

    Pike Street Market also had lots of entertainment along the sidewalk.

    I brought my own banjo along for the trip but I am not going to try and earn a living playing it just yet.

    photo13

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