FasterSkier

Tag: Misc

  • GRP Limelight: Lynn Jennings

    GRP Limelights occur monthly and showcase members and/or people closely associated with the GRP Rowing & Skiing Teams.

    Lynn Jennings was one of the first people I met at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center. Little did I know that the woman, who came out from the faded Duck Blind to find her dog, Towhee, staring at my dog, Tanka, was a current American record holder, a former world record holder, a medalist at the Olympics, and soon to be a course record holder at the Head of the Charles. All I knew then was she had an impeccably trained dog, a personable air about her, and a contagious smile.

    In addition to her work on campus as the Running Camps Director, Lynn spent every day of the fall training with us and consequently became an honorary member of the Green Racing Project Rowing Team. She listened to every one of Coach Roock’s pre-row talks with the same sense of determination and dedication as every other rower in the group. She rowed with the focus of a first year walk on in college, striving to make the varsity. You never would have guessed that rowing was Lynn Jennings’ second sport.

    So why do these two anecdotes matter? For starters, you can see Lynn’s athletic versatility and how the components of being a champion in one sport can lend itself to another. Lynn Jennings is already a champion in the running world. She won gold at the World Cross Country Championships in ’90, ’91, and ’92 (only two other women in the world have ever done this). She took bronze in the 10,000m race at the ’92 Olympics. In 1990, she set the world record in the 5000m indoor run. However, as of October 20th of this year, Lynn Jennings is also a rowing champion, winning the Women’s Grand-Master Single and setting a course record in the process. Granted, Lynn has rowed for about six years now with some regularity. Nonetheless, she beat out knowledgeable locals and Olympians in the sport to win in an athletic second language. When you meet such a person, one wants to take note of what makes him or her a champion.

    Secondly, it’s relevant because of how she approaches her life. I may be sentimental or romantic, but I have high standards for the people that I revere. There are plenty of sports’ heroes in the history of the world, but there are few that do it without compromising integrity. This may sound heavy-handed, but in this day and age, many of our sports figures fall short of even relatively loose moral guidelines as they produce headlines about drug abuse, doping violations, infidelities, and misdemeanors. For me personally, Lynn epitomizes the ideal champion. She is highly competitive and extremely dedicated. She pours everything she has into each practice, making her a great student of whatever sport she does.

    The amazing thing is that, while having these critical qualities, she still manages to maintain an upbeat and optimistic attitude. Granted, different people have different motivations. Some flourish with positivity, while others get their kicks from negative spurs. What’s remarkable about Lynn Jennings is that despite the perpetual, competitive fire that burns within her, she is not only a good sport immediately following any competition or practice, she is a downright peach. While I personally appreciate the challenge of countering an overly competitive lifestyle with a certain amount of levity, I am humbled by the grace with which Lynn balances her ambitions with her kindness of heart. In my opinion, her unique combination of being both a champion and an admirable, endearing person puts Lynn in the upper echelon of both competitors and people in general.

    After the Head of the Charles, we bid a temporary farewell to Lynn Jennings. However, the GRP anxiously looks forward to the annual return of our running champion, rowing champion, and our teammate.

  • And a new season begins!

    I was a bit nervous about returning to Muonio this year after getting burnt out on the darkness and Arctic living here last November when the snow was very scarce.  I was at my breaking point last year and didn’t know if I could ski another loop in the dark around the short, icy, and dirty loop.  But at the same time, as I packed my bags in Craftsbury last week, I was excited to be back on the road and to start the season so I pushed aside last year’s memories and got excited for a new season and a new start!

    After about 30 hours of travel we arrived in Muonio, Finland, a small town which is about 250 kilometers north of the Arctic circle.  Our team was staying in little cabins on the trails at the ski area Olos.  We got out of the van, tired and jetlagged, and we were greeted by a great show of northern lights in the sky.  I tried to capture them but the shutter speed on my camera was a bit too slow for a good photo.

    While 2011 was one of the worst years of early snowfall across Lapland, 2012 is shaping up to be one of the best.  There is lots of snow here and the skiing was great.  It was fun to explore lots of new trails that I never even knew existed and the tracks and snow couldn’t have been any better.

    We had a few days of training and adjusting to the time change and then racing began.  This weekend was just warmup races for the team as we prepare for next weekend’s World Cup races.  But these races were still very legit and are known as some of the largest FIS races in the world.  There were over 500 entries every day including National teams from Finland, Russia, Poland, Germany, Japan, and probably some others which I have forgotten.  The first race was a classic sprint on a very hard a technical course.  I didn’t really know what to expect as I had been having trouble sleeping and getting over the jetlag all week.  I just focused on skiing relaxed and smoothly and was very excited to see that despite a horrible transition that caused me to come to a complete stop in the finishing area,  finished 5th!  The afternoon brought the heats and it was really fun to ski with these really fast women.  I felt strong through most of the heats and ultimately finished 6th, racing against ladies who commonly finish in the top 10 of World Cups, a place I hope to someday land.

    The next day was a 5km classic which I was very excited for as it’s one of my favorite races.  Unfortunately it ended up being a very rough race for me as I battled some lingering stomach issues (complications of interesting Finnish cuisine?) and wasn’t ever able to get the same race feeling I had felt the previous day.  Still it was great to have another race and blow out some cobwebs.  Finally on Sunday, there was a 10km skate which I skipped but had a lot of fun cheering the on the other girls.  Liz, Holly, and Jessie all skied really well and finished 2nd, 7th, and 9th!  We finished the weekend in style by watching Skyfall, the new Bond film, in an underground theater in Olos which none of us oreviously even knew existed.

    Here are some photos of the week in Muonio.

    Remember this from last year?

    The skiing is a little nicer this year. Here are Kikkan and Liz skiing the first day we arrived.

    Here we are skiing in the middle of the day. The sun never seems able to quite rise above the horizon so it’s a constant sunrise/set.

    A view of Lapland from our cabin

    Our cabin was quite cozy. Liz slept in a loft which wasn’t tall enough for her to stand up in.

    Finnish cuisine involves lots of potatoes, root vegetables, reindeer, berries, and salty oatmeal.

    Last year Clare visited the middle school in Muonio and since she wasn’t returning this year, she set up a visit for our team. We talked to the kids about where we are from in the United States and then answered questions like, “What is your favorite fast food?” and “Are there polar bears in Alaska?”

    Racing in the heats next to Kowalczyk

    The course was very interesting and had a herringbone finish as you sprinted up the base of the alpine line to cross the line.

    I was very happy with the start to the season! Also this picture was taken directly after the race but the lights had already come on and the darkness was setting in.

    It was fun to see lots of great racing by the US team this weekend. We’re ready to go! Here is Liz on her way to a 2nd place finish in the 10km skate

     

  • A Visit to Calgary

    I spent a day off in Calgary. It is a surprisingly big city, with a population of about 1.1 million (compare to Boston with 625,000, or Dallas with 1.2 million). I found the downtown very clean, with free public transport, lots of walking space, support for the arts, interesting parks, and an extensive Chinatown with delicious food!!! Here are some of my pictures.

    <View of downtown Calgary from outside the Greyhound bus stop.
    <Calgary has an extensive above-ground train system that connects downtown to the 'burbs (home to the largest subdivision of all time).
    <Downtown
    <Stephens Ave, the shopping district.
    <There are lots of elevated walkways, which makes sense in a city that often sees temps below zero F.
    <The Calgary Tower
    <Fly swatters?
    <See person in doorway for size comparison!
    <One of the big malls in Calgary, with some even bigger sculptures outside.
    <The main street in Calgary is reserved for the C-Train, which is free within the perimeters of downtown. Awesome.
    <There is a lively arts scene here. This is their biggest performance hall, home of the Calgary Philharmonic.
    <Olympic Park, right in the downtown, with free ice rink open to the public!
    <Calgary has a clean and beautiful downtown.
    <Canada eh?
    <I think this is where the hockey team plays...if I had to guess.
    <Big old train, with view of the East Village in the background.
    <There is a giant freight train line that cuts through the middle of downtown Calgary.
    <Calgary Municipal Building
    <Calgary Tower
    <Street cleaners take a break outside The Bay, a very posh department store.
    <The central square in Calgary, home to the Olympic Park, with a view of the Calgary tower in the background.
    <Town hall
    <And we got some smokers at the town hall.
    <And we got some smokers in the car.
    <Departing from Calgary airport, with a view of the city skyline and the Rockies in the distance.

  • GRP Rowers Strap On Their Skis

    With the end of the fall rowing season upon us and Thanksgiving just around the corner, it’s time for the rowers to put up their oars and try their hand at skiing. In the words of Coach Roock: “Your rowing future depends on this, no pressure.” Temperatures have started dropping to the point where the snow guns are roaring full blast at night to make enough snow for us to start skiing. So far there is a 750m “lollipop” loop where we have started testing our skills, or lack thereof.

    Mt. Craftsbury grows on the lower field behind Cedar Lodge (photo credit: Judy Geer)

     

    Fresh new gear, good to go! (Photo Credit: Liz Donald)

     

    Some of the novice skiers learn from the best (Photo Credit: Liz Donald)

     

    Dan shows us how it’s done (Photo Credit: Juliet Hollingsworth)

     

    Some of the rowers have more of a background than others in snow sports, such as Emily Dreissigacker who actually started her athletic career in nordic skiing, and Steve Whelpley who has competed in downhill ski races. However, for some of the rest of us there has been a bit of a learning curve.

    Steve Whelpley and Phil Henson quickly progressed from casual laps around the course and immediately challenged one another to a no poles race or three:

    No poles final

    And then at the other end of the spectrum there was this:

    Another one bites the dust

    (Movie credit to Juliet Hollingsworth)

    All in all though it’s been a successful start to the winter season and we’re excited to get some experience on skis and enjoy even more of what Craftsbury has to offer.

    -Phil “Jr”

     

     

     

  • The prettiest things in Canmore

    Hi everyone!

    I am resurfacing from blog absence in order to give you some Canmore highlights. Canmore is about an hour north of Calgary, just east of the Rockies. It is a gorgeous town reminiscent of other Rocky Mtn ski towns, minus a destination alpine resort. Here, the Nordic center, home of the 1988 Calgary Olympic nordic events, is the major attraction. Chandra Crawford’s gold medal hangs in the lodge.

    The town of Canmore hosts a remarkable number of activities and events for a community its size. While I was in town, I went to two concerts (one Czech string quarter and one Canadian/American jazz bassist), visited about 5 art galleries, and spent way too much money on high quality teas. OH YEAH and the skiing was excellent, giving us a major advantage going into our high-stake early season racing next week.

    The beauty and scale of the Canadian Rockies is hard to capture on camera, but I hope this photo gallery gives you an idea. Bonus features: Patrick, Hannah, the new trailer, a big elk, and a bear-safe dumpster. Enjoy!

    <The very prettiest Patrick gives a thumbs up for snow
    <This is a VERY SERIOUS snow-making operation. Now that's pretty!
    <The prettiest of all, Hannah, already knows how to play C, D, G and A.
    <4 out of 5! That's pretty.
    <Hannah did a biathlon time trial with the Canadians and the Olympic gold medalist from Slovakia.
    <Hup, Hup, Hannah
    <Hannah in the biathlon time-trial
    <ELK. PRETTY.
    <Fairmont Banff Springs. Now that's a pretty place.
    <Banff is so pretty!
    <8:30am, getting ready to go
    <Olympic range is the prettiest!
    <"don't- feed- the- bear!" - Rabbit. That would not be pretty.
    <Jeremy Nellis did an awesome job outfitting our new trailer! So pretty.
    <Sun is prettily peaking out.
    <Pretty sunrise in Canmore
    <8:30am or so, and so pretty.
    <Morning moon in Canmore. Pretty!

  • 2012-2013 GRPski Results Page

    Hey everyone — All winter long, GRP skiing results will be compiled in this post. As our racing takes us across the US and Europe, this will hopefully help you keep tabs on how we’re doing!

     

    WEEK of NOV 12-NOV 18

    Muonio, Finland (World Cup tune-ups: Ida)

    Friday CL sprint: Ida 6th, 1st American

    Saturday CL 5K: Ida 36th, 4th American

  • A Run on the Grassi Lakes Trail

    This past week I decided to take a day off from skiing and go for a run up to the Grassi Lakes just west of Canmore. The morning started off with an awesome sunrise so I couldn’t give up the opportunity to explore.

    View of the mountains behind the new Craftsbury Green Racing Project van and wax trailer!

    Canmore is littered with amazing single track trails that wind their way through town and straight up into the mountains. I started running up a trail from the Nordic center towards a pipeline that can be seen from town.

    Looking up at the pipeline. I ended up hiking up next to the pipeline, which is a populated cougar area according to the ranger I spoke to on the trek back to town.

    The view of Canmore from the pipeline!

    After climbing up next to the pipeline I crossed the dam and ran down the road.

    The view from the dam. The water tower on the right is the top of the pipeline.

    On the way down I found a dead mountain goat on the the side of the road. (I didn’t take a picture) As I was looking at it a ranger stopped and asked if everything was alright. He inspected the kill and reported to me that it had been taken down by a mountain lion earlier that morning! He then proceeded to ask where I had been running. After telling him my route he revealed that I had crossed a hot spot for mountain lion activity and attacks! He said I should be more careful and next time travel in a group and stay on the trail if I go back into the mountains. I’ll be sticking to the more traveled paths from now on!

  • Happy Halloween!

    Alright, so I’m a few days late.  But here are some Halloween pictures from here in Canmore!  And we weren’t the only costumed skiers out there either–a bunch of the Canadians also dressed up, so it made the little loop a bit more interesting!

    We had a lot of fun putting costumes together out of clothes we brought with us, items from the recycling bin, and tape.

    Can you tell what we are? I laughed to myself every time I saw the nun out on the trail…

    Ida was an awesome bumble bee, though the wings, stinger, and antennae weren’t ideal for skiing.

    I of course had to carve a pumpkin. This one would have looked way cooler if I had lit the stogie on fire.

  • A Ski on Moraine Lake Road

    Although Canmore has been feeling wintery and the 2k loop has been excellent skiing, yesterday we drove away from Canmore towards Lake Louise where there is more natural snow.  About an hour away from Canmore, within Banff National Park, we turned into a makeshift parking lot at the start of Moraine Lake Road, curious to see what snow cover and terrain we would find.  Sun Valley gave us a favorable report from skiing the road the day before, but you never quite know what “good skiing” means this early in the season.  The snow was clean and plentiful, if a little grabby, and it was relatively easy skating since most of the road had been groomed by snowmachine within the past few days.   The terrain was road-like rather than trail-like – up, up, up to a high point and then gradually down the other side to Moraine Lake.  It reminded quite a few of us of skiing on the access roads at Foret Montmorency in Quebec.  From the high point down towards the lake wasn’t groomed, so not everyone was willing to venture along the unpacked powder-over-pavement on the skis they brought.  However, those of us who did make it were rewarded with a nice view of the frozen lake and the surrounding rocky cliffs.  We didn’t quite luck out with a perfect sunny day, but we were able to see parts of the impressive mountains when the clouds cleared.

     

    Hannah was excited to start her first ski of the season!

    Hannah pauses for water

    Ida was happy with all the snow!

    All 7 guys in a train

    Alex and Nils at the lake

    Cliffs above frozen Moraine Lake

     

    Look at all the snow! I was happy to have used training skis so that I could ski to the lake and see the cliffs up close.

    From Moraine Lake Road, we could see the Lake Louise alpine mountain where World Cup races are held.

    Driving up to Lake Louise, there was a definite lack of clarity, both of the sky and of the van windows.  But we still were able to admire the mountains lining the sides of the valley, and to comment on an interesting feature of the highway through Banff National Park.  Every few minutes on the highway, we would pass under a short tunnel/wide bridge, but there were no exits or other roads in the area that would need to cross the main road.  Instead, these wide bridge structures were covered with earth, with little trees and grass planted on them, obviously for the purpose of enabling animals to cross the highway – the sides of the highway were fenced off, likewise to prevent the animals from crossing in front of cars.  An interesting use of resources to minimize animal-human conflict in the park.

    Taking a stroll to Lake Louise. During the few minutes of walking and admiring the scenery, the local birds gave us some entertainment by contemplating but refusing offerings of sausage and various other post-workout snacks, and then proceeding to dive-bomb and steal the last bite of Nils’ sandwich instead.

    Although it was drizzling rain and quite warm earlier today, it was snowing this evening!   We did intervals and a strength session today, and we’re looking forward to a distance classic ski tomorrow.  It’s great to be immersed in the winter season and skiing in October!

    Here are more photos from the Moraine Lake ski and from the classic sprint that was held last Friday.  Check back for more updates soon.

                  

                  

                   

                  

     

  • Biathlon Camp in Utah

    Susan and I spent the last few weeks in Utah at a training camp with the biathlon team.  Here are some pictures!  When we first got there, we had some beautiful western weather, and there were still some bright colored leaves around on the aspens and things.  I’ve never thought of the west as having good foliage, but I was impressed! It was definitely beautiful.

    I was really happy to be exploring the mountains in our new “back yard”.

    Rollerskiing up west canyon on a beautiful sunny day.

    We went on an awesome hike from the top of Guardsman’s Pass. Andrea Henkel–one of the top German biathletes–is dating Tim Burke, one of the U.S. men, and so she came to this camp. It was great to get to train with her some and also just get to know her.

     

    Suz and I were so match-y in our new Ibex shirts, we decided we just had to take a picture. This is from the a summit along the Wasatch Crest trail.

     

    We also had two rollerski races, which were qualifiers for a November training camp in Sweden. We woke up the morning before the second race to this. It was postponed until late in the afternoon, when most of the snow had melted off the rollerski track.

    On my last day in Utah, we went on as awesome hike that went partway up the back side of mount Timpanogos. It was snowy and beautiful!

    We were happy that our team fall training jackets are bright orange–there were lots of hunters out there!

    Amazingly, this picture only took Annelies one try to take!

    I had a lot of fun in Utah–its a great place to train.  There’s a nice roller loop right at the range at Soldier Hollow, and also countless opportunities for adventures more or less right out the back door.  It was also fun to have the whole biathlon team together in one place, including our European coaches.

    I had one good time trial, in which I missed 3/10 shots–not really good shooting, but I skied well and it was a good race.  Then in my second time trial I missed 4 of my prone shots–thats not good!  It was a windy day, and I’d forgotten to check the wind flags and take clicks to adjust for it.  I realized my mistake as soon as I took the last shot and started towards the penalty loop.  Dammit!  But that’s biathlon…the difference between a good race and a bad race could be just one or two dumb mistakes.  It can be frustrating, but its also so rewarding when you actually hit the targets and ski fast too…so far I’ve really only gotten little tastes of that, but I know that it’ll happen one of these days!

  • And winter begins..

    With a little snow on the ground, really good skiing, and temperatures in the 20s or colder, it doesn’t feel like October in Canmore.  The Nordic center Camore saves snow from the previous winter and rolls it out in the middle of October every year for “Frozen Thunder.”  Our first day here it was warm and the skiing was a little slushy and rocky but then the temperatures dropped and the snow began to fall and the conditions have been great ever since.  We have even been skiing on hardwax which is not normally to be expected in October!  There is only a 2km loop of skiing so we end up doing a lot of laps but the terrain is fun and its nice to be back on snow.  It reminds me a bit of Muonio, Finland last year except with fewer people, prettier views, and a lot less dark!  So far the training has mostly just been distance with a focus on technique but we also did a 10km TT and we have a sprint race with the Canadians in a couple days.  I’m staying with the US team right now but looking forward to the arrival of the rest of the GRP later this week!  Here are some pictures from the week so far!

    We're staying in some cozy apartments in the Rocky Mountain Ski Lodge. It's a great location at the edge of town and across the road from an awesome coffee shop but the small kitchenettes make cooking team dinners for our hungry team a creative process.

    We're staying in some cozy apartments in the Rocky Mountain Ski Lodge. It's a great location at the edge of town and across the road from an awesome coffee shop but the small kitchenettes make cooking team dinners for our hungry team a creative process.

    This is the view from our deck! The Canadian Rockies are amazing!

    This is the view from our deck! The Canadian Rockies are amazing!

    Kris Freeman, Noah Hoffman, and Andy Newell during a distance classic ski.

    Kris Freeman, Noah Hoffman, and Andy Newell during a distance classic ski.

    Tad and Jason Cork skating with the mountains looming behind them. Watch out for the black and yellow this winter!

    Tad Elliott and Jason Cork skating with the mountains looming behind them. Watch out for the black and yellow this winter! (Noah Hoffman photo)

    Looks like winter! (USSA photo)

    Looks like winter! (USSA photo)

    The snow guns are blowing on the World Cup courses so my fingers are crossed for some more terrain opening sometime soon! (Noah Hoffman photo)

    The snow guns are blowing on the World Cup courses so my fingers are crossed for some more terrain opening sometime soon! (Noah Hoffman photo)

    Yesterday morning for our OD workout we skied for a couple hours on the loop and then switched to running shoes and ran to Banff National Park. It was about an hour and a half run on ski trails and then single track trails with a few inches of powder on the ground.
    Yesterday morning for our OD workout we skied for a couple hours on the loop and then switched to running shoes and ran to Banff National Park. It was about an hour and a half run on ski trails and then single track trails with a few inches of powder on the ground.
    Here is the group about a half hour away from Banff. The coaches picked us up in Banff and we walked around the town and warmed up with a warm lunch at a cafe in town.

    Here is the group about a half hour away from Banff. The coaches picked us up in Banff and we walked around the town and warmed up with a warm lunch at a cafe in town.

    Canmore is home of my great friend Chandra Crawford who has been showing us around the area while we are not training. She also has an awesome house in town with a normal kitchen and a very comfy couch so we've spent quite a bit of time relaxing at her pad!

    Canmore is home of my great friend Chandra Crawford who has been showing us around the area while we are not training. She also has an awesome house in town with a normal kitchen and a very comfy couch so we've spent quite a bit of time relaxing at her pad! (Noah Hoffman photo)

    We’re off for an afternoon ski and the rumor is that they’ve changed the direction of skiing today!  It’s going to feel like a completely new loop!

  • Park City Camp

    I spent the last 10 days in Park City Utah for testing and an altitude camp.  After some wet weather at home, it was great to arrive in the arid west and see the sun!  The town of Park City is around 7000′ but we stayed in a condo near the top of Guardsman Pass so we were sleeping at 8500′ for extra altitude effects.

    The view from the deck of our condo.

    The view from the deck of our condo.

    I wasn't expecting to see foliage here but the yellows leaves were really pretty

    I wasn't expecting to see foliage here but the yellows leaves were really pretty

    pc7

    The camp started with lots of testing at USSA’s Center of Excellence.  We did VO2max tests on the rollerski treadmill, strength tests, mobility tests, blood tests, and body composition tests.  So after a couple days of feeling caged up like a lab rat, I was very excited to head outside for training.  The rest of the camp involved lots of rollerskiing, running, and bounding on the roads and trails around Park City including a 3+ hour point to point run on the Mid Mountain Trail.

    Felt good to see the sun!

    Felt good to see the sun!

    Liz and Holly running on the Round Valley trails

    Liz and Holly running on the Round Valley trails

    pc4

    We did a couple of intensity sessions on the rollerski track at Soldier Hollow including classic speeds and skate threshold intervals. It was fun skiing fast in a big group.

    We did a couple of intensity sessions on the rollerski track at Soldier Hollow including classic speeds and skate threshold intervals. It was fun skiing fast in a big group.

    This camp was the first time that our entire team was together since the Bend camp in May. Unfortunately with some injuries plaguing the team, we weren't able to train together for every session but everyone was working hard all the time. Here are Sadie and Kikkan aqua jogging in the COE pool.

    This camp was the first time that our entire team was together since the Bend camp in May. Unfortunately with some injuries plaguing the team, we weren't able to train together for every session but everyone was working hard all the time. Here are Sadie and Kikkan aqua jogging in the COE pool.

    After a week and a half in Park City, we headed north to Canmore, Alberta for Frozen Thunder.  The Canmore Nordic Center saved snow from last winter and rolled it out last week for a 2km ski trail and some of the earliest skiing in North America.  We’ve spent the last couple days skiing hot laps around the manmade loop and then today it started to snow!  The ground is fully white and we are off to make some fresh tracks through the powder!

  • The Singletrack Shootdown and the Value of Volunteers

    20121013-214739.jpg

    The scene at the “Singletrack Shootdown” Photo: Judy Geer

    A week ago, we hosted a biathlon race at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center as part of our Oktoberfest celebrations. The event included a beginners’s pre-race shooting safety clinic and featured separate races for beginners and for experienced biathletes. Additionally, participants could chose to either compete running or mountain biking. The races consisted of 5 laps on woodsy single-track trails and had 4 shooting stages. Beginners shot prone (laying down) for all stages at the bigger standing-sized targets while experienced biathletes shot from both the prone and standing positions at the standard target sizes.

    Craftsbury junior coach, Jeremy Nellis, and myself were the primary race organizers. Neither of us has a lot of biathlon race organizing experience. We didn’t know exactly what to expect. During the week leading up to the race, we fixed up the targets, marked out the course, and recruited a handful of volunteers to help out. Brand new events at the Outdoor Center rarely have a huge turnout the first year and most biathlon events in the United States have low participation. I had no idea how many people would show up, but I guessed there wouldn’t be many. The stack of 50 waviers and registration forms that I printed out looked wishfully large.

    Imagine our surprise when 65 people lined up at the registration table on race morning!

    20121013-212059.jpg

    The registration table, run by Carlie Geer, starts to get busy. Photo: Judy Geer

    It was very exciting to have such a huge turnout for the event and it was also a little stressful. We had over 50 people in the day’s largest race (beginners’) and our range has only 10 targets. Things were going to be tight. Biathlon races require a huge number of volunteers compared to a normal ski race. On the shooting range you need people scoring the targets, backup scorers, target resetters, and timers (in case all shooting points are full and a time credit needs to be given). For a beginners’s race you need even more people for reloading magazines, assisting shooters when needed and most importantly making sure everything is operating safely.

    Luckily the crowd was flexible and the volunteers and staff were up to the challenge. We had several volunteers signed up ahead of time, but many parents and spectators also stepped up on race day to help. After quick lessons about how to load magazines or record shooting scores, they went to work. In addition, many of the “expert” competitors who would be racing later in the morning jumped in to help out on their own initiative. They taught beginners during the shooting clinic and delayed their own race warm-up to assist on the range during the beginners’ race. We ran into several unanticipated problems during the day (ran out of safety pins for race numbers, had to move back start times, the bike course was too difficult, etc) but the event ran surprising smoothly and the atmosphere was relaxed. As impressive as it was to have so many racers, I was even more blown away by how helpful and understanding the crowd was. Our volunteers and staff for the day numbered almost 30. Many thanks to everyone for coming, competitors and volunteers alike!

    I hope everybody had a great time. We learned a lot from this experience and plan to have more Craftsbury biathlon events in the coming year, so stay tuned.

    20121013-211206.jpg

    Dick Dreissigacker instructs a group volunteers how to be score keepers on the range. Photo: Judy Geer

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    The first round of participants receive safety instruction at the beginners’ clinic. Photo: Jamie Chapman

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    The beginners’ clinic featured one-on-one instruction, talking each participant through all the steps of the shooting process. Photo: Jamie Chapman

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    Craftsbury junior skier Matthew Lawlor practices before the race. He is one of several young skiers in the Craftsbury Nordic Ski Club that have been attending weekly shooting practices with Jeremy. Matthew went on to win the beginners’s running division, his first biathlon race. Photo: Jamie Chapman

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    Giving final instructions to racers at the starting line of the beginners race. Photo: Hannah Dreissigacker

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    Sheldon Miller and Andrea Carpentier are experts at smoothly running things from behind the scenes. Normally they can be found in the back office of the Outdoor Center but on race days, you will probably spot them directing timing near the finish line. Photo: Judy Geer

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    Lynn Jennings and Lauren Gillott keeping track of penalty loops. Photo: Judy Geer

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    The firing line. Photo: Jamie Chapman

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    Competitors in the beginners’ race being supervised by experienced biathlon coaches and athletes. Photo: Judy Geer

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    Shooters on the range during the expert race. Photo: Judy Geer

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    Mountain bike racers leaving the range and heading back onto the bike course. Photo: Judy Geer

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    The GRP rowers showed up en masse to race and help out. Phil Henson puts on a goofy face during a trip around the penalty loop. Photo: Judy Geer

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    The most exciting battle of the day was between siblings Jack and Callie Young, Craftsbury youth skiers. After matching each other’s performances on the range, the race came down to the final sprint, in which Callie barely edged Jack. Their competitive spirit matches any I have seen at any level. Photo: Judy Geer

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    Craftsbury youth and junior skiers hanging out and staying warm post race. Bonus points if you can identify the GRP ski racer face in the mix. Photo: Hannah Dressigacker

  • Fall Foliage

    Fall is one of my favorite times of the years.  Colorful leaves, the last garden harvests with pumpkins, squash, and apples galore, and that frosty chill in the air which is an exciting harbinger of the upcoming winter.  This year we had a very dry summer and early autumn and this nice weather became the gift which kept on giving with awesome fall foliage.  Here are some pictures of the fall leaves around Craftsbury.

    A rainbow of leaves

    A rainbow of leaves

    A neon tree which Caitlin and I marveled at while rollerskiing on the Creek Rd. in East Albany

    A neon tree which Caitlin and I marveled at while rollerskiing on the Creek Rd. in East Albany

    The treeline next to our favorite bounding and grass skiing hill

    The treeline next to our favorite bounding and grass skiing hill

    The view from our parking lot at Elinor's

    The view from our parking lot at Elinor's

    I think the new windmills are enhancing the fall panoramas. Here you can kind of see the turbines in the distance.

    I think the new windmills are enhancing the fall panoramas. Here you can kind of see the turbines in the distance.

    Lots of reds and oranges

    Lots of reds and oranges

    Jay Peak

    Jay Peak

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    P1010454

    P1010173

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    It's past peak now but that only highlights the trees which continue to shine

    It's past peak now but that only highlights the trees which continue to shine

    And now that the leaves are falling, it's time to start our snow dances. The first snow of the year left some accumulation on Mt. Mansfield.

    And now that the leaves are falling, it's time to start our snow dances. The first snow of the year left some accumulation on Mt. Mansfield.

    With the peak of foliage over, I headed west to Park City for an altitude training camp with the US Ski team.  There are some yellow birch trees here but the colors are nowhere near as vibrant.  On the upside, the drier climate  means lots of sunny weather and my vitamin D stores are feeling happily replenished.  Check back soon for updates from Utah.

    Thanks for reading and happy fall!

  • Lake Placid, sprint time trial photos

    From September 10th through September 21st, the skiing portion of the GRP was in Lake Placid, NY for a training camp with our peers from other training groups around the country and the US Ski Team.

    I’m not going to attempt to summarize the camp here, because chances are that if you’re interested in our day-to-day workout routines, you’ll probably have read the Fasterskier articles and followed USSA on Facebook to find pictures and other “workout stories.” We did bounding intervals, rollerski speeds and easy distance workouts, a sprint rollerski time trial, and quite a number of other sessions. And the notorious Climb to the Castle rollerski race, which I would say went moderately well to very well for most members of the GRP.  (Go to this link: http://nysefxcski.blogspot.com/2012/09/climb-to-castle-2012-race-coverage-and.html for results if you’re interested.)

    Here are a few pictures of the GRP guys (and others) from the classic sprint last Thursday, since I decided that watching and snapping pictures was somewhat more interesting than a long cool down.  We woke up to a cold morning but the sun was bright and faintly warm by the start of the qualifiers. The women tended to be conservative on the fast downhills of the Lake Placid jump complex course, instead using the flats and uphill sections to make decisive moves during the heats. The men flew around the corners and down the hills without hesitation, and then powered up the hills too. Fortunately there didn’t seem to be any crashes during the qualifiers or heats, for men or women. The camp was an excellent experience, a nice chance for comparison, competition, and just plain hard training. And some movies, team dinners, card games, strength competitions, and hours lounging on the sun porch at our Lake Placid rental house too.

    Lactate testing after the women's finals with Whitcomb and Pepper

    Lactate testing after the women's finals with coaches Whitcomb and Pepper

    From right to left: Pat, Eric Packer, Dylan, Alex, Gordon, (Bryan's shadow)

    From right to left: Pat, Eric Packer, Dylan, Alex, Gordon, (Bryan's shadow)

    The same heat, climbing the first hill

    The same heat, climbing the first hill

    Cornering: In control, or not quite?

    Cornering: In control, or not quite?

    Pat leading around the downhill corner

    Pat leading around the downhill corner

    Andy Newell leading a heat towards the finish

    Andy Newell leading a heat towards the finish

    Pat leading over the crest of the hill

    Pat leading over the crest of the hill

    Starting

    Nils and his heat just after the start

    Ida and Annie Hart cooling down after the sprint

    Ida and Annie Hart (in the distance) cooling down after the sprint. The fall colors were actually quite vibrant in NY by the time we left, though this picture doesn't do them justice.

    Alex gapping Tim and Gordon

    Alex gapping Tim and Gordon

    Tim, Gordon, Dylan, Nils

    Tim, Gordon, Dylan, Nils

    Alex leading up the last hill, with the aerials pools in the background

    Alex leading up the last hill, with the aerials pools in the background

    Pepa cheering on the heat of 5 GRP skiers + Sylvan

    Pepa cheering on the heat of 5 GRP skiers + Sylvan

    Bryan vs. Tad Elliott

    Bryan vs. Tad Elliott

  • Two weeks in Craftsbury

    I haven’t written a blog post in a long time…and I know that the last one I wrote was probably about our garden.  So probably I should have written a blog about training or something in between then and now…but I didn’t, so instead this is mostly just going to be a fall garden update, in pictures.  But I swear that there are pictures of other things besides vegetables too!

    Ida and I planted lots of garlic this year--and we had a bumper crop! Now we can all stay healthy and have stinky breath all winter.

    Ida and I planted lots of garlic this year–and we had a bumper crop! Now we can all stay healthy and have stinky breath all winter.

    Dylan and Nils scavenged tons of apples from roadside trees, plus some from around our house, and we had a cider pressing.

    Dylan and Nils scavenged tons of apples from roadside trees, plus some from around our house, and we had a cider pressing.

    We made almost 15 gallons of cider--and a good bit of it is now "aging to perfection" in our basement.

    We made almost 15 gallons of cider–and a good bit of it is now "aging to perfection" in our basement.

    One day a few weeks ago Amy and I volunteered to glean for the Vermont Food Bank at Hazendale Farm in Greensboro. We picked some of the coolest eggplants ever!

    One day a few weeks ago Amy and I volunteered to glean for the Vermont Food Bank at Hazendale Farm in Greensboro. We picked some of the coolest eggplants ever!

    The boys have a hop-picking party. I was in a rush, so I just pulled down the whole vines, and we picked the hops off later. Everyone was quite hop-happy!

    The boys have a hop-picking party. I was in a rush, so I just pulled down the whole vines, and we picked the hops off later. Everyone was quite hop-happy!

    Pretty chard from our house garden.

    Pretty chard from our house garden.

    Caitlin and Ida show off our HUGE beet (not very many others even came up, and they're all much smaller) and our HUGEST carrot (we had a lot of big carrots this year!)

    Caitlin and Ida show off our HUGE beet (not very many others even came up, and they're all much smaller) and our HUGEST carrot (we had a lot of big carrots this year!)

    We took the GRP rowers for rollerski practice. For a few of them, it was their very first practice of any kind in Craftsbury. They were all great sports...and now they have some practicing to do for the 2nd annual Roll Run Row triathlon that we plan to hold sometime soon.

    We took the GRP rowers for rollerski practice. For a few of them, it was their very first practice of any kind in Craftsbury. I think that they mostly had fun! And now they have some practicing to do for the 2nd annual Roll Run Row triathlon that we plan to hold sometime soon.

    And since I also have a habit of posting pictures of the view from our house, I figured I'd throw this one in too! The cool fall weather has been giving us lots of nice foggy sunrises during breakfast.

    And since I also have a habit of posting pictures of the view from our house, I figured I’d throw this one in too! The cool fall weather has been giving us lots of nice foggy sunrises during breakfast.

    I was psyched to have some time at home in Craftsbury for the last couple of weeks–as you can see its been a great few weeks!  Now our whole team heads to Lake Placid for a training camp with the U.S. Ski Team and Biathlon team, the Stratton elite training group, NENSA athletes, and other skiers from around the country.  It should be good training, and definitely less harvesting.

  • August BKL Camp – Success!

    Last week was the second week-long BKL camp of the summer, and I’m happy to announce we escaped without any casualties. In fact, one of the rollerski groups completed their session without any bloodshed! — a landmark accomplishment. Add to that the good weather, enthusiastic campers, and fun activities, and you can imagine that we all finished the week tired but happy.

    Throughout the week, GRP skiers and rowers, coaches from the Center, and other Craftsbury athletes led about 20 BKL-ers on half-day sporting adventures. Like the first camp back in July, the first four days included mountain biking, canoeing, biathlon, soccer & games, bounding & agility, sculling, and rollerskiing. There was also lots of swimming, multiple times a day in fact. Pretty astonishing how much entertainment kids can draw from jumping off the dock into the lake.

    I helped out with a few different sessions myself, including one rollerski morning where I got a glimpse of the East’s next wave of skiing talent! Some of those little rippers ride a better gliding ski than me, I swear. I also worked with Jeremy Nellis to do a morning of agility exercises.

    Bounding exercises on the Upper Soccer Field. Photo: Gordon Vermeer

    Bounding exercises on the Upper Soccer Field. Photo: Gordon Vermeer

    The ladder hones agility, coordination, and speed. Photo: Gordon Vermeer

    The ladder hones agility, coordination, and speed. Photo: Gordon Vermeer

    The full photo album from that morning is posted on the GRP’s facebook page.

    Friday, in a sort of culminating adventure, Dylan and Nils organized a multi-stage adventure race where the campers got to run around the Center doing all sorts of crazy things. It started off pretty tame with a swimming portion and a team log carry, but things started to get exciting when they reached the log bridge — attempting to walk across “Frog Pond” on a bridge of logs tethered to shore and to one another. It was extremely popular, so I imagine the log bridge will feature in future BKL camps. I tried the log bridge myself and fell in the swampy pond shortly after everyone started chanting “fall! fall! fall!” at me.

    Rivaling the log bridge in popularity was the tire roll, where teams got to (safely, I assure you) roll tractor tires down a big hill. “Wait, we actually get to roll it down there?!” they exclaimed when instructed to do so.

    I filmed the whole morning! There’s a highlight video of the race online — lots of good footage of falls into the swamp.

    We capped off the week with a bike trip to the Dreissigacker’s camp and an afternoon of pizza-making and rope-swinging. Judy Geer took a bunch of pictures including the ones below, but check out the whole album here.

    Watermelon and pizza with dough from the Center's kitchen. What more could you want? Photo: Judy Geer

    Watermelon and pizza with dough from the Center's kitchen. What more could you want? Photo: Judy Geer

    One of countless trips out over Hosmer. Photo: Judy Geer

    One of countless trips out over Hosmer. Photo: Judy Geer

    I look forward to seeing all these BKL athletes tearing up the trails this winter!

  • Salen Sweden

    Today is a well appreciated rest day halfway through our camp with the Swedes and we’re all enjoying the time to relax and recover from a few big days of training in Salen, Sweden.  The breakfast buffet, laundry, and some yoga are on the schedule for the morning and then this afternoon we will drive back to Torsby for the second half of our camp.  Tunnel skiing again tomorrow morning!

    The first part of the camp has been AWESOME!  Our Swedish hosts have been wonderful and it has been lots of fun having new friends and training partners.  A year ago I would never have imagined myself feeling  comfortable enough to laugh and joke or run and ski alongside these girls, many of whom are my idols on the the World Cup circuit.  The training has been tough and exciting.  Every day has totaled between four and five hours and included a sprint race, intervals, double pole speeds, specific strength, and long runs in the mountains and bogs.  The training plan for the week looked very complicated (partly because it was written in Swedish) but there hasn’t been anything noticeably crazy or different between their training and what I’m used to.  Many of the workouts are exactly the same as what we do at home and these girls laugh and have just as much fun while training.  It’s just hours and hours of hard work!  Here are some pictures of the Salen portion of our camp.

    Salen is the start of the Vasaloppet, a 90km ski race to Mora, Sweden. Salen is a small town but it's obvious that skiing is a big part of this community.

    Salen is the start of the Vasaloppet, a 90km ski race to Mora, Sweden. Salen is a small town but it's obvious that skiing is a big part of this community.

    We stopped at the stadium on our way into town. It's a huge open field with enough space for the 40,000 competitors to toe the line.

    We stopped at the stadium on our way into town. It's a huge open field with enough space for the 40,000 competitors to toe the line.

    We stayed in cabins in Lindvallen, a resort just outside of Salen. Gunde Svan spent many years training here. It's the perfect location in the mountains with rollerskiing and running out our front door.

    We stayed in cabins in Lindvallen, a resort just outside of Salen. Gunde Svan spent many years training here. It's the perfect location in the mountains with rollerskiing and running out our front door.

    Every day started with an awesome breakfast buffet with tons of options to keep us fueled through all the hours of training.

    Every day started with an awesome breakfast buffet with tons of options to keep us fueled through all the hours of training.

    The camp started with an OD run in a bog on the top of the mountain. It was soft footing but with some rainy weather, there were lots of muddy feet and legs at the end!

    The camp started with an OD run in a bog on the top of the mountain. It was soft footing but with some rainy weather, there were lots of muddy feet and legs at the end!

    There are lots of great roads for rollerskiing and all the cars are very tolerant to rollerskiers. Here Kikkan and Anna Hag lead a train of skiers.

    There are lots of great roads for rollerskiing and all the cars are very tolerant to rollerskiers. Here Kikkan and Anna Hag lead a train of skiers.

    Following different skiers and mimicking technique has been very helpful.

    Following different skiers and mimicking technique has been very helpful.

    We had a skate sprint time trial and the local club skiers cheered us on. Check out the bike which they found in the bushes!

    We had a skate sprint time trial and the local club skiers cheered us on. Check out the bike which they found in the bushes!

    The Swedish coaches have been awesome and very welcoming to our team. They said we added "spice" to their camp

    The Swedish coaches have been awesome and very welcoming to our team. They said we added "spice" to their camp

    Another morning we ran across the mossy high tundra off the trails for a few hours. Running through knee deep vegetation is great for the legs!

    Another morning we ran across the mossy high tundra off the trails for a few hours. Running through knee deep vegetation is great for the legs!

    Cloudberries for snacking! There were also little blueberries hidden in the bushes.

    Cloudberries for snacking! There were also little blueberries hidden in the bushes.

    Lots of new Swedish friends!

    Lots of new Swedish friends!

    Thanks Marwe for new rollerskis which are closely matched in speed to the Swedes' rollers!

    Thanks Marwe for new rollerskis which are closely matched in speed to the Swedes' rollers!

  • Gardens and Vegetables

    Between training sessions, quite a few of us (okay, mostly the girls…) enjoy spending time in the gardens around the Outdoor Center and Elinor’s.  This has been my first summer in the East, and I’m finding the large variety of wild and garden plants, as well as the speed with which they grow, to be quite fascinating.  There is never any shortage of things to do in the garden, especially here in early August.  The weeds are as energetic as ever, with plenty of rain and sun to encourage new sprouts to pop up each day.  More importantly, the vegetables are growing extremely quickly, with the cucumbers and summer squash requiring almost daily picking.
    Bright flowers along the garden border.

    Bright flowers along the garden border.

    From these two rows of cucumber plants, consisting of 3 different varieties, we've been harvesting around 70-100 cucumbers every other day!

    From these two rows of cucumber plants, consisting of 3 different varieties, we've been harvesting around 70-100 cucumbers every other day!

    Cucumber flowers, spring-like vines, and baby cucs. These plants are lightly furred with spines and expertly hide fully grown cucumbers, so that each cucumber picking session quickly turns into a cucumber treasure hunt.

    Cucumber flowers, spring-like vines, and baby cucs. These plants are lightly furred with spines and expertly hide fully grown cucumbers, so that each cucumber picking session quickly turns into a cucumber treasure hunt.

    A few long, skinny cucumbers that are almost ready for picking. All of the vegetables we pick go straight to the Outdoor Center kitchen, where they soon find their way into salads, soups, and sautés for all diners to enjoy.

    A few long, skinny cucumbers that are almost ready for picking. All of the vegetables we pick go straight to the Outdoor Center kitchen, where they soon find their way into salads, soups, and sautés for all diners to enjoy.

    We also have fantastic beets, peppers, tomatoes, and tomatillos growing.

    We also have fantastic beets, peppers, tomatoes, and tomatillos growing.

    Yellow zucchini and patty pan squash are two of the types of summer squash we've grown this year.

    Yellow zucchini and patty pan squash are two of the types of summer squash we've grown this year.

    It's fun to find all the bright yellow hiding underneath big green leaves.

    It's fun to find all the bright yellow hiding underneath big green leaves.

    Near Elinor's, there are two winter squash gardens, with vines reaching into the wild grassy borders.

    Near Elinor's, there are two winter squash gardens, with vines reaching into the wild grassy borders.

    The tiny butternut squash...

    The tiny butternut squash…

    … quickly balloon into edible fruit.

    … quickly balloon into edible fruit.

    In the squash garden it is possible to study many color differences within the same type of squash.

    In the squash garden it is possible to admire the many color differences between squash of the same type.

    A few of the squash varieties, like the sugar pumpkins at bottom, seem to think fall is coming. Just a few days ago, they started turning orange, with a faint glow like a misting of spray paint at first, which has now turned into full-fledged orange.

    A few of the squash varieties, like the sugar pumpkins at bottom, seem to think fall is coming. Just a few days ago, they started turning color, with a faint glow like a misting of spray paint at first, which has now turned into full-fledged orange.

    The garden scene wouldn't be complete without garden pests and helpers. Finding one of these little frogs (or maybe they are toads) always makes digging in the garden even more fun, and fortunately there are quite a few of them hopping around.

    The garden scene wouldn't be complete without garden pests and helpers. Finding one of these little frogs (or maybe they are toads) always makes digging in the garden even more fun, and fortunately there are quite a few of them hopping around.

     

    On a different note, the Outdoor Center has been hosting the USSA J2 camp this week.  On Monday, several members of the GRP ran the Elmore uphill time trial with the J2 group.  Gordon set an impressive new men’s record, and I think all or nearly all of the GRPers who ran set PRs.  There were some very quick J2s, and everyone clearly gave the time trial their best effort.  Here are just a few photos, although the picture quality isn’t very good with the sun-speckled lighting.

    Nils in the Elmore time trial

    Nils in the Elmore time trial

    Dylan on Elmore

    Dylan on Elmore

    Gordon speeding by for a 16:00 record on Elmore

    Gordon speeding by for a 16:00 record on Elmore

     

    The J2s are finishing their camp and leaving the Outdoor Center tomorrow morning.  For the GRP, tomorrow brings skate rollerski intervals for some of us, biathlon races at Jericho for a few, and the continuation of Canadian Henley for the rowers.

  • Gardens and Vegetables

    Between training sessions, quite a few of us (okay, mostly the girls…) enjoy spending time in the gardens around the Outdoor Center and Elinor’s.  This has been my first summer in the East, and I’m finding the large variety of wild and garden plants, as well as the speed with which they grow, to be quite fascinating.  There is never any shortage of things to do in the garden, especially here in early August.  The weeds are as energetic as ever, with plenty of rain and sun to encourage new sprouts to pop up each day.  More importantly, the vegetables are growing extremely quickly, with the cucumbers and summer squash requiring almost daily picking.
    Bright flowers along the garden border.

    Bright flowers along the garden border.

    From these two rows of cucumber plants, consisting of 3 different varieties, we've been harvesting around 70-100 cucumbers every other day!

    From these two rows of cucumber plants, consisting of 3 different varieties, we've been harvesting around 70-100 cucumbers every other day!

    Cucumber flowers, spring-like vines, and baby cucs. These plants are lightly furred with spines and expertly hide fully grown cucumbers, so that each cucumber picking session quickly turns into a cucumber treasure hunt.

    Cucumber flowers, spring-like vines, and baby cucs. These plants are lightly furred with spines and expertly hide fully grown cucumbers, so that each cucumber picking session quickly turns into a cucumber treasure hunt.

    A few long, skinny cucumbers that are almost ready for picking. All of the vegetables we pick go straight to the Outdoor Center kitchen, where they soon find their way into salads, soups, and sautés for all diners to enjoy.

    A few long, skinny cucumbers that are almost ready for picking. All of the vegetables we pick go straight to the Outdoor Center kitchen, where they soon find their way into salads, soups, and sautés for all diners to enjoy.

    We also have fantastic beets, peppers, tomatoes, and tomatillos growing.

    We also have fantastic beets, peppers, tomatoes, and tomatillos growing.

    Yellow zucchini and patty pan squash are two of the types of summer squash we've grown this year.

    Yellow zucchini and patty pan squash are two of the types of summer squash we've grown this year.

    It's fun to find all the bright yellow hiding underneath big green leaves.

    It's fun to find all the bright yellow hiding underneath big green leaves.

    Near Elinor's, there are two winter squash gardens, with vines reaching into the wild grassy borders.

    Near Elinor's, there are two winter squash gardens, with vines reaching into the wild grassy borders.

    The tiny butternut squash...

    The tiny butternut squash…

    … quickly balloon into edible fruit.

    … quickly balloon into edible fruit.

    In the squash garden it is possible to study many color differences within the same type of squash.

    In the squash garden it is possible to admire the many color differences between squash of the same type.

    A few of the squash varieties, like the sugar pumpkins at bottom, seem to think fall is coming. Just a few days ago, they started turning orange, with a faint glow like a misting of spray paint at first, which has now turned into full-fledged orange.

    A few of the squash varieties, like the sugar pumpkins at bottom, seem to think fall is coming. Just a few days ago, they started turning color, with a faint glow like a misting of spray paint at first, which has now turned into full-fledged orange.

    The garden scene wouldn't be complete without garden pests and helpers. Finding one of these little frogs (or maybe they are toads) always makes digging in the garden even more fun, and fortunately there are quite a few of them hopping around.

    The garden scene wouldn't be complete without garden pests and helpers. Finding one of these little frogs (or maybe they are toads) always makes digging in the garden even more fun, and fortunately there are quite a few of them hopping around.

     

    On a different note, the Outdoor Center has been hosting the USSA J2 camp this week.  On Monday, several members of the GRP ran the Elmore uphill time trial with the J2 group.  Gordon set an impressive new men’s record, and I think all or nearly all of the GRPers who ran set PRs.  There were some very quick J2s, and everyone clearly gave the time trial their best effort.  Here are just a few photos, although the picture quality isn’t very good with the sun-speckled lighting.

    Nils in the Elmore time trial

    Nils in the Elmore time trial

    Dylan on Elmore

    Dylan on Elmore

    Gordon speeding by for a 16:00 record on Elmore

    Gordon speeding by for a 16:00 record on Elmore

     

    The J2s are finishing their camp and leaving the Outdoor Center tomorrow morning.  For the GRP, tomorrow brings skate rollerski intervals for some of us, biathlon races at Jericho for a few, and the continuation of Canadian Henley for the rowers.