Our first athlete update of the summer comes from Soldier’s Hollow in Utah, where the National Training Group has been busy putting laps in on the rollerski loop, training at US Ski and Snowboard HQ, and having fun in the Watsach Mountains in between!
Nina Schamberger, from Team Summit Nordic in Colorado, and Lauren McCollor, from Northern Michigan University wrote in with the update below!
Hi! It’s Nina and Lauren, checking in from NTG camp in Park City, Utah. We’re about halfway through a week of training and are loving it so far! Most of us arrived last Sunday, and after a long travel day, took Monday to get adjusted with a nice distance rollerski, also getting a chance to see the area we’re staying in. With Park City being at 7,000 feet of elevation, most of the skiers had to take some time to adjust and recognize the different ways the body reacts at higher altitudes.
The next day, we completed a higher-intensity session at the Soldier Hollow rollerski track, a venue most of us have skied at and will continue to ski at in the winter, with Senior Nationals there next January. This is a really cool opportunity for us because most places we train are not designed specifically for skiing; they are far more gradual and have lots of non-skier traffic. SoHo, on the other hand, has steep climbs, screaming downhills, and plenty of corners, which is great to practice over the summer. For our workout, we skied in groups over a 90 second course, focusing on quick movements rather than all-out effort. Skiing together at this camp has been very beneficial because we can learn lots from each other. For example, some people have super quick turnover with maybe shorter movements, whereas others get in bigger, more powerful strides. It’s interesting to mimic those around you and try new things. It’s also great for us to get to know each other better and feel like a team!
In between sessions, we spent a lot of time at the US Ski and Snowboard Center of Excellence (COE), which is sort of a home base for skiers (and snowboarders) from all over the US. Here, we are able to use the weight lifting room, volleyball court, foam rollers, and some high-tech recovery equipment like the norma-tech boots. In addition, we have an awesome chef, Steve, who’s provided amazing meals for us to fuel our sessions! The entire staff at the COE has been amazing and really supportive, helping us get the best experience possible this week.
Throughout the week, we have the opportunity to use the rollerski treadmill at the COE. For many athletes it was their first chance to get on a rollerski treadmill. After getting used to the feel of the treadmill it is super helpful tool to be able to get instant feedback and make changes to technique. One huge benfit of camp is getting technique advice from other coaches; this can be helpful as they may have a different perspective and new ideas on technique. Trying new things out is super important as we try to become better skiers.
We want to send a huge thank you to NNF for supporting this camp and all the awesome coaches for being here with us! It’s been amazing so far, looking forward to the rest of the week!
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