Our van was filled with the noise of young girls crooning to each pop song, whether it was ABBA, Avril, or ACDC. This is how we survived our drive to and from our camp in Whistler from August 18th-28th. Music, singing and seat dancing are marvellously important to the sanity of one’s survival in a long drive. Don’t forget that next time you take on the road. Even if it is only a 5 minute drive to the store. Sing it out…. and don’t forget car seat dancing.

On the way to Whistler we stopped overnight in Kelowna and were graciously taken in by one of our teammates family and absolutely fed to high heavens. Then next morning we did a long rollerski up a pass before continuing the drive to Whistler. The reason for a camp in Whistler was to do higher volume of intensity at a lower altitude than Canmore. And that we did. Day 1 we did a rollerski cross country sprint race with the World Cup Academy (a development and senior xc team based in Canmore that we are co-connected with). Being that is was my first cross country sprint race, I was a bit nervous about my sprinting abilities. I’m really not a fast-twitch! Well the result wasn’t too bad… but I think I will stick to the longer distances!

A couple of great hikes to add to the list as well – hiking the Squamish Great Chief (although climbing the Chief could have been more awesome!), and hiking up to front of Whistler to the Peak to Peak gondola in Whistler. Great views, great scenery and fun times. In honor of hiking up a mountain called the Great Chief, we put on war paint… only it was neon zinc oxide! What we didn’t realize was that your face gets really really sweaty underneath that zinc!

It wasn’t only train, train, train… Whistler happened to have live band performances going on every few days and we got out to see Bare Naked Ladies. “it’s been 1 week since you looked at me, cocked your head to the side and said I’m angry…” Memories anyone?

And then it was back to training… We enjoyed some solid summer heat, jumping into cold lakes, eating ice cream, and of course, roller skiing- technique, intervals and races – shooting, hiking, running and then it was back to Canmore…

Richard’s (my coach) little summary of the camp in this great video –  Whistler Training Camp