First Post!

This website is still a work in progress, but I thought I'd give you an update for now.   This has been a very exciting week of training, as we got early snow up high above Steamboat, and have been XC skiing on Rabbit Ears Pass all week.   Tuesday was our team's first day on snow, and despite it being only October 26th, there was actually too much snow!  In the 24 hours since they had last groomed up there, the sky had dumped down at least a foot of snow.  As a result of this, we spent most of the time attempting a hybrid of classic skiing and snowshoeing technique on skate skis. 

When we skied Friday and Saturday the trails were beautifully groomed and the weather was wonderful.  Saturday was one of those days when you just don't want to quit skiing.  We skied for just under 2 hours (in race pants and shirtless!) but I think if I didn't have to go back down with the van I could have kept skiing all afternoon. 


The only downside of this time of year is we aren't jumping; last Sunday, the 24th, was our last day of plastic jumping, but we should be back jumping on snow in a matter of a few weeks.  The winter really gets going the first weekend of December, with two  Continental Cup competitions right here in Steamboat.  Continental Cups (COC's) are the second highest level of international competition, next to World Cups.  In the COC's I will be skiiing against competitors from all over Europe.  Needless to say, it will be tough.