Training down under in New Zealand last summer was such a great experience, we decided to go back again this summer. Emily and I rounded up a few more friends plus coach Chris for a 3 week on snow training camp at the Snow Farm in New Zealand. After the spring and early summer, I felt that my overall training was going well but I didn’t feel quite like I was where I wanted to be especially during intensity sessions. Getting back on snow allowed me to find those little pieces that seemed to be missing during the early season dry-land training. I felt really good throughout the camp and I can safely say it has been my most productive training block of the season to date. My body handled the 69 hours,18 days volume load surprisingly well and the intensity sessions were better than anything I’ve done on roller skis this year. It’s a good thing I am a skier not a roller ski racer because apparently I am substantially better at skiing than I am at roller skiing. Something I continue to reconfirm every time I get back on snow.

Besides being able to average over 40km of skiing a day, having a group of seven women training together for a 3 weeks has been a real treat. The mid ski photo shoots to get those Instagram shots, evening O.C. marathons and an abundance of “great jokes” made for a fun and positive atmosphere. But more importantly having a strong group to ski with everyday, to push you in sprints and intensity workouts and get you through those long distance days definitely added to the quality and success of the camp.

I am really happy to have had the chance to come back to the Snow Farm this summer with a coach and the women’s team to prepare for the upcoming season. There were lots of great things about the camp but here are a few of my favourite parts.

Some highlights and pics from the camp!