Pineland camp

     Our final camp of the summer was last week at Pineland Farms of New Glouchester, Maine. We met up with the Stratton T2 team (http://smsxc.blogspot.com/) and various members of the Dartmouth ski team for 5 days of rollerski intervals, sea kayaking, a lobster feed, and a full sprint time trial.

Getting the low-down on sea kayaking
(photo: Will Sweetser)

     The camp was a great opportunity to train with top level athletes including the U.S. Ski Team's Andy Newell and Jessie Diggins. All of us on the MWSC team got the valuable experience of seeing what the next level of training and racing looks like.

     We were blessed with amazing weather on all but the first day of camp, and there was hardly any traffic which made for some great roller skiing. The week started with distance and easier intensity workouts and built to an OD on Thursday and sprint time trial on Friday. Needless to say, this weekend has been a pretty slow one for me, after returning home from camp.

     Thanks to the Fullers for giving us a classic Maine lobster feed; muscles, clams, lobster, pie, corn, the works - it was great! Everyone looked half asleep and smelled of fish by the time we said our goodbyes. This was, of course, after Steve had gone through his Flying Point Photography archives to pull up some awesome photos of our younger years of ski racing.

     I don't have to go out on a limb to say that I think the camp was a success. I feel faster, fitter, and I know what I need to improve on before the snow flies. Thanks to the Stratton T2 team and Dartmouth ski team for a great camp!