In early July, after the National Team training camp in Canmore, I went home to Whitehorse to rest and recharge before the next training block skiing on the Haig glacier and an intensity focused period back in Canmore. After an unusually cold spring in Canmore, it was great to head north for some heat and real summer weather.
My trip home was relaxing and a lot of fun. Some highlights include boogie boarding on the river spin wave with some of my best friends, mountain biking, going for runs with my Dad and our dog Ozzy, playing some basketball and spending time with my family.
As a skier, I spend many hours of my summer training, biking and running as cross training until the snow arrives. In order to train well, that means we need good equipment to get us through the hundreds of kilometers we log each week. Growing up in Whitehorse, I am very fortunate to have amazing local partners and sponsors such as Icycle Sports. A few years ago, Icycle Sports set me up with my own mountain bike, so I could diversify my cross training as my training volume increased. This summer as the need arose for a new road bike, Icycle Sports has set me up with a beautiful new road bike, once again providing me with the equipment necessary to train hard, well and safely for a successful ski season.
A huge thank you to Icycle Sports for keeping my training on track with this snazzy new road bike as well their continued support of my World Cup race season.
After a great week of visiting and biking in Whitehorse it was time to switch back to winter mode and head up to the Haig glacier for some skiing.
The past few years I have been on the glacier in August, as the snow pack is already starting to recede. With our trip up to the Haig in July this year, coupled with the cool and wet spring Canmore experienced, the ski conditions were phenomenal. There was a fresh snowfall the day we went into the glacier, so we had 4 days of prime spring skiing conditions in the middle of summer. As always, it’s great to get back on skis after a few months of dry-land training to reconnect with that on snow technique and feeling. Especially with classic striding, roller skiing just isn’t the same. Glacier skiing is a great way to check in on the progress being made towards the summer’s technique goals and of course do some crust skiing. It’s a ton of fun to be able to ski mid summer, a camp that is good for the body and good for the soul!
Luckily by the time we were back from the glacier, summer had arrived in the Bow Valley. The past few weeks have had a bit more of a hard intensity focus, with some time trials and max efforts. This early in the year the feeling in max intensity can be hit or miss. I was pleased to feel quite good during my hard sessions, a sign as the second half of the training season begins. Now I have a few weeks of general training before our next National Team Camp at the end of August in Mt. Tremblant, Quebec. I’m taking advantage of this time to enjoy some lakeside living and solid training in BC for the week.
Thanks for reading, I hope everyone is enjoying the warm summer weather across the country!
Dahria
Dahria Beatty 