Summer in the North Country

 I have been in Aroostook County for about two weeks and the summer is off to a great start. So far I have put in some great training hours at the 10^th Mountain Ski Center in addition to the roads and trails surrounding Fort Kent. I also had the opportunity to work with the Maine Winter Sports Center junior biathlon team and the cross country development team. I enjoy working with young athletes and it’s a great opportunity to stay in touch with shooting and skiing fundamentals. I have also had the chance to train and talk with Russell Currier and Annelise Cook, members of the US National Biathlon team and senior members of the Maine Winter Sports Center biathlon team. I always learn a lot from being around World Cup athletes and this week was no exception.

Junior Athletes on the Range 

I am looking forward to a number of fun events that will take place in the County this summer. Next week the Valcartier Biathlon team from Quebec, Canada will be training with MWSC in Fort Kent, in July  10^th Mountain hosts the US Summer Biathlon Championships and in August Presque Isle hosts the Fat Tire Festival, a weekend of music and mountain biking. This season is off to a great start and I am excited to share the journey with my friends, family and teammates.      

\Great Double Track. Photo Katrina Howe 

Casey Smith- MWSC's newest addition

Putting in the hours 

Recovery Week

Successful biathlon and cross country skiing requires a huge amount of training. My training, like all other skiers is planned in cycles. Every three weeks I plan a training week with a half to two-thirds of my normal training volume and intensity. This keeps me from getting overtrained and lets me do other fun things. I kicked off this recovery week with a trip to Little Deer Isle, Maine with my family. We enjoyed some ocean shore living and I went on a great sea kayak. Next week kicks off a big training block in Fort Kent. I am currently soaking up all recovery I can.