...And Having Fun!

While the Auburn Ski Club athletes have been putting in their fair share of hard work this summer, they have been able to have some fun too (good ski training is not all about blood, sweat and tears, but enjoying what you are doing as well!).

Over the last couple weeks, several athletes have had the chance to have some fun out on the water, both river rafting and paddleboarding.

Last week many ASC athletes joined up with other skiers in the region for an exciting day on the American River. With the help of four amazing guides: Mitch Dion, Jeff Schloss, Barb Hartley and Peggy Lindsay -- who also coordinated this trip for us, more than 20 athletes and several of us coaches navigated an 11-mile stretch of the river starting in Coloma, Calif. It was an absolute blast!

Despite the intense water fight battles that went on between the four rafts, the day was pretty much incident-free, with no involuntary swims (with the exception of the water wars, which I'm pretty sure Coach Ben won hands-down). The chilly water was the perfect contrast to a hot day, and the sunburns were relatively minimal. Overall, it was a fun and one-of-a-kind day for all, and one that won't soon be forgotten. A BIG thanks to all of our amazing guides, and especially to our trip coordinator Peggy, for such a WONDERFUL day! :)

(Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any photos of this trip since we were out on the water and getting WET all day! But trust me, there's no need for documentation to prove the day was a blast!)

And earlier this week, several Tahoe City devo kids, along with Stefan, Ben and myself were fortunate enough to be able to go paddleboarding on Lake Tahoe for our workout. Personally, I had never tried this new sport, and was heavily outnumbered, as nearly all of the 11 athletes in attendance had paddleboarded before, and many were actually impressively experienced. Nonetheless, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to try a new activity, and found that it was something I really enjoyed.

For me paddleboarding definitely took a bit of getting used to. At the beginning I was wobbly and understandably apprehensive. I watched with envy as the kids paddle along gracefully, seeming to leave me behind with each stroke. They were like paddleboard pros! But as I became more acquainted, I quickly began feeling more comfortable and efficient, and enjoyed myself more and more. Despite the relative experience of the group, I think just about everyone ended up in the water at some point or another, with a small misstep of imbalance. But it didn't take away from the fun!

Another HUGE thank you to Tom Kalange of Wai Sup paddleboards for getting us out on the water and showing us all how it's done! This was a truly special day, and a new discovery for me, and we are grateful for the opportunity to be able to 'mix things up' from our usual practice routine.

I headed back early to snap a few photos from the beach. Enjoy!













P.S... Still no luck with the rollerskiing videos :( I'll work on finding another way to get them up, perhaps through Youtube. Stay tuned!

-Coach Kara

Lots and LOTS of Rollerskiing!!

In ski training -- as with just about any sport, getting specific is the key to success. While we use training techniques such as running, hiking, biking and strength to help us improve our general fitness and give us a training "base," adding in ski-specific activities like rollerskiing, specific strength and skiwalking/bounding are what are really going to make the difference between a prepared and non-prepared athlete when we get out on the snow. Rollerskiing especially enables us to train all of our ski-specific muscles in the same motions as we would on skis, as well as work on our technique during the off-season. The ASC athletes have been putting in some really quality hours on their rollerskis these last few weeks (as the summer progresses, skiers should be increasing their specificity), and it is really starting to show. Their classic and skate techniques are getting fine-tuned, they are getting quicker and stronger with their movements, and they are able to ski longer and harder. Check out some video from some of our latest sessions, along with some photos. Grrr.... The site does not seem to be feeling cooperative with uploading video tonight. May be my internet connection. I will try again tomorrow, because these videos are SUPAH SWEET! :) But for now, here are some photos of the devo crew gettin' their ski on. -Coach Kara

Squaw Valley Mountain Run

Saturday, August 6th marked the running of the annual Squaw Valley Mountain Run: a grueling but beautiful 3.6-mile race up the resort's famed "Mountain Run" trail, and a fundraiser for the Auburn Ski Club and local cancer research.

The day was a huge success on many levels, with a record number of participants, numerous volunteers coming together to make sure the event ran smoothly, and some excellent performances by the Auburn Ski Club athletes and other local juniors.

A HUGE thank you to all of those juniors, parents and other community members who came out to help, and a big CONGRATS to everyone who put in the hard work to conquer the hill!

Sam, Savannah and Jennifer soak in the view as they wait for the runners to reach Aid Station 2.

Runners start at the bottom and make their way up the long, winding trail.

Elise, Tara, Ingrid, Isabelle and Anne work to set up Aid Station 1.

The Tahoe City devo girls are all smiles as they get ready to volunteer.

Aid Station 2 nearing the end of the action. Runners were ready for the nourishment nearly two-thirds of the way up the long climb.

ASC athletes Ryan and Brandon smile after completing the race, with Sugar Bowl Academy's Sam, who helped at Aid Station 2.

Athletes and spectators enjoy the view, sunshine and post-race refreshments at the top.

ASC's Camille picks up her first place medal for winning her age division.

ASC's Alex and Patrick alongside Andrew Coburn. The skiers swept their age group awards.

Brothers Martin and Jakub (local coaches who often help ASC) head down to get their medals.

Post-race entertainment!

June Lake in Photos

Brandon H. cools off on the way down Mt. Morgan.

Our sled tracks on Mt. Morgan.

Heading for home!

Taking the quick way down Mt. Morgan!

Heading back down Mt. Morgan.

360-degree views.

Mt. Morgan crew at the summit! Almost 14,000 feet.

Patrick M. and Alex H. take a snack break.

The view on the way up Mt. Morgan.

The Mt. Morgan crew enjoying a break.

Mmmmm... Foood!

Up and over the top.

Brandon H. crests the hill... almost there!

Raylene C. loves to double pole!

Alex K. showing off his double pole skills.

Distance Classic Rollerski.

Fun and games in June Lake.

Enjoying a dip in June Lake.

Some morning push-ups during breakfast.

Alex K. sporting his new Peruvian attire.

Enjoying some downtime at the Oh Ridge campground.

June Lake

If you weren't in June Lake for the Far West training camp July 21 to 24, let me just say, you missed out on some serious fun. Oh yeah, and some serious ski training too! Auburn Ski Club campers got met up with other athletes (21 in all) from throughout the Far West region for four jam-packed days of adventure.

Things started off in Truckee, where several skiers and two already-overwhelmed coaches (a.k.a. Ben and Kara) got in their first strenuous workout of the day loading up one van and one truck with everyone's training stuff, camping stuff, equipment stuff and "other" stuff. I'm still not really sure how it all fit, but we managed to squeeze it all in, along with a plethera of baked goods and other delicious treats courtesy of all of you kind parents out there (yes, they were much appreciated, despite not lasting long!). Then it was on to Kings Beach to pick up a few more kids, and squeeze in some more stuff. By now, our packing skills were getting pretty fine-tuned.

After a few more miscellanious stops along the way, several dozen cookies, too many Swedish fish to count, and several iPod switches, we made it, all accounted for, to our destination: the Oh Ridge campground at June Lake in the beautiful Eastern Sierras. The Mammoth crew was already there waiting for us. We then tested out or unpacking skills as we quickly unloaded the vehicles and set up camp. Then it was off for our first workout, a short run around some trails surrounding the campground. It was HOT, but the lake was pristine, blue and CHILLY, so we took advantage with a post-run dip before our first camp dinner.

Day two brought more sunshine. After breakfast, we loaded up our vehicles and headed to June Mountain for some skiwalking technique and "Moose-hoof" and bounding intervals. The athletes really put in some hard work, and despite an abundance of mosquito bites, it was a fantastic training session. After some well-deserved RNR back at camp, we loaded up again for workout number two, a long classic rollerski session emphasizing double pole and kick double pole technique. The skiers made some amazing progress during the session, capping off a successful second day of camp. After another refreshing dip in the lake it was time for dinner, some traditional camp games and then bed for a much-needed good night's rest.

Our third day of camp, Saturday, brought the biggest adventure, and the trip highlight. Campers split in to two groups to tackle two different Eastern Sierra peaks: Mt. Morgan and Mt. Star. Reaching the top of Mt. Morgan, at just under 14,000 feet, was hard work -- but totally worth it, with 360 degree views of mountains, alpine lakes and crystal blue sky. We were rewarded a bit on the way back with some glicading and/or butt-sliding down the big snow patches, which helped us avoid some of the hiking back down. It was an awesome adventure, but six hours later, I was definitely relieved to see the trailhead at the bottom. There was only one problem: Our ASC van decided it was tired as well, and didn't want to drive back to camp, so it had to hitch a ride on a tow truck to the shop. Our Mt. Morgan group met back up with our Mt. Star group, who had also had a fantastic hike, and we deciphered a plan for getting everyone back to camp and then eventually back to Truckee the next day while the van got all doctored up.

With the help of a few Mammoth parents and additional vehicles at camp, we all made it back to Oh Ridge safe and sound, and relished in another opportunity to jump in June Lake before another big, delicious camp meal courtesy of chef extraordinaire Mike McElravey. After that it was time for s'mores and campfire stories before hitting the sack for our final night. It was a crazy but amazing day!

When Sunday morning arrived, we were up early for a quick breakfast before heading out for our final workout: skate rollerskiing with a focus on V2 technique, followed by a solid strength and agility session on the fields nearby. Despite all the work over the previous three days, the skiers once again made some incredible progress while working on their technique, with visible results by the end of the session. As a coach, I was really pleased with their work. But there wasn't much time for celebration, as it was quickly back to camp to breakdown, pack up, load up and head west again for home. The Deeter's were kind enough to come down and help us out in our no-van pinch, and we loaded their truck to the brim with camp gear and training equipment. A HUGE thank you to them for helping us get everything back home!

After saying goodbye to the Mammoth crew, we headed on our way, making a quick (but necessary) stop at Mono Cone in Lee Vining. The campers were tired, but still had enough energy to blast some tunes and have a mini car-dance-party on the way home, which made for some more laughs before it was all over. All said and done, it was a fun and successful weekend. We came home with a few mosquito bites and sunburns, but many great memories, new friendships and as stronger and more knowledgeable skiers. Much was gained by all who attended. And for those who did miss it, don't worry, there is still plenty of fun and training to be had at the Bliss Camp in our own backyard in September...