Bend Training
Back in February, Alayna Sonnesyn and I were both struggling with picking a place to train for the summer. We both agreed, it was time to try something new and go somewhere we've never been before. We decided that no matter what, we would go together. Based on advice and a discussion on our goals and needs, we chose Bend!
Bend, Oregon is one of the most beautiful places in the United States. At 3625 feet, it is characterized as high desert. Though the weather is dry and unbelievably hot, the picturesque landscape and incredibly athletic community creates the perfect place to train. If you watch the BEND. film teaser you will understand what I mean.
A big group of collegiate athletes came out to train with the Bend Endurance Academy (BEA) this summer. A large majority came from eastern schools such as Dartmouth, University of Vermont, Williams, Middlebury, and Colby. With 17 collegiate men and 7 collegiate women, practices were chaotic and exciting. Everyone brought their own level of intensity but with that, was excitement and motivation. The whole group worked together very well and created an awesome training environment.
Practices were 5 days per week starting at 8:30 a.m. and ending around 12. Coaches Ben Husaby and Jordan Buetow drove the athletes to specific rollerski and running locations. Before every workout, Ben would give us a big pep-talk to let us know what we needed to focus on.
A lot of the rollerski practices took place on roads that went uphill for hours. It's nice to mix it up after training in the Midwest my whole life. No matter what, the roads were always nice and the views were always beautiful. My favorite road was, of course, the flat, rolling one. It reminded me of the good ol' Midwest!
In July, there was a big training camp in Trout Lake, WA. BEA met up with the Sun Valley team and some PNSA junior skiers for a few workouts and a time trial. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend due to work, but I heard it was a great success with some impressive results!
At each practice there was a lot of flexibility. Ben and Jordan were more than willing to facilitate the athletes with anything they needed help with. From technique advice to equipment malfunctions, these guys were ready. I can't thank them enough for an amazing summer experience!
So, summer is starting to wrap up which means I get to head back to school. I will miss Bend a lot but I am more than ready to get back to my NMU teammates and have another great season!
