As we are now in the midst of summer and the dryland training season is in full swing. After a short but intense two month long work stint at a full time job during May and June, I was more than pleased to see July arrive. With the arrival of summer and the completion of my contract job, I was finally able to shift my focus from trying to fit in my training sessions around work, to fitting in a nap in between my training sessions! Once again I have returned to my original full time job: the life of an athlete!
After venturing out into the 'real world' the last two months, I realized that the average person may find the life of an athlete to be somewhat trivial. Going for a morning jog or working out at the gym followed by an afternoon nap appears to be a lazy day around the house for most people. The concept of skiing around the mountains and not having a paycheck to deposit every two weeks is often referred to as the life of a ski bum. When I explain that these are both part of my daily routine as an athlete it is no wonder that many people stare at me with confusion. In fact, in the minds of many people, it appears that I am nothing but a glorified ski bum! The truth of the matter is that a simple morning jog or gym workout is only the beginning of the full job description of a cross-country skier. There are only a select group of people who are able to fill the true job description of an elite athlete:
Female Cross Country Ski Racer Needed
Must be whiling to work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. High level of physical activity for between 12 and 25 hours per week, totaling 600 hours per year or more, is necessary. Must be able to run in hilly terrain for over 4 hours without stopping, squat 225 pounds, do a minimum of 12 chin ups, have a maximum heart rate of over 200 beats per minute, roller-ski down hills at 65 km/h and compete in millimeter thick skin tight suits at -20 C. Following a healthy diet and generous sleep patterns are an asset. Must have a strong work ethic, desire to hurt and ability push your body to exhaustion on a daily basis. Monetary compensation is minimal, and a significant net financial loss should be expected. Life experiences gained may be priceless, and the potential for world domination in one of the world's most demanding sports exists.
A typical summer day for a ski racer consists of getting up in the morning, having breakfast and then heading out for a morning training session. The morning workout is typically the longer, harder or more intense training session of the day. It will vary from running or rollerskiing for a couple of hours, lifting weights in the weight room to doing a set of rollerski or running intervals. Interval sessions are like mini-races, where we go as fast as we can for a set amount of time, often repeating the interval five or six times. The morning training session usually ends by noon, at which point we have about 4 hours off in the afternoon. This time is spent working at a part time job, working on a correspondence university course, running errands, or having a short nap in preparation for the afternoon workout. The afternoon workout is usually a bit easier than the morning workout, but it can still be up to 2 hours long. After the afternoon training session it is time for dinner, followed by a couple of hours of relaxation before heading to bed.
For an athlete, the lifestyle of training and racing is anything but trivial. I have had the daily routine of training and recovery for the past ten years, and it is hard to imagine doing anything else. This is the lifestyle that is required to become one of the top cross-country skiers in the world, just as a 12-hour day at the office may be the path towards becoming a successful lawyer or doctor. At the moment this is the lifestyle and career that I love and am passionate about. As I stare down the 2010 Olympics, and the end of my ski career, it is hard to imagine that my daily routine of training will have to change to the more traditional 40+ hour office work week. While I am sure that I will enjoy the regular pay checks, there is no doubt that I will miss pushing my body to it's limits every day. For now, I have 937 days of work ahead of me before the 2010 Olympics.
My next journey of training will take Gord and I to New Zealand. We will spend one week exploring the North Island before heading down to the South Island for 3 weeks of on snow training at the Snow Farm. After an unseasonably hot summer in Canmore, I am very excited to train in the cooler winter temperatures of New Zealand. I am also very excited to dust off my skis for three weeks of skiing this summer! Stay tuned for updates from the Snow Farm!
