New Paltz Camp

Another week another camp! This week we packed up the car and headed to New Paltz for the second consecutive year. Last year was so much fun the word seemed to spread within the group and this year 5 athletes and I made the journey East.

(My car has looked like this for 75% of the summer! Sweet!)

First off I want to thank the entire Mancuso family for hosting this camp at there home. Without them stepping up and providing accommodations, food, coaching, and support this camp would not take place. I would also like to thank Art Stegen, and Greg Malia for helping out as well.

(Adam and Reed with our host and athlete Gabby Mancuso)

The New Paltz area is a really special place. Being only an hour outside of NY City you would assume that there would be no place to roller ski and limited places to even train. Well you would be wrong because this place is awesome! In the heart of the Gunks there are miles and miles of carriage trails to run on, as well as some sweet roads to roller ski on. There are also some huge climbs around with the Catskills being so close.

With so much to do, the time and the camp really flies by. We arrived on Thursday and got right in to it heading out for a skate technique session, followed by a trail run up to the Mohonk Mountain House. This place is sick ! It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. Once up to the grounds we went through a rock scramble and then climbed up to the fire tower. We even poached a swim in the lake, though somehow I think the lifeguards knew we were not guest they let us sneak in and out!

(The Mountain House from the fire tower)

On Friday we got in a skate OD in the morning and then a classic technique session in the afternoon. Saturday the group headed out for a classic roller ski and then in the afternoon we went for a sweet mountain bike ride up in the Gunks! It was refreshing to be able to ride a few miles and then jump in a mountain lake, ride a few more miles and then jump in another lake. Pretty spectacular training. Sunday morning we headed south to West Point for a time trail. Last year we classic skied the TT so this year we switched it up and went with skate. Now we have a baseline for both techniques. The TT is primarily uphill for 5 or 10k depending on age and ability and has a huge shoulder so it is also safe.

(All these camps are hard work for the coaches as well but hey I cant think of a better way to spend the summer!)

The kids all were hurting and put in some good efforts. This time of year it is good to remind the body what it takes to put in that kind of effort. Though for some of them it was there third TT in as many weeks. Luckily there are no camps this week, other than vacation so we are working hard back in Rochester with the rest of the crew!

(Reed's new profile picture, I'm sure this will be on Facebook very soon!)

(The R.N.R Boy's Minus Dylan who forgot his sneakers and rocked the five fingers on the run and rock scramble! Needless to say his feet were hurting at this point)

(The crew back to work on Monday)

(Get after it ! )

Busy Time Of Year.

To put it mildly the summer is super busy. It seems as though there are commitments everyday of the week, this week, next week, last week, every week. It sounds funny and maybe crazy but to be good really good you have to make a commitment a commitment to get better each and everyday!

(Warm-Up obstacle course)

The summer though seems to try to add other commitments vacations, weddings, late nights, and all the things that seem to happen over the summer. I guess it is a good thing in some ways since we compete over the winter when everyone else seems to go in to hibernation. For the most part everyone has been dealing well with all of the commitments and some even seeming to excel. For some the commitment may be only 3 days a week when we meet as a group for others it might be 7 days a week. It seems as though the entire U.S is stepping up it's game and in by doing so there are a lot of opportunities to share your commitment with others.

(Dinner at Charlie's on our way to Craftsbury Salmon, Venison, and Caribou!!)

Most recently I had the opportunity to attend the NENSA REG Camp in Craftsbury Vermont. It was an amazing opportunity, and i'm glad that they extended it to include some of us from Mid-A. Not only was I able to be a part of the camp but so were three athletes Reed Likly, Elizabeth Izzo, and Charlie Bencze. Everything at the camp was amazing the coaches, the athletes, the accomidations, the weather, I mean everything. I have been to a lot of camps as both a coach and and as an athlete and this was without a doubt the best. It is not a surprise that New England has brought home the Alaskan Cup the last couple of years and that they are also well represented on the USST. There is a level that has been set in New England and everyone is trying to get to that level. Pretty sick stuff !! A big thank you to NENSA for letting us take part. For more on the camp check out http://www.nensa.net/index.html For more info on Craftsbury and the Green Racing Team check out http://www.craftsbury.com/skiing/nordic_center/home.htm

(The NENSA REG CAMP)

This week some of the R.N.R gang has invaded the OTC in Lake Placid for the NYSEF camp. They will be home next weekend and on Thursday a bunch of will be leaving for New Paltz for another camp! Three Camps in less than a month! Commitment!!

On a side note I recently drove out to Oklahoma City with my dad to pick up his new Stratos Bass Boat. It was a 20hr trip one way from the HF. We left Friday morning at 9am and I was back here Sunday at 1:00pm. We even stopped at my Grandmothers for breakfast Sunday Morning! I got to see some cool things along the way. The St. Louis Arch, Busch Stadium, Lucas Oil Stadium, and above all other the World Headquarters for Bass Pro in Springfield Missouri. Most of you know how much of a country guy I am and it was like heaven on earth. We only got to stop for about an hour so I need to go back for sure. You could spend a week in that place and not get see everything. Pretty sweet place.

Keep it real and keep the commitment going! I'm off the practice !

(It's hot here in NY as well)