It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like...April?

We were so close to not having a white Christmas here in Vermont. Thank goodness it snowed a few days before. It's still not much, but it's better than what we had which was...nothing. It was warm and kind of rainy. I think Vermont forgot it was December.

Because of the lack of snow for days upon days there really wasn't much as far as the whole skiing game goes. This lead to my multiple hour-hour and a half drives to Craftsbury to ski around a 1.5k loop. When all was said and done I skied for five hours in three days on that sucker. It got so old it's unreal.

Now that it's snowed we've got a few more options. Trapp's has around 15k, Sleepy has about 5k, Craftsbury has 10+k. There's talk of a storm coming (maybe? cross your fingers) tomorrow so perhaps this will be just what we need!

But enough of this ski talk! Based on my Twitter feed many of my classmates had wonderful Christmases, but are now ready to head back to our lovely SMC! I am one of many. I go back shortly after New Years for winter camp with Big Purple, so I'm a little luckier than most.

The Martell-Crawford/(Lary) Martell cousins on Christmas Eve
Eli, Evan (my brother), Cylas, Phoebe, me

That is my short and sweet life update. Life at home can be pretty boring. Mine especially since it's been consumed with driving to ski, which when going so far away can take pretty much your entire day. Once we hit New Years life will be going non-stop with skiing and I'll have no lack of Big Purple racing posts and pictures during the carnival season.

I hope everyone had the happiest of holidays and enjoys a fabulous New Year!

Phoebe, Uncle Pat, Aunt Becky, and I

Because St. Mike's is Awesome

Happy holidays!

 

Race Day

Gorgeous tracks on Saturday

This weekend was the first race weekend of the season. We haven't started the carnival season yet, but the  first Eastern Cup (the races put on by NENSA, the New England Nordic Ski Association) was this weekend. While there is absolutely no snow anywhere in the east, Craftsbury managed to pull together an phenomenal 1.4k race loop.

The first day consisted of a 1.4k classic sprint and a 3k classic prologue. Can't say I'm much of a sprinter, but it felt good to be in a solid set of tracks for the first time all season. The course was hard and fast and my lungs were absolutely burning. I didn't do as well as I hoped, but we've been doing a lot of long intervals, which isn't exactly too helpful for short distances. It's still early and it was good to get some starts in.

The fam after the classic races

My brother during the skate race today

The second day, today, was a ~5k skate race for women, ~10k for men. Again, it was hard, fast, and brutal. I worked hard and accomplished what I had hoped to, which was to ski more smoothly up the hills.

It's still very early in the season and I'm looking forward to a good winter break of training. Hopefully we'll get snow soon ANYWHERE in New England. I'm ready and willing to drive to snow wherever it falls. At the very least let's hope for a white Christmas!

Gabby and I being in love