Monday, June 29, 2009
Arctic Valley Trail Run
If you're in the Anchorage area and interested in a running race: Arctic Valley Trail Run
10:00 am Sunday July 26 2009A 6 km loop climbing and descending approximately 1500', over the ridges and trails of Arctic Valley. Juniors may run a 3k loop with approximately 800' of vertical Short timed munchkin run. 9km Elite race begins at 11:00 am Elite Race $35 Adults $35 Juniors*, 16 and under $15 Munchkins*, 11 and under $5 For more information: http://ae.uaa.alaska.edu/volz/trailrun or Karl Volz volz@aeff.uaa.alaska.edu Sign up online !Entry fee include a race t shirt to first 50 registrants . Register online or day of race.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Williwaw to Long Lake OD
 Pete Kling coming up through the Williwaw Lakes.Then Pete decide that he wanted to jump in a lake.  Of course I couldn't let him jump in without doing it also so when he started taking off his shoes I did the same. Pete dove in and then I executed one of my clumsiest dives in a long time... even mid-dive I wasn't convinced I really wanted to hurl myself into the lake. It was cold but quite refreshing. And the sun was out so we warmed up quickly as soon as we got out of the water.  Pete Kling post swim.I got lost. I got hungry. I ran and ran. (and hiked) It was awesome. Labels: alaska, photos
Friday, June 26, 2009
Schemes
Today is a day for scheming. I'm so full of various schemes today, there's no time for blogging. Some days are for dreaming and some are for action. It's a dreaming day.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
 While we're all down enjoying some alaskan sunshine Erik & Casey are up on Eagle Glacier digging into the bowels of the Pisten Bully, looking like they're in blackface because they're covered in so much diesel. As one of our teammates said this morning, we're lucky Erik knows a thing or two about wrenching otherwise glacier camps would have been much more primitive. A coach's job is wide-ranging and time-consuming. Labels: eagle glacier, photos
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
AK Rollerski
The most notable thing since coming off the glacier has been the number of rollerskiers out and about. I don't think a day has gone by this week without seeing rollerskiers. Iwas even out for a run in Kincaid and at one spot where the trail came close to the road I could here the click, click, click of rollerski poles through the trees. And every day I've been out rollerskiing at Kincaid there's been herds of skiers (mostly because the APU jrs or WinterStars athletes have been training there about the time I'm out). It is so uplifting to have so many people out doing the same thing I'm doing, it's like riding a rollerskiing wave of popularity.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Eagle Glacier
We are still up on Eagle Glacier, two more workouts and then we find our way down into Girdwood and then back to Anchorage. Our second day up here the faithful Pisten Bully broke down so we've been skiing on tracks set with the snow machine. That's right, klister classic only all week. I had no idea my body was so unprepared for a week of classic skiing. We're all starting to ache-- arms, Lats, hip flexors, feet. We take off our boots and everyone has sores from where their classic Boots crease. Fitz is the only one with athletic tape up here and she's practically the Most popular person up here. My feet and body is surviving but I've been stretching after Every workout. Photos when I get home on Friday! Labels: eagle glacier
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Arts & Crafts 2
  Also while I was home I coerced Kirsten into folding origami pieces so I could put together a little module. It turned out quite nicely for an intro project. If I do more modules though I'll need more minions to fold the pieces with me, otherwise this kind of project just takes too long. I am currently up on Eagle Glacier, sans computer. I should be back on Friday and then I will have some reports of glacier skiing! Labels: photos
Monday, June 15, 2009
Arts & Crafts
For Kirsten & Maddy's high school graduation party, I wanted to stay out of the way of my mom who was setting up for the party so I went over to Maddy's house to carve fruit. Brilliant.     Labels: photos
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Orbea TT frame + components
 If you're looking for a sweet TT frame... I have one I'd like to sell: Orbea frame, Ultegra/Dura-Ace components, FSA bars, 56cm frame, hot, fast. I'll spare everyone who's not interested the specs. If you are interested send me an email at laura at lauravalaas dot com. The bike is fabulous fun to ride. By far my favorite bike to ride. I also have a Trico hard case that could go with it. 
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Unemployment
I know that the current persuasion from the US Ski Team encourages people to ski full time after high school. From the Wall Street Journal: "The unemployment rate for workers over 25 years old who haven't gone beyond high school rose to 10% in May, nearly doubling from 5.2% a year earlier, the government said Friday. Among workers who haven't completed high school, the unemployment rate rose to 15.5%, compared with 8.4% last year. By contrast, the jobless rate among those with four-year college degrees was 4.8%, up considerably from 2.3% a year ago, but well below the rate for people with less education." It makes me feel so much better to be part of the much rarer 4.8% instead of the larger 10% chunk of the non-college educated demographic.
Friday, June 12, 2009
June Glacier Camp
It looks like clear skies, so if all goes well we should be doing our afternoon workout as an easy ski up on Eagle Glacier! Labels: eagle glacier
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Brilliance
I've been developing a sore. I know, this is not hot. It's right in the center of my heart rate monitor strap on my sternum. It does get a bit of a chance to heal when I have a day off, but basically there's a growing patch of no skin. This has been irritating. When I was running today I got angry about it because I thought that my ski career was going to leave me with an odd scar on my sternum. I took a mental pause and told myself that I could solve this problem, I was just being lazy. So I turned my heart rate monitor strap around. And was happy. Post run when I jumped in the shower there was a mosquito that followed me in. I solved that problem too... die mosquito, die!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
 This is not my car, but it is the car of one of my teammates. It is so nice to be back training with the team and within the team structure. Not to negate the benefits of having my coaches around, but having my peers around is really what I appreciate about training up here in Anchorage. Knowing that you're surrounded by people working toward the same goals makes lofty goals seem normal. Thus, attainable.
Monday, June 08, 2009
AK
Driving home from the airport last night I saw someone out for a runner. Not just someone, an actual runner as determined by clothing and technique. It was 1:30 AM. And then later in the morning when I was warming up for our rollerski workout I almost skied into a black bear. I was watching the pavement for cracks and didn't notice the large black thing ambling across the road until I was almost upon it. Yep, it's good to be back in alaska.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
p.s. my mom says right at this moment she is able to buy tickets for Olympic events. in case you've been in the market and haven't made the previous openings.
AK yet?
I'm getting closer to AK. I've been gone for awhile & I'm really starting to miss my team. They're like another dysfunctional family of mine and after almost a month without their teasing and camaraderie I'm going through withdrawal. As I said, though, I'm closer. I'm back in Wenatchee for my sister's graduation and corresponding obligatory social events and then I fly back to AK on sunday...
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Rest Week
So it occurs to me that during my rest week sometimes I forget to post on my blog. Generally because I'm not doing ski-specific things. Not that the other things I'm doing aren't interesting, just not ski-related, like looking in tulips. But I do have bruises on my left leg from mountain biking and bruises on my right leg from rock climbing. Actually, I mean to say I have bruises from falling off a mountain bike and falling off a rock, they weren't earned in the process of successfully biking or climbing.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Spider
 This has nothing to do with anything. It's just a sweet spidey I found in a tulip. And when I went back to check on it later, a fly had fallen into it's trap. What a clever spider & what good evolution for it. But how does it find the white tulips? Labels: photos
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Pete Kling coming up through the Williwaw Lakes.
Pete Kling post swim.
