Hi guys, it’s the Ninas (Schamberger and Seemann) from the National Training Group camp. This camp has been amazing so far, and we wanted to give you an update! It started off with a few relatively easy distance days with some short sprints incorporated. Once many of us from lower altitudes began to acclimate to the 7,000 feet of elevation here in Park City, we started doing intervals. We did six-minute bounding intervals (kind of like classic ski running with poles) up the ski hill and received lactate testing from the coaches. They do this by pricking a finger and taking a tiny sample of blood to show our lactate level, which gives us a good idea of how hard we are pushing.
However, after our Friday morning session, the air quality took a turn for the worse due to wildfires in the West. Training outdoors in the smoke can have negative long-term impacts on athletes’ lungs, so we have been limited to training indoors at the Center of Excellence since then. This building has been an amazing resource for us during camp. It has equipment that you’d find in most gyms like spin bikes and lifting racks, but it also has special equipment that is more specific to our sport, such as a roller ski treadmill, which has been extremely useful for us. The limitations brought upon us by the smoke ended up presenting new opportunities to focus more intensely on fine tuning our technique while using the roller ski treadmill and watching a live video of ourselves.
On Saturday morning, we were scheduled to do a rollerski sprint simulation, but were unable to, so we did four-minute classic intervals on the rollerski treadmill with two people at a time. The workout ended up being incredible and the two of us did an additional treadmill session on Sunday morning. Our workouts have continued to provide remarkable value despite the adjustments that had to be made.
One thing we have noticed about this camp is the level of independence that we are granted and expected to have with our training. There have been several sessions when we are given options for both the type and the duration of training, and no workout is mandatory. We are encouraged to listen to our bodies and take rest when we need it. The coaching and evening presentations on nutrition, team culture, and training philosophy have helped us learn how to train and have a lifestyle that enables us to thrive in the sport.
The coaches at this camp have been awesome; they have worked so hard, been adaptable and made each day really fun and unique. The training for the remaining few days is uncertain with smoke in the air but with the incredible resources provided for us, we’re sure it will continue to be an amazing experience! Thank you NNF for giving us this opportunity and helping us to pursue our future in cross country skiing.
**Nina Schamberger is from Leadville, Co and skis for the Summit Nordic Ski Club in the greater Breckenridge area. Nina Seeman is currently skiing for Craftsbury but has spent time at Auburn Ski Club & Stratton Mountain School over the years. Nina Seeman will join the Dartmouth ski team this fall!
THE NNF CONNECTION:
Both Nina s’s are U16 Camp Alumni. Nina Seeman is a 2x U18 Trip, 1x World Junior Team Member & Youth Olympic Games Athlete for USA.
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