Aug. 11 – Day 1 of training in Whistler

After arriving in Whistler around 7:30pm last night, it took about 3 hours to eat dinner, track down some groceries and get settled in to our room. The team is staying in a pretty nice Hotel called Wildwood on Blackcomb Mountain, and I am sharing a room with the other three Junior Men on the team (Joey Burton, Bob Thompson and Lucas Jungmann).

Our day began at 7am this morning for breakfast and to get ready for our first workout in Whistler. We met up with the rest of the team at 8am, and were then driven out to our starting spot for our 2 hour skate rollerski workout. I didn’t really know where exactly we were (I knew we were somewhere between Whistler and Squamish), but after 50 minutes of legs only skiing up this constant climb, I ended up reaching the Whistler Olympic Park. I must say it was quite the pleasant surprise, not only because of how cool it was to be back there, but also because it took my mind off how absolutely dead my legs were feeling (but in a good way of course haha).

For anyone who does not know, this is where the cross-country skiing, nordic combined and biathlon events are going to be taking place for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Having been there a little over a year ago for the Canadian National Championships, it was very cool to see how far they have come in preparing for the Games. The buildings appear to now be completely finished, some of the ski trails have been paved (made for some very nice rollerskiing), and there are a few massive screens in various locations which I would assume will be for showing constant footage of the races as they take place.

So after the workout this morning, we returned to our hotel for lunch and some down time before our afternoon rollerski workout. I took this time to wander over to the Whistler Village and check out the whole Crankworks scene, have a nice little chat on the phone with my girlfriend, and of course, make a stop at the grocery store. Once I got back to my room it was time to get ready for our afternoon workout, which was an easy 1 hour rollerski around the trails that run throughout Whistler. There was a plan on where we were going to go, but by the time we found it, it was time for me to turn back and head for the hotel.

And now it’s time for supper, not real sure what it’s going to be yet, but I need to help make it. So that’s all for now!