First Weeks in the Valley

A view of Mount Baldy from one of the bike/ski paths

Welcome to Sun Valley!

Basically life here renders me speechless.

The valley is training paradise, the community is welcoming, and SVSEF is just an incredible program.  I've only been here for two weeks yet I already feel as if I belong.  The group of college skiers that is here training for the summer is a solid one, and each day we have the opportunity to push each other and ourselves, whether in a L1 double pole workout, strength, or bounding up Dollar Mountain. It's taken me a bit to acclimate, but tomorrow marks two weeks since I arrived, and my morning heart rate has finally returned to normal.

Snowy run in the morning this week

So moving to Idaho is a bit of a culture shock, in case you were wondering. First off, I definitely notice my Minnesoootan accent more, but I try to wear it with pride. Ooh yaaa sure ya betchaa.

Second, there is no humidity, mosquitoes, ticks, or any of the other nuisances that you fight while training in the Midwest. The weather is virtually perfect. (Well, except for when it snowed on Wednesday but we'll forgive that little Mother-Nature-meltdown).

Finally, instead of rush hour traffic due to cars, rush hour traffic is caused by sheep. Yep, giant herds of BAAAAA-ing, bleating, fat, wooly, sheep. They're being herded up to the northern mountains, and the path they take is literally straight through the town of Ketchum (seriously, they use the bike paths). The first time I saw the sheep I legitimately didn't know how to handle it. Also, instead of using pesticides on noxious weeds, the neighborhoods hire a hoard of goats to come and eat them, because apparently goats have an appetite for poisonous vegetation. I don't know.  The animals are everywhere. It's crazy.

Along with all that, life here is awesome. When I'm not training (or napping, which I'm basically also a professional at) I work at a bookstore called Iconoclast Books, this adorable bookstore/cafe in Ketchum. If you're ever in the area, I highly suggest you stop in.  Major thanks go out to the Unser family (Johnny, Shauna, and Loni) for welcoming me into their home for the summer, and also, shoutout to my dad, George, for helping me move all the way out here.

I definitely miss the Midwest and the people in it, but I'm already in love with Sun Valley, and I'm so glad I took the leap to come out here. 

3.5 hour OD classic roll/run with the girls this morning, joined by Coach Deedra and Morgan Arritola!

The river runs right by our training facility, and is great for ice bathing.

The Grand Tetons! Oh, and the Uhaul