IN THE ARENA WITH SYLVAN: US Ski Team Camp

Hey all-

I arrived this past Wednesday in Lake Placid, New York which to me is the beginning of the season. From this point on, I am going from camp to camp to camp to race to race to race to race.

My schedule until January 2014:

Lake Placid: September 1st - September 16th

Vail, CO: September 17th - October 5th

Park City: October 6 - October 16th

Canmore, Alberta: October 17th - October 28th

Vail, CO: October 29th - November 19th

West Yellowstone, WY: November 20th - December 1st

Bozeman, WY: December 2nd - December 8th

Silver Star, BC: December 9th - December 15th

Rossland, BC: December 16th - December 22nd

US Nationals/Olympic Trials (Soldier Hollow, UT):

- Skate Sprint on January 4th

- 15km Classic on January 6th

- 30km Skate Mass Start on January 8th

- Classic Sprint on January 10th

Also here is out National Calendar for the year:

http://my.ussa.org/sites/default/files/documents/athletics/nordic/2013-14/documents/2013-2014%20SuperTour%20Schedule.pdf

I am so excited to be on this track. It will go by quick but I will be taking all of it in. It is so exciting to competing for the top spots in the US.

As for Lake Placid, things here have been amazing. The weather has been great and it is always a great time to catch up with old friends and get some really solid training in with the best skiers in the country. We have had many interval sessions so far and I have been feeling great through them so far.

The one big difference between my training last summer and this summer is that I have been able to run more this summer. Running during the summer is very important to me and I believe gets me into better shape. Two years ago before I qualified for my first World Cups I was able to run a lot, but last summer I had to resort to biking because of my foot injury. Biking was a great alternative but I requires a much different kind of fitness.

Here is some video from the week if you have any interest:

Classic speeds (blue shirt, green gloves, white helmet): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx-k8PoJtIM

Bounding and Double Pole (no shirt, grey shorts): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugzKADdGiJs

Easy Skate Ski (very colorful shorts, black t-shirt, white helmet): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m0jAHiwhTg

Skate Intervals (no shirt, maroon spandex shorts, white helmet): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVOaBD4xxIs

Also last and probably most important (two things):

1) I began a Facebook Fan Page and you DO NOT have to have Facebook to see the page but will probably be the best way to keep up, visually, with where I am and what I am seeing:

www.facebook.com/sylvanellefsonathlete

2) As I mentioned before my brother has been putting together amazing footage of the trail to Sochi and you can view the first episode here, with many more to come:

http://vimeo.com/71831390

Hope all is well!

Best,

Sylvan