Park City!

3:15 am is an ungodly hour to be awake, doing anything.  Yet that was the time our alarms were set for our travel day to Park City.  The travel day went pretty smoothly, and Sophie and I only had one sprint.  We had a really short layover in the homeland (Minneapolis airport) and Sophie and I were almost positive we were going to miss our flight.  We even heard our names over the loudspeakers calling us for the last boarding call (rockstars!).  But, we got our airport sweat on and made the flight with 30 seconds to spare.  We arrived in Salt Lake City, and then got picked up and driven to the most incredible home ever.  Erika's Aunt and Uncle were extremely generous and are letting us stay in their home for the duration of the Park City camp, and it is sweet.

This is the outer view of the house.  It is about 30 minutes from soldier hollow, and only 10 minutes from the center of excellence.  It is well worth the drive however.  Sophie and I share a room, but then everyone else has their own.  Living the life!

Sophie and I matched on our travel day.  It was unplanned (actually though)

The view from the house.  Stunning.  I now understand why people love the West.

 The first day we were here we just did an easy 30 minute run, and had to remind ourselves to go extra slow.  Our house is at approximately 7,200 feet and that is high.  Even walking up the stairs gets me a little winded.

The next day we did an easy distance classic, and I am so bummed that I forgot to bring my camera.  It was so pretty.  The last hour was on some sort of semi-private road that was just a great uphill striding grade, and it was lovely.  That afternoon we entered the Center of Excellence for the first time to do our new strength plan.  It isn't quite as fun as just lifting really heavy things like our last one, but the core section is brutal and we all feel it a little bit even today.  I hurt my shoulder a little bit in the gym, but it isn't anything to serious I don't think so I'm just taking it easy on the upper body for the next couple days to ensure total recovery.

This should give a general idea of the massive size of the COE gym.  They have everything you could possibly imagine.  Even the dumbbells are engraved.

The next day was supposed to be an off day.  But it was also outlet shopping AND Fast and Female...basically not an off day.  The outlets were a success, but we will probably have to go back again at some point during our stay.  The Nike outlet store is by far my favorite.  Then it was on to Fast and Female, which involves two of my favorite things: pink and glitter.  And this year I got to a lot of my third favorite thing: dancing.  Jessie and I were in charge of the endurance dancing station, which basically entailed us dancing for an entire hour.  My strategy was just never to stop, because if I did I don't think I would be able to get started again.  Needless to say I think I should probably add an hour of level four dancing to my training log.  Even though I was really tired after the Fast and Female event, it is a great organization that promotes healthy living by embracing strong and beautiful bodies and trying to ignore the pressure to be super thin.  It is a really important message to get into young girls heads at an early age so they can grow up to be beautiful and happy with themselves both inside and out.

My healthy, strong, and beautiful teammates Sophie, Jessie and Erika.  Jessie's shirt is fabulous: "Barbie wants to be me."  And it's true, barbie doesn't hold a flame to Jessie!

Then things got a little intense when we got back home.  The house we are staying at has a shuffle board, and that is a great game.  I got into a duel with Erik Bjornsen from Alaska Pacific University, and narrowly beat him in a 5 game series.  Some would say I got lucky on my last shot (for those of you who know shuffle board I got 3 disks in the 4 point zone on my last shot), but I would like to think it is just raw talent.  I plan on also beating Skyler, and by beating I mean destroying him at some point in the next week and a half.  Watch out Skyler, I'm coming for you.  And you too Gus.

Till next time!

hugz and kissez