Wow, it’s been a whole week already!
I’m still alive, and every morning I wake up in awe of where I am. My body is tired, between the time change, altitude adjustment, a new schedule, and building on training season, but it’s so worth it. Every day I feel better and stronger.
I’ve been training alongside athletes who share the same goals I do. I’m staying in a house with biathletes, and it’s been refreshing to have honest, funny conversations about racing and the sport we all love.
The training venue is a biathlon range tucked into a knoll in the Swiss Alps, just outside the village of Lenzerheide. It’s a full-size (30-point) range with a rollerski track, ski rooms, a weight room, hotel, restaurant, amazing coaches, and kind, motivated athletes. The weather this week reminds me of home, cool and a little cloudy, which I’m grateful for, because I struggle with too much heat! When the sun peeks out, I try to soak it in. Even in the rain, this place is breathtaking. Lenzerheide is usually very sunny, so I am excited for the days to come!
Training-wise, I’ve taken it day by day. The week before I left was my biggest week of the season so far, so I’m giving my body time to recover and adjust while figuring out how to plan the rest of my time here. One cool feature of the range is a system with a TV screen that tracks where each shot lands. Instant feedback without having to look through a scope!
Swiss Adventures
On Wednesday, I took my first ride on Swiss public transportation. I went to the Migros grocery store in Churwalden, about thirty minutes away by bus. Fun fact: the building itself is famous in Switzerland. It was built to celebrate 100 years of Migros! It definitely didn’t look like any grocery store I’ve ever seen. Of course, I had to buy some Swiss cheese and chocolate. I’ve put a little cheese in every meal since.
That said, my journey took a bit longer than expected. About 2.5 hours, to be exact. Let’s just say my German isn’t quite primed… and neither is my cell service. I accidentally ended up in the next town over on the way back! But, I loved every minute of it.
The very next day, I skied through that same village with the BSO team. It is called Lain. Skiing might just be the best way to sightsee. It is slow enough to take everything in, but fast enough to cover a lot of distance. The fresh air, the flowers, the cows, just the whole atmosphere, it’s the perfect way to see this stunning place.
Today, we ventured even farther beyond Lantsch/Lenz. I biked 37 kilometers uphill through the Swiss Alps. I passed fairytale-like villages, rivers, tunnels, and cobblestone streets (not the most bike-friendly, but still charming). It was magical.
