Big Sky Country

I've been in Bozeman for just over one month and honestly (whole heartedly) there is no where else I would rather be. How's that for happy? In the past school was always much more closely related to treading cold water than retaining relevant knowledge, but I think school is definitely on up and up. If I can somehow now trick my brain into thinking chemistry is really has easy for me as biology my studies will be much less stressful. The key will be staying motivated, which is roughly 75% up to me and 25% up to my professors. I believe a good professor has the ability to ignite a passion in individuals for their studies and accumulating knowledge...even in math.

The plan is to ski for Montana State University this year, it should be quite the adventure, and we will just have to wait and see how it all plays out. I'm going into the season with open minded expectations, simply I want to train and race to the best of my abilities. I enjoy training just as much as I enjoy racing, even a summer of some long lonely training weeks can't change that. I love my new team, it would be awesome to get to travel around the west with them this winter. Although I'm a bit spoiled as far as having good rollerskiing at home is concerned I love training in and around the Bozeman area. I think my favorite part of the training week is still the weekends, because when the weekend rolls around that means adventure. We've already gone on some pretty spectacular runs! A few weeks ago we went on this epic (epic in the Midwest mindset) run up the Bridger ski area along the ridge to the "M", intense. Standing on top of the ridge with the ground falling away all around me I could begin to realize how inconceivably miniscule I truly am. Nature is pretty powerful like that.
More recently we went running in Cottenwood canyon, up the switch backs and across creeks we got our first taste of the fall colors and weather. On campus everything is still incredibly green, but up Hylite or in any of the surrounding canyons fall is definitely upon us.

Yesterday we went to Homestake Lodge, something like 80 miles away by Butte...I believe, and ran a 5 miler on the brand new ski trails they are constructed there. They've done an absolutely amazing job out there, the trails are beautiful and so is the lodge they've built over the past year or so. The owner used to be on the ski team at MSU and just two years ago purchased the land with her husband with the hopes of bringing cross country skiing to the Butte area, and from what I could see on Sunday they are doing an incredible job. The race reminded me of running my home cross country course on the Birkie trail, only 5,000 feet higher and two miles longer, my favorite type of terrain. I've never done a 5 mile running race before, so the concept of pacing never even crossed my mind, instead I simply went for it. It took me 36 minutes and some change, 5th or 6th women and first MSU girl, not too bad for my first official race at altitude. Our ski boys put up another dominating performance with Bernhard placing first and Ryan placing second. Instead of prize money they both accepted the molasses cookie/twizzler rope medals.

Winter seems to always be looming around the corner here, every time it rains the Bridgers and other surrounding mountain ranges' peaks are blanketed in snow. I keep dreaming about getting on the white stuff and my skis are sitting ready in my bag in the ski room, the only obstacle now is my lack of patience and the time it will take the weather to turn cold.
Now I must be off to warm up before hitting the weight room with the team and our strength coach Dallas. What a bad ass name.

Life is good.