Zina Kocher

(skiing on the 1A in Lake Louise)

During the end of October and November, we completed the final hard training preparation around the Canmore area. After our Dachstein camp, numerous days were first spent on a roller ski treadmill doing hard interval training. They were difficult, exhausting and exactly what we needed! By the beginning of November we were on snow, skiing on a very short loop at the Nordic Center; as well as, driving out to Lake Louise and Mt. Shark for longer ski sessions. Lake Louise had absolutely beautiful skiing on Moraine Lake road and the 1A as it was full on winter conditions. Rosanna and I spotted a bear 400 m away on the train tracks one day while skiing on the 1A. I guess he wasn’t ready to hibernate just quite yet!

The men’s team, weary of the 1km loop, departed for Silverstar beginning of November and had a wonderful 10-day camp with 60 km of ski trails available. Sounded pretty awesome… but I was happy to sleep in my own bed and enjoy my personal space before flying off to Europe for the start of a long World Cup season!

Last Saturday, I departed for Sweden. Yes, that time has come; it is the start of the racing season! As per usual, my personal assistant seemed to be absent and I had to pack all my equipment (massive ski bag with endless number of skis, few poles, 3 pairs of boots – 2 skate and 1 classic, running shoes, ammunition, a rifle, extra stock, sport drink, protein recovery drink…) and all my ski clothes, casual clothes and shoes, books, flute, yoga mat… and who knows what else… all by myself. Good thing I am a practiced packer. We flew from Calgary to Frankfurt then to Stockholm, and onwards in an eighteen-passenger plane to our final destination – Sveg, a tiny town in the middle of Sweden. However, any snow that may have been there had melted, so Monday morning we drove to an even smaller ski village called Bruksvallarna. There is a little downhill ski resort, a biathlon range, and lots and lots of cross-country trails here.

When I am in Europe, there are new foods that become my favorite snack. In Sweden and Norway, for instance, I love this type of cheese called geitost. It is strong, sweet and is strong with flavors of caramel and goat’s milk. Yum! Might just have to have some right now…

Our team is staying in 2 different log cabins on the downhill ski area. The women’s team, unfortunately, is the highest cabin partway up this downhill run (shaking my fist at the men’s team)… in fact it is not even accessible by vehicle. My coach got someone from the ski area with a skidoo and sled to haul our entire luggage up to our cabin! I really wish I had a sled because it would be a breeze to fly down the steep hill to breakfast, lunch and dinner! On the up side, it is a beautiful little cabin and each contains its own sauna… not a bad little retreat after all! (Sun would be nice though… my litebook is not giving me a tan!)

In less than a week, I will compete in my first World Cup of the season in Ostersund, Sweden. It will be a 15km Individual competition on Wednesday. Training and preparation for the season is complete and it is time to put our hard work to the test!

I am nervous, anxious, apprehensive… but ready and very excited! I can’t wait to see what is possible in the months ahead! … Therefore, I feel normal!

I will update you all very soon on the results of our first competition week. Of course, all information, results and live feed results can be found on www.biathlonworld.com

“No expectations, no limitations!”