Last Friday I went back to Estonia for the last WOC preparations together with the rest of the norwegian WOC team. Unfortunatly, I catched a small cold just before leaving, so I started the precamp isolated from the rest for 24hrs. After that I trained easy until Tuesday. Tuesday I got to train the sprint relay training at moderate pace, and also got a nice training in the forest in the afternoon. On Wednesday I finally could run full speed at the sprint intervals, and got a 2nd training in the forest as well. I could therefore end the precamp well, and now I am looking forward to the last weeks of preparation. But before I go home to Switzerland: Venla with OL norska!
I arrived in Tallinn in the afternoon Friday, and after waiting some hours at the airport for the rest of the sprinters, their flight from Oslo got cancelled, and I was alone until Saturday noon. I got a taxi to the hotel, and since I was not 100% fit, I took it very easy until the rest arrived. After a talk with the team medical doctor I was isolated from the rest, but told to try to run for maximum 30min while the others ran a sprint training. My run went well, and I was optimistic. Sunday I was therefore permitted back with the rest of the team, but took it easy. It was too early for a sprint relay training as the others trained. Got two easy pace sprint trainings on Sunday, and after the 2nd training we went to Otepää for the 2nd half of the precamp.
Sprint relay training. Photo: Birgitte Husebye
On Monday there was no sprint trainings planned, so I used the day to do some strength training, and give my body some extra rest to hopefully be ready for the two last days of the camp. The team doctor advised me to not go all-out on the sprint relay training on Tuesday, so I ran it at a controlled moderate pace. It was anyway a good training, and I did well for most of it, except one big routechoice were I did not see a forbidden area, and had to turn. Physically this training went well, so I also did a forest training in the afternoon. As a reserve to middle and long, I have to prepair for the forest as well in case anything should happen. If I get the chance (very unlikely), I want to be ready. Wednesday, I finally ran full speed at the sprint intervals. It was a tricky sprint training with a lot of routechoices, so it was difficult to get a good feeling, but I think I did many good choices, and some less good ones. In the afternoon I got a 2nd forest training, and could get a feeling with the denser vegitation.
Today I am travelling to Joensuu in Finland, and will meet with the rest of OL norska there for running the big club relay Venla (women) and Jukola (men). It is the first time I run with my swiss club in one of the big relays, and we have a strong team. My team consists of Sarina Jenzer on the 1st leg, me on the 2nd leg, Simone Niggli on the 3rd leg, and Sabine Hauswirth on the last leg -> team S. I really look forward to run (and of course a little nervous), but most of all I look forward to the relay which is one of the big highlights of every season!
Team 'S'! Photo: Remo Ubezio, www.ubezio.com
OL norska 'raskt tog team'! Picture: Remo Ubezio, www.ubezio.com
All the information on how to follow the Venla and Jukola relay this weekend: All you need to know!