I'm 3,437 miles away and skiing is still pretty cool.

HEJ team/world/mom/dad/extendedfamily/dedicated#batesskiingfans,


I am writing to you from the bustling metropolis of Torsby, Sweden, a town of 4050 people, or, based on my estimations, 4000 past or present nordic skiers, 49 coaches and one guy that runs the grocery store and is probably delighted that his store outperforms all of Sweden in sales of bananas, powerbars and peanut butter. Torsby is the site of the aptly named Torsby Ski Tunnel, where I am training for the week with the British ski team. Thanks dad for the dual citizenship! It has been a wonderful camp so far! Today I not only skied behind but PASSED Hanna Falk, who can be seen here  almost beating our girl Kikkan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1krQWVH77Sg. Admittedly she was skiing L1 with no poles behind her coach and I was doing L3 intervals and was still occasionally getting passed by 6 year old norwegian boys, but an exciting moment nonetheless. Here are some more photos/musings from my adventure thus far!

Hopefully this video works...just me skiing along to a lil John Legend. The music they play in the tunnel is pretty fantastic. Nothing like doing intervals to Dido's "White Flag" or "Wagon Wheel."

 It is a constant -3 degrees celsius in the tunnel which is perfect training "weather." Fashion is clearly a pretty big deal here..it is definitely not that bright but everyone wears their sunglasses anyway.

 I am pretty sure this is an outdoor gym but also a playground for the nearby school... If you look in the background you can see the hill where people bound. Last night walking home in the dark from skiing, I was really excited to see a herd of deer running around on the hill. Except not actually it was like 50 (I'm not kidding) little kids doing bounding intervals. Nordic skiing is cool.

 Here is a sign

 Here is a selfie.

Here I am tryin to look cool, casual n candid in the tunnel. Is it working?



I will try to send along another update at the end of the week! I hope everyone in Maine and beyond is having a wonderful fall! Mucho love!! Time for a nap!
XOXOXOX
Britta