May 10, 2009 (Whistler, BC) – The official start to the 2009/2010 season is here and I am back to work in Whistler, BC at our first team training camp of the season. As always, I used the month of April as a break from biathlon and the day-to-day routine of training. Although I trained some in April, I was not following any specific plan; if I woke up and felt like going for a run, I did. Taking a break from scheduled training is very important for me and it’s what allows me to keep a high level of focus through the next 11 months of the year. 

I spent my first two recovery weeks at home catching up with friends and family and getting back into Alpine skiing. After that, I went to Puerto Rico with my girlfriend for some much needed time in the sun. Getting as far away from snow as possible always feels good in the spring and this spring was definitely no exception. This was my first trip to Puerto Rico and I had a great time. On vacation I spent some time snorkeling, kayaking and I even spent a day hiking in the rain forest.

After Puerto Rico, I flew over to Germany to attend two weddings. From there I flew to Colorado with two other teammates to work with one of the coaches from the Olympic shooting team. After that, I headed to Whistler to join the rest of the team at our first camp.

It feels good to back in the swing of things with training and it is especially motivating training on the same trails that will hold the Olympics this winter. Despite some warm temperatures, the skiing here has been surprisingly good and we have taken advantage of that by putting in two to three hours of skiing every morning. 

After Whistler, I will fly to LA for one day to do some promotional stuff for the Olympics and then I will finally return home on May 15th. I have not spent so much time at home this spring so I am really looking forward to getting back into my own bed and unpacking my bags for a few months.