June 16, 2012 (Alaska) – Only days before the second annual North American Women’s Training Alliance (NAWTA) camp Kikkan Randall is playing host to Jessie Diggins, Chandra Crawford and Finnish great, Aino-Kaisa Saarinen, for her own mini-camp dubbed Iron Girls after the bars. Saarinen was invited by Randall to join the NAWTA camp as a form of exchange as she has visited Scandinavia several times for Euro-camps. We caught up with Randall for a mini recap on the Iron Girls of Alaska…

“Yes, Saarinen is here in Alaska training with us,” said Randall. “Our North American Women’s Training Alliance (NAWTA) camp is about to start on Monday. One week dryland and one week on the glacier. She came in a few days early to make the time change.”

On Thursday they started at sea level and did a 2-hr uphill classic roller ski and finished at about 650m. “Good solid group of ladies,” quipped Randall.

Saarinen and Randall spent time in the weight room yesterday and she’s has been joining the American star “…for my strength plan and next week I will try out some of hers.”

“It’s been super fun having Chandra, Jessie and Aikku (Saarinen’s nickname) staying at my house because it’s like having my own little portable team.  We’ve been cooking breakfast together and training together and the official camp hasn’t even started yet.”