Training Can Be Hard

Today is our sixth day out here for residency. Like I've said there are many differences this year but that doesn't mean we are not training hard still. In my opinion, it seems as if when the staff told the team that things would be different this year they assumed they meant easy.
We are all skating and we are sore. That is the purpose of training. If your legs never get sore, then your muscles are never developing more strength or muscle. The first so many practices we have set up so everyone skater does the distance workouts, and every skater does the sprint workouts. This servers multiple purposes: The distance skaters gain foot speed and acceleration by doing the sprints and the sprinters gain more endurance and will be able to go longer. Eventually we are going to be breaking up into groups so that there can be specializing.
The coaches have told us we only have 7-10 more days of really hard practice because after that we will begin to taper and the drills will become a little easier. Some people have gotten the idea that they will be 'burnt out' by the end of residency but it was stated many times today, 2 weeks of intense training does not burn anyone out. Someone also said they felt burnt out because their legs were sore but that is the way it is suppose to be, if you are sore you did it right.
Things are going really good out here though. We have a few minor injuries to some skaters like blisters and cuts on the foot and we have some skaters with sore groins which can be expected from the sprint workout we did the other day. But there is nothing major up to this point and we are all still focusing on being our best at worlds! Well that's it for now and if everyone keeps giving 100% every practice things will turn out appropriately for team USA.
P.S. The Olympics start tomorrow, don't forget to watch them!!