Morgan Arritola Enjoying Living and Training In Park City

I have a lot of goals, but starting at the bottom, I am really working on things like tracking morning heart rates and listening to my body. Working on up, I am also focusing on improving my strength and power output as well as my speed. I believe by taking care of the small things you being to build a strong base that makes racing oriented goals possible. I hope to have a top 10 at U23s and a top 10 at Senior Nationals. I also hope to go over to Europe and continue to learn how to race and live in an international setting.

Will we see you in Japan at the World Champs?

No, I don’t believe so.

Summer Training – how's it going?

It is going really well. I am living in Park City with Liz and Ida, which is great. I went back home last week, which was really nice as I will always love training in Ketchum, but Park City provides a lot of great training locations too.

You came to cross country skiing from a soccer background. How has it been making this progression and transition?

I laugh when I look back four years ago. I had never really heard of Nordic skiing and when I first started I felt like Bambi on ice. I have always done sports and loved running, biking, and pretty much anything that involves endurance. I also am very competitive, which soccer is great for. In soccer you are shoulder-to-shoulder exchanging shoves, which I think is really great. Soccer also really helps with agility, which transfers well to skiing.

Any new training ideas?

I have been incorporating a lot more speed in to workouts, whether at the end of intervals or on longer distance skis. I have also started a new strength program with Zach (Wetterford, USST strength coach) who is great and really knowledgeable.

Biggest training focus for this year?

My biggest focus is improving my power as a skier while continuing to build my endurance base. I do not have all of the kilometers under my belt that many skiers have because they have been skiing for longer. I will also continue to work on my technique so that I can be efficient as well.

Will you do any races over the summer? What role does out of season racing play in your development?

I did my first half marathon, Robie Creek, in April. It was brutal, but really fun. It was nine miles straight up hill, then four down, and I couldn’t walk right for a few days after the downhill. I also hope to do some trail races around Park City before the summer is over. I would like to do The Baldy Hill Climb in September, which is in Ketchum. I have never been in town to do it, but I think I may be able to make it up there this year, but nothing is set in stone.

What is the best advice you ever received?

Rick Kapala was my first coach, so I got a ton from him. He is really amazing at picking you back up and dusting you off. Chris Grover has also helped me out in so many ways, but I have to say the best thing anyone ever told me was…I will leave out names, “Morgan, pull your head out of you’re a**.” I hope that is not inappropriate, but sometimes that is just what we all need.

Any big springtime vacation for you?
My spring was pretty chill. I love being home out in the country with my family and our dogs. I took a trip to the Oregon coast, but aside from that nothing too exciting.

Thanks Morgan, we’ll be following you this year.

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