It was a great morning for some max speed skate intervals, and we headed out during morning training to get it done on Bragg Hill. Hans rode along in the van, snapped photos, moved cones, and ate donuts with me. It was a great morning to be alive!
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Pa_DDTOxzM/TpcnoL3vwXI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/sjA6TOpVRUA/s1600/SkSpeedHeidB4.jpg")
Heidi was ready to get going on the warmup from German Flats.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NrVUZ9pw20k/Tpcm6fvq-hI/AAAAAAAAAZo/ncMKGYInDCE/s1600/SkSpeedDevPortr.jpg")
Dev always seems to ponder the workout beforehand, and we always seem to get this moment of reflection on camera.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0CLKt495M6U/TpcnU0AX3jI/AAAAAAAAAZw/4bEFox2bvcs/s1600/SkSpeedTeamDrill.jpg")
We did some warm up drills to practice weight transfer, then got right down to it.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h1GTpmisWno/TpcoYJautuI/AAAAAAAAAaA/zlXPJE1zYDc/s1600/SkSpeedJB.jpg")
Coach Beckwith lays down some hot tracks to get things going.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ntscnnTM0yc/TpcqRSyLeqI/AAAAAAAAAaY/Dbc6d-_WQNU/s1600/SkSpeedDevRy2.jpg")
Ryley and Dev go head to head. 6 seconds max, then 8 seconds max, then 12 seconds max, then repeat.
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eGLJJHyIh6A/Tpcp6edaxVI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/1OjoIJteTL4/s1600/SkSpeedDevstumble.jpg")
Trying to go as fast as possible is hard, and takes some getting used to.
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kuQRGmPIEJA/TpcqmSxVntI/AAAAAAAAAag/XXHUgjou82M/s1600/SkSpeedDevRy.jpg")
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hbt-OMq29-k/Tpcq-O7Yu4I/AAAAAAAAAao/m43jDUoDPds/s1600/SkSpeedHeidStrt.jpg")
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BbsyW4Hbn7k/TpcvntHggZI/AAAAAAAAAaw/i4AYRjsvvow/s1600/SkSpeedRy2.jpg")
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KNgJW3MeHXQ/TpcwtHSs-bI/AAAAAAAAAa4/Q5RfShXidA4/s1600/SkSpeedJBHover.jpg")
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P4rBTEqcm-I/TpcxVkwnaYI/AAAAAAAAAbA/mQQJt2v8d4E/s1600/SkSpeedJBLanscape.jpg")
Justin takes a break between sets and poses in front of the scenery.
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C71C0JILg_s/Tpc1TcoXOtI/AAAAAAAAAbw/c7akwPKCzm4/s1600/SkSpeedMkKaitlin.jpg")
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JHoHQ4QiWPs/Tpcx2XF-TSI/AAAAAAAAAbI/3tCmMG5JK1s/s1600/SkSpeedDevGoofy.jpg")
Oh hey Dev.
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1scGnpCH_F4/Tpc-oaAvHzI/AAAAAAAAAdI/9MvW1iNNI3Y/s1600/SkSpeedDevTrain.jpg")
Dev doing a good job of being explosive, keeping his feet wide, and shifting his weight…
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jl6tcb7tJuA/TpcyY2WacvI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/2cAHTIz3Rss/s1600/SkSpeedDevForward.jpg")
…and getting forward!
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iqZnevq7X7U/TpczhP01QnI/AAAAAAAAAbg/v5ltQN0_1sE/s1600/SkSpeedJBRy.jpg")
Ryley gets a lesson in shin flexion from Coach Beckwith.
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-79w8E_qjF3k/Tpc0XB2dt0I/AAAAAAAAAbo/hkII4qMT3v8/s1600/SkSpeedRy.jpg")
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P63Q_DHh4b4/Tpc9SPzMjnI/AAAAAAAAAc4/jd9k_1RQJXY/s1600/SkSpeedDevHeidWide.jpg")
The pavement is immaculate right now, and this is an awesome option right out our front door.
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T0wIzQfjto4/Tpc952W2_3I/AAAAAAAAAdA/W0X57uueZPw/s1600/SkSpeedJBForward.jpg")
We’re building speed, power, and body awareness with these workouts, and all our gains are ski specific. You can be as fit as a fiddle and be unable to tap that fitness if you are uncomfortable on your skis. Going as fast as you can forces the motions to start becoming natural.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mVOoj2I8FRc/Tpc84li2whI/AAAAAAAAAcw/Rubex0VBFTU/s1600/SkSpeedMKKaitlin2.jpg")
MK and Kaitlin were like glue all morning.
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ri7Dn5l2of8/Tpc8GLrBh7I/AAAAAAAAAco/09PbqPpVW3M/s1600/SkSpeedMKFinished.jpg")
And pretty tired at the end. Coach Hans must be imparting some wisdom.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Rz6BAKgbajo/Tpc7cJxHeXI/AAAAAAAAAcg/_OwuLdVgOO8/s1600/SkSpeedTeamBragg.jpg")
We skied a nice cooldown up through the foliage to the top of Bragg Hill.
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UU5PQyg05Yw/Tpc57tH8IzI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/r6OW9tq2yg8/s1600/SkSpeedMKTop.jpg")
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d7FcHLP-ITA/Tpc6kpzLSuI/AAAAAAAAAcY/PbT8ejnil_E/s1600/SkSpeedRyTop.jpg")
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8CteB8nJ6TE/Tpc5fkZEPqI/AAAAAAAAAcI/6EK_CAS2KnA/s1600/SkSpeedTractor1.jpg")
Look who’s back!
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bNYUnx2s6oU/Tpc4ld8ARTI/AAAAAAAAAcA/Hx0zitMhBbc/s1600/SkSpeedTractor2.jpg")
What a photogenic group/location!
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4_aGa3zv4EM/Tpc34kq83II/AAAAAAAAAb4/VQbg3gkPT30/s1600/SkSpeedJBDownhill.jpg")
Justin decided to shred the gnar on the way back down: here he’s hitting max speed going through the “flats” and carving some pretty sweet GS turns on the Marwes.
