Last week the nordic combined team packed up their bags and headed south for Cedar City, Utah. Cedar City is just four hours south of Park City so it offers a fresh perspective on training with minimal travel. Head coach Nick Hendrickson and four of his athletes spent three days exploring great training locations and getting involved within the Cedar City community.
Neither Hendrickson nor any of his athletes had visited Cedar City before last week. One huge takeaway for the team was how much the area had to offer from a training perspective. Each training session was unique. “Our rollerski up to Brian Head Resort was super cool as we climbed through the changing scenery of the mountains,” says Jasper Good. Hendrickson enjoyed the Thunderhead trail system east of town, “Running through the red rocks and climbing high into the desert was incredible.” Although its close to Park City, the scenery and landscape in Cedar City is vastly different. “I’ve lived in Utah my whole life but this was my first time in Cedar City, it was cool to experience the desert and the mountains in the same place,” says Jared Shumate.
In addition to training, the nordic combined team interacted with the community at Intermountain Healthcare Hospital and Grind Coffee House. “People were super pumped to meet us and learn about what we do,” says Good. The team was taken aback by the community’s strong interest in sport. “It was really cool to interact with people in the community. Their enthusiasm for sport and what we do definitely exceeded my expectations,” says Shumate.
Cedar City Event Director Todd Hageman also enjoyed this community involvement aspect, “The visit to IHC Cedar City Hospital was the highlight of USA Nordic’s trip for me. You could see the excitement the community has for introducing the city to high-level athletes. The locals that the team engaged with were truly happy to meet them and listen to their story.”
Hageman knows that Cedar City is a gem for outdoor enthusiasts, “The elevation, easy access to training opportunities, and weather make Cedar City an attractive place to train.” USA Nordic will surely be back to explore the area by foot and bike come springtime. We had such a great time exploring the area and look forward to seeing more next time,” says Good.
The nordic combined team has now returned to Park City for some final tune-up before departing for their pre-season training camp in Falun, Sweden on November 11th. The World Cup season begins this month so stay tuned for all the buildup, news, and highlights.
