Another event that epitomizes fall for me is Michigan Tech’s 5K running time trial. In a typical year, this TT would kick off our fall training as a team and was always a fun way start the season. This year, I was unable to compete in the TT with MTU, but instead organized a small socially-distanced community 5K. Given that my final season of cross-country running eligibility got cancelled, it felt REALLY good to lace up the spikes and break out the jersey again, even if it was only a race against the clock. I also gained a new appreciation for course marking, as I accidentally led some people astray by poorly placing pin flags on the course. Fortunately, the participants in my “race” were great sports about it. 

If you haven’t gathered, I LOVE the Keweenaw; but it’s important to remember that other people love it just as much, and for different reasons. While rollerskiing has always been inherently dangerous, I’ve noticed an increase in aggressive and/or careless driving this year, making it all the more crucial that we as rollerskiers, and endurance athletes in general, are seen on the road. Lights, reflectors, and high vis clothing are all great options. My personal favorite is a high vis vest with reflectors. With the changing leaves also comes earlier sunsets, and I have found the reflective vests to be a great option to toss over any training gear. 

Considering that I’m seeing the sun for the first time in 5 days as I’m writing this, I realize that my high regard for fall in the Keweenaw may be an unpopular opinion. As endurance athletes, it is easy to get bogged down in the grind of hours upon hours of training and lose sight of how lucky we are to be able to do this as a job. As Tara put it in a recent article, even the worst days as a skier are better than sitting at a desk every day. Stay safe, enjoy the ride, and keep your eyes open to the beauty of the world around you, even if there isn’t snow on the ground yet.