Life as a World Cup Skier is a full time job.
Right now, Jared Goldberg is training at ski camp at Copper Mountain in Colorado. Camp is located at 9,000 feet, and the course starts at 12,000 feet. It takes the athletes about a week to acclimate to the elevation.
Here's a typical day on the job for Jared.
5:20 a.m.
Grab a cup of coffee and quick bite to eat.
6:00 a.m.
Head to the mountain.
6:15 a.m.
I walk to the lift, and it's still dark out. The coaches are using headlamps to set the course, and it’s difficult to free ski before we start training.
7:15 a.m.
After skiing around and inspecting the course, we start running. I take six giant slalom runs, and then I head back to the condo to chill. After an hour of rest, I head back up the lift for downhill ski glide testing.
Mid-morning
Glide testing is a good way to test skis and see how fast they are compared to your other skis. It’s pretty mellow, and we get towed up with a snowmobile to make the turn around quicker.
We take eight runs, and I use five pairs of skis: one pair of warm ups for inspecting the course and four to test on the speed track.
That’s nine total pairs (including giant slalom) that my service man had to get ready for the day, and wax and tune again that night. He’s the man!
Mid-day
After glide testing, we head back to the condo to catch a few zzzz's. I try to take at least a 20-minute nap to give myself a second wind for the rest of the day. Resting hard is just as important as training hard.
Afternoon
We have dryland training consisting of a light spin or jog for about 40 minutes, plus a light core or full body circuit workout.
After the workout, I do physical therapy and stretches to relax sore muscles.
Evening
We grab a big dinner and eat as much as possible. We need the calories to combat the high altitude and bitter cold.
After dinner we analyze video. I look over multiple angles and sections of the course from the day's runs to see what I can do better the next day. Then we relax and hang out for a little bit before bed.
9:30 p.m.
Bedtime. I hit the hay so I can do it all over again the next morning.
Jared Goldberg is a World Cup skier and member of the U.S. Ski Team. He proudly represented the U.S. at the 2015 World Championships and 2014 Sochi Olympic Games.