Several weeks ago, Anne Tauber's daily training schedule included washing her hair in an ice cold river. The pro mountain biker and former speedskater was spending an extended period of time training at altitude in Italy and Switzerland, as were most of her fellow competitors. The reason? The high altitude World Cup at Andorra's Vallnord in mid-July.
Training camps. The mind can conjure scene of long training days at a set location, generally based out of a hotel or similar accommodation. Groups of riders training together for a couple of weeks in the mornings, afternoons spent sleeping and/or online. Livigno; Andorra; St Mortiz; these idyllic mountain locations are all popular with the pro athletes from a host of sports. And while the training component certainly applies to Anne, she takes the term training camp a little further in that she actually camps.
Accompanied by her parents, Anne has travelled all over Europe in the family camper van. From her earlier years in the under-23 category to the her present status as one of the world's elite, she has remained true to her roots. And her love and appreciation for nature remains steadfast, something which she applies to her day-job as a professional cyclist. Living "off the grid" is just the tonic Anne needs after an intense racing block, these two worlds being the polar opposite of each other. But then it's all balance. The solitude of training alone, or with her father when he's not flying around the world as an airline pilot, complements the buzz and excitement of seeing her friends and teammates again at the races. Spending time cooking with her fit and hiking-enthusiast mother in their camper van balances out meals at team hotels and buffet breakfasts, as does yoga, reading and updating her food blog. It's these ebbs and flows that keep Anne fresh and enthusiastic, worlds away from the daily grind that pro sports can be at times.
There is a busy schedule of racing coming up. World Cup Andorra will lead into National and European Championships, before Anne and her team head across the pond to Canada. Another World Cup follows soon afterwards, before it's time to chase the Rainbow stripes of the World Championships in Suisse. But that's OK with Anne. Sure, pro sports is all about results and podium finishes but it can be about balance and lifestyle too.
