My Daily Routine: Abishai Corey

I have officially started my second FIS year. This is a crucial year because college coaches are observing my results, as well as my rankings/points. This season started in Stubai, Austria. I traveled there with Waterville Valley Academy on November 1st, a trip that took nearly 30 hours. Between 6-7 hours in a car, 7.5 hours on a plane, and who knows how many in the airport, I was awake for much longer than I would have liked.

Stubai is a new glacier for me, and I am happy to report that I very much enjoyed the two weeks I spent skiing there. The weather was very unpredictable. However, I made training work by changing my mentality. People always tell me that being cold is nothing but a mindset. I say just suck it up till your toes go numb because then it doesn’t matter anymore since you can’t feel them. There were times when the weather was so bad I couldn’t see where I was going. The lack of vision combined with the fact that I was skiing on a glacier made things pretty scary. I had no idea where it might drop off, or how quickly I could get lost. The sky and ground blend together like a white mist, making it almost impossible to discern between the two. When the weather became too dangerous we took days off. Days off consisted of sleep, homework, and more sleep. 

My day-to-day routine rarely changed, unless, of course, we didn’t ski. I start with a 6 AM wake-up (not fun) and then get ready for the day. I brush my teeth, change, and then stretch for 10-15 minutes so that my muscles wake up and I'll be loose and warmed up for the day's training. My breakfast is the same each morning, eggs and ham on a roll, a glass of juice, and a couple slices of fruit. As an athlete, I burn thousands of calories each day, and at such high altitudes being hungry should never be an option. I always bring extra bars and lots of water with me. This also helps me get the most out of my training. A couple of snacks and the necessary rehydration can create enough energy for 3-4 more runs down the course per day. After breakfast, we load the vans and head to the mountain where we stand in line for an hour before the gondola opens. You might be wondering why the heck we get there so early. Well, this is because of all the children who bombard the line thirty minutes before it opens, and if you get stuck in the middle of them you will get trampled, literally. I had to help a little girl who got shoved off the platform of the gondola because everyone behind her was pushing to get into the gondola. One lesson I learned about European ski mountains, there is no such thing as a line! 

Once I make it onto the hill I start with 3-4 warm-up runs. I think about things that I need to work on and then create a drill that helps me adapt them to my muscle memory. When a racer is in a course they use muscle memory most of the time. Racers rarely remember if they breathe going down a course, our minds are blank. So if you have a bad habit then it’s fixed outside the course. Once I finish those I do a quick inspection of the course, some aerobic stretching, followed by push-ups, and then I’m ready to go. On a day when the weather is crappy, I try to get 4-6 runs in. On a nice day, I get 7-10 runs.

After training, we pull the course and head down the mountain for some lunch. Following lunch, I do my best to put 2-3 hours into homework. I turn my phone off and complete as many assignments as I possibly can. Afterward, I go to the gym and work on my core, arms, and flexibility. We finish with pool relaxation and 15 minutes in the sauna. Dinner is always served at 6:30 PM sharp. I love the food I get to eat in different countries. It's nothing like American food, however, I enjoy it. 

I travel home on November 22, right before Thanksgiving, and will be making a quick turnaround to Colorado on December 2. I'll only be out in Colorado for two weeks, but I will be competing in some of the most competitive races of my season. After I take a small trip to Canada, and then I will be home for the holidays which I am very excited about. Thank you so much to Burgeon for sponsoring me again this year! I could not do any of this without my supporters and community. If you want to follow more of my journey you can follow me on Instagram or Facebook @abishaileigh. Thank you all again so much for your support!