I have been hearing continuous reports of the abundance of snow in the Alps so I was a little surprised to arrive in the French Pyrenees to find none. I've been on winter training camps in Font Romeu many times and never have I seen it so brown this time of year. The downhill pistes have been kept open with lots of artificial snow but with just grass and woodland in between it doesn't look right. What makes it even stranger is that I hear there have been white flurries spreading across the UK the last few days.

However it is amazing what twenty-four hours of constant snow can do and now the mountains have been transformed, gleaming white against beautiful pure blue skies. The only problem being the coach has decided he wants us to run not x-country ski so I think he might need to get the broom out and start sweeping the running track.

After the final British selection competition last weekend the results of all three (including two in December) were calculated to make the first ranking list of the year. These competitions may seem insignificant but a decent result through out them is essential in order to get a world cup start at the beginning of the international season. I was delighted to find out that I have been selected for the first two world cups, not only are they very important they are also in America; the first one in USA followed by the second one a week later in Brazil. I am certainly looking forward to some sunshine of the warmer non-skiing type.