New Sponsor - Hotel Schneeberg - Ridnaun, Italy - 03.01.2007

The life of an athlete is tough. Every day is committed to training, which means other commitments in life often get pushed to the side. I traveled all around the world, but have seen little of it except for the hotels I stayed in and the things I saw while training during training camps and competitions. Since I spend a lot of time in hotels, I have experienced what makes them good and bad for an athlete, and naturally have a favorite, which is the Hotel Schneeberg in Ridnaun, Italy.

Ridnaun is a little town in a mountain valley at 1600 meters altitude, ideal for altitude training, in the Alps near the border between Austria and Italy. The most important thing for me is the hotel has to be conveniently located near the training venue. The time between the end of training and getting back to the room to shower, eat and rest is vital. The bonus of the Hotel Schneeberg is that the ski trails go right into the hotel, so the transition is immediate. It also has a well equipped weight room for strength, the biathlon range nearby and trails with either long hard hills or easy long distance for recovery.


I love good food, and while the athlete in me just needs basic pasta or meat and potatoes and lots of fruit and vegetables, the food lover in me wants flavor that will impress me. This is a great feature of the Schneeberg, since I have never been dissappointed with a meal, and often amazed. The Tuesday desert table is a bonus guilty pleasure where a selection of every desert imaginable is offered from cream puffs to Tiramisu.

Another athlete requirement for a good hotel is what it can offer for recovery. Bed rest is good, but recovery can be improved with things like a sauna or swimming pool. The Schneeberg rates high because it has both and more, including a variety of saunas, a steam room, whirlpool, relaxation rooms, and also offers wellness and beauty options which goes beyond my needs since I do not need to look good to race fast.

What I really like about the Schneeberg is the atmosphere. It is a very fancy hotel, with a four star rating, but it is not stuffy. Instead it welcomes anyone who wants to enjoy winter, and is affordable and accomodating for athletes and families.

Overall, while the athletes life can be difficult, it has its upside as well. I often remind myself of that while I am training and pass a tourist who is on vacation. It is work, but a place like the Scheeberg makes life as an athlete enjoyable.


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