Saturday, March 6, 2010
A Really Great Weekend!
So it’s probably self-explanatory from the title of this blog post, but hey I’ll say it again because I like it: I just had one really great weekend!
It was one of those weekends that was gratifying on multiple levels: an overwhelming reiteration of why I love coaching so much and why it can be so rewarding, pride in the job I have done in that regard, the unexplainable feeling of achieving nearly the “perfect race day” and the high that comes with it, and yet another reminder of just why I love skiing so much. Let me tell you why…
The weekend started off with a bang, as the CNISSF State Championships were being held Friday and Saturday up at Auburn Ski Club. If you haven’t been up there to watch one of these season culminations, let me tell you, you should! It is such an amazing event. It is so cool to see a. how many young racers there are out there – it’s really a positive sign for the expansion of the sport, b. how much drive and desire and passion they have for the sport already – it’s so evident, and c. how hard they are working! These kids are awesome! They are all competitors, but they come together so well here at the final event, each sharing in the effort they have put in all year long to get to this moment and the desire to reap the benefits of that effort.
It’s especially neat for me to come back and be a part of the State Championships now, from a different perspective. I remember so well all of the years I competed in the event and how much it meant to me to do well there. To now see that same thing in my racers, and know that I am helping them to make it happen, is really special. I feel like I am totally able to understand what they are feeling, and I think that helps them – or at least I hope!
We spent the last two and a half weeks (well, the whole season really, but the last two and a half weeks were on a specific peaking plan), preparing for just these very two days. The kids put in so much work, probably hating me for about a week and a half as I made them do interval after interval in between races trying to get into top form. I wanted so badly for them to be rewarded. It is kind of an amazing feeling, realizing just how much you can want something for someone else because you are so invested in them, despite wanting the same thing for yourself simultaneously. I had confidence, though, that the kids were ready, and even more confidence that they had the motivation and desire to totally throw down. They were fired up! And let me just say… they killed it! There was not one athlete who didn’t totally rise to the occasion and surpass anything they had done all season in at least one of the two races.
I felt like a proud mother of all of these five kids, emotionally stressed out on the racecourse as I watched them go by and in preparation, and then so totally psyched when they finished and turned in awesome results! Despite stormy, just plain nasty weather, the kids brought their A-game, determination in full-force. The classic day was tough waxing with wet snow and continual storming despite the warm air, but I gotta say, we nailed it (or so the kids tell me… maybe they are just trying to make me feel better ☺). And let me tell you… there are few things more gratifying than really nailing the wax on a challenging day with varying conditions. Feels awesome! Or maybe it’s just right now because I’m such a rookie... Nonetheless, it was a relief at the least, to know my wax job was not hindering the kids’ performance and hopefully helping it on the contrary.
Melanie Swick (soph.) came in first place for the JV girls, in front of several varsity girls at 13th place overall, continuing the dominance she has progressed toward all season. Close behind her in second place for JV was our freshman, Maddy Kwasny, with her best race of the season… up until that point at least! Ashley Vomund (soph.) came in eighth place on the day (JV), another strong effort, and sophomore Julie Falke finished 25th. Our lone male for the weekend, Ryan Collin, was the eighth JV boy on the day. All in all, it was an awesome day. Everyone felt like they raced well and gave it everything they had, which is the most important thing. A couple were slightly disappointed with their results, but remained hopeful and determined that they could turn things around on Saturday.
And Saturday came, bringing the pursuit start Freestyle race. For those who are not familiar with this format, the racers start based on their order and times from the day before, so someone who finished third and 35 seconds back from the leader, that is the way that they start on day 2. The finish order is the final order, regardless of starting time differences. Needless to say, it allows for an intense and exciting race, but it’s a lot of fun, both as a racer and a spectator. The JV athletes were dispersed in with the varsity athletes (based on their overall place), which I thought was great because it provided them the chance to try to push themselves to reach the level of these athletes around them. I encouraged my kids to push hard and try to catch varsity athletes in front of them, or stay with any who may pass them from behind. Especially for my girls who were 1-2 in the JV race, I told them to pretend like everyone around them was their competitor and they needed to try to beat them. The team had another really great day. In fact, almost all of them had an even better race than the day before, showing true grit as they pushed themselves to the absolute limit trying to knock off those around them and move up in the ranks. Maddy actually threw down an even better race than Friday, now truly her best race of the season. She went above and beyond anything I had ever seen her do, and you could see in her face how much of it was just purely mental and driven by sheer determination. It was so fun to watch! She turned in the fastest time of the day for JV in the skate leg, 13th fastest overall, also holding off the third-place girl who started just 20 seconds behind her. She was truly on fire!
But despite her valiant effort, Maddy was unable to move into first as Melanie held her off with the help of the big lead she earned for herself on Friday, earning the title of JV Girls State Champion – so well-deserved, I must say. Hard work and a great attitude lye behind that title. Ashley also stepped up big time, coming out with a vengeance and ready to capitalize on her opportunity to skate (her favored technique) her way to a better place more deserving of her capabilities than that of Friday. She pushed so, so hard! And she skied great, passing several girls on the course and moving up to sixth place in the JV category, also earning the 3rd fastest skate time!! (Behind only her teammtes!!!) Awesome effort! Julie and Ryan both also moved up on the day with strong performances and confidence in their skating, from 25th to 23rd, and 8th to 7th, respectively. Overall, another great day, very worthy of celebration.
In the end, the girls’ team finished the meet as JV STATE CHAMPIONS!!!! Yay!!! Small little Incline High School, only in its second year with a Nordic team and multiple first and second-year skiers, emerged as the state champions! Sure, it may not seem like much to those on the outside, but to these girls, and to me… it was amazing! What an honor and an accomplishment. The best thing about it is that it was truly a team effort, and the result of a whole season long of dedication and effort on everyone’s part – myself, Kathy and Peter on the coaching staff, and each of these kids coming out and giving 100 percent everyday, and most of all, skiing with heart. They set the bar high, and they achieved their goal. They really do inspire me, and I am so proud to be one of their coaches and say that I helped them get there!
While the state champs were awesome to be a part of, I cannot deny that the experience was also exhausting. Two days of scrambling, stressing and running around frantically to keep everyone organized and see everyone’s effort on the course did have me feeling wiped out by Saturday afternoon. I opted out of my usual pre-race L3 1-minute intervals because I felt like I had already done them and more with sprinting around the course trying to catch all my girls at different points.
So, needless to say, when I arrived at the Royal Gorge Mid-Season Freestyle Race on Sunday, I was feeling less than tip-top. Warming up, my legs were tired and I just felt sluggish. I was preparing for a painful race, but focused on telling myself to just start out relaxed and ski into the race and see what happened. And to my surprise, it turned out really well!! In fact, this was undoubtedly one of my best races of the year – if not the best! And it was an AWESOME feeling!
The course was extremely flat and fast, a 10k loop in the Van Norden Trail System with long, power-based flat sections and only rolling hills that you can still rely on power to get up. I think the course was really tailored to my strengths, as a power skier, so that probably helped me to have a good day. Nonetheless, I am proud of the way that I raced smart and really pushed myself through the end. I got out to a good start for once, probably because I was really trying to emphasize the importance of that in my head and prioritize it. It was nice starting with the men, but in a separate corridor, so that we could get on a train with them but also get out in the front – ideal. I got out fast and got on the back of the front train, pushing myself to stay up there and close to the top female competitors, Beth Reid and Ekaterina Vinagradova, so that I was not racing a different race from the start and could give myself the chance to rise to the challenge of keeping up. Even though the pace was fast and I was breathing hard, I felt relaxed the first few kilometers out on the flats because I tucked in well on the back of the train, taking advantage of times to rest by no-pole skating. The only disappointing thing about this first section was that while I was getting off to a good start, Beth got taken down just in front of me and lost a ski! I had to ski by, leaving her stranded in the middle of the trail, so as not to fall off the back! I felt so bad, but knew she could probably ski her way back up!
After the first and only big hill, things started to spread out. Hitting the hill was so tough after the long section of flat, throwing down big, powerful strokes. As soon as we hit that transition, my heart rate seemed to go through the roof! I told myself just to push over the top (even though it was steep, the hill was short), so that I could stay with the racers in front of me. I dropped back a bit, but was not out of reach, and pushed myself through the next rollers to gradually work my way back up. As I skied along, I did start to work my way back up, and noticed I was starting to feel really strong! I was pushing hard but still felt like I had good energy. I felt like I was skiing well, with good technique and doing a good job of utilizing the terrain to my advantage. I realized that I must be almost halfway, as the turn-around point was nearing. As my body started feeling stronger and I was able to push harder and faster, Beth came up behind me and blazing by! I was psyched that she had made her way back up, but also forced myself to focus on trying to stay with her as long as possible. While I dropped off fairly quickly, I was still able to stay close and focused on watching her skiing and doing the same thing. Beth is someone who skis the transitions so well (one of my weaknesses) and is just so efficient, so having the chance to just keep her in sight and mimic exactly what she was doing was not only great for the race, but also just really eye-opening. If I can remember some of the changes I was making, I think the experience could benefit me in the long-run as well. (Usually Beth is too far in front of me by just a few k’s in that I don’t get the chance to try to hang on for long!!)
As I focused on continuing to keep Beth in my sight and match her pace as closely as possible, I saw that she was catching Ekaterina quickly. Meanwhile, we were now heading back toward the finish, the terrain flying by so quickly on the fast course. I knew we were getting close to the homestretch, and challenged myself to keep pushing and capitalize on my body still feeling strong. I was stoked just to be as close as I was to both Ekaternia and Beth (despite the fall! – I was hanging in there!). They are both SUCH good skiers. Even though I was psyched about this and knew I was having a great race, I forced myself to override these thoughts and remember that this still was a race, and I had to be competitive and go for it! I saw myself getting closer and closer to Ekaternia, and suddenly something kicked in and I told myself to make the push to close the gap. I told myself I could do it, and almost felt a sense of excitement, as though I had reached an agreement with my body, a final decision of sorts, that despite my satisfaction with the current position, I was going to do everything in my power to go for 2nd place. I mean, I might never have another chance for that!
I was determined. I had set my sights, and was not going to give in and settle like I have other times. I stepped on the gas just a bit more – now fully floored – just as I rounded the corner on to the long flat stretch for the finish. Even though the terrain was easy, in the last couple k’s of the race it felt hard as I tried to output as much power as possible and ski with maximum efficiency. But I still felt strong! I saw myself getting closer and closer. With about a k to go, I was just a few yards back, but really wasn’t sure if I could close the gap! We were both full-throttle, and my body was maxed out. I told myself that if I didn’t close the gap NOW, it wouldn’t happen, and I would end up just a few feet short. I dug deep and found the energy for one big push and sprinted right up to Ekaterina’s heels. I skied in her wake for several strokes, feeling out the pace and trying to get a bit of energy, preparing to make a move. I told myself to wait back there and continue conserving energy, letting her pull me to the finish when I could make a move. But my gut instincts kicked in and took over. The pace was comfortable, and I knew I had more and could give it right then. I got up next to her, and could hear that her breathing was harder than mine. I decided to go for it, also keeping in mind that I am a TERRIBLE sprinter, and made the pass. I knew that if I did this I had to push hard and accelerate away right then so that I did not leave the opportunity to become the puller and then get schooled into the finish, as is usually the story for me!! I did just that, intently, pushing hard when I got around, determined to ski away.
The bit of rest I had gotten seemed to be ample, probably aided by the strength I was still feeling despite being about 800m from the finish, and I was able to ski away. Even though I knew I had a gap, I kept the intensity high in my mind and sprinted in as hard and frantically as I could, envisioning someone right on my heels in the final chute. I managed to cross the line as 2nd woman, within 30 seconds of Beth for the first time all year (though she had a tough day!), and just about 5 seconds in front of Ekaterina. I couldn’t believe it! For once, I had done the right thing; made my move at the right time; gone for it, beyond the limit, and succeeded. I was stoked! I think I still lost some time in that final sprint, as she pushed her way back up a bit, but it wasn’t enough to cause me to lose the coveted spot I had set my sets on. Because I had made this a goal for myself in the race, at a time when I knew it would be a huge push, I was so happy to have accomplished it. I knew that I had given it everything I had and really challenged myself to go further than I had originally expected. I was overcome with happiness and satisfaction after crossing the finish. Even though it was only a small race where there wasn’t much stake in the results, I couldn’t have been happier to have this great day when I did. It boosted my confidence a ton, and I know that will carry with me, hopefully to the Great Ski Race! I will make it my goal to remember just how great it feels when you really do set your sights and go for it and push the extra mile. Hopefully knowing that feeling will motivate me to do it again and not back down!
One other thing I will take from this race is to remember that any day can result in a good race. Even though I went into the day feeling bad, it turned out good. It is important to put it out of your mind if your body is not feeling great and not throw out the possibility of turning it around. Sometimes you can surprise yourself!
It was one of those weekends that was gratifying on multiple levels: an overwhelming reiteration of why I love coaching so much and why it can be so rewarding, pride in the job I have done in that regard, the unexplainable feeling of achieving nearly the “perfect race day” and the high that comes with it, and yet another reminder of just why I love skiing so much. Let me tell you why…
The weekend started off with a bang, as the CNISSF State Championships were being held Friday and Saturday up at Auburn Ski Club. If you haven’t been up there to watch one of these season culminations, let me tell you, you should! It is such an amazing event. It is so cool to see a. how many young racers there are out there – it’s really a positive sign for the expansion of the sport, b. how much drive and desire and passion they have for the sport already – it’s so evident, and c. how hard they are working! These kids are awesome! They are all competitors, but they come together so well here at the final event, each sharing in the effort they have put in all year long to get to this moment and the desire to reap the benefits of that effort.
It’s especially neat for me to come back and be a part of the State Championships now, from a different perspective. I remember so well all of the years I competed in the event and how much it meant to me to do well there. To now see that same thing in my racers, and know that I am helping them to make it happen, is really special. I feel like I am totally able to understand what they are feeling, and I think that helps them – or at least I hope!
We spent the last two and a half weeks (well, the whole season really, but the last two and a half weeks were on a specific peaking plan), preparing for just these very two days. The kids put in so much work, probably hating me for about a week and a half as I made them do interval after interval in between races trying to get into top form. I wanted so badly for them to be rewarded. It is kind of an amazing feeling, realizing just how much you can want something for someone else because you are so invested in them, despite wanting the same thing for yourself simultaneously. I had confidence, though, that the kids were ready, and even more confidence that they had the motivation and desire to totally throw down. They were fired up! And let me just say… they killed it! There was not one athlete who didn’t totally rise to the occasion and surpass anything they had done all season in at least one of the two races.
I felt like a proud mother of all of these five kids, emotionally stressed out on the racecourse as I watched them go by and in preparation, and then so totally psyched when they finished and turned in awesome results! Despite stormy, just plain nasty weather, the kids brought their A-game, determination in full-force. The classic day was tough waxing with wet snow and continual storming despite the warm air, but I gotta say, we nailed it (or so the kids tell me… maybe they are just trying to make me feel better ☺). And let me tell you… there are few things more gratifying than really nailing the wax on a challenging day with varying conditions. Feels awesome! Or maybe it’s just right now because I’m such a rookie... Nonetheless, it was a relief at the least, to know my wax job was not hindering the kids’ performance and hopefully helping it on the contrary.
Melanie Swick (soph.) came in first place for the JV girls, in front of several varsity girls at 13th place overall, continuing the dominance she has progressed toward all season. Close behind her in second place for JV was our freshman, Maddy Kwasny, with her best race of the season… up until that point at least! Ashley Vomund (soph.) came in eighth place on the day (JV), another strong effort, and sophomore Julie Falke finished 25th. Our lone male for the weekend, Ryan Collin, was the eighth JV boy on the day. All in all, it was an awesome day. Everyone felt like they raced well and gave it everything they had, which is the most important thing. A couple were slightly disappointed with their results, but remained hopeful and determined that they could turn things around on Saturday.
And Saturday came, bringing the pursuit start Freestyle race. For those who are not familiar with this format, the racers start based on their order and times from the day before, so someone who finished third and 35 seconds back from the leader, that is the way that they start on day 2. The finish order is the final order, regardless of starting time differences. Needless to say, it allows for an intense and exciting race, but it’s a lot of fun, both as a racer and a spectator. The JV athletes were dispersed in with the varsity athletes (based on their overall place), which I thought was great because it provided them the chance to try to push themselves to reach the level of these athletes around them. I encouraged my kids to push hard and try to catch varsity athletes in front of them, or stay with any who may pass them from behind. Especially for my girls who were 1-2 in the JV race, I told them to pretend like everyone around them was their competitor and they needed to try to beat them. The team had another really great day. In fact, almost all of them had an even better race than the day before, showing true grit as they pushed themselves to the absolute limit trying to knock off those around them and move up in the ranks. Maddy actually threw down an even better race than Friday, now truly her best race of the season. She went above and beyond anything I had ever seen her do, and you could see in her face how much of it was just purely mental and driven by sheer determination. It was so fun to watch! She turned in the fastest time of the day for JV in the skate leg, 13th fastest overall, also holding off the third-place girl who started just 20 seconds behind her. She was truly on fire!
But despite her valiant effort, Maddy was unable to move into first as Melanie held her off with the help of the big lead she earned for herself on Friday, earning the title of JV Girls State Champion – so well-deserved, I must say. Hard work and a great attitude lye behind that title. Ashley also stepped up big time, coming out with a vengeance and ready to capitalize on her opportunity to skate (her favored technique) her way to a better place more deserving of her capabilities than that of Friday. She pushed so, so hard! And she skied great, passing several girls on the course and moving up to sixth place in the JV category, also earning the 3rd fastest skate time!! (Behind only her teammtes!!!) Awesome effort! Julie and Ryan both also moved up on the day with strong performances and confidence in their skating, from 25th to 23rd, and 8th to 7th, respectively. Overall, another great day, very worthy of celebration.
In the end, the girls’ team finished the meet as JV STATE CHAMPIONS!!!! Yay!!! Small little Incline High School, only in its second year with a Nordic team and multiple first and second-year skiers, emerged as the state champions! Sure, it may not seem like much to those on the outside, but to these girls, and to me… it was amazing! What an honor and an accomplishment. The best thing about it is that it was truly a team effort, and the result of a whole season long of dedication and effort on everyone’s part – myself, Kathy and Peter on the coaching staff, and each of these kids coming out and giving 100 percent everyday, and most of all, skiing with heart. They set the bar high, and they achieved their goal. They really do inspire me, and I am so proud to be one of their coaches and say that I helped them get there!
While the state champs were awesome to be a part of, I cannot deny that the experience was also exhausting. Two days of scrambling, stressing and running around frantically to keep everyone organized and see everyone’s effort on the course did have me feeling wiped out by Saturday afternoon. I opted out of my usual pre-race L3 1-minute intervals because I felt like I had already done them and more with sprinting around the course trying to catch all my girls at different points.
So, needless to say, when I arrived at the Royal Gorge Mid-Season Freestyle Race on Sunday, I was feeling less than tip-top. Warming up, my legs were tired and I just felt sluggish. I was preparing for a painful race, but focused on telling myself to just start out relaxed and ski into the race and see what happened. And to my surprise, it turned out really well!! In fact, this was undoubtedly one of my best races of the year – if not the best! And it was an AWESOME feeling!
The course was extremely flat and fast, a 10k loop in the Van Norden Trail System with long, power-based flat sections and only rolling hills that you can still rely on power to get up. I think the course was really tailored to my strengths, as a power skier, so that probably helped me to have a good day. Nonetheless, I am proud of the way that I raced smart and really pushed myself through the end. I got out to a good start for once, probably because I was really trying to emphasize the importance of that in my head and prioritize it. It was nice starting with the men, but in a separate corridor, so that we could get on a train with them but also get out in the front – ideal. I got out fast and got on the back of the front train, pushing myself to stay up there and close to the top female competitors, Beth Reid and Ekaterina Vinagradova, so that I was not racing a different race from the start and could give myself the chance to rise to the challenge of keeping up. Even though the pace was fast and I was breathing hard, I felt relaxed the first few kilometers out on the flats because I tucked in well on the back of the train, taking advantage of times to rest by no-pole skating. The only disappointing thing about this first section was that while I was getting off to a good start, Beth got taken down just in front of me and lost a ski! I had to ski by, leaving her stranded in the middle of the trail, so as not to fall off the back! I felt so bad, but knew she could probably ski her way back up!
After the first and only big hill, things started to spread out. Hitting the hill was so tough after the long section of flat, throwing down big, powerful strokes. As soon as we hit that transition, my heart rate seemed to go through the roof! I told myself just to push over the top (even though it was steep, the hill was short), so that I could stay with the racers in front of me. I dropped back a bit, but was not out of reach, and pushed myself through the next rollers to gradually work my way back up. As I skied along, I did start to work my way back up, and noticed I was starting to feel really strong! I was pushing hard but still felt like I had good energy. I felt like I was skiing well, with good technique and doing a good job of utilizing the terrain to my advantage. I realized that I must be almost halfway, as the turn-around point was nearing. As my body started feeling stronger and I was able to push harder and faster, Beth came up behind me and blazing by! I was psyched that she had made her way back up, but also forced myself to focus on trying to stay with her as long as possible. While I dropped off fairly quickly, I was still able to stay close and focused on watching her skiing and doing the same thing. Beth is someone who skis the transitions so well (one of my weaknesses) and is just so efficient, so having the chance to just keep her in sight and mimic exactly what she was doing was not only great for the race, but also just really eye-opening. If I can remember some of the changes I was making, I think the experience could benefit me in the long-run as well. (Usually Beth is too far in front of me by just a few k’s in that I don’t get the chance to try to hang on for long!!)
As I focused on continuing to keep Beth in my sight and match her pace as closely as possible, I saw that she was catching Ekaterina quickly. Meanwhile, we were now heading back toward the finish, the terrain flying by so quickly on the fast course. I knew we were getting close to the homestretch, and challenged myself to keep pushing and capitalize on my body still feeling strong. I was stoked just to be as close as I was to both Ekaternia and Beth (despite the fall! – I was hanging in there!). They are both SUCH good skiers. Even though I was psyched about this and knew I was having a great race, I forced myself to override these thoughts and remember that this still was a race, and I had to be competitive and go for it! I saw myself getting closer and closer to Ekaternia, and suddenly something kicked in and I told myself to make the push to close the gap. I told myself I could do it, and almost felt a sense of excitement, as though I had reached an agreement with my body, a final decision of sorts, that despite my satisfaction with the current position, I was going to do everything in my power to go for 2nd place. I mean, I might never have another chance for that!
I was determined. I had set my sights, and was not going to give in and settle like I have other times. I stepped on the gas just a bit more – now fully floored – just as I rounded the corner on to the long flat stretch for the finish. Even though the terrain was easy, in the last couple k’s of the race it felt hard as I tried to output as much power as possible and ski with maximum efficiency. But I still felt strong! I saw myself getting closer and closer. With about a k to go, I was just a few yards back, but really wasn’t sure if I could close the gap! We were both full-throttle, and my body was maxed out. I told myself that if I didn’t close the gap NOW, it wouldn’t happen, and I would end up just a few feet short. I dug deep and found the energy for one big push and sprinted right up to Ekaterina’s heels. I skied in her wake for several strokes, feeling out the pace and trying to get a bit of energy, preparing to make a move. I told myself to wait back there and continue conserving energy, letting her pull me to the finish when I could make a move. But my gut instincts kicked in and took over. The pace was comfortable, and I knew I had more and could give it right then. I got up next to her, and could hear that her breathing was harder than mine. I decided to go for it, also keeping in mind that I am a TERRIBLE sprinter, and made the pass. I knew that if I did this I had to push hard and accelerate away right then so that I did not leave the opportunity to become the puller and then get schooled into the finish, as is usually the story for me!! I did just that, intently, pushing hard when I got around, determined to ski away.
The bit of rest I had gotten seemed to be ample, probably aided by the strength I was still feeling despite being about 800m from the finish, and I was able to ski away. Even though I knew I had a gap, I kept the intensity high in my mind and sprinted in as hard and frantically as I could, envisioning someone right on my heels in the final chute. I managed to cross the line as 2nd woman, within 30 seconds of Beth for the first time all year (though she had a tough day!), and just about 5 seconds in front of Ekaterina. I couldn’t believe it! For once, I had done the right thing; made my move at the right time; gone for it, beyond the limit, and succeeded. I was stoked! I think I still lost some time in that final sprint, as she pushed her way back up a bit, but it wasn’t enough to cause me to lose the coveted spot I had set my sets on. Because I had made this a goal for myself in the race, at a time when I knew it would be a huge push, I was so happy to have accomplished it. I knew that I had given it everything I had and really challenged myself to go further than I had originally expected. I was overcome with happiness and satisfaction after crossing the finish. Even though it was only a small race where there wasn’t much stake in the results, I couldn’t have been happier to have this great day when I did. It boosted my confidence a ton, and I know that will carry with me, hopefully to the Great Ski Race! I will make it my goal to remember just how great it feels when you really do set your sights and go for it and push the extra mile. Hopefully knowing that feeling will motivate me to do it again and not back down!
One other thing I will take from this race is to remember that any day can result in a good race. Even though I went into the day feeling bad, it turned out good. It is important to put it out of your mind if your body is not feeling great and not throw out the possibility of turning it around. Sometimes you can surprise yourself!
Monday, March 1, 2010
One very full weekend: College Racing and Relays
Note: This post was written Monday Feb. 22nd - sorry for the late posting!
Yesterday I wrapped up a very full weekend of racing, with my third race in as many days. The Western Circuit collegiate teams had come through town as they do nearly every year, for the college races hosted by Nevada at Auburn Ski Club. I had really been looking forward to these races for most of the season, deciding in the last few weeks that I really wanted to try to be in top form as I realized that they would ultimately prove to be some of my biggest races of the season given the level of competition there compared to most of the other races I was able (or rather unable to) get myself to this season.
In addition, I have been on the college circuit for four years now and was following it heavily last year for a fifth season, so it really is a good way to gage myself against competitors whom I have competed against before and see how I am progressing against the circuit. Aside from that, I also just really love doing the college races because they are fun. There are so many great people on the circuit who I became close friends with during my time on it, and while the people have changed over the years, there is a great new group coming in for all of those who leave. It is always fun to see old friends and meet the new skiers.
Ultimately, my weekend was a little bit disappointing, but as always there were both highlights and lowlights. In the end, I didn’t get the results I was hoping for and feel like I am capable of. I simply just wasn’t feeling 100 percent this weekend, with two pretty tired days at the college races. On the other hand, I am very pleased with the fact that I know confidently that I gave the absolute best races I could, given how I was feeling and what my body could do at the time. That is always a good thing. After each race, even though I knew I was tired going in and was a bit disappointed to see the results, I still felt happy and proud because I knew that I really raced well and couldn’t have done much anything else better.
The weekend started with the 5 km Classic on Friday at ASC. As is well-known, I love Classic racing and have typically considered it my better technique, although I am not so sure now because it is difficult when we get so few opportunities to Classic race up here (only 3-4 per year). I was really looking forward to this race as a chance to really show my stuff and prove that I am among the top-ten Classic skiers in the Western circuit – a feat which I know I am capable of but haven’t accomplished since my junior year, due to a rough last couple of years. This year, I felt primed and ready coming in. I knew the course because I had skied it before, and most importantly I liked it and felt that it played to my strengths. Unfortunately, it was a tough week for training with coaching and working down at the news station consuming a lot of my time, so I just didn’t get in many good quality training days. Yet, I was still running around all over the place, scrambling all week long and not getting much time to rest. So, come Friday, I felt relaxed and confident, not nervous – despite knowing that these would ultimately be some of my biggest races of the year – but still just a little bit tired and kind of lacking my usual spark. Nonetheless, I fired myself up and got excited to lay it down out there. It was a quick, fast Classic race and I knew it would be fun!
I headed out almost last on the course as an independent skier, just ahead of friends/ teammates Annika Taylor and Chelsea Holmes, respectively, and behind eventual top-five finisher Zoe Roy of Utah. I don’t think starting so far back proved to be beneficial as I was pretty much all on my own throughout the race, with no splits or sense of how I was doing and just how close I was to people several spots in front of me in a very tight race. Nonetheless, I raced HARD and I really think that I raced well. I was not super pleased with my skis, I think mostly because I need to do some testing with my classic skis and/or get some new skis, because they are clearly NOT dialed in. I had the same wax as others who thought it was great, so whether it is because I started later or because my skis are not quite right, it didn’t work out so well for me -- draggy on the flats and downhills yet still slipping on some of the uphills! But, I made the best of it and pushed hard from the get-go, racing strong and smart throughout the course and really skiing well in terms of technique (or at least I thought so!). In the end, I came in a respectable 22nd – not a bad spot, but certainly not where I wanted to be, though only 30 seconds out of the top-ten and 45 out of the top-five in a very tight race on the fast course (only 15 minutes!). As I said, I was happy with the way I raced because I know I gave it everything I had and felt like I skied well. I was EXHAUSTED at the end and know I couldn’t have pushed any harder, which is good because sometimes after 5 km I feel like I could race another five!
Yet, I do think the biggest problem still was the fact that the race was a 5k, which I am very much not used to skiing this year, and have never been very good at. It has always been a struggle for me – as much more of a long distance skier – to push myself hard enough and go fast enough for 5k that it is actually even a faster pace at all than my 15 or 10k, but this year especially it was difficult. In the past, I did 5 k’s every weekend in college, so I got the chance to work on it a lot. This year, it was my first race under 10 km, other than one sprint, which was done mostly for training. The three weekends prior, I raced 15, 20 and 30km, respectively. Needless to say, my tempo was just not up to par. I could tell that the “fifth gear” just wasn’t there. Even though I was pushing hard, I just couldn’t get that tempo and speed fast enough to be where I needed to be, which is something that I believe takes a lot of work and cannot just suddenly be compensated for in one race. So, I know this is something I still need to work on, because even though I don’t do many 5 k’s and don’t really want them to be my specialty, I still think it is important to work on your weaknesses, and that tempo and speed and the ability to push to the next gear can be helpful at any level and distance, especially for pushing into the finish. So, I will get going with this and try to push myself to take more opportunities to race 5 k’s even though they are not my favorite! Between the tempo issue (I was told I looked like I was skiing a 30 k!), the wax/ ski issue and the overall residual tiredness from four pretty tough weekends of racing in a row leading into this three-day weekend, the race was not destined to be one my best. But I made the best of it. For that, I’ll take the 22nd.
Saturday brought the 15 km skate, a tough course and VERY tired muscles from Friday’s hard effort. I think that even though a 5 k is shorter, because it requires so much exertion to try to push the max in just 15 minutes, and again because I’m not used to it, that made me REALLY tired. I knew going into Saturday that it could be a rough one since my body felt tired before I even started skiing. And it certainly was. But, again, I raced really well, given the limitations of my body on the day. I pushed to the max and did everything I could to ski smart and technically well in order to get me around the course as fast as possible. I had a terrible start – one of my biggest weaknesses and problems all year – which caused me to be in LAST place coming into the 2nd kilometer. This is a MAJOR problem, and undoubtedly changed the rest of my race, ultimately making it MUCH more difficult for me to get into the top-15 or even top-20. I wasn’t too terrible getting out of the double pole zone, albeit not great, but not so bad. But then after the 1st kilometer all-out war of stepping on skis and poles, throwing elbows and pushing one’s way toward the front, I had not risen to the challenge of the battle, and AGAIN (as is common) found myself in a place I did NOT belong, which is tough. I try to stay relaxed and out of the heat of aggression so I don’t end up losing a pole or going down – not worth it in my opinion – but I obviously need to change that strategy and just get more aggressive and get in there, because being in the back in a group of 35 strong women is not where you want to be and causes you to end up racing a race you are NOT supposed to be in, when the real race where you belong is taking place in front of you and out of your reach.
My plan had been to start strong but not over-the-top and move up with each 5 km lap, as I always try to do in three-lap races. And I did do that. However, I had planned to start right inside the top-20 and work my way up toward the top-ten. Instead, I ended up starting from the very back and having to work my way past a whole bunch of girls I never planned on having to pass, and eventually into 22nd place – AGAIN! At least I am consistent, even if it’s consistently mediocre! ;) But again, I am proud of the way I raced. I did work my way up the field with each lap and passing kilometer and I pushed as hard as I could on that day. Surprisingly, even though my body was tired I felt really good on the hills and actually wished there were more! I seemed to get ahead and/or drop girls on the hills, but I think because on the hills I could rely on tempo and then had to push my muscles on the flats, it was much harder. I just didn’t have the strength given my fatigue from Friday. But, in the end I did the best I could and raced all the way to the finish line, again totally exhausted for the finish. Two of my coaches told me they thought it was a great race and I looked much better than Friday, so I must have been doing something right! Again, I was not disappointed, because I did everything I could, though I wish it could have at least been a top-20 finish, if not a top-15. That is what I expect from myself, but I guess I have to remember those are “100-percent-body” expectations, not 75.
All in all, the college racing experience I had long been looking forward to and hoping to really rise up for was not quite what I had envisioned, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. In a long racing season, it is difficult to get your body to feel good at the times you want it to, especially when there are so many. To have a good race, everything has to come together at the same time, and that is tough to do. That is why you just have to give it your best with what you’ve got that day, and I believe that this kind of perseverance is the mark of a good racer.
I was still left with the chance for yet another highlight though, which this time surprisingly came in the form of a really good race overall. On Sunday, I headed up to Tahoe Donner to do the Sierra Nordic Relay Race, just because it is always a good time and I like to support the local racing community, because it is so great to be a part of. It was a beautiful day at Tahoe Donner (as usual), and even though I was tired from two hard days of racing, I was fired up to get out there. Only one problem… I didn’t have a team! After a couple of unsuccessful attempts to get some of the UAA girls to join me, since they were staying up in Tahoe to train between the races and the RMISA Championships, I was lucky enough to find a local pair who had lost their third partner, and conveniently they needed someone to classic ski, which was what I really wanted to do. Lucky me! So, with about 15 minutes to spare before the race start, I got signed up on a team with Beth Thomas and Joe Dengler, grabbed my Fischer Zero skis that had not been glide-waxed and which I was only hoping would work in the conditions since I had nothing else, and headed out for a quick warm-up before the race start. Maybe it was just because I hardly had anytime to ski, but I was actually not feeling so bad… almost kind of fresh, even. And I was definitely excited to do the race.
I think I always like this race because it is just really low-key and fun. Relay racing is always fun, and this race is a cool little course with some good double-poling and kick double-pole sections, a nice gradual uphill for great striding and a technical downhill with some sweet jumps on the bottom (put in just for the race). It was good after the college races to just be back in with the same crowd and no pressure whatsoever. That day, especially, things were even more low-key. I think I must thrive under the flying-by-the-seat-of-my-pants, totally relaxed race situation. Ultimately, I guess my best races are those when I am really having fun. Yes, there are those rare times when despite the pushing and the pain, you really look back and think, “man was that a great time!” Sunday was one of those.
I have no idea why, because I would think that a third race day in a row would be disastrous, but for some reason I felt really good and the race went really well. Maybe my body just needed the two race days prior to wake itself up. Maybe just the relaxed situation of starting with so few people on a familiar, fun course and with a lot of guys around me who I can push to keep up with but don’t have the pressure of having to beat. But I really felt great! This 5k classic, perhaps unfortunately, was much better than the one on Friday. It always seems like I have really good races and do well at the times when it matters the least, but you know what, it’s still a good thing if it gives me confidence and makes me feel good about my racing and my abilities. I felt snappy and strong, and my skis worked perfectly! I pushed myself to hang on to the lead guys and ended up 5th overall in the Classic leg (1st woman), less than 30 seconds out from the leader! It was great. Afterward, of course, I was COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED! Like, beyond exhausted. I felt like I could barely move my legs or arms, or even stand up! Drained of all energy, as though the 5k had taken every last ounce that I could muster. But, hey, isn’t that what ski racing is all about?! Leaving it all on the racecourse, whether it’s one day or three. This week, I will look forward to some rest and recovery, in anticipation of my kids’ STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS and the Royal Gorge Freestyle Race next Sunday! Good stuff. :)
Yesterday I wrapped up a very full weekend of racing, with my third race in as many days. The Western Circuit collegiate teams had come through town as they do nearly every year, for the college races hosted by Nevada at Auburn Ski Club. I had really been looking forward to these races for most of the season, deciding in the last few weeks that I really wanted to try to be in top form as I realized that they would ultimately prove to be some of my biggest races of the season given the level of competition there compared to most of the other races I was able (or rather unable to) get myself to this season.
In addition, I have been on the college circuit for four years now and was following it heavily last year for a fifth season, so it really is a good way to gage myself against competitors whom I have competed against before and see how I am progressing against the circuit. Aside from that, I also just really love doing the college races because they are fun. There are so many great people on the circuit who I became close friends with during my time on it, and while the people have changed over the years, there is a great new group coming in for all of those who leave. It is always fun to see old friends and meet the new skiers.
Ultimately, my weekend was a little bit disappointing, but as always there were both highlights and lowlights. In the end, I didn’t get the results I was hoping for and feel like I am capable of. I simply just wasn’t feeling 100 percent this weekend, with two pretty tired days at the college races. On the other hand, I am very pleased with the fact that I know confidently that I gave the absolute best races I could, given how I was feeling and what my body could do at the time. That is always a good thing. After each race, even though I knew I was tired going in and was a bit disappointed to see the results, I still felt happy and proud because I knew that I really raced well and couldn’t have done much anything else better.
The weekend started with the 5 km Classic on Friday at ASC. As is well-known, I love Classic racing and have typically considered it my better technique, although I am not so sure now because it is difficult when we get so few opportunities to Classic race up here (only 3-4 per year). I was really looking forward to this race as a chance to really show my stuff and prove that I am among the top-ten Classic skiers in the Western circuit – a feat which I know I am capable of but haven’t accomplished since my junior year, due to a rough last couple of years. This year, I felt primed and ready coming in. I knew the course because I had skied it before, and most importantly I liked it and felt that it played to my strengths. Unfortunately, it was a tough week for training with coaching and working down at the news station consuming a lot of my time, so I just didn’t get in many good quality training days. Yet, I was still running around all over the place, scrambling all week long and not getting much time to rest. So, come Friday, I felt relaxed and confident, not nervous – despite knowing that these would ultimately be some of my biggest races of the year – but still just a little bit tired and kind of lacking my usual spark. Nonetheless, I fired myself up and got excited to lay it down out there. It was a quick, fast Classic race and I knew it would be fun!
I headed out almost last on the course as an independent skier, just ahead of friends/ teammates Annika Taylor and Chelsea Holmes, respectively, and behind eventual top-five finisher Zoe Roy of Utah. I don’t think starting so far back proved to be beneficial as I was pretty much all on my own throughout the race, with no splits or sense of how I was doing and just how close I was to people several spots in front of me in a very tight race. Nonetheless, I raced HARD and I really think that I raced well. I was not super pleased with my skis, I think mostly because I need to do some testing with my classic skis and/or get some new skis, because they are clearly NOT dialed in. I had the same wax as others who thought it was great, so whether it is because I started later or because my skis are not quite right, it didn’t work out so well for me -- draggy on the flats and downhills yet still slipping on some of the uphills! But, I made the best of it and pushed hard from the get-go, racing strong and smart throughout the course and really skiing well in terms of technique (or at least I thought so!). In the end, I came in a respectable 22nd – not a bad spot, but certainly not where I wanted to be, though only 30 seconds out of the top-ten and 45 out of the top-five in a very tight race on the fast course (only 15 minutes!). As I said, I was happy with the way I raced because I know I gave it everything I had and felt like I skied well. I was EXHAUSTED at the end and know I couldn’t have pushed any harder, which is good because sometimes after 5 km I feel like I could race another five!
Yet, I do think the biggest problem still was the fact that the race was a 5k, which I am very much not used to skiing this year, and have never been very good at. It has always been a struggle for me – as much more of a long distance skier – to push myself hard enough and go fast enough for 5k that it is actually even a faster pace at all than my 15 or 10k, but this year especially it was difficult. In the past, I did 5 k’s every weekend in college, so I got the chance to work on it a lot. This year, it was my first race under 10 km, other than one sprint, which was done mostly for training. The three weekends prior, I raced 15, 20 and 30km, respectively. Needless to say, my tempo was just not up to par. I could tell that the “fifth gear” just wasn’t there. Even though I was pushing hard, I just couldn’t get that tempo and speed fast enough to be where I needed to be, which is something that I believe takes a lot of work and cannot just suddenly be compensated for in one race. So, I know this is something I still need to work on, because even though I don’t do many 5 k’s and don’t really want them to be my specialty, I still think it is important to work on your weaknesses, and that tempo and speed and the ability to push to the next gear can be helpful at any level and distance, especially for pushing into the finish. So, I will get going with this and try to push myself to take more opportunities to race 5 k’s even though they are not my favorite! Between the tempo issue (I was told I looked like I was skiing a 30 k!), the wax/ ski issue and the overall residual tiredness from four pretty tough weekends of racing in a row leading into this three-day weekend, the race was not destined to be one my best. But I made the best of it. For that, I’ll take the 22nd.
Saturday brought the 15 km skate, a tough course and VERY tired muscles from Friday’s hard effort. I think that even though a 5 k is shorter, because it requires so much exertion to try to push the max in just 15 minutes, and again because I’m not used to it, that made me REALLY tired. I knew going into Saturday that it could be a rough one since my body felt tired before I even started skiing. And it certainly was. But, again, I raced really well, given the limitations of my body on the day. I pushed to the max and did everything I could to ski smart and technically well in order to get me around the course as fast as possible. I had a terrible start – one of my biggest weaknesses and problems all year – which caused me to be in LAST place coming into the 2nd kilometer. This is a MAJOR problem, and undoubtedly changed the rest of my race, ultimately making it MUCH more difficult for me to get into the top-15 or even top-20. I wasn’t too terrible getting out of the double pole zone, albeit not great, but not so bad. But then after the 1st kilometer all-out war of stepping on skis and poles, throwing elbows and pushing one’s way toward the front, I had not risen to the challenge of the battle, and AGAIN (as is common) found myself in a place I did NOT belong, which is tough. I try to stay relaxed and out of the heat of aggression so I don’t end up losing a pole or going down – not worth it in my opinion – but I obviously need to change that strategy and just get more aggressive and get in there, because being in the back in a group of 35 strong women is not where you want to be and causes you to end up racing a race you are NOT supposed to be in, when the real race where you belong is taking place in front of you and out of your reach.
My plan had been to start strong but not over-the-top and move up with each 5 km lap, as I always try to do in three-lap races. And I did do that. However, I had planned to start right inside the top-20 and work my way up toward the top-ten. Instead, I ended up starting from the very back and having to work my way past a whole bunch of girls I never planned on having to pass, and eventually into 22nd place – AGAIN! At least I am consistent, even if it’s consistently mediocre! ;) But again, I am proud of the way I raced. I did work my way up the field with each lap and passing kilometer and I pushed as hard as I could on that day. Surprisingly, even though my body was tired I felt really good on the hills and actually wished there were more! I seemed to get ahead and/or drop girls on the hills, but I think because on the hills I could rely on tempo and then had to push my muscles on the flats, it was much harder. I just didn’t have the strength given my fatigue from Friday. But, in the end I did the best I could and raced all the way to the finish line, again totally exhausted for the finish. Two of my coaches told me they thought it was a great race and I looked much better than Friday, so I must have been doing something right! Again, I was not disappointed, because I did everything I could, though I wish it could have at least been a top-20 finish, if not a top-15. That is what I expect from myself, but I guess I have to remember those are “100-percent-body” expectations, not 75.
All in all, the college racing experience I had long been looking forward to and hoping to really rise up for was not quite what I had envisioned, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. In a long racing season, it is difficult to get your body to feel good at the times you want it to, especially when there are so many. To have a good race, everything has to come together at the same time, and that is tough to do. That is why you just have to give it your best with what you’ve got that day, and I believe that this kind of perseverance is the mark of a good racer.
I was still left with the chance for yet another highlight though, which this time surprisingly came in the form of a really good race overall. On Sunday, I headed up to Tahoe Donner to do the Sierra Nordic Relay Race, just because it is always a good time and I like to support the local racing community, because it is so great to be a part of. It was a beautiful day at Tahoe Donner (as usual), and even though I was tired from two hard days of racing, I was fired up to get out there. Only one problem… I didn’t have a team! After a couple of unsuccessful attempts to get some of the UAA girls to join me, since they were staying up in Tahoe to train between the races and the RMISA Championships, I was lucky enough to find a local pair who had lost their third partner, and conveniently they needed someone to classic ski, which was what I really wanted to do. Lucky me! So, with about 15 minutes to spare before the race start, I got signed up on a team with Beth Thomas and Joe Dengler, grabbed my Fischer Zero skis that had not been glide-waxed and which I was only hoping would work in the conditions since I had nothing else, and headed out for a quick warm-up before the race start. Maybe it was just because I hardly had anytime to ski, but I was actually not feeling so bad… almost kind of fresh, even. And I was definitely excited to do the race.
I think I always like this race because it is just really low-key and fun. Relay racing is always fun, and this race is a cool little course with some good double-poling and kick double-pole sections, a nice gradual uphill for great striding and a technical downhill with some sweet jumps on the bottom (put in just for the race). It was good after the college races to just be back in with the same crowd and no pressure whatsoever. That day, especially, things were even more low-key. I think I must thrive under the flying-by-the-seat-of-my-pants, totally relaxed race situation. Ultimately, I guess my best races are those when I am really having fun. Yes, there are those rare times when despite the pushing and the pain, you really look back and think, “man was that a great time!” Sunday was one of those.
I have no idea why, because I would think that a third race day in a row would be disastrous, but for some reason I felt really good and the race went really well. Maybe my body just needed the two race days prior to wake itself up. Maybe just the relaxed situation of starting with so few people on a familiar, fun course and with a lot of guys around me who I can push to keep up with but don’t have the pressure of having to beat. But I really felt great! This 5k classic, perhaps unfortunately, was much better than the one on Friday. It always seems like I have really good races and do well at the times when it matters the least, but you know what, it’s still a good thing if it gives me confidence and makes me feel good about my racing and my abilities. I felt snappy and strong, and my skis worked perfectly! I pushed myself to hang on to the lead guys and ended up 5th overall in the Classic leg (1st woman), less than 30 seconds out from the leader! It was great. Afterward, of course, I was COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED! Like, beyond exhausted. I felt like I could barely move my legs or arms, or even stand up! Drained of all energy, as though the 5k had taken every last ounce that I could muster. But, hey, isn’t that what ski racing is all about?! Leaving it all on the racecourse, whether it’s one day or three. This week, I will look forward to some rest and recovery, in anticipation of my kids’ STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS and the Royal Gorge Freestyle Race next Sunday! Good stuff. :)
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