Hot off the press

Here's an update right off of the ski trails, so fresh I'm still trying to hack up a lung.

UAA nordic men had a really hot day today at 8,800 feet, we are the second fastest nordic men’s team, 1 point behind Montana. Raph took second, just 7 seconds out of first, and Max was fifth. I finished in 16th. My race was a little rough. I had a really good first lap, but got a little too excited coming around on the lap. When I came around for my second lap there was a guy just starting out and another skier I was catching. I was feeling good there after a long down hill and really wanted to catch these guys. I pushed it a little too hard trying to catch those guys right away and hit the bottom of the tank. I spent the next kilometer or so scraping the bottom of the tank for more energy. After about a K of that I decided this was ridiculous and I must be loosing a lot of time. So I sucked it up pushed for all I was worth. It was getting really hard to see, and it took a lot of concentration to make the corners and say on my feet. After a short down hill I had recovered a little bit for the last climb. An ex-collegiate skier, Andy, came by me and I was able to hang on him the rest of the way up the hill. I pushed for all I was worth, focusing on his ski boots because that was about as far as I could see by that point, and was able to push it over the top of the hill. That was all I had left. I just barely made it down the hill and across the flats to the finish line. I have never been so tired after a race as I was after this one. I just collapsed after the finish line and couldn't move for a solid 5 minutes, maybe 10, I don't know. All I know is I was really dizzy and I felt like I would fall over if I stood up.

After recovering a little bit, and getting a bit of a cool down I was able to sit down and check the split timer. I guess I was 10th on the first lap half way up the large climb to the top, and 13th on the second lap. Maybe I should have saved a little to push down the hill and across the flat. I definitely shouldn't have pushed so hard into the second lap. Lesson learned. Tomorrow's a new day! Montana is going down!

The race course, with comments.


Brit was able to take pictures of the men's race. Thank you Brit!

Karl

Andy

Raph on his way to 2nd!

Your's truely.

Max skiing into 5th!


After our race Max and Raph rolled out the couch and we were able to chill on the race course.

Max, on the right, relaxing with his Aunt, Uncle and cousin as skiers buzz by.


Adele, skiing for Whitman. Way to go Fairbanks!


Brit skiing past Loren and the couch.


Kelsey ripping around a corner.


Raph showing us how it's done.


Karl, Raph and Max relaxing on the couch after the women's race.


Max and Raph still had enough energy to carry the couch back up to the cabin.