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.

10k Skate Tomorrow

We've been in Colorado for a few days now and the temperature isn't quite as harsh as it was when we arrived. It was a bit chilly yesterday, hanging around -20 C, it was slightly warmer today though. At least waxing will be really easy.

The whole team is staying in one large cabin right on the race trail. It has been fun to be able to stay as an entire team in one location. We may all be in one building but most of the time everyone is in thier own world surfing the internet on their laptops. The best thing about staying here is that we are within a minutes walk from the trail. I really like the course here at Snow Mountain Ranch. It is on a narrower, windy course with some long gradual hills. The best thing about the course is one of the loops' names, Audun, named after Audun Endestad! I've been feeling really good so I'm looking forward to having some great races this weekend. The past two days when I went out for a ski I could hardly feel the 8,800 feet of elevation. It will feel really nice to ski at sea level back in Anchorage next week.

Our humble little abode right on the ski trail.

The cabin's name.

This is how far we have to walk to get on the race course. Our house is on the right, Utah is on the left.

The section of the race course right out our door. This is the firt long gradual climb on Audun, about 250 meters out of the start.

Cold Colorado

Third state, third week of the trip; we are now in Colorado. The last few days in Utah were pretty nice. We got to hit up a few different ski trails around the area; White Pine in Park City, and Sundance near the top of Provo Canyon. Sundance is really cool! It is definitely right up there as one of my favorite places to ski. The trails are located at the top of a small canyon, right at the base of Mount Timpanogos, an 11,749 foot peak, the second tallest peak in Utah. Definitely check these trails out if you are in the Salt Lake City area. While we were in Utah we spent a day to go check out SLC and the Mormon Temple.

Mount Timpanogos (photo from Wikipedia)

The team checking out Temple Square, SLC

The drive to Winter Park was really nice. We had some great views along the way. The best views were as we were leaving Utah and passing by Dinosaur National Monument. There were some great exposed stratographic layers and folds. I'm really looking forward to taking my Sediment and Stratigraphy, and Structure courses this semester. When we got to Winter Park the temperature was hanging around 0 and the heater wasn't working in our cabing. Thankfully they got the heater working, but in the mean time we all hunkered down in warm gear and surfed the internet.

The view was we were leaving Utah, as it would be seen in the summer time.
(Photo from Panoramio)

Andy, all bundled up to surf the internet.

Karl and Raph, trying to stay warm.

Senior National Pictures

While I have a computer with my pictures, some battery power, and a fast internet connection I figured I would post some of my best pictures from Senior Nationals.

10k Skate

Ryan heading up the first major climb of the 10k skate.

Ryan getting some splits from Trond and Jane.

Karl with his game face on.


15k Classic (Pictures by Karl)

Brent, looking strong.

Bart. For some reason I think he is hurting.

Tyson. This must have been a painful race or something.

Here I am somewhere in the classic race.

Trond, giving splits in the classic race.


Skate Sprint

Chris Cook, US Ski Team, leading the Flying V.

Tyson, in the blue, in his quarter final. The heats were very close.

The men's sprint final. Very tight!

A very determined Laura, way ahead of the rest of the pack.


Team Classic Sprint

Its Joe Dirt! No, wait, its only Brian.

Andy Newell must have some fast skis.

Torin Koos, US Ski Team, so far ahead no one else is in focus!

Reese on his way to Junior Worlds.

Zach with his game face on.

Brent sticking it to the competition

Max tearing up the nanooks.

Tyson smiling where everyone else was grimacing. He must know something we don't.

Winter Stars, Eric and Tyler, hanging with the big guns.

Mark. Done...finally.

Hooray for Pictures!

Finally fast internet and a computer with my pictures on it. Here are some pictures from the Utah Invite.

Hanna getting ready to head out.

Trond, fixing up the women's skis with some super kick.

Hanna heading up the last hill on her first lap.

Kelsey at the start.

Britt heading up Hermond's the second time.

Jeff

Egil

Wooly

Max

Super Seawolf! .... or is that Karl?