Greetings from Whistler, BC. Canada.
I'm up here training for a few days, having a look at the Callaghan Valley Ski Trails, cross country ski venue for the 2010 Olympics. I have not had the chance to ski on these after missing out on this year's world cup races due to the lovely protozoa, giardia, and also skipping the various training camps that happened up here in the past few years. I've wanted to have a look at the courses but haven't had the chance until just now.
Today we skied the majority of the trails that are here and man was it fun. It was a gorgeous day for skiing, plenty of new snow, fantastic grooming, and temperatures around 25 degrees with a hot western sun beating down on top of us. It was really cool. The courses are very fun and a bit of a departure from the latest trends in course design. Over the past decade the courses, especially at major championship venues, have increased in difficulty to the point where its less about skiing and more fitness, a point that is infinitely debatable, i know. The courses here are much more gradual allowing for greater speed and requiring a much broader set of skills than the ability to climb an incredibly steep hill for 4 minutes at a time over and over again. The downhills are also a bit different in that they are quite turny. While there is a lot of debate about these points that i'm making, i am of the opinion that this is a good change.
so i will ski the trails one more day, tomorrow, before heading out of vancouver to switzerland for another assault on the engadin marathon. last year i had a great race there, finishing only a few seconds behind the leaders. this year i will do my best to repeat that and if possible, try to put together an even better last kilometer. last year i dropped the ball a bit in the stadium area and would really like a chance to show my finishing speed in a big field like this. if i have the chance, i'll take it.
last weekend was the birkie. i didnt have a great day there. i went into the week before feeling fantastic but wound up fighting off sickness all week long. i skied the birkie sprint and though i finished ok, i didn't feel very good, i was really flat. i hoped for the best in the race and went out to try to win again but i just didnt have it. i found myself falling off the lead pack somewhere around halfway and wound up in no mans land, skiing all alone, just waddling my way to the finish. i ended up in 20th place. not what i was looking for, not even close.
after a few days home i still felt pretty beat and went to the doctor. it turns out ive been fighting a bit of a sinus infection and have been taking some drugs to rectify that for the last couple days. by the time i get to switzerland on sunday, i'll be done with the drugs and ready to sharpen up for the following sunday's event.
thats all for now. i'll try to post something from st moritz if i have the chance. thanks for reading.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Back on the Top Shelf.
a few weeks have gone by now. I went out to Minneapolis for the City of Lakes Loppet, which happens to be the second biggest event in the US in terms of participation. I flew out on a Wednesday and got a ski in on the first 10k of the 38km race course on thursday. When i arrived it was very cold and the forecast pointed to more of the same through the weekend, which I had counted on before I left. Friday came and we had a short sprint in Uptown. It was fun to ski a sprint again, a race I used to focus all of my efforts towards but as of lately have not seen much of. I skied better than I expected and was going quite fast all around. I didn't quite have what I need to beat Rossignol teammate Kevin Hochtl, who was very much in his element on the short course, but I was happy to be able to push him a bit and move as quickly as I did.
Saturday came and I was very anxious to race. It seemed to be my race to win and I was ready to make it happen. Soon after the start I felt my skis start to drag a bit but I didn't think it was enough to derail my mission. Over the next k's they really started to slow down and I had to work harder and harder to stay at the front of the pack, which became really frustrating. The flats and uphills were good as I was in control but the downhills were disastrous, with nothing to be done but watch the competition gain an easy gap and try to reel them in as soon after as possible. I made it happen for 30k. I really dug to do it and thought I still had a shot if I could keep the pack together. But a few long downhills around 6k to the finish put a stamp on it. I watched three guys ski away to fight for the W. I didn't give up, it was still training. I pushed myself as hard as I could across the lake to the finish and made the best of it. Thats how these things go. It was purely a stonegrind issue. I didn't bring some of my warmer skis and Friday, forecast for a high of 20, was 50 degrees F. The minimal structure on my skis filled with dirt and left me with more suction that I could power my way out of. the good news was that I felt really good. really good. it just took a little time for the fourth place to wear off to know it.
I flew home and arrived in salt lake city with a sore throat. great. just what i want this season is a cold... right after i have finally come into race shape, right before my biggest races... Tuesday I felt sick still so i didn't train. Wednesday, still not healthy but slightly better. Thursday we drove to Sun Valley for the Boulder Mountain Tour. Friday I felt good and did some intervals with my homeboy, world wide superstar, and now famous because of his alka selser ads, Bill Demong. I felt good and was skiing surprisingly well after not training all week. I was ready to go.
The race came and I had great skis, super important in the Boulder since its mostly downhill... I decided to sit in the pack as much as possible to conserve for the finish. I stuck my nose out in the wind at a few stratigic spots along the way to soften the other skiers a bit and resumed my position out of the wind. Near the finish the attacks started flying, including one by Bill, which I knew would be coming. Bill strung the pack out and I stayed tucked in until it seemed like everyone was starting to fade and I pounced. At the time I had no idea but I had Marshall Greene in my draft. I pulled us up to the top two positions and let the lions roar when we hit the 150 meter mark. It seemed like i had plenty of space and backed off a touch but felt some pressure coming near the line and I hit it again. At the line I threw down a great lunge and according to reports from the Jury, won by a centimeter... We actually had no idea who won until they announced it.
It felt great. I needed a win. The last few races have been really solid but winning is different. It was great to get up on the top step again, especially after all I've been through this fall. I had a feeling I could do it if I was patient and kept at it. Slow and steady wins the race.
This week I am headed back to Wisconsin for the Birkie. A race I love. A race I have won before. A race I want to win again. I've been back on the rollerski treadmill to put the final touches on my fitness. Last Friday I was going faster than I've ever gone before. This is a good sign. Monday will be another hard one and that last real interval workout before I travel. Thursday will be a short city sprint in Hayward and Friday is the Birkie. I'm looking forward to it. I leave several days after the Birkie for the Engadin Marathon in Switzerland.
Next post from St Moritz.
Saturday came and I was very anxious to race. It seemed to be my race to win and I was ready to make it happen. Soon after the start I felt my skis start to drag a bit but I didn't think it was enough to derail my mission. Over the next k's they really started to slow down and I had to work harder and harder to stay at the front of the pack, which became really frustrating. The flats and uphills were good as I was in control but the downhills were disastrous, with nothing to be done but watch the competition gain an easy gap and try to reel them in as soon after as possible. I made it happen for 30k. I really dug to do it and thought I still had a shot if I could keep the pack together. But a few long downhills around 6k to the finish put a stamp on it. I watched three guys ski away to fight for the W. I didn't give up, it was still training. I pushed myself as hard as I could across the lake to the finish and made the best of it. Thats how these things go. It was purely a stonegrind issue. I didn't bring some of my warmer skis and Friday, forecast for a high of 20, was 50 degrees F. The minimal structure on my skis filled with dirt and left me with more suction that I could power my way out of. the good news was that I felt really good. really good. it just took a little time for the fourth place to wear off to know it.
I flew home and arrived in salt lake city with a sore throat. great. just what i want this season is a cold... right after i have finally come into race shape, right before my biggest races... Tuesday I felt sick still so i didn't train. Wednesday, still not healthy but slightly better. Thursday we drove to Sun Valley for the Boulder Mountain Tour. Friday I felt good and did some intervals with my homeboy, world wide superstar, and now famous because of his alka selser ads, Bill Demong. I felt good and was skiing surprisingly well after not training all week. I was ready to go.
The race came and I had great skis, super important in the Boulder since its mostly downhill... I decided to sit in the pack as much as possible to conserve for the finish. I stuck my nose out in the wind at a few stratigic spots along the way to soften the other skiers a bit and resumed my position out of the wind. Near the finish the attacks started flying, including one by Bill, which I knew would be coming. Bill strung the pack out and I stayed tucked in until it seemed like everyone was starting to fade and I pounced. At the time I had no idea but I had Marshall Greene in my draft. I pulled us up to the top two positions and let the lions roar when we hit the 150 meter mark. It seemed like i had plenty of space and backed off a touch but felt some pressure coming near the line and I hit it again. At the line I threw down a great lunge and according to reports from the Jury, won by a centimeter... We actually had no idea who won until they announced it.
It felt great. I needed a win. The last few races have been really solid but winning is different. It was great to get up on the top step again, especially after all I've been through this fall. I had a feeling I could do it if I was patient and kept at it. Slow and steady wins the race.
This week I am headed back to Wisconsin for the Birkie. A race I love. A race I have won before. A race I want to win again. I've been back on the rollerski treadmill to put the final touches on my fitness. Last Friday I was going faster than I've ever gone before. This is a good sign. Monday will be another hard one and that last real interval workout before I travel. Thursday will be a short city sprint in Hayward and Friday is the Birkie. I'm looking forward to it. I leave several days after the Birkie for the Engadin Marathon in Switzerland.
Next post from St Moritz.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Answers to Matt's Questions
THE BASICS
1. What is the athletic background of your parents and family?
My Dad was a baseball player throughout most of his life. He played high school and college baseball. Later he played on in a 'professional' fast pitch softball team and was inducted in to the World Fast Pitch Softball Hall of Fame. He has been active in the outdoors his whole life but never involved in cross country ski racing until I got started in it.
My mother was active in the outdoors throughout her childhood. She ran track in high school and has completed a number of marathons and ultra-marathon events in the last decade. She was never involved in cross country ski racing.
My brother is a cross country skier and several time junior olympic champion. He skied at the university of utah and as of late, has switched to the sport of biathlon and is a member of the USBA Development Team.
2. When did you begin participating in your sport?
I began ski racing very young, probably around six years old. I recall being in the bathtub and my dad walking in and asking if I wanted to do a ski race. I was up for it. And that was that. I got involved with the local ski team and have competed ever since.
THE EXTRAS (if you have time)
1. What was your early experiences with sport like?
I liked winning early on. That was the initial draw. When it came to training and practicing, I loved being on my skis and going off jumps, playing games. Later I learned to love to train.
2. How instrumental were parents and coaches in the early part of your development as an athlete?
Very. My dad especially was very involved in helping me wax my skis and taught me the basics of skiing early on. He help a lot with finding coaches and instruction that were a huge benefit later down the road. He definitely instilled a work ethic in me that still exists today. Hard work pays off. If you don't work hard, it won't happen. I've known that from the beginning.
3. How were you introduced to your sport and how many other sports did you seriously participate in?
My dad asked if i wanted to race and I did... that was how i started racing. I started skiing earlier than six in my backyard. I was always on my skis, mostly building jumps to go off. I also participated in baseball until high school. My dad being a baseball player, it was always a huge part of my summers. I'm pretty sure that is where i developed the speed that i have now in ski racing.
4. Is your success a product of nature or nurture?
Both. The mindset that it takes to succeed is something that comes from early influences. There is always some level of natural ability that is present (or absent, whatever the case may be). A lot of 'natural' talent comes from the activities that are done early on. The best ski racers that I have been exposed to, in terms of 'natural ability', are people who participated in a wide array of sports and activities when they were young, whether is was swimming or biking or running or soccer. The more the better at a young age, as far as I am concerned.
5. Are you an expert in your field? (by your own definition)
I would say absolutely. Especially in regards to those areas in which I have direct control, tactics, training, etc. The areas in which I am not an expert are the technical sides involving waxing and more ski related areas, though I would consider myself quite proficient, there are plenty of people who know much much more- they are the experts.
1. What is the athletic background of your parents and family?
My Dad was a baseball player throughout most of his life. He played high school and college baseball. Later he played on in a 'professional' fast pitch softball team and was inducted in to the World Fast Pitch Softball Hall of Fame. He has been active in the outdoors his whole life but never involved in cross country ski racing until I got started in it.
My mother was active in the outdoors throughout her childhood. She ran track in high school and has completed a number of marathons and ultra-marathon events in the last decade. She was never involved in cross country ski racing.
My brother is a cross country skier and several time junior olympic champion. He skied at the university of utah and as of late, has switched to the sport of biathlon and is a member of the USBA Development Team.
2. When did you begin participating in your sport?
I began ski racing very young, probably around six years old. I recall being in the bathtub and my dad walking in and asking if I wanted to do a ski race. I was up for it. And that was that. I got involved with the local ski team and have competed ever since.
THE EXTRAS (if you have time)
1. What was your early experiences with sport like?
I liked winning early on. That was the initial draw. When it came to training and practicing, I loved being on my skis and going off jumps, playing games. Later I learned to love to train.
2. How instrumental were parents and coaches in the early part of your development as an athlete?
Very. My dad especially was very involved in helping me wax my skis and taught me the basics of skiing early on. He help a lot with finding coaches and instruction that were a huge benefit later down the road. He definitely instilled a work ethic in me that still exists today. Hard work pays off. If you don't work hard, it won't happen. I've known that from the beginning.
3. How were you introduced to your sport and how many other sports did you seriously participate in?
My dad asked if i wanted to race and I did... that was how i started racing. I started skiing earlier than six in my backyard. I was always on my skis, mostly building jumps to go off. I also participated in baseball until high school. My dad being a baseball player, it was always a huge part of my summers. I'm pretty sure that is where i developed the speed that i have now in ski racing.
4. Is your success a product of nature or nurture?
Both. The mindset that it takes to succeed is something that comes from early influences. There is always some level of natural ability that is present (or absent, whatever the case may be). A lot of 'natural' talent comes from the activities that are done early on. The best ski racers that I have been exposed to, in terms of 'natural ability', are people who participated in a wide array of sports and activities when they were young, whether is was swimming or biking or running or soccer. The more the better at a young age, as far as I am concerned.
5. Are you an expert in your field? (by your own definition)
I would say absolutely. Especially in regards to those areas in which I have direct control, tactics, training, etc. The areas in which I am not an expert are the technical sides involving waxing and more ski related areas, though I would consider myself quite proficient, there are plenty of people who know much much more- they are the experts.
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