Race Season… commence

It has been so so busy with an estimation of 8 races in this 2 week frame. Definitely not as busy as the Tour de Ski, but pretty close. I can name them off for you, brief summary, and give you a lot right now. I'm on a pretty consistent streak right now and all I need to do is work through conference, sections, some JNQs mixed in and then state. One of my two major races this season. But that's for another time.

Race time!!!!!!

Race #1 and 2: Loppet Invite 
This was the weekend after sr nats, so many of the big guns weren't racing. It was based off of the conference and section format, and it was the first time I races at Theodore Wirth this year. It was fun and I got to ski a skate race and a classic race. I love Wirth and it helped me prep for JNQs and sections.

The team showing off the new tent

Race #3: Classic '5k'

Anyone who races at Elm Creek knows that you treat that 5k like a sprint. With only 2 big uphills and mostly flat, EC goes by so fast. I had an awesome race here, pushing it out from the start. And while it was only against our conference, it got me in the mood to compete fast and hard, and the extra confidence boost isn't bad either. 

No more smiles from this girl… jk more to come!!!! ;)

#4 Classic JNQs Telemark

This race was very much like Sr. Nationals, at least my mindset was. If you have ever been to Telemark, you know it brings the meaning of 'hard' to a new level. I heard a coach call it unforgiving and that is a perfect way to describe the retired downhill skiing hill. You climb up it, then you go down. The hill is again, nothing like the final stage of the Tour de Ski, the Alp de Cermis, but it give you a nice (not) 3-5 minute climb with a nice downhill with some of the Midwest's most tricky turns. Saturday was interesting because it was around 32 degrees and the trails had been only groomed that week since last winter. After the boy's interval start, I went out 3rd in the girl's races, and it was already bad. The uphills were so slow, and the downhills so rutted that those turns were tricky for even the most experienced skiers in the field. I was mad that when I was climbing the hill, I didn't

 pass the two skiers ahead of me, but I shouldn't have . I was flustered  how I had pretty much crawled over the top of the hill, but I had forgotten that it was the same for everyone. I placed okay (consistent) in ten results and wasn't too bummed anymore. 

#5 Skate JNQs Telemark

That was a hard, hot race which I approached completely wrong. Used to being the youngest and underestimated skier of the race, it was a bizarre feeling to be in the 1st position in the mass start. I was confident in my skating skills and underestimated the grueling course. It was a tough race, and I messed up more than just my mentality, but I also learned way more than I have in any good race. About me, and my racing strategies. And I rather have a race like this now and learn from it now, than later, like at state and Nationals.

Got to see my old roommate win! Yeah Abby!!

Race #6 Conference relays 

My team is awesome and I am so proud in how our 2 relay teams got first and second this week, coming back from a minute + lead. When I got my final leg, I was handed off in 2nd place, behind our other HP team and we manage to push into first, with the two HP teams winning by a lot. It was awesome and so much fun! Our guys managed to push into the top 5, and there where so many individual standout races!

Testing out those Wirth hills

#7  and # 8 Conference Meet

Tomorrow (Friday) we are heading out to EC and racing our 2 conference races. More to come. 

#9 and 10 Wirth JNQs

Also more to come. 

We love racing!!