Canmore NorAm's

Photo: Zach Caldwell

I just finished my first full weekend of racing here in Canmore Alberta. This past weekend started off with a continuous pursuit (which I didn't race) on thursday, a Free style sprint on Saturday, and finished with a 10 km Classic race on sunday. Thursday I found myself busier than I would have been if I raced, I opted to help out with Amy wax testing. It was a pretty relaxed morning we started around 7:45 am and had found the wax shortly after that.

Saturday morning came, I felt very confident and relaxed. I had chosen my skis the day before and skied the course many times so there was no stress on the equipment side. I arrived to the race site about an hour before my start, discussed a little strategy with Zach(Amy's Husband) and Amy. Began my warm up about 40 mins before my start and was off to the races. I took off the line exploding from one ski to the other down the straight stretch and cutting a hard right at the end of the stadium. I blasted up the first hill and over the top into a tuck. I then climbed up the last hill before descending into the stadium, at this point I could start to feel my legs turning to stone. As I rounded the last 180 degree corner I started to dig deep before tucking into the stadium. I hit the final stretch and can describe it in one word...helpless. All my leg muscles had lactated up hard and I was losing second after second. I came in a disappointing 23rd place a little over 8 seconds off the lead.

When you have a set back like this it is important to re-focus because the real race is yet to come, the "Heats", where they group 30 skiers based off the Qualifier into 5 groups of 6 skiers.
from there the top 2 skiers from each heat move on with the exception of the 2 fastest skiers behind the top 2 (hope that makes sense) also known as the lucky loser.

My first heat came and my first heat went, leaving me behind. My body physically could not do it today, I brought my "A" game mentally but physically my fellow racers had the advantage over me. So I took an easy cool down and headed home for the day...disappointed and beat.

The next morning I woke up feeling like I had just been hit my a truck, sore and tired but still determined to race my heart out in the 10 km classic. I skied a conservative race which was smart because I still died hard. If I had gone out super hard I think I would have been alot worse off. I feel as though I skied with good technique and little snap, which will come with more racing and intensity. I will get a good dose of that this weekend in Val Cartier, Quebec. Thursday I sprint, saturday I race a 20 km pursuit, and sunday another classic 10 km.
Very busy schedule before I head into my Christmas break and return to Burns Lake to do some final preparations before heading out east, again, to race the U23 trials.

I will try to keep you updated as much as possible while I am on the road so lets hope for wireless internet!


Thanks to everyone keeping up with me and to all my supporters, listed to the right of my Blog.
I hope to see everyone when I am home, preferably on the trails!


Cheers

Chris