First of three WJT races!
This morning was a 10k pursuit and the first race of this years' World Junior Trials.
You never know how mass starts are going to unfold; sometimes they start fast and the group breaks apart right away and other times they start slow and finish with more of a sprint.
(Photo credit: Jesse Winter)
This morning it started out fast and it seemed like there wern't many groups helping each other out there. I skied the first half of the race nice and relaxed. There was a lot of climbing on the classic course so I made sure I chose skis that were easy to kick so I wouldn't be wasting any extra energy going up those climbs. Coming into the transition I was in 3rd or 4th position with two girls right on my tail. While going up the first climb from the stadium I kept sticking my left pole between my legs...I didn't understand how I managed to keep doing this over and over each time having to hop on my right side to keep from falling on my face. Then I realized I had grabbed my classic pole by accident. Oops. But a quick pole swap with one of my coaches at the top of the hill and I was set to go. During the first skate loop the three of us skied together and pushed each other up the hills. At the start of the last loop I managed to drop them and started hunting down the girl ahead of me in 2nd place. Right before the last long climb I was able to pass her and stay ahead of her coming into the finishing stretch but at that point I misjudged how far behind me she was and didn't have much of a sprint left in me. She ended up beating me by 0.1 seconds.. Even though 3rd place is great, I can't help but be a bit frustrated with myself for not putting that .1 of a second down before the finishing stretch. Oh well, race and learn I suppose.
One thing that managed to cheer me up a bit after that was the medal presentation. Probably not for reasons you think though... It cheered me up because the medals were made of chocolate!
Yum :)
David also had a great race today! I was trying to take a nap when I got home but instead I kept refreshing the live timing on zone4 to follow how my bro's race was going. He got 2nd!
You never know how mass starts are going to unfold; sometimes they start fast and the group breaks apart right away and other times they start slow and finish with more of a sprint.
This morning it started out fast and it seemed like there wern't many groups helping each other out there. I skied the first half of the race nice and relaxed. There was a lot of climbing on the classic course so I made sure I chose skis that were easy to kick so I wouldn't be wasting any extra energy going up those climbs. Coming into the transition I was in 3rd or 4th position with two girls right on my tail. While going up the first climb from the stadium I kept sticking my left pole between my legs...I didn't understand how I managed to keep doing this over and over each time having to hop on my right side to keep from falling on my face. Then I realized I had grabbed my classic pole by accident. Oops. But a quick pole swap with one of my coaches at the top of the hill and I was set to go. During the first skate loop the three of us skied together and pushed each other up the hills. At the start of the last loop I managed to drop them and started hunting down the girl ahead of me in 2nd place. Right before the last long climb I was able to pass her and stay ahead of her coming into the finishing stretch but at that point I misjudged how far behind me she was and didn't have much of a sprint left in me. She ended up beating me by 0.1 seconds.. Even though 3rd place is great, I can't help but be a bit frustrated with myself for not putting that .1 of a second down before the finishing stretch. Oh well, race and learn I suppose.
One thing that managed to cheer me up a bit after that was the medal presentation. Probably not for reasons you think though... It cheered me up because the medals were made of chocolate!
David also had a great race today! I was trying to take a nap when I got home but instead I kept refreshing the live timing on zone4 to follow how my bro's race was going. He got 2nd!
