Haywood Nationals '08

Last week was Haywood Canadian Nationals in the Callaghan Valley in British Columbia, the site of the 2010 Olympics for cross country. It was amazing to ski on the Olympic trails. The courses were very challenging, with big climbs and technical downhills. The weather on the ther hand was less than breath taking. The temperatures consistently fluctuated around the freexing mark, which made for classic waxing very difficult.
I was very pleased with my classic team sprint with Mon Nordic teammate Jeff Ellis, placing 6th out of 35 teams. It set up the week nicely, knowing that I was feeling good and skiing well. The 10k classic race was a focus for me, so I was ready to go feeling good, and a dismal 41st place took a hard hit on the confidence. It started snowing fat heavy wet flakes 20m minutes before the start, our klister was icing bad so our coach and tech decided to race on ‘harries’ (just roughing up the kick pocket with sand paper) others used the same idea on chemical based skis. The chemical based skis seemed to hold onto the grip a little better, as our home made one made it through only the first lap of 3.3k. It was too bad, as the only skis I had at the site were klister skis, and my soft pair that could have worked better in harry conditions were left at the cabin. But it was interesting the top male skied on harries, and the second placed skied on a klister hard wax combo. So it was hit and miss, some had good skis, some not so much.

The skate race, I had little to no energy, warming up, I was worried as I felt like cement had filled my viens and arteries, and this has happened in other skate races too, I try to dig deeper and ski faster, knowing that I can but when called upon my legs just don’t have the juice. The track was really greasy with fresh wet compacted snow, so it made balance a major issue and the small shin muscles burn and seize.

The sprints were on par with my sprinting ability this year, slow.

And the final day, 50k classic. Again classic I prefer, so I was excited. Waxing again was a nightmare for our techs, with snow on and off, and warming temperature. The first two laps I had great skis, griping well, and fast on the downhills. I was sitting right were I wanted to be, relaxed, comfortable. Then the third lap with the warming conditions my skis started icing on the big climbs, I was running on stilts at the top, pulling off to the side to scrap off the snow and ice, before decending. After a lap of run, scrap, run, scrap, it warmed up enough that it wasn’t icing anymore, great…which meant now, no grip. I finished the race, I know it doesn’t seem like an accomplishment, but I was pleased that I fought through the decision point to quit, others dropped out, and maybe for ego and confidence, that might have been the better choice, but I feel commitment goes a long way in this game. The people who are successful in skiing got there in may different ways but the one trait they all share is that they are still skiing, still finishing the good and the bad races, still committed.

I’ve got some pretty major decisions to make with skiing, training, racing and work, but I’ve decided to commit, no one said this was going to be easy, and what fun would it be if it was, so I’ve got to take a look at what went well this year and what didn’t and try to pin point why, and then make some plans for the following year.

This week, the bunch of us have stuck around in Whistler to do some downhill skiing and snowboarding. So lets hope for some fresh powder and come clear days.

Thanks for everyone’s support this year, I really appreciate it.

Reipas Sports Complex, with a hint of Norway

-5C, cold, old snow, perfect day for a double pole HAMMER FEST. Today was a 7k classic race at the Tapiola Reipas Sports Complex, here in Thunder Bay. It was well attended, with the usuals: Steevfe Hart, Chris Butler, Timo Purias, Mike Somppi, Werner Schwar, and myself. As a must at the Reipas Club, you have to have the Finnish Weiners, I couldn’t wait until after the race, it’s tradition.

It was a mostly flat loop of 3.5k with a few gradual uphills, and downhills and one steep harring-bone hill. Butler (a.k.a Boerre Naess) and I ( a.k.a Tor Arne Hetland) decided we would test our double pole strength by doing the 7k on skate skis with skate poles. Steevfe gave in to peer pressure and skied on skate skis aswell, but opting for the shorter classic poles. Somppi held fast sticking to his classic Hibbies…Only time will tell.

17 minutes or so later, after completely hammering, the standings were as follows:
1st- Steevfe
2nd- Somppi
3rd- Hetland
4th- Naess
5th- Timo

So although Somppi got us marginally I felt very pleased to have put an awesome ski in hammering the double pole. Next time I feel that choosing the shorter classic poles may be been a wiser decision, and with doing no double poling with skate poles, I’ve found an interesting set of rhomboid muscles between my shoulder blades that have been torn to shreds, I think Naess’ lats took the brunt of his skate double poling.

Next week, some solid resting with sprints, and off to Callaghan Valley Thursday.

Some short videos by an enthusiastic Pate Neumann of Hetland, and Naess harring-bone up a short steep climb.

Rollin' with Heat

Hopped into the van this morning headed to Kamview for the 10k continuous pursuit at Kamview Nordic Ski Centre, and what was the first song pumping through the speakers, my fav "Rollin with Heat" by The Roots- featuring Talib Kweli. I knew the day had started in a good direction. Everyone had planned to race, except Jesse who is on the edge of something so with only a week before nationals it's always better to be safe than sorry.

Chris, Pate, Thomsen, Mike, and I along with the Thunder Bay boys of Steevfe Hart, Luke V., and Chris Ham to name a few, headed out on our first leg of 5k classic. Chris hammered the first leg, Steefe sitting comfortably in his draft, and the rest of us holding on, hoping not to blow up. My skis were fast opting for less grip as it was a fairly flat course, there were rumours that some people were going to attempt to do the classic portion on skate skis, none followed through.

Timo, annililated a crossing chipmunk, poory little feller, scooted just past me, but took the brunt of the Fins weight behind me. Timo took the glory of having the fastest classic time putting on a solid push coming into the stadium and transition area. Butler and I out of the front group were out of the transition first putting a little gap on the field, I let him know by chirpping, but Butler opted to settle into a solid groove before hitting the Upper Cut, a solid climb at Kamview. The lead group was now Chris, myself, Steevfe, and Somppi, with Timo and Pate in the chase group.

Chris pushed the tempo up a smaller hill, dropping the failing Somppi, to our frustration, he immeidately caught back up on the pursuiing donwhill, again the the so called 'hibbies'- Peltonens were running well. The final downhill lead me slowly past Chris with Sompii and his 'hibbies' on my heels, I pushed hard into the finishing stretch not really know how I was going to outlast them in a sprint. Rounded the final corner, and opened the throttle up. Edging out Somppi in a long legged lunge, with Steevfe a boot length behind, and Chris crossing right after. I won!

5th was Timo, 6th Pate, 7th Luke, 8th Thomsen. Awesome fun, again Peter Crooks at Kamview had the course immaculate, and Bert V and the volunteers put together a solid race.

Special thanks to Chris Butler for putting down a punishing pace and leading for the majority of the race. Somppi and I were pleased, as this is a good sign going into nationals next week.

Thanks again, hope you enjoyed the race.

Phil

also had an interview with the local t.v station, I don't recommend tuning in, flushed and out of breath I didn't have much to say.