Well, the last couple of weeks have really been a lot of fun training. I'm not sure what the difference is, but I think it's because I know we're on the downward slope of winter and I can sense Spring. I think another reason is because I returned to racing last weekend as I did a 20k xc ski race and then yesterday I did a 27k ski race. Even though they are not multi-sport events, it is still a blast getting out there and competing. You still get that same feeling after any sort or race where you put it out there. The thing I really like about the skiing and I've grown to have this outlook in multi-sport races, but I need to do it even more...that is, to just enjoy the event and let all the training I do take over on race day and just do my best. You have almost zero anxiety racing that way and it really is more fun. You don't sweat the small stuff nearly as much and you are just getting after it out there because you can and it feels good to use the fitness you've worked so hard for.
Last weekend I was 11th place and 2nd in my age group. Yesterday I was 18th and 1st, but it was a bigger race with more people. There were competitors from all over the midwest and country for that matter at both races. It's amazing I never really knew how big of a sport this was here until I started looking into when I knew we were moving back up north. I guess when you're a kid and you're involved in all your other sports you just don't think about those other things...especially with xc skiing being predominantly a sport where most of the people racing are 25 years of age or older...similar to triathlon a bit. The guys winning most of the events are 35 - 50 years old. That's encouraging if I stay with it for a while. The thing is I really haven't skiied much...probably once a week most of the winter. The rest has been my typical winter training for triathlon and I'm just able to do decent off that fitness. I have a lot of work to do on my technique on the skiis, but that will come. Engine wise it seems I'm as fit as pretty much anybody I'm racing. I'm learning a lot about what it takes to race well and a BIG part of it is getting out fast as the trail thins down in probably a half of a km to where it's pretty much single file from there on out. You can pass people at times, but it takes a lot of effort. If you can get in that first group chances are you'll be able to hang for a while and end of with a high placing. Yesterday I got stuck in the middle and had to crush myself about half way to bridge back up to the group ahead. It worked, but by that time I was cooked and just content to hang on until the end. It's really a great way to get in some aerobic work with very little pounding. I am past the sorness of the first few times I went out skiing so like today I woke up not sore at all...i guess maybe I didn't go hard enough?! Oh well, good thing with a nice long run on the schedule for this afternoon.
Other than that life has been pretty low key. Teaching has been going well. Rachel has been feeling good. We went to the doctor last Thursday and heard the heart beat again. It was a bit slower than the first time around. He/she must be getting in shape;)
Thanks for reading...will write more soon. Off to church.
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