Sunday, January 27, 2013

A Productive Lull

The past two weeks have probably been the least two enticing weeks in the past three years.

However, I did have 3 wins in the past two weeks which also happened to be my first wins in over a year. I needed them.

Since I began this trip to Sochi 2014, it has always been an upward trend for me starting at the low of the low end. When I started this journey, seriously 4 years ago, I was placing outside the Top-10 at SuperTour Races and was just breaking into the Top-20 at National Championships. Three years ago I was in the Top-10. Two years ago, finally breaking into the Top-10 at Nationals and breaking onto the podium on SuperTours. Continuing to train hard and smart, I got my first podium at National Championships and then got a World Cup birth last year. Wanting to continue this upward trend, I wanted to improve a personal best, 43rd, on the World Cup to a Top-30 this season.

Not even close.

How about Nationals? I wanted to win a race and podium on a couple others.

Not even close. Well, kind of.

It was hard for me, but at the same time it was a healthy dose of positive reflection on a season that hadn't gone to "plan." By plan, I think it is what I wanted to expect from myself but didn't know if I could realistically produce. I let it get to me. 

After Nationals, I had to look at what made me excel and what was lacking in my physical and psychological output.

What I realized was that I wasn't having fun. Sure on the road I get to go to sweet places and hang out with some awesome people, but I wasn't entering races as I normally do. I had put a pressure on myself that I was unfamiliar with.

With a lull in the season I have had the past two weeks to be home and enter races that would be hard to put too much pressure on myself to do well. I entered the past three races, post-Nationals, with a calm before the races. I calm confidence that I hadn't had since last March.

It felt good. And it is back.

I am really excited for the rest of my season. I will be going to some races I got to compete in 2 years ago that really set me up well for my past season. Excited to see how things go. As for now, some pictures and a video.


Front of the local newspaper

Striding in Vail on the home course

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

My wife, Sarah, and I


Friday, January 11, 2013

US Champs...CHECK, Reality...CHECK

Hey all-


It has been awhile since my last update to you all but wanted to have a chance to gather a long line of thoughts and response from recent travels and racing.

We recently finished up at US Nationals in Soldier Hollow, UT.

I would honestly say that US Nationals was not nearly as successful as I had anticipated but I did learn many things about myself during the week.

Classic Sprint: I had a decent qualifier landing in 12th. Didn't have quite the strength I was looking for and it showed in my quarterfinal as I played the downhill into the stadium not as great as I had hoped. It is a very tactical course, you hav to be smart. On the last downhill I moved into the right lane before the left-handed turn into the bridge because the inner track had been blown in all morning but may have cost me space into the final 100m. Ended up 24th on the day I think.

From FasterSkier: http://fasterskier.com/article/no-stranger-to-soho-koos-gets-redemption-in-classic-sprint/

Video: http://fasterskier.com/?post_type=article&p=93034

Skate 15k: Unfortunately going into this day my head was in a place to win, but my body was not. It wasn't cooperating with me. Sometimes this happens and I do not know why. I didn't feel great on the warmup and was going to ski the same race I did last year when I was 3rd in the same race the year before. I knew I was in trouble when I caught the guy in front of me but couldn't shake him. Shaking a skier is positive reinforcement for me that I am skiing well, and then he passed me back, but I got him before the finish. Ended up 21st on the day. Not good for me. 

From FasterSkier: http://fasterskier.com/article/sprint-specialist-no-more-bjornsen-claims-first-national-title-in-15-k-free/

Video: http://fasterskier.com/article/u-s-nationals-mens-15km-freestyle-video/

Classic 30kThis race result was probably my most important of the year so far. It reminded me that my fitness is hanging around in my body somewhere and that I can be up there. 6 laps of 5k. Awesomely brutal. Great to ski with the lead pack until I was taken out by an undisclosed member of an Alaskan university skier on the 5th lap right before Hermot's Hill (the biggest hill on course). I jumped back on the group but it was right after that, a surge was made to split up the group. It did split up. I ended up 8th on the day.

From FasterSkier: http://fasterskier.com/article/koos-makes-it-a-double-with-30-k-victory-at-soldier-hollow/

Video: http://fasterskier.com/?post_type=article&p=93377
and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piX1Plj3-gA

Skate Sprint: This race was without a doubt the toughest I have ever been in a ski race. I woke up that morning feeling terrible still from the 30k. Tired and restless sleep added up. I wanted to have a great qualifier so that I could focus on skiing top-3 in the heats and moving on. When I finished my preliminary sprint, I was 12 seconds off the pace...12 SECONDS!!! I hadn't been that far off the sprint pace since I was a freshman in college. I kept seeing my time slip back all the way until I thought my day was over. But with no more skiers in the field my time was the 28th fastest and just enough to keep me in the rounds. Thanks to chats with one of my best friends and role models, Kevin Hochtl, and a nice leg rub and chat from my wife, I was able to turn a terrible morning into a productive afternoon. I convinced my body it wasn't tired and warmed up and competed mike I was going to win, and I did. SO BAD. I made it all the way to the final qualifying in the rounds without have to expend too much energy. In the final, there was some separation but coming into the last 100m it was anyone's for the last podium spot. Unfortunately, I had not gotten myself into the best position for the last 100m s I had in the rounds and got boxed out and pinched, had to go around the outside and settle for 5th. Still a great, uplifting day for me.

From Fasterskier: http://fasterskier.com/article/with-gritty-closing-speed-blackhorse-von-jess-takes-first-national-title/

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HV3RCfH5Yqc

My schedule for the rest of the season is below:

Jan. 19 - 20: College races in Vail, CO

Jan. 26 - 27: Off

Feb. 2: Boulder Mountain Tour in Sun Valley, ID

Feb. 8, 9, 10: Vail Mountain Games, Owl Creek Chase in Vail/Aspen

Feb. 16 - 17: Off

Feb. 22 - 23: Birkibeiner in Hayward, WI

March 2 - 3: Off

March 9 - 10: Off

March 16 - 17: Off

March 23 - April 11: Canadian Nationals in Whistler, BC and SuperTour Finals in Truckee, CA

I am really looking forward to some time home and resting from a LONG fall for me, something I was not accustomed to before this year.

Hope all is well and hope all had a great New Year!

I sure did!




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