Two weeks ago were the Jericho rollerski races more formally known as the North American Rollerski Championships. These races were the first two of four which help determine who will fill the last World Cup start spot come November. As well as they basically mark the end of summer training. Like last year the races were very fun and the most competitive biathlon races that will take place in North America this year other then the two World Cup races that will be taking place in Canmore, Canada and Presque Isle, Maine this winter. At the beginning of the summer I was questioning if I would even be able to rollerski by August, that was not a problem and the races went quite well. The first day was a 10km sprint race. I shot clean (hit all my targets) and was 4th place behind athletes who have been consistently racing on the World Cup for the last few seasons. I was also first out the athletes in the selection trials. The second day was a 15km mass start race, this race was really run, I like mass start races because there is way more of a competitive feel, you are head to head with people and it is more of a tactical and mental race then an individual start race. This race I placed 7th with 4 misses, 1 prone and 3 standing. My skiing felt tired compared to the first day but it was still a solid race.
After the races I returned to Craftsbury to continue training. We had an easy week followed by a big volume week. It was nice to put in some good volume/distance training after having a few weeks of lots of intensity to prepare for the races. During the easy week I did my first ever V02 max test, this test measures how much oxygen your body can process and use. To do this you put on a mask connected to a computer that measures your breathing and then go as hard as you can in some physical manner. We did the test on the skierg double pole machine as a 5km time trial. The test took me just under 20 minutes and data was being collected the entire time.
Today I arrived with the rest of the Craftsbury team in Ramsau, Austria. We will be here for two and a half weeks training, the big bonus about coming here is that we will be able to ski on the Dachtein glacier. I have never had the opportunity to have real skiing during the training season or ski on a glacier. So far it is beautiful and I am super excited to be here. Our first day skiing wont be until Sunday so check back soon for pictures of skiing and snow!
Starting the mass start, I am the first person on the far left side #4
Lap 3 of the mass start race, skiing in a good pack
Doing the max V02 test on the skierg
Some technique video
Fishing with Mike and Ethan during some rest week off time
The team cooling off after a long distance workout
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