Race Day

Gorgeous tracks on Saturday

This weekend was the first race weekend of the season. We haven't started the carnival season yet, but the  first Eastern Cup (the races put on by NENSA, the New England Nordic Ski Association) was this weekend. While there is absolutely no snow anywhere in the east, Craftsbury managed to pull together an phenomenal 1.4k race loop.

The first day consisted of a 1.4k classic sprint and a 3k classic prologue. Can't say I'm much of a sprinter, but it felt good to be in a solid set of tracks for the first time all season. The course was hard and fast and my lungs were absolutely burning. I didn't do as well as I hoped, but we've been doing a lot of long intervals, which isn't exactly too helpful for short distances. It's still early and it was good to get some starts in.

The fam after the classic races

My brother during the skate race today

The second day, today, was a ~5k skate race for women, ~10k for men. Again, it was hard, fast, and brutal. I worked hard and accomplished what I had hoped to, which was to ski more smoothly up the hills.

It's still very early in the season and I'm looking forward to a good winter break of training. Hopefully we'll get snow soon ANYWHERE in New England. I'm ready and willing to drive to snow wherever it falls. At the very least let's hope for a white Christmas!

Gabby and I being in love