Silver Star to Rossland

These past two weeks have been a whirlwind of travel and racing. We raced 5 races in 9 days and I loved every minute of it!!! I have learned that as long as I enter the season with a bit more gas in the tank and slightly below my ultimate race fitness, I can improve throughout the season and hold my peak through the bigger races of the year that are in February.

I came out West and to altitude almost 6 weeks ago. After many solid hours of training and racing I am finding my top gear again!  Last week in Silver Star I had my first glimpse of newly gained fitness. I reached the podium in the 10K Skate race. I was 2nd. Although I was a bit off my friend (and Olympic Roomie) Holly Brooks pace, I knew I was tapping back into my race legs.

This past week we (the CXC Team) have been staying with a great family just down the road from the Black Jack Nordic Ski Venue in Rossland, B.C. This week's schedule consisted of three races in a row. We started with a Skate Sprint, then a 5K Skate and finished with a 10K Classic. Time bonuses were awarded for each event culminating with a pursuit style final race. The entire weekend was a blast! I managed to move into the B-Final of the Skate Sprint and finish 9th. The next day was my favorite event the 5K Skate and I was narrowly edged by .1 of a second by my teammate Jessie Diggins for 3rd Place. Today was the 10K Skate and I was able to hold onto my 5th position in the overall! The best news was that my teammate Jessie Diggins moved up from 3rd to take the mini-tour overall victory!!!

Jessie is only 19 and training with the CXC Elite Team year-round. She is a super talent and I look forward to watching her progress throughout her career. While she is on the team, I enjoy her energy and excitement to train with the rest of us. I know my results are improving after spending 6 weeks with her!

I have managed to improve immensely since my first races in West Yellowstone, MT. I am now within a few seconds of winning and I know I still have more in the tank! Our next event is U.S. Nationals in Rumford, ME. Until then I am looking forward to going to Brian's home in the Methow Valley of Washington and enjoying the Holidays with family and friends.

Yellowstone Adventure!!

Photo Toko USA
First Skate Race of the Season in West Yellowstone, MT

Photo Toko USA
First Classic Race of the Season in West Yellowstone, MT

 After the first races were over the CXC Team stayed an extra week out in West Yellowstone, MT to train. This past week has been perfect with great skiing and lots of snow! I had my best training week of the year with lots of hours and quality intensity. The week was capped off by an amazing adventure Brian and I took into Yellowstone National Park. We skied out to the Hot Springs and back which ended up being about
4-1/2 hours of skiing! It was about 50K of skiing!!!

The CXC Team is off again on another road adventure this time to Silver Star, B.C. I love racing in Silver Star and look forward to racing feeling 100%.