|
 The biggest problem with eyewear in cross-country skiing is that on long uphills, they fog up. CASCO first solved this problem with their Nordic Eyewear model; you know, those funny looking, flip-up shields that you see on all of the Norwegian skiers and biathletes. Now CASCO has figured out how to integrate super anti-fog properties into eyewear that looks, well, normal. The name 3-in-1 comes from the fact that these new glasses can be used in three different ways. Alone, they look great and have great anti-fog properties. Add the strap for a more secure fit. Add the included face foam-clip and defeat fog for good. The frames are available in black or silver. Both versions include two sets of lenses. The dark lenses work well in sunny conditions, while the orange lenses improve visual acuity in flat-light conditions. On sale for $75 through Chi-Town Sports, www.morsnow.com.
Patagonia clothing has long been the choice for people tackling nature’s elements, from climbers and mountaineers to paddlers and hikers. They recognize that the company’s commitment to design, durability, and environmental stewardship leads to superior, longer-lasting garments. Read more...
CASCO produces the most technically advanced eyewear for cross-country ski racing. The innovative flip-up design keeps the shield away from the face and prevents fog from forming on humid days or long lung-taxing uphills. Rain, snow, and sleet are also kept at bay by the plastic barrier, removing the need for those goofy looking traditional umbrella shields. Yeah, CASCO Nordic eyewear looks goofy, too, but at least you’ll be able to see where you’re going when your competitors are staring through fog or losing extra seconds fiddling with their sunglasses. Joe Gollinger of Chi-Town Sports imports the CASCO Nordic eyewear. Now offered for $110. Includes multiple shields. Perfect for biathlon.
So it has been a while since I last updated the website, a few people have reminded me. I took a few classes this spring and summer that have kept me pretty busy so far. Things are a bit calmer now that the semester has ended. I intend to revamp the site a bit this month to make it easier and quicker for me to update it.
I've been back from Basic Training for about three weeks now. When I got out, I thought it would take months before I was back in shape; but it only took two weeks! More updates on last season, Basic Training, and what's up next... this weekend when I have more time.
My inbox is getting stuffed with spam. So check out the contact page for my new website e-mail address. I've changed my other e-mail address, too, so check your inbox.
93rd with three penalties (1,2) in 10-km Sprint, 3:43.7 back (+ 2:33 ski time) on Thursday.
85th with one penalty (0,1) in 10-km Sprint, 3:37.1 back (+ 2:47 ski time) on Saturday.
No blame. No excuses. Just not skiing and shooting fast enough, yet.
Stream of bad luck seems to have befallen the early season for me. First, in the Austrian Cup, there was that little episode with malfunctioning equipment. Last week, we were just skiing on a 2.5-km loop of man-made snow. The snow was out; it was warm. Then, it began to rain. For two or three days, it poured. The morning of the sprint race, on Saturday, it was still raining. But by the time we arrived at the venue two hours later, the rain had changed to snow, and two inches had fallen. No problem. Except that our van wouldn't budge from the parking lot, so the waxman didn't make it back to the venue in time for my start. So, with little else to do -- I had already zeroed and was standing in the start area ready to go -- I just grabbed my training skis, missed my start by 20 seconds, and headed out on course for a nice workout. Shooting went well, considering the circumstances, and I missed only two shots out of ten. Now, I am in Hochfilzen, two hours north of Obertilliach, near Salzburg, for World Cup 3, which starts on Thursday. There will be a sprint on Thursday and another sprint on Saturday -- a sprint race is only 10-km. I feel good, so it will be great to see how I do! Wish me luck.
CASCO Nordic eyewear has been tried and adopted by many athletes on the World Cups of biathlon and cross-country skiing. The reason is obvious. Engineered to keep the lens shield away from the face, fog rarely develops. In case it does, the hinge mechanism allows you to flip the shield up, but keeps it still securely attached to the head. For shooting, this same process saves valuable time and worry about the glasses falling off or fogging up. CASCO is now distributed by Chi-Town Sports. Contact Joe Gollinger at (630) 922-5855 or joemar1999@msn.com. The Nordic eyewear is available at a special holiday price for $99.95. CASCO also sells regular eyewear for $50. Website: www.cascoeyewear.com.
Prone, 2 misses. Standing, 1 miss. Fiddling with my ice-jammed pole grips, 50 seconds. Result? Not one I care to share. Looking forward to the European Cup this weekend, instead.
For the past two years that I've been training at Soldier Hollow, I have done a 15-km biathlon time trial on rollerskis during each visit. This month, I've planned two time trials. The first, held today, was the best yet, with a time of 39:46 and 16 hits out of 20. That's more than a minute faster than August, 2:30 faster than June, and thirty seconds faster than last September. I'm happy with that kind of improvement.
I wasn't a born athlete, but I loved to ski after my parents learned to not go too overboard with the warm clothes -- so that I could move my arms and legs. Read more about what I did when I was young, age 9-15, on Skinnyski.
Glacier skiing, a challenging 6-m rollerski loop with killer approach into the biathlon range, rallying in a 1.7 L manual trans rental car, usually nice weather, sometimes bad weather. This is Ramsau. Read more on Fasterskier.com.
The good shooting continues. I drove to Ruhpolding today from Ramsau to compete in the final of six races at the German National Championships in biathlon. These competitions are used to decide the German World Cup team for December, so there is very good competition. I shot perfect prone and missed two out of twenty standing to shoot a total of 90 percent. I've never shot so well before this summer - first 95 percent in Sweden in August, and now 90 percent. I hope it continues! My ski speed from today's race is hardly worth noting. I could list a dozen excuses, but the reality is that I still have a lot of work to do. Read the results here.
When I was younger, I did a lot of running around. Those incessant hours of playing tag, hiking around islands, and practicing for sports that I would never be good at serve as the foundation for what I do today. Read the article here on Skinnyski.
Three races in three days, and a better result in each one. The international rollerski races in Östersund started on Friday night with a 12.4-km skate race, in which I placed an abysmal 26th place. Saturday around noon, we competed in a sprint race, in which I missed four of my ten shots to finish in 18th place. Today, in a true pursuit race where the starts were based on yesterday's sprint results, I missed only one shot (in my first standing stage) to climb from 18th to 11th place at the finish. I had the sixth fastest time of the day, which was the best for the U.S. Check out the results here. And check out images in the new gallery.
I have to admit that I am not the most competitive person. I'm driven by the possibility of improving, of pursuing my limits, of competing at the highest level that I can reach. Read the article here on Fasterskier.com.
Rollerskiing is the best training a skier can do without snow. I bought my first pair of Marwe rollerskis ten years ago and have been on them ever since. Read the article here on Skinnyski.com.
Becoming a better athlete is equal parts training and recovery. Learn more about how to maximize your training by using good recovery techniques in the second of my columns for Fasterskier.com. Read the article here on Fasterskier.com.
Read about Dusty the dog and learn some lessons about how to start and keep a good relationship with your coach in the second installment of my monthly column for Skinnyski.com. Particularly pertinent now that I will have two new coaches! Read the article here on Skinnyski.
In addition to my youth-oriented column on Skinnyski.com, I am writing a monthly column about training and the Nordic lifestyle on Fasterskier.com. Read the first installment, a review of my first time trial of the season.
I will be writing a monthly column aimed at motivating and informing younger skiers on Skinnyski.com, the Midwestern internet authority on all things Nordic skiing. Click here to read the first column.
This has been the best spring ever, not only because I have been traveling all over, giving presentations, and skiing to my heart's delight, but also in terms of training. I have been diligent, but relaxed. I am at the point now where I was last season in late June! Whoever said resting in the spring was a good thing is completely wrong. Spring is not for beer and ice cream, it is for traveling and doing real skiing.
Today, I visited Lynnwood Elementary School of Guilderland, New York, just outside Albany. About sixty fourth- and fifth-grade students attentively listened to how I started biathlon and reached my dream of becoming an Olympian. They learned about pursuing dreams through hard work and perseverance. The students also learned about geography and different cultures through pictures and discussion of the places I have been to and the people whom I have met. What a great school!
Today, through slush, drizzle, and thoughts of being finished with the season soon, I won my first Senior National Title in Valcartier. I started out with a miss in the first prone stage, a clean standing stage, and a single miss in the second prone stage. I believe at this point, I was in second place. But then my focus came undone, and I missed three targets in my final stage. The final shot - which I eventually hit - took painfully long. The season will be over after the spring and pursuit races this weekend. The past three weeks since the Olympics, I have been planning for next season. I haven't been as "athlete"-like as I would have liked, but the snow conditions that I returned to were not so motivating. Nonetheless, I felt surprisingly good today in both shooting and on skis, so I am looking forward to what I will put together on the weekend!
I’m the fifth man on this five-man team, so it was not an incredible surprise that I didn’t get the go-ahead to race today in the Individual competition. It is the race that I do the best in and the one for which I have prepared the most. But the coaches had a different perspective on things that I did. In the end, the team performed well and showed incredible promise. Jay Hakkinen had an all-time best Olympic performance by the U.S., finishing 10th. (He had the second fastest time without penalties added in, only silver medallist Bjørndalen was faster.) Lowell had a great race, too both in skiing and shooting. The next chance for me to race is in the Sprint on Tuesday, but we have only four start positions in that race, too. Because the other four guys proved themselves today, it is likely I won’t start unless someone becomes ill or injured. But this Games has already been a great experience! From skiing four kilometers behind Ole Einar Bjørndalen yesterday to taking copious notes on what I need to work on if I am to win that so-far elusive medal for the U.S. in 2010, being here is certainly worth the disappointment of not competing.
Jeremy Teela started the men’s relay off in fantastic form, leaving the range after standing shooting in sixth place, passing three teams in 2.5-km, and tagging off to Tim Burke in third place. Sweet! Lowell Bailey went third, and I was the final leg. Lowell handed off to me in around 14th place. I lost two spots right after the tag zone and shot prone on lane 16, hitting all five with no extra rounds. In standing, my legs were dead from the steep, though short climbs, and I had trouble settling on the targets. I hit two, and used all three of my extra rounds to hit one more. So, I had to ski two penalty loops, which is well, unacceptable, and lost one place. I felt good skiing, but am just not strong enough yet to tackle the steep hills. The thousands-strong crowd, combined with the pungent odor of tobacco and beer, makes competing in a World Cup in Germany a much different experience. But it is one in which I am going to have to learn to succeed.
Before I left the U.S., I obtained three new suppliers. I'd like to thank Honey Stinger, which makes energy bars containing natural honey, Rudy Project, which makes high performance eyewear, and Exel poles.
The first significant snow storm of the season has hit northern Maine now with about 12-16" of fresh, rather wet snow now on the ground at the 10th Mountain Ski Center here in Fort Kent.
Coach Gary Colliander and I went for a ski this morning, admiring the new snow and trying to clean the trails up a bit from all of the downed trees. Lucien Theriault appears to be grooming now with the snowmobile. Though I was able to ski in Utah in early October, it was only in a field. It's great to be back on snow again! Check out these images, click to access larger version:
   
This evening, it snowed a few inches in Geilo, Norway. Five years ago, I attended the ski gymnasium there. But this season, on October 30, I am headed there to train and make final preparations for this, a very important Olympic season. It's been a warm fall in all of Scandinavia, so I have obviously been fearing that I might have to rollerski. Now those fears have been alleviated to some degree. Check out a picture of Geilo.
Last week, as you can see from the photo on the front page, I went for my first ski of the season on real snow! That was October 5th high in the Uinta Mountains at about 9500' (2900m). It might have been only a few inches, but it was enough for me! Check out the gallery for more images.
Featuring a review of Rossignol's equipment and a discussion of attending a ski gymnasium, the second issue of THE SHOT was sent out two weeks ago. Look for the third issue in the coming days. If you are not yet signed up, do so now! It's free!
Over the past few weeks, I have completed a number of time trials and tests to determine how much I have improved since the beginning of the season. The most astounding of all was my 11 percent improvement in a 2 km time trial over the same test conducted only five weeks earlier. Other good news:
- Record accuracy shooting test result.
- 75 percent shooting result in Fort Kent time trial.
- New record for the Mars Hill Climb of 12:35.
- Significant strength improvements.
The Maine Winter Sports Center seeks to hire the best and the brightest individuals to be a part of an empowering Team. The role of this Team is to redefine community based recreation and competitive ski programs in the United States.
The position of MWSC Biathlon Development Coach reports to the MWSC Chief Operations Officer and entails working as a part of a team in initiating, planning and implementing a solid development program for beginning athletes in elementary school to post-collegiate national caliber athletes in accordance with the MWSC mission. Within the framework of this development program, the MWSC Biathlon Development Coach will work with local biathlon venues to implement fun-based feeder youth biathlon programs to foster development of young, new athletes, as well as establish and train a group of talented and interested juniors who wish to pursue skiing and biathlon as a year‑round activity and wish to compete in USBA sanctioned races. In addition, the MWSC Coach will be involved in the initiation and implementation of any programs and events and other duties that will advance the MWSC toward its mission.
The MWSC Biathlon Development Coach is responsible for all aspects of the MWSC biathlon programs from program creation to athlete development to equipment purchasing and management. The successful candidate will have a deep sense of community, will see the inherent value of the MWSC mission and enjoy spending significant quality coaching time with young, aspiring athletes. Previous experience and education in sport and specifically in biathlon are necessary.
This position is a full-time position to begin immediately. Compensation includes salary, excellent benefit package, housing allowance and vehicle.
Applicants should contact Max Saenger, Maine Winter Sports Center Chief Operating Officer, with a short cover letter and resume at max@mainewsc.org and then follow up with a phone call to (207) 328-0991.
On Wednesday, I drove down to Mars Hill to climb its mountain of the same name. The point is to run up the side as fast as possible in order to determine such physiological strengths as leg power, aerobic capacity, and lactate tolerance. Last July, I set the record for the climb at 12:44. That was with two months of good training. Last week, I was only a few seconds off of that time with only a few weeks of training, all of which could be considered counter-productive to hill running. It’s a good sign that I am on my way to a good season and haven’t been too lazy this spring.
Yesterday, I took a specific strength test to gauge how powerful I am and in which muscle groups. I was surprised to find that I was nearly equal between my lower body and upper body. The test was an uphill of about two kilometers in New Sweden, done first double poling (only arms and core muscles) and then no-poling (only leg muscles). What was remarkable about this test, which took just over five minutes, was that the two tests were separated by just one second!
I had my first accuracy shooting test the other day. The first few shots hit the ground and everything except for the target, but the test results show that I am starting this season on a level equal to where I was last August. Having not touched my rifle since my final race in Switzerland in mid March, I was amazed at how accurate I was in standing, which is usually my weaker position. This season, I will be following a new shooting plan that is much more structured. I’ll let you know how it is working.
Due to irreconcilable differences, I have decided to end my professional relationship with the U.S. Development Team coach. Unfortunately, this means that I will no longer be an official member of the team, of which I most enjoyed being a part.
In the coming weeks, I will be broadening my group of support staff. Together we will move towards the ultimate goal of winning an Olympic gold medal in 2014 and furthering biathlon in North America. As many are always better than few, contact me if you would like to contribute your support and expertise.
Now the season is over. I apologize for not updating the site in the past two months, but I could not find a place to connect my computer to the Internet until I arrived here in Fort Kent last week. The season went well and I am pleased with how things went. Of course, I still have much to work on. Thankfully, I have plenty of years and hundreds of competitions yet to race to improve. Stay tuned for some more reflections on the season. Check out the results section to see how things went from that end of things.
Read more details about this important multi-year deal:
"Banknorth signs multi-year deal to become title sponsor of U.S. Biathlon Association"
from the U.S. Biathlon Association
Over the past week, I have been working a good deal on restoring my rock-solid prone shooting. Today, in my first race since World Team Trials, I hit all five of my prone targets with the same confidence as I did in Norway six weeks ago. In standing, I missed two out of five, to finish with 80 percent shooting for the day. I intentionally held myself back on the ski course since Trials took a lot out of me physically and the goal for the day was perfect prone shooting. I finished third overall, and was the top American, which means I am another race closer to the World Cups in February.
After having abysmal shooting in yesterday’s sprint competition, I started the pursuit competition today knowing that good shooting would be the key to doing well. In the first stage, it appeared that this goal was not coming easily as I missed two targets in the first stage. After re-focusing, I was able to limit my misses to one in each of the next three shooting stages for a total of five. With fast skiing on the final loop, I was able to finish in second place, 27.9 seconds from first.
Today was the first of three races that will take place here in Fort Kent, Maine. I missed four out of my ten shots, two in each stage of shooting, to finish third in the senior men’s competition. On the course, I didn’t ski particularly fast, but in the past I have always skied better in the second and third races when there is a race series, like we have here. So, now I have one race under my belt, as they say, and I am looking forward to racing again tomorrow and on Friday.
 California-based Patagonia will now be providing me with its high-quality technical clothing and apparel. What struck me about Patagonia was its dedication to constantly improving its products, but also its commitment to the environment. One percent of company profits are donated to initiatives protecting our planet. With global warming consistently eroding the length of the ski season every year, this issue affects winter athletes like me directly. I will be evaluating and providing feedback about their products. Already, I am impressed by the new base layer line Patagonia has developed. It pairs Capilene, their breathable and warm synthetic fabric, with body-mapped stitching, which customizes insulation based upon the specific needs of different areas of the body. It’s called Variable Knit Capilene. Try it. It’s the most advanced clothing line available for winter endurance sport. Check out Patagonia's complete online catalog: www.patagonia.com.
This really is late notice, but I just found out about the second annual pre-season raffle that the U.S. Biathlon Association is holding. Support my teammates and me with your donations and enter into a raffle with great prizes from Rossignol and adidas. The deadline for entries is December 12, but you can call the Association at 1-800-242-8456 (BIA-THLO) to purchase tickets using your credit card. Click here to view the raffle flier, which lists the prizes and additional information.
I skipped the race on Wednesday to prepare better for today's 10 km sprint race in Geilo. The race went extremely well. I missed one target in prone, and none in standing, for 90 percent shooting. I skied much better than I have been lately. There is a "but," though. In prone, I shot on the wrong targets, so technically missed all five. That cost me eight minutes in penalty adjustments. Without them, I had a great race, and was the fourth-best American! I would have been 67th place in the race, a little more than three minutes behind the winner. The race had more than a hundred competitors, many who will compete in next week's World Cup races. Raphael Poiree, the top biathlete in the world, was among the finishers - and he didn't even win!
At the first European Cup of the season, I placed 34th in the senior men's individual race. For every miss in the individual race, a competition is given a 1-minute penalty. So with five missed standing targets, I received a five-minute penalty after crossing the finish line. All of this, despite hitting every one of my ten prone targets. The 20-kilometer long course was challenging, especially since an abundance of dry new snow made grooming an even trail difficult for the organizers. I wasn't particularly happy with the performance, but it is still early yet in the season to be making any final judgments.
Check out the men's results from this weekend's opening races here in Beitostølen. Both the mass start and sprint races featured a large contingent of World Cup athletes. In my first race as a senior, I placed 52nd in the mass start with ten misses, which was average for the day. On Sunday, I was 49th in the sprint with 80 percent shooting.
Today, I enjoyed probably the best birthday present ever... a two-hour classic ski on natural snow in the mountains of Norway. Yep, the ski season has started. I will try to put up some pictures when I get a chance.
THE SHOT, which has included interviews with Ricco Gross and Raphael Poiree in the past month, is now being sent to more than 900 subscribers. On October 15, an interview with top-ranked American biathlete Rachel Steer was included in the third issue. Subscribe now so you don't miss another interview!
Today’s air rifle program was a success, though the participants were small in number. Lanny, Tracy, and I were impressed by how well the kids shot, considering how little they have been shooting specifically on the biathlon air rifles. It was also great to see kids as young as ten out on rollerskis. There is certainly a lot of talent in the Wasatch Valley. These kids are very lucky indeed to have Soldier Hollow a short drive away from their homes, too. Thank you to Scott Peterson of Soldier Hollow for helping us arrange and lead the program. Also thanks to Otis Technologies, Toko USA, and Premier Guns & Ammo for the great prizes.
Lanny and Tracy Barnes (Durango, CO), and I were interviewed on KTMP radio this morning by host Robert Wright and Heber City Mayor Lynn Adams. The valley hosted the biathlon, cross-country skiing, and Nordic combined competitions during the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, so the town is well-versed in the Nordic sports. After introductions, Mayor Adams had Lanny and Tracy, who are 22-year-old identical twin sisters, recount their European trip last winter in which they were based out of an RV. Then, I told the story of my near-death hiking experience five days ago to give the Westerners a few good laughs at my flat lander expense. Hopefully, the three of us reintroduced the sport to a few listeners and have given the community three American athletes to cheer for come the next Olympic Games.
Tracy, me, and Lanny at KTMP AM 1340 with Heber City Mayor Lynn Adams,
second from right, and the station managers.
Tracy and Lanny Barnes and I will be holding an air rifle biathlon clinic from 4pm to 6pm on Thursday, September 23 at the Soldier Hollow venue in Midway, Utah. The program, which is free to the public, is focused on introducing 10-15 year olds to the sport of biathlon. Adults are encouraged to accompany their kids to learn more about the sport. Prizes from Rossignol Ski Company, the Toko Wax & Care Company, and Otis Technologies will be awarded. No prior experience or equipment required. Bring running shoes, water, outdoor clothing, and a friend or two!
More than three months away from the first competitions of the year, Bangor Daily News took the risk of printing a story about biathlon in its Monday edition on Page 1 of the Sports section. Jessica Bloch, who was one of the newspaper's reporters at the World Cup in Fort Kent last March, interviewed many of the Maine Winter Sports Center resident biathletes. It would be an understatement to describe how unusual it is for biathlon-related coverage to appear in any newspaper, least of all on Page 1 of the Sports section in a major regional paper in the summer! View the article...
After nearly a month of work, the new site has been launched just in time for the new biathlon season. Look around and check out the new content. All of it is consistent with the new missions of the site. If you're interested in the new purpose, read more about it in the "About this Site" section. I'm excited to finally being done with the coding and designing; now it's time for me get back to training!
An article that originally appeared on the news portion of Frozenbullet.com applicable to training. View the article...
|
