Training Log Archive: ndobbsIn the 1 days ending Jan 25, 2009:
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Sunday Jan 25, 2009 #
skiing (skating) 1:30 [3]
Drove to Mora. Went the wrong way up a one-way street. A car came in the other direction, so I kindly pulled in to a snowdrift. Got stuck. Alex got us out. Continued on our merry way. Passed a goat with a big red penis. Didn't see it.
Skating in Vasaloppet snow on Boris' skate skis. Took a while to get moving. Did 2 2.5km loops and a bit more. Looked "stuck" to Alex. By the end I felt like there was some forward movement at least. Unfortunately I didn't know I should have been training classic in preparation for the afternoon.
Shower, sauna, shower then back to the cabin in Orsa. Passed a goat with a big red penis. Saw it. Colleted our stuff. Drove to Grönklitt. Exited a roundabout not by an official exit. Reversed back onto the roundabout. Continued on our way. Approached an uphill junction to turn right to Grönklitt. Car ahead of me in the middle of the snowy road started reversing. I stopped. Car ahead went forwards again and turned towards Grönklitt. I tried going forwards but failed. Reversed in the middle of the road towards the car behind me. Then went forwards and off to Grönklitt.
Skating in Vasaloppet snow on Boris' skate skis. Took a while to get moving. Did 2 2.5km loops and a bit more. Looked "stuck" to Alex. By the end I felt like there was some forward movement at least. Unfortunately I didn't know I should have been training classic in preparation for the afternoon.
Shower, sauna, shower then back to the cabin in Orsa. Passed a goat with a big red penis. Saw it. Colleted our stuff. Drove to Grönklitt. Exited a roundabout not by an official exit. Reversed back onto the roundabout. Continued on our way. Approached an uphill junction to turn right to Grönklitt. Car ahead of me in the middle of the snowy road started reversing. I stopped. Car ahead went forwards again and turned towards Grönklitt. I tried going forwards but failed. Reversed in the middle of the road towards the car behind me. Then went forwards and off to Grönklitt.
skiing race 2:27 [5]
Inaugral Irish Ski-Orienteering Championships
Grönklitt, Orsa
Held in conjunction with Junior SkiWOC and Nordic SkiO Champs under the watchful eye of IOF Event Controller Carl Fey and an international jury.
Due to adverse conditions, the race was only confirmed minutes before the start, by which time I had spent a couple of hours in the buffet, gaining several uncompetitive kilograms.
As the Irish Squad physio was demonstrating clear bias in aiding the physical preparation of my principal competitor, I had to make do with Boris for my pre-race massage. He also didn't wax my skis. Nevertheless, I started the race with my head held high (a good six inches inches higher than my competitor's) and my feet still in skating boots.
In all the frantic speed and frenzied emotion, the first part of the race went by in a blur. As I picked myself up of the snow, things became clearer. Mr H had an apparently insurmountable lead. My only hope was to take him out as he came back on my tracks in the return leg. Yet, as I approached the squad physio, aka turning point, I perceived a figure wobbling incontrollably while facing in the general direction of the ditch. Turning point (aka squad physio) was looking on concernedly, but unable to help as she was the turning point. As traumatic shock set in, I began laughing relentlessly. My stomach complained even more pointedly as the sausage and fish and potato and pasta and pork jostled for position. Heading down the hill, gravity and poles worked hard but the ice under the skis combined with non-existent techinque made speed a distant dream, which, approaching the finish line, overtook me on the other tracks. Denied victory by a handful of split seconds, I could only take pride in my second place in the Irish Ski-O champs.
Next year I will be back, lighter, faster and with a modicum of technique.
------
Changed quickly then hopped in the car, minus Alex, for the drive back to Uppsala. Left at 6:53. Eniro predicts 4h36. I was the only one predicting arrival before my birthday. The road to Mora was slow. We did pass a goat with a giant red penis. We did see it. Then conditions improved slightly. Stopped in Gävle for chocolate korvar. Continued on our way, without meeting snowdrifts. Arrived chez Boris and Kat 10:59!!
Went to bed in their living-room. Five minutes later Minna lands on the bed rubbing her whiskers against mine. Scared me a little but we curled up together and went to sleep.
Woke repeatedly during the night. At one point I was surprised to see Boris eating breakfast, wondering what he was doing that for at 6:10 in the morning. Then I realised it was Czaba. He was wondering what an Irishman was doing sleeping in his living-room.
Grönklitt, Orsa
Held in conjunction with Junior SkiWOC and Nordic SkiO Champs under the watchful eye of IOF Event Controller Carl Fey and an international jury.
Due to adverse conditions, the race was only confirmed minutes before the start, by which time I had spent a couple of hours in the buffet, gaining several uncompetitive kilograms.
As the Irish Squad physio was demonstrating clear bias in aiding the physical preparation of my principal competitor, I had to make do with Boris for my pre-race massage. He also didn't wax my skis. Nevertheless, I started the race with my head held high (a good six inches inches higher than my competitor's) and my feet still in skating boots.
In all the frantic speed and frenzied emotion, the first part of the race went by in a blur. As I picked myself up of the snow, things became clearer. Mr H had an apparently insurmountable lead. My only hope was to take him out as he came back on my tracks in the return leg. Yet, as I approached the squad physio, aka turning point, I perceived a figure wobbling incontrollably while facing in the general direction of the ditch. Turning point (aka squad physio) was looking on concernedly, but unable to help as she was the turning point. As traumatic shock set in, I began laughing relentlessly. My stomach complained even more pointedly as the sausage and fish and potato and pasta and pork jostled for position. Heading down the hill, gravity and poles worked hard but the ice under the skis combined with non-existent techinque made speed a distant dream, which, approaching the finish line, overtook me on the other tracks. Denied victory by a handful of split seconds, I could only take pride in my second place in the Irish Ski-O champs.
Next year I will be back, lighter, faster and with a modicum of technique.
------
Changed quickly then hopped in the car, minus Alex, for the drive back to Uppsala. Left at 6:53. Eniro predicts 4h36. I was the only one predicting arrival before my birthday. The road to Mora was slow. We did pass a goat with a giant red penis. We did see it. Then conditions improved slightly. Stopped in Gävle for chocolate korvar. Continued on our way, without meeting snowdrifts. Arrived chez Boris and Kat 10:59!!
Went to bed in their living-room. Five minutes later Minna lands on the bed rubbing her whiskers against mine. Scared me a little but we curled up together and went to sleep.
Woke repeatedly during the night. At one point I was surprised to see Boris eating breakfast, wondering what he was doing that for at 6:10 in the morning. Then I realised it was Czaba. He was wondering what an Irishman was doing sleeping in his living-room.