My second and last time at World U23 Championships, in Almaty Kazakhstan, one of the last two host cities bidding for the 2022 Winter Olympics. Kazakhstan wasn't a place I'd ever expected to find myself in, I didn't realize exactly how far east it was - bordering China! I'm slowly discovering the world through ski trips!
Despite the smog and the rocky trails, Kazakhstan was an amazing experience for me, an experience I won't soon forget. I had some of the best races of my life and I accomplished some major goals during the Championships. I was just riding this wave of stoke. I still can't believe I had such good races, and what those results meant for the rest of my season.
Despite the smog and the rocky trails, Kazakhstan was an amazing experience for me, an experience I won't soon forget. I had some of the best races of my life and I accomplished some major goals during the Championships. I was just riding this wave of stoke. I still can't believe I had such good races, and what those results meant for the rest of my season.
After spending our arrival day in Kazakhstan recovering and learning some key Russian phrases, we skied at the original venue which was outside of the city (and the smog) and right in the mountains. I had one of the best ski days of the year there! The venue is comparable to any of the nicest places I've skied, including Canmore! It was a mild, blue bird and sunny day, and we were skiing on perfectly groomed, fresh snow. Couldn't ask for more! The rest of the week we would be skiing on the competition trails at a man made site right in the city. Unfortunately the conditions at our race venue were a far cry from the pristine mountain trails.
The days leading up to the first race of the Championships - the classic sprint - were kind of an organizational mess. Originally, the Junior sprint was to be held on Monday, and the U23 sprint to be held on Tuesday. Then we heard they would hold both events on Monday. Then we heard we would be racing on an 800m course (girls 1 lap, guys 2). THEN, finally, both sprint were moved to Tuesday, and the men and woman ended up doing the same course, which was a shortened version of the original men's course. This was a great example of why it's so important to be relaxed and flexible. My Nicaragua mottos came in handy for me here - be flexy flexy, and go with the flow.
As much as I try to have a positive mind-set going into a race, I'm typically pretty anxious. That's why one the best aspects of the Championships was how good my attitude was on race day. I didn't feel like I'd consciously changed my thinking. When I got to the start line for that very first race, the sprint qualifier, I just felt this genuine happiness inside me and an excitement to race. I was smiling on the start line, it was a great feeling. I was so happy to be there, and so excited to race in this field. I felt thankful for the opportunity, and I wanted to make the most of it.
I had a terrific qualifier, posting the 12th fastest time! Wooo!
I had the same fired up feeling before my quarter final, but, unfortunately, my quarter final was not an example of my best racing and I failed to move onto the semis. Despite being angry and wanting more immediately after crossing the line, I left the race site with a lot of positives. In my mind, the day was still a success.
As much as I try to have a positive mind-set going into a race, I'm typically pretty anxious. That's why one the best aspects of the Championships was how good my attitude was on race day. I didn't feel like I'd consciously changed my thinking. When I got to the start line for that very first race, the sprint qualifier, I just felt this genuine happiness inside me and an excitement to race. I was smiling on the start line, it was a great feeling. I was so happy to be there, and so excited to race in this field. I felt thankful for the opportunity, and I wanted to make the most of it.
I had a terrific qualifier, posting the 12th fastest time! Wooo!
I had the same fired up feeling before my quarter final, but, unfortunately, my quarter final was not an example of my best racing and I failed to move onto the semis. Despite being angry and wanting more immediately after crossing the line, I left the race site with a lot of positives. In my mind, the day was still a success.
After having such a great feeling that first day, I was hoping that the attitude I'd had pre-race would carry on through the Championships, and luckily, it did. When I'm happy, I race fast, and when I'm having fun and racing fast, I'm happy!
On Thursday we raced the 10km skate interval start. Because of my poor FIS points, I was an early starter. I hoped I would be able to ski my second lap with some of the fast later starters, who would be starting as I lapped through the stadium. This race was unlike any race I'd done this year. I have a habit of starting fast and fading and losing time in the later stages of the race. This day in Kazakhstan, however, was different. I started out with a controlled pace, telling myself to be light and relaxed up the steep pitches so that I could catch a ride with someone as I lapped through. After 5km, as I headed out of the stadium for the second lap of my race, I was pumped when I realized my legs felt great and I was ready for a hard second lap. I started pushing the pace and my body was keeping up, feeling awesome. I was passed by a Norwegian whose pace was too much for me, but when a Slovenian caught me with about 2.5km to go, I worked my butt off to stick with her. From that point on I pushed as hard as I could until the finish line and made up a lot of time.
I didn't really have any expectations going into this Championship. Besides "giving my all and having the best races possible", I don't really set goals for myself. I prefer to go into races imagining I'm the underdog, because I race better when I have no perceived pressure.
When I realized I'd finished 17th I was ecstatic! It was my best result by a long shot, I was sooo happy. I had a fall near the end of the race on the last downhill and lost some precious seconds. When my coach told me I would have been top 15 had I not fallen, I couldn't really bring myself to care. All I could say was "I know I should probably be way more disappointed by that, but I don't even care! I just came seventeenth!" Seriously, how could you not be pleased with that?!
On Thursday we raced the 10km skate interval start. Because of my poor FIS points, I was an early starter. I hoped I would be able to ski my second lap with some of the fast later starters, who would be starting as I lapped through the stadium. This race was unlike any race I'd done this year. I have a habit of starting fast and fading and losing time in the later stages of the race. This day in Kazakhstan, however, was different. I started out with a controlled pace, telling myself to be light and relaxed up the steep pitches so that I could catch a ride with someone as I lapped through. After 5km, as I headed out of the stadium for the second lap of my race, I was pumped when I realized my legs felt great and I was ready for a hard second lap. I started pushing the pace and my body was keeping up, feeling awesome. I was passed by a Norwegian whose pace was too much for me, but when a Slovenian caught me with about 2.5km to go, I worked my butt off to stick with her. From that point on I pushed as hard as I could until the finish line and made up a lot of time.
I didn't really have any expectations going into this Championship. Besides "giving my all and having the best races possible", I don't really set goals for myself. I prefer to go into races imagining I'm the underdog, because I race better when I have no perceived pressure.
When I realized I'd finished 17th I was ecstatic! It was my best result by a long shot, I was sooo happy. I had a fall near the end of the race on the last downhill and lost some precious seconds. When my coach told me I would have been top 15 had I not fallen, I couldn't really bring myself to care. All I could say was "I know I should probably be way more disappointed by that, but I don't even care! I just came seventeenth!" Seriously, how could you not be pleased with that?!
The last race was the 15km skiathlon mass start. In this race you ski 7.5km classic, Yet again, due to my crappy FIS points, I was a back of the pack starter - last row. This offered up a fun challenge though. I couldn't let myself think too far ahead into the race, I had to ski in the moment, and stay really focused and calm to avoid crashes. The key was not to panic or make poor tactical decisions even though I was in last. Having that mind frame really helped. I was comfortable being at the back, and I just hung out there until a lane opened up and I could start moving my way up through the field. I focused on skiing my own race in the classic portion, not getting carried away trying to hang on to people I felt were going too fast for me. I had a smooth and fast exchange, and skated hard out of the exchange box into the first downhill before putting my poles on. This allowed me to pass at least three girls who weren't as aggressive leaving the exchange zone. I found myself in a pack of five, and the race was on! The five of us skied together for one lap and a half. Halfway through the second lap, we came up over a rise and I noticed we were gaining on a group of girls. Aaaaawwesommmme! I'd never been part of a chase pack before, and when I realized we were skiing a good pace and catching these girls I was so pumped! It's cheesy, but I felt like I was skiing the type of race I'd only ever seen on tv! When we came up behind these girls, I moved to the front of my pack and decided from this point on I was going to hammer and I wasn't going to look back. I wanted to pass as many girls as possible and I didn't want any of them to latch on. I think I pulled a few girls with me, and with maybe 400 metres to go, a couple girls passed me who I just couldn't hold on to, but I managed to cross the line in 12th! Race of my life! Again with the smile I couldn't wipe off my face! Is this real life?
12th place at U23s is quite a meaningful and elusive result for Canadians. It is written in our National team selection criteria that a 12th place earns you a spot on the senior National Team. 12th is this big number we all strive for, but I didn't know how realistic the result was for me. I can honestly tell you I didn't think I was capable of it. Of course, nothing is confirmed until the spring, so I will post an update when the news comes!
Racing aside, we had an amazing team in Kazakhstan. We were a very cohesive group. Everyone wanted the best for each other, everyone celebrated each other's victories or empathized with each other's defeats. We were proud to be representing Canada, as well one another. We worked together to develop the best race strategies, and we had some amazingly motivating team mates (if anyone needs a pep talk, pay a visit to Julian Smith - wise beyond his years.) It was also really cool to have a certain kinship with the Americans, I think that seeing ourselves as "team North America" and wanting success for each other was a great attitude to have.
The next time I would hop on a plane, it would be taking me to SWEDEN!!
12th place at U23s is quite a meaningful and elusive result for Canadians. It is written in our National team selection criteria that a 12th place earns you a spot on the senior National Team. 12th is this big number we all strive for, but I didn't know how realistic the result was for me. I can honestly tell you I didn't think I was capable of it. Of course, nothing is confirmed until the spring, so I will post an update when the news comes!
Racing aside, we had an amazing team in Kazakhstan. We were a very cohesive group. Everyone wanted the best for each other, everyone celebrated each other's victories or empathized with each other's defeats. We were proud to be representing Canada, as well one another. We worked together to develop the best race strategies, and we had some amazingly motivating team mates (if anyone needs a pep talk, pay a visit to Julian Smith - wise beyond his years.) It was also really cool to have a certain kinship with the Americans, I think that seeing ourselves as "team North America" and wanting success for each other was a great attitude to have.
The next time I would hop on a plane, it would be taking me to SWEDEN!!