Skinnyski Race Team Weekend Recap
By Bruce Adelsman
February 10, 2003
Marathon season kicked into full swing last weekend with
the big Mora Vasaloppet and Pre-Birkie events. The Vasaloppet
returned to it's roots, running the full course from Warman
to Mora. The south wind made a for few tough sections, but
overall everyone seem to have a great time and were happy
to be coming down the streets of Mora for the finish.
On Saturday, Brian May continued his own tradition of top
performances at the Pre-Birkie, winning for the second season
in a row. The race featured four of the top five finishers
coming from Duluth!
A couple of interesting notes before moving on to the race
stories:
- I should have mentioned it last weekend, in the City of
Lakes Loppet summary: Siiri Morse's racing season has scaled
back this year as she is now "skiing for two".
We're proud to soon have another skiing Mom on the team
and wish her and her husband the very best!
- Dave and Josie race every year at the Mora Vasaloppet
under the last name "Nilsson". Here is Dave's
explanation:
"My grandfather came from Sweden in roughly 1920
as Karl Nilsson. When they got here they changed his named
to Karl Nelson. We think Nilsson is a more fitting spelling
for our name when we ski at the Vasaloppet. In fact when
I skied the Swedish Vasa in 1996, I was the only Nelson,
but there were probably 30 Nilssons!"
Race Team Results
Feb 7 Pre-Birkie
Brian May 1st male 26K freestyle 1:18:36
Feb 8 Mora Vasaloppet
Grant Nelson 1st male 35K freestyle 1:38:01
Jay Richards 3rd male 35K freestyle 1:38:11
Abbi May 3rd female 35k freestyle 1:53:59
David Nelson 3rd male 42K classical 2:19:14
Per Nelson 21st male 42K classical 2:34:51
Josie Nelson 1st female 42K classical 2:39:18
Margie Nelson 6th female 42K classical 2:56:21
Ben Popp 12th male 58K freestyle 2:45:20
Team Member Reports
Mora Vasaloppet 42K Classical Report from Per Nelson
After so many cold and windy races, we had convinced
ourselves that Sunday would be a repeat performance of the
perfect weather on Saturday. Saturday night I put our favorite
high fluoro on our skis under the cover of my home-made
window insert vent fan. Even the cool temperature on Sunday
morning did not dampen my spirits or expectations, and we
headed up to Mora looking forward to what we believe would
be the most beautiful race conditions yet this year: 25F,
warm, and sunny.
Somewhere, or maybe even a couple times I have heard
that at the start of a race you have a few seconds of free
energy magically stored up for a sudden burst. It really
sounds bogus to me, but it fits perfectly with the way I
like to start a race. So, with no shortage of energy, I
blasted off the line. The first time I looked up, I was
out front, alone. Unsettled, I kept looking, and finally
saw Piotr double poling powerfully as if he was setting
out to win a 42k classic.
Despite the stiff south wind, the start of the race
did not dissapoint. I settled into the pack lead by Piotr
right behind fellow 3Mer Dave Dow. Things felt right, though
a bit on the fast side. Over the first 5k I was hanging
on to Dave with an occasional stride to rest my double pole
which was already feeling stressed. I was starting to think
about all that time not spent on the roller board when Dave
(Nilsson AKA Nelson), my skinnyski teammate, came up on
the side and exclaimed in his typical soft spoken yet exhuberant
fashon: "Isn't this GREAT!"
Along with Dave was about ten guys, skiing very strong,
and they began to fill in the ranks of what had been a 5
man world. It wasn't long before the pace began to creep
faster, and, much to my dismay, I began to feel worse. My
skis were not pulling me back into the pack on the short
downhills, my arms were letting feet, then yards of gap
creep between me and the ever changing guy in front of me.
By the 7k mark there was no denying it, I was going backwards.
By the 8k mark, I was alone. The good news: I wasn't
feeling bad. I started striding more, trying to rest my
arms and holding out hope that the pack of 15 ahead would
break apart and leave scattered remnants to catch. As 8k
became 12k, it seemed less and less likely. Then around
14k I heard someone behind me. At first it was as if I was
imagining new sounds over my own pole plants and ski noise.
Then it was undeniable. The usurper turned out to be none
other than fellow Skinnyski suit wearer Ryan Ness. Ryan
caught me in similar fashon at the Vinterlopet. There I
was able to shake him and stay ahead on the mostly downhill
last 6 km at Sugarhills. Unfortunately, if the Vasa is missing
one thing, it is long downhill sections. So I settled in
and matched Ryan's pace.
When we hit the windblow sections in the last 1/3 of
the course my feeble arms reached their match, and Ryan
pulled away strong and steady. I think there is something
sort of fun about the end of a race where you have not been
able to execute your strategy, you are exhausted, and your
thoughts turn to survival. Of course finishing strong is
more fun, but to be at the limit where all that can be done
is to struggle onward with any and all reserves of strength
is sort of... cathartic.
At the last feed station I took an energy drink from
the first outstretched hand. I gulped it down and took another
in the middle of the line. It went down as easily as the
first. By this time I was at the end of the stop, and I
got one more for the road. The tripple shot must have helped.
I was, after all, alive and kicking by the lake. Not quickly
by any means. Even by the last 5k I was completely helpless
to fend off the now regular attacks by faster skiers passing
from behind. Then there was the ringing bell. No matter
how you get there, or who is ahead or behind, there is victory
in that sound. So, in the end, it definately wasn't 25 and
sunny, but the race was finished and it felt good.
Mora Vasaloppet 35K Freestyle Report from Jay Richards
Planning and getting to the Mora Vasaloppet this year
was like doing one of those mazes the kids get on the placemat
at Perkins or someplace like that. The whole family went
down to the "big house" in the city to the southern
suburbs. Morning of race day I weaved back up north through
the suburbs to the skinnyski.com base camp. Hooked a ride
with the A. family to Mora. Bruce and Margaret comment,
"Jay, you seem so relaxed". Typically they see
me running with my head cut off back at the home front.
But yeah, once I get to the start line the race is a relaxing
thing for me.
The plan for the 35k was to go out hard and try to stay
with the front group and if I cracked, fine, it was to be
good "training" before the big kahuna later this
month. With this race being the first big race of the year,
I didn't really know where my fitness was at. I don't think
I have logged a continuous ski over 2 hours this year but
instead make the most out of each workout making it the
highest quality possible. I have been skiing with Chris
Ziegler 1-2 times a week and usually when we ski together
it is on his intervals or race pace days which is tough
but I know has been helpful in bringing the fitness level
up a notch.
When the big blast sounded, it was hard to know who
was doing what. Cloud Chip was right to my left so I knew
he was going to be going great guns and I knew fellow srt
member GN was doing the 35 so I knew he would be a player.
Once we made the split there were two skiers that had a
20-30 second gap. At the time I didn't know who they were
but would come to find out it was John Giese and Mad Max
Mogren. Grant and Chip were to the front of me and Chip
quickly cranked things up and did most of the work to bridge
the gap to J.G. and MM. There were a couple of other skiers
in tow but eventually a group of 6 of us skied the entire
race together with Jay Wenner being the 6th person.
As everyone knows who did the race, the stiff wind from
the south was wicked. I would take some pulls at the front
from time to time and the stretches where it was particularly
windy I was pretty much worthless since my resorter diet
body was just about getting blown over and my V2 had gone
to pot since my upper body is toasted from so much grooming
this year. After I made a pull, big guy John and strong
man Max went off the front and had a small gap. Chip and
Grant had to work to pull everyone back up and I wasn't
pleased with myself that I almost screwed things up. In
the back of the mind I felt that MM and JG had a bit more
in the reserve tank then the rest of us and anticipated
a jump from one of those two later in the race. During the
course of the race, I did attack the biggest hill trying
to wear the others out a bit but it didn't really do anything.
It was fun at least to know I was leading the race and definitely
hit home when I was the first one busting through the new
snow on the skate lane. Also during the course of the race,
I fumbled to get gel out of my fanny pack and doing so found
my self off the back. I had to go all out to bridge and
the second time just about didn't make it.
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After we punched out 30km we were still all together,
and like I mentioned before, I expected someone to make
an attack but the stiff wind reminded anyone it would be
difficult to do. Yeah, the pace probably slowed down a bit
as everyone waited for someone to make a move. On the lake,
I positioned myself to the left so I could get the best
wind break from Jay W. who was at the front at that point,
and John. Still expecting Max or John to jump, I held back
on the left. Before we knew it, we were at the bell tower
hill and GN had sneaked up the right and suddenly was in
the front. Chip responded and was in the second spot. I
slipped in from the left side and moved to the third spot.
We would hold these positions as everyone was all out mad
dash to the finish.
It was exciting race to ski in and if one was able to
watch the race unfold at the end I am sure it would of been
exciting to watch. I thought the groomers did a fantastic
job working with the snow that they had. My hats off to
them. Thank you.
The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. Post race
recovery feed at the nephews birthday party on cake and
chips and new snow to drive home on the way back that made
for a 6 hour trip back home instead of the usual 4.
Pre-Birkie Report from Brian May
Torbjorn Karlson posted a great article on his website
(fasterskier.com) this week regarding the tactics of mass-start
races. There are two main strategies available: 1) head
to the front of the pack and ski away from your competitors
or 2) sit in the pack and sprint at the end. As I lined
up for the Pre-Birkie, I joked with Nikolai Anikin that
given my lack of sprinting ability, I was planning to start
my final sprint as soon as the gun went off. It turns out,
that assessment wasn't too far off.
At the sound of the gun, I started hard and soon worked
my way up into second place behind Andre Watt who was pushing
it pretty good down the lake. As we hit the first climb
at Rosie's Field, Andre cranked it up a notch, V2'ing up
what any normal person would consider a very steep uphill.
He opened up a 3-4 second gap as I dropped down into V1
to pull myself over the top. As we crossed Hwy 77, I caught
back up to Andre, along with Nikolai who seemed to be riding
rockets as he came up from behind. So there, 10 minutes
into the race, it was clear: if it came down to a sprint
finish, between Andre's uphill speed and Nikolai's rocket-ship
skis, I was toast.
The pace mellowed out a bit as we cruised through the
next few kilometers. I mulled over my options and without
question came to Torbjorn's strategy #1 as my only possibility
for success. Given that I had already been dropped on the
first uphill, the likelyhood of winning seemed remote at
best. Nevertheless, I was willing to give it the old college
try. I was carrying a bottle and decided I'd better drink
up before pushing the pace. First try ... frozen nozzle,
darn. Next good downhill stretch ... unscrew the lid, drink
from the open bottle, toss what I couldn't get down, screw
on the lid, return to carrier. Thankfully, they didn't take
advantage of that opportunity to leave me in the dust.
With about 10k to go, I headed to the front to start
my drive for the finish. Nikolai and I opened up a little
gap on Andre at an aid station as he slowed to drink, but
he soon reeled us in again. After a couple km of pushing
the pace, the fruits of my labor seemed somewhat intangible.
Andre and Nikolai were still right there and I'd been blocking
the wind for them quite nicely as we cruised along. I continued
hammering away as best I could, pushing the flats and trying
to hold onto V2 as long as possible up the hills. With about
5k to go I glanced back and only Andre was on my tail ...
Nikolai had dropped! I was really starting to hurt, but
knew I had to keep the pressure on. I was digging deep to
get up the hills (oh, the pleasure of lactic acid!). With
about 1k to go, I crested the last major uphill and looked
back to assess the situation ... I was alone! Amazingly,
my efforts had paid off ... I cruised across the line, to
win a very hard-earned Pre-Birkie title!
Meanwhile, hundreds of other people were out enjoying
what was, by all acounts, a beautiful day for a ski. The
sky was a deep blue, the sun was shining brightly, the temps
were rising into the 20's. On the women's side, Australian
Belinda Phillips held off Paulette Niemi in the finish of
the day (a 3 second margin!). After collecting our sweatshirts
and downing a few donuts at the finish line, we headed to
Hayward to eat, relax and do a little shopping before the
awards ceremony. There were plenty of other like-minded
individuals sporting their hard-earned Pre-Birkie sweatshirts,
doing exactly the same.
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