February 2009
43 posts
Thoughts from Liberec
The pure, unadulterated essence of ski racing is an awesome thing and I got a glimpse of it several times during my career. It kept me motivated through all the hours, all the pain, all the sacrifices that I had to make. But it was a subtle realization brought out gradually over time – the feeling you get when you are peaking and your body is electric with power, the satisfaction of achieving...
“Hey AJ , you should pull over and let these other guys work some. There are...”
– Trond Flagstad, overheard during the 15k skate race at the RMISA regionals this past weekend.
“Last night, it came in the sound of a band. Deep Purple, otherwise known as the...”
– Liz Stephen prior to the race at Liberec. (FYI, Liz. Deep Purple is not as HUGE as your finish.) Congrats.
“Best thing I’ve ever seen at the Birkie…..back when it was a World Loppet paying...”
– Roger Knight on the fair play at the Birkie.
“I used these to train when I beat Ben Husaby in the Minn Finn.”
– Dale Niggeman, schlepping the cat ski, overheard at the Birkie Expo 2004. (He never beat Ben Husaby.)
“It is more important than my marriage. Definitely.”
– Overheard at the Birkie expo 2005. Wave 5 skier describing the Birkie’s importance to him.
Birkie Fever Poetry By Downtown Eli Brown
Birkie fever. I got no birkie, but I got tha feva I wish I zat tha sawmill Boat racin with tha Weava Wish I was at tha expo Testing out the catski Buying up fastwax Crowding round the Daehlie Whose your pick? Simons out front early Gridlock in a tissy Hoctl rips main street a day early (Random pic 23rd for big curly)
“It’s Birkie fever. It has to be. That or syphilis.”
– Random Anonymous coach musings. Birkie Fever Edition.
“I decided it was a good time to take a pull at the front a little after we...”
– Zack Simons on winning the Boulder Mountain Tour
Key Coaching Possessions.
.
1.Sharpies and mechanical pencils.
2. An apron.
3.At least one 3mm scraper
4. Oval brushes — long steel and/or brass.
5. NEO overboots.
6. A scraper sharpener.
7. An Emit split timer, as well as the ability to do hand splits.
8. A really good kick wax scraper & a Holmenkol Groove scraper
9. Boot dryers.
10. . A digital iron (Swix or Star).
11. A speed trap that they know how...
“There’s a tissue thin difference between a thing done and a thing done...”
– John Updike (unknowingly referring to training)
Our Mistakes.
We don’t search for talent everywhere that could push cross country skiing. We apologize too much for not being European. It could be a rockstar junior. It could just as easily be someone who hasn’t lived a spadex lifestyle forever. Look at this guy.
32 & Fresh Snow.
You might remember Shirley Jackson’s often anthologized piece, “The Lottery” from your high school english classes. (The class with Mrs. Gibbons that you skipped out on for many days of good tracks, Friday races or trips to Junior Nationals.) It is the story of a cadre of New England townspeople picking pieces of paper from a wooden box as firm, historic and stately as, well,...
Rumford Sprint: 9 Women Starters.
Results.
Man, Aspen is a dangerous place to live. →
Dakota Blackhorse- Von Jess: 1 Dougie Debold: 0