An Update

        Hello fatigue my old friend. There is no denying that this update is long over due. The reason for the lower rate of post is pretty simple: Training season is in full force and with that comes an arsenal of other task that ultimately push the post frequency down. I thought I was busy in April and as it turns out I was completely wrong.  April did not have an online class, 20 + hour training weeks, slow fire sessions, or the always favorite 40 minute drive. The grind is in full force again for another year. Some parts will stay more the same than ever and some parts are going to be a little tricky.
       
        One online class is nothing to complain about. Intro to Reading and Writing isn't brain breaking, but I do find it obnoxious. According to what I've learned so far my writing is terrible and I should probably apologizes to the literary world. But this isn't a graded assignment. So don't be surprised if you see a stream of conscious style update just to smite the system. Not everything should repeat the same run of the mills formula. Pretty sure that last one was a fragment and I started a sentence with "but," so there!

      Physical training is going well. Some weeks, the goal is to be outside and moving. The volume weeks have two harder sessions at most and the rest is longer distance sessions. Some weeks are focused more on faster speed. These weeks have fewer hours but more high intensity effort sessions. Other weeks are a mix version of the two and some weeks, such as this last one, are for recovery. After a short ride on the mountain bike this morning I'll come in shy of ten hours for the week. Next week is on pace for 23 hours. After that it's an intensity week.  We used a similar system last year. While it's nothing new it's never too easy. By the end of the week I'm opting for the lighter loose fitting clothing after training because it takes less energy to walk around in. Just biathlon things, I guess.
       Shooting is still on the top of the "to fix" list. Every shooting session has a desired focus going into it. Sometimes the goal is to work on trigger pressure, or my position set up, or maybe it's just simply aiming.  For the past few weeks the objective has to been to work with the basic skills. The outcome being a tight and consistent group on paper. Once that skill is reinforced the shooting sessions will migrate towards handing higher stress situations. Neither precision shooting or under pressure situations are my strong point so you can see why they are in the plan. The groups on paper have been getting better. Proving this has been difficult with the perpetual wind. Yesterday was one of the few calmer days and sure enough the shots were closer together. That is, until the blanket of black flies swarmed in. If it's not cold, it's windy, and if the wind dies down then the bugs take over.
       Training will be based out of nothern Maine for the bulk of the summer. First confirmed departure is not until mid August for the usual Jericho time trial festivities. Beyond that is unknown. What is known, is what's on training plan for next week. That much I can control. Team naming and allotted resources are technically at an all time low, but do you really think that's going to stop me? I actually have fond memories of Pyeong Chang and would like to visit South Korea again in a few years down the road. The core of the effort is as good as ever. The two venues are in fine shape. The targets still fall down when you hit them correctly. All the attention and resources in the world still need a motivated athlete to revolve around.
       
          The situation isn't overly impossible this year, rather a little more tricky. If solid training is still possible then attaining higher team status is still possible. In which case... problem solved, or at least one step closer. The last time I did a four stage time trial I shot 95%. While the past three years have been sub expectations I still can't accept thinking there isn't more room in the tank. Looking ahead, let's not forget the world cup in Presque Isle. The thought of having a great performance at that venue next season is more than enough to push my sad pathetic legs though another five hour ride on the bike.

          Enjoy the summer while it last. It may as well be our shortest season for nothern Mainers. For a brief time I thought nature was going to skip right into October. Calm and sunny days are sparse so enjoy the outside world when you can.

Spring

         In case you haven't noticed the update frequency has been on the low end as of late. This is due to the fact that it was April. In the world of winter sports this is typically the time of year when most athletes pretend they are not athletes. It can occasionally make for some pretty entertaining stories. I used to despise this time of year. The weather could never make up it's mind. Now I have immense respect for it. Coaches don't expect anything from you and actually encourage a full spectrum break.

  The atmosphere resembles the fall but with out any hunting and the days are actually becoming longer. Instead of gearing up for an expedition with warm clothes when the temps sink to just above freezing we wear t-shirts and assume it must be pushing 70.  Eventually the air has that fresh spring smell in it, but with northern Maine's occasional second or third winter cycles there is no way of telling when spring really begins.
         My spring wasn't too bad. Nothing exciting report. My goal was to just relax and let everyday organize itself. Nothing was confined to a scheduled that I didn't think of on the spot. If I can finish the month feeling board then I've accomplished enough as far as I'm concerned.  The past few weeks have been full of the things I enjoy doing in my spare time. Catching up with old friends, movies, baking attempts, spring skiing, and taking naps are random points in the day. What a rebel right?
       
          One of the exclusive highlights to this time of year is the skiing opportunities. While there is no guarantee of it crust cruising still remains the best form of XC skiing there is in my opinion. It's the golden standard. If I retire and drop the training load by 97% the remaining 3% will be crust skiing. Those elusive mornings when the humid snow from the warmer spring temps the day before freeze into a hard crust overnight turning the whole landscape into a ski trail are worth going to bed early.
   
       For all of the great memories of crust skiing they will have to remain memories for now. There was very little to no crust skiing this year. Some years it's great and others, well they just don't pass the test. The test consist of stepping outside before breakfast with a ski pole in hand. If you can punch through the surface then the skiing isn't going to be great. If you can walk around on the snow bank and jab the snow all you want with out breaking through then the skiing is good to go.  Most mornings this year I just ended up with little pole plant craters in the yard. Thankfully the afternoon classic ski sessions were a nice compensation.

        Since there is a lot to be said about what's ahead for me I'll leave it for another update. Despite the good, the bad, and the still unclear everything is still functioning. Last week was a warm up for the training season. With a couple of higher intensity sessions and about 17 hours of volume the system is starting to wake up for another run through the summer gauntlet.

     

The things you find on the ski trails these days.

2nd winter

May or may not have made this jump.

The Icarus effect. 

Almost made it.

And then shut down.