First Race And Thanks

Well it has been almost a week in Norway. And I have been pretty poor at updating the Blog. So after about two full day of travel I got to Beitostolen. First off Norway is pretty freaking cool as Nordic skiing goes. The culture here is based around it almost. People literally ski everywhere.

I was rolled up into the "Walter" group. Walter is the National Team coach and he has let me train with his group for logistics reasons. Though the range is only a five minute walk from the Hotel it is nice to get a ride sometimes and have some one zero you. The skiing here is great and the tracks are amazing. It took me a couple days to shake out the cob webs of travel but things seem to have come together and our first selection race is on today at 1pm. Game on!!! Today is an individual format 15k. So for you non biathletes out there that is 5x3k with 4 bouts of shooting P-S-P-S with :45sec penalties for a miss. Should be fun!!!

I will try to keep the blog updated with results as i get them. I would update twitter but my BlackBerry kicked the bed.

I would also like to thank some key people that made this possible. First off is Kailey for supporting me and putting up with me during all the training that lead up to this. Dan Weiland, thank you for helping me pursue this dream, with out your coaching I probably would not be here. Sylvan with out you to motivate for training and everything out side of training I probably would be sitting in my office thinking of what could have been. John Cummins, With out you I literally would not be here, I hope to be half a great as you when I grow up. Jeff Place, Thank you for letting me take time off work, I know this is a burden on you and with Vail opening tomorrow things can't have been easy. And J.C.-Fire Your Gluts...... 'nough said.

No matter the out come this has been amazing and I look forward to thanking all of you in person after the season is over.

Team Homegrown gets on snow

So Yesterday was the 2nd of November and we were skiing. Not only were Lindsey Vonn and Ted Ligety training at the Golden Peak Winter Sport Arena........ So were team Homegrown!!! Thanks to Ski and Snowboard Club Vail for the man-made Nordic loop. The SSCV Comp and Devo Teams were also in attendance and good times were had by all.

FRESHIES IN VAIL

Bigger version click here.

New Team HomeGrown Suits - CHECK IT!!!

The Type of Person I Aspire to Be

The most positive person I have ever seen.

Soggy Bottom

Here is a picture from the day I just found. Dig it.

Slippery Shenanegans

Oooooooooooooweeeeeeeee! What a day! Just as I had said before today was as epically cold/rainy/snowy/slippery/bloody as predicted. It was a cool 40 degrees and raining at our start, a nice 36 degrees by the final, accompanied by some wet, wet snow on the cool down. Great day though. Check out this website for some good pictures and results. I felt alright today. I actually skied well into the rounds, but instead of advancing we stayed in our same heats every time. I won all of my heats minus the one where the ratchet on my rollerski decided to go ka-put. We enjoyed a hot shower and a tote-load of food after. Heading back to Keene valley they had surprisingly enough closed the road due to 15 cars that had gone off the road and 3 tractor-trailers. No big deal.

Heading back tomorrow AM for V-CO. Check out some pictures from the stay here in the valley.

Trophy from a race I won 2 summers ago in Keene Valley.




A little bit snowy on the way home


You can also check out results from the prologue yesterday below. I would say it was my better showing of the week. Everyone above me except for Timmay is on the US Ski Team.

Men
1 Simi Hamilton 8:40
2 Andy Newell 8:41
3 Noah Hoffman 8:42
4 Kris Freeman 8:58
5 Tim Reynolds 9:01
6 Sylvan Ellefson 9:03
7 Mike Sinnott 9:08
8 Patrick O’Brien 9:10
9 Tad Elliott 9:13
10 Erik Fagerstrom 9:14
11 Colin Rodgers 9:17
12 Dylan McGuffin 9:20
13 Scott Patterson 9:24