Written by:Zack Simons
2/27/2007 7:55 AM

The last few months of this season has been an uphill battle for me. After a solid start in the early season, I've had a tough time getting any sort of break since nationals- things just weren't going my way. Well, last week things finally came together.

We headed out to Hayward on Wednesday. I had no idea that the conditions where anywhere close to as dire as they were. I knew that the base was a little thin but I couldn't believe it when I read that the race had been officially shortened. On Thursday, we headed over to Telemark Lodge to have a look at the course and then we heard that we might not even be able to race! It wasn't hard to see why.

From what we could tell, the organizers didn't have much to work with other than sheet ice and dirt... But they worked hard and pulled through. On Friday we got word that they would atleast run the elite seed.

The start of the race was rough, not the pace but the conditions. The first two k were rocky and about as dirty as it gets. It wasn't hard to see the incredible amount of work that went into making the race happen. The field where the start was held was little more than frozen grass. Once we got to the Power Line hills the conditions improved dramatically. The snow was thin but clean and coverage was certainly adequate. When the course turned into the woods, I think we all forgot that there was any lack of snow to begin with. The track was awesome.

From the start I stayed near the front but not at the front. I sat back around 9th place for close to 10k. Maybe more. I was closing every gap that opened up in front of me but more importantly just did what I had to in order to conserve energy. I was taking it easy over the tops of the hills to let the pack in front of me get a little space, as we went through the transitions I was then able to carry my speed. Its easy to get caught up in the accordian effect and find yourself starting from a dead stop at the bottom of each hill--- not something you want to do.

Having skied the trail before in training, I knew there was a big hill coming around 13k. I started to move up in the field a little at that point. I think it was the high point of the course where the field finally split up a bit and the lead pack pulled away. At this point I was in probably about 5th or 6th and I just kept doing what I had done so far... conserving energy.

As we approached the 00 Highway I knew there was a big hill coming. John Bauer had just rejoined the lead pack and I had a feeling that as soon as we hit that hill, he was going to drop the hammer. He did. We were going full tilt up that thing. I knew that there was still 2k togo after the highway, apperently some of the others didn't. Bauer pulled away a bit as we approached the highway. After the highway was a short section of flats, I scrapped my way towards the front into the final hill where I moved up a couple more places. I had a small gap over 4th place and was just behind Weaver and Stephen Hart with a little over a k to go, most of which was downhill...

I had a nervous second in there where I wasn't sure whether to pass them before the downhill and try to get away or draft them out of the downhill and hope for a good sprint... I went for it. I dropped the hammer and managed just enough space that they couldn't catch my draft. As the downhill flattened out I started skating without poles as hard as I could. As we approached the finish I was completely maxed out, I had no intention of looking back but was unsure how close they were. And then I crossed the finish line.


Here is a short clip of the finish I found on YouTube...

I am so psyched that my season decided to turn around when it did... Going into the race I had no idea what to expect. My legs have felt like a couple of smoked sausages for a little more than a month now. Two weeks out from the Birkie I stopped skating altogether. I started alternating between easy spin workouts on a stationary bike, short jogs and double pole workouts. In the two weeks leading up I skated twice, one interval session on Tuesday before I left and once to check out the course on Friday before the race, I guess I did the birkie sprint too but thanks to a beating from Kevin Hochtl, that didn't last too long...

I have to say thanks to the organizers for putting so much time in to make this thing happen. It was awesome. Also, thanks to Chris Hall for getting us some great skis- he is clearly one of america's top shamans. Also, congrats to Kate who skied an awesome race and Colin who was just a few seconds out in fifth... Like Cube said over the radio on the way to the race, "It was a good day."


One of the happiest moments in my ski career.

TrackbackPrint

Location: BlogsZack Simons: The Fever.