Part 2: Jr. Worlds

So today will be part two of my three part blog post.

By the time the first race rolled around in Minsk I was feeling about the same as four days prior: a light head cold with a really runny nose. The only problem was in between I was sick as a dog. I was constantly blowing my nose, felt really light headed and was having trouble sleeping. But somehow I still felt better than the individual in Estonia

The individual is a tough race. It’s the longest (15K) and the penalties are 1 min (not a penalty loop). This race usually favors the best shooters. My 2-0-3-1 shooting was way off the mark to consider having a good race. Although the skiing felt better, I was still watching people fly by me.

The range from the coaches box. That hill was completely green by the last race.

There were two huge monitors for the spectators viewing pleasure

The long down hill range approach 

Dynamo Minsk Arena. I guess the Canadians went to a game and said they were pretty bad.

Hotel Sport Time!

The Stadium and media rooms above the stands.

Another view of the range

In the sprint I told myself to quit it with the excuses and just race. Start fast, pick it up and finish strong.  On the way to the venue I was reminiscing of the days fatigue was a stranger: in Lake Placid when I could race the Bill Koch race in the morning, then spend the rest of the day doing endless intervals up and down the hill with the flags. Not because I was on some crazy training schedule, but because I loved to ski and I loved to go fast. So for the sprint I wanted to feel how I did then. The plan worked for the most part. My skiing was much faster. But it came at a price. I went in and out of tunnel vision three times during the race. And apparently I wasn’t skiing too fast because I still failed to make the pursuit. Shooting 3-0 I thought it would have been at least good enough to place in the late 50’s but no. 67^th was where I ended up.

I was not upset after the race. Long before the start I had accepted the fact I was not feeling well therefore not skiing well.* (that last sentence has an * because it is very complicated, I am still trying to put into words my feeling this past training and racing year. But that is what tomorrow’s post will be about. So tune in tomorrow to get the full low down on my thoughts surrounding the constant fatigue you have been reading about). I was just doing a lot of thinking about why I’m feeling this way and what has led up to this feeling?

Sean on the podium after the sprint.

The team cheering on Sean at the award ceremony.

Mikaela made a new friend!

Cam Christensen and I cheering on the pursuers 

The relay was more of the same: shooting I would consider acceptable and skiing that was slower than grass trying to grow in December. But it happened and that’s all I really have to say about it.

But let’s end on a high note! The sun finally came out and I will admit it did make the city look a little more inviting. We got to see the KGB headquarters (pictures were forbidden) and despite the melting snow the venue was really nice. They had three ranges and a rollerski highway. The wax cabins and team rooms were like little apartments. A training camp there in the summer could be pretty neat. The noise on the course from all the fans was incredible. The fans there treated it like a world cup race. Noise makers, yelling, screaming, chanting, picture taking and flags. But of course the best part of European racing are seeing all your friends from different countries. Every trip I try to get to know another team better. This time it was the Germans. “Servus!" They are a pretty cool team and I wish them all the best.

The view from the team room. we could spy on other teams.

A better look at the inside of our team room

Team USA junior men's team

The crazy loud crowd. it was like this all around the 3.3K loop

Sean posing with the play ground we frequented. it was perfect for some playground strength.
Notice the construction in the background.

Watching them watching us

They're not even trying to hide the fact they are watching us.

Tomorrow will be the most important and deepest blog post to date. I’ve been thinking of how to write it and I always start getting into some deep thoughts so we we'll see what happens.

Three-Part Blog Post Part 1: Ruhpolding

Sorry for not posting in a while. I just returned from Minsk, Belarus where there was very terrible internet. I have a lot of catching up to do and a lot of things to talk about here so I will be launching “Past, Present and Future: Brian’s trip to Europe and the upcoming months”. Basically it will be a three part epic blog post that will be posted in three consecutive days. Today is obviously part one.

Past

Our first day in Ruhpolding, Germany was actually an off day (and actually in Inzell, Germany). So we decided to go do something touristy. Every trip to Europe is usually wrapped a race so there is usually never enough time to explore some of the cool features Europe has to offer. But with this free day and nowhere to travel we decided to visit Salzberg, Austria. Salzberg was a really neat city. It had the classic European winding roads and small alleyways. But what made Salzberg unique was the huge castle on the cliff overlooking the city. We got as close as possible but didn’t want to pay to get in.

Weird sculpture in Salzberg

Street in Salzberg with shops and resturaunts

A cool church. And one of 200 Mozart cutouts  we saw.

A selfie with the castle

The view from the base of the castle

Mozart's birth place

Inside of a huge Church. It really makes you feel small and powerless. 

Maddie Phaneuf checking out one of the shrines.

Found all the people.

There was A LOT of snow in Ruhoplding so it made for some really nice skiing. The range is protected from the wind by some huge mountains surrounding the venue. It was a drastic change from the windy range in Otepaa. We spent a week in Ruhpolding last year in preparation for Euro Champs and the course is just as tough as I remember. Lots of long steep up hills that are good for spectators but hard on the legs.

A cool thing we got to do in Ruhpolding I had never done before was shoot in an indoor shooting range. The targets were electronic so you had a monitor right next to you telling you where your shots went. We did a 30/30 test (30 prone and 30 standing. Scored. Best possible score is 600.) And despite having a very shaky standing portion I was able to get a decent score of 433. A few days later we decided to go back and do another test (because the first one was just so darn fun!) My goal for this test was to really focus on the standing stage for that is what makes or breaks the score. My prone was consistent with last test but my standing was 20 points better resulting in a 450. A new personal record! My goal for the past season has been 500 so I am slowly but surely making my way there.

My electronic target after my shooting test. cool to see the trends of my shooting.

The indoor shooting range.

a mountain overlooking the venue in Ruhpolding.

Biathlon advertising at the venue

Clare Egan making her World Cup debut got the attention of Euro Sport.
  

Germany was cool and all but it was time to get down to business. Junior worlds in Minsk, Belarus was right around the corner. My first impression of Minsk was the place looked really tired. At the venue Siena Ellingson and I were interviewed by a local news station and they asked what we thought of place. I told them I heard the venue was new, I am excited to check it out and race there but in reality I am not too impressed. When we first showed up we realized our visas had the wrong date written on it (which was our fault) but thankfully they were able to clear that up. Then there was a long process of checking rifle paperwork, and finding lost luggage. The bus ride to the venue was probably on the same bus my coach Art Stegen rode when he was there in the 70s, the buss creeked, rattled and shook the whole way. Once there, we had to check in our rifles because due to national laws all rifles must be kept in a locked vault. The city of Minsk is really grey and depressing. It probably doesn’t help that there is a layer of fog over the city but everything sort of seems stale and tired. There is a lot of construction being done but it also seems like there are a lot of buildings that could use some fixing up.

The Arena that is home to Dynamo Minsk! the Minsk hockey team in the KHL (Russian hockey league)

lots of grey and lots of construction. 

The breathtaking view out my hotel window!

There was a little bit of sickness going around the team in Germany but I was able to fend it off for the most part. The first day in Minsk however I woke up with a bit of congestion. I was not worried because I knew I had some time until my first race.

Tune in tomorrow to read about Jr. Worlds and the rest of the trip to Belarus. Plus much more pictures. 

Siena Ellingson being interviewed by a local TV station.

Herb Was Right.

“Great moments are borne from great opportunity…” That of course is what Legendary Olympic hockey coach Herb Brooks told his team right before the game that would become the greatest upset in Olympic history. “…and that’s what you have here tonight, gentlemen. That’s what you’ve earned here tonight.” Herb was right. You can’t have a great moment without the opportunity. When the opportunity presents itself you have to “Take it” for you may not get that opportunity again.

At these past races in Otepaa Estonia I was presented with a great opportunity to race against the best juniors in the world and I let it slip. I was not sleeping well, my technique would have made you believe I had never skied before and most importantly there was no mental focus on racing. I was severely jetlagged which is what I think was the problem with the sleep. But in all I felt as though I was not giving the races 100% of my attention.

I am not unhappy with my result, I am upset with myself for not doing everything I could have done to have a good race.

Fortunately I was able to realize this before it was too late. Through analysis of the first two races I realized there could have been more mental preparation, better warm up and better technique. This new approach helped me move up 8 places in the pursuit to 49th. And with one of the better shootings on the day, my isolated pursuit time was 32^nd. Despite this result being my best of the three it is still below where I want to be.

Every race, win or lose is a learning opportunity. You learn what works and what you need to improve on. What separates the best from the rest is what they do with the new found information. And that’s what I plan to do. Use all this information I learned from these races and prepare myself for Junior Worlds in about a week. Right now I am in Ruhpolding, Germany with tons of snow and a great attitude toward the upcoming races. 

Sweet cars in the Munich airport. 

A helpful reminder on the back of the door in the Estonian Airport

Tallin airport making sure you look ballin'

Tehvandi Stadium 

The trail goes right in front of the stadium

The entrance to the biathlon stadium

The course goes right behind that wall behind the range

Casey Smith and I found a Washington licence plate. (he's from Washington)

One of 30 national geographic landmarks in Estonia. That St. Mary's Lutheran church was built in 1116. I don't have any up close pictures but it was huge! (yes there is a big yellow square in the middle of town)

The ski jump at the venue. They built the upper part of the landing zone.

There was a rock climbing wall on the side of the Jump...

...it goes all the way up

Jeff the Giraffe (ongoing joke with my teammates about my long neck)

A better view of the stadium

Flags lining the course.

Mikaela and Siena getting ready to cheer the Mens sprint

The biathlon stadium was packed during the mens sprint

I guess I was on TV for a second before the race.

Biathlon Stadium under the lights 

A few pictures of the races