Slow Race?

This weekend Zoya and I are off to Anchorage to race in the Pia's Classic cross country ski race. It'll be fun to try our hand against the Anchoragua skiiers. We both see it as a tune up for the Tour of Anchorage ski race that occurs in early March. In the past the Tour of Anchorage has been our only race of the year. And once that race starts I have often felt panic - the first half of the race has always been about settling down. Wouldn't it be better to practice racing beforehand? And so with that in mind we decided to do 2 races this year - the Tour of Anchorage AND the Pia's Classic.

Since it is a practice race I have decided to try and have fun and go slow. The funny thing is that everyone I have talked to doubts that I will be able to do the race 'slow'. My reasoning is that in the past when I panic my ski technique has gone to hell. I actually believe that if I go 'slow' and keep my technique together I might actually go faster than if I go all out (and flail about). In any case, it would be good to find this out before the big race. So with that in mind I intend to do a 'slow' race. I still hope to finish in under 2 hours for the 30K race. That is my goal.

Patrick

Photo is from the 2008 Tour of Anchorage - my last 'classic' technique cross country ski race. I did 25K in around one hour and twenty five minutes. But I was younger then, and the Pia's Classic course is much more up and down. I'll be happy with any time under 2 hours. In 2001 I came in 9th with a time of 1:41 (I just looked it up), but that sort time 'aint going to happen again for me - EVER.