Team Work

Cross country ski racing for the most part is an individual sport. With the exception of team sprints and relays, the result is based on your own performance. Only one person climbs to the top step of the podium, however there are many people that help the champion get there. Thousands of hours are spent training and many times it is only through the support of your teammates that you can really push yourself to the max.

Brian and Matt with chips together tying for the win at the

Sleeping Giant Loppet in a three-legged finish

This past weekend my teammates: Caitlin, Matt and I went up to Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada for the Sleeping Giant Loppet a 50km freestyle race. The race offered a cash prize of $1,000 for first and we were both keen on taking the check home.

Matt and I race at almost the exact same level. The previous week before Matt and I finished the American Birkebeiner 50km Freestlye race separated by just .40 seconds. We knew it would be a real battle to the finish so we decided to make a pact and work together in the race, splitting the winnings. We were going to share the work of pulling at the front of the pack. Matt even carried a backpack with spare water bottles for both of us.

Our main competition were two locals from Thunder Bay who are although semi-retired from racing professionally are very fast. We had raced Adam a few weeks earlier and he beat both of us.

20km into the race Matt and I made our move. Charging hard off of the front of the lead pack and rotating leads until we were out of sight of the chasers. Our plan worked perfectly and Matt and I were able to break away to come in for the win, albeit just 20 seconds ahead of third.

Matt is one of my good friends and training partners. Although we are good friends we are still both fierce competitors when we are racing. It is all business from the start gun to the finish line, but as soon as one of us cross the line we are cheering for the other to come in too. It was fun to do a race working and finishing together.

Another part of the team that is often not seen when the winner climbs to the top of the podium is the support team: Coaches, Wax Technician, and Feeders. Sometimes it takes doing a race without your regular support crew to realize how great they are. A bit thanks to Jason, Gus, CXC and my many supporters for all your hard work behind the scenes.

Barnebirkie

1,000 skiers

kids only

kickoff to Birkebeiner weekend

joy

Delaney and Garrott at the start early and excited for the Barnebirkie

What is the best way to find your kid at the end of the race. This wasn't this brother and sister's first rodeo.

Neeandweah, Shaylena, and Jayden part of the crew representing the

Boys and Girls Club of Lac Courte Orielles

I want a dragon suit in my size.

Get Outside

Ski

Have Fun

Mid Season Altitude Camp

Everything is better when you are skiing

After the Houghton Super Tours, the next stop on the Super Tour circuit is Aspen, Colorado. My season goals changed this year after US Nationals. I decided to stay stateside and pursue the Super Tour Distance title. With Aspen at 8,500 feet, the Boulder Mountain Tour offering $3,000, and a cheap Southwest Airlines flight into Boise a trip out west was born.

Previewing the finish of the Boulder Mountain Tour. Course Description: Slightly downhill and flat

The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation hosted a co-ed sprint race on Thursday before the BMT. It was a great spectator event consisting of 3 rounds of 2*300m laps. Bonfires, a band, and $1,000 on the line brought a big crowd to the park downtown.

Me and ITA teammate Kate Whitcomb skied to 5th place. Thanks Kate for coming out of 'ski' retirement and a full work day for the race

I am not sure how Ian took this picture of me by myself. I spent the entire race in a pack of skiers until the finish. Photo: Ian Harvey

Boulder Mountain Tour Champs: Sylvan Elefson and Evelyn Dong

US National 50km Course and Super Tour Finals Venue

I will be back in Sun Valley in March and it was great to preview the courses and hammer out some intervals on them. I skied the 50km course clockwise my first day in town and it was ridiculously hard. Thankfully we go counter-clockwise in the 50km. Still the course has two ‘A’ climbs, one with 50m of climbing and the other with 37m of climbing. We will do each 7 times. It is going to be awesome.

Midwest Super Tours: Ups and Downs

Photo Credit: Gowtham [Michigan Tech]

The last two weeks have been a bit of a struggle for me. I travel well, but I hit the training hard on Monday after flying in from Lake Placid and I caught a virus. I took it real easy most of the week and started feeling better near the weekend.

Last year, I won my first individual SuperTour at the Mayor's Challenge in Minneapolis, MN but this year I didn't even get out of bed for the first day of racing. Feeling better on Day 2 I raced but when the pace picked up, I started hurting in a hurry. My results matched how I felt and I began to focus on the coming races in Houghton, MI.

The first two races in Houghton were decent races for me as far as time/percentage back from the leaders but my placings were some of my worst of the season 14th and 11th. I was really starting to loose confidence.

The good thing about tough or poor races is that they make the good ones all that sweeter. Today's race, a 15km Freestyle mass start was just that. I went out hard from the gun to keep the crashes and chaos to a minimum and settled in for a good pack race. My friend and teammate Matt took some long pulls at the front and brought the lead pack down to ten skiers. Knowing that I was still not back to my 100 percent form I skied a conservative race, trying to use as little energy as possible. With 2.5km to go my roommate Garrott had broken away by 15 seconds from me and a group of four other skiers. I waited for the anticipated attacks of the other skiers in my group and decided to make a break for it as soon as their pace seemed to back off a bit. I was able to get a few meters gap and come in to the finish in second place for the day.

It feels great to be back on the podium and back in the mix at the front of the race.

67 Days On The Road

I left Hayward, WI 67 days ago on November 11th to travel to 7 different training/racing venues and compete in 7 races. Today I flew back to the Midwest and tomorrow I am headed home to unpack my bags and recharge for a few days. Minneapolis has more snow than I have ever seen here and I am looking forward to skiing in the Midwest for a few weeks.

15k Freestyle Lake Placid Super Tour (click to see the evil eye) Photo Credit: Fasterskier.com

Originally I planned to fly back to the Midwest after US Nationals in Maine, however the Super Tour series was headed to Lake Placid along with a good portion of the skiers headed to World Championships. I didn't want to miss it.

Men's 15k Freestyle Podium

Each fall I have traveled to Lake Placid with my teammates for our hardest training camp of the year. It was fun to see snow on the ground and check out the ski trails from the 1980 Olympics. Although I have been ski racing a long time it is still very exciting for me to experience a new venue, plus I love to race.

Western Race Tour Complete

CXC Elite Team post race in Silver Star, BC

Garrott, Gus, Bryan, Brian, Caitlin, Jennie, Brooke, Jason, and Jessie (photo: Rob Whitney)

The 'Western Race Tour' as I like to call it came to an end today. It has been a great start to the season with 8 races in 3 venues. Here is a short synopsis of period 1 of the race season.

West Yellowstone, MT

Arrived 12 days early to adjust to the altitude and get on snow.

4 races in 3 days kept the body working hard.

Day 1: Classic and Skate 1.6km Sprints- 15th and 8th solid sprint qualifying positions for me.

Day 2: 10km Skate- 9th went out hard and paid for it. Result a bit disappointing but felt great.

Day 3: 15km Classic- 3rd best FIS points race ever, felt great (especially after skiing alone most of the race)

Popped the big question to Caitlin during our weekly over distance ski... she said yes... very happy guy.

Stayed in West Yellowstone for a big week of training. Plus a lot of planning and dreaming with my wonderful Fiance.

Silver Star, BC, Canada

Easier week of training in prep for a big race performance

Day 1: Skipped Classic Sprint Race- decided to save some energy in the tank for the next day and the next week of racing.

Day 2: 15k Skate- 3rd- went out conservative and skied progressivly faster. Lars caught me from 30 seconds back at 6km, I picked up the pace and hung with him almost to the finish. Very good result/race for me.

Rossland, BC, Canada

A lot of racing but also a lot of training in preparation for US Nationals the first week of January.

Day 1: Skate Sprint: Qualifed 22nd, Finished 18th- slow qualifying, but went for it in my heat race led until final 200m. Felt good but out skied.

Day 2: 10k Skate- 29th place- fast course and competitive field. Tight time gaps, fell on a hard left corner. Felt good but 1:08s out of first.

Day 3: 15k Classic Pursuit Star- 8th- Went out hard and hungry to make up time I had lost. Great race/result for me in a super competitve field. 27sec out of the win for the day and 7sec out of 3rd.

Overall Tour- 14th

Merry Christmas

Caitlin and I are off to the Methow Valley tomorrow for a 8 days of training and enjoying the holidays before flying out to Rumford, Maine for US Nationals.

Training Week

3rd Place in the 10k Classic SuperTour and my best FIS points ever (44.11)

After a great start to the race season, plus an engagement, My CXC Teamates and I have stayed in West Yellowstone, MT for a week of solid training. It has been a tough, but good week with just under 24 hours of training in six days.

Cisco working on his 'ups' in a relay at the West Yellowstone School. Caitlin and I spend two afternoons helping the kids stay active.

Bear Walk Race

My favorite is playing outside. The school plows up the playground to form perfect 20' sledding hills.

After a solid week of training Caitlin and I ski toured in to Yellowstone National Park for a nice easy long distance ski.