It takes fitness and technique to be good XC ski racer.
I have neither.
Plus, I ate a lot over Christmas. I mean a lot. I had coconut cake, soufflés, an army of gingerbread men, pies, cookies. I even ate half a cherry tart by myself one night. With candy cane ice cream.
So, at 6p tonight, I’m still at my desk and am wondering how to mentally wiggle out of the first Tuesday night XC race of the season. I broke ribs last January and missed all of last season. I don’t want to hurt as bad as this will hurt. 40 minutes later, couldn’t come up with a winning excuse, so I’m warming up.
Pre-race meeting (“let’s be safe out there, there are some really fast guys out here, so please stay out of our way, if you are slow stay right, you know who you are, ye little people without a national or college team uniform on”): check. Lineup by seeding (head to mid-pack; check). The gun goes off and I’m double-polling at the start and holding my own. That about caused a heart attack on my part, or was it the race pace?
Whatever, the case, my heart rate is now at 190. It will stayed pegged there for the next 25 minutes!
I’m managing to hang onto Tom’s pace. We are flying. I’m not used to the speeds. My skis are going so fast underneath me, and my cadence can barely keep up with them. I’m in the back seat and bam! Down, head over heels.
Crap, about 20 people fly by. And I’ve lost Tom’s pace. Back up and I’m now hanging tough with the 60+ crowd. Nothing against those guys – they are fast oxygenarians. 4 long laps up and over Mt. Weston and they start to wear down. I decide to pounce in the last lap and try to claw my way back up to the 40-something crowd.
As the oxygenarians fade on each climb, I’m crawling back. I passed a pack of folks on that last lap. Some under 60 and some male.
And I’m thinking to myself, my buddies are on planes, ogling young McKinsey associates, enjoying a nice mini-bottle of June vintage screw-top wine while I’m slaying myself out here for back of the pack recreational racing glory.
Boy could I use some technique and fitness. Anyone for coconut cake?
