I pull the curtains to the side and open the window. It’s cloudy and mild.
This is good. I have a pair of fantastic skis for these conditions. Per Knut Aaland, who is our kick wax expert, has shown many times that he manages to find the perfect wax for the snow we have today. Moreover, klister conditions fit my explosive style of classic technique.
Yup, it looks good. Can I have the perfect race?
Hopefully I would have thought the same if I had looked out the window and seen different conditions. Regardless what the outer frame is, it is important to find the positive and direct energy and consciousness towards that. To think positively is extremely important before competitions.
The breakfast table is like it should be. I take it easy, and speak little; must not use energy unnecessarily now. I make a bag lunch that I will east as soon as I cross the finish line. It is important to fill the body’s energy stores again as soon as possible. I have also packed a backpack with dry clothes. I don’t want to take the chance of getting sick because I wore my wet competition clothing for too long.
In addition to breakfast, I always eat two ripe bananas two hours before race start. It is important that they are so ripe that there are dark spots on the peel, because then the body can absorb 90 per cent more of the nutrients than when the bananas are green. I have never understood why stores offer ripe bananas for half price. The non-ripened ones should be the cheapest.
. Luckily they keep away. Per Knut has two pairs of skis with him for the deciding testing. The one pair I know well, the other is new.<br />
<br />
Thomas, Sture, Erling and I test on the same downhill. Sture glides two meters longer than I do, but it doesn’t bother me. He’s done that many times before.<br />
<br />
The mood in the wax cabin is unusually calm and relaxed. The waxers are convinced that they have found the right combination, right up until a half hour before race start. Then it begins to snow. Not a lot, but enough that Magnar Dalen immediately calls up the meteorologist we have with us, Jarl Andersen:<br />
<br />
“Will there be a lot of snow?” he asks.<br />
<br />
“No, I don’t think so.” is the response.<br />
<br />
“If you are wrong, I hope you brought your track spikes.”<br />
<br />
“I am counting on the fact that we are a team in both good times and bad,” the meteorologist answers carefully. He hasn’t quite learned the humorous banter of the wax cabin.<br />
<br />
As usual right before an important race, I am irritable and difficult to deal with. This time I take it out on Per Knut:<br />
<br />
“Have you waxed thick enough?” I ask. “Sture has thicker layers than I do.”<br />
<br />
“Do you have good kick?”<br />
<br />
“Yes,” I reply<br />
<br />
“Do you have really solid kick?”<br />
<br />
“Yes,” I reply<br />
<br />
“Why the hell would you want more wax, then?” comes his answer.<br />
<br />
Agitated, I guess. Yup, I guess everything is as it should be. But now it is important to use as little energy as possible. I want to be alone. Not to talk to anyone, not to sign autographs, but to direct all physical and mental energy towards the important minutes which are coming closer and closer.<br />
<br />
Fifteen minutes before the start I decide to use the new skis. I am a little sweaty from the ski testing. As a last part of the warm-up I jog the 800 meters down to the start area. I am not one of those who warms-up most intensely. I like to have the most possible energy available to the race itself.<br /></p>
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A Sneak Preview of Western College Racing in Breckenridgenext
Part 6 - At last. Now we're there. The Perfect Race.Related Posts How the Heck Do You Actually Get Better?February 2, 2024  An Ode to the Big ToeJanuary 14, 2024  Aker Daehlie: A Measured ApproachJanuary 12, 2024 |
