![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PmSMlqo22Oc/TswSzb7vP5I/AAAAAAAAKI8/FYN_BIYc34I/s1600/IMG_6375.JPG")
We are on our Thanksgiving break now, but a bunch of us got together for a little intensity at Ball Mtn Dam.
We were practicing a longer spring (1.8 km) in order to help Skyler with his pacing at the upcoming World Cups. We started out by rte 30 and finished just before the top of the hill.
After a good warm up, we ran a prelim, then a heat, another prelim and finally a last heat. The goal was to hammer the prelim, hammer the heat, hammer…well…you get the idea.
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3z2Jx4CJM0Y/TswRMs9s7TI/AAAAAAAAKI0/HkDmOoEvZmk/s1600/IMG_6383.JPG")
Issy and Anika did some inetervalsand looked good.Times for Prelim #1
Skyler 4:02
Bryan 4:05
Gino 4:16
Start of heat #1.
We gave Issy a head start for the first heat and the boys caught her just at the finish.
Bryan got faster in each of his 3 “uphill” sprints. He speculated that part of the reason was knowing the course and knowing that he was fit enough to hammer the last .8 km. I figured he did not have enough warm up for his first one. We were probably both correct.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i2cQwmxF7BY/TswRMEizDiI/AAAAAAAAKIk/0KGXI6R45lY/s1600/IMG_6386.JPG")
Start of heat #1.![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PuzHQGkV_YM/TswRL-g2oFI/AAAAAAAAKIY/-IwsOGdtGSk/s1600/IMG_6391.JPG")
We gave Issy a head start for the first heat and the boys caught her just at the finish.
Heat 1:
Skyler 4:01
Bryan 4:02
Issy 4:04 (plus head start)
Gino 4:05
It was interesting to see that all 3 boys improved in the heat. They started more relaxed and then really burned it for the last 1 km.
Gino skied well and was able to hang tough with the “big boys”. Here he is in the 2nd prelim:
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--iYYzhLA6es/TswPI_3KjKI/AAAAAAAAKIQ/ez9i-hteteI/s1600/IMG_6400.JPG")
Gino skied well and was able to hang tough with the “big boys”. Here he is in the 2nd prelim:![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LcdT9ehkUTs/TswPISsZ19I/AAAAAAAAKIA/k6cjYRjN3eY/s1600/IMG_6403.JPG")
Bryan got faster in each of his 3 “uphill” sprints. He speculated that part of the reason was knowing the course and knowing that he was fit enough to hammer the last .8 km. I figured he did not have enough warm up for his first one. We were probably both correct.2nd Prlim times:
Bryan 3:57
Skyler 4:12
Gino 4:16
Skyler made a bold move towards the end of heat #2 (which was easier because we switched directions) and came home with the victory.
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MlBYs179rnQ/TswPH8YGDMI/AAAAAAAAKH0/2i7k6DgkcU0/s1600/IMG_6406.JPG")
Skyler made a bold move towards the end of heat #2 (which was easier because we switched directions) and came home with the victory.Skyler 3:14
Bryan 3:16
Gino 3:20
Thanks to Poppet for coming by to help out and to Brooke for taking pictures after her ski.
