White Mountain Classic

The White Mountain Classic is a supposed 30k "marathon" at Jackson, the one-day club championships. It was beautiful klister conditions up there, loose granular that actually stayed put thanks to a short dip below freezing on Friday night, some gray ice in the tracks but mostly just sugar. 

I've done this race a few times, and the course is a lot of fun, though with lots of double poling on golf courses between the fun bits. The start was a little more chaotic than I remembered, but after two laps around the golf course people got themselves straightened out. I was tailing a group of masters men being led by Rob, and as we headed up Yodel it was great - they were peeling off right and left to start herringboning, and I just stayed in the track, eyes in front, trying to keep the effort reasonable on the steeper pitches but definitely just STAY IN THE TRACK. That got me past most of those guys, but making up no time on Rob, since he was also kicking up the track. I should mention that beating Rob is always a goal of mine. I could feel some effort as I crested Yodel, but my energy levels were really good today, so the lactic cleared quickly and there was no lingering fatigue from the long hill. My goal for the day was to remember to really ski - no shuffling or shuffle-running.

Brief double pole recovery in the fields, where Rob and I bridged up to the next pack. Then we started the climb to the wave, which is tricky because you think you get recovery on some of those transition-y little downhills, but really it's all climbing. I was skiing at this point in a group with Steve Moreau, Peter Harris, Rob leading the way, and two Sr skiers flailing around near me. They were only near me and not ahead because of the flail - boys that age should be a lot faster than me. I kept focusing on really kicking and gliding, and staying in the tracks around all those corners, which quickly led me to discover that my skis were really fast in the tracks. 

Again I could feel the work by the top of the Wave, and was very happy to be done with it, but the fatigue dissipated quickly, and I caught up to Andy Milne's group on the downhill. This was going well. Zipped out to the front, and then a small group of maybe four or five of us started the double poling around the flats. I managed to keep up with the boys ok, and then the guys started slowing down too much as we came through the feed the second time, content with their pack placing. I looked back and could see the purple/green Ford Sayre suit of Elissa, chasing in 2nd place. Uh oh. I moved to the front and upped the tempo, and only Rob kept pace. 

We entered the hills and I was working, doing a little herringboning this time, but driving and striding where I could. I had one of those awesome revelations near the top of the climb to the Airport - I am so fit. That is such a nice feeling! Rob and I really pulled away on the transitional climb to the top of the Wave - being a good skier really pays when you have lots of transitions. He was a little in front, so I was mostly using him to pace myself. Trying to put more time into Elissa, without blowing up. 

More tourers this time 'round, but nobody in my way down the hill, and this time on the flats I kept the tempo high the whole time. Rob wasn't letting himself get dropped, though I'm sure I don't offer much draft to somebody a foot taller. The final time up the hill to Eagle Mountain House, I was starting to slip a little, not because of wax but just because I was getting tired, so my form was crumbling. My klister caught at the turn at the top of that hill, in the powder, and I nearly face planted, and Rob got a small gap. I couldn't close it down on the double poling back to Yodel, and then I just couldn't keep pace up that last hill - couldn't get the kick in the tracks, but icing up out of the tracks. Final double pole sprint after the ripping descent, and I just couldn't close the gap. Finished 6 seconds behind him, and first woman, about a minute ahead of Elissa. That was super fun. I love it when my skis just WORK, and the conditions are great and it's a beautiful day and I have people to ski with the whole time. Also, I love winning. 

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