I have skied since I was very little and have been on a racing team, 4H-CANSKI since the sixth grade. Every year the most important race is the State Meet. The 2013-14 ski season started out with a bang for most, as we got a lot of snow early in the season, although I struggled in the first races. I ran Cross Country in the fall but wasn't in skiing shape quite yet. I placed on the bottom of the rankings for many of the JNQ's (Junior National Qualifiers), but I was ok with it because I was having fun with it. My main goal for the season was to develop the younger members of the team and help them achieve their goals. I had hoped for a top ten finish at state for most of my high school career, but I didn't know if I was going to be able to get it with the way that I had been performing.
As the season continued I got better but distractions came into effect such as the college course that I was taking and my English class. I would get 7th or 8th for my conference on a good day. The weather had been crazy also. With only about three practices above ten degrees fahrenheit the whole season, it was hard to work on technique because to stay warm required continuous movement. Eventually with a week and two days to state the engine kicked in. Everything was coming together. I felt very mediocre for the conference race that day but then I heard my coach yell out to me, "EVERY SECOND COUNTS KEVIN! GIVE IT ALL THAT YOU GOT!" Those simple words tapped into a secret store of supervation (I just made up that word. It means super motivation). The pistons fired at full throttle, the heart raced, the legs burned, but I wasn't stopping now. I felt like I had nothing left as I collapsed across that finish line. I got 8th which was good, but most of all our team won Conference! We defeated a team that had beat us for years.
Here I am in the blue jacket along with my teammates holding the Conference Champs plaque.
Here I am in the blue jacket along with my teammates holding the Conference Champs plaque.
That Saturday was a ten kilometer classic race on the home course. I placed third and my two team mates took first and second. I was on a good streak.
On Friday I packed my skis, poles, boots and other gear and our team headed down to the state meet at Telmark Resort in Cable, WI.
On Friday I packed my skis, poles, boots and other gear and our team headed down to the state meet at Telmark Resort in Cable, WI.
The first day we skied the course and visualized our races. We also waxed our skis that night.
On Saturday was the 5k skate race. Here I am standing behind my teammate Matt Kubik. We both look very calm and relaxed.
On Saturday was the 5k skate race. Here I am standing behind my teammate Matt Kubik. We both look very calm and relaxed.
Even after receiving a horrible starting position and breaking the cuff of my boot literally within 5 minutes of starting I remained calm. Here I am thinking about the free lunch that my coach offered me if I made the top 8 overall.
When the gun went off it was peddle to the metal. This was the moment that I had practiced for. I exploded out of the start gritting my teeth just knowing that one-hundred other skiers were chasing me, and my team depended on me if we were to podium.
No looking back now.
There were spectators everywhere. I was glad to have them there cheering me on. The biggest factor for me when I race is the mental game so every little thing helps.
I skied the course as efficiently as possible while putting as much into it as possible. Coming into the finish by the country flags in the last 100 meters I was totally exhausted but putting out the best sprint that I had. I left nothing out there.
My face was as white as a ghost as I finished. I must have breathed in all the oxygen in the county because I immediately collapsed after the finished and lied there for minutes gasping for air. While congratulating my teammates the announced that I was in 8th with a teammate in 3rd and another in 13th. I was so excited I wanted to go ski a marathon, but couldn't because I still had to conserve energy for Sundays races.
Did I mention that it was below zero at the start and never really warmed up? I tried my best to keep warm.
We waxed up for Sundays races and ate very generous servings of spaghetti dinner that night, we were all famished. The awards were presented to the top ten in the skate race after dinner that night. (I'm the one in the spider webbed jacket on the right side)
After awards we all went back to the house that our team was staying at and relaxed.
With a semi fresh pair of legs the next morning I wen't off to start my classic race. Since I had come in eighth the previous day, I started in that same position at the same amount of time back from the leader that I had finished the day before. All that I had to do today was let no more than two other racers pass me to achieve a top 10 status for the overall. That would also set our team up for the win, as long as the other guys held their positions.
Again I got a good start and by the time I reached the top of the first up hill I had already caught the seventh guy. It wasn't until three kilometers in that I had the ninth guy pass me, but I was able to hang with him for a bit. There is a large up hill at the beginning of the last kilometer. Approaching it I was in 8th position but gaining on the guy in front of me. Over the course of one hill I passed him and put 20 meters between the two of us. One of my coaches and another coach of a team that I know very well sprinted along side of me yelling for me to go.
Go is what I did, I powered over the top of the hill and flew down the other side.
I nearly wiped on the curve at the bottom but managed to stay on my feet. With my rate of speed the next hill seemed like a speed bump as I flew up and around the top. The kid who passed me almost two kilometers ago was now only seven seconds away again, but the finish was to close to catch him unless he crashed.
I turned the final corner and double poled the hell out of that snow. I had thought that the skate race was the best race of my life and that I had given everything then. This was now my new PR for exertion level. My legs gave out as soon as I knew that I was across the line. I did it though! I had come in 7th overall. That meant free lunch with my coach and an overall top ten bib!
I had the 8th fastest time in the classic, one guy that finished behind me in the overall had a faster time. I learned that my teammate came in 3rd overall and soon after I finished another teammate came in 11th putting our team in 1st over all by 15 points!
We were all very happy! Especially my coach who has been watching us develop as skiers since we were young.
After considering whether I would even be able to make top 15 at the beginning of the season, I shattered my goals for state. Over all #7!
Our team made a goal to be on the podium at state. I made a goal to help develop my fellow skiers. Winning state as a team allows for both of those to be crossed off the list. What an ecstatic moment!
The trophy was small but very well made and it looks really cool.
After the awards we went to get hot chocolate at a local café. Here I am showing off the swag that I won.
We made the news a couple times.
Over all it was a great experience and I would do it all over in an instance.