Yesterday I raced my first World Cup, a 10k skate in Les Rousses, France! Leading up to this race, I was very focused on how to put myself and my body in the best place to race well. Long international travel is hard on the body and it can take a bit to adjust to the time change. I flew into Munich and met up with some of the US Team in Seefeld, Austria. I was in Seefeld for a few days before traveling to Les Rousses on Monday. The best way to adjust and fight the jet lag is to not jump into hard training too quickly. I have learned over the years that I respond well to rest, so I made sure to do what I felt was best for me in the days leading up to my first race.
Life in Les Rousses with the team has been very fun and easy living. We are staying at a French training center where our meals are all cooked by the center, and we are a few minutes from the race venue. One highlight for me of being at the World Cup is that I have not had to touch my own skis. If you know me, ski work is not my favorite part about skiing. So, it has been a dream to have amazing skis without having to think about it. Shout out to my wax tech, Karel!
My 10k Skate results from the Super Tour were the races that helped earn a spot on the World Cup. I also consider this race to be one of my best disciplines so I was excited to have this race in Les Rousses. When I woke up on race morning, I tried my best to keep my nerves at ease and choke down my breakfast. Once at the venue, I was able to get into my normal warm up routine even though it was more chaotic than any race I've been in. I am proud of the race that I was able to execute. I skied in control while still fighting and thinking about where I could make time. The amount of fans on the course was unreal, it sort of created an out-of-body experience. It was so loud that it was hard to notice that I was even in pain! It was very cool. I am proud of the hard work that I put in this season to get here. I am grateful for my BSF Teammates and Andy for all of the many hours training and support that I have felt from them while here.
