Hi,
We had some rollerski races at the end of our 2 week training camp - the Schutzenski Festival.
These races are unique - they are low stakes because they are not part of the official race season, but at the same time many of the best US skiers are competing (a range of high schoolers, collegiate athletes, domestic professionals, the US Ski Team, and Olympians.)
Rollerski racing is a little different than ski racing. It is harder to balance on rollerskis than on snow skis, the pavement offers more return with each pole stroke (favoring power over finesse), it’s hard to suddenly slow down or stop, and crashing on pavement hurts.
These slight differences add up to make rollerskiing a bit of a different game, but it’s still a very good way to prepare for the ski season. Here are my highlights, lowlights, and takeaways from the two races.
Skate Sprint (1.3km rounds)
Highlights
This race was one of my best results ever
I made it through the heats and into the final, where I got to compete with Jessie Diggins, Julia Kern, Lauren Jortberg, Sarah Goble, and Tilde Bångman. A career highlight!
Lowlights
I was a bit intimidated in the final, and skied a little passively. Confidence is a big factor in sprinting - I’ve come a long way but there’s room for improvement
4 rounds in the dry air left me with a bad post-race cough
Takeaway: This day gave me some reassurance that training has been going well, and left me very excited for the ski season!
Women's Final Sprint Heat!
10km Classic - individual start
Highlights
It was fun to get back into the ski race atmosphere: lots of people, music, food, cheering, announcers, and organized chaos as people warmed up, raced, and debriefed after
I felt like I pushed myself hard the whole time. It was a good effort and it hurt
Lowlights
I didn’t feel especially fast. Those days happen
I struggle with classic striding on rollerskis
Takeaway: It was good to get back into race mode, and there is more work to do before the season!
racing in the10k classic
Thanks for following along. I’m back in Alaska now, hoping for snow!
-Renae
The solar eclipse was going on in this picture. It's hard to tell but the lighting was weird!
I ate breakfast at 6am on sprint day - what better time to force down some peanut butter toast.
Goodbye to the sun for a while!
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