After OPA Cup Finals in Italy, we traveled straight to Vermont for SuperTour Finals/Spring Series. The first race was a day after we landed, which felt like a very quick turnaround!
Plane dinner with Erin. Was not my favorite meal of all time I'll admit
10k Classic
I came within 10 seconds of missing my start which was both embarrassing and very stressful! No good excuse for this. I made it though, and ended up having a pretty good race. Maybe the adrenaline helped. It was a fast, icy day which was fun, and turned out to be my last distance race of the season! A good one to end on.
Skate Sprint
I started feeling pretty worn down after the 10k and on the verge of sick, but as this was the last race week of the season, I decided to push through that feeling and try to race. It did not feel good and pushed me over the edge. My health took a plunge after this day and I stayed in bed for the next 24 hours. A highlight, however, was that my teammate Erin got 2nd in the NATION! I'm proud of the work we've done as a team this year and it feels good to watch Erin dominating after all the training hours we've logged together!!
Not every day is sunshine and rainbows
I didn’t recover in time to start the 44k classic which was sad, but I’ve had a very long and eventful season and I’m thankful for all the opportunities I’ve had. Craftsbury was beautiful, snowy, and peaceful, and it was a special week capping off the season with good friends all around. We got to eat in the dining hall for each meal which was the highlight of my week.
Nice meal with Erin and Lina at the Craftsbury dining hall
Some End-of-Season Lists
Season Top 5 - Racing
Silver medal mixed team sprint at World University Games
Home course 2nd place SuperTour finish at Theodore Wirth Park!
Nor-Am 2nd place sprint qualification in Silver Star
OPA 15k classic pursuit - just enjoyed this one a lot
City of Lakes Loppet - 2nd
Takeaway - A season of 2nds!
Season Bottom 5
US Nationals 10k - sick
Supertour Finals Sprint - sick
Falcade, Italy 10k - jetlag and altitude, ouch
44k Supertour Finals - did not start, sick
Sun Valley 10k - 7th race in 12 days. Got tired
Takeaway: need to listen to my body, don't race when sick!
Biggest lessons/learning experiences
Striving for consistency in areas of life that I can control (training, preparation, health, mindset) is crucial for good racing through a long season of travel and changing environments
Equipment is a significant factor of the sport that can't be neglected
Self talk is powerful - for better or worse. Be intentional with it
It has been a great season - I had some of the best results I’ve ever had, an equal amount of learning experiences and challenges, and a fun time with many special people. I feel lucky every day to live this life and am endlessly thankful to all the support that has made my season possible. I’ll be back for more! But now, it’s time for some REST!
-Renae
Little end of season Sip
Bodies tired, hearts full
Peaceful Craftsbury, Vermont
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