Wasatch Powder Keg
March 15th, 2009 | Posted by Bart | Topic: racingRacing is racing!
This weekend I pinned a number on the thigh and gave it a go in the Wasatch Powder Keg, my 1st ski randonee race.
Early start rockin the Monavie-Cannondale jersey.
Being a stop on the USSMA national series it brought the top racers from Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho to Alta, Utah to tackle the 10 mile and 5800 ft backcountry course. I had a good time, learned a ton, and ended up in 6th place and 1st guy from Utah.
transition from down to up
A few things I learned in my 1st randonee race:
-It’s hard , just like bike racing. The gun goes off and you pin it until the finish line. No rest on the downhill!
-Preparation and specificity are key. I do a lot of fast ski touring but that does not make me a fast rando racer. A fast bike rider is not necessarily a fast bike racer!
-Racing is fun! Bikes, skis, shoes, paddles, whatever you choose its always fun to pin on a number and push yourself, find and extend your limits!
-Like mountain bike racing, the 90/10 rule applies to randonee racing. 90 minutes up for 10 minutes down!
-Mountain bikes are the most efficient means of traveling the mountains in the summer and randonee is the most efficient means of traveling the mountains in the winter. Efficiency=distance=exploration=satisfaction!
-The people make the event, or is it the event makes the people! Either way the warm, relaxed, inviting personalites of the races make you want to come back for more. Skiing or biking!
Race on, of any kind!
racing |
Comment by Indohran on the March 15th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
I like how you down play the fact of a National Race and the fact that you were the first Utah Skier! If we all could show up at our first ski race and do that!!!!!!!!!!!