2006 Ski Season Wrap-up

As winter lingers and snow turns to slop this might be a good time to summarize 2006 season. All I can say for now is go figure--eventually I will fill in more below, with the deep fitness idea--I didn't plan to have a big ski season this year. It just happened.

Six weeks after a horrific bonk at California International Marathon (and in its preparation I did only a few ski workouts through the fall) I entered my first race in January, a 10k classic, and ended up neither terribly disappointed nor very pleased. However I won a 20k classic race the next week, beating some those who were a couple minutes ahead on the first race. The rest of the races were pretty much as good or better than expected

Jan 14, Fairbanks Town Series 10k Classic ">Winner: Tyson Flaharty (US Ski Team Under 23 racer), 27:12
My time: 32:25
% back: 12.5
7th overall, 2nd in 40+ age group


Jan 22, Distance Series 20k Classic Winner: Me (Over the hill hacker), 1:20:48
% back: 0.0


Feb 5, Besh Cup Qualifier #6 10k Freestyle
Winner: Andy Liebner (2nd at 2003 U.S. Junior Olympics), 28:23 >
My time: 32:38
% back: 15.0
22nd overall, 1st in 40+ age group

Feb 19, Fairbanks Town Series 8k Pursuit
Winner: Tyson Flaharty, 21:54
My time: 26:38
% back: 21.6 (ouch!, but I had to switch boots at the exchange, costing 1:00 to 1:30
7th overall, 1st in 40+ age group

Feb 20, Distance Series 30k pursuit
Winner: Tyson Flaharty, 1:33:44
My time: 1:46:28
13.6 (also lost a minute or more by switching boots)
5th overall, 2nd in 40+ age group

March 5, Tour of Anchorage 40k Freestyle
Winner: Reid Greenberg, 1:48:15
My time: 1:50.07
% back: 1.7
3rd overall, 1st in 40+

March 11, Skiathon 20k Classic
Winner: Tyson Flaharty, 1:13:59
My time: 1:22:08
% back: 11.0
5th overall, 1st in 40+ age group

March 25, Sonot Kkazoot 50k Freestyle
Winner: Kjetil Dammen (2006 NCAA All American/3rd at USA Championships for 10k), 2:20:45
My time: 2:41:4
% back: 17.4
9th overall, 1st in 40+ age group

Looking ahead to summer and next season I plan to do some more dryland training and focus on improving even more for the 2006-2007 season. I'd like to go for a top 20 overall for the 50k at next year's Tour of Anchorage and top 6 at the Sonot Kkazoot. We have excellent skiers in Fairbanks and the 45-49 age group is particularly strong. We keep each other honest and the competition will be keen next year.