Training Log Archive: AliC

So random small-world moment: I wore my ski-o jacket up to the podium (what else? =)), and Elisabeth Coupot, who came in 2nd asked if I orienteered, and said her husband is a coach for the French team. So went down and met him afterwards, and chatted, turns out he knows/also coaches? Emily Kemp! Cool!

4éme Marathon de la Clarée

I won! =) Super psyched, because it was quite a good race between me and 2nd for the whole second lap. Photo (scroll down past the guys).

Frederic attempted to explain (too tricky for my French) to the technical delegate at the start that I should be allowed to start in the first line, but no go, so started in the 2nd, but luckily, there aren't many fast women, so no probs to get up to the lead pack. Lead pack started at a leisurely pace with six, I was 6th, but totally comfortable. For whatever reason, lead girl didn't indicate she wanted to switch the lead (tactical to switch, drafting helps) for the first 10k or so, until the bottom of the course, when things all broke up a bit, and heading from Plampinet to the start, ended up as a group of 3 of us in the lead, still perfectly comfy pace.

Then the steeper hill from the finish area at Névache through the forest. Elisabeth and I dropped the 3rd girl at the beginning of the steepness, and I think Elisabeth was actually surprised I kept up. We were now going a pace that was actually tough, but I was happy to hear she was breathing quite hard too. Kept right behind her for the up, then she indicated I should take the lead for a bit. So switched into the lead for the flats on top and the big descent.

Then, she broke away up the hill from Plampinet! More or less just skied away from me. I was kinda bummed, but kept head up and skiing hard. And then, heading into the last 4k bit between the start and finish (we did this bit 3 times, if that makes sense), I could tell I was gaining. Woo! Still not convinced I could take her, but caught her on a down, and then accelerated into the 2nd to last hill, really going for it. Didn't look back, and on the actual last hill, felt like I was going quite slow and that for sure she was right behind me, but no! when I turned around on the downhill following, it was a guy! Awesome. So kept racing racing racing the last 1.5k, not wanting to give any chance for her to catch and ended up in 1st by 42 seconds!!

After the race, got interviewed in French, which I think I did decently with, although I didn't know the french word for rollerskis! Everyone there was pretty surprised, because Elisabeth has been winning most of the French marathons. And then got awarded 250 euros, which is pretty cool too, can cover buying some wax or something.

C • Awesome!!! 29

Skiing at Névache, checking out the marathon loop for tomorrow's race. Because of a lack of snow, they modified the normal course, which climbs the Vallée de la Clarée from the bottom, to a loop just at the top of the valley. As the bottom part of the course mostly just went along a river, this actually made the course have much more climb than the normal version. Was really good to see the course, no scary corners and got the sense that the stiff Q2 skis were definitely the way to go over the super soft skis with a dry cold grind.

Felt much better and kept it easy.

Getting my butt kicked by Frederic at Les Bessans. Jeez lousie! Don't know if it was the all-of-the-sudden at altitude, or jet lag, or only having slept 2h on the plane 2 nights before, but when we first started, I was a mess. Tagged along after Frederic for a first lap of 40 min or so, then we stopped so he could change skis, and I felt like I was about to throw up. Ug.

So went inside, had a sit-down, and then felt better and tagged along behind Frederic less eagerly for the rest of the morning.

Les Bessans is goregous, in the Alps, but pretty flat, on a plateau. There are a few good climbs, which Frederic directed us too as soon as he heard I thought it was flat... There's a nice biathlon stadium with a fun 4.3k race loop around.

C • This is important: 2

After lunch at a petite refuge off the trail (yum salad with warm goat's cheese on potato and a crêpe à la crème de marron) a bit more skiing, now very sunny and warm!!

Go double pole! Training for ski-o.

And one more loop around the biathlon loop, because it was fun.

Gave my talk today at CEA, now off to the Alps!

C • eeeeeee good luck have fun!!! 5

abs, back, side plank, push ups! While my friends' 1 year old tried to figure out what in the world I was doing, and even imitate a few times, soooo cute! =) I cannot understand baby-french though, turns out.

Hamstring exercises before taking off- now to France!

C • French race 3

Ran over to bike path and back with skis, boots in backpack.

Lovely double pole along the bike path with a few inches of fresh stuff on top of the crust. The little bit of fresh made it way more pleasant. Did a series of 2 min intervals, but still hard to work hard on flat with relatively fast snow. On the way back, diverted through a meadow for a bit, was gorgeous. Actually classiced a wee bit then, but will just be logged as dp anyways.

Saw two ladies also out there skiing and chatting, and a few other tracks of skiers. Happy with this winter!