After completing the Mini Tour in Minneapolis I decided that I was keen to keep racing, so I made some last minute plans and hopped on a plane to Ottawa, Canada to race at the Eastern Canadian Championships.
It was another 3-day mini tour, where they combine the results from a skate sprint, and skate 10km to give you a handicap start for a 15km classic stage on the last day. This gives you an overall winner for the entire weekend.
This being my 4th weekend of racing in a row, I was feeling a little tired and not quite sure how things were going to play out. Some days it was all I could do to get myself out of bed and to the race site. I did fairly well in the skate sprint, skiing a strong semi and BARELY missing out on the A-final with a lunge to the line. Finished 9th for the day. I finished 4th in the 10km skate, putting me in 5th place for the pursuit start of the 15km classic the next day. This race was a fight for 3rd place as the top two skiers had a large head start over the rest of the field. I skied a strong race and stayed with the chasing group until the finish, where I was out sprinted, crossing the line in 5th. Not too bad! I was happy with my races and excited that I was able to push through the fatigue and fight till the end.
Kate Brennan starting the 15km pursuit, with me chasing her 2sec behind
Overall Minni-Tour Podium. (1st and 4th had to leave to catch a flight)
A big thanks to Chris Manhard and CVTC for waxing my skis this past weekend! My skis were great!
Now, I am finally back at home for a little RnR before I head back to the Midwest, US in just over a week to compete at the Madison Winter Festival followed by the American Birkebeiner.
This year keeps getting better and better for me. My body is finally overcoming any fatigue or set backs from the last couple years. I feel like I am really able to enjoy racing again and push my body to its limits.
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