November 17, 2010 (Gällivare, Sweden) – The 15km skate in Bruksvallarna was similar to most other season opening distance races I’ve done over here in Europe. It’s burns the lungs, and your legs are seemingly looking up at you with frowning faces – on the verge of tears. Sometimes they scream at you, other times they sulk and sometimes if you are lucky they just go with it and get it done for you.

This year was no different. It was hard for sure, they always are. Still, I paced the race pretty well – and the course was an interesting 3.1km loop which could be described as meandering gradual climbing, followed by some steeper climbing and finishing with a straight-shot descent into the “stadium” before you lap on through and do it all over again – 4 more times.

Temperatures were again amazing for racing – hovering around -4/5 Celsius, and the snow was a mix of the cold/hard artificial snow, and some of the fresh white stuff that had been falling most days prior to the competition. It was by no means fast out there, but you could glide on the uphills which isn’t always a guarantee this time of year in Scandinavian skate races.

I wasn’t feeling as sparky as in the sprints on Saturday. The legs seemed to be holding on to the memory of “ouch” from the day before, and weren’t overly pleased with their owner’s choice of punishing them again in such quick succession. Still, after a pretty sub-par feeling warm up, I was pleasantly surprised that the body seemed ok with the task of pushing hard for 15km.

Seeing as it was a “training race,” I tried something new. I started deathly slow for me, and was shocked to hear that after only 3.1km I was 17 seconds “en arriere” of Hellner. Not good. I started to pick it up, and ended up skiing with Olsson (who was a lap ahead of me) – switching leads every other lap until he finished. I skied it home as best I could – and like every year – was reminded at just how tough cross country ski racing really is. I shouldn’t have followed Olsson on my first lap (his 2nd), but starting “slower than normal” was the game plan that Justin and I came up with anyway.

I ended up 4th. A staggering 45 seconds adrift off Hellner, yet only 15 seconds down in Olsson. Looking at the lap times, 11 seconds of that was in my first 3.1km… Too slow. Richardsson was 3rd (I was 10 seconds back) and Alex finished 5th – 28 seconds down on me. A decent start to the season – but nothing spectacular.

I know it wasn’t the 15km skate I had last year in Bruks’ where I won (and had the best 15km skate race of my life to date) – yet look at how well that turned out. I went to Beitostolen to finish a dismal 37th 6 days later, so I am hoping that to be back in 4th (like I was 2 years ago in the same race) is a good omen.

Omens aside – it was a good workout. I tried some different stuff and it didn’t workout completely. Yet I’d take a slow start this time of year than to blow up huge on lap 4/5 and really have to grind it in – a slobbery, rubber legged mess. The important thing is that I felt good racing, and the body/technique seemed to be responding. I just love Bruksvallarna for the early season. It’s pretty chill – good training trails and the Swedes are great. It helps that it’s not so obscenely far north – and those extra two hours or so of day light make a world of difference.

After the races I continued to train – putting in another distance day Monday. I was able to do 24hrs of training in the first 7 days, which was in the range I was looking for. After spending a night in Camp Sodo back in Ostresund last night – it was upwards and onwards to Gallivare, SWE, which is where I am now.

The good news is that it’s beautiful here right now – amazing actually. As an added bonus, I was in total shock to see the sun upon arrival. There’s tons of snow, and I am sure the skiing will be perfect here too – which is good since I plan on continuing to “train” through the week. Of course I am looking forward to the World Cup opener this weekend. Jeez, I am freaking stoked about it! But I know better than to load it with expectations. I will give it 100% and then some, of course. I’ll get out there, get after it and get it done. The results will be what they will be.

I just hope the temperatures don’t plunge to like -20 or something turning the snow to styrofoam… I don’t need that on the long gradual climbs of Gallivare… Who do you think I am? Babs?