Biathlon Camp: Day 4 - Pursuit Race

I'm back in Ottawa, and the race was yesterday of course, but I guess it's better late than never!

The race was a 10 km pursuit, which means everyone started in the same order they had finished the day before with 5-second intervals between each skier. These very short starting intervals made for some crazy traffic on the course. I was bib number 71 and was supposed to start just ahead of Courtney. Courtney was feeling sick from her flu shots though and therefore did not start.

My race went well I think. The S-turn was much less icy during this race, but I still held on for dear life every time I went down it. It was very hard to see where the turn was starting and finishing as everything went so quickly. I did fall on the last lap, but I didn't get turned around, so got up very quickly.

There were lots of skiers passing me on the left and right, some I even stuck with for a while going uphill, and then they got away on the downhills. I shot better too: got 12/20, which equals 60%. A 10% improvement overnight is a good start!

The results have finally been posted. Check them out here if you're interested.

Kaspar, the National Team head coach, said that I had had lots of progress since he saw me in July. I'm very happy with that. Now I just have to keep training hard, keep working on my technique and do lots of intensity with shooting to simulate a high-HR race situation.

After the races, Jamie, Alexei and I headed for the airport. Alexei and I finally got to use some of our Elite Podium privileges: checked in at the executive class counter, hung out in the Maple Leaf Lounge and ate all of their free food, and pre-boarded the plane. Jamie, unfortunately, was not allowed in the Maple Leaf Lounge because he was flying WestJet!

Well, I have to go to work tomorrow.

So good night this time from the nation's capital!