The true reason for the season

So inconsiderate of them to schedule Christmas and New Years just before US Nationals.  Don't they know what an important event that is for many-a-cross-country skier?  Geesh.  But now that I'm all carbo loaded, sugarer-up, and refreshed from seeing old  friends and celebrating with family, it's time for some racin'!  

What a hectic time of training, packing, and lots of other things to attend to, not to mention baking bread to feed the masses.  My last loaf of the year was a hit.  I thought it would be appropriate for the Hochstein (Gesundheit!) family gathering if I made an old German holiday favorite.

Don't eat that bread, it's stollen!

Well, gotta hit the road bright and early tomorrow, 27 hours of car time to kill.  No bag weight limits, recycled air, or outrageous ticket prices, beats flying!  Rumford, here I come, watch out!

Forget Christmas cookies

Have some Indian spiced donuts. Don't worry, they're whole wheat.

and some Christmas pie

And if you really want Santa to bring you something good...

A heat gun!  This is exactly the one I wanted too!  I can't WAIT to do some klister application now.

Happy Holidays!

Feelin' that holiday spirit

 

Wild rice pilaf bread

It's a wreathe!  That's gonna be mighty tasty with some chevre and fig spread. . .mmmmm!

Step into my dojo

Sensei Audrey's School of Nordic Arts

Illuminating the mystic tradition of ambulating cross-country on snow with the abetment of wooden planks and carbon staffs.  Learn to deliver paralyzing blows to the competition through my secret kick and glide combination.

The Mommsens' Loppet Classic Group. Training under cover of darkness, they master the art of invisibility.

Ski and Tea arctic ninja warm up

Skiing into to battle wielding our samurai swords

Demonstrating how to properly attack a hill wearing traditional ninja attire

Every training session is followed by ceremonial tea

So I'm on this new low carb diet. . .

. . . NOT!

Quinoa bread.  

Behold the awesomeness that is white whole wheat flour.

Carrot bread.

Ironwood JOQ

Well, I raced in Ironwood for the first time since high school.  Back at Wolverine, the site of my first JOQ race in 2003, I think I might have raced faster then than I did this weekend.  Saturday's 5k skate was a total disaster for me.  My legs were burning the whole way and I still couldn't get any speed.  Not sure what happened, maybe a little tired, not in shape, who knows.  Today was a good turn around, but still not a great race.  I felt able to go hard and recover, my double poling felt stronger, but my climbing isn't there yet.

I'm feeling a little bummed about my results, but optimistic that I am only going to race faster as the season progresses and I absorb more training.  I also remind myself that what I am really focusing on is the sprint, especially the classic sprint.  I long ago gave up my aspirations to be a great all-around skier, so I try not to beat myself up when I don't meet my expectations in events I know I don't excel at.  

I also learned that the NorAm race yesterday up in BC was a classic sprint, while every schedule I ever saw for the weekend listed a skate sprint.  Kinda pisses me off, because I would have tried to be there had I known the race format...

In other news, I was diagnosed last week with chronic sinusitis (chronic sinus infection).  I had an MRI of my sinuses done, and it showed that part of my sinuses is totally blocked off and filled with scar tissue from having numerous sinus infections over the past three years.  I am now on my third round of antibiotics in the past 2 months, this time it is a 6-week regimen.  This is just a quick fix until I can have surgery after my season is over.  I will be having some tiny bones removed from my inner skull through my nostrils in order to open the closed sinuses.  Sounds fun.  Not sure if this is related to my lack of racing performance, but it certainly doesn't help.

Ok, done feeling sorry for myself.  Time to go play in the snow!

  

The packed wax building.  Representation from innumerable college, high school, and junior programs.  Awesome to see so many people serious about this sport.

Pasty (rhymes with nasty, but are actually quite tasty), the original Hot Pocket.  Now you're really in the da UP, eh!

Sunday 9:07AM, finishing setting the track for the 5k, which started at 9:00.  The race organization pulled off a flawless race with great grooming.  The track was unbelievably firm despite the dumping snow.

Blog-worthy bread

In this darkest month of year,

What better way to spread some cheer

Than with hearty whole-grain goods?

Three cheers for my favorite staple foods!

Normally, I try not to brag about my latest culinary ventures (ever since someone had to go make me feel all self-conscious and cliche for crafting my own sustenance), but I thought this stuff was just too good to keep to myself.  And if my foodways cause me to be classified as a crunchy hippie Vermonter, then bring on the maple syrup and patchouli!

My latest diversion is my goal of baking bread everyday I am home for the rest of the month of December. "Very ambitious," you might say. But nay!  With my stored dough method and the help of some vital wheat gluten, I can make fresh bread in literally 5 minutes a day (okay, maybe 10).  Super nutritious, packed with that midwestern moral fiber, carbs to fuel my high-intensity training, highly economical, and beautiful to behold, what could be better than that?

Day 1: standard whole wheat loaf with sesame and flax.

Day 2: whole wheat cinnamon-raisin bagels

Day 3: garlic knots. Just as tasty as Ramunto's, and they won't induce cardiac arrest.

What the rest of the month has is store, has yet to be revealed, so stay tuned.

Heading to Ironwood, MI this weekend to race in the JOQ.  No, I'm not trying to make JO's, I unfortunately am a few years too ripe for that, but I am excited to get some great training races in with all the pow they've got in the UP.  Race tales to follow.