Friday, March 20, 2020

Coming Down from the High - Altitude, NCAAs, and a Great 4 Years

And just like that its over! NCAAs, SLU (until April maybe), and my SLUSKI career. It is comically difficult to encapsulate four years with so many friends made, ups and downs, dreams come true, goals left unfulfilled, life lessons, laughs, and calories (LONG LIVE DANA DINING HALL!). However, I am going to try! The past few days have involved a lot of thinking as I come off the high of Bozeman's altitude, NCAAs, the excitement of skiing through bison in Yellowstone, and the best college career I could have asked for. This is a long one, but perhaps in the age of social distancing, you won't mind. 

First off, I want to send out my heartfelt gratitude to everyone that has been on this journey. I usually leave this for the end, but you're all too important. From alums all over that send their best wishes, to other EISA coaches that give splits, to the other athletes in the best ski league on the planet, to parents, to the Townsends and Gwen who host us again and again, to Meghan (our amazing sports information specialist), to Brian (our athletic trainer that has put most of us back together more times than we'd care to count), to my friends, to my family, to Liz, Kyle, Bob, Jordan, Dana, and ETown, and to my incredible teammates, thank you, for everything. 

When I first came to SLU, racing at NCAA's was the top of my long-term goal pyramid. Out of high school, I wasn't wanted by many college teams, and I had no idea what to expect. So, I just made some stuff up to fill in the rest of the pyramid, as one does. I figured I should make it look like a linear path to the top. Well, as probably anyone but freshman me could have guessed – it didn't quite end up being the straight up journey I hoped for. I started out well enough, making the top 20 in my first carnival weekend rather than my junior year (never count yourself out!), but then things got a bit murky. Sleep deprivation, perfectionist pressure, anemia, a loss of the joy of skiing, and performance anxiety beat me down more times than not. Sure, I would have loved to have had some better results in the middle of my career there (who wouldn't), but getting the chance to have this year, with this particularly amazing team, was truly the icing on the cake. 
Freshman me just picked some random stuff to put underneath NCAA's, because I didn't really know how to make it happen
“If it doesn’t hurt, then you don’t get the fast” - The NCAA Chapter
Two weekends ago, ETown, Dana, Jackie, and I headed out to Bozeman (along with Riley and Coach Willi of the alpine team). Expecting mid 50's and sun all week, we packed a lot of t-shirts. Instead, we got a taste of a West Coast East Coast Spring! It is just like Spring in the East – unpredictable and occasionally unpleasant – but in the West! The change in weather was actually really nice, though, because it was much easier to race in. The altitude already made it a bit tough! Bozeman wasn’t too high, but Crosscut, where the races were held, was at 6100’. ETown assured me it would not be noticeable. It was noticeable :) But as one of the guest speakers at the banquet (on Tuesday night) said something along the lines of, “If it doesn’t hurt then you don’t get the fast.” He is from Norway, and while his English was awesome (and way better than any second language I could speak), it was not perfect. Nevertheless, I haven’t heard anything so true in a long time!
Yes, that's a lot of baggage fees (Riley & me - Dana photo)
Quite the crew! (Jackie, Dana, me, plus former SLUSkiers Kyle and Eric) (ETown photo)
Gang on a sunny afternoon! (Jackie, Dana, & me)
My first race was not until Thursday, so we spent most of the week getting to know the course, going out to eat, eating awesome food that ETown made, and eating awesome food at Graham’s house! Lots of eating. Thank you so much to Graham’s parents for having us over on Monday night. It was wonderful to see their beautiful home, meet Heidi (an awesome SLU alumna), meet Ginger the dog, and eat amazing food. I particularly loved the tapioca pudding! Graham's parents were wonderful and were warm company in a week of crazy news. Overall, though, things were very chill in Bozeman (as evidenced by the number of episodes of Gossip Girl I watched) if not in the wider world.
In Montana, jerky gets its own spot in the store
Getting the artsy shots at Treeline coffee, plus, Dana doing some schoolwork... (Jackie photo)
The place may change, but the people don't... Jackie and I were sure to check out the library and bookstores (Jackie photo)
Jackie, always the MVP and up for getting dragged on an afternoon walk
Race morning dawned rather clear, and then, after lots of ski testing, it abruptly turned snowy. So much for that testing... I was incredibly happy to get to race at NCAA's. It was the same as any ski race anywhere, but it was made all the sweeter knowing how long we had all worked to get there. My own race was solid, but not spectacular. Very run of the mill. I was 31st out of 40 people, and while the altitude hurt, it did not hurt any more than a normal race. I just went slower! The skis ended up great, though. I knew we picked the right ones! Just kidding, I don't think I have ever actually been able to tell the difference between skis I'm testing. Anyway, Jackie and I loved cheering out on the course for the men's race! The sun came out, and on the whole, the EISA threw down, which was awesome to see. UVM Men and Midd Women won the Nordic day. GO EAST.

Results

Unfortunately, a mere few hours after we finished our first race, they cancelled the next one due to COVID-19. Thank you to all the people that made our one race amazing.

Skiing Through Bison (10/10 would recommend) - The Yellowstone Chapter
Fortunately, if a race had to be cancelled, I am glad it was in Bozeman. There are so many cool things to do! At many people's recommendation (thank you all!), we went to Yellowstone. We drove to the entrance at Gardiner and were met by bighorn sheep, bison, and elk. So cool! We also saw a black bear later on. After some traffic – yes Yellowstone has traffic... bison traffic – we got out for a crust cruise on the Blacktail Plateau. I honestly think this was one of the best skis of my life. We saw some more bison, soaked up the sun, and enjoyed the views. After visiting Mammoth Hot Springs, we went to the Boiling River, a place where incredibly hot hot springs meet the cold Yellowstone River. It is a bit painful to get to a good spot – if you go a couple feet too far one way you feel like you're burning and the other way it is so cold you can't breathe. However, when it is perfect, it is perfect!
Bison traffic (Dana photo)

Happy days! (Dana & Jackie)




Couldn't have asked for better company: ETown, me, Dana, and Jackie (photo from my dad)

The Boiling River (ETown photo)
Jackie and me at our last club practice before college (photo from Coach Marge!)

Jackie and me at our last college "practice" (photo from my dad)
The sappy stuff you knew was coming... (The First Last Chapter)
That pretty much sums things up for that week! It meant a lot for me to be able to get my career goal in right at the end there. The truth, though, is that it would have been alright even if I hadn't. This season was the first where I felt like things slid into place. Where I finally got it. Where no matter which way the results were going, they did not bring my emotions with them. That is thanks to all I've learned over my time as a SLUSkier. I've still got a lot to learn, but I thought I'd share some of the things that I've picked up over the years since that first blog post. In no particular order...(To all you incoming first years out there, take note)

1. It is alright if you only ski 89 minutes and 37 seconds when you are supposed to ski 90. Everyone has seen me do circles in the parking lot to hit the time for the day. It is great to get the time in. However, this annoying habit was always more than that for me. I am a perfectionist, and when I don't meet my standards I feel intensely guilty. Fun fact - perfectionism doesn't make you fast, or happy. The most important thing I've learned as a collegiate athlete is when to be a little more chill (yes guys, I'm still working on it, haha). And if you're wondering, yes, I did run in circles around my driveway today.

2. If you leave Dana before 7 PM, you're doing it wrong. Dana sits are simply the best! More food and more friends, obviously.

3. Carni Crush is and always will be the best race of the year. Off ski game, am I right?

4. Love your teammates and celebrate their success. This team amazes me each and every day. You teach me so much, and you make me so proud. Stay classy.
Long live Mega Bed.
5. Do things that aren't skiing. Having things outside of skiing doesn't make you uncommitted or lazy, it makes you human. And way more interesting.

6. Simplicity and consistency are key. This is a mix of some things Liz used to say. Anyway, training isn't complicated. You just do some intervals, some strength, and some distance workouts basically all year. And it works!
Logging big Thanksgiving hours at ForĂȘt will always have a special place in my heart (Em photo)
7. But breaks are good too. I have made the mistake of not recovering mentally/physically/emotionally more than once. If every part of you does not want to exercise, then, well, surprise, you probably do not need to be exercising.
On your break, meet Stina Nilsson. I maintain that this is the highlight of my ski career.
8. Ke$ha would be a skier in another life, and BOPS and SPARKLES are an integral part of success. Don't fight me on this. Listen and you will understand.
Princess Steffi & Queen Lucy (plus Lawrence) of the kingdom of BOP - bop buddies for lifeee
9. There are so many people here for you! Parents, friends, counselors, coaches, professors, teammates, and on and on.
Team! (2019-20, Meghan Photo)
10. It goes by quick.


Time flies - miss you all! (2016-17 team)
Thank you again to everyone for making these past four years happen! Especially my fellow seniors Emily, Kate, and Jackie (and our sometimes Coach Jordan!) for being there since Day 1. It has been quite the time, and I am so glad each of you were here for it. I am scared to post this, because that will mean it is truly over, but I have to do it soon. These past four years were never easy, were not always what we wanted, but in hindsight, they were exactly what we needed. They were challenging, hilarious, and brought us together. I know I for one wouldn't change them for the world.
So much love. (Lucy, Jackie, Kate, Jordan, and Em)
Loyal readers of the blog, I'm out. But be sure; I leave you in capable hands. Thanks for keeping up.
-Lucy




Tuesday, March 10, 2020

A Bittersweet Blog Post



            Two Thursdays ago the Saints loaded up the vans on and made their way to Rikert Nordic Center for the grand finale of the Carnival season: EISA Regionals at Middlebury. Athletes would be coming in fresh after an off-weekend and pumped for one last race of the season. Many athletes would spend the weekend competing hard for the last few spots to qualify for NCAA championships in Bozeman, Montana.

            On Thursday, the Saints arrived in Middlebury and were treated to fresh snow and the familiar Rikert course. The course featured three out-and-back “fingers”, each starting with an uphill before leading the athletes into some technical downhills back near the stadium. After course preview, the Saints headed to the Middlebury Inn to rest up and slip into the legendary white Middlebury Inn bathrobes.

            For the skate individual starts on Friday, the Saints woke to cloudy weather and 25 mph gusts of wind. The women would skate one loop of the 5k course in the morning while the men had two loops for a 10k race in store. Despite wonderful grooming, Rikert’s technical downhill corners still forced athletes to stay focused on working the downhills for speed while trying to stay on their feet.

            On the women’s side, the Saints’ scoring team was led by Senior Lucy Hochschartner coming in at 13th place. The Saints’ second scorer of the day, Senior Jackie Garso, unfortunately lost a lot of momentum in a crash on a tricky downhill yet still managed to finish a respectable 19th place. Rounding out the women was Senior Kate Andy finishing in 49th place. The Saints women finished the day in 8th place as a team. The scoring Saints men’s team finished in a tight pack. Sophomore Brian Beyerbach finished in 31st, Freshman Kai Richter in 33rd, and Junior Tim Cunningham in 36th. The three Saints were separated by only 15 seconds. The Saints men, similar to the women, also ended the day in 8th place as a team.

Our seniors with their cool signs! (PC: Emily '20)



            For the grand finale of the EISA carnival season, athletes lined up for the mass start classic races on Saturday morning. The women trail-blazed through a bit of fresh powder for 15k in the morning while the men raced 20k in the afternoon. With each team only allowed to bring six men and six women to this final carnival, there were 61 women and 63 men lining up in the starting chevron before races began. Nonetheless, athletes were still faced with the challenge of navigating fast and tight downhill corners in a competitive field of races.

            On the women’s side, the Saints’ scoring squad was again led by Senior Lucy Hochschartner, placing 14th and securing her spot for NCAAs. Following Lucy was Sophomore Steph Nichols finishing 38th with Senior Jackie Garso close behind in 40th. For the men, the scoring team was led by Sophomore Brian Beyerbach, earning a season’s best distance result at 22nd Place. Finishing next for the Saints was Freshman Kai Richter coming in at 39th place with Junior Tim Cunningham close behind in 41st place. The team symmetry continued today with both men and women Saints placing 9th place as a team.

Smile, and kick! (PC: Emily '20)



            A huge congratulations is in order to Lucy for qualifying for NCAA Championships in Bozeman, Montana. We couldn’t be more excited for her to cap off an incredible college racing career with an opportunity to race with the fastest college skiers the country has to offer. Lucy will be racing on Thursday and Saturday for a 5k skate individual start and 15k classic mass start at Crosscut Nordic Center.

A link to live webcast action of NCAA championships can be found here: http://www.ncaa.com/liveschedule

We’d also like to give a huge thank you to our Seniors this year: Lucy Hochschartner, Jackie Garso, Emily Siegel, and Kate Andy. These women have all done so much for the team over their four years here and I don’t know where we would be this season without them. These four women all made this season absolutely incredible and one to remember. We will miss them dearly and we cannot wait to see where they go with their bright futures.

Thank you seniors! We will miss you! (PC: Kate '20)

Also a big thank you goes out to our parents and friends who have been supporting the team all season, bringing food and cheering from the trails. We appreciate everything you do to help us race! And as always, thank you to Coach Etown, Coach Hatton, and JT for your dedication to helping us athletes perform at the highest level. Thank you to seniors Kate and Emily for the photos!

The rest of us are left with a bittersweet feeling. Exciting and sweet to finally put our legs up for a little bit of recovery after so much racing, yet sad and bitter to step off the rollercoaster of EISA racing until next season.

            As I have run out of interesting things to say, that is a wrap for the 2020 EISA Carnival season! It has been a pleasure and we will see you intermittently for some post-season races and random off-season updates. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for when the Saints (next) go marching in!

Until next time,
Charlie Reinhardt ’23

Monday, March 9, 2020

Bretton Woods Marathon


What’s better than watching the 2020 US Olympic Team Trials for the marathon? Skiing a marathon, of course! A couple of our teammates (Charlie ’23, Cam ’23, Steph ’22, Gabby ’21, Tim ’21, Kate ’20, Emily ’20 and former teammate Erin ’19) journeyed over to New Hampshire over the weekend to race in the Bretton Woods Marathon at the Mt. Washington hotel. For those of you who don’t know, this hotel has a gorgeous view of Mt. Washington and with sunny blue skies, we were able to have a great view skiing around!

The boys checking out the view (Pic: Gabby '21)


Some of the crew! (Pic: Gabby '21)

The race itself is pretty much a 21K loop that the full marathon skiers raced twice, whereas the half marathon skiers finished after a lap. It doesn’t have the vertical elevation gain as the Lake Placid Loppet, but consists of some pretty gradual hills and short, steep uphills sprinkled throughout. The combination of sun and colder temperatures the night before made for some icy tracks! On a whole, our glide was bombproof but the klister kick all but scrapped off by the end. Pretty much everyone agreed that it was the fastest distance race they’ve ever done, and they had a ton of fun.

Em's beautiful smile! (PC: Emily '20)

The race started at 9:30 AM with the half marathon and full marathon racers starting together. This was quite confusing the first time I did it because all of the bibs look the same. Which meant I blasted the first lap with the half marathon people only to watch them finish after 21K when I still had another lap to go…oops! Thankfully that didn’t happen this year. They had water, Gatorade, and fig newtons at the feed stations around the course, ensuring that a bonkfest did not happen.

Cam '23, Tim '21, and Steph '22 all happy! (PC: Emily '20)

Besides having a blast, we also had some great performances! Some highlights include Emily ’20 who won the half marathon for the U23 women’s class, Tim ’21 who finished 4th for the U23 men, and Steph who placed 3rd for the U23 women!  We were treated to a meal in the Presidential Wing of the hotel after the race for awards, and then we drove back to campus.

Uh oh, Charlie! (PC: Emily '20)

I like to think of this race as the last hurrah of the season, and it was awesome to bring up so many of our athletes. We also were able to talk with former SLU skier Leah Hart ’12 during the marathon. She still keeps tags with the team which was pretty cool to hear.

Thank you to Liesl Magnus and her family for hosting some of the team at her house! Also thank you to Emily ‘20 and Jamie Doucett for the great photos.

Results from this weekend can be found here.
Pictures from Jamie Doucett (professional photographer) can be found here.
Tune into here for Lucy’s race results as she competes in NCAAs in Bozeman, MT this Thursday and Saturday!
Also check here to check Brian's results as he completes in Junior Nationals this week!

See you on the trails,
Gabby ‘21