NCAA 20K freestyle

Their goal was to mix it up with the big boys. They sure did. It was a very exciting race (4laps of a 5K course). After 5K Eric and Ben where about 8th and 12th and Zach was in the mid 20s. All doing well and going for it, I couldn't ask for more. At 10K Eric had moved into 5th with Ben right behind 6th or 7th. Zach was still fighting for mid 20s and holding well. However this proved to be a little to much to early as by 15K Eric had dropped back to 20th and Zach to 30th. Ben was still skiing strong and holding in the top ten with a pack that was 8-13th. Ben stayed with this group with a top ten in his grasp with about 200 meters to go. Around the last hard corner going into the stadium he tripped up on his pole and the 3 he was with got buy him putting him in 13th, a great finish but hard to be really happy with since All-American was certainly possible at that point. Eric dropped back to 28th and Zach finished in 36th. I think it was good day, certainly it looked like it was going to be outstanding day for little while but I am really proud of how well these guys came back after the 10K classic to prove they could race with the best.
The guys finished 8th as team, the top finish for schools that give athletic scholarships.

Classic 10K, glad thats over

Well assuming you have looked at results, not an impressive day for us. Probably one of the most challenging wax days of the season and all coaches struggled with decision of using klister and covering or hardwax on a binder. I think we just waited to long to prep the klister option for the guys to try and between that and a first race at altitude it just was not a good day. I think it is behind us now, maybe even a little pressure is off for tomorrows 20K free. Should be some really fast skiing not that we have been through a thaw freeze cycle twice.