Hochfilzen, Training & Schalke - 14.12.2009

The week in Hochfilzen felt more like a training week than a racing week. The course for the sprint race had very deep snow which made skiing extremely difficult, but good shooting got me World Cup points. I had some technical problems in the pursuit race, but was able to rebound well for the relay with a race, and solid 10th place for our team. Overall, I feel good about my shape, and now I begin the fine tuning work that I hope will get me on the podium.

Using experience from the past, I decided to skip the third December World Cup, and instead come to Ridnaun, Italy for a training camp. This has been decided since I made my Olympic plan over a year ago. Ridnaun is a great location to train because the ski course and shooting range are right outside the hotel and they also have a good weight room; the food is great; and the recovery is excellent with a large wellness area. The training here is very important for my peaking base, so I am highly motivated and glad to be here.

Like last season, my teammate, Lanny Barnes, and I have been invited to race the Schalke World Team Challenge. This is an amazing event that takes place inside the Schalke 04 Soccer stadium with over 60,000 spectators cheering teams from around the world. It is a completely manmade loop with short loops and lots of shooting, so it is a lot of fun. I always wonder why a race like Schalke (short loops with multiple shooting) does not make it into the World Cup, but I guess they just do not know what they are missing.
Enjoy the pre-xmas time and check in again,
Jay


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