Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Queen of the Classics: Odd Oddsmaker edition

The Day is Nigh! The Queen of the Classics! The one and only......

PERU NORDIC'S IRON MAIDEN TRIATHLON.

If you can't have snow there is no better summer race in New York.  It is a chance to see how your summer fitness is going and test all your favorite cross-training activities against your fellow friends and nordic rivals.  As always the HRT newsroom is pleased to bring you the annual Odd Oddmaker's Odds (London Olympics edition) so that you can make your way to your nearest shady gambling parlor and drop a quid on your favorite pony.....


Race Overview:  The athletes from HURT nation are bringing a formidable squad to this years games.   After intense training, weeks of trials, and continuous athlete testing the Director has his best squad geared up and ready.  For the first time in a long while all three of the HURT three-headed junior monster (Luban, Halligan, Huneck) will suit up and battle it out for the podium spots....only this time.....they are bringing a just as powerful spiked tail.  Seth Mares (another impressive junior talent) has raised eyebrows of talent scouts and when these four lock horns in competition it is going to be fireworks.  And let's not forget the race veteran and reigning champ Dave PK is desperate to keep his iron door stop.  Desperation is a powerful motivator.   The nation of Peru is not to be overlooked.  Home course. Veteran talent.  And after last years lashing by HURT they are desperate to regain former Iron Maiden glory.  Rose, Kobak and the legion of doom look to employ strategy, speed and shredding high pitched guitar at the opening ceremonies to throw their competitors off balance and steal the team title once again.  Here our our race picks....

Adam Luban: Race Rookie.  However, he brings major run speed and REG level talent to the ski up the HOD.  Bike leg is a big IF, but if he can keep it close and slip a few bucks to the Russian judge he may find his way onto the podium.

Odds: 7:2 that he doesn't have enough money to pay off the judge but he sticks to landing on one foot and finds his way onto a step.

Brian Halligan: Knows the course.  Knows the HOD.  Fast runner and formidable on skis.  Based on last year, the bike leg is still a question but he has grown about 6 inches and added some serious sinew.   May be the athlete to beat.  His tactical mind may be at play on the bike leg as well.  Our guess, if he can make his way through the pre-competition human growth testing he should be right there in the end.

Odds: 3:1 that the he takes >2 minutes off his bike leg from last year.

Austin Huneck: Controversial training plan for this young nordic stud. Reports have it that he has spent two weeks living with mountain goats above 9000 feet.  Nothing but long days with little oxygen and sleeping amongst the herd.  The smell alone be enough to decimate the competition.  He is flying to just above sea level 1 day before the IMT to maximize the gains as he destroys the HOD.  If his plan works, the course record may just fall.  If it backfires....it could be ugly.  You don't get the gold without taking a few gambles.

Odds: 5:2 that he is so used to walking through beautiful mountain landscapes of the high Colorado mountains that he stops by the side of the road to pick some wild flowers.

Seth "Spikes" Mares: Another Race rookie.  But major podium dark horse.  Lots of bike mileage this spring. Trains repeats up Corinth Mountain. Top it off with impressive skiing at the HURT junior camp and winner of the camp sprint race. Shows he has the guts to drive for the line.  Smart, savvy and capable in all disciplines.

Odds: 12:1 take him as a sleeper and make some serious coin.

Visual approximation of the tail now found on the three-headed monster.


Dave "The professor" PK: Defending Champ.  Race vet. Studies the race like no other.  Has had a tumultuous history with the race but has shown he has the goods to conquer it.  In a bike heavy event he may be the wheel to grab onto.  He likes to get out quick and push his TT legs.  If he has enough in his aging legs to hold off the chase pack, the iron may be returning to Round Lake.

Odds: 6:1 that his takes a cow prod and tattoos the course map onto his forearm.

Chris Rose: Once a champ, always a champ.  Wants it. Dreams about it.  The fire that burns in his soul would light 100 Olympic flames.  Smart, tactical, fit.  Always a threat.

Odds: 2:1 that he is thinking about the bike tactics as he is reading this post.

Jim Kobak: Home course.  Smart and Steady.  May not be an outright threat for the victory but never count out a late charge up the HOD and with team tactics in play he could pay a role for a deep Peru squad.

Odds: 1:1 that he will be appropriately precovered.

Deb Nordyke: Multi-Winner. Ex-Olympian.  Rarely challenged in the women's field.  It could be ho-hum as she skis smooth to a women's victory.  Or she could get complacent and find herself in a real duel for the top spot.

Odds: 2:1 A champion always knows how to race.

Katie Christoffel: U-Maine at Presque Isle skier is showing up for her first crack at unseating the Queen of the IMT.  Fit, strong and fierce.  Rookie status may be hard to overcome but it could be real interesting.

Odds: 1:1 That she will have the best and happiest cheering section (Becky)

THE FIELD:  This may be the biggest IMT in competition history.  Anything can happen.  The course may be marked, it may not....the HOD is newly paved (OMG), wheels fall off, tires flat, and shoes come untied.  So many unknowns.


Odds: 1:1 that this will be a race to remember.  Bring your A game.


Tuesday, July 24, 2012

HURT CAMP 2012

(Phew)

What a week.

The Director threw out all stops this year in an effort to raise the bar for New York junior skiing a bit higher.

OD skis, technique sessions, agility obstacle courses, strength circuits, bounding, ski walking, rollerski drills, double pole sessions, speeds, striding, video analysis, nutrition info, uphill time trials, pipeline talks, sprint races.....it was all on the menu for the juniors that came out for the 2nd annual H.U.R.T nordic junior development camp.

Top it off with some swimming, good food, Stewarts Shop treats and a sweet base camp and it was an ideal training week for many of New York's up and coming nordic talent.

The video recap shows it all.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBcZXMVD2Uc

One of the highlights of the week was the assault up West Mountain.  New World records were set and the competition was tight.  Climb results are:

Ben Anderson 14:23 (New world record beating the 14:36 mark from 2011)
Jason H 14:43
Adam L 15:13
Brian H 16:18
Brian C 17:16
Connor 17:55
Seth 17:59
Evan 18:10
Bob U 18:18
Matt 18:30
Megan K 18:49 (New Women's record)
Adam 19:45
Alex 19:50
Chase 20:58
Robbie 21:30
Patrick 21:52
Rob 22:35
Amy 22:55
Sarah 22:55
Becky 24:27
Olivia 24:27
Yana 24:27
Gabby 28:10
Brendan 29:43
Michael 30:52
Steffani 30:52
Shamus 32:23
Jan 34:17
Casey 34:25
Katie 35:01
Gillian 35:01
Colin 36:25

HURT has a many people to thank for their effort for without their support and dedication to the kids and the sport this camp would not have been what it was.

Our camp sponsors.
RUDY PROJECT
STEWART'S SHOP
THE SPORTSPAGE
KOMPERDELL
INSIDE EDGE

Our volunteers.
JAN MARES
BILL PARKS
CHRIS YARSEVICH
ANDY FARRY
NORM KVAM
CHRIS FRIELINGHAUS
BECKY CHRISTOFFEL
HEIDI UNDERWOOD

Our coaches.
JASON HETTENBAUGH
KATI CHRISTOFFEL
DAVE PAARLBERG-KVAM
BOB UNDERWOOD

And thanks to ALL THE ATHLETES for really getting after it!  Here comes Mid-A!














Monday, July 16, 2012

HURT Camp, Are You Ready?

HURT's 2nd Annual Junior Development Camp is set to start tomorrow, July 17th.

Are you ready? 


Friday, July 6, 2012

The HURT Tour rolls on

This past Monday the 2012 Tour de HURT rolled into Warren County and brought with them their large numbers of enthusiastic rollerskiers.   While much of the rollerskiing in past weeks has been confined to the flat and rolling stages of Saratoga County this was a chance to ski in the high mountains of HURT country and test some of the climbing legs of the real contenders.   Alpe de 149 and the Col de la Magique Foret were conquered as the skiers wound their way down to Lake George and back.  The creative signage greeted the skiers as they crested the summits past the screaming and yelling masses*

*by "screaming masses" we mean people running terrified from the creepy Santa claus and Uncle Sam at Magic Forest in Queensbury.  

Joining the HURT stalwarts Tim, Austin, Aaron, DPK, Andy, and Becky C. were northerners Brian "Peter Sagan" Halligan, Sean "Jens Voigt" Halligan, Chris "Horner" Freilinghaus, Seth "Cavendish" Mares and Nick "Fab" Underwood.  Even the HURT hiking squad grew this week as Barb Beall and Kristin Halligan joined Gina Huneck while the team rolled on.

Meet us next week at the tech park in Malta.  Bring your skate skis again and check the team calendar for directions.

See....it really is basically the same thing....


Le Tour....


Le Nightmare....