Keep on Rollin

This past Monday, HURT faithful did some L1 rolling skiing and technique work. Thanks to the help of Laydz skier/den mother Jan Mares and some well placed Go-Pro action they were able to shoot some early season technique video for double poling, kick-double poling and striding.  Now is the time of year when the directresses want to take a look at those bad habits and make the small changes that are going to pay of big as the training season heats up.  Take a look at the footage and if you are in the video figure out what you need to do to.....get your hips forward/keep your hips high/look up the trail/hit your end points/flex your ankles/have your arms high and at the proper arm angle....or whatever technique cues you come up with to have your classic skiing dialed in.

The directress(es) liked what they were looking at and the videos and pics were meant with ample amounts of child-like glee.  But more work needs to be done by all.  

Here is a picture that shows some key points of double poling/striding technique.  Some have 2, others got 3 shots going by.  Keep working at it!

May Day - final day of rest

Perhaps you are a person that fosters a sacred grove of trees, or a Druid who participates in oak worship. Or maybe you are a Scotsman who forms community circles and dances around your fire.

Or perhaps you are an activist in a battle with corporatist society who is continually trying to establish permanent, unbreakable industrial work discipline. And today is your day to revolt.

Either way....it is May now and it is the start of your Spring training.  Sharpen the rollerski tips, break out the training log - April break is over!  The Directress(es) have had a busy month laying out plans for the off-season and there will be lots of opportunities for juniors and masters to get their fill of HURT training.  Doesn't matter if you are a U16, Post-grad or M8; we should have something for everyone.  Team training will start up on Mondays at 6pm for the next few months.  First session will be at SPAC and you should come prepared for rollerskiing, technique work, strength session or trail running (weather depending).  HURT camp is coming back to Queensbury on July 14th-19th and registrations are already being sent in.  This year's camp is sure to be the biggest one yet and you will want to reserve your spot before it closes out.  Coaches from the Saint Lawrence nordic ski team will be joining the coaching staff at this year's camp to take a look at some top talent and you will want to be ready for them.  There will also be some two-day training opportunities with some Olympic level skiers for athletes up in North Creek so you will want to keep your eye open for details on that.

Bottom line....enjoy your dance around the May pole today..... tomorrow, it is game on for WINTER 2014-2015.

Besides.....
Directrix PK has already done more pushups than you today!

GET AFTER IT!

April 12th! Scramble Time!

Despite the warming temps Saratoga Biathlon Club still reports that they have SNOW! let’s race! Come to the second annual HURT Easter Scramble, on Saturday, April 12th.  Although we will be racing in Day, we want to make this a fundraiser for the Friends of Cole’s Woods.  They are working hard to improve the grooming and trails in the park by purchasing new equipment and fundraising for improved infrastructure. This event will begin at 10am. 

Here are the rules of the game:

• All skiers will ski the a 4K loop.

• Along the trail there will be 4 baskets of Easter Eggs. You have the OPTION to collect up to 2 Easter Eggs at each basket. (total 8 eggs per skier* see below)

• Each egg has either a time bonus OR a time penalty. You must carry your eggs in someway over the whole course. If you bring and use a traditional wicker Easter basket to carry your eggs you will subtract 3 minutes off your 5K time.

• For every Spring/Easter themed item you wear on your body you will be able to subtract 10 seconds off your race time.

• The race will be FREE! but you can make an optional donation and ONE HUNDRED percent of your race fee will be donated to the “Friends of Cole’s Woods” and will go to the project fund.

• For every dollar you donate on top of your race fee you can subtract an equal number of seconds off your race time.

• This will be a unsanctioned-ski-at-your-own-risk family fun ski. Bring your kids and family!

• Winner will receive a prize pack and chocolate-bunny-shaped-prize! 

   By request of the Directresses there are some additional Rules that all should be aware of:

  1) *plundering one's eggs directly from there basket is not allowed, however if an egg has been dropped along the trail it can be picked up by a trailing skier and added to their skier total

  If you are a skier attending from the Peru Nordic Masters...

  1) Any animals adorned on your body should not be recently slaughtered and/or at one time alive.

  2) There is a maximum 2 oz of external blood per skier rule....this is a family friendly ski event.

   

  Event page

  
  

   

Directrix(s) Deliver 2014 Championship

With a mid-season change in leadership there was some doubt as to whether HURT nordic would have  the cohesion necessary to bring their fifth straight club championship title.  With two weeks to go and team registration low for the NYSSRA Championship weekend, organizers were struggling to find answers.  However, nothing gets peoples attention like a wailing baby, so up stepped Joey Jane PK to rally the group.  Co-Director, Anna Y stepped up from there (giving hugs to anyone wearing green and white since they all kinda look like "daddy") and the team showed up in a big way.

The Directrix brings out a great group of HURT LAYDZ

Not only did the HURT faithful show up to ski, but they showed up to work, bake, cook, organize, set up, run the biathlon range and basically put on a truly championship weekend in Lake Placid.  Special thanks to everyone who helped out to make the weekend such a big success.  On orders of the Directrix(s), Chris Y took the lead on running registration and being chief of race while being sidelined for a few weeks.  He was missed on course, but the event could not have happened without him.

Saturday's club relay was exciting to say the least!  DPK lead the way with the fastest classic split of the day although he and Cameron struggled on the range in the final leg and fell out of medal contention. The team of Ed L. and Tim H. faired well on the day following the sharp shooting of Tim who is second guessing many of his life choices and wondering what could have been if he had trained more with a rifle.  He noted that Norwegian biathlete O.E. Bjorndahlen is something like 78 years old and still winning medals.  Bob and Heidi mixed it up in the mix relay and posted some fast times in both the skate and classic legs. The big thrill of the day was the emergence of Gina H and Bernadette O. as a true force to be reckoned with.  They teamed up with Ethan Katz and Eric Hamilton and had a great time!  Basically...the classic, classic, skate, biathlon format made for some interested strategic decisions and ultimately the race was totally in doubt until the shots were fired and penalty loops were skied
....And everyone had a lot of fun.

Sunday brought perfect blue kickwax conditions, falling snow over a firm and fast track.  The field of 60+ racers was competitive and geared up for 3 loops of the Inner Loop and East Mountain.  The finish was on a dramatic climb out of the stadium up main street. The racing was fierce and near the front a chase group of DPK, Eric Seyse and Liam Mulshine (and ultimately Jan Wellford) formed which brought on many sharp attacks, lead changes and quality racing.  The four were unsuccessful in bringing in the very talented Nick Underwood and Paul Allison but the race for the third podium spot was an exciting one.  Bob Underwood skied to a top 10, followed by HURT skiers Owen Putnam, Cameron Lewis, Tim Huneck, Patrick Broderick, Ed Luban, Heidi Underwood, Roger Henry, Eric Hamilton, Richard Dixon and Sherry Dixon. Great results were posted by all athletes and full results can be seen here: 

At the end of the racing HURT nordic once again solidified the coveted CHAMPIONSHIP BANNER!  5 in row!  Next year, proposed changes to the system will make things a bit tighter, so be prepared for a tough title defense!

Rounding out the weekend were races in Biathlon, Ski-O and a Try-It for charity race.  HURT skiers were entered in all events and it goes to show just how dedicated our skiers are to this sport, their team and ski racing in NY.

(HURT organizes their first ever biathlon race....championship caliber!) 

We interviewed one of the Directrix(s) after the events on Sunday during her first family ski about the succcess of HURT nordic and all the amazing people who make up this team.

HRT: Do you have any thoughts on your teams success and the dedication they have to nordic racing?

D(x): blurrbubrbubuu  blurgg wahf wahf glug blrlub blurbl blurb (spew)

HRT: (We believe this to mean she is proud of everyone)

We want to thank Tom Williams and Sisu Racing for doing such an amazing job on timing all the races.  There professionalism and expertise was wonderful and we look forward to working with them in the future.

Stay tuned for a possible Spring race and information about our Summer offerings, information from the NYSSRA Nordic Spring Meeting and upcoming developments for the team.

REVOLUTION!!

Mid-season turmoil! The Director is ousted!  A coup of epic proportions!

The anemic performance at yesterdays mini-marathon by team HURT has done in the once proud and uber-confident Driector Koziol.  But the following grievances have been cited against the Director...

1) The top 10 points earners in the NYSSRA Championship series features only 1 HURT athlete.  unacceptable.

2) It has been reported that the mighty Brian Halligan was given two pairs skis from the Director prior to his triumphant return to Saratoga Biathlon Club where he was supposed to set his sights on the mini-marathon course record.  The result....not one, but two pairs of inadequate bindings.   

3) Once Halligan crashed out of the race (twice) DPK was unable to maintain the pace set by the powerful Tornianen and he was content to drift back in a race for second and third with Stan-the man- Hatch.  This tactic has been deemed unacceptable by the standards set forth in the original team manifesto.   

4) The total points by HURT in the mini-marathon was not even good enough to bring them into the top 3 of team points totals.  Unacceptable. Only three athletes competed under the HURT standard. 

5) The Director has done a very poor job on controlling his media empire designed to bring coverage of weekend racing.  Unacceptable. 

6) The System of Patriarchy that has dominated HURT nation lo these many seasons has been deemed unacceptable by the masses.  Ladyz rule.  

7) It has been found out the recent 2014 version of the HURT race suit was untested prior to competition this year.  Shani Davis is not happy his new HURT suit is not up to standards.  

So what happens next?  Director is out. Time for HURT to flip the script. With three weeks left in the season there is still a chance for HURT skiers to get in the top ten and solidify dominance in the team points competition.  

Dual-Directoresses have risen up on the momentum of the masses and snatched power from the Director and thrown him out of his ivory tower. Look for a much more hands-on and far more demanding style of leadership. 

All Ye of HURT nation...your new leaders.... Anna Y and Josephine "Joey" Jane PK.  

 

Your presence is demanded at the Cookie-Clash and NYSSRA Championships.  Be there.  And bring a clean diaper.  

February Push

To date, the winter weather and racing season has been a tricky one for the HURT faithful: snow conditions have proved challenging at times, NYSSRA calendar races have been cancelled or postponed, Junior ranks have seen a lot of turnover from seasons past, and the rise have Adirondack Vauhti and Peru's top speed have had a lot of people questioning HURT ability to match speed and be relevant contenders.

The current Director has yet to been seen at NYSSRA races this season and many are wondering if his days are numbered. Not to mention masters ranks have been battling sickness and scheduling conflicts all season long.  Despite the fact that HURT has only 2 top points earners in the NYSSRA top 10,  many team members have stepped up to get out and race and grab points where they can....enough so that in the team competition it looks like they are once again poised to grab top honors.  A lot depends on the February push...

With February come fresh snow (a lot of it) and some of the best races of the season.  ADK Vauhti kicked the month off strong with a skiathlon event at Garnet Hill.  The 2 x 8K race featured fun tactical racing that put a small but race-savvy group against a deep Peru lineup and the fast skiing Vauhti team.

The trio of DPK, MDH and T. Huneck battled it out for strong finishes, with DPK leading the way and grabbing a podium spot...fighting tooth-and-nail with Tornianen and Wellford the whole way.

Up next this month comes the highly anticipated Empire State Games.  This year it features a distance skate race and two sprint events as a classic 7.5K on Sunday.  Lots of points, pride and glory are up for grabs.  The Ducli twins (through coercion, bribery and trickery...mostly) have been able to round up a massive junior field and for the price of lodging, pizza and some muffins are hoping to stack the juniors field with some major points earners.

The HRT newsroom is sending a full team of photographers and videographers to document the weekend.  For some in HURT nation, the weekend is overshadowed by the arrival PK heiress who is expected to grab top honors in the U0 age category (which also brings meaning to "February Push").

Rounding out the month bring the fan-favorites..."The Mini-Marathon" the "Tourathon" the "Shen Classic" and of course the "Cookie Clash".  Any combination of these races will have HURT skiers primed and ready for the championship weekend in March.  Stay tuned for more pictures, results and maybe a movie...

(sorry about the lack of movies this season, thus far...)

Ready to "Dual"

Father Huneck skiing strong

Pummeling by Peru

Although many NY skiers spent the last 10 days wondering if winter weather and ski racing would ever return to their neck of the woods, it is clear that some have found ways to keep up their fitness, motivation, and speed.  This past Saturday, thanks to the herculean effort of Bob Underwood and the Queensbury ski community, the Queensbury Invitational ski race was held in Lake George for the high school and NYSSRA club racing communities.

With a little more than a month before the NYSSRA championship races, a clear message was sent, and it was not the message HURT nation wanted to hear.  The Blood Thirsty Brigade from Peru made it clear that despite their current team points deficit they are in for the fight and are stacked with speed.  After Peru grabbed the top 4 spots of the men's race (Allison, Wynn, Newell, Wellford) and grabbing valuable points in the women's race (Zullo), HURT faithful were left scratching their heads and questioning Director Koziol's grand plan.  Top team points on the day went to Peru which tightens the gap leading into races next week.

It is clear that work needs to be done...

A new hope... the weekly workouts on Wednesday have taken on a new twist that should boost motivation, get the team skiing fast and challenge skiers to push their thresholds of pain and lactate. 

This Wednesday:   Ks for MLK

In honor of the great skier*, nordic combined athlete*, social activist and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.,  HURT nordic dedicates its Wednesday Workout in his name.  We are reminded of his great words...
*not historically confirmed

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their kickwax, but by the quality of their kick."

The event will  work as follows....Each skier will reach into a bag a draw a color of kickwax at random.  Options will range from Polar up to Swix 70 and have to ski the interval loop for a time using that kickwax.

Be sure to join us at 6pm for the race.  Please check the team calendar or Facebook for the location on Tuesday night.  We are going to wait and see which location will have the best snow before making the call.  Let's hope some of the flurries in the forecast add up to accumulation.