Big Dayz Series

The HRT newsroom is excited to report on the newest brain-child of the HURT sadistic-over-distance-training-committee.... also known as the H.U.R.T.S.O.D.T.C.

Despite being investigated for crimes against humanity and overuse of letters in an acronym, the HURTSODTC team has unveiled a new "Big Dayz" series designed to inspire big off-season training sessions and an overall "hardening" of the HURT race team.

You too can play along at home....You do not need to be a HURT member to play along....so here is how it works.  Visit our facebook page and post a picture from an epic day of training. In your post you should include time, distance and any other details that make your training day the most amazing.

On September 1st the "Big Dayz" training session with the most "likes" will win a HURT nordic prize pack*

*prize pack is valued at slightly more than "meh" but slightly under "AWESOME-SAUCE!"

Rules:
-Your training day should be more than 4 hours
-It should include more than 1 feat of athleticism (multi-sport)
-It should include more than 1 person. (race events are included in training sessions and multi-person activities)


There have already been two opening shots fired in the "Big Dayz" competition.

1) Heidi Underwood rocks Ironman Quebec.   'Nuff said....she is badass and she rocks her guns on the podium.  Boom.

2) SMS invasion.   The O.P. and DPK get together with Peru's newest recruit for 5,000+ ft of road bike climbing and a foot assault on Stratton VT and Stratton Peak. The bike/climb/bike combo was a big day for all.  Operating with the attitude of "There is still good in him" the two HURT speedsters felt that a full day with Chris might turn away from the "Cystic Fibrosis fighting menace from the north".  Alas the connection with CF is strong in that one.

necessary summit selfie

great day for a big day

post-ride bro pic

Chris preparing for the morning bike ride (Manchester-Londonerry-Stratton loop)

So get after it!  Share your big dayz. If you want to plan one and get some company just let the H.U.R.T.S.O.D.T.C know.  We will help spread the word! 

And It's Summertime!!

The end of May has come and with has come the hot temps, black flies and thoughts of the first snow and racing season.  But don't jump ahead to quick! Summer is great time for nordic skiers (ugh? really?) and for training.  Already many HURT athletes have been having fun and informally logging some great times outdoors.

The Hunecks (Austin, Aaron, Tim and Gina-sherpa) made their annual trek to Peru country for heavily hyped, uber-epic, positively painful and TOTALLY delightful PATCH SPRINT.  This year they brought along NY-expat DPK to take a crack at the challenging course that summits 4 mountains in 13 miles. It was a great day of racing for HURT nation and all 4 racers cracked the top 20 and Austin came within a few mere minutes of the course record and 2-hour mark. A great review of the day can be read here.  

DPK shoots for fast splits when the course it flatest

Huneck takes advantage of his "county-strength" to power the uphills to victory

HURT foursome heading out

Aaron finishes strong

Others in HURT nation have been taking to the trails and heading for the peaks.  J.C., the Ducli, and the Chrzans made it an overnight and bagged some of the 46.  Other HURT faithful have been logging bike miles, turns on the mountain bike and even (new mode of training from the Directress....climbing up stairs and throwing herself down slides.)  We would love to see what you've been up to so share you favorite spring-time training on our facebook wall!

All smiles in the high peaks

100th interval

There are big plans for HURT's 2015 Summer season and we hope you can be a part of it.  HURT organizers are making big plans for summer camp and we want you to get your registrations in early.  It will be a big camp this year and Mansfield Nordic is looking to bring a talented crew down for the week.  There will be summer training days set up in Glens Falls by coach Tomb from Johnsburg and even more additional training opportunities will be advertised and shared very soon.  Be sure to stay tuned in in the evenings while you are drinking your recovery chocolate milk or (chocolate porter) as the case may be.   

Bunnies - CANCELLED

So sorry to say that the Easter Scramble will be cancelled do to the forecasted wind, rain and cold temps.

(note to the weather) future Easter Scramble races are best held with 42 degrees and full sun.  With three feet of corn snow on the trails.  and no wind.

Thanks.

The BUNNIES ARE BACK!!

We have SNOW! So we are bringing the bunnies back!! Come to the HURT Easter Scramble, on Saturday, April 4th. We will aim to race at Saratoga Biathlon Club in Day, NY.  The event will begin at 10am. Here are the rules of the game:

All skiers will ski a 4K-5K loop.

Along the trail there will be 4 baskets of Easter Eggs. You have the OPTION to collect 1-3 Easter Eggs at each basket. 

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. “Easter themed items” will be determined by the event officials.   

The race will be FREE! but you can make an optional donation that will be donated to the Saratoga Biathlon Club to thank them for grooming, preparing the course and supporting nordic ski racing in the area. 

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

This is NOT and NYSSRA sanctioned race.  This will be a unsanctioned-ski-at-your-own-risk family fun club event. Bring your kids and family! 

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

Stay tuned to the HURT facebook/twitter accounts in case conditions deteriorate quickly and we are unable to host the event. 

History made over Championship Weekend

It has been a week since the NYSSRA Championship weekend and it has taken that long to recover from the nail-biting, suspense filled race weekend that saw HURT nordic squeak out a team points title for the sixth straight year.  In years past, HURT has been able to lean heavy on huge team turnout and and a massive points lead heading into the final relay and distance championship.  This year they had no such luxury on either account.  Most of the junior field and HURT laydz were off to sunny Cali for a week of Junior National racing and vitamin D replenishment and the race team in Lake Placid was truly skeleton.

Facing the massive Peru Nordic contingent on both Saturday and Sunday was a lot like the Battle of Rorke's Drift depicted in the epic 1964 movie "Zulu".  And while HURT's official organizational position is considerably less-colonial than the British Empire's, the battle on snow was equally lopsided at the onset....and very nearly as bloody.

Picture from my obscure movie reference

Appearing leaderless (both Directresses were not in Lake Placid) HURT looked to its once ruthless Dictator, Aaron Huneck to shoulder the burden and lead the team to victory.  It was reminiscent of Napoleon returning from Elba after his exile.  Aaron and DPK skied into a 3rd place finish in the men's relay and a he followed it up with big podium finish in the Sunday classic race behind Douglas and Wellford.  Perhaps the biggest effort of the day came from Emma Huneck who dusted off her race boards to join with her mom to score some all important women's relay points.  In year's to come, 2015 will be remembered as the "year of the Huneck."

Visual approximation of A. Huneck pre-race. 

On a weekend where every point mattered on Sunday there was some great skiing by Chris Y, DPK, Bob and Heidi, Tim, Adam and Cameron and despite being outnumbered 2-1 by Peru the lead going into the race after a season of racing was just enough to grab the win....by 2 points.

HURT train rolls out at the start of Sunday's race

Huneck battles with Douglas early on. 

So...HURT nation....celebrate now, for we once again reign champs....but "Winter is coming"....and so is Peru.

Sorry, No historical reference here.....just looking forward to the next season of "Game of Thrones"....I mean "NYSSRA racing".

Hurt rides podium wave into Championships

Last weekend's Lake Placid Loppet and Tourathon saw some awesome racing conditions and some great race performances by Hurt nation. Overall podium spots were grabbed by Bob "still got it" Underwood in the 25 k classic and Dave "baby, what baby?" PK in the 25k skate.  Aaron "first 50" Huneck skied to a strong 2nd place in the Tourathon as well.  Check the full results to see all the great times posted by the big green.

Peak form seems to be found by many skiers.... just in time for the season closes in three days up at vanho.  NYSSRA champs is here and it is going to be a battle for the team title.  You've seen the hype from the talking heads and word is out the Peru is hungry for a comeback win....and have the ranks to be a real threat.  The Directresses are counting on you to sign up today and stem the black tide.

Underwood looking forward to his waffles

Pete Pedrotty storms his way to a solid finish in the 25k skate

Junior crew plus PK hanging around after Loppet-ting

PK's maple dance after 3rd overall in the 25K skate

Age group winner S. Duclos prefers pancakes. weirdo. 

They certainly help her ski well, though. 

Beware the sleeping giant

This past weekend featured some big races and big results and an even bigger swing of momentum heading into the remaining weeks of the NYSSRA club season.  The big NY to-do was the annual Empire State Games Tournado weekend in lake placid.  This event had something for everyone...2.5k skate, 18k classic, 7.5k skate and even a sprint final on the new nordic terrain park.  It was highlighted by some of the best winter snow (ever?) (no hyperbole?) and great attendance across the board.

In the 2.5k skate HURT struggled to get things going.  Four team members (Tim, DPK, Eric and Jill) found there way to the newly revamped Dewey mountain trails and were met by other clubs in force.  Results didn't come easy and the Tournado weekend started out with a lack-luster showing.

Reinforcements arrived on Saturday and a mass start classic race was just what the doctor ordered. HURT master-trio of Bob, Chris and DPK took hold of the race early and the three battled Peru super stud Jan Wellford into a sprint battle after an hour of hard, smart tactical skiing.  Age, wisdom and beauty won the day as Bob-im really 25-underwood out lunged Yarsevich for the top spot. All HURT skiers made it into the top 20 grabbing numbers 1, 2, 4, 13, 14, 15 and 19. with podium finishes by Bob, Chris and Heidi.

Sunday brought an even greater force to town as the hurt juniors took the field to get one last tune-up before their sectional races on Wednesday. In doing so, hurt amassed some major points.  Once again they managed to put 3 in the top 4 only this time it was Aaron and Owen doing the heavy lifting.  DP-perpetuallyleftoutofthedance-K was once again one spot off the podium left scratching is head about the mighty Wellford.

However the team grabbed a whole bunch of spots and a whole bunch of points to wrap up a great weekend of racing.  Most impressive was the dominance of the hurt lady's led by Amy, Elli, Sarah, Heidi and Bernadette who broke well into the men's field to earn big points.

Despite the big effort the winner on the weekend was Hurt's nemesis from the north, Peru Nordic Masters.  The have tightened up the clubs points race in a big way and look to create a do-or-die situation come NYSSRA champs in March.  It will be close. Very close. Despite Peru boasting some top state talent, this weekend showed that when you poke a sleeping giant you might just risk waking it up.  Only 4 racers Friday turned quickly into a massive juggernaut by Sunday....

Other clubs should be on notice.....HURT won't let the championship banner go without a tussle.

Register now for NYSSRA champs and get the free-shirt.  You only have until the 15th to get the deal and then you can't get it. Limited special edition extra-awesome trek-wick training tee.  Don't miss out.

A special shout-out to all other hurt racers who competed else where around the nation...Will and Austin in Craftsbury, Seth in Wisconsin, all the masters in Canada....and anyone else I missed! Great job everyone!

Young talent is all around in HURT country

Fierce skiers behind those smiles

No...Aaron's head was not photoshoped onto a Hefty garbage bag :)

There he is! HUUUUUNNNNNEEEECCCKKKK!!

Patrick skiing strong this season!

Bob "Classic every day please" Underwood

Race Focus

Race grimace "I really have to do this terrain park?" 

Chris finishing off a great weekend