Jan 15

Altenberg to Nove Mesto na Morave

The second race in Altenberg was a 7.5k sprint.  By the time we arrived at the venue, the sun was up and temperatures were relatively warm in the stadium but the snow was still cold and fast.  My legs were feeling a little tired from the 15km race the day before but a run and some good stretching the night before had facilitated my recovery.  Stretching, since my injuries earlier this year, has become one of the essentials of my daily routine.  I’ve noticed a huge difference from it too:  I have a greater range of motion in my muscles that results in prolonged high performance before the onset of fatigue.  Again, I skied a decent race, turning in the 10^th fastest course time of the day.  The course included a long steep “wall” that I made sure to attack every loop because there was plenty of recovery in between climbs.