World Championship and Recap with Mariel
Hi Team Birkie blog readers!
It’s Mariel, coming to you after an exciting World Championships experience in Trondheim. You may remember my first blog post, where I shared my first month in Minneapolis. Since then, a lot has happened. I have graduated with my master's degree and moved back to Estonia. But now, with the season nearing its end, I'm almost ready to check off all my race goals for this season. Checking off my final goals is coming up soon, on March 19th is the Tallinn World Cup Sprint in my home country! I am so excited to race in front of Estonia fans, especially in my favorite discipline: skate sprint!
In this post, I will share some insights about racing on the World Cup circuit and the lessons I've learned along the way. After successful US Nationals in Anchorage, I had a chance to race in both the Cogne and Falun World Cup before heading to Trondheim. Here are 3 key takeaways that have shaped my experience:
1. Always Make the Lunge at the Finish Line
(2nd from the right) me lunging into the finish in the quarter final.
Qualifier results in Cogne, 0.01 seconds from qualifying.
This is one lesson I learned the hard way. During the race in Cogne, I missed qualifying for the heats by 0.01 seconds. That feeling is one of the worst for an athlete- knowing you were so close, but just not enough. After reviewing my qualification video, I realized I did a tiny lunge, but it wasn't enough to get me into the next round. Now, every single other race I have done after this I always have this in the back of my head when I start the last 100 meters of the finish line.
2. Fighting for Your Spot in the Heats
When you make it to the quarterfinals, it's no longer about waiting for opportunities, it's about fighting for your place. You have to fight for your spot and let me tell you, it is not easy. In Falun, I made it to the heats but I didn't have the confidence to really fight for my spot. I was just scared of other skiers just because they might break my pole or step on my skis. Thankfully with this experience and one other sprint race before the World Championships sprint, my confidence grew. When I lined up in Trondheim for my heat, I felt much more prepared to fight for my place in the race. The World Cup circuit can be intimidating, but with each race, I learned that I could hold my ground and make my mark.
3. Planning is Key to Managing Stress
The World Cup circuit can be stressful and it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the constant pressure. However, I've learned that having a clear plan the night before a race can make all the difference. I have attached a screenshot of what I type into my phone notes the night before after the team meeting to get myself prepared. This is just a tiny thing that can help me figure out the time schedule on this stressful but a fun day!
These are just a few of the lessons I've learned from racing on the World Cup circuit. I hope they offer you some insights into the journey of competitive skiing and the importance of resilience, confidence, and preparation!
Thanks for following along, and I hope you get to enjoy the remaining days of winter with plenty of sunshine and great skiing!
