After 35 years of competitive endurance racing of one sort or another, no sport has captured my interest quite like ski mountaineering racing. Sure, it has the usual, vomit-inducing qualities they all share - heavy breathing, masochistic throttling of one's capacity trying to keep up with or vanquish fellow competitors. Nothing unique there. In that regard, it's much like mountain bike racing. But it's the technical side of the sport that captures my interest. The gear and technique involved fascinate me.
The calm before the storm - Photo: Matthew TurleyBecause of this aspect of the sport, I don't necessarily have to kick anyone's ass to feel good about a particular performance. In fact, at nearly 50 years of age, there won't be much top-of-the-heap ass-kicking going on by me. I can find my little battles within the pack somewhere but I don't see myself finishing on the podium much. And that's okay because throwing down a good performance in skimo racing is more about putting it all together than just beating up on each other. Skiing well downhill, nailing transitions like a seasoned World Cup racer and feeding properly are all components of a good race. Unless you are an absolute aerobic freak, it's hard to have a good race without most of these things going well.
I think the most aerobically mediocre talent can excel at these other aspects and come away satisfied. I certainly don't have it completely dialed but most races I get it right 90% of the time if I'm lucky. The more experience I get, the more expectant I am to hit these details. Unfortunately, last weekend's Wasatch Powder Keg skimo race at Brighton, Utah, was another story.
First of all, conditions were tough, to say the least. Lot's of warm weather had turned the snow pack into an unpredictable mess. I had never skied this new course since it left Alta two years ago. The course is technical with 5 climbs and mostly non-groomer skiing. Some of the narrow ridge skinning was challenging in the icy conditions. Very little of the descents consisted of "fun snow". Even the best skiers head-planted at least once.
Fun begins
Turn out for the event was good at about 130 racers and rec class participants. Although Le Mans starts are mostly a thing of the past, P-Keg organizers decided on a variation which involved running across an icy parking lot with skis on our backs for about 300 meters. 
Let's rodeo! - Photo: Sallie Dean ShatzNothing like going anaerobic before the business begins. I was near the front but a horrible entry into one of my bindings put in about 10th off the line. The aerobic freaks (Luke Nelson, Chris Kroger, the Dorais brothers, etc.) were several meters ahead as we headed up the groomer for the first climb. They slowly distanced themselves from the rest of the top 10. I was with two others for the whole climb, one of whom I battled all day and eventually lost to at the end.
Let the idiocy begin
My troubles and comedy of errors really got going at the first transition. As I ripped my first skin, the tail of my ski sunk in and, because my heel was not engaged yet, the ski shot backwards and I fell forward and eventually onto my left hip. I was flailing and swearing like a drunk turtle. Yes, turtles swear when they are on their backs, particularly when intoxicated. Anyway, when I fell, unbeknownst to me, I lost my water bottle and one of two Gu flasks. Great. To add insult to injury, also going unnoticed, I lost a skin on the tricky first descent.
So, now I have no water and only 300 kcals of food for a 2.5 hour race. Not ideal. Regardless, I skied the tricky snow well and was in 6th at the skins-on transition. Nate Brown was close behind as were a couple of others. The skin was off-piste up through the woods with some technical switch backs to keep things interesting. I was now using my other skins so I was still unaware that my back up was M.I.A.
Luke Nelson gapping the rest - Photo: Sallie Dean ShatzSomewhere along the way Nate got by me but we were pretty much stride for stride for most of the race.
Nate Brown (r) and me battling early - Photo: Sallie Dean ShatzMy next blunder occurred during a tricky descent where I lost sight of Nate suddenly and found myself unsure of the route down. I saw racers below me in a basin so I headed down a couloir to get there. Dust on firm crust and it was the best skiing of the day. It was also more direct and off course. At the transition they were talking about my short cut and I realized that I was now in front of Nate again. 
Another climb - Photo: Sallie Dean ShatzThe talk over the radio was about a disqualification and I was dejected. I waited for about a minute, erasing my advantage and Nate and I were back together. I felt stupid and almost quit right there but decided to continue anyway. It was not like we were racing for podium positions or anything.
Andy Dorais charging, suffer mode - Photo: Wasatch Powder Keg
The next descent was mostly a groomer and Nate crashed behind me. I started the next long climb with a nice buffer. Once again, I blew it, this time stepping out of my binding on an icy switch back. Incredulously, I watched my ski literally roll down the hillside. With one ski on I lunged down the slope, diving on top of it. I was on a steep incline so I post-holed with one boot and one ski back up to the track and got my ski back on. By then, most of my advantage was erased. Nate closed and passed but we stayed very close.
At the top of the skin we switched to booting up the final long climb, Nate in front and me just a few steps behind.
Sheathing the skis for the boot pack. - Photo: Jared InouyeAt the top there was a short downhill on a ridge and we had been advised to keep skins on for this as there was a 100 foot ascent up to the final transition. Again, I struggled with my heels up and free, losing a ski and wasting time getting in back on. Nate had a good 10 seconds on me as we ripped skins.
The final downhill looked promising but turned out to be very funky skiing sending most racers tumbling, me included. Full-on head plant at speed. I recovered and made it to the final obstacle, a 1 km lake bed to a short climb.
The final duel
This was decision time. In the past with firm conditions on the lake most racers simply skated across with little fanfare. No such luck on this day. The snow was soft and poling nearly impossible as you sank up to your grips. I decided to don skins early on only to be passed by a pursuer committed to going skinless. Gentlemen, chose your weapons. This was the experiment I was looking for.
With my skins on and moving again I quickly reeled him in making a comment to him that we were traveling at the same pace. Apparently his arms gave out about then and he politely stepped aside. With a short climb to the top of the lake's dam, the only obstacle between me and the finish, I knew I had to put the hammer down. He would be charging, herring-boning in pursuit. I would have to nail the World Cup skin rip while he could just crest the dam and go.
I ski ran the short climb, ripped skins, rat-nested them both and was off before he topped out. Very exciting finishing effort. I relaxed on the descent, hitting some surprise moguls before turning onto the final groomer to finish 7th.
I couldn't help but run through the "what ifs". My assessment was that if I had all my food, hydrated a little and kept my skis on I would have battled Andy Dorais for 5th but no higher. My race really was a junk show but it just reinforces my desire to get all those little details dialed next year. Seems that you can always put together a cleaner race. I'm already excited to try. - Brian
Mens Race podium (l to r) Chris Kroger, Luke Nelson, Jason Dorais - Photo: Sallie Dean Shatz
Full Results
