Flew to SLC for the Summer Biathlon World Team Trials. Dan Campbell picked me up at the airport and we made our way through the construction that is SLC and out to Heber City. After checking into our hotel I decided to catch a quick nap since training at the venue wasn�t open until 6 pm (besides it was kinda hot). We have to race at night because of all the construction at the venue. I wasn�t really too happy to hear about the race times because it is supposed to top out at or near 100 degrees every day I�m here.
6pm Went to the venue to check out the courses and do a little shooting. Man is it HOT!!! Ran the 2 loops that make up the course. The first loop in 2km and the other loop is 1km long. After spending 45 minutes running in the heat, I was happy to head back to the hotel.
Friday July 28th �
Woke up and took a short morning run before breakfast and YEP its hot already and it 8 in the morning!!! It�s really weird to sit around and wait to race until 6 pm. Normally we race in the morning so I�m not used to having this much time to kill.
5:30 Well after spending the day watching CNBC it was time to head to the venue.
6:00 Race � Well this wasn�t one of my best races. Long story short: missed 5 out 10 and ended up 18th�.not a good start. I had a little trouble with the altitude, I didn�t shoot well & the heat kinda got the better of me (but not as bad as it did Danny). Danny was finishing his race as I was going out on my final lap. I looked to my left and saw Dan struggling to finish (he claims it was never in doubt, I disagree) I really didn�t think he was going to make to the line on his feet, but much to my surprise he did (plus he ended up 8th ). Later that night while talking about the race Danny asked me: �did you get the chills too during the race?� It�s a little scary to hear talk of chills when its over 95 degrees!!!!
I think the heat really is getting to Danny. During the night I awoke to Danny sitting on my bed clawing at the headboard! When I asked him what he was doing he responded that he was �trying to get in the bathroom.� I am really beginning to worry about him.
Side note: I am reconsidering rooming with Dan at future training camps and races.
Another day of sitting around doing nothing until our evening race. Tonights race is an 8km Pursuit style race with four different shooting stages (prone � prone � standing � standing). And once again its HOT!!! I hate to sound like a broken record, but this is getting a little annoying.
6pm Race Start � I think that I�ve drank about a gallon of water in the past half hour and I�m still concerned its not enough, but oh well its time to race. My tactic is to run a little conservative the first half of the race and shoot well, but after missing 1 and then 2 targets during my first two shooting bouts and not feeling like I can run any faster than I already have, that tactic is out the window. After my first standing shooting, (where I missed 2 out 5) its all about �damage control�. I�m not feeling well running and it appears that my rifle is broke (how else can I explain missing another 2 shots during my last stage, for a total of 7 misses?)!!!
Good news � I moved up to 16th today�don�t ask, I don�t want to talk about it.