World Cup Qualifier Recap (Oct. 24-26)

Doin some TSP on the ice ??

So to make the US World Cup Team to go on tour for the Fall World Cup circuit, I needed to finish in one of these quota spots below that the US men's team has earned for international competitions:

4 spots in the 500 meters

5 spots in the 1000 meters

5 spots in the 1500 meters

5 spots in the 5000/10000 meters

1-2 spots in the (16 lap) Mass Start

Being a less chaotic post-Olympic year with a lot of spots earned for World Cup competitions, I thought there was a good chance I'd make the World Cup team in the 1500 meters but I'd still have to skate fast times to make it. So here are the results from last weekend:

6th in the 1000 meters, (dang!), PB (personal best)

2nd in the 1500 meters, PB

2nd in the 5000 meters 

2nd in the Mass Start

So I just missed the 1000 meters spot but qualified in the 1500, 5000 and Mass Start!! But it was also great to smash a couple of personal best times in the 1000 and 1500 meters, so I can see that I'm continuing to improve each year.

I'm so excited though cause this is my first World Cup Team and I'll be competing at all four of the World Cup competitions!! Praise the Lord.

Obihiro, Japan (Nov 14-16)

Seoul, South Korea (Nov 21-23)

Berlin, Germany (Dec 5-7)

Heerenveen, the Netherlands (Dec 12-14)

SLC when I arrived (below). Thanks Peter, Sarah and everyone at the Hampton Inn in Jordan Landing for always making it a fun place to be at.

Arriving at the rink

Warming up before ice in my hotel room

In the middle of the Mass Start race, me in the white boots (grabbed the photo from Peter Haeussler's FB)

Thanks coach!

Hey Everybody, hopefully gonna get an update on the US World Cup Qualifiers tonight :)

UPDATE: Ahh, sorry guys, I've been really busy today but I'll try to do a better
recap tomorrow. Until then, here's the results from today's 1500 meter qualifier, there were 5 spots so I made the team! (I took second, although two of the skaters disqualified had better times than me. But I still would have qualified anyways)

First Time Trials of the year last Friday (Oct. 10)

Already raced a 500 meters and 3k at last week's "time trials" after just about four weeks of training on the ice. And coming from some great off-ice training this summer, I was already able to see some big improvements in these races–which included crushing a personal best time in the 3k. So cool!

Olu Sijuwade also recorded all of the time trial races in a 15 minute video I put up below. My 500 meters begins at minute 4:12, and my 3,000 meters at minute 14:14 (navy skinsuit, white boots). Thanks Olu!

500m (Milwaukee PB from 2/28/14)                               37.05

500m (Oct. 10th time trials)                                        37.29 (2nd best 500m in Milwaukee)

3,000m (Previous Milwaukee PB from 9/28/13)               3:57.63

3,000m (Oct. 10th time trials)                                     3:53.08 (new PB)

I know these times may be confusing to some of you but if you do understand then you'll know why I'd be happy starting off a season like this–as racing in the beginning of the season often starts off slow.

Milwaukee Long Track Masters Camp (Sept. 25–28)

Coach and I, along with Matt Hickson and Bruce Connor, had the privilage to coach a clinic for masters skaters last weekend. Still not sure how many of you all came, 30–35? It was so fun to be around a bunch of older kids that love skating and worked with such concentration to improve their technique–you guys are what skating is all about (Trish, I still say you gotta chill out cause you were so focused that your face always looked angry haha). Also, I wasn't sure how coaching on my legs all day and continuing to train would work but I was still able to pull off some great workouts! And of course, thanks Glenn Corsoe for setting up the who shebang.

Thanks Peter Haeussler for the photos!