Adam Kates

Coming soon!

Forty Days and Forty Nights
Saturday, January 08, 2005

It has been more than a month since my last journal entry for this web page but that does not mean that there has been nothing new happening. Here is a look at some of the goings on that have been…well…going on over the last month or so of my life.

Nov 30-Dec 7

The week following the first set of Canada Cup Races in Silver Star, British Columbia was a down week in terms of training volume. It was a chance for us to get refreshed after a difficult training camp that ended with the first races of the season. For me the races in Silver Star were a disappointment as I felt that my motivation much more than my physical conditioning was lacking. I felt that my form was just not there and was disappointed by my results. This week gives me a chance to re-stoke the fire and hopefully get my ferocity back.

Dec 8-19

This 11-day period is perhaps the most important of the season as it will determine who will head to Europe for the remainder of the winter and who will be left behind to chase the few North American races that are on the January/February schedule. This race series, held in Mt. Ste Anne, Quebec, will be the trial races for the World Nordic Ski Championships in Germany as well as a Eruopa Cup Tour around central Europe. My best race at this series was also one of the best of my career. I finised 3rd in a 15km Classic race, only 1 second off of the lead and only 0.1 seconds from second spot. I scored the best International Ski Federation Points of my career and proved that I am in league with the best skiers in this country. My other three races did not go as well however I did manage a 5th place in the opening race, a 10km classic. At the end of the trial races I was ranked 5th on the points list and would have been the selected to the World Championships team had the selection committee not opted to select a sprint specialist. While this was a huge blow to my mental state and while I feel rather robbed at the prospect of not being able to compete in the races that were my main goal this season, I will settle for the first spot on the Europa Cup Tour and a chance to race against some of the best in the world on a 5 week stint across the Atlantic.

Dec 20-Jan 31

Home Sweet Home!! After a night out on the town in Montreal with a few of my teammates it was great to get home for the holidays and a break from the action. Unfortunately on my second night home I slipped out of a friends hot tub and cut my foot rather badly. The wound was on a bad spot and refused to heal quickly, forcing me to stay off of my skis for a record 10 days straight. As frustrating as this was, I made best of it by reacquainting myself with the gym on a daily basis. The holidays are a great time to see those people that I haven’t seen in ages. I love getting home and spending time with family, friends and loved ones but I find that no matter how long I’m home, there never seems to be time to get everything done that I had planned. So, after almost two weeks of too much food, too much drink and too much lazing around I was back off to Canmore on New Year’s Eve to prepare for the next set of Canada Cup races.

Jan 4&6

After dealing with the postponement of the races due to cold weather, I started the New Year off on the right foot by teaming up with Sean Crooks to finish second in the Canada Cup Sprint Relay on January 4th. I felt strong and snappy and skied smooth throughout, my placing never being in doubt. The forced rest due to injury seemed to have done me some good. My next effort was a 15km duathlon. This race was mixture of bad luck and no high gear as I struggled my way to a 7th place finish. I suffered from back cramps throughout the classic portion and dropped a pole in the exchange, a mistake that forced me to ski back to retrieve it and ultimately cost me time and more than one placing.

Jan 10-and beyond

The cold snap has returned with a vengeance with freezing temperatures and winds making training almost unbearable. Good thing that I’m heading off to Europe and her traditionally balmy (compared to Canadian) winters. Monday January 10th-Calgary, Minneapolis, Amsterdam, Zurich. From there I’ll be racing in Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia….should be a good time and hopefully some fast racing.

I am not sure how much I will be able to update my site from the road but I’ll try as best I can to fill you in on what’s going on form half way across the globe.

Until then….”keep your ear to the grindstone” ;)

Kates

p.s. check back in the next couple of days for some new pics