Season Finale and Silver Linings - Michaela Keller-Miller
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- By Michaela Keller-Miller
Season Finale and Silver Linings
Picking up where I left off in my previous Finn Sisu blog, I did continue getting humbled as I feared! However, this led to silver linings these past two months and a strong appreciation for those who encouraged and supported me through an otherwise tough winter of racing.
So, first off, a huge thank you to those who back me:
· Craftsbury Outdoor Center/Concept2 - the Outdoor Center has created an incredibly supportive community of staff, athletes, and outdoor enthusiasts that I’m lucky to call home.
· Green Racing Project coaches and teammates - the GRP coaches & support staffs’ (Pepa, Raleigh, Megan, & Nick) relentless hard work and support through the ups AND downs is so meaningful.
· Finn Sisu - if you’re reading this, you probably also know and love Finn Sisu!
· Salomon - for the fast skis all season long!
· Lost Nation R&D - If you ever need rifle or stock modifications or parts, they’re full of knowledge and creative and functional solutions.
· Friends & fam - for providing inspiration and sending love!
Racing on the international biathlon circuit brings a lot of cool opportunities; I’ve been to so many new venues this season and raced against inspiring competitors. It’s also a long time away from home and my main support system which can make setbacks harder to navigate. At the end of January, the US IBU Cup biathlon team and I traveled from Obertilliach, Austria to Martell, Italy for Open European Championships after squeezing in a productive week of training.
Skiing in Martell, Italy.
The end of the training week also brought a poorly timed cold, forcing me to sit the first race of the week out. As the cold was relatively mild, I was able to start the 7.5km Sprint a few days later. I hoped I’d be able to rally but ended up having a poor race. I didn’t realize at the time, but this was my last biathlon race of the season. My results that week weren’t enough for a start at the next IBU Cups, and there was no path to re-earn a spot.
Although I was very disappointed (after all, the goal is to race well internationally), getting sent home early ended up being exactly what I needed this winter. Living out of a suitcase all winter made me really appreciate the time I spent in Craftsbury. The skiing was phenomenal, and it was refreshing to feel grounded in one place. I also took advantage of having a significant chunk of time to refocus my energy on both ski and shooting training.
I worked with my GRP coaches to find the race gear that had been missing all season. We also had a lot of time to improve my shooting skills and find confidence on the range.
Lots of snow to ski in Craftsbury!
Biathlon is comprised of many components, and it’s a lot easier to execute when each component becomes second nature. I find it helpful to choose a focus for each session to keep the quality high. My main focuses during this training block were setting up in a consistent and stable position, fine aiming well once I’m on target, a smooth trigger pull with adequate follow through, and a repeatable target approach. By improving individual parts of the shooting process, the shooting accuracy naturally improves.
Craftsbury range sessions.
My coach and I had progress checks throughout this shooting project; once I started making tangible progress on both the process goals and shooting accuracy, I began working on shooting speed. This involved finding faster ways to get into and out of position and experimenting with fewer and faster breaths in between each shot. While I still have plenty of work ahead this summer, I’m quite happy with what I was able to do with unexpected time at home during the winter.
Lots of time at home meant having a kitchen to test out some favorite on-the-road treats. Croissants & tiramisu!
The last week of March marked the end of the season, as I raced Spring Series in Lake Placid, New York, which is spring nationals for cross country skiing. I was just starting to regain a top speed more akin to what I feel when I’m racing well, so I was tentatively excited to cap off the winter with one more week of racing. Despite the recent progress, I couldn’t quite translate this into solid races. Nevertheless, it was fun getting to race with my GRP teammates. Relay day was especially exciting, as my teammates crushed it, and we were the third team comprised fully of Americans.
Racing Spring Series in Lake Placid. Credit: Philip Belena
Some of my GRP teammates and me on relay day.
With racing behind me for the winter, I’m taking the opportunity to mentally and physically reset after a challenging season. This looks like resting when I feel like it and training in fun ways on my own terms. This has already included hopping in Craftsbury’s Mud n’ Ice quadrathlon, where I partnered up with my teammate Margie for the canoe leg (we were passed a lot but had so much fun!) and the gravel bike leg (also awesome!!). Next winter brings some big possibilities with the Winter Olympics, IBU Cup finals in Lake Placid, and cross country World Cup finals in Lake Placid. I’m really looking forward to training hard this summer to earn a spot on these teams. But first, it’s time for a break!
Craftsbury’s infamous Mud n’ Ice quadrathlon. Credit: Philip Belena
Happy spring,
Michaela Keller-Miller