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World Cup period 1 goals and thoughts

November 18, 2022
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Tomorrow, I am going to begin my journey to Finland and race my first period on the World Cup. I am packed and ready to take a plane to embark on the 24 hour travel day to Ruka, Finland. It has taken more work, determination, and support than I can summarize to get to this point. Now, I just have to show up and race my best. 

Up until today, my emotions have been entirely excitement. I have been dreaming of this opportunity for years. Ever since my junior racing days, I have watched World Cup races on TV. I aspired to be like those athletes and, one day, put myself in their shoes. Although I did race my first two World Cup races last season, the upcoming races feel different. It’s as if they somehow present a bigger challenge than before. Maybe they do, now that I feel like I belong on the World Cup. I have bigger goals than in years past. This time around, I wasn’t just given the opportunity to race a World Cup, I earned it. Along with that, comes an even greater internal determination to do my very best. 

Now that the night prior to departure is finally here, I feel the nerves. There is no doubt that traveling to Europe for 5 weeks, with people that I’ve spent a rather small amount of time with, is scary. I am crossing my fingers that I haven’t forgotten anything, praying to the travel gods that my bags all make it, and hoping that I adjust to a new team setting quickly. On top of all that, in a mere 11 days, I will race my first race of the year. It’s a lot to think about and prepare for. 

Despite all of that, I’m ready. I’m ready to make a name for myself and am excited to throw down. I am fitter and stronger than ever before and have big goals. At this point, the work is done and I am nearly as prepared as I can be for the upcoming races. With where I am at physically and mentally, I plan to put myself firmly in the mix at each race venue. I want to be within the top 30 in each of the 4 sprints that I do. By doing so, I would qualify for heats and race among the best sprinters in the world. If I race as well as I hope to, during Period 1, I will qualify to race the Tour De Ski. Ultimately, I would like to race well enough to spend the entire season racing in Europe on the World Cup. I believe that I have done everything necessary to achieve these goals. Now it’s time to execute. 

There are many reasons that I am confident about myself and my goals going into this season. First and foremost, I had an incredibly strong support structure in Bozeman. My teammates and I continue to push each other and elevate the level of the team. With our coach, Andy, at every workout, we have someone there to watch, advise, and guide us through each session. Now, after another summer of training together, we are all ready to race fast. Outside of the team, I have local businesses such as Dee-O-Gee, Simkins-Hallin, Schnee’s, and Sauce Headwear backing me up as well. Each of these companies are filled with people that are excited to support and cheer for me as I race in Europe. Finally, I have my mother and brother in Bozeman with me. Their love and support allows me to keep pushing my limits. Additionally, from afar, I have a loving fiance that wants nothing more than for me to achieve my goals. Without the support of BSF, sponsors, and family I would not be here. My confidence is a byproduct of their support. Not only do I want to do well for myself, I want to do well for everyone cheering my name. 

If you’re reading this, you have, in one way or another, probably helped me get here. I thank you for supporting me and the sport of cross-country skiing. Now, it’s time for us to enjoy the season ahead. Happy trails, Logan.