So finally time for the first Sunday in March and Vasaloppet.
Early morning, but even though we arrived at the start more than 1.5h before the start we basically ended up last in our line (line 1, the one behinde the elite line). But still quite close to the front so didn't expect so much trouble in the start.
The start went of and no broken poles there so that was nice. Arrived at the large uphill after 1.5 km and got a little stalled in the bottom there. For me it felt like an eternity but the people who had done it before said the start was quite smooth. The uphill was very croweded so just to stay in the line and get up, no point to try to pass people or keep your own speed.
Close to the top after about 3km the crowd started to loosen up and it was possible to keep your own speed. Quite windy up on the marshes so tried to stay in some good groups, a lot of people all the way so no problem to find groups with good speed.
Noticed already in the first downhills towards Mångsbodarna (the second control) that my skiis were not perfect.
It became even clearer in the large downhill after Mångsbodarna where several large groups just swooshed by.
Stronger again in the uphills from Tennäng where I passed a lot of people up to Risberg.
Had a quite nice group from Risberg to Evertsberg, but after Evertsberg in the next big downhill the same thing again. Everyone just swooshed by, lost around 1.5 min on Elin's brother just on the 5k downhill from Evertsberg.
The race continued in that way, strong in the uphills and hard to follow in the downhills. Continued to be in different groups all the way into Mora.
Last 9km from Eldris into the finish were very tough.
Very satisfied with the race, 4:46h and a 377th place. Had some higher goals but think I also had severly overestimated my skiing-capacity.
Nice to strong in the uphills even though I went without grip. But not so nice that the people around me with grip wax also had better glide.
With better skiis around 10min faster time probably would have been possible.
After the control in Evertsberg.