Bates Nordic Skiing: A Weekend of World Cup: Feelin' Lighter Than Air

Bates Alumni Sylvan Ellefson Racing the Qualifier

"Bobcat of the Week"

Rock skis? Check. Water belt? Check. Homework for the weekend? Check. Deodorant? Double check. This is the mental check list I found myself making automatically while I packed my gear for the Bates Nordic ski team’s trip to the World Cup sprints in Quebec, Canada. As I proceeded through my mental inventory of items I needed and ones I could do without, I thought of prior trips I had taken. I was often guilty of bringing things that were not really needed. After all, were three pairs of running sneakers really necessary for the one, potentially two, scheduled "on foot" weekend workouts?
Shaking my head, I tossed my muddy grey Nikes back into my locker bin. I thought about recent other times I had brought things with me that I didn’t actually need: stress to study sessions and a somewhat preoccupied mind to practices. Worrying too much about training hours, finals, or papers, only adds unneeded stress to the bag of other things we are already carrying. To enjoy the trip to the World Cup this weekend and enter the racing season ready to go, therefore, means not packing any doubt, worry, stress, or negative energy. It means trusting yourself, your plan, your coach, and your teammates. It means remembering that, while watching Kikkan Randall, Bates native Sylvan Ellefson, as well as the number of other U.S. ski team members and world class athletes ski by, dreaming is what makes the journey possible. And going into exams week and racing season, it means looking out for Bates Nordic because this year, we are brilliant, fast, and packing real light.