My First Loppet

So I did my first ever loppet today. Lots of firsts right now. For those of you who have no idea what a loppet is, it is what they call a cross-country ski race. I'm sure that there is a reason for the name, but I have no idea what. Anyways, this race was 15km classic skiing and 15km skate skiing. I hadn't classic skied in over 15 years and had bad rentals and really don't like it so much. There weren't a lot of people at the race, but I was dead last coming off the classic ski. Not a position that I'm used to that's for sure, but I was out there. I can't tell you how happy I was to get on my skate skies that I do regularly. I was so tired after classicing, physically and mentally and was having quite a low energy week on top of it. But I finished the race and was second last!!!! I was almost looking forward to coming in last for the first time ever. The only reason that I didn't was because one guy did the whole race classicing which is slower that skating - so I probably would have come last. The announcer, Steve King, knows my tri history so I really didn't need him saying things there when I had such a slow race. Oh well at least I got out there. I came back to my pad for a huttub and nap so things were good again.