New Year, isn't it?

Normally, 1st of January, I have a long classic skiing tour in the program. Then I go home to watch Tour de Ski and New year's concert of Wiener Philharmoniker.

This year the ground is grey and it's raining. I've been miserable and lightly depressed since I came back 22nd of Dec from sunny Italy where we had Winter Universiades for student athletes. So instead of skiing I'm just running with poles and wondering where the hell is the white snow, and due to these conditions we don't even have any races! buuu!

So after nearly a year without any writing, I'm here to clear how it's going, how it's been since last year and what's happening right now!
Let's start it by a short review of the end of season, the funny "golf field- finnish championships" where I just performed average, 4,6,6 places and the crowd of national biathletes stood a loop behind outstanding Kaisa. At that time I managed to hurt my left shoulder when I did pull-ups behind my neck. eh. And that's been my weak point since April. Specially in my standing shooting it's still causing troubles^/

The season was short, lame and brought me only a couple of good memories, including European Champs and some other better tha average performances. Seems like the bigger the races the more concentrated performances I have. In World Championships 2011 I made it to 49th. In European Champs 26th. Now in Universiades in Trentino I felt lazy, not fully motivated like it should be. And the best marking was just 27th with average results. And now I'm "wrestling" with the same problem here in Finland. Don't know the races, don't know about snow or future. Don't even know how I'm going to continue biathlon, or at all. ^^

But to put the summer briefly into the pocket. I started the recovery season with 2-weeks teacher -job. Nasty children of the age of 10- 15 should learn compulsory Swedish or "free will"- Germany. Not the brightest job indeed here in the Eastern Finland!:D Then I got my holidays, one week in Turkey! Lovely, but absolutely too short! Then it was already May and it was time to train focused for the races for the next winter! Training has been great and I progressed a lot. The summer included, of course, two weeks in Otepää. Normal training camp of our Kontiolahti Sport Club. When I wasn't the part of our national team, I needed to follow my own way the whole year.

Finnish summer Champs did go well, twice second place in cross- biathlon and twice 4th place in roller- biathlon! And everybody was there on the line!:)) So I couldn't wish anything better temporarily. So I decided to go to Ramsau, after 2 years absence, to the prettiest place to prepare for the season. Thanks to all helping me there=) Without a car, I survived, and had the best trainings of the year. Feeling light and happy to be an athlete, for once!:)

Since Ramsau and beginning of October I unfortunately suffered from viruses and poor quality training. And again the snow conditions were challenging. I decided to stay in Kontiolahti for the last weeks training before qualifications. BUT just in the middle of last trainingweek I got a message that the races would be in Muonio, in three days! in 3 DAYS, only 800km away from home.! NICE

But I travelled, started, skied and shot, and finished 3rd. Relief. Week to go to IBU-cups in Idre and Beitostölen. No snow. Ship and long way to go there, hardly any snow on the tracks. Team spirit is fragile to explode, scary and untempting. My races sucking as hell, mostly due to my first race's accident. My Leki- pole stuck after standing shoot to my ribs and I stood there without taking any breaths. I crushed my right side stomach muscles for a long time. Finished. Bad skies. Oh I was wishing so much more. Anyways, the next race was bad due to horrible wind. 1+5 isn't normal me? Then we headed back to familiar Beito, good shooting in Individual, still bad skiing. The sprint went even more horrible. I just cried before the zeroing, after that, maybe during the race. 2+3 with foggy eyes. I'm not allowed to tell why, but it's just horrible how there are still people with unfair play and rudeness. 0_o

But I survived home, headed luckily soon for 2 weeks to sunny Italy. I must tell it's been one of the top 5 biathlon trips in my life! Perfect skiwaxing, nice team and old and new friends! THANKS! Of course I was happy to see my biathlon friends in ibu-cups... Like I told, I didn't finish extremely good in Val di Fiemme, mostly because of my shaking legs in the standings. Only once I managed to drop all the targets, in 5 races including 80 shots!^/ The best personal performance was my relay leg. Satisfied. It's enough.

Joy of Biathlon, but just a few times. My calculation is not wrong. I'm out of mood, watching the biathlon races with tears in my eyes. I could be there, but I'm not even close. Crazy, worrying kid, am I?

Well, I got my Christmas break. I hoped even that I would be sick, so broken I was. So my wish came true I got a flue just when we got back from Italy. Maybe it was due to 5 races in 8 days, and 2 nights in the row pure partying and departure home. Though, I'm getting old and don't wanna stay awake so late anymore:D

Summa summarum: Now I don't know where to race or where to go. Alpencup, biathlon races in Finland (level D?), Cross-country races.? eh. Well, let's wait for snow. And give me some advice to cheer me up. I need goals to work hard for.

BTW. I've moved in September to Jyväskylä and started my Master of Sportmedicine studies here. Hopefully I will finish them soon, only 2 years to go I bet!;)

Happy New Year 2014! Alles gute im neuen Jahr!
Gott nytt år! Hyvää Uutta vuotta!
xxx

ps. I'm playing my accordion, since a very long time:D cheers*

Champion!!

Champion... in finnish-  Samppioni, www.samppioni.fi  is a new website for young talented sportmen and -women who are the potential future champions. There will be soon a place for sponsors to be shown, some information and of course the blogs. If you are interested  to sponsor or have something to ask so contact me:

 laura.toivanen@live.com   (The biathlon -fancards still available:))

Follow my blog there under category Laura, soon there will be also some information about me, maybe in finnish and english.:D
Thanks for all your views and comments. Around 20.000 views have been reached now!! Let's follow my trip to the top on the new site also! Welcome:) www.samppioni.fi

Kiitän lukijoita ympäri Suomen täällä Blogspotissa. Nyt kuitenkin on saatu aikaiseksi pian valmiina olevat sivut nuorille tulevaisuuden lupauksille. Luvassa infoa ja blogikirjoituksia, kuin myös paikat sponsoreille! Sponsoriyhteistyölle on siis luvassa isompaa näkyvyyttä!! jee! Jos kiinnostuit, ota yhteyttä:
laura.toivanen@live.com
 Tue minun matkaani kohti huippua. I wanna be a champion!:)

with love, Laura

My happy ending^^

I missed them. I missed the qualiraces in the middle of December just to notice right after that I won't get anywhere...

And that was just because I was sick during the week before the compettions and I was too weak to race. Ironically, on Sunday and Individual race, only 3 girls finished and they all got into the IBU-cup or even World Cup team. 50% is quite good for hitting the targets. LOL
Then it was me, in the brink of total depression, determined not to start at all... so I would avoid a possible myocarditis (heart disease if you train/race when being sick).
So I thought our biahtlon association would bring more than 3 girls to the "neighbourhood" Otepää, but no, it would be too expensive. I don't even know if it was just a question of money, they just didn't want me in. B-team coach and the big bosses may think I'm a badass and should quit. That's how it feels. Instead of falling into despair I am training well at home, and for sure, I will show the big pigs how good I am.
Luckily I'm not writing this at 18th of dec or 1st of Jan when I was so pissed off, I mean totally.

I did a couple of good races before New Year (f.ex. 1+0 etc.), but they were just some unofficial races which of course didn't have any effect on selections. Less than 1 Minute I lost to Sanna in the long pursuit-kind-of-race and she is now in WorldCup! Observing the shooting performances both in World Cup and IBu-cup I'm pretty sure I would have succeeded, as I did also perfectly last year and now I'm even in better shape! But if and if are stupid words. Life sucks.
Some points to notice next year: 1) You have to race, always. You're never too sick... 2) If you happen to perform well once early in the season, do NOT finish any race you think it would bring a worse result than earlier or someone could beat you. 3) Keep an excellent relationship to the coaches "above" you. In the tricky decisions you could be the one who is IN. 4) If you have a lot of money it can help you to get into the team. Unless you have lack of money do not hesitate to stay at home. This year we pay 350e per week if top 20 result does not turn up at once. 500e in WorldCup, that's really nice job...

There would be a plenty of nice points in my heavy-hearted brains. But it's time to focus on the next races. I did a excellent 3K race last Sunday whn we had a North Carelia Relay with 7 legs and different ages and styles! I' got a powerful feeling and now I'm eagerly waiting for the next qualiraces on 19th and 20th of January. Let's see if I get any company or does the association already make the selections beforehand, and without me. Ridiculous, before new Year racing I took an extra 1K loop, and as funny it is, I finished just 40seconds after the local winner. hehe. So without my racingfellows around Europe there are nobody who could give a good run to me^^ buuu

After races within a week I might be able to ski in Martell and after that maybe European Championships in Bansko, Bulgaria. Cause I'm not NOW abroad there are hardly any chance to get into the WorldChamps team, even though I probably could fit in more than well.
So that's the plan. I hope you had nice Christmas holidays and this will be you Happy New Year. I got at least a nice pre-Christmas present when I got engaged now on the 20th of Dec. " Schön aber sehr schade" said one of my friend. It means he was sorry to know I'm officially out-of-single-world, such a nice lady... but of course it feels great!!:D That was a real rescue from falling into the deep depression...

Thanks for the nice wishes and congrats, and sorry to being so rude this time^^

Happy New Year! See you later:)

Time's running out

Once upon a time there was a gorgeous winterwonderland called Muonio. When the ground in Joensuu was covered by mud, in Muonio otherwise, the snowflakes were falling down from the misty sky.

That was the scene when we arrived up to the north in the beginning of November. 10 days trainingcamp included a lot of skiing and was supposed to give the final boost to the first starts of the season. I had also a good program, planned with my coach. However, my stumbling stone was the tiny cottage which we shared together with three younger boys from the same skiclub as my roommate Anna. Once we settled down there was a battle between an athlete and the three rebells... And being annoyed all the time when the restrictions of sporty life didn't interest them at all got me run out of battery mentally. Overloaded. Without getting a proper nap in the afternoon and a lack of dreaming hours nearly ruined my camp. I become into these thoughts afterwards when it was time to race and my lazy feeling on the skies was a mystery. I did enjoy my long tours in the beautiful landscapes and snow--- we had it enough luckily.:) I also went to the local gym with Ahti and Kaisa and we bet who would lift the most weights in bench press. Kaisa's coach Jarmo took a clear win when me and Kaisa shared the 2nd place and stayed in 62,5kg. Ahti didn't take a part;) We also confronted same problems as the athletes in World Cup, the slippery matts on the shooting range were causing problems with shooting. Otherwise I shot nearly perfect ha:D

So after the more and less succeeded trainingcamp up there we drove back home over 9 hours on the icy roads and resting only three days before qualiraces here in Kontiolahti wasn't obviously enough. Friday morning was a cold clear day and the track was great! Unfortunately, they put some new fresh snow to cover the stones  in the evening and the track become a softy horror. The sprint on Saturday was hard for me, the track was also soft and wet. I hadn't raced since April in Finnish Champs and now there were the first races and the wc-track with all the big upphills. I managed to drop 9/10 but lost still over 3 minutes to Kaisa. I thought my feeling would be better the day after, but I still crawled deep in snow also in pursuit. 5 penalties didn't get me shine like a diamont and I fell out of the undersized WC- and IBU-cup teams. Finland will not send anybody to Ridnaun and the next chance to earn tickets is next weekend when we have qualiraces here in Kontiolahti. I caught a cold last weekend (still raced, stupid ass..) and I'm still a bit sick at the moment. So I'm aiming to be healthy and fit for the weekend, and then we'll see how we progress to the next level. there's only a tiny hope left today...

Luckily Christmas is coming!! And Ahti is als coming home next week. :D And also my dear friends are coming to town for Christmas!! And Sampsa got a place in Police Academy so the moving southwards is coming closer all the time:))  So there are some things to get better now even though my instinct says I maybe can't perform at the level where I would like to be, but take a chance, make a change and breakaway....

South, North, West

Yesterday morning was a bright day. We got the first 15cm layer snow!!=) So the scenes over here in Kontiolahti are from winterwonderland, unfortunately they are supposed to melt away soon... And that means I'll be heading to Lappland and Muonio after tomorrow for the first and last snowcamp.

Two months ago since I wrote last time we were heading to Germany with Sampsa. That was a lovely  5 days with two days celebrating the wedding of Svenja & Daniel in a small town near by Hamburg! Danke nochmals!:) The journey was just too short to experience all the places we wanted (Heidepark jei!:D) but long enough not to miss any important trainings. That wasn't just resting down there in south but good partying and excellent german food.:) And of course I needed to see the places where Sampo used to hang around 6 years ago, having an exchange year there! Last day in Hamburg was warm and with a last ice cream in my hand we head back to Finland and rollerskiing up to Koli was just waiting for me¨^)

So in the beginning of September it was full focus to the trainings. This year I have taken a huge step forwards in my physical shape when the "holy" triangle with training, sleeping and eating has succeed!!=) Compared to the last autumn when there was school, moving and stressy mood all the time I have it really fine now. 60 hours more training thus far don't make the sky fall but it's a good start:) I had only one 5-days camp in Vuokatti (with tests), otherwise I've enjoyed the good surroundings here around Joensuu. Hopefully you'll see a happy face with more balanced performances during the next season. I'm not ready yet and me and my coach are taking small steps in trainings, focusing mainly to the races after Christmas.

The next stop is also Muonio where Sweden, German , Russian women team and Finns are training before the season starts. Two weeks and we have the first races here in Kontiolahti, also qualifying to the first Ibu- and World Cups in West. Östersund and Idre, hope to see some friend there:)) kom å besök! Unfortunately, there will be only 3 +3 women in cups, with 4 startplaces it's gonna be interesting... Let's see, let's see!

Now back in the business, resting tomorrow!! Maybe I'll check out the first xc-race here in the evening... Then a long tripup to the north. gött!!:)

Seldom random O(M)G!

I'm a bit late.
Olympic games were over before I even started to watch them properly. Luckily most of you have already forgotten the half of the gold medalists and I don't even know half of them. Three names I appreciate most, the fastest Bolt, the magnificant Rudisha to make it look easy to run 800meters in 1.40(!) and the Decathlon hero Mr. Eaton. Of course I should mention him and her from every nation to flatter you all plus the finnish medalists but I'll continue on the other way.

What comes to the finnish medalists they are at this moment the beloved heroes, but who will really remember the names after a decade? (Oh there was a shooter-gold-medalist in 2008) There are the medalists and then there are the loosers, the tourists and shame-on-you-guys in a row. The finnish sportjournalists have been really rude and un-professional blaming the none-medalists as tourists when they couldn't made it to their best and over it. It's been a lot of discussion about appreciation of athletes and their work and as well about how the limited resources will affect to the sport careers! If they have got through the limits to OG I think they are very seldom just the "tourists"..But the discussion continues^^'

So after all this mess I'm not surprised at all that Kaisa felt so much pressure during the last WCH's in Ruhpolding. The "fear" of the sport journalists stabbing you in the back instantly if you will not get the medal... And so she shouldn't read so much crap newspapers before the races :) There is at least one thing to work for the future in the mental-training sessions... (Hjälp Christoph!)

I, myself, planned to write here already during the training camp in Estonia when I was even dreaming about the texts to be written. I got too busy when I got back home, though. I wanted to write about the holy circle of sporty life; training, sleeping and eating. It was so easy to focus on these things at the tr.camp but now when I'm back home it's even complicated and hard to find time even to write this as my lazy ass is too tired^^)

I'll be writing about the holy triangle later, when I'm working on that theme in German to finish the final big task/course for the university and then becoming finally the Bachelor of Arts! So that will keep me busy when I'm not training, eating or taking a nap...

After the successful training camp in Otepää (except three days throwing-up everything^^/) I'm back at home and that will continue still a long time, I mean at least 5 days more:D  I have also been every weekend skiing up the hills or hiking in our nearest nationalpark, Koli, and it's been hard and also pleasant (in the freaky way) when the blood is really running in your veins! One weird thing is that I'm kind of avoiding the trainings in Kontiolahti. I started to "hate" that place after many unsuccessful races... But I'm working on it in my messy mind and I've been training there anyways!! HJÄLP Christoph! After the next month it will be already time for the first competitions I think.. and I want to show my progress!!!!

This summer is different cause I'll not compete at all in any Finnish Summer Championships. The cross-races passed without I even remembered when I had been dancing 2 days with Armin van Buuren and co. in Summer Sound festivals in Helsinki. After that I stayed in Lahti by my coach and I really forgot the races far away in the north-west. :D (Congratulations will go to double-gold-medalist Mari!) 1st of September we'll have rollerski-biathlon FM but I'll miss it too. I'll be with my boyfriend Sampsa in Hamburg and celebrate the daughter of my bf's ex-host family getting married. (simple?.D) So instead of climbing up the wall-uphill I'm wearing a long royal blue dress and having an easy and hopefully warm week in Germany!

Finland is offering at the moment a nice autumn weather with +12 c degrees and rain once in a while. At least there are no problems with heat and recovering, or eager to sunbath... :P Now I'll finish for this time and get jealous when Sweden, France, Austrian, Russian and Finland A-teams will enjoy the perfect days in Obertilliach;) I had to cancel my "trip" there cause it would have been too complicated to drive there from Hamburg and also too expensive for my wallet. Instead I'll be maybe in Ramsau in the beginning of October, and that will do it : ) Joy, joy, joy...Toi, toi, toi...

PS. Thank you all for your nice birthday wishes:)  kiitos, tack, spasibo, danke..

Full Focus

A few weeks ago I was watching at first time the finnish baseball game here in Joensuu. Or not. I came into the thoughts that this has happened even before and it was maybe year of 2000!! I was participating the summer sportcamp for the kids, and in the end of camp we were cheering for the local baseball players on the field. At that time it was really hard to pick up only one sportart for the camp as I wanted to choose dancing, floorball, swimming, skiing and all the possibilities:D Anyways I took biathlon. Just for the reason that my big brother did and I was sleeping in the same tent with him. He had just started some biathlon training with the same coach who would be coaching at the "trainingcamp" so it was an easy choice.:) I kind of fell in love in shooting with eko-rifles and the difficult combination of two different sportarts. Though, both were already familiar to me... somehow.

Next year I got my own secondhand rifle which actually worked well. I remember the scene of a warm summer evening before the first summer finnish champs when the head coach of finnish team Anatoly Khovantsev visited Kontiolahti stadium. I shot my first 50 points just at that time and it was surprising for him. Now over ten years later my super shooting will not amaze him anymore, he knows:D *gg*

So the year of 2001 was the first touch to the best wintersport ever! The fabulous trio of small devils (as we were called), Sarkku, Mari and me were invincible during the junior years. Our normal "suits" of the summer champs were brilliant, we had all red heads and once we even ran the victory in socks. ;)

Back to the current moment it's been a smoothy spring. First I was visiting the lovely city of Köln (Cologne). Strongmanrun in Nürburgring was just awesome even if it was cold and rainy day, but the spirit was impressive! And just to mention I beat our boys;) haha. They were complaining that my female figure made it easier to pass the track quicker... people got jammed before the barrels it was an hour before the boys got over the first barrel!!!

After Germany trip it's been full focus in the trainings. This is the first whole year with my current coach and it seems to be brighter than ever I hope so! First weeks have been full of power training in the gym and then rest of the time mainly running :P Unfortunately I got sick in the beginning of June after the Abitur- celebrations and maybe due to awful weathers. It's been mainly rainy and under +13 degrees. Good side of this is that you dont get burned or exhausted by the weather:D!! Positiv thinking remains...And now I'm fit again!:)

Our finnish Midsummer was calm and sunny. I "celebrated" it by sunbathing and swimming in the lake. I was even baking a delicious strawberry cake so that our visiting friends will get the taste of summer:p

On this Sunday I will travel to Otepää, Estonia once again. 8th or 9th year in a row will be now. The sportclub team gets smaller all the time and this year I don't have any of my age there as Sarianna will not be there anymore... Next year may be different then.

After two weeks in Estonia I'll be at home and then in the end of August we head to Germany again where a friend of ours will have wedding in Hamburg. In case we take our car there I'll be traveling with my boyfriend Sampsa down to Austria and train with the finnish A-team from 3rd to 13th od September!

So there are some goals to go. Now back to the track.. it means stretching:)

Enjoy the summer. See ya!

Fabulous Four and Sorrow

First of MAY and time to update I wrote last time... I meant of course March, but nevermind. It's a day to count and live anyways. It's not always the fair play for us. One misslucky movement with snowmobile and your life can end suddenly. So happened to my dear skier friend from Östersund. R.I.P Fredrik Karlsson.
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There have been a lot of things happening since I wrote.  It was just about time for the last IBU-cup in Altenberg. With a quick decision I finally ended up to take the final chance for competing this year abroad. Flights to Prague and the glorious hotel... You imagine, the finnish team in a hotel?!! How incredible!!:D Cause most of the time we are just somewhere there, you know, far away and stressing and cooking ourselves. That was great I think! Otherwise the races weren't that glorious. The training days and awesome sunny weather turned out to a snowstorm or pouring rain + tricky wind during the racedays AND that put my mood down. Luckily I got my shooting back on the normal level in sprint race 0+1, but pursuit and individual race were both a bit poor with 6 penalties. I didn't have either the fury on the skies, but I tried hard, maybe even too hard. The results seems to be on that level on the days I'm not at my best, but I'm looking forward already the next year! And thanks for the austrian team who helped me with waxing and the skies from Sven were also good=)


After the last-time-racing-this-year-farewells in Germany, through the grey landscapes with ugly factories to Prague I've been at home -  Just to participate to the Finnish Champs, both in cross-country and biathlon! Cross-Country relay didn't go as we expected, mostly cause everyone was so pissed off even to be there. Our Champion wanted to ski the first leg classic, against all the previous thoughts, and our familiar biathlontrio stunned far away from the podium. (We were 3rd early in the season in Vuokatti!)


Then it was time for biathlon superweekend, 3 races and then off. I was doing pretty well individually! The relay team Kaisa, Sarkku and me were winning with the marginal of a half calender year..;) In Sprint I did really good, but unluckily just a bit too slowly... 0+0 shooting and 2 second from the 3rd! As there were no fight from the first 2 places (Kaisa and Mari) the lost to this rival was stupefying. In massstart I got 2 mistakes from the second windy stage and one from the last standing, otherwise it was a balanced performance to finish this 6 months racing period!!

The sunny and cold Finland has offered good possibilities to ski. STILL! and due to that I've been able to ski until last weekend. It was also great to seek my snowboard again and have fun and in the evening listening to one of my favourite artists, Kaija Koo, with my boyfriend. I would name it to the start of the Off-season and holidays. Gogogogo.

Next week we will fly to Germany and Köln. We'll be visiting a friend of ours and the participating the hardest race ever I think, Strongmanrun im Nürburgring 5th of May. That's gonna be funny and amazing I can guess. With other 11.000 runners there will be a lot of barriers before I've finished 22K :DD

Follow the laughter at http://www.fishermansfriend.de/strongmanrun/

Also Bis bald and have a nice without-skies spring time!! See you soon again!;)

Below Zero!

Good evening!

First of May and time to update! World Champs had just the first race in Ruhpolding. Big congrats to Slovenia! It was a great surprise:) Also warm congrats to other medalists. Let's see how the queen of biathlon, Lena, will survive catching still 5 golds right?:D I'm also really happy to see my little brother to perform on the excellent level, today's relay was a magnificent! Hiphiphurra!

What about me? I told last time about the European Championships trip, how we three athletes from Finland decided to travel to Osrblie without a coach or waxmen or service.. or even car! Considering these facts we actually did quite well, even the results were pure bullshit.
I'm really grateful to the teams helping us. Thanks to Swiss, Austrian, Estonian, Bulgarian and Russian waxmen and coaches helping me and the boys on the range, or waxing skis and all about that! And our super privet shuttle driver, with whom I discussed only in Russian:D D'akujem!

Sprint I managed to drop again all the prone targets but was too slow on the standing stage and even dropped only three of them. Place 44 to the pursuit didn't really astonish. Only the sun was shining and I was glad. I didn't like the track either. With extremely cold temperatures and steep two big upphills within the first 1.5K was killing...

I had never quit a race, means I've always come to the finish. So I decided before pursuit that I will manage it. Coming to the 3 shooting I realized Pidrushina was already arriving just behind me. I missed one, but luckily she 2! So I had around 1 penaltyloop advance... So the second last lap was my "final" lap, skied as fast I could and luckily reached the shooting range before the winner crossed the finish line! So with breath-taking feeling and shaking legs I managed to hit 2 targets. How great^^D ending up to the place 40. plaah.
After lame athlete's party we had still individual races to go. The Finnboys were lame too, as did I. One miss in the prone stage destroyed my zero shootings in the prone, and one misslucky first standing ruined my race. No other comments; except it was cold and sunny and we had a great flat to live and cook! :D So we finally flew back home, with Malevian Airways who was co-operating with Finnair.
They had never heard about skies or rifles to pay separate, so we got a amount of 60000 local money payment, app 220euros just to get back home. Ironically this aircraft just bankrupted day after our arrival home.

At home was bittercold -30 degrees cold weather and my boyfriend, arrived from three-weeks-vacation in Thailand! :)
And so I caught cold and didn't really train for days. I was gathering my friends to work in World Cup together with Chief of Attachees, Sampo:D After all I didn't think I had some chance to compete there although I knew I would be the first to replace or maybe they would like to have some changes.. My good performances in IBU-cups in Jan were anyways a good baseline to get into the team!

Luckily they changed the program in Wolrd Cup so i got one more day to recover after ECH's and illnes. It was a cheerful and awesome chance to compete on the hometracks. I haven't been traing there so much this year, though. I prefer other places at the moment as I do hate the big uphills and that I couldn't have any fair competition because of my skies.
You shouldn't blame your skies, but cause the new fischer skies for this year have been really poor (not from Grossi to mention!:)) so there are barely one good pair for this kind of snow.

Anyways, I skied sprint, shoot more penalties than this year together. 2+1.- skied really bad and was so ashamed! I felt like a bambi on the ice. My zeroing was brilliant, prone perfect 49points, then a small loop and standing, 4 hits to the proneround and one 7. After that I may have got a bit nervous cause I lost the total focus to the shooting and also got shaken legs even before any upphills^^/

Nothing else to tell! It was a pity that I fell down so low, it meaned that I wouldn't be in World Championships either! Now it's been a lot of training, focusing for the next season definitively!!! Above all, I'm also participating last IBU-cup in Altenberg next week and after that it's only finnish Champs both in xc and biathlon! Last week I was also helping the organizing committee in Kontiolahti Junior World Champs, working as a media assistent and also chaperone. A bit hard but it was also great to see my younger friends to succeed! Grattis Chardine! Onne Grete!

Thumbs up for the finnish team in World Championships in Ruhpolding. I think my little broo will succeed quite a well;)



ps .Happy Valentine's Day to all of my friends!!=) and Spasibo Anton, thanks for the nice cups.
" Be Fast, Be Accurate, Be the Best! - Laura"

Shooting star^^

Salut!

It was bittersweet to write about staying home last time, but I was yelling too early!! Just in the same late evening I got call that I could be participating both the IBU-cups, replacing Sarianna. And after thinking a while and discussing with my coach I was already packing for the next journey!:) I prefered getting more races (cause it goes better and better all the time) than staying at home alone, when my both beloved men are also abroad!

So off we go back to the Alps. First to Italy and Forni Avoltri and next week at the highest high Haute-Maurienne! Well, as you know the finnish team, we have our own tiny accommodation, with own cars, own cooking, only one waxman, no massages etc. That all brings a little advantage compared to the other teams and it's a pity that you can't give your total best although you should be showing your best results that you get into World Cup!

Well, I did my best, especially on the shooting range! Second individual race this year and I managed to drop all the 20 targets first time ever! so 0+0+0+0 and no penaltyminutes so I was really happy to reach top 20! Though, there were also top 10 available...I lost 4 minutes to the french leader, mostly because fresh snow and my bad skies, but you can do nothing. The next day was even worse, my skiing was a bit more alert on the track but the skies were worse. I lost in this sprint over 4 minutes with only 1 standing penalty!! How fair, isn't it...

So after this week in Italy, living in a small apartment and having a very distracting atmosphere among us we continued a long journey to France! A lovely sun and perfect hard tracks were waiting for us. I was also accompanied by Sarianna (luckily and finally) so that there was more relieved atmosphere and I also got somebody (again) to sleep next to:D



Anyways, I did good job also there! I did an excellent hard classic training before the races on that high 1700 meters above the sealevel. And so I got a bit better glide for the first sprint and with perfect fast shooting on the range I ended up to the place 30! With my hurting spine and back I was still able to get the strong last loop, as I was a bit scared to give full blast on the first loop at that altitude. Anyways, feeling relieved. Good job and the better way to go:)

Pursuit race I started just behind one of the twin Hildebrands, just to notice they are not so fast as I had imagined.*grins* :D But the chilly day -15c in the morning was bit hard to start fast, as well as humidity was somewhere around 20%. Nirsknarsk says the skies.:D But without a small mistake in the prone my total shootingprocent during January would have been pure 100%!!!:))
In the first standing I was standing too long time and I lost crusial 3 hits. Anyways, total 5 penalties is too much and already tired body was happy to get back home!



So not bad two weeks for a "reservathlete"!! Shooting is brilliant, and I hope now after a few massages and good hometraining I'm able to give the best results in European Championships in Slovakia, Brezno-Osrblie. I'll be the only girl from Finland (!!!) and I'll travel there with two boys, without any coach or waxman! Our A-team headcoach promised something like co-operation with Austrians but who knows. I think some help is needed 0_o

After the ECH's week I'll be back at home, preparing for World Cup in Kontiolahti. Dunno yet if I'll be skiing, I wish so. BUT in case my face is not enough for the team I'll be the chief of attachees and chaperone, maybe even translator for the Teamcaptainmeetings. Anyways, I'll be there!! :)

Now I head to the gym. It's bit odd to sleep and train at home all alone. Yesterday evening I went to solarium and bought a fresh pineapple, just imagining I was laying on the beach of Koh Tao (Thailand) next to my boyfriend and chilling... It was only just a dream!

Merci! Salut à bientôt!:)

Home bittersweet Home

Happy Holidays afterwards, and so I'm already wishing happier new year 2012! Hopefully the bad things will stay in the passing year and the good things will follow to the next year!:)

That's the wish from my side, I'm glad that this year is going to end soon and the new experiences are waiting for me... and everybody! Santa Claus didn't visit us this year either but I was happy that he had brought also this year some nice presents!:D Headlamp and skibootdryers on the top of that. And my boyfriend got a book from his "german"family: "die spinnen, Die Finnen" so I think I'm going to read it at once!!:) Otherwise my Christmas went pretty much normally, including delicious eating, skiing and relaxing and this year even Christmaschurch on 25th! That's because I spent first time ever my Christmas' Eve somewhere else than by my parents'. i was by my bf's parents so that was certainly something new! It's nice and weird to see how Christmas' Eve is celebrated elsewhere!

Anyways, what happened earlier in this month made me feel a bit down. As you know I traveled up to the Alps to participate IBU-cup races in Ridnaun and Obertilliach. For me they turned out to be a disaster which seems to nearly cut my season short. We spent the first 5 days in Obertilliach where we were able to acclimate to the higher altitude and also train properly on the nice 5K's track! We got also more snow on the second day so it looked really nice after rain and darkness of the homeyards.



When we arrived to Ridnaun the problems started. A couple of us suffered from stomachproblems which affected more or less to the weekend's competitions. It was also a bit strange to live in a small apartment, 7 of us. Sometimes it's a small funny family and sometimes you wish you had some own space. On the raceday you try to be quiet while boys're sleeping. You wish:D
First in the program was individual race and 15K in +2 cloudy weather. i was feeling lazy and My body didn't have that much energy due to stomachproblems, so with 6 penalties and this skiing- you move nowhere. Head down and shoulders front, and shaking legs. Unsatisfied and sad.
In sprint however I managed to relax on the shootingrange and Igot a prefect shooting 0+0 at the first time since 2010. I felt a bit better than the previous day but it wasn't enough to get any good placement. 51th was far away from the result I know I can with that shooting.

The next problem arrived on Monday, and got really worse on Wednesday after mixrelay! Lugninfection... You're not welcome.!!! I still felt okey in my muscles on Wed so I decided to start. Also okey shooting sith 1 reservbullet in each shooting was good. I was quite fresh in skiing but my lugns were putting down the contract.. We end up to the place12th and we were happy to win Sweden and Switzerland:P

In this point of trip I ended up to the doctor and I didn't start anymore due to sickness. I came back home and heard the lovely news. I will not be starting in the World Cup, nor in IBU-cup... That's the result from the bad skiing, no matter the reasons to them, no matter if you were best woman in the sprint in Ridnaun, or sick. No excuses...
The fastest skier of us will ski World Cups in January, and the winner of the small national race here in Kontiolahti during December will have starts both in IBU-cups and finally in Antholz. And all these decisions I find a bit unfair, but You cannot do anything but ski faster. We don't count shootingtimes or hitprocent, nope. Even if we were biathletes. but all this aftertalk is pointless and will only waste my precious time.

So it's bittersweet to stay home now the whole January, skiing som xc-races perhaps and preparing to ECH's in Brezno-osrblie... If they ever send anybody there! My boyfriend will fly with his friends to Thailand fo three weeks and Ahti is flying to Germany and World Cup already on Sunday! He had by the way missluck during the world Cup in December, broken skipoles and not-firing bullets etc. Hopefully you all will keep the thumbs up for him and wish him luck..!:) At least one of our family is on G!!;)

Now I'm off to swim in the lake and have a small run before that. Yesterday we had a big storm here and lot of people are still running without electricity! We had sun and snow this morning and I liked skiing and shooting in the hard wind... nearly perfectly;D So my spirit's up. hopefully your thumbs too later in January..:)

ciaoooo

Rushing Hours^^'

Här befinner jag mig, i tåget på väg mot Helsingfors! Jag har precis genomfört mitt sista snöträningsläger i år i Vuokatti och nu åker jag till Ridnaun och Obertilliach. Skidskyttecirkus är däremot i Östersund där säsongen har börjat för några dagar sen! Ska hålla tummarna för min lillebror och alla andra kompisar som står på startlinjen.J

Who didn’t understand my Swedish I just told I’m right now on the way to Helsinki and tomorrow I’m already in Austria and Obertilliach! I just finished my last snow camp this year. In the meanwhile, the biathloncirkus has arrived to my “hometown” Östersund!! So let’s but the thumbs up for my little brother Ahti and other Finns and fellows. J

Two weeks ago when I was training again in Vuokatti I got some company from our A-team girls; Kaisa, Mari and Sanna, as well as Ahti. We were also accompanied by the Austrian, Belarus, Ukraine etc.biathlon teams! So it was pure traffic jam going on there. Everybody tried to find desperately some snow and Vuokatti was one of the best places in whole Europe! Except Kontiolahti, Vuokatti has been the only place for my trainingcamps this year and actually it has worked pretty well! It’s a bit miserable that our B-team hasn’t had any trainingcamps after September if we just don’t count this Muonio snowcamp, where Sarianna was the only girl to arrive. I decided to stay nearer to home and train in Vuokatti, as did also Kaisa and co.

It was quite quiet now at this time in Vuokatti and I was able to train as planned on the excellent tracks! Over two weeks ago I got a phone call from the coach that I won’t be skiing in the first IBU-cup and World Cups. So it meant only that I get more time for training (which is actually an excellent choice for me after this “puzzle- autumn”).

I’ll fly now on Sunday to München and then straight to Obertilliach. After a couple of days training there we head to Ridnaun for the second IBU-cup this year! And as likely it’s going to be my first real races this season. I haven’t had such a hurry with the races. I will get them enough during the long season I think so.:D And we have to remember World Champs are just in March!! Due to our poor money situation in our biathlon federation we have to pay all of the costs from the next two weeks, getting only IBU-moneyaid to get this all through! Well, I’m actually used to it, cause two years ago it was all the same shit^^’)

The first races in Kontiolahti went pretty bad actually. On Saturday I shot my first ever jackpot (5penalties from standing) and felt over 4 minutes behind Olympic Winner Kuzmina. In the pursuit I managed to normalize my doings and gathered only 3 penalties, having one of the best individual times of the day. I just got my new riffle and due to its short magazines, I needed to buy a new rifle stock too! So it’s been more difficult to find my normal positions and things^/

Now I’m off.J See you on the track, sooner or later. Arrivederci!!

- Laura

It's time for skies!

Privet!
That's the greeting I'm wishing with smile nearly every morning here in Kontiolahti! There are teams at least from Khanty-Mansiysk and St.Petersburg, and Kuzmina and co!:) But it's not too busy on the cooled skitrack and I'm able to do my trainings as planned. I spent two times one week training in Vuokatti. At the first time we had our "first and last" trainingcamp with B-team, that because all the previous camps have been partly only races and sometimes even we lived at home so so... Luckily our B-teamcoach took it all quite easy-going and I was able to adjust the program a little bit with my own coach:) This camp was really good break after the miscellaneous times with moving and stress^^



Last week I was once again in Vuokatti, training by my own. Half of the time having company of my boyfriend and half of the time alone.. Or how could I say; together with Belarus team and a lot of other skiers, starting their schoolbreak and autumnholidays by skiing outside on the 1,5k track! And when I arrived back home, Ahti also arrived from the superlong trainingcamp in Ruhpolding and Ramsau! It's been a bit worse conditions up on the glacier this year, but nevertheless; Ahti is really fit:D And he is already named to the Worldcup team to Östersund! On the girls side only Kaisa and Mari are sure for the big cup. So there are two places left and they will be decided after the qualiraces here in Kontiolahti 19 th of Nov.

Otherwise it's time to relax few days now, before we head to Muonio at 5th of November. There're supposed to be also German and swedish biathlon teams! That means the raceseason is starting soon when you see more and more biathletes training tiptop.^^' I'm excited and not at all nervous, I'm not worried if I'm not skiing in the first WorldCup. Of Course it would be great, especially when the first place Östersund is my second hometown (like I always say:)) and also I've heard there are many friends and fans coming around!:) But in the meanwhile it would be easy to ski in Ibu-cup when you know the places; Ridnaun and Obertilliach are both excellent for training and also situated at the higher altitude... Anyways, I accept every desicion where I'll be skiing or if I ski at all abroad! Who knows. My shape is getting better but it's hard to know where I stand, so in the middle of October:)

We were supposed to have a trainingcamp in Vuokatti, starting tomorrow but due to lack of money in our biathlonassociation we don't have it. (nor a-team!!!:o) But as I told you before I hope our next camp in Muonio will be there...

And in the end, The season is actually starting this sunday!! Cross-country Finnish cup starts on Saturday in Vuokatti, and I'll be skiing relay with Kontiolahti SportClub on Sunday together with Kaisa and Sarianna! so there we are, Saarinen, Lähteenmäki and co. Cool!! Let's see...

Otherwise I'm of to swim again to the lake with Sampo, Just 3 times in the sauna and then 4 times a small round in the lake;) refreshing and awesome!!

ps. Recommended book to read for German biathlonfans, or anybody who's interested in Finland from a viewpoint of a german man:) Wolfram Eilenberger- Finnen von Sinnen! geiles Buch-- er wird(oder hat schon) nach Finnland umziehen um eine Finnin zu heiraten und dann erzählt er auch wie viel die Finnen spinnen;)) *gg*

Behind the scenes?!

Hou!

Oh this time's passing so quickly! Sorry!=)

So how is it going over here? There's been a lot of things happening behind the scenes. I just wanted to show how it happens... the results are not always "just" what they show. How people usually do? -check out the results from the races and blame the losers and cheer for the winners. easy eh? Most of the time there are many unknown facts that should be considered before you cheer or blame..^^' I'm not talking just about me, but also about all the athletes!

Well, there really have been going on something. And in this case there are things like moving, packing, cleaning, racing, training, school, boyfriend, decorating, playing, worrying... eh demanding me just to take a nap! -But I don't have even time fot that!

After my big brother's wedding, it's been all but easy! I have to mention that my first (hopefully not the last) weddingday was memorable and lovely, but also causing very aching feet and also I got a flue! Next weekend after that we had finnish cross-biathlon champs, and it didn't really help my feeling in my body when I HAD to start in the races. Well, luckily I wasn't that bad and we took even the relay gold for Kontiolahti!
So let's count, one week sick and the next week I was kind of resting in Helsinki and then heading to Lahti where I was training with my personal coach! At this part I felt okey, but once again there were IBU-cup roller races coming...
So I think I was kind of healthy one week and of course you're supposed to do a lot of trainings, well due to that and all the other stressy things (like packing, cleaning up for the new address!!!) I started in rollerraces...

Everyone can check out the results, and think oh she's not doig very well... In the big new steap uphill I was nearly dead, and in addition to bad skiing I even shot 2 misses from standing. Somewhere between Otepää trainingraces and that day (5weeks) I had lost over 100seconds compared to my fellow Sarianna. 10seconds behind in Otepää and now we could be nearly counting hours^^D

My nervsystem was tired, so did my muscles, in that case you have no choice to take in some oxygen..^D Well, I skipped the pursuit day and continued my non-athletic lifestyle with packing and stressing. so on... And that means one week total stress with big packs and new address stuff. Luckily we got it finished before the Finnish roller-biathlon champs just during the next weekend! But there were no better way. One day during the previous week I realized I had to calm down and stop worrying about every single thing when I was crying all day along, even in the training...^^/

My new home is now here in the centrum of Joensuu, just a few steps away from university.. I'm living now in a huge 106m2 flat with my little brother and boyfriend. It's only ridiculous that both of them took this moving very calmly, and only I was affected so heavily.
But dont' worry now I'm doing a little bit better! Unfortunately I wasn't allowed to follow the A-team to Obertilliach trainingcamp, nor I have money for Ramsau sportcamp! This year our lovely association put so heavy costs for the camp that none of b-team can't afford it!

That means training days at home... that's a bit heavy for my bright head which loves Austria and the landscapes of Ramsau!

However, There were certainly some things going on here, and that's (hopefully) the reason for the poor races at this point of the season. Luckily I've still three months to go before the season starts.... in SWEDEN!!! o vad jag saknar ditåt!:)

I'll update later, now I head to dancelessons and wait for the coming sportcamp in Vuokatti!

Arrivederci!
GLG

Otepää, there and back again!

Tere!

Once again we've returned back home from sunny Otepää!! At this time the news- free traveling day was Friday, the day when there were these insane terrorattacks in Norway. I'm so upset how this was so raw! so sorry for the norwegians and fellows^^/

Well above that miserable story I heard also good news from Sweden! My good friend and my only finnish speaking teacher in Östersund Marko Laaksonen will be coaching the swedish biathlon women team=) And during this spring there were my ex-coach Johan Hagström doing this job! I'm so proud of them both. JEJEJJE=)

So we've just finished our trainingcamp in Otepää. 8th summer in a row!! So the landscapes are quite familiar to me:) Two weeks there is just enough, longer time would have driven us to madness I think^^' This year we had other schoolaccommodation, just in the middle of the town. Good sides were that there were gym and room for cycles and stuff. Otherwise, it was a bit bad choice. Estonian Rally circus arrived to the city at the 2nd weekend, and living just in the centrum wasn't very pleasant to sleep. and the hot nights were also prohibiting recovery... If you're sweating 24/7 you're not so fresh after two weeks trainingcamp with over 40 hours training and around 10hours pure shootingtraining^^D

Anatoly was the chef of the camp and I think we managed well also this year. I did a bit my own trainings, and actually I felt great! :o I was able to run properly first time after 9 weeks with my broken feet (hurted it during kick-boxing lesson^0) And due to massages and right training it was getting better all the time... Hopefully it will last the races during the next weekend, when we have Finnish Championships in Cross-Biathlon! This journey to Jalasjärvi is long, though. After that I'll perhaps continue to Lahti to my coach and to Helsinki with my boyfriend. So we'll see when I come back^^')

Tomorrow's the day when my big brother is getting married!!=) Seems like we'll have a warm sunny day coming, with a lot of happy things...:)) I'll be reading some poetry in the church and in the evening maybe singing. We'll have fun anyways;)
Now off to the city and enjoy the sunset in the summerheat... Tomorrow I'll be fine:P

xxx

ps. Thank you all for the nice birthdaywishes. As I told you earlier, now I'm wiser, sun-tanned and thinner. *grinning*hehe:D Danke schön, tack så mycket, bolshoe spasibo, jekuji =)

Breaking Silence!

I was just driving back home from training "deep in the swamp" when I heard this tragedy of one of the greatest cross-country skiers in Finland, Mika Myllylä. Ten years he had to to stand up to the critic and shit, having big private-, as well as alcoholproblems. I hope none of the athletes have to live the “post-sport- life” like that.

Anyways above all, I’m not dead (ironically) although I’ve been climbing up to the Vuokatinvaara in deadheat, trying Benji-jumping, and crowling in the mod… XD

Last time I wrote it was time for Off-season, now we’ve been training over two months since that! Trainingcamps in Åland and Vuokatti are well-done and now I’m just about to head to Otepää. And believe or not, it’s 8^th summer in a row when I’m doing this!! I bet this happens also next July and until death do us part… ^^'

Actually I started the trainingseason with lovely combined training and relaxing week in Crete! Swimming and running on the beach, but also biking to the nearest mountainpeak with my little brother included to the program. +27c degrees and sun made my smile wider and my skin browner:D Satisfying result!

After that I’ve been training mostly at home, only one “small” problem rolling in my head all the time. I don’t know who would be my coach!!!! And that’s more than a huge question cause now we’re talking about the years until Olympic Wintergames in 2015! As you may know our Anatoly came back to Kontiolahti, and I had been co-operating with my Norwegian coach since October. Then we also got a new A-team coach Mika Haapoja (my ex-coach before I moved to Östersund) . And how come, I had three eager coaches willing to coach me, but dunno how I came to the option that nobody expected! Somehow (and with help of my dearest..including phonecalls to all around the world..) Tomi Kuutti from Lahti (Also Kaisa’s and Mari’s ex-coach) is now supposed to bring something fresh to my body. I’m trusting now that this system will work and bring me a new level in my skiing. Shooting things I’m handling with Anatoly and co. So there shouldn’t be any problem. I have also started a new mental training program with Christoph Treier and I hope I’ll reach my goals easier when he’s around!:)

We have now a brandnew coachgroup, including also Kaisa’s personal coach Jarmo Punkkinen. Thus far everything seems okey and I hope it will be even better! We have more trainingcamps than ever before and that means only more days abroad… J Ruhpolding, Obertilliach, Ramsau, Vuokatti and Muonio, for A-team.. Maybe I’m coming along with them to some of the camps! In the meanwhile I’ll be training at home with Ahti and Anatoly, once in a while taking a tour to Lahti to my personalcoach. Who knows, maybe I’m also moving to that direction pretty soon. But about that and the reasons later then:D

So I’m heading to Lahti now and tomorrow morning to Otepää for two weeks. After that it’s time for the wedding of my big brother<3 That will be sensitive and great day. A relaxing day between the trainingcamps and Finnish Cross-Summerbiathlon Champs…

Returning here later ,I’m then one year older and one year wiser, happily and eager to see again the beloved ones.:)

Hugs xxx