“Have you taken the safety meeting?” The race organizer’s words echoed in my ears as we arrived late to the event. We walked away, a little disappointed. I mean, when was the last time I heard about a required safety meeting? Wait… I never had to be in a safety meeting before!
As we headed to the car, we dropped into the shooting range. A kind soul showed our friend Karen how to shoot. That qualified her to race, and she did. Seeing how easy it was, I took the safety meeting myself. Suddenly, I realized I was having fun. I mean, who wouldn’t? I had never raced in an event that included shooting rifles before. Enter biathlon, Seeley Lake style. I have to admit, post-race, this was KICK ASS.
The race started off in pursuit style, 30 seconds apart. We had to do a 3k loop. After you rip your lungs out of your chest and render your legs spaghetti, you are given a rifle and a clip of 5 bullets. Pow click klak, pow click klak, pow click klak, pow click klak, pow click klak. I got 3 out of 5 prone and heard Bill Schultz yell, “Good shootin’ Bill,” in the distance. I thought back to when I used to watch the World Cup biathlon in Lake Placid. It would be exciting to watch now that I know what is going on.
For each missed shot, you must do a penalty loop. In the end, I did 6 penalty loops and managed to clean up my skating style to finish in about 45 minutes. It’s amazing when you become part of someone else’s life, the things you get exposed to. I have to admit, I was not excited to do a biathlon, but after doing it, I’m glad I did.
- Biathlon Basics: To get a good understanding of the sport, check out the International Biathlon Union’s official website. They offer a comprehensive overview of biathlon, including rules, techniques, and history.
International Biathlon Union - Training Tips: For tips on training and improving both your skiing and shooting skills, “Biathlon: The Complete Training Handbook” by Katrin and Andreas Stitzl is a great resource. This book provides detailed training plans, shooting techniques, and fitness advice.
Biathlon Training Handbook on Amazon - Local Clubs and Events: Joining a biathlon club can be a great way to train and participate in more events. The United States Biathlon Association website has a directory of clubs across the country.
United States Biathlon Association – Club Directory - Watching Competitions: To watch professional biathlon events, like the World Cup you mentioned, the IBU TV website offers live streams and video highlights of biathlon competitions around the world.
IBU TV - Community and Forums: For a more personal touch, joining online forums or communities can be a great way to connect with other biathlon enthusiasts. Reddit has an active biathlon community where people share news, experiences, and advice.
Biathlon Subreddit
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