Midwest Regional Race updates Jan 14 & 15

Posted on January 12, 2023 by Minnesota Biathlon - Ben

Conditions are good at Blackhawk considering there is no natural snow in southern WI. Our Snow makers did a great job getting the course and range ready. We will have a 1.0 and 1.3K loop for the races. The entire course has 1′ to 3′ of snow base and will ski fast. Race day temps are expected to be in the mid 20’s to upper 30’s degrees.

Registration closes on Wednesday evening 1/11/23 at midnight. Looking forward to seeing a good turnout. Please plan to help with races as we need volunteers to make the races a success. Currently we have over 40 racers registered for each day.

Looking forward to great races this weekend

https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=301265

https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=301266

For those not attending the Blackhawk events, on Sunday the 15th, the MN Guard will be hosting an event at Camp Ripley. If you wish to attend, please contact me, Bill Meyer, directly by noon tomorrow- [Thursday]!!

I have 8 civilians registered and the Guard is expecting 8-10.

Mass Start

Women 7.5km

Men 10 km

9:30 meeting at F Range [need to stop at the gate on the way onto the base, then need to stop at Range control and sign out a pass—then watch your speed on the way to F Range!!]

10:00 zero

11:00 race

In addition the range/trails will be open from 1:00-3:00 for open training after the race. Bring your own lunch!!

We do need to turn in names by Thursday pm for both the start list and to provide them to gate security!!

Hope you can do some Biathlon this coming weekend!!

And we will have an Invitation out for the 22nd and 29th at Elk River shortly!!

Bill Meyer, Coach

Used Izhmash 7-3 rifle with Anschutz sights

Posted on January 12, 2023 by Minnesota Biathlon - Ben

Izhmash 7-3 rifle with Anschutz sights. Comes with harness, five 5-shot magazines, extra cartridge suspender, and sling/hand stop.

Extras include: pelican-1720 travel case fully prepped for rifle (TSA approved), core-sport snow cover, extra arm cuffs

Asking price for rifle, travel case, and snow cover: $3500 (negotiable)

Contact info: Camille at csyben@ucsb.edu or (530)523-3325

Updates and Info

Posted on December 28, 2022 by Minnesota Biathlon - Ben

Happy Holidays to you!

So, we have folks in Anchorage for the US Y & Jr World Championship Team Trials, others headed that way, many working with their high school teams this week, and others doing their own thing. With that wide spread of training advice needs, I think I am done with the “Hypothetical 500 hr per year” weekly training plans —for the time being…ski a lot, shorter and harder when you are approaching an important race series, and keep your hands on that rifle!! The majority of your fitness training is over now for the year—but you can still gain by adding some frosting to the cakes—both skiing and shooting—and definitely in the combination of the two!!

If anyone wants a plan..let me know!

I will likely continue to send out a weekly epistle, but sans the weekly plan.

In Anchorage, Dec 26th is Unofficial training, 27th is Official Training where the course and range are set up like for the first race, and Wed the 28th is the first race—a Sprint with 10km for all Men and 7.5km for all Women. If they use the normal winter Biathlon courses, the courses have more vertical climbs than Mt Itasca. They are not quite so technical [hard corners, difficult transitions], as I recall.

The Sprint will be followed on Thursday the 29th by a 10 km Pursuit format for both genders, then another Official Training Day, and finally another Sprint—this one 7.5km for Men and 6.0 km for Women.

The Trials are scored on a % back basis based on the average time of the top 3 athletes in each race. Then each athlete is ranked by their best two races.

The US Team announcements should be made soon after the last race.

Then in mid Jan we have two opportunities; a Regional Race weekend at Blackhawk near Madison WI and also an Invitation to a race at Camp Ripley on Sunday the 15th—please see the attached, and let me know if you plan to attend either event. The following two weekends in Jan will each see an event at Elk River on Sundays—a MN Cup first then a one day Regional race on the last weekend.

So, a lot of opportunities coming up shortly, but in the meantime—follow along with our MN Biathlon team in Anchorage. Results should be available on Zone4.ca , the USBA webpage, or the Biathlon Club of Anchorage webpage.

Enjoy the snow, it will warm up soon [just a little, I hope] and be sure to get out on skis with your rifle!! And Dryfiring really works!! As Nike used to say, “Just Do It”

Happy New Year’s—Enjoy the Journey!
Bill Meyer, Coach
MNBiathlon

Ticks and Alpha Gal allergy

Posted on October 22, 2022 by Minnesota Biathlon - Ben

Good Morning!

A couple of weeks ago I finally got in to see an allergist regarding some pretty severe hives [periodic skin rash and blistering—a immune system reaction]. I was pretty negative for almost all the 40 + things she checked for—except for Alpha Gal. This is a carbohydrate contained in red meat. Primarily beef. It would come on around 10:00 in the evening. As the allergist explained, most food allergies like those related to peanuts etc will show up right after eating. Some, like this, have to be broken down by the body first—so show up 2-4 hrs after eating that food.

Looking up the allergy online, it seems it is connected to tick bites—{???] and specifically the Lone Star tick. Now we don’t have those in MN, although I do recall being bit in Colorado some years ago. But, my daughter Kirsti who is a reporter for MPR recalled an article they had some time ago, which covered some who had the allergy in Northern MN. And the online info indicated that an “unnamed” tick might be responsible in the North Central states.

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2017/01/12/tick-triggered-meat-allergy-northern-minnesota

So along with Lymes and 2 or 3 other related diseases caused by bites from the deer tick or as they prefer to call it: the Black Legged Tick, there is a newer problem.

Lymes will cause some severe fever/chills and general illness and unless treated, can cause some long-term health problems. This Alpha Gal allergy can also cause some severe issues—they issued me an epipen.

Now most of the 1000+ tick bites I have probably had in a lifetime of outdoor activities have been from the brown or dog tick..common in June in our area. The deer ticks are also out then—much smaller and very hard to check for. And, deer ticks are also back around in the fall..so be careful if you have been out and about!!

And if you experience the fever/chills, get checked asap for Lymes or the other more common problems; and if, perchance, you get an allergic reaction when eating animal meat—see an allergist. Fish and poultry apparently do not contain the alpha gal sugar.
Bill Meyer, Coach
MNBiathlon