McKee's McThoughts: Science can be beautiful

I McThink it’s really cool how analytical mankind is. We freakin’ study everything. Government studies confirm this.
    Next week on skiracing.com will be a piece by “McThoughts” on nutrition. A quick glance at the photo to the right should be all the evidence anyone needs to see the folly in that assignment. But it got us thinking about science. They broke the nutrition thing down component by component. Pretty impressive, really.

I MCTHINK IT'S REALLY COOL how analytical mankind is. We freakin’ study everything. Government studies confirm this.
    Next week on skiracing.com will be a piece by “McThoughts” on nutrition. A quick glance at the photo to the right should be all the evidence anyone needs to see the folly in that assignment. But it got us thinking about science. They broke the nutrition thing down component by component. Pretty impressive, really.
    The next time we thought about science was completely unexpected. It came while having dinner with a buddy on his birthday. Job Heintz is an interesting guy, an environmental lawyer, which among other things means he’s shunned the big bucks in favor of being proud of his work. He talked about climate change and ski racing. He poked into a lot of our corners. And then he said: “The sugar maples are migrating north.”
    No, they’re not hiking up their bark skirts and stepping with their roots like a broom in Fantasia, but it is true. Statistics produced in Pennsylvania prove the case. The maples are moving on, being replaced by hickory and other more Southern species. Wonder how far north ski areas will have to migrate?
    In ski racing, science is everywhere. Chemical breakdowns of wax, for instance. Bevel angles, for another. The science takes the infinite sport and breaks it down to measurable stuff. The key, of course, is the implementation of the knowledge. An athlete learns what type of muscle mass, for example, needs to be built, then has to go to the gym and build it. Dedication is what that is called.
    The best example of the year, to date: Kikkan Randall.
    Kikkan — you rock. The U.S.A. has had cross-country racers since well before the World Cup began in 1982. But before Jan. 21, 2007, no female wearing a USA uniform had ever reached a World Cup cross-country podium: Ever.
    Can’t say that anymore.
    Over a racecourse fashioned from blocks of ice, covered with ice chunks, covered with slush and chilled, Kikkan Randall stayed with group that included Olympic and World Championships medal winners to collect an historic third-place finish. Bet she knows exactly how many calories she burned doing it, too. Nothing but respect here for the work it takes to get into position to even try this type of accomplishment. Nice.
    Here’s another example: Julia Mancuso — you rock.
    Every non-racecourse photo we see of this young woman, she’s posing. And, she is definitely poster material. No doubt about it, she’s enjoying all this and we can’t help but think that is a definite component. It’s an odd animal the ability to cope with the attention winning brings. Science can’t be much help in this area. An athlete either likes the limelight or hates it. It’s a good thing to see Mancuso likes it.
    And another: Lindsey Kildow — you rock. It can’t be easy to get back on the horse that threw you, as Lindsey did at San Sicario. Not just riding this horse, but racing it hard. Look at Kildow’s speed race results — podiums or nothing. Seven races completed, one fourth, one third, three seconds and two wins.
    This is one hell of a one-two punch the U.S. team has in alpine. Mancuso and Kildow are third and fifth in the overall standings, third and fourth in the super G standings and second and third in the downhill standings. Makes the mouth water thinking about the World Championships coming up. And the next five years. These kids are just 22 years old. Can you hear the McSnicker?
    The maples won’t get far in five years. These kids move a whole lot faster.