May is a time to reset your goals and annual training program. Some of us are still  lucky enough to ski a few times a week.

Yet it is also a time of transition and cross training into biking, hiking, running,rock climbing, etc.. Personally I can't just jump into something like running full on as this old race horse needs to ease into it over weeks and months.

Never the less, I look down at the toll at what an unrestricted/ unstructured  diet has done in a few short weeks and with little to no training and yup it's time. Unrestricted and unstructured you say? Definitely, the rest was good! 

In so doing May is a month in which to lay the base work for the incrementally harder and higher volume training months to come. Each season will build on another until it's once again time to ski and ski race with renewed spirit and full of ELAN and PANACHE!

Meanwhile back in the month of May, it's time to say to yourself..."self" let's get going...

It's a bit early for me to think about roller skiing because by November I am ready to scream from many months of roller skiing. However cross country skiing is a quadrupedal activity, or full body sport. Keeping that in mind, blending in weight lifting, hillbounding with poles and swimming are great activities to work into your training plan. The hill bounding with poles also takes weight off my sore calf muscles as my upper body takes on some of the work load which then helps me have better subsequent
uptempo running days. Swimming can also be a great way to recover from a hard day of training as my body is a lot more relaxed after I get out of the pool.

Core strength is a huge advantage to have over those focused solely on heart rate and distance over the summer. As we age, typically it is easier to log miles yet core strength is what we really need as it is the first thing we lose and sometimes hardest to bring back. Imagine having explosive power late in a ski race. That would be having what I call "Elan and Panache". The 41k point, a.k.a "Bitch Hill", at the Birkie comes to mind in this scenario. Those at their limit falter as you ski on with renewed strength.

Putting a plan together and phasing into it now through summer and fall will surely garner looks of surprise from your fellow competitors and friends next winter.

Setting some mid term goals like summer triathlons, mtn races, etc... will help you stay focused in the months ahead as well as having fun, yet keep in mind the eye on the prize is how you have become better prepared for next winter!

Skiers are definitely made in the summer!

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