SkiPost
Volume 16 Issue 17: Aug 21, 2014
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Do you have a Nordic training, technique, equipment, travel, or event question? Just email us at [email protected] 

Better Glide

 

I think you have touched on this before but I would like to help my husband find skate skis with optimal glide. Though he is a great wax technician and takes meticulous care of his skis, everyone else (including me) has better glide most of the time. He is 5 ft 11 in, 175 lb and a strong skier, looking for skis to use in average winter temps (the 15 to 25 degree range) in New England. 

 

I am happy to help as much as I can from internet. But going to a quality ski shop and perhaps coach will help more than I can over email.


 

He should first consider two things.

 

1) Technique- if he does not ride a flat ski and glide well, others can out glide him even if his skis are fast.


 

2) Skis- rather than just suggesting new skis, which at his very common weight would be a very easy pick, I would suggest you get his present skis analyzed to help determine why he is being out glided.


 

               a) Flex- if skis are too stiff or/too soft they will not be the fastest. 


 

Too stiff and the skis carry your load over a very small area. The skis will be slower in soft snow because they will "plow". In hard snow the skis will be unsteady edge to edge and make it hard to ride a flat ski and glide long. 


 

Too soft and the bridge under your foot closes under load. This makes your forces go straight down into the snow and does not suspend you over the snow and your speed is robbed with every stride. Soft skis will feel better in soft snow than in hard snow. In hard snow the skis will feel like that want to rotate under your foot like arms on a watch.

 

               b) If the bases are sealed ( from overheating), perfect waxing, perfect flex and perfect technique will still not be enough to out-glide his friends and rivals. He should have his bases examined.

 

So go to your favorite race center with your skis and they should be able to be of more help to you than i can over email. 


 

As a 5'11 175 pound skier you should have no difficulty finding a new fast ski. From most brands a 192 cm stiff flex ski rack will be the place to start. Another good option will be to test ride new skis on snow.


 

But first discover why glide is missing now. 


 

If you have more questions fire away.

 

Andy at SkiPost    

Rollerski Poles?

Are there rollerski specific poles? 
What length should they be vs snow poles?

You can use identical length and model poles for rollerskiing as snow skiing.
Poles named as rollerskiing poles are generally done so for visibility and durability reasons. Durability can be a concern in rollerskiing as the pavement environment and heavy rollerskis are less forgiving than snow skiing so a more impact resistant pole is often favored. Some people also like a more flexible pole for rollerskiing to lessen road impact on on their hands and arms. (I prefer to roller ski on the stiffest and lightest pole available.)

I would recommend the the Start Loppet  yellow pole ( I work with Start) as a good, durable and bright highschool racer rollerski pole. It is 70% Carbon 30% Fiberglass so it is extremely durable yet light and stiff enough and retails for only $120.00.

Andy at SkiPost/Start

Ferrule

Last week I misspelled ferrule.

ferrule (a corruption of Latin viriola "small bracelet", under the influence of ferrum "iron") is a name for types of objects, generally used for fastening, joining, sealing or reinforcement. They are often narrow circular rings made from metal, or less commonly, plastic.

So ferrule is actually just the plastic part that connects the pole shaft to the tip. But since it is no longer made by criming or a circulular ring I will stop using the term ferrule and just call it a basket.

Sharpening

 

Also my advice on sharping could use some refinement so I was provided it by our great SkiPost readers.

 

... those tips are silicon carbide, so the best thing to sharpen them with would be a diamond file or diamond wheel. Regular grinding wheels are also made of silicon carbide, which would be the same hardness as the tip, so using a standard wheel could be frustrating....

Tailoring Training to You and Your life

 

To make the most of your time and energy it is important to focus your efforts. The best way to do this is by picking a few workouts per week to focus on. If you find that you excel at short events like a 5K, then you probably have good speed but need to improve your endurance (we'll call you a type 1 racer). On the other hand, if you perform well at longer events (marathons) then you may lack speed, and should focus on VO2 max and other speed intervals (you are a type 2 racer).

Use the weekly descriptions and week examples below to plan your own weeks. Focus on the workouts emphasized for the type racer (type 1 or 2) you most resemble. Since time is almost always limited plan to complete the top priority workouts first and fit in the others as best you can.

Training must reflect your life and your life must reflect your training. A hard day a work can postpone a hard day of training. If you train hard then you can't party or study or stay up until late at night.

 

Type 1

Base period General Emphasis: Endurance. 

Type 1 racer workout emphasis:

First priority, one endurance session of 2-3 hours per week in level 1.
Second priority, two to four endurance sessions of 1.5-2 hours each per week in level 1 and 2.
Third priority, long LT intervals such as 2x10 minutes under LT with 3 minutes rest between intervals.
Strength priority: circuit strength focusing on strength-endurance (strngth) and back and stomach muscles.

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

Off

Endurance+ strngth

L1 Endurance

Endurance+ strngth

L1Endurance

Intervals+ strngth

Long endurance

 

"I only have half an hour to an hour to train most weekdays, can I get anything out of that?"
Yes, but try to fit your priority workout in on the weekend. Endurance sessions of half an hour should be done primarily in level 2 and should include a few bursts of speed. Strength can take as little as 10 minutes a morning if you can wake up just 10 minutes earlier. Warm up for intervals can take as little as10 minutes, the workout 35 minutes and the warm down 15 minutes.

 

 Type 2


Dear SkiPost,

 

Last week's training recommendations article (above) is perfect -- prioritizing the workouts makes it so much easier to squeeze the important ones into a long work day/week.  Are you planning to do the same thing for type 2 skiers?  That would be really really helpful!

 

Thank you! Debbie (type 2 skier)


 
Debbie, you can find all the info in one place http://skipost.com/training.htm

 

Base period General Emphasis: Endurance.  

 

Type 2 racer workout emphasis 

 

First priority, two to four endurance sessions of 1 to 1.5 hours each per week in level 1 and 2 with 5-10 20second speeds (spd) included in half the sessions and spenst and bounding in one session a week. 

Second priority, shorter LT intervals such as 7x3 minutes at LT with equal recovery. Strength priority, max-strength weight work (strngth). 
 

 

MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
OffIntervals+ strngthEndurance+spd/spenstEndurance+ strngthEnduranceIntervals+ strngthLong endurance
 
 

"How do I do Intervals or Endurance and strength or speed on the same day if I only have an hour after work most weekdays?" 


 
Incorporate speed and/or spenst into a distance session. Add speed or strength onto the warm up and warm down of an interval session. Cut an endurance session short on one weekday to fit in a more challenging strength or speed session. Add a short strength session in the morning before work or after an endurance or interval session.
 

 

Wow, all kinds of good information -- including a preview of type 2 skiers' training priorities!  I've trained long and slow for a long time, and I'm slow but I can go a long time, so I'm willing to try a bunch of intensity and see if I can shake things up and find a little speed.

 

Thanks! Debbie 

Nordic Dave Adventure Series

Nordic Dave Goes Open Water Swimming
Just Do It

It started with Nordic Dave's upbeat daughter (Marnie) calling and saying hey dad, let's do a 5k Open Water swim race. ND doesn't pause, doesn't hesitate and says, GUSTO!

There is nothing a nordic skier cannot do, we are the best athletes on the planet right?  A while later after hanging up the phone, ND's asks himself, self, have you ever swam 3.1 miles before? well nooo.... ND then asks himself how much have you swam this year? Ummm 4 times ..... Hmmm...
 
Race day morning arrives with a similar pause that is related to ski racing on a polar cold morning in a howling blizzard. "Just swim" ND mutters into his coffee waking up.  Will the water be cold? Ain't got no wet suit. Can you swim that long? Sure you can just dog paddle or something. 

Und zo... at the water's edge......hier vie all are jaa ? Uber swimmer types giving each other the eye. They have the very best and latest high tech swim suits on. Something called "blades" and other high end wet suits designed to go fast. ND is clearly the proverbial fish out of water in this crowd of swimmer types.

Meanwhile Marnie is cheerful low key and happy go lucky, she hasn't touched the water in two years but she doesn't care, she's Marnie. From age 9 to 22 she swam 25 hours a week. She spent a few years in Southern Cal. swimming in open water lagoons for distance swim practice and swam point to point races in the ocean with thousands of competitors finishing in the top ten overall. It was just for kicks outside of the daily grind of staring at the black line at the bottom of a swimming pool 8 miles a day every day for 13 years. Some of the uber swim types ask her why she doesn't have the right suit on for racing. Her casual reply, this ain't no big deal. Translation to nordic skiers,...... "what did you wax with today?" Reply, " I didn't wax my skis, just scraped off the old summer storage wax ....."

Off we go naturlich old ND is racing going out hard, it's what old race horses do, they hear "go" and fire up the engine. John Farra and his daughter Lena have graciously shown up to be ND's designated paddlers as the race rules require. ND can't hear a word they say paddling nearby but he gets a clue where to go as they paddle nearby and or up ahead. 1st mile old ND is pounding it, swimmers all around, yup we're racing, hmm ND wonders how long will this last?

About halfway and the constant flutter kicking is making ND's calf muscles seize up and spasm. Feet cramp and turn to stone. Every 5 or 10 minutes he stops to breast stroke to get his calf muscles to relax and release. Swimming becomes a bit labored. Sure enough some yummy lake water is ingested more than once. His stomach groans as in what are you doing to me Nordic?
Calf's cramping, stomach pissed off, we have a ways to go.

1 mile to go, the stomach says, enough, and ND stops to hurl, tread water and hurl some more. Farra along side wondering if I will drown, quit and grab his boat or swim. A few breast strokes and time to concentrate on getting this thing done. The longer old ND goes the slower he gets. He's constantly veering right, the marina is on the left. This constant repetitive motion is getting old and his mind wanders as ND wonders how much longer he can go. The stomach is having issues again and some waves tosses ND up and down yet he knows he's close to the end as he can smell and taste that lovely taste of motor boat fuel.
 
Plowing into the finish like a Mississippi river barge, ND stops, stands up and proceeds to dry heave like he hasn't done since his college days of binge drinking. The spasms are relentless the finish area group of people are wishing for me to please stop. Farra says loudly to no one in particular "yup that's my guy" and wanders off to find his vehicle to put his boats into.
 
Stomach spasm's receding and coherence slowly coming back to life, damn happy to be out of the water, said daughter comes bounding up to congratulate her daddy. Marnie finished 4th overall (about 18 minutes ahead of old ND) and looks relaxed and refreshed like she could go do a mile swim warm down or something.

ND looks at his finsh time of 1 hour 35 minutes, and thinks about bonking in a few nasty cold 50k ski races. He thinks he prefers the bonk in a 50k ski race. He might freeze to death but at least he won't drown.

Nordic Dave

AKA Dave Knoop-NNF Director

Woodski available at BNS

 

Woodski is delighted to announce that our rollerskis and New World foot clamp will soon be offered at all three Boulder Nordic Sport locations in Colorado, Minnesota and Maine. Demo skate and classic skis will be available at all three stores allowing skiers to try before they buy.  

 

 

Bliz RX? 
Dear SkiPost,

Does Bliz do RX?

signed blind without them


Yes  Bliz does RX

2014 Birkie Skier Development Grant Program is now open!



Birkie 2012 Champion Tad Elliott leads local Hayward High School Nordic Ski Team to Torch Lighting at start of 2014 Birkie Week
 

The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation annually provides grant funding to skier development programs throughout the nation. We encourage any cross country ski organization to apply-youth and adult! 

 

Link to Skier Devo Grant page on Birkie.com

http://www.birkie.com/live/philanthropy/skier-development-fund/

 

Photo Credit:

Darlene Prois

 

EVENTS DESTINATIONS

  

EVENTS

 

The Yellowstone Rendezvous Trail Run-www.rendezvousskitrails.com/rendrun

 

You have skied it, now you can run it.

 

 

American Birkebeiner
Wave Closures!
Register now before its to late.
 
Over 8,300 skiers have registered!
That means we're OVER 75% FULL
& waves are beginning to CLOSE!

Birkie Classic Wave 3 - CLOSED
Birkie Classic Wave 4 - CLOSED
Birkie Classic Wave 7 - CLOSED
Birkie Classic Wave 8 - CLOSED

The following waves are VERY!! CLOSE to capacity:

Skate: Waves 2 & 3
Classic: Waves 2 & 5
 
When a wave closes, upon registering you will be placed in the next available wave. 
 

*Please remember, due to our new registration system, you must REGISTER AS A GUEST
 
Questions? Email [email protected] or call 715-634-5025 

Nordic Job Openings

Nordic Job Opening? email [email protected] to post

 

 

 JOB DESCRIPTION

CRAFT Sportswear is seeking a graphic designer with email marketing, print advertising and web development experience. The ideal candidate has at least 2-5 years experience in graphic design.

The individual must be familiar with all pre-press terminology and practices and possess a solid knowledge of design-related and file format terminology (vectors, pdf, eps, rgb, cmyk, jpg, tiff, png, ai, psd, etc.).

RESPONSIBILITIES

* Hands-on Designer - Must be able to take projects from concept through completion * Must work effectively in a deadline driven environment while maintaining a professional attitude at all times * Ability to handle and prioritize multiple projects while meeting deadlines and design goals * Be able to work in a fast paced environment with a relaxed attitude * Take creative feedback easily * Motivated self-starter * Displays strong interpersonal skills * Attention to detail * Reviews work for accuracy before final production * Remains current on industry trends and technology

JOB REQUIRMENTS

Education and Experience * Bachelors degree in Graphic Design * Minimum of 2-5 years related experience * Experience with design and production of various print collateral (brochures, posters, flyers, magazines, etc.) * Strong understanding of color, typography, and layout * Expert in Adobe Creative Suite - Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Dreamweaver * MS Office - Word, Powerpoint, Excel * Email Software * Experience with Print Production and Printers * Experience using MAC OS / PC Skills that are a Plus but not Required: * Experience coding HTML and CSS * E-COMMERCE architecture * Copyediting, Copywriting or Branding experience * Product Photography and Editing * Tradeshow booth design * Video editing * Enjoy the outdoors


 Please contact  
Katie Gould Swenson [email protected]

 

 

MANSFIELD NORDIC CLUB DEVELOPMENT TEAM
COACHING POSITION
Mansfield Nordic Club seeks to hire a Junior Team Development coach to lead our top youth skiers toward higher level skiing on our Junior Competition team. Our new coach will be a high-energy skier with strong communication, leadership and interpersonal skills. The position is for approximately 15-20
hours per week, November 2014-March 2015. There is likely potential for this position to lead into the Head Coach for our Junior Competition Team in May 2015.

Our new coach will have primary responsibilities for:
* Coaching our Development Team with 10-12 fast, motivated skiers, age 12-16, who strive to make the MNC Competition Team. Several of these skiers are among the top in New England and ready for specialized technique and race coaching.
* Provide motivation, technique development and race savvy in a fun and energetic environment.
* Create a passion & joy for skiing with determination & toughness to be the best skier they can be.
* Collaborate closely with BKL and Competition Team head coaches to bridge athletes from the BKL youth program to the Junior Competition Team
* Expand the number of female athletes transitioning from BKL to Junior Team
* Provide race support at 8 NENSA Eastern Cup races and at 3-4 BKL races
* Design individualized training programs for each athlete with long & short range goal setting
* Lead and train a parent volunteer wax team
* Actively communicate and coordinate with parents and with school ski team coaches Mansfield Nordic Club is one of the largest and most diverse Nordic ski clubs in New England with programs for 200+ skiers age 7-70. Our home training facility is the Ethan Allen Biathlon Range in Jericho, Vermont with snowmaking, lights, piston bully grooming, challenging competition level trails, stadium, full biathlon range, large lodge and 5km paved roller ski system. We also train at numerous facilities including Trapp Family Lodge and Craftsbury Outdoor Center. Our members range from recreational fitness skiers to top competitive skiers. Our youth, junior, collegiate and masters skiers have been on the podium at the New England BKL Festival, Junior Nationals, NCAA competitions and Masters National and World championships. We provide programs for Bill Koch League recreation skiers, Bill Koch League Race Team, Junior Development Team, Junior Competition Team and Masters fitness and Masters competitive groups. In addition to our winter skiing programs, we host a summer training program for junior skiers, a fall training program and a Thanksgiving Camp with former Olympic skier
Garrott Kuzzy.

For more specific details on this position, email: [email protected]

 BNJRT 

Head Development Coach & Assistant Coaches

 

Boulder Nordic Junior Race Team (BNJRT) seeks candidates for Head Development Coach and Assistant Coaches. The Head Development Coach will be responsible for overseeing development of younger skiers (U14-U8) and assisting (and collaborating with) the Head Coach for older skiers (U20-U16). Assistant Coaches will primarily coach younger skiers with options to assist on race weekends. We seek coaches that are able to teach classic and freestyle techniques to athletes from 8-19 years old with varied skiing and athletic backgrounds and are able to find creative ways to integrate fun into training.

 

The Boulder Nordic Junior Racing Team is a Cross Country Ski Team for kids from 8-19 years old in Colorado's Front Range. There are currently over 50 kids on the team. We provide a positive experience for kids who want to have fun while learning to ski fast. Skiers learn both skate and classical Nordic skiing techniques. Positive attitude and sportsmanship are stressed. Some team members seek high-level competition while others take a recreational approach to the sport and do not compete in races. The race season is centered around 4 race weekends sanctioned by Rocky Mountain Nordic in Colorado and Utah. Over the last two decades, many skiers from our team have competed at the national level.

 

Our season starts with Fall dryland training in and around Boulder. Older skiers train Mon-Thurs after school and younger skiers train Tues/Thurs. After a Thanksgiving Camp at West Yellowstone, we start our on-snow season at the Eldora Nordic Center, with occasional skiing in Boulder (when snow permits).  Older skiers practice after school Mon - Thurs.  Younger skiers practice Tues/Thurs.  All skiers practice Saturday morning 9-11am. 

 

About BNJRT: http://www.bnjrt.net/

About Boulder: http://www.bouldercoloradousa.com/

About Eldora Nordic: http://www.eldora.com/nordic.trail.html

 

Interested applicants please send a resume (PDF attachment) and cover letter (can be the body of the email) to the BNJRT Board of Directors at: [email protected] The BNJRT BOD will review applicants and conduct interviews in the coming weeks.

 

About SkiPost

 

Cross-Country skiing's community lodge. Where knowledge and stories are shared. The goal of SkiPost is to make the sport of Cross-Country skiing easier and more enjoyable for all who choose to participate. If you have questions on Cross-Country Skiing email us [email protected] and visit SkiPost.com

 

Enjoy Winter,

Andrew Gerlach
Director/Editor- SkiPost
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In This Issue
Ask Us
Better glide
Ferrule
Sharpening
Type 1
Type 2
Nordic Dave
Woodski
RX
Birkie Development Grants
Events Destinations
Rendezvous Run
Birkie Waves closing
Nordic Job Openings



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The one gift you receive at birth is time.  You'll never have more  than you have today.  Find the Time.
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Start Kick Waxes

Start Wax  and Poles Explained

 

 

 



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Woodski roller skis, 
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CXC Academy
 
 
 

 

 

 

 
Get Lungplus to preheat your breath and save your lungs. Get a Lungplus and ski like the Norwegians!
For more information go to Lungplususa.com 
 
 
 




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