Training Log Archive: W

A day after the Camrose loppet, went for a nice recovery ski before the shop. Despite the wind, threre was enough snow to cross the bridge over to Rundle and then across to the Strathcona Science Park and around the biathlon trails, which suck. I really don't know what possessed them to put their range there. Biathletes....

Ole Uffda Loppet. That was probably the slowest 30k I've ever done. We got more fresh snow the night before, so the tracks were soft, slow, and our grip was not amazing. Being largely a power skier, I feel like the trails were really not for my style, I'd get a rhythm going with some solid double poles, sink in and completely lose my speed and rhythm. Super annoying. My glide was crazy awesome though, I skied with the lead pack for the first lap entirely on the strength of my glide, and definitely not on the strength of my arms. The second lap the lead pack of 4 just slowly skied away and I never saw them again, so it was a lonely 15k. Still, nice to race again, the 20k in Athbasca on Sunday was tempting, but going to hit the shop instead.

Garmin track: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/64650998

Just a light workout in anticipation of the Camrose 30k tomorrow. Did some blind skiing around Victoria to get how it feels. It went pretty well, though the course is mostly straight and flat. I think its useful to figure out how curve-y a curve needs to be to really notice it. And it actually needs to be mildly significant. Balance is tough though.

FT skate intervals, 15 x 2 minutes @ 10k race pace. So not super fast. Didn't feel wickedly fast tonight. It was a really nice evening, and conditions were fantastic although slow. Unfortunately, it made the trails crowded and we kept having run ins. First it was an off-leash dog, and then it was a second off-leash dog, and then it was the famous club jerk, who we passed during and intervals, and he made a point of catching up to me to yell at me for not saying thanks, or something. But it was the widest part of the trail! He didn't have to do anything! We skied around him! Do I really need to thank him for not doing anything? What a jerk.

More GPS action: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/64364960

Just a nice trainer workout while watching "the footy show".

A surprisingly long easy run. Went to the brand spanking new pedestrian bridge by fort edmonton. I pretty much know everything there is to know about the river valley, but this was a totally new area I've never seen before. It was very cool. It will make a great loop if part of it were plowed, and the bloody quensell bridge were finished. They're like, a year behind schedule.

Weights at the ol' gym. Did some double exercises, deadlifts on instability ball followed by lunges on wobble board. That was a good combo, should do that more. Every exercise is jazzed up by adding balance.

FT Interval night down at Goldbar. Despite being a truckload of snow, the grooming was characteristic awful. The biggest annoyance tonight was that the track was laid down so close to the edge of the grooming, that your outside pole would sink straight through the soft snow.

Regardless, 20x1 minute intervals, arms felt way better than a couple weeks ago. So that was good. Not good for running, but okay for skiing.

Check it, going all high tech with GPS and all: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/64090778

C • GPS 5

Still -2lots out there, so rode the trainer. Truckloads of snow, though. And holy man, some people are just terrible at the price is right.

Went for a fun plod in the snow with my sister. Enough snow to walk out the door, put on the skis, and head to the river valley. Pretty cold, a lot of hip deep snow to trudge through. Its gets a "zero" for intensity, though. Don't get this much snow to do that often, though.