Training Log Archive: AliC

Ski weekend = so much fun!! So nice to have people up there! And the snow was great, best snow north of DC? =) Can't believe the weirdness of this winter!

Actually got a better warmup in this time- a bit sore from yesterday's racing, but not bad once I finished warming up. Cheered hard for Stephi when she came through for her lap too, then saw her finish as I was just about to start!

10k skate interval start Eastern Cup (+ EISA Carnival) @ Trapps

And again, a totally decent, although not fantastic race. 16 out of 158, 3 min behind the winner. So further percent back than yesterday- I've always been better at classic, but I thought today was a better race. Guess not! I felt strong on the hills, but weak on the flatter bits- I don't have the upper body strength to have a very powerful V2 at the moment... Still, I'm perfectly happy with the result, given the lack of ski-focused training.

Stephi was super-duper cheering for me up almost all the tough hills. Helped so much! Ross, Sam and SGB caught the very finish I think, where I probably looked totally exhausted...

Back and forth on Fox Track, coaching Heather, Kathleen and Eric. Eric helpfully got skate-length poles so could start with making v1 asymmetric and fully committed to the pole-ing ski and also started to teach him the rhythm of v1 alternate. Heather and Kathleen are doing really well with a full range of motion, not just walking while skiing- they're now working on allowing the toe off the ground in the back, like I worked with Caroline on yesterday.

Since there's no snow in Amherst, wanted to get in a nice long ski particularly motivated with the French marathon I'm doing in 2 weeks now. Woo!

Skied the 5k race course and added the 2.5k add-on that makes it 7.5k. Then up to the Cabin! And around Slayton Pasture and then down Haul Road, but detour back up Oslo where I ran into the Hosmers and chatted for a bit. Then back down Bobcat and continue on down Haul Road back- *love* the chute bypass- best fun downhill turns this side of the S-turns at Oak Hill. =)

Was tired at the end. Very tired. And the lodge meadow was doing its best to be utterly inhospitable with strong wind, blowing drifting snow and cold temps. I bundled up, grabbed skis and headed to the car for a 3.5h drive back home....

Barely squeaked in a warm-up amongst fretting about kick wax. Helpful CSU folks helped me wax though (yay!) and also helped when I came back needing a bit more kick. Skis were pretty good, just very slightly slippy.

5k skate interval start Eastern Cup (+EISA Carnival) @ Trapps

On the new 5k race course for the first time! Good fun, but tough with lots of climb at the end. Think I skied it pretty well. There was a weak spot of double pole just after the 4k mark, but brought it back together. Stomach actually cramped up a bit which almost never happens with skiing. Curious.

Finished 14/223, only 1 min back from Ida Sargent, who has recently done pretty well at U23 championships, so pretty psyched about that. If I just had a bit more upper body strength think I could chip away at that...

Skied on my super-old favorite classic skis. Love them! But eventually will have to use something else... scary.

After racing, did a warm down with Steph. Ran into Mark Johnson (Janna's little bro). Last saw him in Norway right after the Birkebiner! He's back in the States, now skiing for Williams.

For the afternoon, went over to Sleepy Hollow to join everyone. First time *ever* skiing there- was nice! Didn't get to see many of the trails though, would be fun to go back and explore.

Went back and forth on Lower Saddle Trail, coaching folks. Discovered Eric was using his classic poles for skating, so then suggested he ski mostly without poles- they were forcing him into a wierd hunched body position. Ross and Sam both working on full weight transfer from ski to ski and making the V1 poling motion asymetric. SGB working on keeping more and more forward and smoothing out the stride, working a lower tempo, longer glide. Caroline's looking much better, suggested she start to let the back foot come off the ground a smidgen in the back, to allow her to keep her weight forward.

Just at the end (when a setting sun made it quite cold!) went off and skied the ungroomed Upper Saddle Trail by myself. Maybe not a great idea on race skis, but was careful and didn't ding them up.

Must.Work.Out.

Also organizing a journal article discussion today, which people already started yelling about at coffee yesterday- eep! So decided I better re-read the article, did about 10 pages of it while cross-trainering...

10 min abs
2 min back
1 min triceps

To super-low key college-kid-DJ'ed radio.

Cage Workout

20 min warm up, 6.25 tempo mile, recovery between intervals (3-4 min), and 11 min cool down

Mile intervals:
5.41
5.48
5.49
5.49

Not quite as quick as 2 weeks ago, hmmm. Stomach wasn't too happy though.

Normal crowd was there, plus new guy Aaron from Greenfield. 3 members of the Amherst HS girls' indoor track team were also working out - 10 x 150m, and their coach is maybe interested in coming out orienteering, once his hip is better! And, instead of cheerleaders this week, we had the ultimate team and some polevaulters- they were way more respectful of minding the track, have to say...

Worked too late. Went to gym. Did the arc trainer for 15 minutes and then the strange swingy elliptical-type thing for 15 minutes.

Question: Do people get as good a workout in if they are watching TV at the same time? I certainly felt like I lost some focus...