div style=”text-align: center;”Over the last 2 months, some of you may have been worried that I fully dropped off the edge of a cliff never to be seen of heard from again. Fortunately, that is not true, although short of that kind of story, an excuse as to why I have not posted becomes meaningless, so I will not even try. After a good two months of training in Park City, Utah, I am now in New Zealand, training at the Snowfarm. If you are a cross country ski enthusiast, there is pretty much nothing about this place that wouldn’t interest you. Let me explain…/divdiv style=”text-align: center;”br //divdiv style=”text-align: center;”br //divimg style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ObMdc4mpVIg/SmDSc56-4cI/AAAAAAAAAIY/nx0Q0VDrsXU/s320/100_0628.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359514950597272002″ /div style=”text-align: center;”The Lodge: This is the Lodge. It is situated on the top of a mountain, and all around you, every direction you choose to look, there are mountains. These are Lord of the Rings vistas, they are scenes of paradise, and the best part is, all of this placed on 50K of perfectly groomed ski tracks. I have come to the Snowfarm a week before the rest of the team will arrive, as my cousin, Josh, is getting married to a wonderful lady named Kate, so I have been hanging out with the locals and the fellow enthusiasts. Meet the crew:/divdiv style=”text-align: center;”br //divdiv style=”text-align: center;”br //divimg style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ObMdc4mpVIg/SmDSeRm04ZI/AAAAAAAAAIg/h9BjxMVy0Hc/s320/100_0626.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359514974135050642″ /div style=”text-align: center;”Bernie. Bernie has been coming to the Snowfarm for the past 6 years. He is from a town right outside Rochester, NY and coaches cross country running, skiing and track at a high school there. He simply loves to ski and is here to do just that./divimg style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ObMdc4mpVIg/SmDSeqjmxPI/AAAAAAAAAIo/o1jkykwu4Tw/s320/100_0627.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359514980832429298″ /div style=”text-align: center;”Andi and Ben. Andi is from Wellington, but splits her time between Vernon, Canada and “The Farm”. She started skiing 2 years ago and went to World Champs last year! Quick learner. Ben owns land about 2 1/2 hours from here. He mines for gold on his land, parts of Lord of the Rings was filmed there, as well as one other movie. He is a biathlete and a cross country skier and owns a movie projector and an enormous screen. He’s dialed./divimg style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ObMdc4mpVIg/SmDSff03u_I/AAAAAAAAAIw/f6l5SY4mIho/s320/100_0656.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359514995131923442″ /div style=”text-align: center;”John and Tim. They are the TORO guys. They are the snowthrower guys, not to be confused with snowblower guys. They are here simply to test the quality of a given snowthrower. The other day they put in 13 miles with these things, and not on simply flat ground. These guys were throwing snow up and down steep hills. through slush and powder, and no problems reported yet. But we had to see for ourselves…/divdiv style=”text-align: center;”br //divimg style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ObMdc4mpVIg/SmDSf9rT46I/AAAAAAAAAI4/PWGqlcrqL5k/s320/100_0651.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359515003144889250″ /div style=”text-align: center;”Bernie and me trying out the machines, and boy did they run like a charm!!/divdiv style=”text-align: center;”More to come later, including ski pics!!/divdiv style=”text-align: center;”-Lizzo-/divdiv style=”text-align: center;”PS: If you want to be Kiwi, all you have to do it add a Y or an O to the end of any word and you will automatically sound like a local. Cheers!/divdiv style=”text-align: center;”br //divdiv style=”text-align: center;”br //divbr /div style=”text-align: center;”br //divbr /br /div style=”text-align: center;”br //divdiv class=”blogger-post-footer”img width=’1′ height=’1′ src=’https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8313858291794282393-7090301267033693138?l=lizhstephen.blogspot.com’ alt=” //div
Category: XCFeeds
-
An Open Letter to Canada:
-
An Open Letter to Canada:
-
RV gets a new look.
After some brutally long hours striping all of the old graphics off of the motor-home we finally have a new look to our home on wheels.
You’ll notice that the back is still pretty blank. Well… that just means we have some space available to fill. If you, or someone you know, would like to have some mobile advertising, just let us know! To find out more details, check out the Journey section of our website.
-
Do You Want To Go Canoeing?
f you are in Northern Finland around June and someone asks you this definitely go run and hide.divbr //divdivI started skiing at the tender age of 21 while I a was attending St Lawrence University in Canton, NY. It is a great small liberal arts college located in northern NY State with a Division I ski team./divdivI only skied there 1 year then withdrew in the spring in order to focus my efforts on becoming an Olympic skier. /divdivThat early summer destiny took me to a small Country in Northern Europe, Finland. Once in Finland after some time in southern Finland I ended up in Rovaniemi. It was there I found a Biathlon Coach, and had the opportunity to train and live with some really extraordinary people. /divdivbr //divdivOne day a very good Finnish skier, Eero asked me I would go for some canoe training in the early evening. I of course said yes. I borrowed a friend’s car and met Eero and his Wife at the designated time. You have to take into account that at this time in his life Eero did not speak english fluently or I Finnish. I got into their car and we proceeded to drive approximately 1 1/2 hours to a cottage on a hill above a scenic lake. There we had a snack then went down to a boathouse got into a canoe and started to paddle. We only paddled for a little bit and all of a sudden we were at a boat launch. His Wife was waiting for us we got out of the canoe and proceeded to put it onto his car got into the car and started to drive for another 1 to 1 1/2 hours. We arrived at a boat launch on an obscure river in Northern Finland with mosquiito’s as large as birds. It was around 10 pm also. Still light since it was around midsummer. It was light 24 hours a day. Great if you want to train three times a day with a nap in between each training./divdivbr //divdivThen Eero and I got into the canoe and started paddling down this river. After over 2 hours of paddling we stopped and Eero got a snack out and we were sitting on the riverbank eating and drinking for a short time and I said that I will not return the car to my friend at
-
Supercompensation Versus (Super) Decompensation
div style=”text-align: center;”span class=”Apple-style-span” style=”font-weight: bold;”Anchorage Alaska Jan 2009/span/diva onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/Slx06rE63YI/AAAAAAAACN8/9D579trbUl4/s1600-h/P1040038.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/Slx06rE63YI/AAAAAAAACN8/9D579trbUl4/s400/P1040038.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358286208008641922″ //aIf you read the literature many physiologists have debunked the notion of Supercompensation. The theory is very basic. First overload the system with systemic intensity, strength , volume training to the point of extreme fatigue. Then rest, during this rest period the body will not only adapt to the previous period of stress, but shall build itself up to new level. This theory only seems to work with a Supersized Mc Donald’s diet. Eat a lot go to sleep, play XBox all of a sudden you are also Supersized. divWhile it is true that your body will adapt to various stresses applied. Yes, it actually adapts specifically to specific stresses applied. That is why specificity is so important. The body adapts right down to a cellular, biochemical level to stresses applied. Enzymes are induced to rebuild and grow new blood vessels, muscles tendons, mitochondria, Red blood cells, even the hemoglobin adapts to be more efficient when it needs to. /divdivAll this adaptation is contingent on getting proper rest, recovery, and nutrition. /divdivIf the system is overloaded to the point of failure and beyond the point that is able to recover then it will decompensate. When you get to the knife edge of extremeness even one interval can start you down the slippery slope of decompensation. All you need to do is induce heat shock proteins to make a product that you need to succeed. Whether that is new muscle, RBC’s capillaries, etc. Any effort beyond that is a waste of precious resources. Probably also destructive. /divdivWhether this is from to hard a workout such as regularly achieved by the Facebook group “The Athletically Insane” or because lack of recovery caused by lack of sleep, work, socailizing, injury and or sickness./divdivUnfortunately even knowing that Supercompensation is a like the Holy Grail. It is too good to be true. One has to hold back and not be self destructive. Even if it feels good. /divdiv If you really want to succeed all you need to do is stress the system specifically to cause an adaption. That is where art science and intuition intersect. The Art and Science of Coaching. It is easy to overreach and fail. I personally have proven again and again that training beyond the point of Human reason just leads to Decompensation. /divdivspan class=”Apple-style-span” style=”font-weight: bold;”I have trained to hard to go so slow/span. Now I am just trying to be span class=”Apple-style-span” style=”font-weight: bold;”Human/span not span class=”Apple-style-span” style=”font-style: italic;”span class=”Apple-style-span” style=”font-weight: bold;”Superhuman/span./span/divdivdiv style=”text-align: center;”Mt Washington, NH/divspan class=”Apple-style-span” style=”font-style: italic;”a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/Slx7-wVqmzI/AAAAAAAACOU/w-aU5oDJgDE/s1600-h/DSC_0166.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/Slx7-wVqmzI/AAAAAAAACOU/w-aU5oDJgDE/s400/DSC_0166.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358293974721927986″ //abr /div style=”text-align: center;”Mt Washington Toll Road/diva onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/Slx62rRxfkI/AAAAAAAACOM/zAwvOBbpPbs/s1600-h/P3070074.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/Slx62rRxfkI/AAAAAAAACOM/zAwvOBbpPbs/s400/P3070074.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358292736412843586″ //abr //span/divdiv class=”blogger-post-footer”img width=’1′ height=’1′ src=’https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6647112093689702615-4663449997700440256?l=www.jackedupoldman.com’//div
-
At work in the pool.
I haven’t written an update in a little bit but here we go again. The name of the game is still rehab and will be for a while. While the first weeks of rehab have been pretty slow, things are starting to come together and I am feeling pretty good about what lies ahead.
Last Thursday I was able to toss the crutches aside, a week later than I would have liked but out of my hands none the less. While the first few steps were a little shaky, I think maybe more from the fear of the unknown, I am moving really well now. Actually I am probably walking the same way I do after an ultra, maybe even better.
After finishing up work in Madison, WI, I headed up to Copper Harbor, MI to watch Lindsey race at the Keweenaw Trail Running Festival. Last year I won the overall at this event after running the weekend’s three races (10k, Hill Climb, and 25k), it was pretty tough to watch this from the sidelines. It’s kind of crazy that it takes an injury to drive home how much you love to do something. Watching everyone race fired me up to get back to the game, healthier, faster, stronger. Which brings me to the next topic…
DEEP WATER RUNNING
Saturday, after watching everyone run an incredibly difficult 10k, I needed to get in some rehab. I decided to take pool running to the next level by running in Lake Fanny Hooe against the waves. The fun would only last for 30 minutes though. The water was brutally cold and I was starting to lose the feeling in my arms. It took a hot shower and another 30 minutes of sitting in the sun to stop shivering.
Today, I was able to get in my first interval workout in the pool. After a 30 minute warm-up I ran 4 by 3 minute with 2 minutes off level 4. 30 minute cool down. Level 4 is tough no matter how and where you do it, the pool is no exception. The intervals went really well and the knee feels even better. My running form will get a little bit closer to normal on Thursday when I get the o.k. to bend my knee to/past 90 degrees. Currently I am keeping the left leg a little straighter than normal and mimicking real running as close as possible.
Tomorrow is another day of rehab, looking forward to an 1:30 distance session.
Wondering what the hell deep water running is? Check out the video below.
-
Hodag
Right now, the CXC team is gathered in Hayward, WI for our third camp of the year. Last week we were joined by the Midwest regional elite group and some additional coaches from around the area. Matt Whitcomb of the USST also joined us to give an additional perspective on technique and training. We are all staying at the Vortanz’s old house in Seeley which is beautiful. Our strength room is in the garage and we can do a lot of training right out the door. Last week was a big week of volume and testing. The week began with some VO2max testing on the treadmill. Then, the team ran the 3000m on the track on Tuesday (I did not race because my ankle has been bothering me.) Wednesday morning we did the strength test and then the week ended with the infamous OO skate roller ski time trial. All in all, the testing went well. As usual, it was fun having the junior team around. I got a chance to catch up with some of the Ski and Tea ladies and we drank lots of coffee.
Kristina Owen, Kelly Chaudoin, Audrey Weber, Maria Stuber (the 2009-2010 CXC Elite Women's Team)
Saturday was an off day, so Bryan and I met some of my family and friends in Eagle River, WI for their annual, “Up North” summer vacation. Then my brother Thomas, Bryan and I stopped at the Cook residence in Rhinelander for some waterskiing and a little taste of the Hodag Country Festival. We got to hear the Zac Brown Band, Julianne Hough, Darryl Worley, Sawyer Brown, Billy Ray Cyrus, Blake Shelton, Merle Haggard, and the Neal McCoy (the Hodag favorite). It was amazing.
-
Summer Biathlon Nationals
a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/SlslNRhAU1I/AAAAAAAACN0/-SpEG1URc5k/s1600-h/Summer+Biathlon4.jpg”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 271px;” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/SlslNRhAU1I/AAAAAAAACN0/-SpEG1URc5k/s400/Summer+Biathlon4.jpg” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357917091657700178″ //aThis weekend made the journey to Lake Placid to contest the US Summer Biathlon National Championships held at Mt Van Hovenburgh Biathlon venue. I got to race in the last 2 out of three race series. As you can see below the first day I spent most of the race in the penalty loop. Although I have been able to train some shooting combo this spring and early summer… shooting was ugly for the first race. I only hit one prone shot out of a possible 5 prone and 5 standing. this shows how hard it is to run full speed into the range and try to hit some targets On Saturday it was quite blustery at times. I received a couple of calls that night that my rifle got blown off of the rack and maybe the sites got moved. That was not the case I just did not shoot well. Running fast was hard since running training is not the focus. In its stead concentration is on Ski specific training primarily Rollerskiing and Bicycle training. div Saturday’s Race shows how important shooting and especially shooting with pressure on is. Sunday luckily I redeemed my good name. The next day the shooting was much improved as well as the result. Even the the shooting still was not good on an international level I shot 15 out of 20 and had the fastest time of the day. /divdivdiv style=”text-align: center;”span class=”Apple-style-span” style=”font-weight: bold;”Always a Bad Sign/span/diva onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/SlslNTKEADI/AAAAAAAACNs/No7UqXM2GG0/s1600-h/Summer+Biathlon+3.jpg”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 271px;” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/SlslNTKEADI/AAAAAAAACNs/No7UqXM2GG0/s400/Summer+Biathlon+3.jpg” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357917092098342962″ //adiv style=”text-align: center;”span class=”Apple-style-span” style=”font-weight: bold;”My one hit of the Day!!/span/diva onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/SlslNF22ZhI/AAAAAAAACNk/Vpi9IG9wTA0/s1600-h/Summer+Biathlon2.jpg”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 271px;” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/SlslNF22ZhI/AAAAAAAACNk/Vpi9IG9wTA0/s400/Summer+Biathlon2.jpg” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357917088528098834″ //adiv style=”text-align: center;”span class=”Apple-style-span” style=”font-weight: bold;”The Range/span/diva onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/SlslMubBxyI/AAAAAAAACNc/2CKe-HTOlOo/s1600-h/Summer+Biathlon+5.jpg”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 271px;” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/SlslMubBxyI/AAAAAAAACNc/2CKe-HTOlOo/s400/Summer+Biathlon+5.jpg” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357917082237388578″ //adiv style=”text-align: center;”span class=”Apple-style-span” style=”font-weight: bold;” Starting the Sprint Race/span br //diva onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/SlslMUxk5dI/AAAAAAAACNU/hWo9vYFbLSw/s1600-h/Summer+BIathlon+1.jpg”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 271px;” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/SlslMUxk5dI/AAAAAAAACNU/hWo9vYFbLSw/s400/Summer+BIathlon+1.jpg” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357917075352643026″ //aThe Organizer’s of the race put on a well organized World Class event. It was attended by competitors from the Northeast, Southeast, and West and Canada that I saw on the range. I was heartened to see such a strong showing. Many thanks to all the Volunteer’s who made this event such a success. People who you see all the time at NYS Biathlon races. Such as Peter Indick, Russ Myer, Carl Snow, John Mc Tiernan, Mike Detraglia, Rick Costanza, Dan Nardiello, Patty Clark, and Sponsors as Marc Shepardson owner of
-
Business
Lack of updates due to it just being business time. REG camps, Training here in town… something coming soon. Train hard, rest well.
-
Ah Bike Racing [1]
The High Desert Omnium (Road Race) … Today was my first bike race of any kind in three years (since Williams Crit) and my first road race in six. It was pretty fun. I found some muscles that I didn’t remember existed, put my legs into trouble on a few occasions, did some suffering, threw in a couple of attacks and was even around to fight it out at the end.
