FasterSkier

Category: XCFeeds

A collection of live feeds from cross-country ski blogs around the web.

  • Monday: Back at It

    We kicked off the week the way we always do – with our weekly team meeting. It’s a good chance to get everyone in one room, go over the schedule for the week, go over important details, answer questions, review equipment and clothing orders (new suits coming… stay tuned!), get organized for our trip to Caldwell Sport later this week, and lots more. Everyone was out this morning for our 11am training session for some leg speeds, plyos, and agility work. In the afternoon the team split between one-on-one check in meetings with Sverre and a classic double pole with Matt and Liz – we’ve got our state meet for XC running this weekend and we’re staying on top of everyone’s health and energy levels, hence the smaller crew on skis this afternoon. Those on skis trained around school – down to the start of our double pole test, up around the alpine area, out to the Sunbowl and back (7.5K loop). You can tell the days are getting shorter – darkness comes a little earlier every day. We start our winter training schedule next month with morning practices and afternoon classes, which enables us to train safely with plenty of daylight. Speaking of winter… we’re looking at potential flurries in the forecast for Thursday! Fingers crossed. : ) Above, Mac and Tyler head for the Sunbowl.

    Forecast for Stratton Mountain, VT.

    Corky is doing a great job staying on top of his health.
    Paddy, Gino, & Hamish on a nice cruise this afternoon – double poling up the final big climb in our double pole test.
    Mollie is working hard on her classic technique – learning to match her tempo to the terrain.

  • Alaska to Vermont

    Mark & the Mantec Grinder – it’s the busy season.

    The first half of October has passed, and the ‘busy season’ is certainly in full gear now.     The line-up of this Monday’s outbound packages have labels that span from Alaska to Vermont, and cover the entire snow belt like a list of stops on a transcontinental road trip.

    Pre-season orders for skis are being sent out quickly.   About 1/2 of the total are done and shipped; about another eighth are staged, waiting for details from clients.      As the new skis are picked, the “big wall of skis” slowly starts to lose its bulge.     A couple hundred pairs of Rossignol Xium, Madshus Nanosonic, and Atomic World Cup skis.    No “2nd tier” skis in the mix — it’s all top shelf stuff.

    All new skis are carefully selected, and they all include your stone grinding choice, and hotbox waxing service.

    The stone grinding season is in full swing, too.   Get your skis in for a tune.

    Here’s a pic of some of the new Madshus Nanosonic skate skis – already diminished by the pick list.  

    Among the odd bits of activity has been the quick purchase of the skate and classic boots this fall.  I’ve already had to re-order certain sizes, and holes will certainly develop in the size runs.   

    Even though the skis are flying away, there is still a big inventory.    And plenty of time to get new skis before the snow flies.

  • Alaska to Vermont

    Mark & the Mantec Grinder – it’s the busy season.

    The first half of October has passed, and the ‘busy season’ is certainly in full gear now.     The line-up of this Monday’s outbound packages have labels that span from Alaska to Vermont, and cover the entire snow belt like a list of stops on a transcontinental road trip.

    Pre-season orders for skis are being sent out quickly.   About 1/2 of the total are done and shipped; about another eighth are staged, waiting for details from clients.      As the new skis are picked, the “big wall of skis” slowly starts to lose its bulge.     A couple hundred pairs of Rossignol Xium, Madshus Nanosonic, and Atomic World Cup skis.    No “2nd tier” skis in the mix — it’s all top shelf stuff.

    All new skis are carefully selected, and they all include your stone grinding choice, and hotbox waxing service.

    The stone grinding season is in full swing, too.   Get your skis in for a tune.

    Here’s a pic of some of the new Madshus Nanosonic skate skis – already diminished by the pick list.  

    Among the odd bits of activity has been the quick purchase of the skate and classic boots this fall.  I’ve already had to re-order certain sizes, and holes will certainly develop in the size runs.   

    Even though the skis are flying away, there is still a big inventory.    And plenty of time to get new skis before the snow flies.

  • Alaska to Vermont

    Mark & the Mantec Grinder – it’s the busy season.

    The first half of October has passed, and the ‘busy season’ is certainly in full gear now.     The line-up of this Monday’s outbound packages have labels that span from Alaska to Vermont, and cover the entire snow belt like a list of stops on a transcontinental road trip.

    Pre-season orders for skis are being sent out quickly.   About 1/2 of the total are done and shipped; about another eighth are staged, waiting for details from clients.      As the new skis are picked, the “big wall of skis” slowly starts to lose its bulge.     A couple hundred pairs of Rossignol Xium, Madshus Nanosonic, and Atomic World Cup skis.    No “2nd tier” skis in the mix — it’s all top shelf stuff.

    All new skis are carefully selected, and they all include your stone grinding choice, and hotbox waxing service.

    The stone grinding season is in full swing, too.   Get your skis in for a tune.

    Here’s a pic of some of the new Madshus Nanosonic skate skis – already diminished by the pick list.  

    Among the odd bits of activity has been the quick purchase of the skate and classic boots this fall.  I’ve already had to re-order certain sizes, and holes will certainly develop in the size runs.   

    Even though the skis are flying away, there is still a big inventory.    And plenty of time to get new skis before the snow flies.

  • Alaska to Vermont

    Mark & the Mantec Grinder – it’s the busy season.

    The first half of October has passed, and the ‘busy season’ is certainly in full gear now.     The line-up of this Monday’s outbound packages have labels that span from Alaska to Vermont, and cover the entire snow belt like a list of stops on a transcontinental road trip.

    Pre-season orders for skis are being sent out quickly.   About 1/2 of the total are done and shipped; about another eighth are staged, waiting for details from clients.      As the new skis are picked, the “big wall of skis” slowly starts to lose its bulge.     A couple hundred pairs of Rossignol Xium, Madshus Nanosonic, and Atomic World Cup skis.    No “2nd tier” skis in the mix — it’s all top shelf stuff.

    All new skis are carefully selected, and they all include your stone grinding choice, and hotbox waxing service.

    The stone grinding season is in full swing, too.   Get your skis in for a tune.

    Here’s a pic of some of the new Madshus Nanosonic skate skis – already diminished by the pick list.  

    Among the odd bits of activity has been the quick purchase of the skate and classic boots this fall.  I’ve already had to re-order certain sizes, and holes will certainly develop in the size runs.   

    Even though the skis are flying away, there is still a big inventory.    And plenty of time to get new skis before the snow flies.

  • Morning Glory Skate Ski in VT

    It was cold and foggy this morning when we strapped on the rollerskis, but we charged out there anyway and it turned into one of the nicest days of the fall.
    Before we even put skis on, we tried to get a sense of weight shift initiated by ankle flexion. We’re trying to be good all-around athletes, and are emphasizing balance, flexibility, and agility in every workout we do. Especially while doing dryland training, it is important to keep in mind the goals for every workout.  We need to answer the question: how is this workout designed to make me become a better skier?
    So much speed can come from the momentum conserved by forward positions and effective weight transfer. Not all skiers look the same while skiing, but the basic elements are the same. Constant glide is initiated by forward knee pressure, forward hips, and full commitment to each ski.

    We’ve got great kids on this team: tired from play, soccer, and a 7:45 AM training block, Dev brought a lot of focus to the workout today.

     It was a pretty sweet morning to be alive in Vermont.
     We no-pole skated up towards Lincoln gap, thinking about the drills we had just done.

     Every workout can be fun if you make it so!
     Dev, Kaitlin and Ryley just finished up the production of Cats, but Dev’s not about to shed his theatricality.

     Speedskating the downhill, working on the elusive “double push.”
     Then we skied up to East Warren with poles, and got up above the fog that remained in the valley. What a morning!

     What’s up Fitzy?
    Dev the cat. Pretty awesome production, and we had some stars in it for sure. This is the only photo I’ve run across so far but I’m sure more of them will by flying through the internet tubes in the next few days.

  • Morning Glory Skate Ski in VT

    It was cold and foggy this morning when we strapped on the rollerskis, but we charged out there anyway and it turned into one of the nicest days of the fall.
    Before we even put skis on, we tried to get a sense of weight shift initiated by ankle flexion. We’re trying to be good all-around athletes, and are emphasizing balance, flexibility, and agility in every workout we do. Especially while doing dryland training, it is important to keep in mind the goals for every workout.  We need to answer the question: how is this workout designed to make me become a better skier?
    So much speed can come from the momentum conserved by forward positions and effective weight transfer. Not all skiers look the same while skiing, but the basic elements are the same. Constant glide is initiated by forward knee pressure, forward hips, and full commitment to each ski.

    We’ve got great kids on this team: tired from play, soccer, and a 7:45 AM training block, Dev brought a lot of focus to the workout today.

     It was a pretty sweet morning to be alive in Vermont.
     We no-pole skated up towards Lincoln gap, thinking about the drills we had just done.

     Every workout can be fun if you make it so!
     Dev, Kaitlin and Ryley just finished up the production of Cats, but Dev’s not about to shed his theatricality.

     Speedskating the downhill, working on the elusive “double push.”
     Then we skied up to East Warren with poles, and got up above the fog that remained in the valley. What a morning!

     What’s up Fitzy?
    Dev the cat. Pretty awesome production, and we had some stars in it for sure. This is the only photo I’ve run across so far but I’m sure more of them will by flying through the internet tubes in the next few days.

  • Morning Glory Skate Ski in VT

    It was cold and foggy this morning when we strapped on the rollerskis, but we charged out there anyway and it turned into one of the nicest days of the fall.
    Before we even put skis on, we tried to get a sense of weight shift initiated by ankle flexion. We’re trying to be good all-around athletes, and are emphasizing balance, flexibility, and agility in every workout we do. Especially while doing dryland training, it is important to keep in mind the goals for every workout.  We need to answer the question: how is this workout designed to make me become a better skier?
    So much speed can come from the momentum conserved by forward positions and effective weight transfer. Not all skiers look the same while skiing, but the basic elements are the same. Constant glide is initiated by forward knee pressure, forward hips, and full commitment to each ski.

    We’ve got great kids on this team: tired from play, soccer, and a 7:45 AM training block, Dev brought a lot of focus to the workout today.

     It was a pretty sweet morning to be alive in Vermont.
     We no-pole skated up towards Lincoln gap, thinking about the drills we had just done.

     Every workout can be fun if you make it so!
     Dev, Kaitlin and Ryley just finished up the production of Cats, but Dev’s not about to shed his theatricality.

     Speedskating the downhill, working on the elusive “double push.”
     Then we skied up to East Warren with poles, and got up above the fog that remained in the valley. What a morning!

     What’s up Fitzy?
    Dev the cat. Pretty awesome production, and we had some stars in it for sure. This is the only photo I’ve run across so far but I’m sure more of them will by flying through the internet tubes in the next few days.

  • Morning Glory Skate Ski in VT

    It was cold and foggy this morning when we strapped on the rollerskis, but we charged out there anyway and it turned into one of the nicest days of the fall.
    Before we even put skis on, we tried to get a sense of weight shift initiated by ankle flexion. We’re trying to be good all-around athletes, and are emphasizing balance, flexibility, and agility in every workout we do. Especially while doing dryland training, it is important to keep in mind the goals for every workout.  We need to answer the question: how is this workout designed to make me become a better skier?
    So much speed can come from the momentum conserved by forward positions and effective weight transfer. Not all skiers look the same while skiing, but the basic elements are the same. Constant glide is initiated by forward knee pressure, forward hips, and full commitment to each ski.

    We’ve got great kids on this team: tired from play, soccer, and a 7:45 AM training block, Dev brought a lot of focus to the workout today.

     It was a pretty sweet morning to be alive in Vermont.
     We no-pole skated up towards Lincoln gap, thinking about the drills we had just done.

     Every workout can be fun if you make it so!
     Dev, Kaitlin and Ryley just finished up the production of Cats, but Dev’s not about to shed his theatricality.

     Speedskating the downhill, working on the elusive “double push.”
     Then we skied up to East Warren with poles, and got up above the fog that remained in the valley. What a morning!

     What’s up Fitzy?
    Dev the cat. Pretty awesome production, and we had some stars in it for sure. This is the only photo I’ve run across so far but I’m sure more of them will by flying through the internet tubes in the next few days.

  • Men’s Team Training at Soldier Hollow, Midway, Utah.



  • Men’s Team Training at Soldier Hollow, Midway, Utah.



  • Men’s Team Training at Soldier Hollow, Midway, Utah.



  • First World Cup Race Results!

    In alpine racing, that is! Fooled you, didn’t I?

    Like I said before, I’m not going to make a habit of posting about alpine racing, but since the season opener went fairly well for the US, I thought I might as well. So here are two race snapshot graphs, similar to those I’ve been making for cross country races, although a little less tricked out. The bars represent the middle 50% of that skier’s results over the past three seasons, in this event. (Giant slalom, in this case.) The red dot is their FIS points for the race this weekend. As always, the aim is to give a quick visual representation of who skied better or worse than usual.

    And the men:

    Related posts:

    1. <How Well Prepared Are World Cup Rookies? (Part 2a: Sprint)
    2. <How To Win The SkiTrax FIS Fantasy World Cup Contest
    3. <Race Snapshot: IBU World Cup 1 Women


  • First World Cup Race Results!

    In alpine racing, that is! Fooled you, didn’t I?

    Like I said before, I’m not going to make a habit of posting about alpine racing, but since the season opener went fairly well for the US, I thought I might as well. So here are two race snapshot graphs, similar to those I’ve been making for cross country races, although a little less tricked out. The bars represent the middle 50% of that skier’s results over the past three seasons, in this event. (Giant slalom, in this case.) The red dot is their FIS points for the race this weekend. As always, the aim is to give a quick visual representation of who skied better or worse than usual.

    And the men:

    Related posts:

    1. <How Well Prepared Are World Cup Rookies? (Part 2a: Sprint)
    2. <How To Win The SkiTrax FIS Fantasy World Cup Contest
    3. <Race Snapshot: IBU World Cup 1 Women


  • Skiing in Canmore!

    This past week we skied on snow at “Frozen Thunder” in Canmore. Great to get on snow so soon. Last spring they buried snow in Canmore and have now spread it out to make a 2 km loop at the Nordic Center. Great conditions for both classic and skating and a very productive week for […]

  • Leaves

  • Leaves

  • Leaves

  • Fairbanks Update #2

    28 days until my first race……
    I’m pretty excited!!!
    Defiantly winter up here in Fairbanks.

    Skiing is amazing considering there is less then 4 inches of snow.

    My buddy Lasse Molgaad Neilsen, 8 time Denmark national champion.
    I’m really happy with my new training group at APU, but miss training with my good friends at UAA.
     2 hours in the morning, 2 hours in the afternoon….
    Check back for more updates, I’m here in Fairbanks for another week.

  • Race and Ski

    The team headed down to Bennington this morning for the MVL Invitational.

    It was grey and cool, perfect for running!
    We arrived just in time to see Russell B jump in the JV race and run beautifully. He paced himself very well and came away with the W and a good time of 22:04 on a tough course.
    The girls ran first and all ran well. Kate (above) started conservatively and then picked people off and finished in the top 10.
    Tess nears the finish.
    Issy P and Grace Wright (Rutland) pulled away from everyone, but Grace was too tough on the last couple of hills and got the win. Here is Issy at about 4.3 kms.
    Brooke paced herself well and finished strongly.
    The boys start.
    Paddy and Calvin.
    Mac hammers up one of the steep hills.
    1 mile to go and the top three have broken away. MAU’s Marc Brandmeyer holds on to win with Calvin and Paddy taking second and third.
    Gino was our “racer of the day” as he ran with Brattleboro standout Jacob Ellis and finished in 7th.
    Everyone had a quick lunch after the race and then they threw on their roller skis and skied up to Manchester.
    Anika and Mollie were unable to run, but they cheered on their team-mates and enjoyed the ski.