On August 4, the National Para-Nordic Ski Team landed in New Zealand for a four week training camp at the Waiorau, Snow Farm in the South Island. Now at the mid-way point, this group of athletes is certain that everyday in this region of New Zealand is a “Skiers Paradiseâ€. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves, utilizing every possible moment to ski but making time to stop for a few moments to take in and appreciate the stunning surroundings. The athletes are receiving terrific technical advice from Robin McKeever and Ian Daffern has never handed out a bad pair of skis. All the while, Head Coach Kasper Wirz ensures that all is running smoothly.
All in all, the mixed groups of veteran and rookie National Team members has come together as a team and are having an extremely successful camp.
Team 2014 just completed one of their bigger camps of the season. The intent of this camp was to have the athletes from the east and west complete a big block of training together. All athletes under went testing so we could see improvements made during the last 6 weeks of training.
During the on-snow portion of the camp athletes were provided feedback on technique and video sessions consumed the afternoons.
We were blessed with a couple of luxuries during our week on the Haig Galcier — Mary Waddell, kept everyone well fed, Joel Knopff made use of excellent conditions for grooming and we had a very professional group of athletes to work with who knew what they needed to accomplish.
CXC with support of the American Birkebeiner recently completed the big open summer camp of the summer season.
The goal of the camp was improving technique in small groups. Along with technique training, athletes attended educational seminars on nutrition and motivation and watched some of the latest cross country videos. On the last full day everyone enjoyed waterskiing and swimming following an afternoon roller ski session.
“Once again this was an outstanding camp for us. This camp enables us to reach young athletes who are eager to learn and love to ski. At the same time CXC is able to target older junior athletes for a late summer tune up before school starts. All CXC camps help to establish relationships with the athlete’s coaches and deliver proper information on the technique and training methodsâ€, said Yuriy Gusev, CXC Skiing Chief Executive Officer.
The Callaghan Valley Training Centre along with the NTDC Thunder Bay and a few awesome additions from XC.com, Indi-2010 and Lakehead University spent this past week training hard at the Haig Glacier near Canmore, Alberta. The 6 day camp started off with cold and wet weather, followed by a terrifying thunderstorm, where athletes had to race off the glacier to the safety of camp as fast as possible. Fortunately, our luck changed, and we were then blessed with a 10 cm snow fall and mid-winter skiing conditions for the rest of the camp.
As with the first Haig camp, the goals were simple. We were aiming for more volume than the first camp and a large emphasis was placed on technique. The daily schedule consisted of breakfast at 7:00am followed by a hike up to the glacier (35-60min), ski (1:30-4:00), hike down, lunch, nap, video review or core strength, dinner, fun and games, and usually yoga.
It was a great camp with plenty of humor. It was nice to have a variety of top level athletes at the glacier so everyone could test out their fitness and see how they were stacking up against the competition. A huge thanks to Joel Knopff for excellent grooming, food, and support and to Erick Bailey, head coach for the Thunder Bay NTDC, for all of his help in making this a successful and rewarding camp. Also, hats off to all the athletes at the camp for their hard work, dedication, and good sense of humor. It was a great week!
Atop a mountain, in a country known by the native Maori as Aotearoa — land of the long white cloud — weather moves in and weather moves out. One day to the next can make all the difference. On Friday morning the U.S. team ran for 2 ½ hours up the Matukituki Valley in t-shirts, then put in a distance and on-snow specific strength session in the half-light of the evening sky. The nighttime brought heavy winds and precipitation, a mishmash of snow too sticky to groom. Instead of slogging through snow so heavy only a coastal skier with a pair of hairy skis ready to roll could love, the U.S. men’s team put in their 3 ½ hour classic rollerski and run combo in the valley below. What follow are pictures from the two day’s events.
Testing is just that — a means of measuring fitness, rate of force production and economy. Testing gives an indication to how training is going. Training, though, is where the work gets done that makes skiers faster. With this on their mind, four American women and five U.S. men currently are in a three week on-snow altitude camp, putting in the kilometers, testing equipment and refining technique at the SnowFarm on New Zealand’s South Island.
PARK CITY, Utah (Aug. 4) – From on-snow training and some ocean fun in June to intense testing and roller-ski workouts. That was the transition for U.S. Ski Team cross country athletes in their latest camp where their third round of testing showed continued improvement
World Cup skier Kikkan Randall (Anchorage, AK) does a strength test during the Team's July Park City camp before heading to New Zealand (credit: J. Fritz/USSA)
“We're ahead of where we were a year ago…and that's what we want,” said Head Coach Pete Vordenberg. “I keep telling people, when they ask, 'It's only July. Let's not forget that' – but, yeah, we're in a good place.”
The two-week camp in Park City was a solid mix of testing – the third of four preseason testing sessions – plus roller-ski workouts at the newly expanded, paved 1.5K loop at Soldier Hollow, a taxing, uphill track largely funded by the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association at the 2002 Olympic venue and extending the paved loop system to 7.5 kilometers.
Vordenberg said the challenging terrain of the new loop already is paying dividends because his skiers push themselves harder to master uphill technique while it also provides a safety element, reducing their roller-skiing on public roads. The camp also was a springboard for many of the athletes, who headed to New Zealand this week for the annual on-snow camp, held each August.
Coach: “The payoff is…”
“We've had a lot of good workouts, ” he said. “But the payoff is that the testing was good. It shows us we've made progress on some things and there are things we need to work on. It's time to make the transition to those other aspects of physiology. “It's a good snapshot of where we are and what we need to work on next.”
The Continental Cup squad came in first in mid-July and then World Cup skiers came to Park City nearly a week later for the final sessions. . The Team's June camp departed from traditional preseason workouts as it mixed on-snow training at Oregon's Mt. Bachelor and dryland drills on the Oregon coast, giving the athletes a different “stage” with some valuable cross-training. “Down on the coast, in the ocean or on the beach, turned out to be real energizer for them,” the coach said.
The camps showed two ways to boost training results. “It was a different way to get intensity, and it kept their focus and level of training up. The change of scenery was great; it boosted their training and was outstanding,” Vordenberg added, “and so was this camp.”
“This is what we do three or four times a year,” said two-time Olympian Torin Koos (Leavenworth, WA). “We did the same tests after long-distance nationals [last March at the Maine Winter Sports Center's Nordic Heritage Center in Presque Isle, ME]; we came back to Utah for three or four days and did the testing. We wanted to see how our training was holding up at the end of the season and where we can make improvements.
“The training's pretty basic – roller-skiing, running, some strength training, some testing – and just 'Get at it!' You want to be firing,” said Koos, who produced his first World Cup podium last January during a sprint in Estonia.
Treacherous treadmill tests Team
One of the devices the athletes use in testing is an oversized treadmill in which they can roller-ski on a deck to measure their endurance. The revolving surface – obtained after the 2006 Olympics – may be elevated to increase intensity. Nordic combined skier Bill Demong (Vermontville, NY) has credited the treadmill with helping him collect a silver medal at the 2007 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships last March in Japan.
“I hang on as long as I can before it spits me off the back,” Koos laughed. “When we start going hard, they ratchet it up one degree for every minute; we do a lactate test…and we'll be crossing through the lactic acid threshold as we're picking up speed…and then we go back and test again.
“The whole Ski Team is urging you on – everyone's yelling, we all do it for everyone – and there's full commitment, so you don't want to let yourself or anyone else down,” Koos said. “It gets intense.”
Alexa Turzian (Sun Valley, ID), the defending U.S. 10K champion – a title she won last January during the U.S. Championships at Michigan Tech when she was a high school senior, is a new member of the Ski Team. She was pleased with the camp. “This has been my first real time to train with the Team. It's been great,” she said.
“I'm definitely used to the hard training, and that definitely set me up as far as testing and finding your levels and regulating your body,” she said.
Bound for Middlebury College this fall, Turzian said the first week “was pretty much like normal training, but it's great to be with this group. There are heavy loads but since we have time to rest and recover, it's been great. There's been a lot of team bonding, which was really good for me. I knew everyone but I'd never hung out with them. [The second] week was a total change of pace with the treadmill testing, strength testing…”
Turzian eyes quality, not quantity training
Being named to the Ski Team, she said, means she probably will train about the same amount of hours, “but I'm focusing more on each workout, concentrating on getting my full level in during each workout.”
Vordenberg said the fall schedule includes an October camp in Lake Placid, NY, with some sessions with the U.S. Nordic Combined Team.
Otherwise, after returning from New Zealand later this month and then training with their home club programs or independently, Ski Team athletes will return to Park City for a final preseason testing camp. The data will be analyzed and compared next spring with athletes following a winter of competition.
When he took over the Team a year ago, Vordenberg said the first goal was to be better conditioned every season. So far, so good.
CXC Team members Johanna Winters, Matt Liebsch, and Garrott Kuzzy led several Get Your Nordic On! clinics in the Twin Cities recently. The CXC Team skiers were able to work with a number of summer training programs for both Junior and Master skiers, including the Wayzata Ski Club, Go! Training, FinnSisu skiers, and Nordic Werks.
The series of Get Your Nordic On! clinics began on Wednesday evening at Baker Park with the Wayzata ski club. Over 25 skiers junior high age and older braved the pockets of thunderstorms and attended what turned out to be a beautiful night for rollerskiing at Baker. The group began the evening with a brief warm-up, and then worked on rollerski drills, both with and without poles, going up and down one of the steeper hills at Baker. By the end of the evening, the whole group was skiing with a strong V2 up the climbs and doing so very efficiently. Wayzata ski club parents and clinic organizers Gene Kay and Greg Engel commented afterwards on how “the kids learned some valuable new skills and also had lots of fun in the process.†It was very evident at the clinic that the Wayzata skiers have been working hard this summer and surely be strong on snow this winter!
It’s been another scorching summer here in West Yellowstone. Like much of the US, we had a low snow winter and we are following that up with a super dry summer — the ground here is parched and many of us are looking forward to the return of winter and a giant accumulation of snow. Just thinking about the possibilities makes it feel cooler here. One thing is for sure; when the snow does start to fly we’ll be ready to kick off the season with the Yellowstone Ski Festival. This year the Yellowstone Ski Festival dates are November 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24, 2007.
For almost 30 years, cross country skiers from across the country and around the world have started their ski season in West Yellowstone. Our location and elevation mean that we usually have enough snow to start grooming our trails by mid-November. In fact last season we started grooming on November 10th! Back in the late 1970’s, the US Ski Team started to make annual trips to West Yellowstone and soon after that, Drew Barney and Dick Hunt started a series of Nordic ski clinics during the week of Thanksgiving. Eventually, Drew and Dick invited the major ski manufacturers to attend and allow the public to demo the latest in Nordic equipment. Today, this gathering of skiers is called the Yellowstone Ski Festival and the event includes skate and classic clinics for skiers of all levels, the Try It and Buy It Gear Demo, an Indoor Ski Show and the SuperTour races.
Attendance at the 2006 Yellowstone Ski Festival was up over 2005. We estimate that close to 3200 skiers were in West Yellowstone to celebrate the start of the ski season. Overall the week was a great success: we had support from the local restaurants, the snow fell before and, thankfully, during the Ski Festival and everyone had a great time.
So what can you expect for the 2007 Yellowstone Ski Festival? Let’s start with the mainstay aspects of the week:
The Fall Camp Clinics: The 2007 Yellowstone Ski Festival Fall Camp Nordic ski clinics will be conducted during Thanksgiving week from November 20th through 24th. The Fall Camp Nordic ski clinics are open to skiers of all levels but we assume that 1) you have at least some experience on skis and 2) you’d like to learn expand your abilities beyond those required for basic touring. With the exception of the Junior Racer's clinic, participants must be 16 years of age or older to register.
The 3 and 5 day clinics teach both classic and skate skiing techniques. Our most frequently asked clinic question is: I just want to learn to skate ski – why do I need to know how to classic ski? The answer to that question is that the fundamentals of skate skiing (high hips, weight transfer, balance, etc…) lie in classic skiing technique. With years and years of coaching under our belts, we feel that to be a good skate skier you must also learn to be a good classic skier. Clinic participants should be sure to bring both classic (waxable) and skate skis to West Yellowstone.
On the morning of the first day, our staff of elite instructors will assess each skier's level of ability and divide clinic participants into small groups based on ability. You will ski with that group for the duration of your clinic. Each day is broken up into two on-snow training sessions – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. There are 5 different clinics to choose from:
1. The traditional three day clinic will take place from November 22nd — 24th. The fee is $250.00
2. The three day women's clinic will take place from November 22nd — 24th. The curriculum for the women’s clinic is the same as that of the traditional three day clinic. The only difference between the two is that the women’s clinic is coached by women and, of course, enrollment is limited to women. The fee is $250.00
3. The five day clinic will take place from November 20th — 24th. The fee is $350.00
4. The one day skate clinics will take place on November 23rd or 24th. The fee is $75.00. This clinic is also limited to 8 people per clinic per day – sign up now!
5. The two day Junior Racer's clinic for ages 11 to 15 will take place on November 23rd and 24th. The fee is $140. We need a minimum of 8 participants to conduct this clinic. The clinic is full when we reach 16 participants.
Five years ago, I participated in the three day Fall Camp Clinic. By the end, my whole approach to skiing had changed. Most importantly, I gained an understanding of how much more fun I would have on my skis if I improved my technique. I don’t think there is a better group of instructors anywhere — register now, you won’t regret it.
Try it and Buy It Gear Demo/Indoor Ski Show: By the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, all of the major cross country ski, boot, pole and wax manufacturers have their tents set up at the junction of the Rendezvous Ski Trail System and the South Plateau Road. They are there for one reason: so the general public can try out the latest Nordic ski equipment. The manufacturers know their gear inside and out and can help you find the best skis, boots and poles to suit your needs. It’s really an incredible service — you can literally test drive the skis that you are interested in purchasing. In the evening, all of the manufacturers move to Hayden Hall at the West Yellowstone Conference Hotel where they hold wax clinics and continue to answer all of your technical questions.
The SuperTour: So, you come to West Yellowstone, you participate in the clinics, you shop for new gear and then what? How about watching world class skiers compete in the SuperTour? I can’t overemphasize the importance of the races to the Festival. For me, watching and sharing the trail with these great skiers is both inspiring and instructional. The SuperTour is the icing on the Yellowstone Ski Festival cake. This year the Sprint races will be held on November 23rd and the Classic races will held on November 24th.
Last year, we expanded the events and programs that we offer during the week of the Yellowstone Ski Festival. We plan on continuing all of those events and programs this year. They include:
Kid’s Recreation Program: We plan to expand our offerings for children again this year. First of all, the Montana Outdoor Science School will be back in town to run a series of clinics for children. The details of those programs are still being worked out and will be posted on the Ski Festival website as soon as more information becomes available.
Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot: Last year’s Turkey Trot was cancelled after 6 inches of snow fell on a solid layer of ice that coated all the streets in town. We didn’t feel that running the event was worth the risk. My guess is that we will try again this year. We’d like to encourage everyone to dress up in some kind of costume and have a great time as they run through town and work up an appetite before Thanksgiving Dinner! Again details will be posted on our website as they become available.
I know its summertime and you’re probably thinking about swimming or trail running or cycling – but it’s not too early to start thinking about the 2007 Yellowstone Ski Festival. It’s only 112 days away! It’s a great place to start the season, learn new techniques, refine your skills and become a better skier. It’s a great place to shop for your next pair of skis. It’s a great place to watch expert skiers in action. And it’s a great place to spend Thanksgiving with 3000 other Nordic skiers. Make your plans now!
Now in its sixth year, the annual Pacific Northwest Troutlake Junior Development Camp, was moved to the Seagle Ranch in nearby Glenwood, WA this past week where 37 skiers from Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, and New York gathered for a week of training, technique instruction, and camaraderie. Attracting national talent and a superb coaching staff, the Glenwood-Troutlake camp has easily become one of the premier dry-land junior development camps in the country.
With clouds hanging ominously on the flanks of Mt. Adams, the week began with a 17-mile rollerski up through winding canyons into the ranches and prairies that surround Glenwood. Focusing on speed and technique, skiers were able to roll through the countryside virtually alone; the few cars that passed slowed to gawk at the spectacle and were gone.
Somehow the rain held off, caught where the foothills of the Cascades separate eastern and western Washington. Blessed by cool temperatures and partly cloudy skies, athletes were able to comfortably train between 15-20 hours during the camp, spending their mornings rollerskiing after lectures that focused on proper technique and the differences between rollerskiing and snow skiing. Afternoons were dedicated to intervals, runs, circuit strength, hikes, and games.
What is it that makes the Glenwood-Troutlake camp so special? Certainly the coaching staff, led by the knowledge, experience, and excitement of Ben Husaby (head coach of the Mount Bachelor Ski Education Foundation), provides the essential dedication and drive to inspire young athletes to train and perform. The presence of two former Olympians, seven junior national champions, and three world junior team members bring a level of accomplishment to the group that is unique and challenges those who are still at the beginning of their ski careers to look upward and see that, if they are careful, if they train properly and listen to their coaches, the path is there for them to follow.
Or maybe it is Mt. Adams itself that provides the camp its heady air. Looming there, always on the horizon, its western slopes buffeted by snowstorms in July, its summit ripping clouds apart as they pass over. The mountain is a symbol of power and toughness. A reminder of why we are out here in the first place, and all that it takes to be the best.
Are we all in? Do you even need to ask?
Coaches:
Ben Husaby
Brenna Knowles
Janice Sibilia
Scott Johnston
George Bryant
Joshua Axelrod
Set to motion by Miles Minson in 1999, REG camps have become the bread and butter of the US Ski Team’s recruitment and interaction within the reaches of the current developmental pipeline. The camps serve as a critical pathway between the National Team and the clubs, where each entity can both learn and share. Above all, it is another occasion where the regions collaborate together to expand upon ideas that help drive the concept of being a professional athlete and a professional coach. This document is a snapshot of the entire system, and a glimpse at the individual framework for each of the four camps held this summer.
A huge thank you goes out to all those who helped organize and coach these camps, and especially to the athletes that arrived prepared and ready to fight. We are moving forward quickly. Are you on board?
ALASKA—Anchorage, Alaska (June 4th-9th)
The Alaskan REG was held again in the Anchorage area, based at the site of the 2008 Junior Nationals at Kincaid Park. A total of 30 athletes arrived on June 4th, all of whom lived in private quarters throughout the Anchorage area. Meeting twice each day for workouts and a couple other times for video and presentations in the late afternoon, the Alaskans tested a variety of training venues, including the Kincaid Park ski trails, local bike paths and roads, and the feared and revered Hillside Park / Gasline Uphill TT.
Coaches: Pat Casey (USST), Ja Dorris (Chugiak HS), Joey Caternichio, Holly Brooks (APU), Erik Flora (APU), Frode Lillefjell (APU), Jan Buron (AK Winter Stars), Peter Leonard (Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks), Sara Miller (Eagle River Nordic Racing), Mark Strabel (Swix, Colony HS), Ben Arians (AK Winter Stars)
Presentations:
Pat Casey:
-What is the USST and Continental Cup Team: “CC Team- the next stepâ€
-Training Planning Workshop with athletes
All Coaches:
-Technique and Video Review
Tests/Time Trials and Junior/Senior Female and Male Winners:
Hillside Park / Gasline Time Trial
Junior Male Winner: Erik Romig
Junior and Overall Female Winner: Becca Rorabough
Senior Male Winner: Paul Shauer
Strength Test: Pushups- Ryan VanGorder, Liz Habberman;
Sit-ups- Justin Singleton, Lauren Fritz;
Box Jumps- Ryan VanGorder, Kelsey Coolidge
Training Plan
* Technique work was accomplished during the workouts by splitting into four groups of coaches and each coaching a different technique. The athletes rotated through all the techniques during the workouts.
Day 1 AM- Ski walk / bounding / run L-3 Intervals 1.75 hours
PM- Skate Rollerski (Technique work) 1.5 hours
Day 2 AM- Classic Rollerski (Technique work) 1.5 hours
PM- Video Review
Day 3 AM- Uphill TT Gas Line Trail 1.5 hours
PM- Classic DP 2.0 hours and bar-b-q afterwards
Day 4 AM- Willowa lakes run 2.0 hours
PM- Classroom session (training planning and CC Team review: P. Casey USST)
Day 5 AM- Classic Roll Intervals L-3, 4x 5min, 1.75 hours
PM Camp over / coaches social
EAST—Lake Placid, New York (June 16th-21st)
New England again hosted its REG camp in Lake Placid, New York. While the accommodations limited camp size to only 22 athletes, those in attendance experienced world-class training and food, and lived in the quiet quarters of the Olympic Training Center. New England will host a second REG camp in August, slated for college athletes.
Coaches: Matt Whitcomb (USST), Janice Sibilia (NENSA) , Sverre Caldwell (SMS), Poppet Boswell (SMS), Margaret Maher (NYSEF),
Presentations:
1st night: Intro to camp, review ski walking video, get psyched!
2nd night: WC video review. Presentation: Never Give Up. Video: X-Country (a new DVD w/ WC interviews, training, and racing clips.
3rd night: Skate presentation with V1 emphasis and review
4th night: “Going Pro†presentation by Matt Whitcomb and reflections on double poling, followed by a spirited mini-golf tournament
5th night: Lowell Bailey and Tim Burke presentation: World Cup, Olympic, and training experiences: Keep at it, don’t give up, and have faith that what you are doing. That is the map.
Tests/Time Trials and Junior/Senior Female and Male Winners:
Time Trial: Skate roller ski, Course is USST TT course used in Fall 2006 camp.
Female winner: Megan Killigrew (Jr), Haley Johnson (Sr)
Male winner: Patrick O’Brien (Jr), Justin Beckwith (Sr)
Limited lactate testing was done for the hill bounding/ski walking interval session during the middle of the camp (3rd day). VO2 Max testing with Kore equipment and lactates were done at our May camp.
Training Plan
*Special emphasis on double poling, and spending a lot of time on the road. Back and forth technique sessions were substituted w/ classroom or pre-workout technique talks. Use of the new USST video facilitated the classroom technique session.
Day 1 AM Ski Walk / Bound / Run
PM Easy Distance Classic w/ Double Pole Technique
Day 2 AM 1.5-2.5 Hr Freestyle w/ V1 Technical Emphasis on “saddle feet†drill
PM General Circuit Strength w/ Mobility Warmup
Day 3 AM Threshold Bounding / Ski Walking Intervals (4-5 x 5 min)
PM 1 Hr Double Pole
Day 4 AM 4-5 hr OD Hike / Run in Adirondacks
PM Recover and Mini Golf
Day 5 AM 2 Hr Double Pole
PM General Circuit Strength w/ Mobility Warmup
Day 6 AM 7K Franklin Falls Time Trial, Freestyle, Mostly Uphill!
PM Travel Home
WEST—Donner Summit, California (June 24th-29th)
The West Region Camp was hosted by Auburn Ski Club and Far West Nordic this year. All the participants stayed at the Claire Taapaan Lodge near the top of Donner Summit in California. Lots of varied activities (orienteering, a time trial, OD running, beach and lake time, rollerskiing, strength and conditioning, etc) highlighted the camp.
Coaches: Pat Casey (USST), Ben Husaby (MBSEF), Gordon Lange (NSF), Abi Holt (SVSEF), Nancy Fiddler (Far West Nordic/ASC), Kristina Casey (U of Utah), Travis Jones (Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club), Jesse Crandall (Western State), Jason Cork (Durango Nordic), Eric Pepper (Boulder Nordic), Dan Weiland (Vail Ski Club), Dave Slovisky (Lander, WY), and led by Auburn Ski Club's Ben Grasseschi, Sara Salo, Gary York, and August Teague (U of Nevada)
Presentations:
Gary York- Orientation and Athlete Recognition/Presentations
Dr Andy Pasternak, Sports Medicine- Lactate and Testing
Nancy Fiddler, US Olympic Skier and Multi-National Champion- her story
Athlete Groups-Training Periodization
Ben Husaby- Training Philosophy and Strategy
Pat Casey- USST and Continental Cup Team, World Juniors.
Tests/Time Trials and Junior Female and Male Winner:
Lactate Testing on 2.5km loop. (Lactate testing and ‘perceived rate of exertion’ (PRE) testing during L-3 Interval session)
Drifter Uphill Time Trial: 1.75+mile continuous uphill
Male Winner: Noah Hoffman, AVSC, 10:07
Female Winner Kate Dolan, BSF, 12:27
Training Plan
* Emphasis on having a more intense camp than in the past. Technique work was focused on before and after workouts to make sure there wasn’t a stop and go workout.
Day 1 AM-Arrive
PM- Orienteering team race 30 min Intensity 1.25 hours
Day 2 AM- Bounding/ Natural Intervals, L-3, 1.5 hours
PM- Classic DP 1.75 hours
Day 3 AM- Skate Roll L-1 distance, 1.75
PM- Core circuit strength workout 1.25
Day 4 AM- Uphill TT
PM- Classic Rollerski L-1 distance 1.75
Day 5 AM- OD Run Tahoe Rim Trail, 2 + hours
PM- Agility/ movement/ plyos 1.5
Day 6 AM- Morning jog for recovery .75
PM – Depart
CENTRAL—Hayward, Wisconsin (June 30th-July 7th)
The main goal of the Central REG was testing and intensity. Athletes from this region were run through VO2 Max testing, and a battery of field tests in order to assess their fitness. The interval sessions provide a training emphasis and a good way to review technique after the workouts. The camp was hosted by CXC and the Crest Hill Resort. All of the athletes and coaches stayed together on site.
Coaches: Pete Vordenberg (USST), Matt Whitcomb (USST), Bryan Fish (CXC), Yuriy Gusev (CXC), Bill Pierce (CXC), Scott Wilson (CXC)
Presentations:
Skate video analysis (Bryan Fish)
USST presentation (Pete Vordenberg & Matt Whitcomb)
Psychology (Pete Vordenberg),
X-Country motivational movie about cross-country racing from Sweden
Tests/Time Trials and Junior/Senior Female and Male Winner:
3km track TT — Garrott Kuzzy and Johanna Winters (Midwest Men had 10 athletes under 10 minutes (Kuzzy (Sr) — 8:54 and Pierce (Jr) — 8:56, and in the Women’s field Winters (Sr) — 10:57, Simak (Jr) —10:59, and Owen (Sr) — 10:05)
6km uphill skate rollerski TT — Garrott Kuzzy & Kristina Owen,
Push Ups — Matt Liebsch & Johanna Winters,
Sit ups — Garrott Kuzzy & Johanna Winters,
Dips — Kyle Fredrickson & Kristina Owen,
Box jump — Matt Pierce & Christina Mishika,
VO2 Max — Johanna Winters & Matt Liebsch
Training Plan
*Special emphasis on testing, intensity, and technique
Day 1 AM “Kore†VO2 Max Treadmill Testing / Distance Skate
PM “Kore†VO2 Max Treadmill Testing / Distance Skate
Day 2 AM “Kore†VO2 Max Treadmill Testing / Distance Classic
PM “Kore†VO2 Max Treadmill Testing / Distance Classic
Day 3 AM 3K Track Running Time Trial
PM Distance Skate w/ Technique
Day 4 AM Bounding / Ski Walking Technique at “OOâ€
PM 100 Meter DP TT (Laser Light Timed), then Water Polo Tournament
Day 5 AM Intervals: Double Pole Threshold (4 – 6 x 5 min)
PM Easy Distance of Choice, or Technique w/ a Coach
Day 6 AM Time Trial, Freestyle 5k
PM Travel Home
Led by the intrepid Erik Flora, twenty-one Alaska Pacific University Athletes spent last week, July 8-15, living at the Thomas Training Center and skiing on the Eagle Glacier. The wide range in experiences, skills, personalities, and ages of the athletes created a dynamic group with everyone having something to contribute. In addition to skiing everyday on beautifully groomed trails, the group cooked, cleaned, entertained each other and generally created a functional and self-sufficient community for a week.
Life revolved around skiing. The only scheduled events each day were the training sessions. The long Alaskan sunlight allowed the athletes to train at 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM leaving plenty of time between workouts to refuel and rest in preparation for the next ski. A lot of distance skiing gave everyone an opportunity to work on the fine points of technique that are tricky to replicate in dryland training and some speed work and threshold work taxed those muscles and aerobic systems. To actually feel the klister frosted kick zone compress and respond to the body's movements was a joy after several months of striding on rollerskis. The usually soft snow encouraged the athletes to work on having quick feet and tempo in order to float though the mush. The coaches made sure there was a warm and dry home to return to and an effective drying room so every ski started in dry gear.
The glacier itself lived, breathed, and changed, making every lap seem to be on a slightly different course. The weather changed suddenly and drastically, even between different parts of the trail. The volatile mountain top weather patterns brought everything from crystal clear sunshine to white-out fog, rain, sleet, and hail, even a few brief snowstorms which with the wind created patterns of new white against old white across the glacier.
Athletes at camp:
Kikkan Randall
Taz Mannix
Laura Valaas
Katie Ronsee
Kristina Strandberg
Ky Eiben
Kate Pearson
Kassie Rice
Becca Rorabaugh
Nicole Deyoung
Kalysta Schmidt
Lars Flora
Anders Haugen
Tyson Flaharty
Jeff Ellis
Bart Dengel
Peter Kling
Don Haering
Erin Phillips
Brent Knight
Colin Rodgers
Coaches:
Erik Flora, Frode Lillifjell, Casey Fagerquist, and Dylan Watts
The Callaghan Valley Training Centre, a new Canadian National Athlete Development Centre based out of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Venue, along with the Cross-Country BC Team just finished up a successful 6-day glacier camp at the Haig, located near Canmore, Alberta.
Athletes were able to train 18-26 hours during the 6 day period and got in some quality technique and agility training as well. Monitoring was a high priority for this camp due to the high altitude and the athletes responded well to daily heart rate and lactate monitoring.
In all, it was an extremely fun and successful camp. The beautiful weather the entire week also was a huge bonus. A special thanks to Head CCBC coach Chris Manhard and Jon Frosst, the Head Camp Director for all of their help.
Source:
Amy Caldwell
Head Coach
Callaghan Valley Training Centre.
Over 40 top athletes from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois plus CXC Team spent one week of training and testing at Cresthill Resort in Hayward, WI
HAYWARD, WI (July 10)
Great sunny weather and over three dozen committed athletes highlighted last week in the Central Region. Top regional coaches in the region led athletes through a week of testing, education and training including US Ski Team coaches Pete Vordenberg and Matt Whitcomb.
In the first two days of the camp, athletes conducted MAX VO2 testing on CXC Kore equipment. Printed results and graphs included valuable information on their intensity training zones, strengths and weaknesses in fitness and methods for improvement.
“This is very important information not only for the athletes at the camp but for their coaches back home. All athletes received very comprehensive test printouts and explanations. Our goal is that coaches will take advantage of that information to enhance the performance of their athletesâ€, said Sarah Willis, CXC Ski Team Exercise Physiologist.
The 2007 edition of the Western Region Elite Group Camp, sponsored by the
U.S. Ski Team and Far West Nordic, is complete and was huge hit with both
athletes and coaches alike.
Almost 50 athletes and 14 coaches arrived on Sunday afternoon in time to get
acquainted and enjoy a mentally AND physically demanding special Team
Orienteering Challenge at Donner State Park on the shores of Donner Lake in
Truckee. Led by guest coach Mitch Dion of Far West Nordic, athletes were
divided into teams of 7 (plus a coach's team, which of course tried to
“bend” the rules). Running from station to station throughout the park,
contestants were required to perform tasks such as Ski-Walking, chin-ups,
swimming across the creek, and strength workouts, as well as figuring out
challenges such as getting one of their team to the top of Split Rock,
memorizing Nature Trail information, and more. Both individual and
team-building skills were required to win this event.
Monday morning found the athletes heading out to either classic roller ski
on Old Highway 40 next to the beautiful Yuba River (and near to the
not-so-attractive Interstate 80), or else going over to nearby Boreal Ski
Resort near the Auburn Ski Club for some mid-intensity running and lactate
testing. After a relaxing lunch back at the old-but-comfortable Claire
Tappaan Lodge, the groups switched their workouts.
Tuesday morning was once again designated for roller skiing, either skating
down at the road out to Boca & Stampede Reservoirs east of Truckee, or once
again along Old Hwy 40. The afternoon was reserved for a special workout at
Riverview Park in Truckee, with one group being drilled into submission in a
high-intensity strength workout by coach Travis Jones of Steamboat Springs.
The other half was led by Truckee's Center for Sports Performance Kelly
Quinn, who came up with new and unique ways to gain strength, agility, and
flexibility without the need for extraneous equipment.
Wednesday was the crux day — a difficult trail running time-trial in nearby
Negro Canyon, topping off on the upper trails of Tahoe Donner Cross Country
Ski Area. This 10 to 15 minute uphill run was the highest intensity workout
of the week, and was won by Noah Hoffman of Aspen Valley Ski Club and Kate
Dolan of Bridger Ski Foundation, with both runners shattering the course
record for the event on a beautiful Sierra morning. Wednesday afternoon
found the teams switching rollerski workouts from the day before, with some
heading off to Boca for skating and others to Old Highway 40 for classic.
Thursday morning was once again a running event, this time heading over to
nearby spectacular Lake Tahoe for an 11 mile low-intensity trail run on the
Tahoe Rim Trail in the mountains on the eastern side of the lake. Campers
were then rewarded with lunch and some well-deserved beach time on the shore
of Lake Tahoe, where, from the looks of things that evening, some athletes
(and coaches) seemed to have a sunburning contest in the high-altitude air.
Thursday afternoon was once again a repeat of the Riverview Park workout
from Tuesday, once again with Kelly Quinn and Travis Jones leading the way.
After a full week of just training, eating and sleeping, Thursday night at
Claire Tappaan Lodge found some tired but relaxed campers. Each evening of
the week a special guest speaker was brought in to address the troops,
ranging from Dr. Andy Pasternak of Reno's Silver Sage Sports Performance
Clinic, former U.S. Ski Team's Nancy Fiddler and Ben Husaby (both helping to
coach at the camp), and U.S.S.T. Continental Cup Coach Patrick Casey. On
Thursday evening, after Casey's presentation and a short multi-media
slideshow from the 2007 Junior Olympics, an impromptu “talent show” was
occurring at the lodge, led by some of the “regular” guests. Pacific
Northwest's Tom Smith and Rocky Mountain's John Gerstenberger stole the show
with their singing and (John's) piano expertise.
After a short run on Friday morning, it was time for athletes to finally
head home. “This was an awesome camp, a great experience,” said USST's
Casey. “These athletes worked as hard as any I've seen at these regional
camps, and the coaches did an incredible job of pulling this together. I
really liked having everyone here in one location, and it was good for me to
see a lot of these up-and-coming athletes first hand.” Led by Far West
Nordic's Ben Grasseschi, Sara Salo, and Gary York, coaches and athletes had
nothing but great things to say about the training and lodging conditions in
the Sierra. As described by Casey, a lot of these athletes are on the
stepping stones to gaining a spot on the U.S. Ski Team soon.
A complete gallery of photos can be found on the Far West Nordic website:
www.farwestnordic.org
Sometimes a change of scenery can have a huge – make that HUGE – impact.
Exhibit A: Oregon hosted the first cross country training camp of the season, a two-week mix of snow at Mt. Bachelor and water on the coast that jump-started the preseason training regimen. It was a mix of drills for the mind and body, from on-snow training to team dynamics exercises with the U.S. Ski Team's longtime sports psychologist, Jon Hammermeister, and a few days of dry-land workouts as well as wet-land (i.e., surfing) on the Pacific Coast.
“It was my first time we've done a camp this early,” said Olympian Andy Newell (Shaftsbury, VT), who's trained with the Team since 2002.
Head Coach Pete Vordenberg setup the on-snow details while Coach Justin Wadsworth – who lives in Bend – arranged for the training on the Oregon coast. “He's a celebrity down there,” Newell laughed, “and knows everyone, so Justin arranged everything for us.”
“It was very cool,” Newell said, making no reference to the weather. “It was cool to get the whole crew together so we could all dive in 100 percent, make sure everybody's on the same page and motivated…
New training site, new energy
“The change of scene [from the U.S. Ski Team's base in Park City] is important, and it's good at this time of year, just after the season,” he added. “It's nice to be able to relax in conditions where it's sunny and warm. Everybody was focused…really, everybody was on-point. One day, the entire team was surfing, and when we're all surfing the same wave, that's definitely pretty cool.”
Vordenberg, who took over as head coach after the 2006 Olympic season, following four years as assistant coach, was pleased from start to finish with the twin-site results in Oregon. “Team building is not new; we were just trying to make it more successful. Last year I felt we did a good job with team building – and I think we did a good job with what we set goals on, but we still came only part of the way, so we know that's one area where we need to improve.
“It's really important. Park City has a lot to offer and we take advantage of that, but two or three times a year we'll change the setting. Going to Bend,” the coach said, “was awesome – everybody was hammering, and we'll be in New Zealand by the end of July, and in Lake Placid in October. The OTC [Lake Placid's Olympic Training Center] makes it so inexpensive for us, the terrain is so good and it turns out to be such a productive camp out there.”
Vordenberg received “incredible” assistance of groomers at Mt. Bachelor after the resort had closed for the season, setting – or smoothing – tracks at the nordic center. “We skied early in the morning, usually pretty early, then ate lunch and trained in the afternoon. Several days,” he said, “were unstructured for the athletes to do what they wanted; other days were more social, maybe playing a soccer game or something…but otherwise it was strength work and running intervals, some roller-skiing.
“In evenings we'd do team stuff – meetings, games, we all took turns with groups of three cooking dinner. We rented two houses in Bend, so that allowed more people to live together and that worked well…
Coach: “big emphasis on working together…”
“We kept it pretty simple, nothing too fancy,” Vordenberg said. “I think the way we did it made it so successful. We had a big emphasis on working together as a team. We talked about it most nights; one day we had three meetings on team building…
“The skiing was good in Bend, then it was great on the coast – running intervals on an awesome bluff over the water, then a great bike ride. We lifted weights and played around in the water. It totally worked out.”
For Newell, the on-snow training was important, especially as he looks to build on his progress a year ago in getting beyond being a sprint specialist. But the team building played out beautifully in Pacific City, finishing an “outstanding” camp on an obvious up note. “We had road bikes, some long rides, and did some running intervals and in our off time everyone went surfing. Everyone,” he said.
There was little or no problem with his teammates getting the hang of riding a surfboard, said Newell, who has made countless drives from his home in southwestern Vermont to the New Hampshire beach to rides waves. “They're all such good athletes – and cross country skiers pick up things so fast…but it did get a little cold, so we were in full wetsuits, gloves, boots, all of it. Otherwise, it was sunny, everyone stood up on a board…and it looked like everyone was having a good time. It was a nice change.”
Exhibit B: The cross country squad had physical testing in April in Park City to help determine the effect of last season on the preseason conditioning regimen. Vordenberg said the Team will regroup in Park City in mid-July for additional testing before heading to New Zealand for the annual three-week camp at The Snow Farm outside Wanaka on South Island.
Over 60 of the best nordic athletes and coaches from the Western United States have come to test their mettle in the sunny Sierra Nevada this week. Perfect conditions and a full menu of activities greeted everyone on Sunday, starting out with a special team-bonding experience of a special orienteering contest around Donner Memorial State Park in Truckee. Athletes were divided into teams, with maps, compass, and instructions on how to best navigate the course near Donner Lake. Activities included ski walking, rock climbing, chin-ups, swimming, and more, with some extra twists to make things really interesting (including the task of buying a hot dog or marshmallow from any nearby campers). Results were not concluded as of this writing (but suffice it to say that the coaches team did not win the event).
Activities resumed Monday with lactate testing and roller skiing, and will continue throughout the week until Friday. Athletes and coaches are staying at the Sierra Club’s Claire Tappaan Lodge on Donner Summit, close to Royal Gorge Cross Country ski area. Coaches include Ben Husaby, Gordon Lange, Travis Jones, and U.S. Ski Team’s Pat Casey, along with Far West’s Ben Grasseschi, Sara Salo, and other nordic coaches from around the Western U.S., coaching some of the top juniors in the country.
Pat Casey and fellow US Ski Team Developmental coach Matt Whitcomb have been traveling around the country this summer assisting with various regional elite camps. Two weeks ago, Pat was in Alaska and Matt was on the east coast for respective camps.
APUNSC Athletes had nothing but sunshine, sweet tracks, good food, and sunburns from the first glacier camp of the season!
Last week was the first of four scheduled on-snow camps planned for the 2007 summer training season. If everything goes according to plan, athletes will have had a total of 28 days on snow come fall.
Camp Highlights included:
-a quality big-hour week for everyone (18-25 hours)
-Lifting weights on the glacier (we brought an entire weight bench up to the glacier via helicopter sling-load!)
The Thomas Training Center is located on Eagle Glacier, just 45 minutes south of Anchorage. Athletes take a 10-minute helicopter ride and arrive at the facility which features 24 beds, an industrial kitchen, a sauna, and 9 kilometers of groomed track.
June Camp Roster:
Kikkan Randall
Taz Mannix
Katie Ronsee
Kristina Strandberg
Ky Eiben
Kate Fitzgerald
Becca Rorabaugh
Sarah Radonich
Lars Flora
James Southam
Anders Haugen
Tyson Flaharty
Jeff Ellis
Bart Dengel
Galen Johnston
Justin Singleton
Brent Knight
David Hansen
Coaches: Erik Flora, Frode Lillefjell, and Casey Fagerquist
Check out the NEW and updated APUNSC website at: http://nordic.alaskapacific.edu/
2007 CENTRAL REGIONAL TRAINING AND TESTING CAMP
Qualified top senior and junior CXC athletes will join for a week of training and testing on July 1st.
HAYWARD, WI (June 6)
Central Cross Country Ski Association is pleased to announce the 2007 Regional Training and Testing Camp for CXC Ski Team, CXC Junior Development Program, Central Regional Development Group, State Development Groups and petitioned athletes.
The first CXC Team training camp of the season began on May 5th. The goal was four fold: welcome back returning athletes and meet the new athletes to kick off the year with overall team goal setting; physiology and general fitness testing; results analysis and individual coach/athlete meetings to develop individualized plans; and begin ski specific team training and technique analysis.
We sat down as a team, looked back at last season and discussed the direction and goals for the new year. Former Olympians and Russian National coaches Igor Badamshin (CXC high performance advisor) and Nikolai Anikin provided insight and perspective while looking forward to future training and racing.
, Bill Pierce (CXC Junior Development Program coach), Yuriy Gusev (CXC coach and Director of Education), Garrott Kuzzy and Kristina Owen (CXC Ski Team athletes).</p>
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 for this year.</p>
<p>This year we already have top athletes and coaches in the region and in the country committed to the camp, including CXC Ski Team members, CXC Junior Development Program members, U-23 World Championships Team members, Junior Olympics medalists, US Ski Team head coach Pete Vordenberg, US Ski Team development coach Matt Whitcomb, CXC Ski Team head coach Bryan Fish and CXC Junior Development Program coach Bill Pierceâ€, commented Yuriy Gusev (CXC Skiing Chief Executive Officer)</p>
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