FasterSkier

Tag: Mansfield Nordic

  • Wednesday Workout: Training in the Dark with Mansfield Nordic

    Wednesday Workout: Training in the Dark with Mansfield Nordic

    Group photo with GMVS, SMC and UVM club skiers after their Monday night skate sprint. (Photo: Gary Solow)
    Group photo with Mansfield Nordic, GMVS, St. Michael’s College, and UVM club skiers after their evening skate sprint in Jericho, Vt. (Photo: Gary Solow)

    On Nov. 1, the clocks turned against a skier’s favor, especially if you are used to training after an already-lengthy day at school. For many, this time of year brings about tough battles with motivation. The desire to even get out the door is often more difficult to swallow when the sun goes down, and cold weather combined with a lack of snow can add even more aggravation.

    Bill Koch League skier Aidan Burt previews the sprint course in fading light at the Jericho range in Vermont. (Photo: Gary Solow)
    Bill Koch League skier Aidan Burt previews the sprint course in fading light at the Jericho range in Vermont. (Photo: Gary Solow)

    Mansfield Nordic is incredibly fortunate to train at one of only a few paved, car-free rollerski loops in the country at Camp Ethan Allen in Jericho. “The Range”, as it’s known colloquially, also features lights along all 5.5 kilometers of trail, making it ideal for training in this tough shoulder season.

    Although The Range is an amazing place to train, we don’t spend every workout on rollerskis. Recently we found a creative way to make our own lighted trail system in the woods with the help of some battery-powered infrastructure.

    In this article I’ll share two workouts we’ve done this fall that were enhanced by the darkness rather than limited by it: A rollerski sprint time trial and bounding intervals in the woods.

    Event 1: Skate Rollerski Sprint TT

    After a late-summer timetrial with the Green Mountain Valley School (GMVS) in East Warren, coaches Garrott, Katrina and I began talking about the next time we could get the group together. The GMVS crew would not be able to get to the Range until 5 p.m. on weekdays, Garrott noted, when darkness would be coming up fast. Instead of changing plans, we decided to turn this into the plan!

    A few weeks and a bit of outreach later, a hearty crew was up at The Range on a Tuesday night for some sprinting action. The competitors included athletes from Mansfield Nordic, GMVS, St. Michael’s College, and the University of Vermont (UVM) Club team.

    The Workout

    A qualifier was held in grainy, fading light, and by the time the heats began the lights along the trail were the only glow in the area as racers sped around a hilly 1 k lap. Organized in a modified “King’s Court” style, everyone got to race multiple heats against similar competition. With some diligent recording, every racer was tracked for every lap so that times could be compared. Pizza delivered after the final round was key, as the event wrapped up around 7 p.m.  

    Event 2: Bounding by Headlamp

    Although rollerski tracks with lights are not common, many racers are probably more familiar with training by headlamp, especially masters racers who are looking to train before and after long work days. We were able to do some bounding intervals at a popular training location, the Jericho Research Forest, with headlamps and more to light the way.

    The location for this was key to enabling safe, effective training in the woods at night. This stretch of forest has a few great features that made the night workout possible:

    • Hills of varying length and grade (of course)
    • Snowmobile trails, which are wide and well-cleared of obstacles that could trip you up
    • A relatively short 1-2 k loop to avoid getting lost and help track athletes

    The Workout

    MNC skiers alternated jogging and bounding on portions of a 6-8 minute loop that included steep uphills, rolling terrain and flats. By doing the workout on a set course over and over, athletes became familiar with the terrain in the fading evening light. This made it easier to navigate the loop when the complete darkness arrived shortly thereafter.

    The loop made a figure-8 style, and in the middle, a branch was posted into the ground with a LED light dangling off — the center hub and meeting spot, as well as the beginning and end of every interval. This made it easier to know where and when to find athletes … and to know where the water belts were.     

    Headlamps were donned to allow better visibility, and also give a pretty cool motivational boost. Is the competition outside training in the dark right now as well, or are they home watching “The Walking Dead”? Concluding the workout with some extra hard bounding with a partner, under the light of teammates’ headlamps lining a short section of the trail, made for a great finale.

    The dark and cold days of autumn will always bring a tough challenge to skiers, especially before the snow has fallen. It doesn’t have to mean a lack of motivation or variety, though. If you can get creative with your workouts, you may even find a way to dig deeper and end up with a more memorable session than you planned.

    Bounding at night. (Photo: Adam Terko)
    Bounding at night. (Photo: Adam Terko)
  • Mansfield Nordic Seeks Development Team Leader

    Mansfield Nordic Seeks Development Team Leader

    Mansfield Nordic Club

    Mansfield Nordic Club

    Development Team Leader Position

    Mansfield Nordic seeks to hire a Development Team Leader to drive our top youth skiers toward higher level skiing on our Competition Team. This Team Leader will be a high‐energy skier with strong communication abilities among individual athletes, groups, parents and volunteers. As a motivating and enthusiastic presence, the person who fills this leadership role will be an individual who is supportive, enthusiastic and ready to make a positive difference in the lives of skiers both on and off the trail.

    The ability to motivate athletes and coordinate workouts, games, races and other events is key, as is creativity and adaptability in regards to weather, snow conditions and training venues.

    Effective coaching is a key component of this position. Primary responsibilities will include:

    • Coaching the MNC Development Team, comprised of 8‐12 fast, motivated skiers age 12‐16
    • Providing motivation, technique development & race savvy in a fun & energetic manner
    • Sharing a passion & joy for skiing, as well as encouraging determination & hard work among athletes
    • Collaborating directly with the MNC Bill Koch League team & Competition Team
    • Providing race support at 4 NENSA Eastern Cup events, BKL events & more (EHSC qualifiers, out‐of‐region JNQs)
    • Designing individual training for athletes, & working with them to develop both long & short‐term goals
    • Actively communicating & coordinating with parents & other ski team coaches

    Salary will be commensurate with experience & past coaching success (& influenced by skier enrollment) but will range between $8,000 & $12,000 for leading up to 5 training sessions per week from May through March, as well as providing coaching, waxing and support at 6+ competition weekends during the winter.

    About MNC

    Mansfield Nordic is one of the largest and most diverse ski clubs in New England, with programs for over 200 skiers ranging in age from 7 to 70+. Our home training facility is the Ethan Allen Biathlon range in Jericho, Vermont. This location features snowmaking, lighted trails, Pisten Bully grooming, challenging terrain, a large lodge and a 5‐kilometer paved rollerski system. Our members range from recreational skiers to top racers. MNC youth, junior and collegiate racers have recently been on the podium at the NENSA BKL Festival, USSA Junior Nationals, NCAA Championships and Masters National and World Championships.

    To inquire, please submit a resume and cover letter to Executive Director/Head Coach Adam Terko: adamRterko@gmail.com

    MNC Group

  • Mansfield Nordic Seeks Development Coach

    Mansfield Nordic Seeks Development Coach

    Mansfield Nordic Logo

    Mansfield Nordic Club seeks to hire a Junior Team Development coach to lead our top youth skiers toward higher-level skiing on our Junior Competition team. Our new coach will be a high-energy skier with strong communication, leadership and interpersonal skills. The position is for approximately 15-20 hours per week, November 2014-March 2015. There is likely potential for this position to lead into the Head Coach for our Junior Competition Team in May 2015.

    Our new coach will have primary responsibilities for:

    • Coaching our Development Team with 10-12 fast, motivated skiers, age 12-16, who strive to make the MNC Competition Team. Several of these skiers are among the top in New England and ready for specialized technique and race coaching.
    • Provide motivation, technique development and race savvy in a fun and energetic environment.
    • Create a passion & joy for skiing with determination & toughness to be the best skier they can be.
    • Collaborate closely with BKL and Competition Team head coaches to bridge athletes from the BKL youth program to the Junior Competition Team
    • Expand the number of female athletes transitioning from BKL to Junior Team
    • Provide race support at 8 NENSA Eastern Cup races and at 3-4 BKL races
    • Design individualized training programs for each athlete with long & short range goal setting
    • Lead and train a parent volunteer wax team
    • Actively communicate and coordinate with parents and with school ski team coaches

    Mansfield Nordic Club is one of the largest and most diverse Nordic ski clubs in New England with programs for 200+ skiers age 7-70. Our home training facility is the Ethan Allen Biathlon Range in Jericho, Vermont with snowmaking, lights, piston bully grooming, challenging competition level trails, stadium, full biathlon range, large lodge and 5km paved roller ski system.

    We also train at numerous facilities including Trapp Family Lodge and Craftsbury Outdoor Center. Our members range from recreational fitness skiers to top competitive skiers. Our youth, junior, collegiate and masters skiers have been on the podium at the New England BKL Festival, Junior Nationals, NCAA competitions and Masters National and World championships. We provide programs for Bill Koch League recreation skiers, Bill Koch League Race Team, Junior Development Team, Junior Competition Team and Masters fitness and Masters competitive groups. In addition to our winter skiing programs, we host a summer training program for junior skiers, a fall training program and a Thanksgiving Camp with 2010 Olympian Garrott Kuzzy.
    For more specific details on this position, email: murray@murraybanks.com. 
  • Mansfield Nordic Club Seeks Junior Devo Coach

    Mansfield Nordic Club Seeks Junior Devo Coach

    Mansfield Nordic Logo

    MANSFIELD NORDIC CLUB DEVELOPMENT TEAM COACHING POSITION

    Mansfield Nordic Club seeks to hire a Junior Team Development coach to lead our top youth skiers toward higher level skiing on our Junior Competition team. Our new coach will be a high-energy skier with strong communication, leadership and interpersonal skills. The position is for approximately 15-20 hours per week, November 2014-March 2015. There is likely potential for this position to lead into the Head Coach for our Junior Competition Team in May 2015.

    Our new coach will have primary responsibilities for:

    • Coaching our Development Team with 10-12 fast, motivated skiers, age 12-16, who strive to make the MNC Competition Team. Several of these skiers are among the top in New England and ready for specialized technique and race coaching.
    • Provide motivation, technique development and race savvy in a fun and energetic environment.
    • Create a passion & joy for skiing with determination & toughness to be the best skier they can be.
    • Collaborate closely with BKL and Competition Team head coaches to bridge athletes from the BKL youth program to the Junior Competition Team
    • Expand the number of female athletes transitioning from BKL to Junior Team
    • Provide race support at 8 NENSA Eastern Cup races and at 3-4 BKL races
    • Design individualized training programs for each athlete with long & short range goal setting
    • Lead and train a parent volunteer wax team
    • Actively communicate and coordinate with parents and with school ski team coaches

    Mansfield Nordic Club is one of the largest and most diverse Nordic ski clubs in New England with programs for 200+ skiers age 7-70.

    Our home training facility is the Ethan Allen Biathlon Range in Jericho, Vermont with snowmaking, lights, piston bully grooming, challenging competition level trails, stadium, full biathlon range, large lodge and 5km paved roller ski system. We also train at numerous facilities including Trapp Family Lodge and Craftsbury Outdoor Center. Our members range from recreational fitness skiers to top competitive skiers.

    Our youth, junior, collegiate and masters skiers have been on the podium at the New England BKL Festival, Junior Nationals, NCAA competitions and Masters National and World championships. We provide programs for Bill Koch League recreation skiers, Bill Koch League Race Team, Junior Development Team, Junior Competition Team and Masters fitness and Masters competitive groups.

    In addition to our winter skiing programs, we host a summer training program for junior skiers, a fall training program and a Thanksgiving Camp with former Olympic skier Garrott Kuzzy.

    For more specific details on this position, email: murray@murraybanks.com.

  • New Website; Drive for 25; Swix wax clinic

    Our Official New Website:

    We are transitioning to our new website in an effort to bring the entire club into one online presence.

    Drive for 25:

    This is a fundraiser in support of the National Nordic Foundation. The NNF supports the development pipeline for nordic skiers — helping fund things like the J2 summer camps, J1 Scando Cup Trip, Junior World Championships, etc. When I led the J1 trip to Finland in 2010, the NNF gave us $20,000 of funding to defray athlete costs.

    Swix wax clinic at Skirack:

    Skirack and Swix will host an intermediate/advanced wax clinic the Monday after Thanksgiving. Drew Gelinas will be here from Swix to give a demonstration on the tips and tricks he has picked up after many years in the industry. The tentative plan is:

    • 6:00 – 7:30pm
    • Floro application, brush selection, binder waxes and klisters
    • Opportunity to ask questions

  • Week Recap & Training now through Thanksgiving

    This past week we had a focus on volume and continuous skiing at low- to moderate-intensity. In spite of the shortened days and the venue changes, we were able to get some quality workouts. Thanks to good attitudes from the athletes and help from several parents, we stayed safe and had fun to boot. The banner picture above shows us near the end of training last Tuesday (11/6 at 5:30pm). That is what a group of 15 hard-core rollerskiers looks like! Thank you to the following parents for helping with “chaperoning” the end of our training sessions when it has been pitch black:

    • Bill Hegman (cycling in 35˚ weather!)
    • Rosemary Shea-Cobb
    • Pat Harmeyer
    • Don Harmeyer
    • Amy Kuzio
    • Gary Solow
    • not to mention all of the coaches: Eli Enman, Rick Costanza, Alice Nelson, Murray Banks, and Paul Allison

    We still have a handful of MNC Race Suits available for sale. Contact me immediately if you’d like one.

    ******  Bring headlamps and taillights and any reflective stuff that you own! ******

    Training 11/12 – 11/18: “Speed Week”.

    • Tuesday 11/13: 4pm at Round Church. Skate + speed and power (strength).
    • Thursday 11/15: 4pm at the Range (tentatively). Backup = Round Church. Classic sprint time-trial if possible.
    • Sunday 11/18: 9-11am at TBD. Classic rollerski + time-trial.

    Training 11/19 – 11/25: “Volume Week”. No formal training however lots of opportunities:

    • Craftsbury has been making snow every time it gets cold enough. It may be worthwhile to drive up for a day even if you weren’t able to sign up for the MNC Camp with Garrott.
    • Monday = Possible bonus training run.
    • Thursday =  GMAA Turkey Trot 5km run/race @ UVM.
    • Saturday = Craftsbury season opener freestyle races.
    • Wednesday – Sunday = MNC Camp @ Craftsbury with Garrott Kuzzy.

    Training 11/26 – 12/2: “Recovery Week”. Monday night Swix Wax clinic at Skirack hosted by Drew Gelinas. Take 2-3 days of rest this week if you are tired from Thanksgiving Camp!

    • Tuesday 11/27: 4pm at the Range. TBD. Low intensity.
    • Thursday 11/29: 4pm at the Range. TBD. Low intensity.
    • Sunday 12/2: 9am at TBD.
    Warmup drills last Thursday.

    Dusk on the Greystone ascent.

    • Greystone Double Pole Test; Training 11/5 – 11/18

      This morning we did our second double-pole test of the year up Greystone Rd in Richmond. It was cold, damp, and breezy with the temp around 39˚.  We last did this test in August (9th and 15th) on two days that were both beautiful, sunny, and 70-80˚. The course is a steep climb for about 600m. We do this test a few times each year to track individual progres over time. Because rollerski speeds vary so much, it isn’t useful to compare times against other athletes. This morning it was much colder than all of our previous attempts (summer and last fall), which makes getting the poles to grip a bit more difficult. Results are below.

      I scheduled training for this Tuesday/Thursday at Round Church. We will do our best to mitigate the effects of darkness and get a good workout. As such, bring headlamps and taillights and any reflective stuff that you own!

      Training 11/5 – 11/11: “Volume Week”. Note a longer workout on Sunday.

      • Tuesday 11/6: 4pm at Round Church. Skate + specific strength and strength test.
      • Thursday 11/8: 4pm at Round Church. Classic + long L3 intervals (intervals may get moved to Sunday).
      • Sunday 11/11: 9-11:30am at Mud Pond (Williston). Long classic rollerski. Be prepared with food/fluids.

      Training 11/12 – 11/18: “Speed Week”.

      • Tuesday 11/13: 4pm at TBD. Skate + speed and power (strength).
      • Thursday 11/15: 4pm at TBD. Classic sprint time-trial if possible.
      • Sunday 11/18: 9-11am at TBD (possibly Bear Trap Rd in Milton). Classic rollerski + time-trial.
      Greystone Double Pole Test Results, 11/4/12. Cold – 38˚.
      Name, Time, (Summer 2012 and PR from Fall 2011 if applicable)

      • Forrest Hamilton, 2:41 (2:41, 3:05)
      • Ben Hegman, 2:52 (2:49, 3:29)
      • Henry Harmeyer, 2:53 (2:51, 3:14)
      • Bill Harmeyer, 3:01 (3:02, 4:25)
      • Sam Longenbach,  3:07 (3:15, 3:35)
      • Parker Francis, 3:17 (2:59, 3:48)
      • Emmett Peterson, 3:19 (3:53)
      • Nathanael Kuzio, 3:21 (3:18, 4:00)
      • Ethan John, 3:28 (3:29, 4:03)
      • Murray Banks, 3:48
      • Melissa Manning, 3:49 *** new womens’ record (previous 3:56)
      • Amy Bruce, 4:07 (4:58)
      • Will Solow, 4:09 (4:35)
      • Cally Braun, 4:12 (4:09)
      • Rachel Slimovitch, 5:51
      • Charlie Cobb, 5:51

    • Training 10/29 – 11/18

      Training 10/29 – 11/4: “Recovery Week”. Please wear bright clothing and bring headlamps/taillights if you own them.
      • Tuesday 10/30: 4-5:45pm at Round Church. Skate rollerski + speeds and pack skiing.
      • Thursday 11/1: 4-5:45pm at Round Church. Skate rollerski + short intervals at moderate intensity.
      • Sunday 11/4: 9-11am at Round Church. Greystone double-pole test. ***Time changes!

      Training 11/5 – 11/11: “Volume Week”. Note a longer workout on Sunday.

      • Tuesday 11/6: 4pm at TBD (Range or Round Church). Skate + specific strength and strength test.
      • Thursday 11/8: 4pm at TBD (Range or Round Church). Classic + long L3 intervals.
      • Sunday 11/11: 9-11:30am at TBD. Long classic rollerski. Be prepared with food/fluids.

      Training 11/12 – 11/18: “Speed Week”.

      • Tuesday 11/13: 4pm at TBD. Skate + speed and power (strength).
      • Thursday 11/15: 4pm at TBD. Classic sprint time-trial if possible.
      • Sunday 11/18: 9-11am at TBD (possibly Bear Trap Rd in Milton). Classic rollerski + time-trial.

    • Skier Sightings @ VT State Running Champs [updated]

      Congratulations to some awesome performances by MNC skiers yesterday at Thetford! Full results are here.

      Patrick Hickey, Nathanael Kuzio, and Autumn Eastman were each amongst the top-6 in their division and helped their teams win the D1 Boys, D2 Boys, and D1 girls’ titles, respectively.

      MNC and other local skiers’ results are down below.

      Today we did a long rollerski out Pleasant Valley Rd, from Underhill Center to Cambridge and back. The boys skied close to 35km total, with many of them doing L3 intervals. The gals and J3 skier Will Solow skied approx 25-27km total – and this was hilly terrain! This is the end of an intensity week, so the athletes will have several days off this coming week.

      A few pictures:

      An inspirational place to train… just 40 minutes from downtown Burlington!

      Henry, Forrest, Bill, Ben, Parker and Ethan making their way back up the Pleasant Valley climb

      Other Nordic skiers from the greater-Burlington-area (ranking amongst combined D1/D2/D3 results):

      • Taylor Spillane (2)
      • Autumn Eastman (3)
      • Lucy Leith (26)
      • Chloe Levins (41) – Rutland
      • Riley Carbone (49)
      • Leslie Roberts (68)
      • Molly Shallow (84)
      • Aleksandra Zakrzewsca (117)

      And from the “Challenge” Race:

      • Kayla Servin (8)
      • Rachel Slimovitch (11)
      • Alissa Stone (34) 
      • Anna Franceshetti (38)
      • Amy Bruce (52)
      • Claire Julianelle (119)
      • Adele Julianelle (151)

        BOYS (combined rank)

        • Patrick Hickey (8)
        • Nathanael Kuzio (11)
        • Sean Delaney (17)
        • Henry Harmeyer (34)
        • Will Kay (35)
        • Nigel Sarrazin (44)
        • Jordan Lamay (59)
        • Bill Harmeyer (61)
        • Lukas Adamowicz (86)
        • Ethan Thibault (120)

        Boys Challenge Race:

        • Louis St-Pierre (3)
        • Forrest Hamilton (8)
        • Emmett Peterson (10)
        • Casey Silk (23)
        • Sam Longenbach (99)
        • Seamus Nolan (105)
        • Griffin Cannon (158)
        • Charlie Cobb (174)

          Great job; now it is ski season!!

        • Training 10/22 – 11/18

          Training 10/22 – 10/28: “Race Week” with State Championships or “Intensity Week”.

          • Tuesday 10/23: 4-5:45pm at the Round Church. High-intensity skate intervals.
          • Thursday 10/25: 4-5:45pm at the Round Church. Classic ski: easy day for State Champs racers; high-intensity intervals for others.
          • Sunday 10/28: 9-11am at Underhill Central School. Classic rollerski with moderate intensity + potluck at Murray Banks’ afterwards. Non-racers = moderate intensity.

          Sunday 10/28 details: start rollerskiing at Underhill Central School on Pleasant Valley Rd. Ski towards Cambridge and back with lots of new pavement.  After the workout we’ll have a potluck brunch at Murray’s house on Irish Settlement Rd – bring fruit, juice, pastry or other gourmet delights.

          Directions to the School: Rt 15 to Underhill Flats, then right onto River Rd; go 2+ miles to Underhill Center, go thru the stop sign, up the hill, little brick school is on the left.
           
          Training 10/29 – 11/4: “Recovery Week”.

          • Tuesday 10/30: 4-5:45pm at TBD (Range or Round Church). Skate rollerski + speeds and pack skiing.
          • Thursday 11/1: 4-5:45pm at TBD (Range or Round Church). Skate rollerski + short intervals at moderate intensity.
          • Sunday 11/4: 9-11am at Round Church. Greystone double-pole test.

          Training 11/5 – 11/11: “Volume Week”. Note a longer workout on Sunday.

          • Tuesday 11/6: 4pm at TBD (Range or Round Church). Skate + specific strength and strength test.
          • Thursday 11/8: 4pm at TBD (Range or Round Church). Classic + long L3 intervals.
          • Sunday 11/11: 9-11:30am at TBD. Long classic rollerski. Be prepared with food/fluids.

          Training 11/12 – 11/18: “Speed Week”.

          • Tuesday 11/13: 4pm at TBD. Skate + speed and power (strength).
          • Thursday 11/15: 4pm at TBD. Classic sprint time-trial if possible.
          • Sunday 11/18: 9-11am at TBD (possibly Bear Trap Rd in Milton). Classic rollerski + time-trial.

           

        • Training 9/24 – 10/28

          Training 9/24 – 9/30: “Volume Week” with 0-2 running races dependent on athlete & team.

          • Tuesday 9/25: 4-6pm at the Range. Continuous skate skiing with focus on technique + strength.
          • Thursday 9/27: 4-6pm at the Range. Continuous classic skiing with focus on technique + strength.
          • Sunday 9/30: 9-11am at Mud Pond. Classic ski with technique and specific strength.

          Training 10/1 – 10/7: “Recovery Week” with Thetford Invitational on Saturday. Notice the shorter training sessions on Tuesday and Thursday!

          • Tuesday 10/2: 4-5:30pm at the Range. Classic ski with technique work + strength.
          • Thursday 10/4: 4-5:30pm at the Range. Skate ski with technique work + strength.
          • Sunday 10/7: 9-11am at Round Church. Classic ski with technique and specific strength. Craftsbury athletes Ida Sargent and Susan Dunklee are hosting a high-school nordic clinic from 1-3pm @ Craftsbury. Details here. Suggested rest day for Comp athletes that are also racing CC Running.

          Training 10/8 – 10/14: “Intensity Week” with Mills River Running Race on Friday.

          • Tuesday 10/9: 4-6pm at the Range. Skate rollerskiing with moderate intensity.
          • Thursday 10/11: 4-6pm at the Range. Classic rollerskiing with moderate intensity.
          • Sunday 10/14: 9-11am at location TBD. Workout will likely be a time-trial of some sort (Bear Trap classic TT, Honey Hollow uphill run TT, or Greystone double-pole TT).

          Training 10/15 – 10/21: “Recovery Week” with NVAC District Champs @ Mississquoi on Saturday.

          • Tuesday 10/16: 4-6pm at the Range. Classic rollerski with “speeds” and strength.
          • Thursday 10/18: 4-6pm at the Range. Skate rollerski with “speeds” and strength. Suggested rest day for Comp Team members racing @ NVAC’s & State Champs.
          • Sunday 10/21: 9-11am at Round Church. Classic easy distance skiing with technique.

          Training 10/22 – 10/28: “Race Week” with State Championships or “Intensity Week”.

          • Tuesday 10/23: 4-6pm at the Range. High-intensity rollerski intervals.
          • Thursday 10/25: 4-6pm at the Range. Easy day for State Champs racers; high-intensity intervals for others.
          • Sunday 10/28: 9-11am at Mud Pond. Classic rollerski. Non-racers = moderate intensity.

        • Skiers @ Essex Invite; Training 9/10 – 9/16

          Nice job to all the skiers that raced yesterday at the Essex Invite. Full results are found here. MNC skiers were all over the place, including something like 9 of the top-30 boys D1. I was glad to see a lot of folks out there! Coach Paul Allison threw down a great time of 17:15 in the citizen’s race, and I’m happy to report that most of the boys are now fitter/faster than I am — as I ran a 19:24 or so. That is a great sign for the athletes and a not great sign for me.

          Training 9/10 – 9/16: This coming week is our first of the fall! I hope everybody is into the swing of school and excited to get back together. MMU has a race Friday and CVU is at the Burlington Invite on Saturday. Thursday will focus more on technique and strength to keep some energy in everyone’s legs.

          • Tuesday 9/11: 4-6pm at the Range. Strength test + classical rollerskiing/technique.
          • Thursday 9/13: 4-6pm at the Range. Skate “striders” and strength.
          • Sunday 9/16: 9-11am at Round Church. Classic roll with L3 specific strength up Greystone Dr.

          Training 9/17 – 9/23: “Speed Week” with Tuesday and Saturday races for most runners.

          • Tuesday 9/18: 4-6pm at the Range. Classic + speeds and short sprint test (under 30 seconds); and strength. PLEASE BRING BOTH SKATE & CLASSIC EQUIPMENT for the sprint tests.
          • Thursday 9/20: 4-6pm at the Range. Skate + speeds and strength.
          • Sunday 9/23: 9-11am at Round Church. Classic roll with long L2/L3 intervals on flat/fast terrain.

          Training 9/24 – 9/30: “Volume Week” with 0-2 running races dependent on athlete & team.

          • Tuesday 9/25: 4-6pm at the Range. Continuous skate skiing with focus on technique + strength.
          • Thursday 9/27: 4-6pm at the Range. Continuous classic skiing with focus on technique + strength.
          • Sunday 9/30: 9-11am at Mud Pond. Classic ski with technique and specific strength.

        • How to Stay Connected to Skiing

          With the arrival of XC Running and other fall HS sports, I want to share some information with everyone to stay abreast of the happenings in the Nordic ski world. First, a list of fun and useful websites. Following, a short calendar of important events in our region (including World Cup races in Quebec this December!).

          http://www.FasterSkier.com (updated daily. Domestic & international news)
          http://www.NENSA.net (Regional news for New England skiing)
          http://www.SportLemon.tv (links to watch World Cup skiing live via Eurosport)
          http://www.USSA.org (US Ski Assocation)
          http://www.USSkiTeam.com (US Ski Team)
          http://www.NationalNordicFoundation.org (Supports elite American skiers)
          http://www.BiathlonWorld.com (World Cup biathlon – watch events live and in HD)
          http://www.EAbiathlon.org (Our local biathlon club – Ethan Allen)
          http://www.fis-ski.com/ (International Ski Federation)
          http://www.fiscrosscountry.com/ (Internationl Nordic news)

          Events and Dates:

          Anti-Doping Awareness Article:

          • "Travel Teams" — what are they? How to qualify?

            Skate sprint at 2005 Junior Nationals

            Scoreboard at U-23 World Champs in 2004

            Here are a number of exciting events that take place every season. They are in order by ascending age (and degree of difficulty to qualify!):

            • BKL Festival: A weekend-long festival for kids up to age 13 (K-8th grades). This is not just a “race” weekend — the event is more like a fair with different theme each year. Kids get to enjoy face-painting, mini-tours, some short races if they desire, food, friends, and a great time. Typically 400-600 kids participate each year! This event is open to anyone in this age group. Venue changes each season: Weston Ski Track hosts in 2013.
            • New England J2 Championships: A weekend-long race series for the top J2’s in the region (ages 14-15). Athletes must qualify to participate (at the EHS/J2 qualifier races in mid-February each year). 2013 J2 website. Each state in New England has its own qualifier races. Vermont has a 3km classic followed by a 3km skate. Finishing time = the sum of your 2 races and the top 20 J2’s from Vermont earn a spot on the J2 Champs Team.
            • Eastern High School Championships: a 3-day weekend of racing for the top high-school skiers in the region. Athletes must qualify to participate (at the EHS/J2 qualifier races in mid-February each year). The qualifiers are a 3km classic + 3km skate, with the top 24 high school athletes being named to the team. At the EHS Champs, athletes compete for individual honors, and also represent their home-state in a team competition. Events include a sprint prologue, a relay, and 2 short distance races. 2013 EHS Champs website.
            • Junior National Championships: athletes from age 14-19 qualify to represent their region at this week-long race series, which includes a sprint race, 2 distance races, and a relay (as well as a dance that kids get really excited for). Skiers compete against their age group for individual honors (J2 = 14/15; J1= 16/17; OJ = 18/19). There is also a team competition which pits the 12 regions against one another. New England has won the team competition for the past 4 years!! 2013 Junior Nationals take place in Fairbanks Alaska. To qualify in New England, racers must participate in the Eastern Cup races and score NENSA Points. After the last Eastern Cup, the New England coaches use the NENSA Points in each age-group to select the team: 6 J2’s of each gender, and 15 J1/OJ’s of each gender (total = 42 athletes). There is an entire section of the NENSA website dedicated to athletes that would like to participate at JN’s.
            • J1 Scandinavia Cup Championships: This is an international trip sanctioned by the US Ski Team. Based on results at Senior Nationals, the top-6 boys and girls from the J1 category are named to this team (age 17 or younger). The competitions take place in Scandinavia in late-January or early February. Link to J1 Scando Cup blog.
            • Junior World Championships: Another international trip. Location varies from year-to-year; typically it takes place in Central Europe or Scandinavia. Athletes qualify based on results at Senior National Championships. The top-6 boys and girls (age 19 and younger) are selected each season. 2013 JWC’s take place in Czech Republic.
            • U-23 World Championships: International trip that overlaps with the Junior World Championships. This is for athletes up to age 22. 2013 U23WC’s take place in Czech Republic.
            • World Championships/Olympics: we all know about these! Only for the best-of-the-best. There is no age limit — you’re never too young or too old!

            Senior National Championships: held annually in early January. Typically a 4-race series that includes 2 sprints (skate & classic) and 2 “short” distance races (approx 5/10km for gals, 10/15km for boys). These events are open to anyone with a USSA license. The best juniors in the country will participate in hopes of qualifying for the J1 Scando Trip, Junior Worlds, and U-23 Worlds. The races are hosted by Soldier Hollow (Midway, UT) in both 2013 and 2014.

          • Race to the Top of Vermont skier sightings

            This past weekend we had our last training of the summer session, followed on Sunday by the Catamount Trail fundraiser “Race to the Top of Vermont” which is either a running or mountain bike race up the Mansfield Toll Road (Stowe). There were a ton of skiers and former skiers in the event: including a group of MNC athletes, Craftsbury Green Racing Project Elite Team members, and coaches.

            Running results

            In the women’s run, 5 of the top 9 are skiers:

            • 1-Kasie Enman (Eli’s wife)
            • 2-Caitlin Patterson (UVM Grad, Craftsbury GRP)
            • 3-Ida Sargent (Dartmouth Grad, Craftsbury GRP)
            • 5- Clare Egan (UNH Grad, Craftsbury GRP)
            • 7-Robyn Anderson (Middlebury Grad, VTXC)
            • 9-Hannah Dreissigacker (Dartmouth Grad, Craftsbury GRP)

            Other female skier sightings include current & former NENSA board members and other former coaches and recreational skiers and HS ski families:

            • Hollenbachs, Spillanes, Eastmans, Pribrams, Rands, Hosmer, Geer, Van Dyke, 

              In the men’s run, 12 of the top 20 are current or former skiers:

              •  2-Gordon Vermeer (Dartmouth Grad, Craftsbury GRP)
              • 3-Nils Koons (Dartmouth Grad, Craftsbury GRP)
              • 4-Scott Patterson (UVM Grad, Craftsbury GRP)
              • 6-Jordan Fields (Woodstock HS Grad)
              • 7- Dylan McGuffin (UNH Grad, Craftsbury GRP)
              • 8-Eli Enman COACH MNC and CVUHS!!
              • 10-Tim Reynolds (Middlebury Grad, Craftsbury GRP)
              • 11-Patrick O’Brien (Dartmouth Grad, Craftsbury GRP)
              • 14-Mark Gilberston (Former US Ski Team / Olympian)
              • 16-Bryan Cook (NMU Grad, Craftsbury GRP)
              • 19-Nathan Alsobrook (Bowdoin College Head Coach)

              Also sighted in the results:

              • Kerrigans, Harmeyers, Skyler Davis, Howe, Kelloggs (Charlie formerly US Ski Team, Terry formerly Middlebury College), Darling

              Mountain Bike:

              •  Won by 2012 Olympian Lea Davison (Middlebury grad, former alpine racer, currently uses XC skiing as part of her winter-time training for MTB)
              • Also seen: Harmeyer, Jamiesons (Mad River Valley BKL participants)
                Cally Braun early in the race

                MNC folks at the summit: Annavitte, Karin, Ethan, Liam, Bill, Penny, Alice

                Pre-race: Annevitte, Bill, Henry, Autumn, Emma, Cally, Tatum

                Saturday AM rollerski at Mud Pond: working on skate drills

              • Grass Skiing, Plyos and Strength @ CVU

                Yesterday was a perfect morning for training at CVU. Fall sports are going through tryouts, so there was a lot of activity beyond our training. After warmup, the crew did a circuit-style plyometric and strength routine. The athletes jogged between 5 stations that included plyos, abs, push ups, bench dips, narrow-pushups, and walking lunges. Coach Eli Enman and I supervised the plyos and helped with technique and timing.

                After nearly 60 minutes of that, we put on our skis (thats right, snow skis!) and did some short relays. Grass skiing is extremely taxing on the body – it is like trying to ski uphill through about 10″ of heavy snow. There is almost zero glide, meaning you can never really relax your muscles and recover. The benefits of grass skiing are that striding uphill is nearly exactly the same as on the snow: the body position, the balance, the kick phase, and the resistance from the grass is like a steep climb on snow. Rollerskis are nice, but they give you 100% guaranteed kick every stride – no matter how steep the climb. And there is much less resistance (friction) on a rollerski than on snow. If you don’t believe me when I say it is like real skiing, look at the pictures (below) of the athletes on the ascent. Body position is dead-on.

                I remember seeing Kris Freeman (US Ski Team) and Pat O’Brien (Craftsbury GRP) doing some short sprints on grass skis last summer with coach Zack Caldwell. Earlier this summer, there was video of the Craftsbury athletes practicing sprint starts. And just recently, the athletes at Rochester Nordic Racing (coached by Jason Hettenbaugh and my dad, Roger Weston) posted video of their own relays on grass!

                CVU has such perfect grass and also many steep hills between the fields. The hills were actually steep enough to glide down! It wasn’t fast, but it was fun and good for balance.

                Click the pictures to enlarge!

                Part of the relay included doing some 360˚s. Will Solow on the right catches air.

                The crew at the end of the workout.

                Nigel, Ethan T and Jordan working on plyos

                Emma Hamilton striding up the hill

                First crash of the 2013 season!

                Ethan T working on the lateral hops

                Ethan John striding uphill

                Sienna, Cally and Emma doing the 1-legged hops

                See, it looks like skiing!! Cally and Molly

                Getting the feel of having skis on.

                Nigel, Sienna, Cally and Ethan T showing good form

                Liam John – lateral skate hops

                Liam John trying some tele turns

                Liam and Will Solow striding uphill

                Lucy Leith with a bunch of skiers and field-hockey players in the background

                Lukas Adamowicz ascends the hill

                Nigel and Jordan working on plyos and V2 timing

                The start of the relay

                …and they’re off

                Sienna is getting ready for skiing at St Lawrence!

                Will Solow finds some glide

              • Is "laziness" a medical condition? Pictures…

                A doctor at the Mayo Clinic recently published some thoughts on a subject that I find intriguing: should “deconditioning” (a fancy term for being out-of-shape) become a medical diagnosis? An excerpt from his article in the Journal of Physiology:

                “Physical inactivity and lack of exercise – deconditioning – is one of the most common preventable causes of morbidity and mortality known for an impressive array of diseases (Thyfault & Booth, 2011).   . . .   If deconditioning were a recognized syndrome or diagnosis . . . it would be easier to educate the general public and medical community about the one universally effective treatment for it – exercise training.”

                ———————–

                Yesterday we trained at the Range on a perfect Vermont summer day. We were lucky to have 2 awesome MNC graduates back: Eric and Ben Lustgarten (Burlington HS alums that now ski at St. Lawrence and Middlebury, respectively). They’ve been training out in Sun Valley for most of the summer. Ben was one of the best XC runners in the state in ’09 as well as State Champ in skiing in 2010. Eric has come on full-bore in the past year, winning 2 Junior National Championships in one season! As a sophomore at Middlebury this past year, Ben qualified to represent the United States at Junior World Championships in Turkey! These guys represent some of the “old guard” that paved the way for the expansion of the Mansfield Nordic Club. Along with Peter Hegman [UVM], Jared Supple [Colby], John Dixon [Colby] and Emily Stitt [Middlebury], this crew of folks is kicking ass in the collegiate ranks. It goes to show just how much talent we have in this area.

                The coaches set up technique and skills stations and the athletes did a continuous rollerski with stops to do the drills. We practiced sprint starts, 1-ski downhill balance, running uphill, striding through an uphill slalom, kick double pole, jumping on rollerskis, and bounding up a grassy hill with rollerskis on.

                After no-pole warm up and about an hour of drills, everyone did some specific strength work. The big boys double-poled about 3 loops and the gals did a variety of double-pole and single-stick repeats. We ended with some max-power drills on a gradual up: go as far up the hill as possible in 10 poles.

                Bounding on skis: notice the different body positions of Eric/Ben (left) and the younger guys

                Sprint starts

                Craig Calhoun working on the specific strength

                Destyni catchin air! That takes confidence, power, agility, balance

                Ethan Thibault – specific strength

                Molly, Sienna, Leslie sprint starts

                Most people do slalom downhill… we do it uphill (diagonal stride)

                Bounding

                Jordan Lamay catching air

                Liam John working on the power

                Junior National champs (and BHS grads) Ben and Eric Lustgarten are going to ski fast this winter!

                Sienna looks excited – like Michael Jordan

                Will Kay has got some power for a young guy – not to mention wicked determination.

              • Mt Mansfield Hike

                Saturday 8/19 we had about 22 people gather for a hike up Mt Mansfield. The days started cool and cloudy and breezy. Once we reached the ridge we encountered nice views towards Stowe – it was entirely clear to the East. We skirted around the summit on the Profanity Trail and eventually looped back up and over on our way home. On the summit ridge (now coming from the Smuggs side), it was ominous and gray on one side of the ridge while remaining clear on the other. After a chilly few minutes on the summit, the clouds lifted and made for a beautiful descent. While we were on top of Vermont, one of our other MNC families was over in the Adirondacks summiting the highest point in NY – Mt Marcy. Hopefully we can get a few pics of their hike too!

                Approaching the summit. Gray to the W, clear to the E

                Garrott and Murray

                Nigel and Chris Rodgers

                Molly, Karin, and guest Margo

                Stopping for  a snack on the way up

                At the bad-weather bypass

                Is that the Alps? Nope, it is Stowe.

                Ben and Will on the summit

                Summit, looking West

                Ascent – we were still beneath the clouds

                Henry and Liam in an elevator shaft

                Louis, Will, Casey, Henry, Liam and Bill.

                View of Mansfield before the hike!!

                Heyo!

                On the way down…skies clear…looking towards Burlington

                Awwww yeaaahh!!

                Ballet pose with Pleasant Valley in the background!!

              • Training 8/20 – 8/26; Pictures from last week

                Training 8/20 – 8/26: (last week of Summer Training)

                • Monday: 8:30 – 10:30am. Classic rollerski at the Range.
                • Wednesday: 8:30 – 10:30am. Running & skiing at CVU. Bring rock skis (classic) and poles/boots. Fun relays!
                • Thursday: 5:00 – 7:00pm. Skate rollerski at the Range.
                • Saturday: 9:00 – 11:00am. TBD.

                Here are some pictures from last Wednesday. We did the make-up DP test on Wednesday, as well as a lot of classical technique work.  At the end of training we had an informal awards ceremony to honor Henry Harmeyer and Ben Hegman. Both of these boys earned All American status at Junior Nationals last year for their podium performances. Congrats guys!

                Yesterday we started hiking Mt Mansfield on a chilly morning that turned into a beautiful sunny day. Going up the west side of the mountain (from Underhill), we were stuck in the clouds the entire time. We flanked the summit via the Profanity Trail and as we moved towards the Stowe side of the mountain we encountered beautiful views. Back on the summit, it was sunny in one direction (East) and cloudy/windy to the West. Everything cleared off just after we began our descent down the Sunset Ridge Trail. We finished with a bunch of mini-donuts and donut holes.

                Coach Alice Nelson leads the girls – working on high hands while double-poling.

                Alissa Stone doing the DP test

                Ben Hegman and Sienna Searles

                The boys are happy that they don’t have to do another DP test for 2 months

                Cally Braun makes her way up

                Ethan, Jordan and Nigel

                Forrest and Ethan

                After the All-American presentation. Looks like about 35 athletes/coaches!!!

                Henry Harmeyer leads a group through kick-double-pole drills.

                Julia Snyder joined us from BFA-Fairfax

                Liam John set a big PR

                Nathanael Kuzio set a really big PR

                Parker Francis and another PR.

                Sam Longenbach, PR.

                Sam leads Lauren and Cally doing “shadow” drills

                Will Solow and Adele Julianelle mimic one another

                Will “suns out guns out” Solow is psyched for the BKL Festival!!

              • Double-Pole Test take 2; Pics from Monday

                We only had about 18 athletes do the double-pole test last week, so today we went back to Richmond and had another opportunity to ski the course before fall sports begin.  I was worried that we might have a small group today — boy was I wrong. I counted 32 or 33 athletes! The boys’ course record (which was set last week) was broke today…twice. We also got in a lot of technique work including 1-pole skiing and no-pole skiing.

                At the end of training we had an informal All American certificate presentation. Henry Harmeyer and Ben Hegman were both on the podium at Junior Nationals last March, and they earned All-American status from the United States Ski Association for those performances. I think there will be even more of those in 2013 and beyond.

                This past Monday we had about 32 athletes at the Range for a skate rollerski. We’ve really been trying to get a lot of time on rollerskis now that everyone is getting comfortable on them. Thanks again to John Madigon and Algis Shalna for yet another opportunity for these athletes to practice their biathlon skills.

                Here are times from the double-pole test today (PR from last year, if applicable):

                • Adele Julianelle, 6:13
                • Alissa Stone, 6:23
                • Tatum Braun, 5:11 **J2 girls’ record
                • Julia Snyder, 5:47
                • Callie Braun, 4:09
                • Sienna Searles, 4:23
                • Ethan Thibault, 4:40
                • Nathanael Kuzio, 3:18 (4:00)
                • Ben Longenbach, 5:18
                • Louis St-Pierre, 3:41
                • Ben Hegman, 2:49 (3:29)
                • Forrest Hamilton, 2:41 (3:05) ** new boys’ course record
                • Sam Longenbach, 3:15 (3:35)
                • Liam John, 3:05 (3:37)
                • Parker Francis, 2:59 (3:48)

                Pictures from today are forthcoming. In the meantime, here are some photos from Monday 8/13:

                The “Big Gals” group: Cally, Emma, Molly and Sienna “2012 VT State Champ” Searles

                Forrest, Bill, Liam and Parker working on specific strength on Monday

                Ben, Thomas, and Nik work on drills with Coach Paul Allison

                Casey Silk working on weight transfer

                Destyni under the watch of Algis

                Ethan T., Jordan, and Will Kay – no pole skate drills

                The gals warming up with some balance drills

                Henry Harmeyer sporting his old-school Oakley Frogskins shades (popular in the early-90’s)

                Jordan Lamay

                Louis St-Pierre

                Coach Eli Enman watches Molly and Sienna doing some speeds

                The group does some no-pole skate warmup

                Tatum Braun working on balance

                Will Kay doing the wide-feet drill

                Will Solow working on wide feet and low body position