Break My Heart

The air is cold but the intensity was hot last night as the group turned up the focus and the motivation. The best news was that nearly everyone finished nearly all the efforts. I am big on doing things to completion, whether it is yard work, skiing or even technique.

In skiing all techniques have a start and a finish to the stroke. In my mind they are the most important parts of the stroke. An example might be the initial pole plant. If the angle of incidence [the angle you place the pole at] is correct you can assume correctly that the follow through will be right as well. Likewise the finish of the stroke is important. Take that same pole swing. If traveling faster, say on a flat fast section of trail you may opt to increase follow through and use the resulting slower tempo to enhance your glide. If you are heading uphill you would want to retard arm swing in an effort to increase tempo and maintain momentum. The hard part that there is not just two speeds but rather a continuum, the way we start and end a stroke is continuously variable. That’s why it takes years to master skiing, it is always changing.

I have talked about the end of the stroke as finishing the stroke. It is hard to do when you’re tired but anytime you complete any stroke with an explosion rather than a whimper to set yourself up for a better following stroke. [remember the knoll] Go back to the December 23rd 2008 post at this blog and stare at the photos of Ivan and Kikkan http://incomp-mark.blogspot.com/2008/12/working-on-chain-gang.html . See the bottom of their skis. The follow through is spectacular. Now note that they are traveling at a sub 2:30/km pace but the idea is correct, a strong finish leads to a strong beginning.

It was a super night, everyone did well and I felt good. We did not have to defibrillate Joe although several women at the nursing home would like to give him mouth to mouth. It makes me feel so good I want to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gLGQAhjPno .

Congrats to Dave on his 100km day. Everyone should do one someday. In the meantime the temps should moderate by the weekend so no reason not to do that 3-4 hour ski. Stay warm, experiment with clothes and we are a go at 5:59 next week.

Look, I see a balloon.

Sweat!

Cute

Getting funky


I will eat you now!