In Competition-Mark

Birkie Class, Valentines Day. Answer: GRAVITY

2012-02-15T19:31:00.000-08:00

OK, I’m impressed. Our little balance ditty last night was great. Steady and stable. Balance comes not only side to side but also fore and aft. I saw that last night. Balance also comes
in both a static and a dynamic form. Static is the passive form like standing
on a 2X2. Dynamic is like when you ride a bike. Both are NOT mutually
exclusive. When you see a rider doing a “track stand” that is, balancing while
not moving they are blending dynamic balance with static balance. Skiing
involves mostly dynamic balance but the longer you can hold on to your glide
phase (static) the farther you will glide. (My track stand analogy works until
a rider applies pressure on the pedal while holding the brake but that is
another doctorate dissertation).

The point of this rambling??
Balance takes many forms, side to side, front to back, passive and static BUT
ALL CAN BE DEVELOPED! It happened while you were not looking. Whew!

It was a rewarding night, especially my schooling of Paul Braun on the finer points of ego mania. (Megalomaniac?) We finish up next week with a softer tune-up and some wax words and prognostications. Check out http://www.skinnyski.com/ for updates and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzSVkcGpTnk&feature=youtu.be
this video on scraper technique. Ian scrapes like a pro. This is the right way,
there is technique involved. I would add that you only scrape 2-3 passes at
most. Great night, find snow, wax skis and we go again at 6:00 pm next Tuesday.

Birkie Class Feb. 7 Frozen Dirt Stinks

2012-02-08T11:59:00.000-08:00

Hard to believe there is snow up north but the pictures don’t lie. The photos above
show the Birkie trail at Duffy’s and at ABR this week, that is what snow looks
like. We do what we can and drive. I notice a lot of carpooling and out of
office emails when skiers head to snow. Sometimes it is even more fun. Be sure
and check http://www.skinnyski.com/ for trail updates before you go.
Next week marks the penultimate class session and the last hard effort before the Birkie as well
as being Valentine’s Day (and Dave Hess’s B-Day). We will then meet for our last
session on the 21st. I think we have hit our stride as I have less to nag about, more positives than not. Despite the lack of snow most folks have done a pretty good job of staying in shape and technically are way better than in years past. After age 40 technique improvements make for a bigger impact than the motor. This weekend is the Pre-Birkie which will feature the last half
of the Birkie Trail. It all looks good so far. As you know the Vasaloppet was
canceled due to poor snow, a drag for them on their 40th anniversary. We soldier on. This is the last chance for that long TOD workout and I would seek it out one (at least) more time. Meanwhile….we have a BIRKIE WAX CLINIC www.incompetition.com tonight at 6:00. Fast skis make you feel fast. Psychology matters in a marathon. Last night went great. Don’t forget next week at 5:56pm and Valentine’s Day. Good work last night, now go ski.

Birkie Class 1-31-2012 Busting Guts

2012-02-01T16:18:00.000-08:00

Recovery took a little longer for the Noque crowd last night or so it seemed. I noticed
more sweating, heard more breathing and as always I “felt” your pain.
We have a lot of homework this week as we ramp up for our final three weeks of training.
First you need to watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDZTHQlc1N8&feature=related
Watch specifically for the triceps and the LOW foot/ski carry. These girls are
technically awesome and they STILL do specific technique work……mmmmmm, cause
and effect perhaps?
2nd you should look at this world cup sprint start to see an example of a weight
forward position. You may not ski like that (I do) often but forward is better
than backwards.

3rd you need to get out there and do something. Snow and trails are day to day, minute by minute but find it. http://www.valleyspur.org/ is reporting good snow with tracks! Most
trails north of highway 8. Are in good shape, find a friend and then find a
trail. See http://www.skinnyski.com/ for more info and race updates.
Lastly we will be stonegrinding tomorrow morning. If your skis are bad this is a good
time to get it done before the Birkie. If your scrapers are dull we can sharpen
them but we need them early. We say adieu to Todd Rosvald (inspiration for the
TOD, Technique Over Distance workout) who is moving to Southern MN (part of a
plea agreement) to start a new job selling corn as the Korn Czar of MN. Kudo’s
to Tim McCoy for his finishing the Vuelta PR http://www.vueltapr.com/ last week, if you can’t ski this is a close 2nd. And congrats to all that finished the Noque. Take this POSITIVE from that race. The times (despite the lousy year we are having) are not far off what is
normal. Technique matters, especially yours!

Check out yours truly above trying (looking older than usual) on the AlterG Treadmill last night http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3BF6QfovHA&feature=related This is very cool with applications from rehab to weight loss. Thanks to Corey for letting me try it. Very neat. ….and
remember when the going gets tough...say what the man says to the wolf….http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eUe0MKV1BY

Birkie Class Jan 24 High on Life

2012-01-25T14:23:00.000-08:00

“I’d rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal
lobotomy” said Paul Braun after getting through with our “cold shutdown” last
night. We would all like to stretch, warm up and start respiring before we
start a race, which would be a nice story; too bad ski racing is not like that.
We are forced to start the engine, and floor it! Hardly good for fuel economy
and that is what ski racing is…saving energy. You do what you can to be efficient.
You breathe deep, ski smooth and long and get with the bunch that is smooth…
like you! Races are never won at the beginning, that said you want to maintain
contact. The Birkie has a lot of elevation gain early and as a rule hills
require a lot of breathing [jeenyus I am]. I mention that because when tired a
lot of skiers lower their heads effectively cutting off breathing. See the parallel?
When the dude two skiers in front of you plants his pole between his feet I
want to see it and move seamlessly left or right so that I don’t have to waste
energy either by stopping or losing momentum. Breathing is your pal, do it
often, do it hard and with gusto.
This is a great video of the lassies of the USST during a
training camp last May (nice). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDZTHQlc1N8
Note in the V1 the triceps not just up but traveling parallel to the slope. Get
that picture in your upright head. The fastest skiers spend “quality time” re-enforcing
good technique. You should too. A couple notes more. I notice upper body strength
improved greatly as a whole. Dips in particular look strong. Show me good triceps
and I’ll show you a good skier. Things are coming along, we just need to ski.
The camp was very skiable today and great snow is found most places north of highway
8. Afterglow is getting good reviews, see http://www.skinnyski.com/
for more. We are having a wax clinic tonight at 6:00pm http://www.incompetition.com/ and for your
calendar the Nicolet Norski 36K and 7K coming up Feb 4th see http://www.skiwithanst.org/ and on Feb 18th
the Stump Farm Open 12K (a great tune up for the Birkie) Tim McCoy is on his
way now to the La Vuelta PR http://www.vueltapr.com/
bike race, 375 mile in three days, uhhh. Good luck to all of you doing the
Noque this weekend. The weather looks good, hopefully it won’t snow and the
course is 100% good. Nice effort last night, I promise we may not do that
again. Watch that video and go do your TOD this weekend. Next week at 5:55.

Birkie Class 1-18 Your Brain is not the Boss

2012-01-18T09:35:00.000-08:00

An interesting thing happened on the way to the workout last night….after 100 Death Triangles
(your’re welcome) it was virtually everyone that could NOT get their triceps up
to even horizontal. Imagine that, when fatigued your body does not do what you
want it to. Want another example? When totally gassed do you remember how hard
it is to hold a deep tuck, that’s how the famous Ernst Resting Tukk was
discovered. Now fast forward to the part where “they” (everyone) say’s “it’s
all mental” ……IT IS ALL MENTAL! This is where we train the brain to overcome
the fatigue that sets in when you work hard. Your brain will not make your arms
feel better but by staying efficient and effective you will be able to continue
at a higher level. Moral: When tired, keep your technique together. Double your
mental effort and you will find yourself skiing better and faster.
Notice the pipes on my two pals above. Marit and Therese, when not busy winning a dozen or
so Gold medals at the Olympics and WC’s, they spend a lot of effort skiing
technically perfect so that it becomes automatic when exhausted. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P8v7WCPZlQ&feature=related
Now if they would only stop calling me their "et Spillsystemet av brennende kjærlighet".

We had an awesome night last night. Next week we will do a “cold shutdown” Remind me.
Everyone looked tough and ready. Get that 3-5 hour TOD ski in this weekend and
we will see you next session at 5:56pm. Sharp!

Don't forget the Lakewood Race on Feb 4th and the Stump Farm Open on Feb.18th. Put them on your calendar.

Birkie Class Jan. 10th Oh wow man!

2012-01-10T19:46:00.000-08:00

You should be smokin’ brudder, not your caar. The group was flying tonight as we had what was
probably the best effort of the season, even the 140+ dips we did felt OK.
About half the group pulled off a Power Planck which you would have never
guessed a few weeks ago. Our 30 minutes of aerobic work went by fast and with
barely a hiccup. All in all a groovy night.

That all said I still see room for improvement in the balance department. Remember Static and Dynamic Balance. You need both to ski well. The best motor does no good if you are on
your back.

There is room to be optimistic about snow. NOAA http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?FcstType=text&TempBox=1&WindBox=1&WeatherBox=1&PoPBox=1&textField1=44.519&textField2=-88.02&Submit=Submit&MapType=3&site=MPX&CiTemplate=0
has us in GB getting 5” or more by Thursday.

www.skinnyski.com has up to date trail reports and maps refreshed daily. Iola, Nine Mile and
Afterglow are best bets close by. Get some friends and make a day of it. You
need that 3-5 hour TOD ski (Technique Over Distance) once a week to pull off a
good Birkie. We have seven weeks which is plenty of time but no time to waste.
At least 10 class skiers were at Minocqua last weekend, get together and go
ski. This weekend is the SISU Marathon the 1st Midwest Marathon
of the season, good luck to those going up.

We are getting better every week and I am positive about the efforts. We have a lot to do next week so be ready to roll at 5:55pm and be sure and hydrate
before class and during and after all ski sessions. Remember we have a WAX CLINIC at 6:00pm tomorrow at In Comp www.incompetition.com
and that Deb is looking for some folks who want to ski long either Friday or
Sunday, give her a call for a long one. Get your skis ready as we hit snow in a
few days. Rest well tonight for this week we ski.

Birkie Class Jan. 3 Wanted: SNOW

2012-01-05T08:29:00.000-08:00

Hey, does anyone have a couple of these parked in your garage?? January 5th and no snow. What gives! That said there is snow but it involves driving. How far depends on how good the skiing you want. The UP has great snow now with the Keweenaw being the best. Houghton was great last week before they received 10" By the way did I mention skiing on snow is not like running, biking or even rollerskiing. My quads are still sore. The lakes north of highway 64 are skiable and most trails north of highway 8 are good to better. This is where being in a group is advantageous; get a few friends, pile into the rig and OD on some Northern snow. A three hour session will feel like 5 but after two days you will remember why we do this. http://www.skinnyski.com/ is posting trail reports, be sure and look there (with envy).

Tuesday night went alright. I saw serious sweating and lots of pained expressions, you guys are such kidders, I almost believed it was hard. You may realize that with time things get easier. I am pleased that we have increased the duration and intensity of the workouts, all with less recovery, good signs. Use Tuesday nights for your strength component and as a tool for improved balance and timing. HOMEWORK: I am serious about the wood. Balance is huge and we all have room to improve on that score. Next week I would like to have a 30 minute continual aerobic segment. Get hydrated and put your focus caps on.

Their here! At last the jackets have arrived and we have them here at the store if you want to get them early otherwise I will be bring them next week. They are all labeled with your name so just as if you are by. Meanwhile keep up the snow dance and a couple reminders. Bay Nordic member’s note that this weekends session has been postponed (no snow, no choice) and that we have a waxing clinic on Wed. Jan 11th. See our homepage for details www.incompetition.com
Nice workout this week. Now do some scouting, make some calls to friends and get on some snow. See you next week.

Birkie Class Dec. 27 Like a punch in the gut!

2011-12-27T20:01:00.000-08:00

Whew! Gut wrenching, ab blistering, core-ific. What a core fest. I expect a few sore tummies in the next day or two. The good news is that you are "getting it". More than ever we are seeing base strength utilized. Now we need to just connect that inner core to a ski-cific movement and voila!

A couple notes. I still see a "drift" to sloppy hands when you think I'm not watching. Train perfect you ski perfect. Do not let up your focus because when you NEED to have it be automatic...you will only be as good as your average workout, make it a good one. It was a solid effort aerobically but don't forget to exaggerate your efforts.

As for skiing it appears lake skiing (careful) or driving is all we can look forward to for the next few days. Be sure and check out http://www.johndee.com/ for all that is snow from John Dee and www.skinnyski.com for trail reports and ski news. While we are dreaming see http://www.threeriversparks.org/parks/elm-creek-park.aspx and a glimpse of Joram (3rd from left) http://www.olympic.org/Assets/MediaPlayer/Photos/1960/02/01/VAAAD036/VAAAD036_HD.jpg

The jackets are scheduled to be completed this Friday (yea) and there is some snow fore casted.

With eight solid weeks of training to go you just need to get over this next hump. Stay focused on dryland, fill the car and focus on technique when you are off snow. We will fill you in on snow in both Swedetown, MTU and Ironwood. Keep positive, keep training. Next week we go on snow!

Birkie Class Dec. 20 Got Snow?

2011-12-23T14:27:00.000-08:00

It is snowing now as I write this (two days late). The weather radar is showing extensive but fine snow falling. The forecast is not optimistic but at least it looks white. The 10F temps this morning made some ice which I tested at the Barkhausen ponds this morn but the snow had not bonded to the ice making it only so-so. With a little more snow it may be good. Meanwhile we do what we can, run, indoor or outdoor bike and rollerski although that is getting dicey. Everyone is in the same shape so make your efforts count. This is a great time to emphasise technique. For most skiers technique improvement will mean more (and is accomplished easier) than cardiovascular gains.

Tuesday night went well. I am impressed with the rapid improvement technically and a pretty high output. I hear comments that we are engaging the core more than normal...we are. I would like to see a re-doubling of efforts concerning pole angles/orientation/focus. This is the time to get it right, not on the trail. All in all things look good and I expect to have everyone Power Planking soon. Meanwhile keep up your balance drills and watch video's like http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5236671262670768438# to keep your focus up.

Note to keep up on ski news by looking at www.skinnyski.com and keep in touch individually, it is easier to workout with a friend. Have a great Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Festivus and we will see you next Tue at 5:55pm. I'm going skiing!

Birkie Class 2 Cut to the Core

2011-12-14T16:37:00.000-08:00

It was more like a mountain than a ramp....up. Judging by the soaked shirts and pained expressions it was a solid night. There seemed to be a few "ahh haa" moments when several of the group realized that engaging the core can enable you to do wonderful things. Do not let forget to do our Power Plank Ramp Up next week. I'm feeling good about its potential.
As you know, in this class we stress, Core (the real core), Ski-cific motion and dynamic balance. As a group we already are seeing solid improvement technically. Being in a group raises the bar for everyone, quickly. Ski Specificity in movements can be improved but looks like it will happen with work and time. Balance, balance bites. There is lots of room to improve and improve we shall. Pay attention to the shin angles (positive or acute angles). Flexed yet rigid arms and an overall "athletic stance". Balance work done in front of a mirror or darkened window pays big dividends....do your time.

As you also know the weather has not been conducive to good (any) skiing. We have been spoiled the last three years with snow on 12-1, 12-2 and 12-8. There is man made snow and some weather models say next week but the best you can do is to maintain dryland work. Specifically one long OD workout or as inspired to me by Todd Rosvald a TOD workout: Technique Over Distance. OD sessions are typically low stress affairs with low level 1 or 2 intensity. What a great time to concentrate on technique. Most often athletes grind out these workouts and end up with a lot of garbage miles but not much else to show for it. 2-3 hours of focused technique effort combined with the physiological effect of long training is a combo that is harder to beat than a Shrimp Platter at Red Lobster. You know the drill...now drill it in.

http://www.skinnyski.com/ is updating events and should be a regular stop for skiers. At least you can read and see about others skiing. A neat video of Kikkan Randall winning her 2nd WC in two weeks. http://youtu.be/zAubgv81TmQ Nice to see, awesome skiing ability. Note the free skating to save those precious arms for when needed.

Hopefully we will be seeing snow as it cools off next week. Nice effort last night. We kick off at 5:57 next week. Hopefully we can have jackets as well.

Birkie Class 12 Week 1 Soft…like me.

2011-12-07T13:00:00.000-08:00

Good news, most folks I talked with thought last night was a little easy. Technically there were some challenges but physically everyone seemed in pretty good shape. The positive thing is that concepts like core strength, balance and muscle memory are rapidly developed. As we start out there will be a learning curve so don't panic if it is confused or if you feel it too easy/hard, it gets better.
Every week we may add or delete a particular event but count on an incessant harping, cajoling, badgering and imploring concerning "ski-core" . Having a strong core is not only important but knowing how to engage it to your advantage while skiing is critical. Muscle memory is also a focus. The ability to do a repetitive stroke (perfectly) is really a big deal. I can demonstrate great technique but the ability to do it when under the bag of exhaustion is what it's all about. Expect a lot of nagging about proper technique, I'm fussy. One of the best features of a group is that you will do things and work harder than when alone. I am certain that having others to feed off of will make you better. Take advantage of this group, there are some good things happening there. Expect a fast ramp up in transition times, we will have much less loiter time (groan here).
Housekeeping: Things went pretty smooth. I expect to come up with a better step arrangement by next week, my new setup sucked. Jeenyuss I'm not. If you have a favorite mat or gear please bring it. Try and arrive early. Every week we need to set up and I would like to get started at 6:00 pm sharp so we get done on time, I need my beauty sleep. Check out this skier by the way, neat, fun. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuMXeoeJRjk&feature=player_detailpage

Homework: Some videos to watch when you should be working.

Unless you were rock steady on the "wood" (nobody) I would spend some time doing some of the same balance drills in front of a mirror or dark window. It makes corrections in real time, your body leans fast! You still need to get out and workout. Run, rollerski, bike, swim but make the effort and keep it aerobic, consider this your strength workout. The Birkie is 12 weeks away, plenty of time and just around the corner at the same time.
All in all I am happy. The break in period went well. I learned some stuff and we will be ready to ramp it up next week. Get hydrated, do your homework and I'll see you at 5:54pm. Watch this for a little motivation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hAJCRARuUk and be sure to include the Ashwaubenon Nicolet Nor-Ski http://skiwithanst.org/2011/2012-nicolet-norski on your wish list of races.

Hillbounding November 29. By the Numbers

2011-11-30T05:34:00.000-08:00

For the final 18 skiers that braved the 32F temps with a brisk North wind last night (John in shorts!) the speedy wrap up of the season was a double blessing, the hill goes away for 9
months and snow historically come to GB in the next week or so.

The group ramped up the speed and shortened the efforts, typical for this time of the year as we get ready for snow. Our Paced Lactate Interval went (I thought) awesome. That may be a
keeper. Some of the numbers this season. We averaged 25 skiers a night with 30
reps averaged per session for more than a combined 750 trips up the hill over
11 weeks, whew!

The 18th Annual Birkie Class starts next Tuesday and yes we held a few slots for the late
comers. See http://www.incompetition.com/ for signup. We have several new ideas coming which I am sure will generate much enthusiasm [?]. Watch for the 1st group email coming in the next week.

Meanwhile….keep watching http://www.skinnyski.com/ for updates and don’t
forget to send in trail reports. If you have not signed up for our newsletter
updates you should (or die an un-beautiful person) Lots of stuff happening and
that is the best way to be informed and kept up to date. http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001o9BVU3HO12w70DsvKK-6-_jIbuy3LGOxLjBo4ABi3TAk86ctcDgSjX_RfHXm3cRXQSiHjFNFVOna6QgnPBYbRdcc8ugg5YWA

My initial thoughts on the year are one of improvement. The skill and output improvement from September until now was fantastic. Having lots of good role models certainly helps. These
are hard efforts and WILL make you a better skier and athlete. Nicely done. See you at the Birkie Class or on the trails.

Hillbounding Nov. 22 Who Goosed the Moose

2011-11-23T07:07:00.001-08:00

Frost tipped the grass last
night as we started the penultimate bounding session of the year. A condensed
field of twenty athletes made the most of the night which saw technique
improvements that bode well for the coming snow.

Balance is notably improved,
even when tired. On skis folks struggle for balance, especially on icy tracks.
A well refined sense of balance will help a lot. I notice a lot of skiers who
are smoother now. Less head/shoulder bobbing, poles entering earlier and more
sliding and less stomping, nice.

Next week we will wrap up
with some shorter (yet faster) reps as we transition to snow. Note that we WILL
go unless there is snow on the hill. http://www.skinnyski.com/
is posting trail reports and while the weather is going to warm for a day or
two it is trending down. The snow line is about Lakewood and I would expect to be on snow in
the next week or two.

Birkie Class signup is down
to the last 10 spots or so http://www.incompetition.com/shopping/event.php
and the Birkiebeiner is officially
CLOSED. Unreal to have it fill this early!

The photo above was taking by
my pals Mark Zeigler and Jeff Metzger out in Utah this past weekend. Check out what is
behind Jeff. The hillbounding has really made a dent. Things look great and we
will finish this thing next week.

Hillbounding Nov. 15th Turnip Trucks

2011-11-16T19:58:00.000-08:00

"you think I fell off a turnip truck" I asked Jim Beno after he called me from Lakewood last Saturday. "No really the skiing was great" he said. I trust Jim but a picture says it all. Check out his first tracks on the 12th. Nice!

Jim was still a little buoyant about the whole weekend thing which helped when he and a couple dozen other athletes "glided" their way up the hill. The night was punctuated by some extra (don't blame me when your sore) upper body work which had a spirited effect on morale.

Lots of positives to report the biggest being balance improvement. After nine weeks thing look vastly better. Most skiers are "skiing" faster. Our fastest 10 skier time average has dropped over 30 seconds in a four minute effort, wow. Virtually everyone is smoother and able to hold it together right to the end. Nice again.

News updates: www.skinnyski.com has trail reports coming in with snow forecasted up nort this weekend. The West Yellowstone Camp starts this week and they are up and grooming. We "finally" have the Birkie Class registration up (hopefully working). We are going to be more strict about numbers this year and since everyone has asked ....http://shop.craftsports.us/catalog/product/gallery/id/18025/image/1093/ Bright Red, Very hip!

See http://www.incompetition.com/shopping/event.php or our website at www.incompetition.com

Lastly, I expect [?] to see our gate closed next week so just park at the bottom and avoid blocking the gate. I would stay off Bairds Creek Parkway as that is a no parking area. We go until snow or the 29th. I'm betting we see snow the 30th. A free GU to all the bounders if I'm wrong. See you Tuesday at 5:29pm as we countdown the final two weeks till snow. Solid effort tonight!

Hillbounding Nov. 8 No Rest for the Weary

2011-11-09T05:32:00.000-08:00

By now most skiers know that we are not weather sensitive, that is, we go till snow. One must remember the sport weather rules. When biking subtract 15 degrees from the temperature. When running add 15 degrees, when skiing add 20 degrees and when hillbounding add 30
degrees.... to the “feel like” temperature.

15 skiers (four in shorts) found out that cold, wet and wind is no match for the heat generating
capabilities of hillbounding. The rain missed us totally and the soft wet grass made
for perfect gliding. The smaller and motivated group averaged a rep cycle every
two minutes which was stellar. There was a noticeable uptick in respiring rates
as recovery times dropped. The steamy breaths made it look like a herd of musk
ox being chased by a wolf. (Good visual).

Pole control is coming along as expected at week eight.

Note that next week the park “officially” closes at dusk. The gate MAY
be locked in which case we park at the bottom away from the gate and off to the
side, just as in years past. Snow is forecasted but is just a tease although
there is man made snow to ski on already in the Midwest
and snow is found in the west already http://www.skinnyski.com/
has trail reports up already. This is the peak training hour month so when the
weather is bad double your effort, the hardest part is getting out the door.
Meanwhile if you’re under 25 this can help? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIqMIrmpUjc ...but I doubt it.

Hillbounding 11-1-11 Where's the Rest?

2011-11-02T09:59:00.000-07:00

Overheard on the hill last night; “where is the rest”? It warms my cockles when I hear that.
If you did not notice the increased urgency last night, well good for you. The
pace definitely quickened, the recovery less complete. With a big (and
powerful) group like last nights it is easy to get caught up in the [fun] heat
of battle but it is important to keep your focus on what you are doing
technically. Fortunately most not only held it together but excelled. The good
thing about being cashed is that your body seeks ways to be more efficient.
Lets practice our little pole “toggle” drill a little more, it seemed to help. There
also seems to be some improvement in balance. We may bring some “wood” to the
hill soon (2X2) to enhance that process. Lastly, be sure to focus on that
forward shin, acute shin angle, positive shin angle (call it what you like) but
try and get forward by bending AT THE ANKLE, not the knee, neck or waist.
Birkie Class
18 will start December 6th and we will start sign up within the next
week. I liked what I saw last night. I could actually hear the breathing and
could see the speed. Very nice. Recover today, ski tomorrow as we have only 4
weeks till snow! Nice. See you at 5:23pm next week. In the meantime if you want to be cutting edge hip you can always watch. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qrjtr_uFac Too cool to be real!

Hillbound October 26. Play Misty for Me

2011-10-26T15:44:00.000-07:00

The night started cool and dry but heated up fast for the couple dozen skiers on the hill last night. It got misty for the last few reps but nobody was going to be denied the best lactate interval of the year.
More emphasis was placed on skating and the one note I would make is to be more aware of the uphill pole. Too often we forget to place it up and out into the direction of travel. Wet conditions are perfect for sliding the feet, take advantage of it. Be sure and go back and review photo’s and try and visualize improvement in your technique http://www.flickr.com/photos/54192844@N02/
We are entering peak roller ski season and I would encourage you to do it…a lot. Note the Ashwaubenon Duathlon is this Sunday http://skiwithanst.org/2011/stump-farm-trail-race-and-duathlon-2011 and finally there was 2cm of snow on the ground at Sayner this morning…it won’t be long. Birkie Class signup is coming next week. We are going to have a solid limit of 40 individuals (this time for sure) so don’t delay.
Great effort last night, a few more and we will be ready for snow but for now go grow your sideburns and play in the mist http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFLwJpW6cDw

Hillbounding Oct. 18th 2011 The Rush is On.

2011-10-19T10:09:00.000-07:00

The hill was jumping last night as a few dozen skiers (and a gaggle of kids) had a tough session. We probably got more out of this night as recovery times were reduced, speeds increased and technique was held together. A few notes about technique.

Last night we hit on the idea of “completing the stroke” Note Ivan in the photo above. The dynamic image shows not only a big push but a strong finish to the stroke (at the end of the Birkie no less!) These are ideas that you can do on a stroke by stroke basis. You will not only ski faster/better it is a lot of fun. It is almost as though you are flying.

The term spatial awareness get tossed around a lot (well, not a lot) and for skiers it really helps to be able to see yourself in the third person, that is as someone else sees you. The visual clues one “see’s” (hands, feet, legs) are just a small part of the picture. I am certain that the best skiers (athlete’s?) can see themselves much like watching a video and make corrections to adapt to the situation. The question for you is this; Are you seeing what you look like or are you seeing what you think you look like?

Skiing in groups is wholly beneficial and it showed last night. There not only is this push/pull reaction but a technical adaptation or response to the situation. It looked good, expect more.

Overall it was a great night. It was fun (for me anyway) to watch a big effort with some actual racing going on at the end. That is why group workouts are so cool; you never would do that or go that hard on your own. Check out Steve's HRM from last October to this years. He is pushing back time. Note the recovery line ( the time it takes to recover from a effort vs the time it takes to accelerate the pulse) See the steep acceleration against the longer recovery, neat. It means what everyone already knows, it is harder to recover when tired, older or when technique breaks down. Steve does a pretty good job denying all three.

Next week at 5:24pm we round up the doggies, it will be fun.

Hillbounding Oct. 11 What a tool!

2011-10-12T10:28:00.000-07:00

Snow at Sjusjoen , Norge 10-10-11! Won't be long.

Normally when people call me a tool it is in the sarcastic sense but the 30+ skiers last night found out last night that having an extra set of eyes can be beneficial. We are just starting to see some of the key angles of skiing come together. Once skiing it is too late to think about the various angle needed for good technique so now is the time to practice it. Serious skiers look hard at the angles of skiing, see http://biomekanikk.nih.no/xchandbook/ski3.html for some serious discussions about poling. Pole angles are a good barometer of what the rest of you is doing. Test on this next week!
It was a very physical effort and the warm conditions made for a perfect night…if not a little sweaty. Next week we will focus on maintaining technique whilst tired. Technique is the first casualty of fatigue (profound). We all know that as technique degrades, energy expenditure goes up as well, not a good thing. We talk about how technique is mental but in fact it is about muscle memory. When your brain turns off it [technique] had better be ingrained into the muscles. Well conditioned bodies tend to maintain composure longer, go figure. Go back to http://www.flickr.com/photos/54192844@N02/ and look and see what you look like.

As promised we will have a “confused” workout next week. Expect some steady state efforts followed by variable speed work. We may even raise the Titanic if the weather is right. You all dug a little deeper last night and it showed. Great efforts mean great outcomes. See you next week at 5:24pm. I'm toying with trying to incorporate some of this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhjG47gtMCo&feature=related into the hill workout... or not.

Hillbounding October 5th. Pure Hill Fun

2011-10-05T12:56:00.000-07:00

The tough got a little tougher last night. The 30 something skiers found that recovery (or lack of ) can really make or break you and that when technique breaks down you have to expend even MORE energy which starts a viscous cycle that ends with a far away stare at your feet. I was happy with how most kept it together but (but) we I still see the following on a steady basis.
· Bent arms and arms crossing the midline of the body. Poles push best forward and back. Be fussy on this.
· Low or obtuse shin angles. (sitting back) You want to fall forward, not back. ROTATE HIPS FORWARD.
· Looking down. Can’t breath and you don’t project weight forward.

Pole angles looked better but again are strict on this. It is important.

Have a bunch of photos up at http://www.flickr.com/photos/54192844@N02/?savedsettings=6215196358#photo6215196358 with some comments. Cameras don’t lie. Note comments and ask if you don’t see it. I still think I look great!

Next week we start at 5:26pm and I WILL kick on the lights. Expect a mid set surprise (rats) and be sure to bring dry clothes and water, there were more than a few trickles out there last night. Be sure to practice with a 2X2 and follow the right people up the hill. The wrong person can lead you to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-5bxb7AlEU Nice effort tonight, get some recovery and keep the poles handy.

Hillbounding Week Two. POOF the Magic Technique

2011-09-28T14:52:00.000-07:00

32 skiers last night found a new meaning for sucking air. Many experienced a certain "high" that can only be achieved by becoming anaerobic. Judging by the DPM (drip per minute) rate of several people it looked to be a good night. The video turned out pretty good and I encourage you to look at them (there are 5 in all). Of particular interest is the 3rd profile and head on views. Be sure to look closely and put your cursor on the scroll bar to slow it down or stop it. I would note the following:
Head down posture: You can't breath when your head is down. Rolled shoulders, stooped over posture and bent waist will restrict movement.
Note forward shin angle: An ACUTE lower leg angle is paramount to proper form. look at your lower leg angle (shin). In the head on view note the weight shift (transfer) left to right (or lack of). NOSE-KNEE-SKI. Get the hips over the foot.
POOF: Push Off Outside Foot. "Overshift" your weight to the outside of your foot for a more dynamic and longer push/stride.
Big remember: There are ONLY two ways to ski faster; turn it over faster or increase your stride length....I saw nobody over-striding out there.

Don't sweat the small stuff when watching but note that what you do here WILL TRANSFER TO SNOW. As we said last week: Practice makes permanent....not perfect.

See the videos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/54192844@N02/

Now that you are fully perplexed, discouraged, stiff and hung down remember this; you are doing more right than wrong and this is a brutal workout. If this was easy there would be a lot more folks doing it. It was a solid effort and next week expect a few new ideas and a faster rotation (oh great!). Good work and enjoy the DOMS....you are welcome. What goes up....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfWOzzy381Y&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLF57973E82692C232

Skal we go pa ska Hillbounding Naught 11

2011-09-21T07:56:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the 31 folks the made it back to the hill this year. The weather was nice with light sprinkles right at the end although no worse than the sweat falling off some of the skiers.

Tonight was our annual "soft start" where we worked more on the technical side and introduced some of the techniques used (but not all) Plan on seeing some new strokes and faster recovery in the future. We will reduce the "loiter" time which will intensify the effort considerably. Here are some of the things I noticed.

Running: You MUST separate skiing and running. It is called hillbounding...not hill running. Our goal is to improve your technique 1st, develop strength 2nd and the cardiovascular side, well that takes care of itself.

Pole control: Whew, I noticed some interesting adaptations of proper poling form. We will address what is correct and what is not. I have a narrow window as to what is correct so expect some nit-picking.

Balance: Perhaps the most important element, I noticed a lot of wide stances, muscle tremble and "early push" (not riding the gliding ski). All are signs of balance issues but very trainable. Expect to see the wood next week.

Glacial best describes the effort at the knoll. The fastest skiers have the biggest push at the top of a climb. Coincidence? I think not.

Obligatory Clique:

Practice Makes Permanent....not Perfect. Train it correctly and you will have it when you need it to and be automatic.

All in all it was a good effort. Expect a ramp up in intensity and be sure and have your gear ready. A pair of XC poles (not too good) to the armpit in length (80% of body height) is good to have for all your trail efforts. Bring a bottle and dry clothes and a masochistic training friend. We have the meet and greet at 5:24pm next Tuesday and we start at 5:30.

Note: Steve P. sent in his HRM strip. Note the 26 reps and the rise in effort at the Lactate Interval (LI) as he made forays into the dead zone. How you RECOVER from these efforts is perhaps the best indicator of fitness you can have. If you have an HRM, wear it and learn from it. You can see some video we shot last year at http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/ and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyuYflyZta4&feature=related to get you in the mood.

Welcome Back TNR and More

2011-05-25T21:12:00.000-07:00

The Tuesday Night Ride [TNR] has been enjoying our crummy spring weather for several weeks now but as the weather slowly moderates we are seeing improvements. We have been sending out a monthly [or more] newsletter but you have to sign up for it. Go to
http://www.incompetition.com/html/register.psp to do so.

This Tuesday Steve Peplinski put together a nice review of the ride, be sure and read below. Expect a few events coming soon, The Wednesday Women's Ride starts next week and the Bellin Run a few weeks later. Sign up for the newsletter for more updates, stories and a coupon or two. Then get out and ride, slide or run.

TNR May 26th Steve Peplinski

The cowslips yellow blooms dot the roadside ditches, the trillium's are blooming on higher ground, and the bikers are appearing Tuesday night in the In Comp parking lot. We had a good sized group, and as I looked around, I was sure that a "slow group" would form and do a more or less no drop ride. Of course I was mistaken. I tried to hang back and let Brian McWilliams and his Iron Man training group get a suitable lead. But as I soft pedaled out of the parking lot, I noted that only Wayne and I were off the back. Everyone else was busy chasing Brian. I was working pretty hard cruising down University Avenue trying to close the 60 foot gap. By Curry road, it was all one group. The pace seemed comfortable, and not at all punishing. There was a 20 rider pace line in front of me creating a vortex that sucked me along effortlessly. I temporarily gave up thoughts of organizing the B group, and focused on getting my climbing legs warmed up. When we got to the climb from Gershwin road up to Bay Settlement road, I wasn't looking back, only thinking of getting to the top quickly so that the lactate burn didn't last any longer than necessary.

Last week, I had led all the way from In Comp to Luxemburg road. then shortly after we made the turn from Spartan Road to Luxemburg road, Mike cruised by on his new carbon fiber tri bike, with the sun gleaming on the airfoil shaped down tube and fork blades. He started pulling like the 15 mph headwind wasn't happening, and I was off the back within a couple of hundred yards. I fully expected the same thing to happen again this week. Wayne was right there with me, and he said that although he had not done a whole lot of riding yet this year he'd hang with me. We settled in with the A group. I tried to save my legs a bit by skipping every other pull. Wayne threw caution to the winds and stayed in the rotation, never taking a break. We hung in there all the way down Luxemburg road, and about half of the way down Rendezvous road. I was wondering when I'd no longer have the legs to keep up. I figured it would be either the hill just across highway 54, or the hill just before Thiry Daemes road. But as I was considering what was to come, Wayne popped off the back. Since I don't believe riders come to group rides to ride alone, I dropped back with him. He encouraged me to get back on, and even offered to pull me up. We gave it a try for a couple of hundred yards, but my heart rate was spiking, my lungs were burning, and I was starting to feel a little bit of nausea from the effort, Even if we actually caught them, I knew that I'd be wasted, and unable to keep up.

We eased up a bit, and soon were caught by a couple of riders who had the idea that they could bridge up to the fast group. Wayne and I offered to help, and we started pulling up the big hill just past 54. My legs gave out as the hill steepened just before the crest, and they sling-shot- ted past me when my speed dropped to about 20 mph. Before long, we were joined by Carl and Sue on their tandem. Sue needed to adjust the seat post, so we took a short break at the highway K stop sign. At that point, a couple of others who had been shelled earlier on Luxemburg road caught up. We now had a nice little group. We rode down Thiry Daems together, jogged over on County Line Rd to Mary's Rd, and as paint ball hill came into view, we noticed one of the chasers that Wayne and I had pulled up the hill earlier had given up the chase, and was coming back to join us.

On Nicolet drive, I organized a rotating pace line. We were working together really well, and just about everyone got the idea that getting to the front meant that your job was to let the next rider past. Of course we raced up Benderville hill, and dropped Roland in the process. I was able to slow the group down to wait, and once again, we rotated like a precision clock until UWGB. It was heartening to hear the faster riders thank me after the ride for slowing it down so the group could re-form. For me, it was the best ride of the season.

Steve

The Last Word

2011-03-09T15:07:00.000-08:00

What a difference a few months can make as Mr. T Terriffic shows in this hillbounding and Birkie finish shot. All the work, all the effort pays off. As I write this a snowstorm is blowing, typical of March, the heavy wet snow won't last but it will extend our ski season a few more weeks and that is the whole point of this letter.

We trained a lot just to ski and while skiing is good that is exactly what I would do. We have a lot of folks chomping at the bit to get out there and bike, run or swim but I say "what's the rush", there is snow. Every year come August we see riders, runners or triathletes who after a great summer are burning out. Just when you are hitting peak fitness, when the temps are great and the dog days of summer are upon us we feel lackluster to take advantage of it. Why? I think it's because you started too early. It takes a lot of motivation to get out and ride at 34 F, it's freekin' cold out when your on a bike, skiing at 34 F is balmy, the only issue is that you may get too warm. Think about it, if on August 21st a cold front went through and the temps dropped to 39 degrees, how many folks would suit up for a swim or a bike. Do you think the YMCA treadmills would be full? Yet on a March morning with salt on the roads, wind and four degrees above freezing I see the whole Preble track team out running in shorts, some without shirts!

So, now, what's the point here. The point is go out and ski while it is nice. Get out and ski when you don't have to wear your whole closet to get out the door. Go ski....while you can. Summer will come and the Easter Racers will have peaked and you will still be reveling in the heat of summer.

A couple of notes. The Tuesday Night Rides (TNR) will officially start in the first week of April, hopefully it will be warm. I plan to continue this running diatribe but without the reminder. Deb has been putting out a monthly or more newsletter to which I will glom onto and into. If you don't get it be sure and sign up at http://http//www.incompetition.com/html/register.psp

Be sure and check out the video from the World Championships in last week Homenkollen. http://http//www.skinnyski.com/ has a bunch linked in. The 50K finish is spectacular, even in my dreams (and they are pretty good) can I imagine 100,000 people screaming my name.

I really want to have a summer get together at Neshota Beach in 2Rivers to do a little water running, fun and sun. Nothing like a 90F day to go to the lake. Keep bugging me about that. It's been a great season and you make me feel good about next year. The Bay Nordic Club is booming, I would encourage everyone with kids or not to be a part of it. The Nordic Lifestyle is much more than just skiing. One last thing, we have had three good snow years in a row now but I never forget the crummy ones. http://http//www.threeriversparks.org/parks/elm-creek-park.aspx is the site of Elm Creek Ski trails over by MPLS. This trail not only offers convenient skiing to a metropolitan community but it opens up the social aspect of skiing. The man-made loops are a boon to the MN skier. They have ski leagues, rentals and even schools using the venue. I have a dream that some day we will have something like that. If you think about it what a great facility for our kids (and us). I even envision cross country running and snowshoe events held at a place like this. I have this plan see....so if any of you have an extra 1.27 million laying around (that includes the endowment!) talk to me, I'll be on the trails.

Birkie Wrap Up. March 1 and Beyond.

2011-02-28T14:46:00.000-08:00

Brrrrrrrrrrr...... from minus 9 to only plus 6 it was one of the coldest Birkies ever. The good news was that for most it was still one of the fastest as well. It was only about 2-3% slower than last year and the depth of the field was much stronger. The classic race produced fast times, pushing the skaters which is expected in cold hard conditions. The good news was that it was not really a wax race as there were several formulas that produced good results and most folks knew in advance what to use.

I don't think I ever saw as much frostbite before in my life. Estimates were that one in four skiers had some nip on their skin. The medical people were dealing with a constant flow of frosted skin and extremities in addition to the normal fatigue and cramps. They sure earned their keep on race day. I saw numerous cracked lips and bloody noses as well as the occasional pole plant to the face. A hearty thanks should go out to the volunteers who literally survived a long day to make sure everyone got home safe and happy, don't hesitate to send a note of thanks to the folks at the Birkie, the race would not happen without them.

Despite the challenging conditions the race itself was great. It went off as planned and the course was in great shape and times were good. I am always impressed by how hard an event this is and the determinationof it's participants, from the jubilation of the winners to the physical release that occurs when skiers cross that finish line. I watched a woman cross the line crying and as she stood there I asked her if she was alright. She said she was fine, that she was just so happy to be there. I understood. I got to watch my ten year old son Hans ski the Junior Birkie for the first time this year. He was Mr. Intensity before the race but he sure had his eyes opened wide by some of the older kids. He wore my old team jacket in warm ups and Deb's old uni suit. Deb surprised me by asking if I thought he looked like me when I was a kid. I guess he does, it sure does take me back. I sure hope he likes it as he grows up so I get to watch him come skiing up Main Street. There are few events that command as much repeat loyalty as does this race and I hope he felt a twinge of that this weekend. I know I did.

Congratulations to everyone this year. You are part of something that is bigger than any one person. The history and the trials of this race make it special beyond words and I'm glad you are all a part of it.

Birkie Class Review Takk Skal Du Ha

2011-02-22T19:12:00.000-08:00

About 23 weeks ago a few dozen of us met on top of Bairds Creek Ski Hill for the start of a fitness tradition that would entail hours of panting, buckets of sweat and more than a few friendships. At the risk of sounding a little melodramatic I think I will miss it and mostly the comraderie of everyone who took part. For some these workouts became the focal point of the training week and for others a chance to get together for a little hard work and to have some fun as a group.

We had a fairly easy soft finish tonight. I mean it when I say that the improvement was more pronounced this year than in years past, it was probably the added women, they have a positive outlook for each other...and for the guys, well we just like to look macho around them. We have a lot to do so lets get to it.

www.skinnyski.com has trail reports, weather for Hayward (54821 is the Cable zip) and waxing and race info. www.birkie.com will give you race specifics and last minute adjustments. Read these over as this year the format is different.

For those at the Stump Farm Race last week you can see results on www.skinnyski.com and for the Bay Nordic Parents pic's are up at http://shoffmanphoto.smugmug.com/CrossCountrySkiing-2010/Bay-Nordic and the Fox 11 video can be found at http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/sports/sports_edge/State-budget-crisis-reroutes-skiers Be sure and check out Ari's article on skinnyski.com about Birkie doings. The weather looks solid for the weekend and colder which while logistically harder generally makes for a faster more consistent race course. Cold makes waxing easier and makes it less of a wax race as everyone is more or less even. Classic skiers are reporting binder with hard wax over is working well. That is pretty standard fare for a marathon. Don't forget "throw" clothes for the start and SKI SLEEVES for the finish. In your gear bag don't forget to put in some warm dry duds and some money, they don't take sweaty polypro at Anglers.

Hope you all do well and feel good about your event. The Birkie does not define you as a person but being part of something with an 800 year history is pretty cool, this is a lifestyle that is worth being part of. Have fun, keep your focus and look out for others that you know. The hard work is done and it's all over save the race itself.
Nice work this year and thanks for letting me be part of it. I'll see you at the finish line, god tur.

Birkie Class 2-15-11 Zipper Dicken Temps

2011-02-15T18:32:00.000-08:00

I was a little taken aback tonight, speechless as it were (not impossible). At one point, doing a V2 and nearly everyone was in sync, doing it right and in rhythm. I didn’t know what to do. Fortunately we went into a dip segment and that all changed.
Collectively everyone is doing amazingly better, stronger and faster, too bad we are almost out of time. Now is the time to put it all to good use and we will talk about that next week but for now be confident, you all look pretty good.

Lots to do so let’s get to it.

Santi Ocaris, former UWGB skier and now CXC member is in town to do a clinic tomorrow. See attachment. The venue has changed to Neshota but everything else is the same. It is not often you get a chance to ski with an elite athlete (he finished 2nd at Mora this weekend) plus he is a good kid with a mammoth work ethic. Tomorrow, Wed. the 16th 4-6pm at the shelter at NESHOTA (not the camp)

The camp is closed: The gates are closed at the camp in an effort to preserve the snow and keep walkers from cratering the system. I think this is the best course of action until temps cool by Friday.

The Stump Farm Race and Bay Nordic events are on for Saturday. for more info. This is a good tune up for the Birkie and because it is fast is a good confidence builder.

Congrats to our marathon finishers this weekend (Dave, Jo, and Ces) they did two marathons...the race and the 7 hour drive home, uggg.

I am off to the MWSRA ski show tomorrow. We look at (fondle) all of next years gear and get out the crystal ball to decide how much to bring in, 9 months before we need it. It's a wacky system but when in Annecy....

We are already thinking about Birkie waxing and are stocking waxes we "think may work" but for everyone else put it out of your head. This weather rollercoaster we are on reminds me of the Zipper Dicken being built down at Bay Beach...without being a tax burden that is...up one minute...down the next. Good effort tonight, if it felt easier then good, it means things are happening, take that as a positive. We ramp down with our last effort next week, stay loose, work on balance and try and ski some. Nice night, we'll see you at 6:00pm next go-round. Feel free to email me at goincomp@att.net with any questions.p://http:// ">

Birkie Class Feb. 8th. Uber Mench Pays a Visit

2011-02-09T09:53:00.000-08:00

For such a bitter cold night things really heated up fast. The new steps really came in handy, this will help out with the crowding in the future. I would like to orient them differently as well which should help as well. I even saw some genuine pained expressions last night (as opposed to the painted on ones you normally use to make me feel bad).
Those "push back" drills are really an effective use of the upper body. They are really effective at mimicking the "feel" of a V1 on a steep uphill as the timing and velocity are very similar.

Badger State Games went well for a lot of the group. See www.skinnyski.com for results and trail reports and more. Dave Hess is off to Mora this weekend, wish him luck. The 58Km Vasaloppett is the longest point to point marathon in the US, this should be on your bucket list, it is a great race. As the tempurture rollercoaster continues be sure to keep up on your waxing. These weekly swings dictate that you wax often but that is good, skis get faster with every coat. Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYmy3952ZXg for a cool wax testing aid, very neat! As we approach two weeks to the Birkie this would be a good time to do one last long ski. Practice drinking and eating and being steady. Keep waxing your skis and build up that reserve of wax in your ski. This is also a good time to fine tune your balance, get out the wood and do it.

It is amazing how improved everyone is getting. It may not feel so good it but remember that we have also increased the intensity and duration of the efforts. Next week we will work on breathing and breath control, get ready for a big blow. Valentines day is next Monday so be sure to do something nice for your sweetie. Check out our latest newsletter by signing in at http://www.incompetition.com/html/register.psp

The weekend promises to be nice and warm, perfect for a long ski. Plan on the Stump Farm Classic on the 19th and be ready to go at 5:57pm next week as we Climb Firetower. Nice effort this week, now go ski.

Birkie Class 2-1-11 Groundhog Tetrazzini, mmmm

2011-02-02T08:53:00.000-08:00

With the winter winds blowing just feet from our feet we had what I characterize as the best workout of the season, the above photo not withstanding. The highlights include vastly improved balance work. Notable core strength increase and most importantly: FOCUS. There was no "eyes down" and shallow breathing. It was all business and it was good. Jen had what I consider perfect Power V Up's....we have a role model/victim for next week.

There remains some room for balance and timing and we want to be cognitive of the reason we do things perfectly (muscle memory) and that it can go both ways, you will memorize things whether you are doing it right or wrong...do it right. Get on the wood this week. Those that practice balance are the ones WITH good balance, quite the concept!

Lots to talk about and some more homework.
We have our last skate ski clinic this Saturday the 5th at 9:00am See
www.incompetition.com for more.
Badger State Games are this weekend. Check you weather forecast as we are going on a roller coaster ride temp wise (no not the Zipper Dicken). http://www.sportsinwisconsin.com/node/251
Santi Ocariz is putting on a skate clinic at the camp on Wed. the 16th and we have our annual Birkie Wax Clinic on the 9th. Email me at goincomp@att.net for more on those.
Lastly, the Stump Farm Classic Race is the 19th at the Camp, it is a good tune up for the Birkie. See http://skiwithanst.org/

The snow is great now, best of the year and the temps are going to be warmer this weekend, it could be the best weekend to ski this year. Check www.skinnyski.com for reports and weather. I challenge anyone to ski the Quad this weekend. Neshota, Camp, Brown County GC and Barkhausen. All have their unique qualities. Put a post up at Skinnyski for all four and win a pair of ski slides. I am actually gratified to notice the improvement in the workouts. It may not feel easier but it looks better and as always it is now how you feel but how you look. Nice work. Three weeks to go, next week we start out at 5:54* Now go ski.

* we'll see if that works.

Birkie Class 1-25-11 Dedication

2011-01-25T19:25:00.000-08:00

Obsession,compulsion or dedication. Skiing well takes a little of the former but a lot of the latter. Todd Rosvald sent in this photo of himself doing a balance workout, not too unusual except that he was was doing it in the 9th floor stair well of the Atlantis Hotel in the Bahamas last week, you decide what category he fits into. Note the 2 X 2's he had with him, imagine his answer to the TSA dudes after the full body scan. Speaking of lumber Paul Braun offers anyone specially cut Swedish lumber in the 5.08 centimeter X 5.08 centimeter dimension for only $12/meter. See http://www.braunbuilding.com/ for more great deals.

The class went great tonight. Judging by the sweat I had to think the effort was a solid one. We are getting more and more folks who can pull off the Power Plank, impressive. I am seeing deeper and stronger compressions which will pay dividends come Birkie time. We still need to work on balance some more. These drills work and for the ones that are doing them keep them up as you are already finding out how effective good balance can be. I kind of expect a little more upper body soreness this week but that will peak as we will only have to maintain that effort from here on out.

Lots to report. Congrats to those who did the Birkie Tour this past weekend in cold conditions. Not easy. See http://vimeo.com/19136243 for the helmet cam video. This week promises to be warmer with temps in the 20's through Saturday before it cools again. Get that long ski in early. The Noque Marathon promises unusually warm temps (for them) but with the likelihood that new snow will slow things down a bit. Check with www.skinnyski.com for updates and http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Marquette&state=MI&site=MQT&lat=46.5508&lon=-87.3957 for MQT weather. The Birkie has a bunch of changes taking place this year be sure and check those out at www.birkie.com including the Telemark Lodge re-opening at least for the races.

As the weather moderates it is time to re-flood the skis with wax that the colder dessicated snow sucked out of them. Most trails are in good shape and I know several are doing some long efforts this weekend at Lakewood. These are great trails for simulating the Birkie. Stop at the Dairy Delite Depot in Suring on the trip home for a protein recovery drink (Chocolate shake).

OK, we got a lot done but now it is ski time. I don't think 50-100km between now and next Tuesday is unreasonable. Find some hills, get a friend and do some distance. Focus on technique and the RECOVERY portion of your stroke. Think GLIDE, RECOVER and PUSH. Nice night tonight. I will send an email blast about Noque waxing on Thursday. Good luck if you race, have fun when you ski.

Birkie Class 1-18-11 Man's Best Friend

2011-01-19T10:58:00.000-08:00

What a crowd, what gluttons for punishment. It was a busy night for the upper body. I have already heard of some tired arms. Paul Braun reports that his arms felt like doggy doo this AM as he circulated the Neshota hills. After 7 weeks I am seeing strong aerobics, and pretty good strength. I am a little nervous about the balance thing however. Balance is like strength, it is very trainable and very important as it effects the way you ride a ski. A strong balance component allows you to ride a flatter ski and flat skis are fast skis. FLAT SKIS ARE FAST SKIS. (worth repeating). Practice your balance drills. Jo and I have a new rope drill for next week, your hips will love it, blame her if you hate it.

The snow is great but the temps are predicted to fall. Morning skiers will almost certainly be facing sub zero or single digit temps, combine that with fresh, fine grained snow and you have a recipe for slow skis. I mentioned PRE-WAXING skis in anticipation of applying cold waxes. The high temps required to apply a cold wax can (will) damage a ski base. Pre-waxing means applying a base coat so that you are not waxing a DRY SKI. If you have a wax job in place that has not been used you are ready, if not, you just apply a coat of a SLIGHTLY warmer (Swix CH/LF 6 or 7 - Toko Red) like you always do, scrape and do a brushing and then go on to the colder wax. Remember, prewaxing is NOT the wax you ski on, it does not have to be perfect, don't spend a lot of time on it, save that for the cold wax that comes next. They are predicting
- 20F temps up north this week. Get out the handwarmers. At cold temps Balaclava's are a smart choice, staying warm is nice, staying healthy is critical.

Most of you have the jackets and are reporting they are nice and warm. Lighter base layers are all you will most likely need. Andy reports that they show off his ripplin' pec's and that chicks dig it, sort of. Speaking of jackets, do you know why dogs are MAN'S best friend? Because guys like dogs! Barky the dog was a hit with the dudes but the gals vetoed him. Poor Barky.

Time to go ski. The snow is at it's best and this will be a good time to experiment with waxes and cold weather clothing. Skiing in cold also sucks calories, always a good thing.
We had a good workout last night and as we hit week eight expect a mini peak as we introduce a few new ideas and bring up the intensity a notch. The Birkie Tour is this weekend as is the MPLS JOQ with several local juniors racing. The 3rd session of BayNordic is this Saturday so watch for the hoards of munchkins at the camp. For most this will be an OD weekend. Get to it....with a friend.

See www.skinnyski.com for trails and weather.

Birkie Class 1-11-11 Swing Lo

2011-01-12T11:17:00.000-08:00

As the avowed leader of the Old Fat Guys who are Stiff as Bricks Club, I was shocked to see that virtually no one could slide their foot down to the floor from a paltry 8 inches. That tells me that lots of folks are not comfortable with their balance and have not developed the strength required to maintain a hips forward, flexed knee position. Remember the icy conditions last week? The people who thrive in these conditions (ME) are the ones comfortable in this position; it is not hard to see the parallel there. As a good note more and more of you are figuring out the Super Plank (Planck in German) position. It is really not about strength but rather control and controlling your effort. I am also getting very impressed with your Super Vee Crunch. Collectively this is certainly the best group ever to do these. It takes an inordinate amount of strength with control to pull this off, nice. Goals for next week include getting the triceps parallel with the floor when stepping up and more pelvic tilt on the rope pull.

The divine Ms. Lulloff reminded me (in between winking at Tyson,) that her TFL was sore. Good. The TFL is a major ski muscle connecting the quad with the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tensor_fasciae_latae_muscle Real men skiers would be more apt to wear a Speedo and flex that muscle to impress skier chicks rather than their biceps (if they had any).

We still have a few jackets to hand out and they are here, with your names on them. I will also bring them next week. The new snow yesterday really helped clean up the trails and more is forecast later this week. Things are looking good for that OD ski this weekend, now get to waxing. Speaking of wax we are having a WAX CLINIC here tonight at 6:00pm See www.incompetition.com . I want to review basic wax application and hot cleaning as the snow we had was quite dirty and most skis benefit from cleaning.

As you may have noticed the 2nd installment of the Bay Nordic group was last weekend. Over 130 kids and nearly 100 parents and coaches made for a great day. See Steve Hoffman’s photo’s at http://shoffmanphoto.smugmug.com/CrossCountrySkiing-2010/Bay-Nordic/Bay-Nordic-01-08-2011/15384973_Tm9CG#1151402056_5HdKj
Saturday also was one of the busiest days in years at the camp. The number of skiers taking to the trails is outstanding. I saw skiers from Madison/MKE and the UP there, wow.

Good solid effort last night. I would ask that you “Work the Wood” and do some balance drills this next week. Next week we start (really) at 6:00pm so tell your family, staff, dog and others under your purview that you are unavailable after 5pm.
Lastly Todd Rosvold has an interesting method of calculating per kilometers times. My response is below his. See his:
Average speed calculations

20.512 Average speed = distance/time
Distance 29.4 Minutes 42 60 0.700
Hours 1 Seconds 1.45 60 0.024
Minutes 21
Seconds 50
Total Time 1.2150
Time Factor 1.433
Time factor 0.724
1.367 Time = distance/average speed
Distance 29.4
Ave. Speed 21.5 99.7
0.867
30.817 Distance = time * average speed 114.9942
Hours 1
Minutes 21
Seconds 50.00
Total time 1.43
Ave. Speed 21.5

#DIV/0! Average speed = distance/time
Distance 29.5
Time

Now mine:
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=27335
and after that check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVyBjqY3r0k as you do your drills.

Birkie Class 1-4-11 Choo Choo Could

2011-01-05T10:14:00.000-08:00

Whew whew, 49 skiers pulled the train last night in a workout bound for glory. It was an impressive night to watch as the efforts were both physical and technically improved (noticed I said improved, not perfect). The line lead by Joram and Steve was “on” all night. We may orient that way from now on as it really helps to have someone in front of you and the Birkie is after all just a series of packs heading down the trail. I would be a jeenyus if I had actually thought that one up. Andy L. has a new twist to doing crunches next week…..you can blame him. Meanwhile our balance drill with the WOOD needs still more work. Do your homework and don’t be in the 80% with (medial) knee collapse. Hide that binding as you ski with your knee.

News: Kris Freeman of the USST is placing well in the World Cup Tour de Ski. To give you an idea of the intensity at that level, in one race the top 11 skiers finished within 11 seconds of each other.
See www.skinnyski.com or more and for trail reports.

Bay Nordic continues this Saturday at 10:00am. Lots of fun and fun to watch. http://baynordic.blogspot.com/

The trails are amazingly good considering the weather. Having a Pisten Bully really can save the day, look for areas that have one. Here is what we are looking at for a new machine. http://www.pistenbullyusa.com/en/products/pistenbully-100/standard.html That would be my dream job!

We have a wax clinic next Wednesday the 12th, the Women’s Tea and Ski continues next week and there are a couple slots available for a skating clinic on the 15th. We have a free entry for the Seely Hills Classic coming up and the Boulder Lake (near Duluth) if anyone wants them. See www.incompetition.com for a schedule.
Be sure and get in the right mindset and improve your Hip Score by getting on this before next week. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piUWIqWSthA

The important thing now is to ski. Do your balance drills and focus on proper technique on the fast snow we have. Lakewood has good snow and the big terrain needed to simulate the Birkie trail. The Birkie has 8900 skiers ready to ski, be sure you are ready too.
Next week the rope returns as we board the ski train at 5:54pm.

Birkie Class Dec. 28, 2010 Bursting Forth

2010-12-28T20:53:00.000-08:00

For the 38 skiers who made tonight’s class there were several big discoveries [in addition to the birthdays of the Thrillsome Threesome]. One was what a difference focus can make on effort. A simple thing like were you place your eyes can help direct you down the track.
Another was breath control. When you dictate breathing effort and timing you can actually facilitate forward motion. Lastly was the visualization of a goal or target. I always raced with a TBF or Time Before Finish outlook. If the finish was at, say twenty minutes away I doled out my effort so that I too was finished…at the finish.
We saw all of that tonight and most completed the efforts strong and with a better focus than in earlier weeks, a very good sign.

Homework: With the weather likely to tank Thursday/Friday this would be a great time to do some of those balance drills. Use a mirror or darkened window and spend some time and effort there. This would be a great time to also catch up with your waxing and cleaning. With any temperature swing of thirty degrees or more waxing is more than needed but critical. The difference between our skis and a world cup skier’s is not the ski but the sheer number of times it is waxed (and used). Their [World Cup Athletes] skis may easily have 100 wax jobs on them, fast is not an accident, it is a lot of work.

Watch the weather and check with www.skinnyski.com for trail updates. If the weather really goes south remember to preserve the trails. An hour slog is not worth the potential damage to the base. On a related note the county has extended the open season on Trail Walkers, bag one today.

More news and such. The Door County Triathlon registration opens midnight on the 1st. Check out the new race video at http://www.doorcountytriathlon.com/index.php We have a skate ski class, a wax clinic and the Women’s Tea and Ski continuing in January along with the second session of Bay Nordic for kids. See www.incompetition.com for news on that.

Lastly I had a nice visit with Bryan Fish the other day. We both had a very very busy December but we managed to get a nice chat in. Bryan is a former UWGB skier and then Coach who moved on to coach the CXC Team http://www.cxcskiing.org/ He recently advanced to become an Assistant Coach with the US Ski Team. He just returned from the early World Cup races in Scandinavia. Having done the same a decade or so earlier I found it refreshing to hear that the success of the USST was not a fluke or luck but rather the culmination of hard work and preparation. In reality success in skiing is about doing the difficult work so that the effort becomes the reward, regardless of your level.

Nice night tonight. I saw much progress although you not have felt that way it is coming. We will keep pushing the bubble a little but for now get out and enjoy skiing. Next week at 5:56pm as we ring in the new year. Oh, and for you young and not so hip amongst us.

Blasting, billowing, bursting forth with the
Power of ten billion butterfly sneezes,
Man with his flaming pyre has conquered the wayward breezes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChCbewCAk-o Be more hip than you possibly can be.

Birkie Class 12-21-10 Goodnight Irene

2010-12-22T20:33:00.000-08:00

It was quite a crowd for a snowy Tuesday night. Some folks were wiped out and just wanted to take a nap http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGd4jkaoHRg Pity the first timers as they surely felt it the next day [I feel no pity]. I am loath to assign homework but we need a jumpstart to this balance thing so here it is. Five minutes per leg 3 times per week (37 minutes) standing on a 2X2 or similar support. STRETCHED out in the technique of your choice. Do this in a darkened window (so your neighbors can’t see you) are a full mirror. Wear shorts so you can see the extensors and small ancillary muscles in your legs fire. No one has inherent balance, it must be practiced, that is why babies can’t walk, they need to learn and so it is for skiing.

Lots of news report. The Birkie registration has closed for the 2nd straight year. 8400 skiers have filled the waves and now the battle is for wave advancement. The first race that qualifies is the SISU marathon in January. http://www.sisuskifest.com/ See www.birkie.com for the complete list unless you are adept at snowplowing and falling on downhills.

Bay Nordic had 132 kids for the first session of the year last weekend. Whew! Who would have thunk that many kids would be skiing at one time in Green Bay, we might have a future Olympian out there. http://baynordic.blogspot.com/ for the web and http://shoffmanphoto.smugmug.com/CrossCountrySkiing-2010/Bay-Nordic/Bay-Nordic-12-18-2010/15131652_zKfH5#1131360507_7k23S for Steve Hoffmans photo gallery including some serious Photo Shopping.

I have a list of selected video links to look at various techniques. Good to review now that we are on snow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3Vue10ItXg&feature=related
Basic Classic Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brGZlZkCwyk&feature=related
Basic Free Skating

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yRGLRAR7QI&feature=related
Basic Step Turn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HksXxzH55pw&feature=related
V2 video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyuYflyZta4&feature=related
V1 Technique

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slpvbWO4J5o&feature=related
Step Double Pole (double pole kick)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXk0vo2HsbA&feature=relate
Classical Technique Good Overview

Lastly WE DO HAVE CLASS NEXT TUESDAY, 5:58 pm. Do you have to ask?
The snow is great and the temps moderate, this is what we wait for so get out and enjoy it. Watch www.skinnyski.com for reports and www.incompetition.com for upcoming events and be sure and sign up for our newsletter
http://www.incompetition.com/html/register.psp , it is more up to date with lots of neat stuff. Have a great Christmas holiday and then go ski. Well done this week, it was a solid effort as we build towards the Birkie.

Birkie Class 12-14-10 Gut Wrenching

2010-12-15T13:41:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. Where is the sweat busting aerobics that we heard so much about? It’s coming and soon, but for now you will have to satisfied with that punched in the gut feeling you have now.
We have snow now and we have a lot to do so let’s get to it.
Review.
Balance: Our 2X2 drill last night looked more like the Drunk Monkey Chorus Line review. Balance needs work. Do this (Homework). Find a big mirror or large darkened window. Floor length is best. Do just what we did last night. Wear shorts (or less) and watch the muscles/tendons in your legs fire as you balance. This is a REAL TIME DRILL, which is you getting to see the response in actual time. Corrections come fast that way. Imagine skiing with a video monitor hooked up right in front of you, looking at you! Do it flat foot then with a 2X2 or even a 2X4. 5 minutes left and right, 3 nights.

I was happy with the core work we did. Even though the pace feels slow we are doing better QUALITY work than before. That will pay off. Remember that stride LENGTH is more effective than STRIDE RATE, especially as we get older.

I am working on more steps. We need some Aurora Doc’s to light a fire. Send Hartmann to management with your demands. Just kidding but the bulk of your aerobic base should come from skiing. Right now the tracks are pretty good and cold temps make classical waxing easy. Skating is slow on the desiccated snow we have and places a greater burden on your glide wax. Cold snow draws wax out of your base so keep up on it. It is doubtful that you can ski 3 days without re-waxing. Skis with a high wax count are fast skis. Put in perspective, 3% faster skis on a 3 hour Birkie skier equals 9 minutes faster. 9 minutes faster means your buddy buys the beer, what’s that worth!

Skiing: Right now most trails are open and groomed. Long is better than fast at this point. Low threshold with a strong technical focus is critical. No Christmas racers please. Check with http://www.skinnyski.com/ for reports. The Bay Nordic Youth Ski League has their first session Saturday at the Camp at 10:00am. You will note a groomed “stadium area” west of the trailhead. Give them some room and cheer them on. http://baynordic.blogspot.com/

Steve Peplinski (age 62 and the only one able to do repeated full planks) has an interesting perspective on KNOLL Training. Read that below. I am impressed with the overall fitness of the group; you collectively make me feel fat… now if we can focus that conditioning into skiing….Johnny bar the door. We start at 5:57 pm next Tue, 5:48pm if your name has an MD behind it.

Steve Peplinski writes:

Hey Dude! You got the wax!

Sometimes they scream it at me as I flash past them on the downhill. It’s always during a race. Sometimes it’s a long steep downhill, and I’m in a tuck shooting past some gently skating skiers. Other times, it’s a less dramatic pass, late in the race. A couple of years ago with only a few k to go in the Birkie, I was closing in on a skier. I watched him climb each hill, and then pulled closer on each downhill. Finally, I knew that I could pass him just over the next rise. As I glided past, he said “Boy, I wish I could change skis with you.” I smiled inwardly, knowing the secret of fast skis. I’m about to share it with you.

Is it stone grinding? Perfect base structure scientifically matched to the temperature and snow conditions? Maybe it’s using a heat box to saturate the bases. Or maybe it’s that final brushing with a brush crafted of Tibetan yak hair. It’s all of the above and none of the above. Yes, I have good wax, but in truth, my competitors probably know just as much about waxing as I do. So why do I have the fast skis? It’s simple. I ski faster. Not all the time, but I ski faster when it counts.

I watch my competition as I climb. They all look pretty strong. Some look more powerful than I. They may be pulling away from me on the uphill. But once I hit the downhill, I usually gain ground. I’m not too concerned about losing a couple of feet to them on the uphill. In fact, I prefer to. But when the crest of the hill approaches, I want to have a little bit extra to keep skiing when most everyone else is resting. I see it all the time, After a great climbing effort, skiers stand up and go into resting mode at the most critical part of the climb. Meanwhile, I’m trying out my best V2 sprint form as I crest the hill and accelerate down the back side. Once I get up to speed, I get into an aerodynamic tuck and enjoy the scenery as I close in on skiers in front of me. All because “I have better wax”. It’s interesting to see strong, experienced skiers stand up and get into a resting slouch as they get to the top of a hill. Interesting and rewarding because I know that even though they trained just as hard as me, even though they are in just as good shape (maybe better) as I; even though they may be 20 years younger than I, “I got the wax!” I’ve decided to come with an acronym for the phenomenon: WAX: Win At the Xenith” alright, zenith is the correct spelling, who knows what WAZ is. As they start their well deserver rest for a hard climbing effort, I win the downhill by the judicious application of power at the highest point of the climb.

So stop worrying that your skis didn’t spend enough time in the hot box. Forget about the shortcomings of your base prep. The way to have fast wax is to ski fast when it counts. And that is completely within your control.

Birkie Class Week 1 Calm Before Storm

2010-12-08T12:35:00.001-08:00

Soft.
To the veterans of the Birkie class they know what I mean. To others I hope last night was a quick way to get up to speed. Be assured we will ramp things up next week. We have a record number of folks in the group this year (I count on ten people NOT showing up each week). We are a little cramped but it should get better as more gear returns and we get situated.

Housekeeping: Because we have such a large group please use the locker rooms but store your gear in the cubby’s as much as possible. Please check in at the front desk, they like to know who is in the building. Jackets are being printed and for those who were not there last night we used your suggested size as our guide. I expect a few weeks on these as everyone is in the Christmas rush and the larger than expect numbers made us order more from Craft.

A few words about effort. This training will get hard but it is NOT a contest. I would rather have you LEARN from this than kill yourself. The thing I would like to see is muscle memory improvement; I (over and over) always say that practice makes…….permanent but not always perfect. Repetitive activity is critical and will have a huge impact on your skiing. We have room to improve on balance (lots of room actually) and while there appears to be some strength deficiencies I am confident that we will overcome that quickly. Skiing (like a lot of sports) is a series of contractions followed by periods of relaxation/recovery. If you spend more time per stroke in a recovery phase than a propulsive phase you save energy. Skiing is all about energy conservation. THERE ARE ONLY TWO WAYS TO SKI FASTER: TURN OVER FASTER OR TAKE A LONGER STRIDE. Turn over is finite which leaves us with stride length. Longer strides demand higher aerobics and strength with technique improvement. Please remember that technique will get you farther and faster (and is more fun). I found some video links that you may like, some are skiing, and some are training:

V1 (one step in other parts of the world) Use for slower speeds like uphill’s or harder conditions. Can work everywhere. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyuYflyZta4

V2 Alternate (open Field Skate for us old farts) Use at faster speeds. Very fast and efficient. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmR5WXd_F8I

V2: Use at higher speeds and is becoming common for faster racers. High balance demand but smooth and fast. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HksXxzH55pw

The other strokes, Diagonal Skate, Jump skate, Free skate and our crossover stroke, the Double Pole are less used but good to know. http://www.xcskiworld.com/training/Technique/skating.htm#diagonal_v

This was actually adapted from our class (really) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6fwJKWxrlQ&feature=related

This has some of the ideas we use. Not great production but good to know. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHMcsHR4lDY&feature=related

Miscellaneous: The Birkie is filling up. There are well under 1000 slots left for the race so if you are planning to do it, get your entry in now. Bets are that it fills before New Year. See http://www.birkie.com/ for info and be sure to look at “race info” for qualifying races unless you like the 10th wave. There is snow all around us and it looks like we will get our turn soon. Don’t forget to put http://www.skinnyski.com/ into your favorites and to submit trail reports as we get on snow. We are having an early wax clinic this Saturday at 9:00AM. We have already waxed hundreds of skis this season, practice makes permanent you know. This is a chance to re-fresh your memory. See http://www.incompetition.com/ for info.

Next week we launch at 5:57 pm. We start with the sticks, practice your balance!
ME

Hillbounding Finale Nov.30 The Dirty Dozen

2010-11-30T18:58:00.000-08:00

UPDATE 12-1-10

As I promised we did see snow today, not a lot but it is white. The forecast is for colder conditions making the possibility of at least pond skiing for real as we see freeze up. Check http://www.skinnyski.com/ for snow reports.

Stop, drop and roll. A fire safety drill? For the dozen skiers who ended the season of hillbounding tonight it meant simulating getting tripped up and recovering as you charge up the powerline hills. It also meant some dirty knees and a less than stylish way to “get back on” in the event you face plant during the Birkie (sooner or later it will happen).

Snow was falling and temps at Zero (C) as we finished the season with over a thousand collective reps up that hill. The group averaged 33 folks this season (a new record) and collectively performed at the highest level in recent memory. Critically speaking we had outstanding technical improvement and a higher level of technical understanding than ever before. I never worry about the physical output, the hill takes care of that and with a little testosterone thrown in, this workout can only be considered a brute!

So, where do you go from here? For some this is just a continuation of their summer training and for others it will continue with the 17th ANNUAL BIRKIE TRAINING CLASS that starts next Tuesday at the Aurora Sport Medicine Center. See http://www.incompetition.com/ for more info. As we approach snow note a few things. Take it easy. Get the ski legs under you and spend all your mental and physical effort working solely on TECHNIQUE. 50 to 100 km should be spent going slow and efficiently. There is absolutely no benefit to going hard early. Skiing alone and with a HRM is a good idea. Focusing on being technically good will pay big dividends later.

For those in the Birkie class expect an email soon. There will be some changes and even some (eeek) baseline testing. I would like to see some quantifiable improvements this year, expect some new ideas (yikes), they should not hurt………..much.

I had fun this year. You guys made it so and your hard work WILL pay off. You may even find it all downhill from here. There is only 9 months or so until we meet on the hill again so take advantage of your conditioning and your skills and we will see you on the trails. I will try and post here regularly so stay in touch. Please feel free to email me at goincomp@att.net Skal vi gå går på ski

Hillbounding Oct. 23 2010 Twenty Something

2010-11-24T12:28:00.000-08:00

West Yellowstone MT, this past weekend. Keith and Andy suffered with conditions like this.

Darkness greeted the 10th hillbounding session of the year and it was a night with many elements. There were 25 skiers that braved the 22 degree temps while doing 29 reps. The city closes the park early after mid November so parking becomes a problem but we squeeze in where we can. Last night was the first time we saw below freezing temps and no one wearing shorts (although Matt did strip down to a tee). Next year (reminder to self) we will shift the last two sessions to Saturday mornings but unless there is snow we shall have our last session at its regular time and place. Check here for updates next Tuesday.

The cold slowed the warm up a little and things looked a little sluggish to start but after 30 minutes everyone was up to operating temperature and things went smooth. I am seeing less and less of the glaring mistakes and more and more ski like bounding. The improvement over the first few weeks is quite stunning (note that those first few sessions give you a huge head start later on). The intensity was quite high; you could really see the “fog” pouring out of everyone’s mouth when silhouetted against the night lights. Sweet!

We are less than two weeks away from Birkie Class 17. If you plan on doing it sign up now as we have a limit. There are a lot of couples this year, that means you guys will have to behave, I’m curious about that. See http://www.incompetition.com/html/runEventRegister.psp . We have heard a lot of ideas for the jackets; Try one on here at the store to reserve your size.

There is snow up north and even more in Eastern MN. We are only a week or two away so put http://www.skinnyski.com/ in your favorites and don’t forget to put in your own trail reviews but be careful for what you wish for http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=West+Yellowstone&state=MT&site=TFX&textField1=44.6622&textField2=-111.103&e=0 Note the -3 was the high!! The Noodleini Run is this weekend http://www.midwestsportsevents.com/noodleini.html but first the Turkey Trot takes off tomorrow http://www.festivalturkeytrot.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=34&Itemid=41

We stoneground a few dozen skis this morning, snow is coming and we have just one more hillbounding session. Check here for updates as we get close. Nice effort tonight! Think snow, lots of snow.

Hillbounding November 16th Circle the Herd

2010-11-17T15:28:00.000-08:00

This is sort of what the group looked like silhouetted standing alongside the fence, third from the right looks like Dan.

There are not many times in mid November where you can be out at night in a tee and shorts and be comfortable. For 32 folks that night was last night. The mid 40’s and still air was perfect for bounding and just cool enough that Mike and Matt kept their shirts on, whew!

The new V1 slide move we did went pretty well. It was harder than some thought and TIME WISE it took a little longer and used some mussscccles we are not used to. That makes it a keeper. I was smilin’ when I saw the efforts to pass each during the rope pull to the fence. I never saw Andy cross the knoll so fast.

Poling looked better, perhaps my little strap diatribe did some good but it was a noticeable improvement. As we enter the final TWO weeks (I know I said one but math was not my forte) we need to have that final build up to snow. Once snow comes you will need to slow your intensity and get those ski legs back but hillbounding will help make that adjustment dramatically easier.

With snow around the corner (there is snow on the ground in northern WI and in MN) you should be checking http://www.skinnyski.com/ for trail updates. Put it in your favorites. There are several from the group and GB heading to West Yellowstone Camp this next week. Drink like a fish, it is 6600’ and goes up from there. These weeks before snow should be peak hour weeks, get out there and remember we will be on snow soon.

The 17th Birkie Class registration is up and running. If you are by the store check out the Team Craft Jacket. It certainly is the best we have ever had http://www.craft-usa.com/cra_shop_zoom.php?back=185&category=4&headline=men&area=shop&type=bski&id=1079&bcsex=m We are limited on class size so it is important to let me know. I am building an email class roster which will be our method of communication. Go to http://www.incompetition.com/html/runEventRegister.psp to register.

Steve was so gassed last night he sent me his HRM strip but forgot to attach it. He looked like a dead man at the end but that puts him in good company. NOTE: The GB Parks SOMETIMES locks the lower gate to Bairds Creek. Park where you can and walk to the top, it is a nice warmup. Next week at 5:28pm.

Hillbounding Nov. 9 2010 Too'fer Tuesday

2010-11-10T10:15:00.000-08:00

We go regardless of rain cold or snow, I laugh at the cold, har har har hack wheeze, sniffle. This was a few years back. It was actually pretty fun.

Steve’s HRM strip speaks volumes for the 40 skiers who took part in our first total night session. Click on it to expand it and note the wide base of each rep. The double rep set dictates a kind of forced pacing to your effort. This was perhaps the most solid technical effort yet. Most skiers were showing the improvement that only comes with repetition.

We should do a few more things next go round.

Poles, for our application short is good and get those straps on tight! I saw many loose poles. Something as mundane as a loose pole strap can have a very negative effect on your arm swing and leg drive. Take a minute to get those straps right.

We will continue the “Body Rope”. The forward lean from the ankle was pronounced, now we must memorize that position.

Get your heads up and find skiers and then find (quickly) a way to be more efficient. In racing another skier is all about energy conservation, if you can ski the same speed while expending less energy – you win. Think about that.

All in all it was a great night. It is not often in November we get conditions like that where more people wore shorts than not. Mike and Matt even gave a little sneak preview of their secret ambition http://www.barechest.org/ . We go again next week at 5:26 pm. Expect colder conditions as we will see snow in the next two weeks. Birkie Class registration opens soon and Deb is finalizing things now. Save the date of December 7. Look at our website http://www.incompetition.com/ later this week. Another note, The Ashwaubenon Ski Team is looking for older skis, boots and bindings for their team. If you have some and want to donate them they sure can use them as they have a lot of kids out this year. Drop them with us and they will get to the team.

Hillbounding Nov. 2nd Pictures Don't Lie

2010-11-02T21:21:00.000-07:00

Note That Steve missed a few and that he felt Uber like.

Video linked in at http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/ Up now.
Wow indeed, what else can be said about 46 skiers bounding up a hill. The night was right for bounding with 40 degree temps, no wind and dry air as the group responded with a 30 rep output that improves with each week.
Thanks to Kyle Demerath for his exhibition of dynamic technique (after already being on the hill for 90 minutes). I hope that picture is burned into your memory banks. Seeing the image is important but being able to replicate it takes [repetitive] training, that is why we train and sometimes train tired. I watch world class skiers racing and they do indeed hold it together technically but it comes from thousands of repetitive hours training it over and over. Here is a quick but impressive video that dramatizes the point; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdKiY92WE40&feature=fvw
With the number of athletes we have, individual comments are impossible and even generalizations are difficult but here goes anyway:
1/ Efforts were strong and powerful.
2/ Technique(s) held together for the most part although you could tell who the “veterans” were.
3/ Less “running” than before.
4/ Hand control mmmmmmmmmmmmmm…..we work on that.
Be sure to look at the video, there was some crowding and make sure you freeze the image by clicking your mouse on the cursor. Look (at image) for the forward shin angle and body lean. Pole angle and control and the dorsiflexon of the foot. Go back and review some of the earlier video. Check out Roy and Seth in the video, strong athletes, different styles. http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/?saved=1 Be sure to check out http://www.skinnyski.com/ for Stump Farm Duathlon results and photos while online.
So this week get an image in your mind of what you want to look like and then work on it so that it is automatic. Practice makes PERMANENT. Great solid night, perhaps the best yet. We are hitting the home stretch so get a picture in your head and just like getting a picture from inside, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HmDISe8RYY we go again next Tue. at 5:26pm. I have to get the grass out of my shorts now.

Hillbounding Oct.26th 2010 Wild, Whipped, Windy.

2010-10-26T21:04:00.000-07:00

The thought of 50 knot winds and threatening skies and not even having lights did not discourage the 24 skiers from doing the deuce, 24 reps in under an hour! Tonight we blasted through the reps before impending darkness fell and it gave a whole new meaning to recovery (there was none). We not only made the double dozen we had quite the variety of strokes and technically did really quite good for the most part. Despite my persistent prodding to the contrary, the amount of “running” is going down and the “skiciphic” effort is improving, really….however, since you asked, I still see the same things:
· Head down
· High foot carry (running)
· Hand/arm collapse (when tired)
· Not enough POOF.
The good news is that the bad points are occurring less and less and say halleluiah dear friends most are GETTING IT. Nice.

You need/must to go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/?saved=1 and review the video of Santi Ocariz. Santi is a former UWGB student, now CXC Team skier and good kid. Compare the “punch” he has. Be sure and run your mouse over the cursor to freeze it. As always expand the image to get the best view. If you see ANYTHING look at the forward lean FROM THE ANKLE that he has. That, dear friends is PROJECTING your weight forward. That, dear friends……..comes from the hip.
After viewing go back some weeks and compare other videos, it’s always fun….once you get over the depression.

Steve says he was gassed after our twenty four reps (he missed a few if you’re counting). While this was a solid workout (did you like the accelerations?) we need to keep up that focus on technique. Next time we will have lights and hopefully no wind but at least the bugs are gone and we had a great night. Good effort. Keep going out and if you ride or run the Ashwaubenon Duathlon is this weekend. http://skiwithanst.org/?p=1 and keep the groove and the wind behind you the next few days with http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xm692_earth-wind-fire-lets-groove_music Next week we start at 5:27pm.

Hillbounding Oct.19th 2010 Demanding

2010-10-19T20:49:00.000-07:00

Video up and running at http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/ Expand the image and freeze the image by putting the cursor over the slide.

Thirty Four bounders muttered under their breaths tonight about Coach Whataweinie giving them grief about pole control, what difference does it make you ask?

The answer is about one wave at the Birkie or some dude saying you make it look easy as opposed to saying how cashed you look.

(Improved) Technique is for most of us the only realistic way we will improve at skiing. Physically time has a lot of us beat but I GUARANTEE that no one over fifty thinks that they were smarter when in their twenties. Good technique takes smarts, smarts that sometimes only comes with experience, oh yea, that’s we train so hard. Note the recovery time on Steve's HRM Strip, chalk that up to "educational processing".

Tonight was certainly the hardest effort yet. I doubt we will go much harder but I think we have room to move technically and I would expect our speed to improve even if the effort does not increase. I would go to the video and look for a few things. http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/ Note there is two weeks worth with some individual stuff we shot tonight before the group. Be sure and expand the image and hold your mouse on the slide to freeze frame the image. Here are the easy things I see.
1. Lots of droopy heads. A/ When your head is down your Center of Gravity (CG) changes. B/ You decrease the amount of air you can take in AND out. C/ You can’t respond to the dork who just face planted in front of you.
2. Still seeing some running out there. S-L-I-D-E the foot. Keeping the foot in CONTACT with the ground/snow longer gives you a longer stride. Longer stride = more distance per stroke = moving up a wave at the Birkie.
3. Pole angle and control coming into its own. Good thing!
4. Make a note about tempo. Next week we will add “POP” or Push Off Power to our list of dorky Ernst acronyms. As hard as it feels it does not “look” that hard. That’s the beauty of cameras, they never lie.

Lastly some terminology review. In skate skiing there are seven basic strokes. Some are more important than others and most are speed/terrain/conditioning sensitive. Check these out.
· V1 (one step in other parts of the world) Use for slower speeds like uphill’s or harder conditions. Can work everywhere. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyuYflyZta4
· V2 Alternate (open Field Skate for us old farts) Use at faster speeds. Very fast and efficient. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmR5WXd_F8I
· V2: Use at higher speeds and is becoming common for faster racers. High balance demand but smooth and fast. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HksXxzH55pw

The other strokes, Diagonal Skate, Jump skate, Free skate and our crossover stroke, the Double Pole are less used but good to know. http://www.xcskiworld.com/training/Technique/skating.htm#diagonal_v

I appreciate the strong output tonight, it’s really hard sometimes but that is why we do it as a group. This is a tough night that you can center your week on. If it was easy everyone would do it (even me). We will see you next week at 5:28pm.

Lastly…………..
Butch Reimer passed away tonight. Butch is the ski coach at UWGB, a great guy and my friend. It is not fair and it's not right but it happened. Think of Butch as you go about your own life and then live your life… to the fullest. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/butchreimer

Hillbounding Oct. 12th 2010 Baaaaaaa Baaaaaaa Bounding

2010-10-13T08:54:00.000-07:00

Video link up at http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/ Click and expand the images

LAMBS; An acronym? The weather coming in thus far in October? Lambs being led to slaughter? It could mean any of those things for the 35 bounders last night but I mean it to be everyone having a common technique. Everyone has their own style but don’t use style as an excuse for flawed technique. With each passing week I see less “unique” techniques and a more homogeneous image… that is a good thing.

The videos turned out good but there are a few caveats. When filming a lot of people it is hard to get a long image of any one skier. For the future note the spacing as we film. We want everyone to get on camera. I also note the “tension” level goes up when the camera goes on. Relax, so what if the whole internet can see your lousy pole control.

A few notes about the tape. These are GENERAL comments and may not (but probably do) pertain to you.
· Pole control/angle, too much “grippin” and not enough pole ANGLE and the tip coming too far forward. You only get push when the pole is pushing [duh].
· Lots of pole “clutching”. Relax your grip. Let the STRAPS do the work. Gripping that pole tight restricts arm swing which will retard the leg extension. Major issue here. Adjust straps and then USE them.
· Still some running out there. Watch the foot. Go back a few weeks and re-fresh the dorsiflexion image.
· POOF, Push Off Outside of Foot is a function of commitment and a big push. It seems as the effort increases the effectiveness improves.

Watch the videos and be sure to expand the image to get a clearer view. You can slow or stop them as well. It is a little congested but seeing yourself is always valuable….if not a little painful. http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/

You will note Steve’s HRM strip today looks different. The base of the “spikes” is narrower which tells me of a faster recovery, that or Steve spent the night in Jorams vortex. Click to expand it.

I found a video of Andy Lulloff showing his “CXC Special” Technique. He’s better now http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEZrBw6mcSM

All in all the effort was strong and if there was any doubt the soft start is over. It was a fearsome last few reps, very impressive. You should be pleased as the reps (29) and the intensity are climbing and the technical skills improving, sweet.
Next week we put the Team in bounding, be ready at 5:27pm as we go up.

Lastly Butch Reimer soldiers on in his struggle with Leukemia. Keep him in your thoughts as you head out the door. I know he would like to be doing this with us. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/butchreimer

Hillbound 10 Oct 5 POOF 'aint' the Magic Dragon

2010-10-05T20:05:00.000-07:00

Oct 5th Photos up now at //www.flickr.com/photos/54192844@N02/?saved=1 Click on HRM strip to expand image.

For the 31 skiers who came out tonight the hill was in fine form. Cooler temps, no wind and a beautiful Alpenglow made for a nice night, the only thing missing was a rope tow. Our own Matt Becker, Press Gazette Photographer and finisher of the Horribly Hilly Hundred this summer, pulled out the big lens and shot a few hundred "real" photos. It will take me a while to get them loaded onto my Flikr site but I will edit the link in as soon as I get it done later Wed or Thursday.

Lots of good things to report. The effort was up substantially. The soft start is over, this time it's for real http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exyzxemJ74o if you don't believe it. We are starting to put together strings of technically correct reps. The breathing is even coming along. Don't underestimate breathing (duh), compression breathing needs to be trained but the reward is faster recovery and a more powerful stroke. We introduced [again] the POOF concept. That is where you initiate the stroke from the OUTSIDE of the foot. This is perhaps the most dynamic way to ski and seldom talked about. We will expand on that next week but it will add a lot to your stroke and having the ability to "Push Off Outside of Foot" will make you a serious skier.

I also want to bring the concept of "hip drive" to the front burner. I see a consistent sitting back (not getting out over the ski) which is a glide killer. Remind me on that as well.

The only negative other than getting beaned by a errant disk golfer was some continued "running" and arms crossing over the center line of the body combined with nasty hand/wrist orientation to which I am all too happy to nag about.

It was a solid effort that showed good improvement from last week. Steve P's HRM strip (click on it to expand the image) showed 27 reps and lots of time in the red zone. Note the rise of the HR (heart rate) vs the recovery. In my perfect world those will change. All in all be happy with this one and be ready to go next week at 5:27pm.

As you know our friend Butch Reimer has entered in a battle with Leukemia. Butch is a tough guy and has been through a lot in the last few days. Give him and his family your positive thoughts and wishes. His Caring Bridge address is http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/butchreimer/journal .

Sept. 28 Hillbounding with a Passion

2010-09-29T08:29:00.000-07:00

Holy Mackinolies, 39 athletes joined in the fun last night. Who would have thunk that many folks would have a penchant for self flagellation. As promised the soft start morphed into a "jello" like effort, it wiggled but we held it together for 25+ reps with noticeably less recovery. I have linked in some photo's (bad ones) at http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/ The first set is last night with more following. Click on the individual photos' to expand the image and please note the following technical ideas:

There is still some "sitting back". We MUST address that. The idea of forward rotation is a foreign one but is fundamental. Remind me to talk about that.

Running (not bounding) is still prevalent, especially when tired (surprise). Look at the photo's and specifically the foot angle at the end of the "push".

Poles. There still is some creative poling going on out there and while I like free thinking you need to fall with accepted parameters. Remember to get the straps on right and tight. A simple thing like loose pole straps can doom you to goofy poling and a lifetime of flailing.

Knolls were made to run and deep tucks mean deep. I saw many cases of the Ernst Resting Tuck (ERT) Remember practice makes PERMANENT!

All in all it went pretty darn good. Several surprised me with very solid technique and there was certainly hard efforts. Don't be afraid to sit out a rep or two. Get to mid hill and watch the profile view. You can learn a lot. We will probably hold steady the reps and try and speed up the recovery more, [uggg]. The Skeeters should be gone by next week and cooler temps will help.

One last word on Lactate Intervals. These are super hard efforts. If you enjoy them I would question your thought process, but they are very beneficial. LI's for most are simply physical efforts but serious athletes know that they develop the ability to MAINTAIN COMPOSURE while exhausted. That is very fundamental because when your technique breaks down you burn energy at vastly higher rates, speeding up even more the inevitable death shuffle, and that's not fun.

Things went good and you can be pleased with the effort. We have room to improve and that's a good thing. A few more notes. The Green Bay Duathlon is next weekend http://www.midwestsportsevents.com/ . A good time to get the bike out one last time. October is here, keep those poles handy and if you are rollerskiing keep your tips sharp as dull ferrules cause technical glitches and sore "rollerski elbows". My new bud Parker (age 13) showed me why it takes passion to do hillbounding and my other bud Graham Parker put it to words http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPQWPxfPYKo Being hip means knowing no pain.

Nice job, thanks for being on time at 5:28pm.

Hillbounding 10 Bloodthirsty Bounding Sept.21

2010-09-21T19:29:00.000-07:00

NEW EDIT - Photo's at http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/?saved=1 up now.

The 1st bounding session of the year started with 35 folks taking on the hill 24 times or so in a soft start with much emphasis on the technical aspects and a little housekeeping as to the protocol we follow. Despite the lower intensity and a reduced workload many in the group were liberally soaked in sweat, no doubt brought on by a combination of warm temps (71F), humidity and the 1.3 million mosquito's that found the hill home tonight.

There is good news and bad but more good. The good news is that technically the minutes we spent outlining the efforts paid off as we are way ahead of the jumping off point last year. There was less running than in the past, that is a core concept as we are not training to run, that would be a totally different workout. The "relaxed" pace made it easy to maintain composure and certain items like staying in Dorsiflexion and running (jogging) the knoll were evident. Here are some goals for next week.

Faster Turn-around. More recovery in less time. In most sports that is the name of the game. We did OK but there is room to improve.

Pole orientation. Note that what we do is to simulate skiing. We are in essence "acting" and the hand/arm actions would not have won an Emmy

Balance. This is a great time to exaggerate that weight shift/weight transfer movement. Balance is learned...not inherent and balance when tired needs to be trained for.

BREATH, breathe more, breathe harder, breathe like bull. It is hard enough, holding your breathe does not help.

Find the rock. I know it's there somewhere.

I am working on downloading some photo's but my camera is smarter than me (does not take much)Look at some of the photo's, you will find them on Flikr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/ and I will edit in the link to them as I get them in. Note a lot of "sitting back" postures, will will talk about that. Sitting back is a most grievous of technical mistakes but is reasonably easy to get rid of. Soon you may be feeling a little DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness)... don't call me. Get hydrated and go for an easy ride, swim or brisk hike to recover. When things ramp up you will have to treat this as a race like effort. Hopefully it will cool down soon and millions of skeeters will die a lingering death (bitter). Remember that on a bike you subtract 15F from the actual temp, running you add 15F, XC skiing you add 20F and Hillbounding adds 30F, dress light, dress right.

Very nice to see the enthusiasm and the large number of folks, this is the toughest workout in town so well done, most won't do it you will be better for it. We start the warm up and briefing at 5:28pm next week. We go regardless of weather and the lights will be on and as always, never leave your house without ski poles after Oct.1st

TNR Goodbye Hello to Winter, Hillbounding is Here

2010-09-15T09:17:00.000-07:00

The last “official” TNR of the season was last night and half a dozen riders enjoyed sun and pleasant mid-Sept conditions. As good as riding is now it was nice to have the arm warmers on. There is lots of good riding left and for those that are heat challenged this is a great time of year. The Fat Tire Fest http://www.cheqfattire.com/ is this weekend and course conditions are said to be good but wet. There is some predicted rain this week so have your bike well lubed before the race. Remember that the race does not end until your bike is cleaned afterwards. Expect new cables after a wet race which is inexpensive and fairly easy to put in. Cables make or break you, don’t scrimp, unless you want to be riding a single speed!

HILLBOUNDING 10 IS NEAR.

There seems to be a lot of interest in HILLBOUNDING this year. We start next Tuesday the 21st at 5:28pm at the Bairds Creek (Triangle Hill Sports Area). http://www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/parks/parks/shelters/trianglechalet.html for directions and info. What to expect: We typically see 25-35 people of lots of different abilities. Because we are concentrated on one hill you cannot get left behind. We alternate repetitions up the hill, some with poles, some without and some with ropes and partners in tandem. There is a strength component as well. Hillbounding is very aerobic, incorporates a huge strength element and is done with a specific technical goal in mind. We really stress proper and correct technique. This is NOT just running up a hill. To that end you will need a pair of cross country ski poles that are roughly to the armpit in length. They do not have to be too good although you will impress the others if you bring nice carbon poles. I will have about 15 pair available and will supply the ropes. Bring water bottles and dry clothes, we go rain or shine (cold is certainly not an issue after 10 minutes) and you can expect to sweat….a lot! We start the warm-up at 5:30pm so come a little early. The first week is a soft start but VERY IMPORTANT to get some of the technique stuff ingrained. The grass is cut, the lights work and the turf is soft. See you then.
A quick update for those interested in the Bay Nordic Youth Ski League. Things are coming together. Check this out. http://baynordic.blogspot.com/ and be sure to note the link http://skiwithanst.org/ for the Stump Farm Trail Run and Duathlon on Oct. 31st.

Lots to do, go for a hike or run with those ski poles, don’t put the bike away but do dust off the rollerskis. There is energy in the air, be sure and be part of it.
SO2

TNR Sept. 7. Snipe hunt and more

2010-09-08T08:36:00.000-07:00

“hey, where is everyone”, said Todd as he rolled in, dressed in full kit ready for the ride. “ Uh…..Todd, have you noticed it is raining with a full 40 knot wind blowing it”? Not mastering the obvious he said “What a bunch of bleepin’ sissies, why when I was a boy we would ride in this just to warm up for the really tough stuff”.

Todd then proceeded to curse like a sailor for a few minutes until his phone rang…….”yes dear…..yes dear…..no dear…..yes dear, I’ll pick up some cream for your lumbago” as he left for home. It was a lousy night to ride and only slightly better in the morning as I did the 50/50 ride. That is any ride on a windy day; you have fun 50% of the time!

The Madison Ironman and Door County Century are this weekend. There are lots of local folks doing the race this year and many volunteering to enhance their chance of getting in next year as they get an entry preference to the always at capacity event.
The Door County Century http://www.doorcountycentury.com/Default.aspx has a record number of participants (over 2100). The weather looks iffy for Saturday but great on ride day (Sunday).

The FTF has a new press release http://www.skinnyski.com/racing/display.asp?Id=19759 as riders tune up for the Biggie of all mountain bike events in Hayward.

Shortly thereafter we ramp up ski season with Hillbounding 10 to start on September 21, at 5:30pm at Bairds Creek. I will have a complete overview here next week. Lastly check out my buddy and all around wacky dude Floyd in this article Todd passed on today. This may help understand him http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lPmiDoK-fo

See you in DC, SO2

TNR Aug. 31st Rain Rain, It did stay away.

2010-09-01T08:58:00.001-07:00

The predicted storms never materialized (go figure, a weather forecast that was wrong) but only 7 riders showed up for what turned out to be a warm and dry ride. The Rendezvous loop was finished comfortably before dark. These are the days to cherish riding as we have peak fitness and great weather. Remember that next April when it is lousy out, those are the days to go for a run or swim, now it’s time to ride.

A few quick updates:
The Cloverleaf Triathlon is this weekend. A smaller but fun event. http://www.cloverleaflakes.com/documents/Clintonville%20-%20Triatholon%2018%20mile.pdf

The Door County Century and the Wisconsin Ironman are just two weeks out. For DCC riders now is the time to tune up. For IMW folks it is time to stay loose and R E L A X. http://www.doorcountycentury.com/ and http://www.ironmanwisconsin.com/schedule.php

The Fat Tire is coming with a new BIG TENT. Check it out at http://www.cheqfattire.com/

We are seeing a lot of “flooded” bikes from Ore to Shore and the wet summer in general. Aluminum and Carbon frames do not rust…but everything else does!! Get those bearings, headset and BB opened up and lubed. We know exactly how much they cost to replace….and so will you if they are ignored.

Hillbounding 2010 starts September 21st at 5:30pm At the Bairds Creek Ski Hill. We have lights and I will have some extra poles. Short (to the armpit length) poles with straps are preferred. This is an evil and wicked workout but we do stay together. Bring bottles, dry clothes and a friend. We will have a soft start but be ready with a little advanced poling and striding. After nine months off I don’t remember it being that bad. I’m sure that first rep up the hill will snap me back to reality.

Keep Riding, enjoy summer and SO2

TNR Aug. 24th Race News, Events and More

2010-08-24T21:14:00.000-07:00

It has been a busy two weeks. Summer continued tonight with the TNR getting modestly shorter to accommodate the already waning light. A light sprinkle before the ride dried up and created no issues for the group.

This weekend hosted three local events drawing thousands of participants to NE Wis. The Waupaca Triathlon was held in perfect conditions with 1000 racers [and about 200 kids] enjoyed great racing and a super Potato Bake. http://www.waupacaareatriathlon.com/ for results and photos. Our own Roy Stumpf had a top 10 finish and Sarah Stumpf took second overall with Deb Ernst pulling in third in her age group. Nice.

The Green Bay WORS race http://www.wors.org/news/ had some great conditions and some motivating bugs this weekend with Steve Peplinski defying his age and winning his age group and class. Too bad he was not 61 when he was forty, well done to Steve and all the local talent.

Race the Lake was this weekend. A 90 mile [more or less] around Lake Winnebago that attracted over a thousand riders and most of the "retired" Cat 1 and Pro riders from the past 15 years. The lead pack pulled in at 3:13!!!, almost 28 mph which is a blazing time for an open road course. Check out http://www.midwestsportsevents.com/ for info on this pound fest. This is turning out to be a wild speed fest in our own back yard. http://www.fdlreporter.com/article/20100823/FON02/8230536/Race-the-Lake-Bike-Race-results for results and photos.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

This Saturday we are having a sidewalk sale. This is one day only and we have lots of gear ready to go. It would be a good time to see the new 2011 bikes as they are coming in as we speak.

The Cloverleaf Triathlon is Sept. 4th and is a great first time race to get your feet wet on. Close to home near Clintonville it is a fun race with no pressure. See http://www.cloverleaflakes.com/documents/Clintonville%20-%20Triatholon%2018%20mile.pdf

The Door County Century is only weeks away. The event has been overhauled with a new and better course and a whole lot more. See http://www.doorcountycentury.com/ for maps and more. Already the ride is well over last years turnout so plan on a big weekend.

Ironman Wisconsin is the same weekend, Sept 11-12, with lots of local athletes. www.ironmanwisconsin.com/

The Fat Tire Fest is coming soon after in Sept. Time to get the bikes cleaned, tuned and please; new cables BEFORE you bike stops shifting.

Lastly; September 21st marks the return of Bairds Creek Hillbounding. Sign up for and see more on our newsletter at http://www.incompetition.com/html/register.psp

Finally, Kevin Kohrman, a longtime local rider was killed this past week leading a bike ride. It was an accident and Kevin did not suffer. Kevin often came to the store and I enjoyed his knowledge and our spirited debates. He was the real deal on a bike having ridden tens of thousands of miles and having done Brevet length rides and more. He took great pleasure in riding but in other things as well. The day before he passed he came in with his grandson. His enthusiasm for him was obvious and he looked forward to rides with him as much as with anyone. We are still a little in shock over this and I just hope that we can all take away a little from this and re-double our efforts to keep riding the safe and fun sport that it is, Kevin would have wanted that.

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20100821/GPG010301/8210596/Kohrman-Kevin

TNR Aug 11 Swim, Sizzle, Sweat and Western Video

2010-08-11T20:11:00.000-07:00

Summer is here for real. For the past several weeks we have been locked in this cycle of heat, humidity and storms. While uncomfortable it is also a great time to ride. Biking when hot is about all you can do (other than swim, more on that later) that will allow a high output with less duress.

The ride went off well with the two groups both having good solid efforts and benefiting from the warm muscles and August fitness. Bill Schneider has provided some nice Action Cam shots and Todd R. unveils his new kit over his lean Uber Bod.

Lots to report: The Point to Lapointe Swim http://www.bayfieldreccenter.com/Point_to_LaPointe_Swim.html was this past weekend. Several local swimmers did the event which means swimming from Bayfield to Madeline Island. Great water and great weather made this a fun event, that and no one drowned. See more shots at www.flikr.com/photos/incomp/ .

As you may remember we recently returned from Washington State where we took part in the Raleigh Dealer Show and now we have a video link to it. We really did ride although I found the steep and deep mountain stuff (yawn) a little tame for my blood. Check out http://raleighsummerevent.com/ and be sure and watch the DB Freestyle dudes on the third video, fearless....good.

We are looking for a serious rider who may need some physical therapy. Aurora Sport Medicine is putting on a serious rider clinic and is looking for a volunteer to get worked on/specimen/featured guest, sweet. They start in Mid Sept. Let me know if your interested.

You probably know that Lance will not be doing the WS 100 this weekend but that is no reason not to do the Ore to Shore in MQT, MI. Nice ride on some cool trails. A fast 40 before FTF. The heat is on so get on the bike. See you next week and SO2.

TNR 8-3-10 Sweatiful. Raleigh Dealer Preview

2010-08-03T16:02:00.000-07:00

Great weather tonight greeted the group, great weather that is if you like 90 degrees in the shade [there is no shade] with 90 percentile humidity. This is what summer is about and if you keep your wits about you and stay hydrated, don’t go ballistic up every hill and stay out of tar traps it can be a lot of fun. For the twenty or so riders tonight it was a chance to lose some water weight and scour some unneeded rubber off their tires. We are seeing a record number of creaky bikes lately. High temps and high moisture levels form a barrier between bearing surfaces and dissimilar metals that lubricates the metal so that it “gives” forming a squeak or creak. Typically disassembly of the offending area [typically the BB or headset] and cleaning and lubing with waterproof grease cures it. Until then it is not life threatening…… until your riding partners beat you senseless for not maintaining your bike.

I am in the middle of the book ROADIE. It is a great read and is almost like looking in the mirror. I strongly recommend it. Painfully honest, funny and totally accurate it would be a great book to explain to non-riders why we ride.

Deb and I just returned from the Raleigh America Dealer Show in Cle Elum in Washington State. The beautiful Suncadia http://www.suncadiaresort.com/ resort hosted the show. In addition to first rate accommodations and food out of this world we got to ride our choice of hundreds of bikes both road and mountain. We also met with the big wigs of the oldest bike company on earth [123 years old] some highlights: Again the Di2 Dura Ace bikes were a hit. Expensive but totally cool, if you ever get the chance………Raleigh has a Single Speed, Cr-Mo BELT DRIVE 29r that got a lot of play, neat to beat and ultra quiet for those clandestine trail rides through the camp. Shimano was there with the NEW XTR 10 speed setup. Very pretty and very customizable. The new Dura Ace Carbon pedal was there, just when you thought it could not get lighter! They had a slew of internally geared urban and utility bikes which are not glamorous but very high tech and very efficient. I see one in my future.
We had dinner with the head of Raleigh who jetted in from England. Great guy who is enthusiastic out the new Pro Team they are building with hopefully a TdF bid in the next few years. All in all a great time and a great learning experience. Check out the pictures on Flikr http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/ and the DB Freestyle Team Riders, who are totally nuts by the way. Enjoy the heat as we go again next week. SO2

TNR July 20 Riding the Storm Out and DCT news

2010-07-21T10:02:00.000-07:00

Last night about 15 riders did an end around a rapidly approaching storm and avoided getting wet by just a few minutes. We need to work on [more] the group staying as a group. A consistent OUTPUT would go a long way. We can talk that one through. The good news was that Todd did not break anything and had enough time to get home and fill his lawn mower.......so his wife could mow the yard. Sweet.

The Door County Triathlon [DCT] this past weekend was a big hit http://www.doorcountytriathlon.com/ with nearly 2000 athletes completing the race. Saturdays sprint race was flawless, fast and fun with great conditions and a great field. Sunday the Half Iron enjoyed calm, warm water and a light rain that kept everyones cool. Roy, Bob, and Kim pulled off the win in the relay, nice.

Check out the shots, Deb and I head to Seattle next week for a bike show and seminars and some great riding. Stayed tuned for info on that. Meanwhile, dodge the rain, keep riding and SO2.

TNR July 13. A Dandy Day to Ride

2010-07-14T09:10:00.000-07:00

For the twenty or so riders this ride was sweet. Nice sustained riding with an even effort kept the bunch[es] together. Nice weather and no crashes rounded out the great day.

This Saturday and Sunday the Door County Triathlon [DCT] takes place with a record field. Expect hot weather so start hydrating early. The 1/2 Ironman will feature the brutal Bluff Pass hill which will test your mettle. Good luck whatever you do and we will see you next week. These are the best days of summer, get out and enjoy them.

Check out the group and the gams, whooeeeee.

SO2

Why Wood and Helmets Don't Mix

2010-07-08T09:33:00.001-07:00

I love this hot sticky weather. There is nothing better than slipping on a sleeveless jersey and heading out the door with no socks and being warmed up almost instantly. Today was just like that, humid and hot, the roads still wet from last nights soaker. I jumped on my fixed gear not wanting to get my white Record Ace dirty, I like white bikes, but not cleaning them after a wet ride.

There is a small pea gravel trail running through some woods that I like to cut through to get to another road I frequent. There are several areas of boardwalk on the trail that cross the wet spots and today they were particularly slippery. As I descended the final bridge my front wheel washed out and spit me down, hard. I have crashed dozens of time over the years, in racing falling is part of the game but this time it caught me off guard, I never even took my hands off the bars as I slapped my head onto the 2 X 6 railing that serves as an edge to the boardwalk.

That would normally been bad enough but the Deer Flies descended on me like a dog on a pork link . Jumping up I noticed a chunk of wood with a fresh break alongside the trail. Like a Karate Master breaking a board, my noggin split the wood off the edge. The flies created enough of an urgency to make me get out of there toot-sweet. After getting back on the road I pulled my Giro helmet off which had suffered two cracks. My brain also got sloshed around a bit but the nice thing about wet boards is that they don't leave much road rash. I was lucky.

I was more upset about not keeping the bike up than hurt and I believe in the "get back on the horse" mentality so I circled around and decided to ride that trail again. I could see the skid marks and the broken chunk of wood. [that I carried the few miles home.] The point is this: The helmet did it's job. Earlier this week we taught a bike fitness segment at a local high school. It is kind of sad to see 60 kids who think it cannot happen to them, who don't think it matters. I wish they could have seen this one. Keep on riding, wear your helmet and be prepared. I like to think that my positive outcome this morning was because of my skill level but it was probably mostly luck, but wearing that helmet was not! Enjoy this hot weather and as always SO2 [stay on two].

Bike Movie Updates and DCT info.

2010-06-30T08:37:00.001-07:00

A special showing of the Ride to the Sky Movie is coming back to Green Bay. See the details at
Movie details: http://www.ridethedividemovie.com/
Marinette Event: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/115509
Green Bay Event: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/115511
It is a cool flick about the Leadville 100 and Lance's big win there last year.

This is the latest update from the Door County Triathlon. It is filling fast so do not delay. As of Tuesday night, there are exactly 1,828 registered participants in the Door County Triathlon – 944 in the Sprint and 884 in the Half Iron.

This means that there are just over 50 spots left in the Sprint and just over 100 spots left in the Half Iron.

If you have friends, family, co-workers or acquaintances who plan to participate, call them and urge them to REGISTER TODAY. Since this event has a HARD CAPACITY LIMIT, there will be no “squeezing in” additional participants after the events are sold out.

Thanks for your help with this event!
www.doorcountytriathlon.com

TNR June 29th Perfect over Perfect

2010-06-29T16:06:00.000-07:00

Over twenty riders enjoyed a great summer eve, not too hot, not too cold, sunny and nice.

As promised be sure to check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z1fSpZNXhU&feature=player_embedded for some wild road riding on a carbon bike. Those are stock Aksium [$270 pair] wheels. It reminds me of the time I table topped the Tower drive bridge............but I digress. The tour starts this weekend and I put LA on the podium, 1st if Contador crashes. Speaking of going down, try not to replicate this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RNAYR3KPIg&feature=related and as always Stay on Two [SO2]. Enjoy the big weekend.

Footnote: The Door County Triathlon is filling. Don't miss out on this competitive event. http://www.doorcountytriathlon.com/ and watch Todd as he gets a rolling massage from his teammates above.

TNR April 20 The Bold and the Beautiful

2010-04-21T08:12:00.000-07:00

The team kits were out in force as were 21 riders who enjoyed the late spring weather in April. The two groups stayed together and had rides of 50 and 60ks. The long group was pulling hard with summer like efforts. It is a long season so my annual words of moderation are very appropriate: Get your early legs under you now and be the rider you want to be come summer.
Nice ride, good weather means no better than that.
SO2

Dick Lytie Spring Classic 2010

2010-03-27T15:14:00.000-07:00

A record crowd and record pace describes the 30th running of the Spring Classic. Great running and Great weather greated everyone. Full results Monday at http://www.incompetition.com/ but for know check out the age group results. Excuse the format, I'm no IT guy.

Dick Lytie Spring Classic
Saturday, March 27, 2010

HALF-MARATHON AGE GROUP RESULTS

Overall - Men
Scott Jansky M 36
Men 18 & Under
1. Benedict Wagner
2. Austin Holmes
1:12:53:30
1:34:42:70
2:11:31:48

Overall – Women
Krista Cornelins F 31
Women 18 & Under
1.Lilly Johnson
2.Annie Deamlow
1:24:44:17

1:50:12:37
1:51:32:21

Men 19-29
1. Michael Steffek
2. Tim Kowols
3. Cassidy Mc Gowan
1:19:06:86
1:20:24:41
1:23:19:93
Women 19-29
1. Mary Beth Lexow
2. Kari Arkens
3. Lara Eslinger
1:36:44:21
1:39:51:49
1:41:29:69

Men 30-39
1. Scott Jansky
2. Brad Poppele
3. Rob Hampton
1:12:53:50
1:18:22:56
1:22:19:27
Women 30-39
1. Krista Cornelins
2. Laura Ankrum
3. Tammy Wagner
1:24:44:17
1:30:30:51
1:34:56:86
Men 40-49
1. Russell Soukup
2. Stuart Kolb
3. Mike Servais
1:22:24:73
1:24:16:96
1:25:16:82
Women 40-49
1. Mary Bolich
2. Cleo Ferris
3. Terssa Moore
1:33:36:26
1:35:28:78
1:36:44:94

Men 50-59
1. Mark Werner
2. Jon Vovak
3. Raphael Clark
1:24:30:87
1:24:35:40
1:28:45:43
Women 50-59
1. Martha Karban
2. Maureen Hass
3. Josephine Lepley
1:52:49:85
1:55:19:63
1:57:35:63
Men 60 & Over
1. Alan Kraszewsla
2. Cary Segall
3. Roy Pirrung
1:37:36:27
1:38:45:02
1:39:40:94
Women 60 & Over
1. Mary Cox
2. Rosie Jonas
1:58:20:10
2:21;04:21

Dick Lytie Spring Classic Results
Saturday, March 27, 2010

3-MILE AGE GROUP RESULTS
Overall - Men
Justin Darron (M23)

Men 18 & Under
1. Nick Freitag
2. Aidan May
3. Kristofer Vansicke
4. Dan Vopal
16:22:24
18:10:67
19:19:94
20:08:92
20:09:02

Overall – Women
Jennifer Chaudoir F 35

Women 18 & Under
1. Bailey Wolf
2. Nadia May
3. Rebekah Noll
18:23:37
19:12:95
23:33:04
25:29:02

Men 19-29
1. Justin Darron
2. Steven Gromaki
3. Alex Socha
16:22:24
18:07:53
21:21:94

Women 19-29
1. Kari Gondeck
2. Cami Vanooyen
3. Aimee Bachman
23:26:09
25:33:67
25:56:40
Men 30-39
1. Orion Jones
2. John Houle
3. Mike Lebeau
19:26:02
19:28:54
20:05:32
Women 30-39
1. Jennifer chaudoir
2. Erin Blozinski
3. Heather Tuttle

18:23:37
21:38:37
21:48:40
Men 40-49
1. David Lepianka
2. Todd Charnetski
3. Bob LeSage

19:24:78
19:44:68
19:53:83
Women 40-49
1. Gina Kersten
2. Darcy Ayn Staudinger
3. Denise O’Kimash
22:41:64
24:14:62
24:31:24

Men 50-59
1. Bob Bins
2. Mark Constancio
3. Jerry Feldhausen
19:58:80
20:31:75
20:40:77
Women 50-59
1. Kitty Thomas
2. Lynda Drews
3. Lois Snyder
22:32:44
27:25:57
27:59:55
Men 60 & Over
1. Doug Jansky
2. Mark Warpinski
3. Bill Hartung
22:42:17
26:10:61
26:17:14
Women 60 & Over
1. Irene Stock
2. Barb Tuttle
3. Marcia Mc Collum
24:46:04
30:44:74
36:28:38

TNR 3-23 Wax to Packs

2010-03-23T20:10:00.000-07:00

Since the last review a lot has happened. First off the snow is gone. In one of the fastest meltdowns ever our ski season tanked in mid March. While that is not in itself great news at least the warmth we got in return made it bearable. Some modest rain also washed most of the salt down making it reasonable to ride your bikes without wasting the drivetrain to corrosion. A lot more has happened. The first Tuesday Night Ride (TNR) went off tonight with about 8 riders taking advantage of the somewhat warm weather and the earlier than normal Daylight Savings Time. That said it was pretty dark as the group rolled in, a victim of a missed turn and a longer than anticipated roll into to town. All said it was a nice way to kick off the year.

The Dick Lytie Spring Classic Half Marathon and 3 mile is this weekend. This is a tough course that will reward you with nice views and a right to have that big pizza after the race. See http://springclassicrun.blogspot.com/ for more details.

We have a lot of running and bike clinics scheduled this spring. Deb has them listed on our website at http://www.incompetition.com/ or get a complete list by signing up for our email newsletter at http://www.incompetition.com/html/register.psp . Trust me, I’m hilarious there.

I am working on a few things for the skier in you to do this summer. Ski season starts May 1st so be ready but for now some modest base endurance work and getting that Birkie entry in on April 15th is all you need to do. Stay tuned, this is going to be cool…really!

Lastly, Deb and I are going to out of the store the 30th of March through the 8th of April. As part of our tireless search for the best training opportunities for you we are heading to Belize were we will subject ourselves to brilliant sun and azure water. It is a bear we must cross. Have fun while we are gone, get into the training groove and watch for some updates coming soon.

Nice and Crusty March Ski Review and more

2010-03-04T09:10:00.000-08:00

March Ski Update, News and more………..

Lots of stuff on our Post Birkie Plate. The breaking news is that Crust Skiing is back. The morning snow has firmed up enough that crust skiing is possible. You want to be off the snow as it warms so get an early start but it is fabulous. Those ungroomed trails, lakes and ponds that were too deep now let you skim over the top. Sweet. Check out http://www.skinnyski.com/ for trail reports but there is a lot of snow in the woods.

Deedra Irwin local junior skier and Wisconsin State Champion is heading to Maine next week for the Junior Olympics. Deedra along with Paul Schommer of Kimberly qualified to go to this high level competition. They could use your help so please read this press release from Phil Nelson and wish them luck at JO’s.

Hello everybody, I hope you have had a great season and guess you did with another year of fine snow. You weren't alone. Our team, the Ashwaubenon Nordic Ski Team, had a great year too. Hopefully many of you saw some of our results in the paper or saw the Athlete of the Week coverage of Deedra Irwin on WBAY. It is this consistent success that led to two of our athletes making the national Junior Olympics representing the Midwest division. Deedra Irwin and Paul Schommer both ran the gauntlet of JO races and state competition to become ranked among the best in their age class in the entire Midwest. We are so excited for them! We hope you are too, as it represents an increase of high end ski activity for our area, and of that we can all be proud. Many of you have supported our team already by attending our races, donating equipment or money. We are asking you to help defray skiers expenses for Junior Olympics taking place at Presque Isle Maine beginning March 8th 2010. We want our skiers to focus on training and doing their absolute best at JO's and are hoping to reduce the families expenses as much as possible. They have worked incredibly hard to make it this far and we believe the community should, and will fully support their efforts.So go online and donate!
http://www.active.com/donate/ANSTFriend or family of Deedra?http://www.active.com/donate/ANST-DeedraFriend or family of Paul?http://www.active.com/donate/ANST-Paul
You can also send checks via me to:Ashwaubenon Nordic Ski Team918 S. Jackson St.Green Bay WI, 54301

Philip Nelson - Head Coach, Ashwaubenon Nordic Ski Team

We are looking at the week of 22nd of March for our LAST STONEGRIND before we park the Wintersteiger. It is always good to have them ground, finished and then flooded with a prep wax for summer storage. Want fast skis next year? Take care of them now.

The Birkie is going to open registration April 15th so make it a point to register early. I would bet that over a thousand will register the first day and when the waves fill they fill. Deb discovered the fun of skiing at mid pack this year slicing through the “troughs”. She will have her entry in early this year. Expect wave cutoff changes this year as the condensed field puts more folks into the early waves. See http://www.birkie.com/

In other news we are getting our spring BIKE and RUN Clinic Schedule put together which you can see at http://www.incompetition.com/

Lastly I have lots of thoughts on this year’s race, fitness, training and politics but for now I need everyone to get a couple things ready for summer. A pair of scrap 2X4’s a couple feet long and an old pair of running shoes and some duct tape. A wide web belt and a carabineer would be nice as well. Don’t ask, this is on a need to know basis!

Skiing now is fun. Time it right, don’t use you good skis and have a great spring ski.

Birkie 2010 RL10

2010-03-01T12:28:00.000-08:00

I never knew Rod Lundberg but I looked forward to seeing him every year. Rod was a lifelong Hayward Wisconsin resident, athlete and educator but for a group of skiers Rod was a little more than that. Rod was the leader of a group that performed the ski marking for the Elite Wave at the Birkie; you had to go see him before you got to ski in the front.

Ski marking is normally found at high level races but almost never at Citizen events. The racers skis are marked, typically with a stencil, stamp or marker to ensure that the skis you start the race with are the ones you end with. It may sound insignificant but I have been in plenty of races where I would have changed skis had I been able to. For most skiers ski marking now is a sticker that is more ceremonial, something to be applied to your skis as a badge of honor yet at high level races it is part of the protocol that racers know and train for.

At the Birkie being in the Elite Wave means you did the work, proved yourself fast enough and have had some good luck as well before you get to lead the race. The Elite wave is a tenuous start at best. You can only get there by finishing in the top 200 (50 for women) where the underlying current is “what have you done…lately” You are only as good as your last race. Most skiers do not care if they ever get there and realistically it is not that much fun but rather just really hard work. There is one intangible however that for me always made it worth it. I got my skis marked by Rod Lundberg. Rod and his crew used a simple method of marking. They would check your bib number to make sure you belonged there and then with a Sharpie write “RL” and the number of that particular year on the tips of your skis. Rod would say something like “now you are fast” and send you off. There is no way he could have possibly remembered all those skiers from one year to the next but he sure made it seem like he did.

Most skiers will not notice the little writing on the tips of the skis but to those that have been there it means buckets. They know that it is not just given out and that you are the real deal yet it can easily go unnoticed. Rod passed on a few years back but today the marking crew still puts the little “RL” on the skis as if making a link from the present to the past. I hope younger skiers know how important those letters are and they strive to do their best, as they line up for their generation of Birkies.

Birkie Class Finale 2-23-10 Over but the shoutin'

2010-02-23T20:36:00.001-08:00

Twenty two weeks have passed since that first night, in a light rain, we bounded up the Bairds Creek Hill. The training is over, the time to ski is upon us. For those that have done the race, well, you know why we go back. For those just getting started try and soak it all in. Few events garner so much loyalty and so much dedication as the Birkie.
Tonight was as we started, a soft workout. I like to watch the chatting going on before we start. This group bonded well and that makes it fun and is its own reward. We have one more thing to do before we wrap up the few remaining weeks of the season: This little ski race from Cable to Hayward Wisconsin.

Things to do these next few days.
· Relax- Your life does not depend on how you do.
· Wax….. and forget it. Spending nervous energy on waxing is counter productive. Believe half of what you hear and do what you know. You can blame me for a slow ski.
· Hydrate- Train to drink and hold water. As the Camp Cramp Champ I know. Drink like a fish.
· Check out http://www.birkie.com/ for updates before you go and any changes that may happen.
· Check out http://www.skinnyski.com/ for wax advise (believe ½) and special events.
· Check your wardrobe. Don’t overdress in a marathon. A sweaty dude is a gross unhappy dude. Lots of folks use “throw” clothes at the start. That pretty much includes all of Jorams wardrobe.
· Have your energy foods before and during the race ready. My favorite, GU (Hammer, Powergel ect) stapled (points OUT) to the inside of my bib. Reach in, tear, consume and enjoy.
· Pack your drop bag with: Ski slides (ties) for after. Dry (lots) clothes including hat, gloves shoes and money for Anglers after the race.
· Take lots of photo’s and get a shirt or two to remind yourself to start training next summer.
· Have a great time, watch out for others and be a great sport, after all there is only one race winner but thousands of others who win something just as good.

Erick Wickum did a great job with all the photos and advise this year. During the course of our workouts, Erick took hundreds of pictures. If you would like to receive pictures of yourself (or me), send a request to Erick at ewha755@yahoo.com with a picture of yourself attached so he does not mix up Joe and Andy again.
Thanks for taking part this year. There is a lot on tap for next season. I have a bunch of neat ideas (insert groan here). There is a good chance the Bay Nordic Kids group will be expanded to include older high school kids. We have two local kids going to Junior Olympics next week and we have some new grooming gear coming to the county next year. Things are happening and we need everyone to keep the momentum going. Lets start with that 30 meter stare as you come up Main Street Saturday.

Birkie Class 2-16-10 Baa Baa Baby

2010-02-16T21:16:00.000-08:00

It is not often that an old Ram can herd the lambs to the wolves but Steve is not one to bleat out a complaint as he schooled the young ewes in raw toughness.
What a week. We have great snow, the Olympics started and the Birkie is around the corner. A little quick math shows that if we ski until March 19th we will have our 3rd 100+ day ski season in a row, but we have a lot to do before that happens. Tonight went well. The up-tempo faster pace is just what Dr. Camber called for the week before the Birkie. Here are some thoughts for the final ten days before the Birkie. The need for long OD workouts is over. You either have it now or you don’t but there are things you can do that can greatly help.

A little speed work. A tune up race at 50K pace will get you back up to speed for the Birkie.

Tempo work. 5-15 minute efforts at 50K pace.

Hill efforts focusing on cresting the hill with speed. Rehearse that type of effort so that on race day it is old hat. Keep your workouts modest and your recovery complete.

Wax those skis. Wax and ski, wax and ski. The temps are warm, perfect for flooding the skis with a soft wax followed by a short ski and then another waxing.

Here is what’s coming up:
Tonight (Wed. 3-17) The Birkie Wax Clinic at 6:00pm at In Comp. See http://www.incompetition.com/ for details.
This Saturday the 2-20 Stump Farm 20K and 5K http://ashwaubenonnordic.pbworks.com/Stump-Farm-Open-Ski-Race

Erick Wickum provided this workout link. Don’t do this at home! http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-videos/how-they-train--short-track-speed-skating_270752g110288-uR.html Check out his great photo collage as well. Click to expand.

Lastly some homework: The DOT, as part of their reconstruction of Hwy. 41 is proposing to build a pedestrian/bicycle path near Lombardi Avenue. They will fully fund it but needs approval from Green Bay. This is a real NO-BRAINER (which explains why some councilmen are opposing it) I won’t name names but they rhyme with “yeast” and “fly”. Call or email your councilman. It is easy, go to http://www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/council/ and tell them you strongly support the DOT Bike/Pedestrian Plan for Lombardi Ave. They vote soon and you need to call this week. If you live in District 8 or 12 call Chris Wery or Tom Weber. Twenty calls can make this happen.

OK enough. Good night, good week. Go ski, go wax and we wrap up the whole thing next week. Stay loose and enjoy the snow.

Birkie Class 2-9-10 Hocus Focus

2010-02-09T20:56:00.000-08:00

At first blush I thought nobody would come but a little snow does not deter the devoted…or the insane. With 17 days until the Birkie things are coming together in many ways. Our ski conditions are approaching great at a time when we need to be focusing on technical and physical preparations. Physically we have had well over 60 days (in) Green Bay with which you could have skied and more to come. Excitement over the Birkie itself is at an all time high. The 7900 skiers represent a record and the intensity and skill level of the field will also set records. The wave criteria in the future will almost certainly get tougher after this season. There should be great parody in the field as north to south, east to west as everyone has had good snow this year. So what does it all mean?

If you are looking for a good time or place you have a great chance at being in shape to do so but so do 7900 others. Technically most of you are considerably better off than a year ago and sometimes dramatically so. I know that aerobically many of you are at peak shape. So how to tip the scale a little when everyone is looking good?

FOCUS

For those whose only goal is to enjoy the Birkie, finish and have a fun time I say all the power. The sights and SOUNDS of the race are something that frankly I missed for a lot of years. Race aside it is a cool event and being part of this humanity has its own rewards. Focus on the technical sections will keep you from falling, breaking stuff and perhaps not even making it to the finish. That aside, enjoy yourself.
For those that are looking for that special time or wave placement focus has another meaning, especially this year. Focus means minutes or more. Focus can mean a lot of things but I think of these.

Keeping your technique together. More than anything else not letting your skiing deteriorate can save you energy which equals time. Your conditioning may not improve but your technique can.

Focus on your output. Ski within yourself. Going at the ragged edge almost surely means technique breakdown and subsequent efficiency loss.

Focus on those around you. The TACTICAL side of racing is being aware of what’s going on, where you are and how hard to push. Following a guy who looks like he may fall on every hill may dictate expending a little more energy for “insurance”. The Birkie is over at 46km… only it finishes at 52. The last climb to Duffy’s is your last hurrah; a tactical racer knows the course and when to go and when to hold back.

These next two weeks will be time to test your speed. Refine your technique. Figure out what works. Have some fun, do some modest speed work and find a hill and ski it like you want to be seen skiing it. To further get in the mood check out the http://www.wojb.org/listen.htm
podcast during the day and when the starting gun goes off you will be ready to burst forth with the power of ten million butterfly sneezes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYCXsqMfiRw

Good work tonight. Hope your core feels it tomorrow and enjoy the shot of Corey’s arm (dream). May the clench be with you next week as we start our countdown to Cable.

Birkie Class 2-2-10 Pants so tight it hurts

2010-02-02T20:44:00.000-08:00

It’s a little early to be calling it a movement but Tyson having his britches hiked up under his armpits has all the indications of a fashion statement in the making and while it certainly was one way to force a clench it is not exactly what I had in mind.

What a “core-iffic” night. I know it’s tough when it gets that quiet. The one third failure rule was in effect tonight as at least a third of the group had to bag some of the efforts early. That is OK; it was destined to be tough. There was noticeable fatigue as the night went on but I am impressed with the output. Our “ V” Crunch was H A R D. I know eight weeks ago the idea of fifty of those never came up. Whew.

With today’s snow the skiing pace has slowed considerably. Gone is the tilled ice base (sort of) and speeds are coming back down to normal and wax jobs may last more than an hour. The good news about the last few weeks is that most skiers have adapted to icy conditions better and will find better control in future ice “events”. I would like you all go back and review this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKhjtRepR_U&NR=1 again. Note that not all skiers are doing the same things and some are virtually lock step together. Slow it down and note the dynamics of these folks. Wow indeed. With BSG coming up and the Birkie closed now is the time to do a few things.

Start waxing those skis. The last week or so was hard on them. Soak them with some temp appropriate waxes. CH8, Toko Red/Yellow as we will see forecasted temps in the 20’s+.

Double check poles and baskets. We notice a lot of loose or cracked ones lately.

Do some modest speed work. 50 K race pace efforts for 3-5 minutes. It will not be flat out. Remember that 50K pace is not WFO.

Do a little specific strength work like double poling, single sticking. Think about that drag race off the start line and where those poles need to be (in tight).

Spend a few minutes getting those pole straps adjusted. Not only do they give you more power they really help steer that pole out of harms way (look at that video again).

We only have a few weeks left and we will ramp down a little. Andy chastised me for forgetting the dips but we will make it up. I don’t want to but sometime you have to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0l3QWUXVho

Thanks to Erick for the photo Montage ( and reminding me to do things) Great night, good effort. It seems to be coming together. Well done skiers.

Birkie Class 1-26-10 I've been Abducted

2010-01-26T21:26:00.000-08:00

What, no flowers, no chocolates? said Dan after Tyson used him for his abduction/adduction toy! What a beast.
A beast of a night it was as we crossed the threshold of pain tolerance and discovered that control is as important as just plain output. I noticed a lot of folks finally getting that outside weight shift (POOF) down on a regular basis. I expected to see balance failures galore at the end but they did not happen. I saw a dynamic and a focus heretofore not always obvious.
In other words... it was a good night.

Lots to talk about. It is marathon season. The Noque, BSG, (Pepsi, SISU done) Mora, Birkie, Great Bear all are happening soon and all within hours of GB. Marathons require that it all comes together. Training, technique, skis, wax, tactics and a little luck all have a role. Some you control. Training (remember this summer?) is mostly over. Technique can always be improved even at this late date. Look at the above photo from the SISU race. How many have their weight over the gliding ski? Not many. Get an image of how you would want to look in that photo.

Your skis need to be waxed and your wax jobs done well. The point is. Do what you can right now. A little speed work will help minimize that start of race shock that this is way to fast to be real. Waxing for cold is not so hard after you do it half a dozen times. Mostly now think about technique and how YOU want to see yourself when tired. Focus when tired separates the great from good. Good technique SAVES energy even if it is mentally harder. If you can ski behind a similar or better skier try and be more efficient than them. They may be faster but by being better before your conditioning, wax, tactics or gear are the same it will make you the better skier in the long term.

Waxing: Cold waxes are different. CH4, Toko Blue and more are not like other waxes. Follow this easy protocol.
1. Pre wax your ski. Wax with a warmer wax first. Never put a cold wax on a dry ski, ever.
2. Work fast. Have everything ready. Sharp scrapers, flat base, solid profile.
3. Use enough heat to ensure that you DON’T take too much time. Get it done! The wax needs to melt quick.
4. Work in thirds or quarters. Drip, iron, scrape and move on. Scrape warm, even really warm. A cold wax ends up on the floor. Be sure your ski is warm first as well.
5. Scrape less…Brush more. Scrape less…brush more. Scrape less….brush more, got it?
6. Let skis cool fully, even outside. Brush with horse hair/boar hair. Lots if needed.
7. Fiber Tex lightly.
8. Relax. You are now fast.
9. Be ready to do it again as this snow is a wax eater.

Since most of you are getting some of the class message now is the time to reinforce it with some mirror time. Please make it permanent. Focus past where you are just like the V2A we did in class tonight. I saw the “look” tonight, don’t let it get away.

Well done, solid effort. Good luck at MQT and get those weekend efforts in. Follow http://www.skinnyski.com/ for trail reports and go ski.

Birkie Class Jan.19 2010 Finding Balance

2010-01-19T21:24:00.000-08:00

It was a powerful night. Just when you thought you had this core stuff down pat I come along with a night like this. And some of you thought my being a jerk was impossible!
The needs of most skiers are fairly constant. Balance and composure are critical especially in fast unstable snow like we have now. The ability to take advantage of it is tantamount to going fast [and having a blast].
V2A or open field skating is one of the fastest and most dynamic of all skating strokes. Check out this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKhjtRepR_U&NR=1
V2A is certainly the one that can get you in trouble but also the one that gets you down a faster stretch of trail. Marathon skating is not seen as much as years ago but it is still fast, can be restful and is a great way to reinforce of good weight transfer. See Scott Nichols section on it at http://www2.swgc.mun.ca/~knicol/nordic%20skating.htm In addition to being fun to do it can be used for a specific strength workout as it is fundamentally a very dynamic Double Pole.

Most of you will ski an OD ski this weekend and these are great for curing all your technical foibles but you do need to focus. Alone time or with a smooth skier to follow will help. Don’t forget at least one or two specific strength sessions a week. These do not have to be long, 20-30 minutes but do them, do them smooth [no bobbing] and focus on them. I think tonight we made some improvement although you may not have seen it. That little side of step balance drill I would not have attempted a month ago and it is very hard to do correctly. Now memorize it!
Good workout tonight. Check out Erick Wickum's cool collage, very neat. Now let’s follow it up with some great skiing this weekend and be ready to rumble next Tuesday at 6:00pm. Until then be sure and feel the Earth move under you as you ski. http://s0.ilike.com/play#Carole+King:I+Feel+The+Earth+Move:42972:s43216655.11304986.6779495.0.2.81%2Cstd_e46f873114104d64a09ae82e8ea10740

Birkie Class 1-12-10 Ahhh Grasshopper

2010-01-13T09:28:00.000-08:00

What a night. There were glimpses of awareness followed by total collapse. I think back to my early days at the Shaolin Temple were I learned that pain is only for those who know not how to clench and to move forward you must first remove that which hold you back (facilitated stretch again) but hey….I digress. Technically speaking almost everyone knows right from wrong and can demonstrate good control, until tired that is. Another Ernst Rule of Law (ERL) states that your best technique sucks when tired [paraphrased here] so if you practice sloppy so too will you when tired, only more so. That is one viscous cycle. As you get tired your technique breaks down and you get more tired and on and on until collapse. GOOD TECHNIQUE SAVES ENERGY. Simple things like hand posture absolutely do carry outside on snow. This is the time to make perfect so that when skiing it becomes permanent.
Now: The snow is good. Skiing is fast, temps are moderate, and this should be a high hour ski week. There are no races (big) so there is no excuse not to do one or even two OD workouts this week. Hydrate, wax and ski and sleep.
HOUSEKEEPING:
· For those who want the blood lactate testing you should schedule with Todd Bruss at Aurora 920-288-4700.
· Wax Clinic this Wed (today) at InComp http://www.incompetition.com/ at 6:00pm sharp!
· To see Bay Nordic Youth Group Photo’s session two go to http://shoffmanphoto.smugmug.com/share/Jbqtti4KuIQaM and check out Steve Hoffman’s site.
· Check out the new Swix Pole on http://www.skinnyski.com/ , that can’t be cheap.

Check out the photo’s including the one of the steep uphill, no medial collapse there. Just will it to be that way! Steves HRM strip is showing signs of fatique, he needs a nap. Also note one of Erick's best shots of Joram and his shadow Steve. We step out at 6:02 next week and as I told my 8/9 year old Bay Nordic Group this weekend “Look Sharp”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF1PsTCqQ-k&feature=related

Birkie Class Jan 5th 2010 Bloodbath

2010-01-06T09:22:00.000-08:00

It was an interesting night what with an increased focus on core strength and the start of some Lactate testing. There was (and will be tomorrow) some shock over some of the core work. While “demonstratable control” was good about half the group could not get to completion. That tells me that some get it and some do not. You can build a “muscle bridge” if you contract the right muscle groups and when those muscle groups are allowed to relax you can be propelled forward with less effort (remember facilitated stretch). OK, enough of the abstract ideas. The Blood Lactate testing started and the initial reaction was shock. It is hard. Steve P. looked a little bagged by the whole affair. The rational for Blood Lactate testing is to determine your onset of excessive amounts of lactate in the blood. Lactate is a fuel for the cells but when produced at too high a level it retards cellular function (simplification). The point at which lactate spikes (expressed in Mmols) is your Anaerobic Threshold or AT. Of particular value is knowing how to avoid your “dead zone”, that is the area just below your AT that a lot of athletes train in. It is a zone or area that gives you that “whew, good workout” feel but in fact probably just got you fatigued and did little to improve your output. Most skiers would benefit from a lower but much longer aerobic sessions with an occasional, [at or slightly above] AT for short durations. Knowing you’re AT lets you pinpoint that zone.

Lactate Testing is unpleasant (that is an understatement), the finger pricks being the best part. It is of value to those who use HRM’s and spend some time researching HR Zones and are willing to follow up with it periodically. The actual number is not important for comparisons sake. It is [simply] the point at which you can sustain an output or effort. For those trying to maximize their performance it can be of great value. Knowing you’re AT allows you to tailor your workouts. It does not do the training for you and is no substitute for good technique, that said I strongly believe technical defiencies hold back more skiers than physical limitations. Todd Bruss at Aurora is willing to take folks for testing during the day but you must schedule it with him. He can be reached at 920-288-4700 for the main number. Tell him you are part of the Birkie Training class and that you know Corey Vogels personally. We can only get so many folks in during class and if your serious, being fresh is of value (although we often did it in the middle of hillbounding sessions) DON’T feel like you have to do it. Do it if you think it will help. It is not a measure of potential it is a measure of fitness. Todd said he was impressed with skiers. I am not surprised; it takes a lot to be a great skier. We are in a tough sport. Anyone who has climbed Bitch Hill knows the effects of lactate on the body but training is our attempt to offset those effects. For comparisons of the effect of fatique on the body looks at Steves HRM strips from this week, last and last years Birkie. Click on them to expand the image. Note the difficulty to maintain a higher HR as time elaspes.
Housekeeping: We meet at 6:02pm next week with a 6:05 pm start. If you have not gotten your hats please get a hold of me. Paul B. showed good insight by pointing out correctly a collapsing knee in the photo of the skier on http://www.skinnyski.com/ who on his way to 2nd place at nats, while skiing flat out and uphill let his leg drop to the medial side (see photo). I’ll give him a pass on it this time but it dramatizes the fact that when tired, even the best skiers can make mistakes. Thanks again to Erick Wickum who not only takes great shots but reminds me who is slacking off and points out things I’m not seeing, see them at http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/?saved=1. Lastly remember we have a wax clinic next Wed. and some skate lessons starting as well as the 2nd session for the Bay Nordic Youth League, see http://www.incompetition.com/ for details. We had a good night, be sure and meet the mirror and don’t forget to clench….and relax.

Birkie Class Dec.29 The Last Naught

2009-12-29T20:58:00.000-08:00

It was Christmas crazy as we tried to combine our normal skiing with a class and the added insanity of our Christmas rain/snow/sleet weather. Despite the weird precipitation the trails are looking pretty good. Most trails are at least good ski ready and the temps are forecasted to be comfortable so there is no real reason not to get out there.
Erick Wickum has a bunch of photo's up at http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/?saved=1 and I have a few videos and photos for next week’s homework assignment. Some you may know but check these out:
http://www2.swgc.mun.ca/~knicol/skating%20errors.htm is a good drill tape from Keith Nichols along with http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brGZlZkCwyk that you should know already. http://www.universalsports.com/photos/galleryid=382831.html#spotlight+xc+skier+julija+tchepalova Photo number 11 is a great image of what it’s about. Julija is a good skier to emulate, great focus. As always http://www.skinnyski.com/ for all your trail reports and http://www.incompetition.com/ for some updates on upcoming wax clinics, Bay Nordic Youth Skiing and some lessons as well.
Tonight’s class went well although we definitely need some improvement technically when tired. There is a strong association between what we do and skiing. Time to reiterate: Skiing is like acting. You do it over and over until it is automatic, just make sure it is perfect as well.
Thanks for coming on time. We get more done and it is safer to be indoors when Tyson comes screaming in at the last second. I got a photo just as I jumped out the way the other day. Have fun skiing this week. Get in some hours and carpool when possible. Lakewood is as close to the Birkie Trail as it gets so take advantage of it. See you next Tue. at 5:57pm in the year 2010.
Oh, and spend some time with the mirror, it pays.

Birkie Class 12-22-09 Saturday Night Gun Show

2009-12-23T07:35:00.000-08:00

Scotty tells me with some authority that we are going harder than last year. Normally I dismiss that kind of talk as a bad case of sissyrolis but as a recent Ironman finisher I take Scott seriously. It may not change anything but I feel your pain….a little. The efforts are strong but you must believe me when I say that it is more about technique and less about brute force. I know that some find that a little hard to believe especially after witnessing the All American Gun Show last night but trust me, if an old fart like me can do it, anyone can. Note Steves HRM strip. How he inflates that graph I'll never know. It almost seems likes he is working hard.
As homework this week your first job is to go back to last weeks post and review the Keith Nichols video, that is always a good watch. Then before you go skiing look at this video of some specific strength double poling. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2KzZ_v_4_8
Double poling a little every day is technically dynamic and will build the explosive strength we need for skiing all in a “skiciphic” manner. Double poling also lets you focus on other things than guiding the ski and lets your “balance muscles” recover somewhat. This is good to do in the last Km or so of a workout. Another part of your homework is to get that 1st or 2nd OD workout of the year in. OD means overdistance and is a great time to refine technique and perfect your strokes. OD does not mean stop and chat, drink or look at your map for a couple minutes every 10k’s. Keep it easy, stay focused and keep going. Don’t train to take breaks; your body will come to expect them. (I know, what a slave driver)
Erick Wickum once again has some great shots at http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/?saved=1 and then go and pump the guns up with a little http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtCKtHoGHRU .
Have a great Christmas, drive careful and be ready to go next Tue. as we have our last class of 2009 at 5:56PM.

We will start some testing next week but expect it may take several weeks to get it all in.

Birkie Class Dec. 15th Let them Eat Cake

2009-12-16T10:40:00.000-08:00

Week two and all went well……..save the creaky joints this morning. For some the night was a shock and for others a piece of cake. Personally I like chocolate but it will have to do.

I think that our focus on some technical fundamentals will pay off. I am absolutely certain that what you look like in class, on a hill or skiing is the same. A technical mistake made in class will be repeated on snow and while the motor is important they [motors] are a dime a dozen and it is technical efficiency that separates good from average skiers. So, the good and bad news? There are lots of mistakes being made [bad] but that means we also have lots of ways to improve [positive affirmation].

I have a lot of links to go to and things to look at. Consider it part of your homework in addition to the “meet the mirror” sessions you will all be doing with glee.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brGZlZkCwyk a great drill video for all levels.
http://baynordic.blogspot.com/ Bay Nordic Youth Group photos and more (really cool for kids)
http://www.universalsports.com/photos/galleryid=377686.html#world+cup+davos+sprints World Cup shots. Look for compression, POOF and the forward shin angle.
http://www.skinnyski.com/ for trail reports and more

With the advancing cold weather the evil blue and green waxes are coming out. These are cold temp with high temp application methods. Cold waxes work great and are vital to skiing but are probably the root cause of most of the base damage we see. Make sure you “pre-wax” your skis with a softer warmer wax before using the cold stuff. This lubricates the base and will help minimize damage. As always move the iron fast and scrape little and brush more. We have some wax clinics scheduled see http://www.incompetition/ for details

The night went well. We are scheduled to start Lactate Testing in the next week but it will take several weeks to get it all done. We will do one at a time and you will miss a few minutes of class…..be sure it’s during dips.
The efforts will become more consistent as we work through some technical issues and get more fluid. Please note that we start at 5:57pm (5:45pm for any doctors in the group). Have fun skiing and do your mirror work. Check out the smile on Ingred, that's worth a thousand dips.

Birkie Class Dec.8 2009 Soft FOG

2009-12-09T13:15:00.000-08:00

The start of the 2010 Birkie Season has begun. Our Birkie Class Soft Start went well with the seasoned veterans’ getting right back in the groove and all the newcomers doing well in their first session.

As you may have gleaned we have a bunch of Acronyms to deal with. The Ernst POOF Theory (Push Off Outside of Foot) is an advanced concept but goes hand and hand with the thought that you must lengthen your stride to ski faster/more efficiently. [Remember there are only two ways to increase speed; lengthen stride or turn over faster]. We have a basic knowledge of the “Big Three” ski strokes, V1, V2 Alternate (V2A) and V2 and what they look like. Dynamic Balance, the ability to balance and the strengthening it takes to achieve it are things we will spend a lot of time with. Next week we will ramp up efforts (yes already) but it will be in steps and as before we will work technique before power.

Erick Wickum taught me one thing last night, I suck at photography. His shots look great and you can see some of them at http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/ and he linked in a YouTube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvqAoG5OFoI The only issue is his lens makes me look fat which he needs to address. As you look at the images be aware of the actual speed at which you ski. Slapping at the poles or sharp jerky motions is just not real world. Think big push, long stride. What we did are things you can do at home. Practice in front of a window or mirror. Practice perfect because practice makes permanent. DOMS [Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness] peaks 24-48 hours after a workout but don’t call me, as Board Chairman of FOG Racing (Fat Old Guys) I get it worse than anyone.

Couple more notes:
Birkie Class Starts at 5:57pm with a magic word not to be repeated after 6:00pm.
Snow reports are flooding in to http://www.skinnyski.com/ , be sure and add your own.
Expect trails to be soft the first few days. Ski easy and get your legs underneath you. Get those skis waxed for some colder snow. CH6 or Toko Red should be alright for now. The County Parks phone number is 448-4466 to give them a little prodding about the shelter and grooming. The soft start went well and I think it pays to step back and think about some concepts and targets. Now go ski and practice some as well. Good work and we’ll see you next week.
ME

Hillbounding 12-1 Let 'er go down

2009-12-02T09:41:00.000-08:00

For the twenty skiers who enjoyed the last bounding session of the year it was bittersweet, the toughest of the tough workouts are over but the camaraderie and fitness gleaned from going up that hill will hopefully continue. Here are some numbers: In the eleven weeks we met the group averaged 22 people who climbed the hill over 600 collective times and the average person spent over 45 minutes above their anaerobic threshold (red zone). Now the focus must shift to snow and establishing some early season contact with skiing and then some specific strength, skill and speed work. What that means is that you need to find snow and do some early and easy skiing to get acclimated and then as the year progresses incorporate more specific workouts into your week. The upcoming Birkie Class http://www.incompetition.com/html/eventRegister.psp is an example of a ski specific strength workout and for most skiers is enough to maintain a positive strength conditioning level.

A few more notes: The snow is coming with the UP getting it's first taste. Check http://www.skinnyski.com/ for trail reports. http://www.dartfish.tv/Player.aspx?CR=p1490c6378m63702 has some great world cup videos and from Yellowstone's ski week. When you get out on snow be sure to look at our new Yellowstone Rollers http://www.yellowstonetrack.com/default2.asp?active_page_id=49. We have two new ones for the county which will dramatically improve early and light snow grooming.

I think that this year was the best ever for hillbounding. The quality of the efforts was great. Make no mistake these are hard efforts and compares favorably to other skier groups both technically and physically. Thinking ahead to next year we might add a few technique days on Saturday mornings and give the technical side of bounding even greater importance.

Lastly thanks to Steve P. for his HRM strips (be sure to expand it). I model the workouts a lot based on his hard numbers. Note today's strip showed a killing shot at minute 35......I wish I could remember what it was so that we could duplicate it!

Well done this year, get out the wax gear and as you get on snow remember its all downhill from here.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyDYTNw4QAE.

PS: The World Cup opener last weekend 15km CLASSIC. Top 5 in 10 seconds! Whew.

Men's 15K1. Petter Northug, Norway, 35:22.22. Maxim Vylegzhanin, Russia, 35:23.43. Alexander Legkov, Russia, 35:30.14. Kris Freeman, Andover, NH, 35:32.35. Martin Johnsrud Sundby, Norway, 35:32.7

That is a great 10km Skate time for most skiers.

Men's 15K1. Petter Northug, Norway, 35:22.22. Maxim Vylegzhanin, Russia, 35:23.43. Alexander Legkov, Russia, 35:30.14. Kris Freeman, Andover, NH, 35:32.35. Martin Johnsrud Sundby, Norway, 35:32.7

November 24 Bounding with the Knoll People

2009-11-25T13:07:00.000-08:00

A full quarter of the group of 15 showed up wearing shorts on November 24th, huh? The temp was pegged at 44 degrees and we beat the rain by two hours making for a great night. Steve's HRM (be sure and click on it) shows the crescendo like effort we had. The needle like spikes are in contrast to earlier in the year where the recovery interval took longer than the working phase. The POOF Theory of Stroke Initiation was born out last light as most demonstrated a longer push off on their strides. Remember that pushing off the outside edge is an advanced model but easily [?] mastered and is what seperates the good from the great. Practice that one....a lot.

A bunch more notes: The 17th Birkie Class is a go on Dec. 8th. Our roster list is coming along and you can sign up at www.incompetition.com .

Erick (the K is silent) Wikum has linked in the complete hill video on YouTube, find it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfy_hVXsNbc . A star is born.

Next week we wrap up the year in bounding as snow is scheduled to be on the ground on Dec. 6th. Steve said the 30 reps last night felt easy, conditioning will do that to you. Get out and practice some "push a ways" from the Thanksgiving table. Eat the veggies and try Sprite misted on your salad instead of dressing, it's really good. Have a great week and we wrap it up next Tue. at 5:27pm.

Hillbound Nov.17 Feelin' Owly

2009-11-18T11:47:00.000-08:00

Twenty skiers enjoyed a somewhat cooler night (not too cool for shorts for at least 6 folks) and 30 reps up the hill. We spent a little more time enjoying the rope and a “ramped” lactate interval of nearly five minutes. Technically things went much better and most did well to maintain their technique to nearly the end. Most show the ability to maintain a high effort for two to three minutes and only regress when called upon to go longer. Check out Steve’s HRM (click on it to expand) note the “step” in the middle where we did rope repeats and the ramped LI at the end. Those are hard but similar to the real world where you start major events (climbs) with an already elevated heart rate. I have a few shots linked in to http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/?saved=1 and hopefully some video we can link in soon. UPDATE: VIDEO LINKED IN NOW. Erik Wikum Productions Directed, produced (and starred) in this new release of The good, the bad and the fried.

We have two more scheduled weeks to go before we start the 17th year Birkie class (see http://www.incompetition.com/ for signup. That begins Dec. 8th with our last bounding session Dec. 1st (how sad). There is snow out west and some trail reports have begun to trickle in on http://www.skinnyski.com/ check them out. My sighting of a Snowy Owl yesterday makes me convinced of a good year. I think next year we might start our season earlier with some Saturday soft start technique sessions. We see good technical progress now that was not there in the beginning and doing some skill work early may help a lot, don’t let me forget. We meet again next week at 5:26pm. Be aware that the city may close the gate so that you may have to park at the bottom. Don’t forget to POOF Push Off Outside of Foot
As you go about your days and remember that we are only weeks from snow. Nice night, well done, keep training.

Nov.10th Bound To Tell the Truth

2009-11-11T07:48:00.000-08:00

Twenty six folks joined in last night for Hillbounding week eight. As we reached the physical plateau last week we only needed to improve technique and maintain our previous [high] output. I really heard some breathing last night and technically it was the best yet although there is always room for improvement. The Belly Rope was a great hit and its benefits were carried throughout the night and hopefully the remainder of the season. The reps have increased in speed with most skiers shaving about 20% any given rep since the start of the year. The savings is probably from both technique and conditioning showing that it really is a concerted effort of the two tasks that make you faster. The Deep Tucks are looking a little ragged. They require discipline. It looked a little like To Tell the Truth at the end http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&source=hp&q=to+tell+the+truth+episodes&rlz=1R2ADSA_enUS352&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=n-P6SsupKIjEMKfnvNsK&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBMQqwQwAA#

Steve sent his HRM strip from this weekends Trail Race at the camp. Notice the drop off that occur es as you fatigue and the little forays into level 3-4 and then the need for recovery. Skiing is more dramatic than this as recovery is more complete on descents and exertion is higher on ascents. Tough effort.

I have a lot of photos up at http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/?saved=1 . They are starting to look better. Note the shin angles and extension through the body. Nice.

The 17th Annual Birkie Class is open. We may be using the sport court rather than turf this season. More stable, less rubber....just as hard but neater. See http://www.incompetition.com/ for the sign up.

Week eight was our best yet. Technically we hit a milestone. Be sure and hit the roads now and keep your hour base up as we close in on the ski season. I have absolute certainty that some of us will be skiing on snow in less than three weeks. Until then we bound. Next week at 5:27PM. Nice job.

Hillbounding Nov. 3 What a Hoot!

2009-11-04T08:02:00.000-08:00

A big bright moon and a Great Horned Owl gave 22 bounders an ominous greeting as what was the longest (32 reps) and perhaps hardest effort of the year. I think from now on the effort will be that of improving technical skills and speed. There is a balance between fatigue and technique that has to be maintained and physically we peaked. From here on out it should get physically better but technically harder with a goal of (only) perfection even when gassed.

Our "Belly Rope" rep was a keeper. I saw tremendous weight forward positions when we did that. The goal should be to mimic that position without the rope. It will come. The groups collective balance is noticeably better. I see less shakes and more fluidity in movement. For some the resemblance of hill bounding to skiing is striking. THAT is what we are doing this for and while you may not feel it at the time (sucking air) it will pay big dividends come snow.

The lactate interval went well and I could see the technical effort put force. They are hard efforts but important, quite possibly the most important 3 minutes of the week. These are the type of quality efforts that raise your ability. Note in Steve's HRM (click on it to expand) the minimal recovery time. That would not have happened 7 weeks ago. You really do improve your tolerance.....really!

There are several things to note: The Stump Farm Trail Run and Duathlon is Sat. This is a cool event and the weather is forcasted to be awesome so get the running shoes and or bike out for a great last fling before snow. See http://ashwaubenonnordic.pbworks.com/f/Stump+Farm+Trail+Race+Info.pdf for race form.

The 17th Annual Birkie Training Class at Aurora Sports Medicine is on! We start Tuesday December 8th from 6-7:30pm. The format is similar but there will be a few changes. We will be in the main gym on the sport court [no rubber beads] and a more stable surface and much quieter, all the better to hear me with! We go through the Birkie so save the date. We will start sign up soon on our homepage http://www.incompetition.com/. We have a ceiling of 40 folks so don't wait too long.

I have some nice photo's this week that show all the power and drama of the night. Go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/?saved=1 and expand some images to get a tighter view.

And finally....the only thing on a moonlit night better than Dan serenading us in song http://www.imeem.com/people/nBq85/music/nOtdHzft/van-morrison-moondance/

Nice night tonight. It was a tough workout and these are the events that really count. Feel good about this one. See you next week under the lights at 5:26pm.

Bounding Oct 27. POOF - Feeling Randy

2009-10-28T13:36:00.000-07:00

Twenty six hill stormin' skiers took on the hill last night............and fought to a tie. It was a hard effort with 30 reps and some good speed and lots of accelerations. As many are finding out, speeding UP is harder than just going, that is why we "Train Up" for skiing.

Technically most are starting to get it although when pushed there is some regressing to running. Note the photo's http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/?saved=1 and in particular #17 where we see Nick R. in fine form. Be sure to expand it to get a good look at the foot, pole and shin angle. Nice. On top of that Nick Rollerskied at noon, a classic case of over-achiever gone crazy! Steve's HRM strip shows a lactate interval of almost 5 minutes which is a long time to deprive your brain of oxygen. He was motivated by Roy and Company going around at the end and forcing an extra rep. Click on the strip to see a expanded image.

Next week we will solve all the technicals miscues with a special event that I really like, you may not like it as much but it does work. Expect more accelerations and a special ride and tie rep you won't want to miss. I found an early photo of Andy demonstrating his "Randy" technique....it explains a lot. In the meantime, if you feel a little wasted this will pick you up http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWtvyd1F5Mo until we meet next week at 5:25pm.

POOF = PUSH OFF ON FOOT

Hillbounding Oct. 20 Got the Fever

2009-10-21T07:41:00.000-07:00

Ignoring the mist, 23 athletes got a solid dose of the hill during week five of bounding. While the weather does not like us (we are 50% on the wet stuff) the conditions were actually quite nice once started. We did pick up the pace considerably as the focus tonight was speed and acceleration. The effort was strong despite some who were a little under the weather. It pays to be careful what with all the plague running around us now. Dry clothes and hand cleanser help buckets; remember you cannot train while sick in bed.

I think that the technique side of things is coming along. It appears that most are coming to understand what is expected, although technique does seem to suffer when tired. That is why we train. The weight/hip forward position can be seen regularly but we can go farther and more consistantly. Exaggeration during training is important as you rarely achieve perfection when tired. Our “tucks” are an example, I doubt that anyone gets as low as we do in training but imagine if we did not do it…..voila, the famed Ernst Resting Tuck……….and we would not want that! The photos tonight turned out so-so but cop a look anyway at http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/?saved=1

Steve sent in his HRM strip (click on them to expand the images) Note how the leading edge of each effort raises the heart rate quickly yet it takes longer to subside (trailing line). You can push harder if you know you have enough time for recovery but the recovery takes longer with time or repeated efforts. This is an expanded image and you can see the difference in the recovery time to the time it takes to get to the kill zone. Steve broke the strip to get more detail into it, nice.

It was the best physical effort of the year and most are now convinced that speed is harder than time. When pushed to the edge the body rebels, it sometimes is good to push back a little. Well done on the lactate interval but remember that you still need to be skiing, not running. We will see you next week at 5:26pm with no rain, promise! If you feel ill this will make you better; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ3amVBypEk&feature=related especially with a shot of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJLo5EkU7Lo&feature=related

As an FYI there is a one time showing of the Race Across the Sky at Baypark Cinema Thursday night. See the trailer from this year races when Lance won the event http://www.raceacrossthesky.com/

HillBounding Oct 13. Hooked on a Feel'in

2009-10-14T08:49:00.000-07:00

Twenty Four intrepid bounders discovered the opposite of comedy* last night and pulled off nearly 30 reps with modest recovery and good technical improvements. A strange (perhaps) note was that nearly everyone was better technically without poles than with. Poles tend to allow one to cheat and sit back. You will notice on the photo's http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/ that many sit back with poles and transfer weight forward better W/O them.

Check out Steve's "tired" HRM strip. Click on it to expand the image. Note the "up" angle of the heart rate and the more gradual recovery slope (or time interval) In an ideal world the line would go up slowly and recover fast (down) What do you see? Very cool.

Next week I would like to address the sitting back issue when using poles as well as decrease the recovery interval and some of the power sets....yea I know, you'll love it. We need to increase the breath intensity and control better as well. When you can control breathing your power delivery improves considerably. You can get more rhythm in your skiing by going to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo-qweh7nbQ and to answer the burning question as to the Black Klister you need to go to http://www.rodewax.it/Klister.html and check out the Rode Nera. It had Pine Tar in it which made it look black and smell nice.

Last night was the the best of the efforts and as we enter week 5 things are coming along. Be ready to go at 5:27pm next week and be sure to get out and run/rollerski/bike to get those hours up. The next 8 weeks should be the peak for skiers before snow. Check out http://www.skinnyski.com/ for early snow reports.

* The opposite of comedy...............gravity!

Hillbounding 10-6-2009 Waning Rain

2009-10-07T08:16:00.000-07:00

Despite the all day soaker we got the bounding went off as scheduled. I, Prince Octurous, head of the Circumsolar Federation commanded the rain to stop and stop it did leaving us with soft damp turf and comfortable conditions to workout in. Conditions were quite good in fact and the ground was noticeably softer on the ole joints. Eighteen bounders joined in for a somewhat faster paced effort with even tighter control on the technical aspects of the workout.

Steve P. sent in his HRM strip (click on it to expand it) and notice the forays into the red zone and his rate of recovery. Rate of recovery is probably the best determiner of fitness there is and in skiing more than other sports the faster you recover the better you become.

I downloaded a bunch if not so great quality photos'. Imagery not withstanding, look for some sitting back instead of having the hip "rolling over and through". Look for those "running feet" as well. See them at http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/

The pace was better, the technique was better and the efforts were strong. This week gives us a lot to to build on. Well done. We start at 5:27pm next week, don't be late, rain or shine. Check the following article for your analytical side.

I found this article and I am sure some was plagiarized from me but it has good detail. Some terms may be different but the concepts are correct, although I have a problem with the pole control (fussy). It is a dry read but good to skim over.

Skate Dryland Progression
Like classic skiing, good power application in skating depends upon good body position. However, the issue is complicated in skating by the introduction of another plane of motion. Power in skating is generated as the product of a lateral separation of the contact point (ski on the snow or pavement) from the center of mass. The key to fast skating is a long power application, which means a long separation of contact point and center of mass. In order for this long stride to effectively produce power, alignment is critical.
The goal in a single skate stride is to load the skating leg and ski in a way that encourages the ski to keep moving, and then to unload it in a way that creates acceleration. This process requires the efficient transfer of potential energy from the body to the ground. The skating leg and ski are part of a single structural mechanism that is going to produce acceleration very much the way an alpine racer accelerates out of a GS turn. In order for this to work, the leg must be aligned so that it is a structurally sound conduit for potential energy. Common alignment problems in skating result in a knocked-knees or collapsed ankles. Under these circumstances potential energy will be wasted on soft tissue around these joints, and will not produce acceleration.
Alignment problems are often wrongly attributed to weak musculature or joints. In fact, most alignment problems in the legs are a product of parallel articulation of the upper leg at the hip joint. Most of what we do every day demands parallel articulation, including walking and running. In order for the entire leg to be aligned in the direction of the ski, it must be turned-out from the hip, and must remain turned-out as power is applied. This requires turned-out articulation of the hip joint. Furthermore, to avoid twisting the upper leg back into parallel articulation during the power application, the hips and trunk should be oriented down the track, NOT along the ski. If the entire body is aligned along the ski, as soon as the weight is shifted toward the other ski, the alignment will change, and the effectiveness of power application through the skating leg will be compromised. There should be enough flexibility in the hips for the legs to work independently of the pelvis, and independently of each-other.
Static Positioning Drill
This drill is designed to help the skier achieve and maintain good alignment. It is also useful in building tolerance for the low body position demanded by a long power application, and in building balance and establishing rhythm.
In effective skating the body mass will shift side to side, but will always face down the track. Because of the apparent contradiction in positive side to side motion without side to side twist, it is useful to identify a couple of different components of upper-body action in skating. For the purpose of consistency in this document, direction will describe the direction of travel of the upper-body. Positive direction describes a shift of the upper-body mass over the skating leg. Orientation will describe the direction in which the trunk and hips are facing. Neutral orientation implies that the upper body is always facing down the track, not necessarily in the direction of the ski. In the illustrations to the right, the rope on the ground represents the track, and the optimal orientation of the upper-body.
In the static skateposition drill the skier should pick a point to represent the direction of their track. The orientation of the upper body should always be toward that point. The legs should be turned out, as in skating, and weight should be shifted onto one leg. The skier should gradually assume a low position, maintained turned-out alignment at the hip so that the knee is over the foot. The free leg should also be aligned in a turned out position, and should be help to the side, not behind the the skier. This position can be held for as long as possible. Starting out, ten seconds may be enough, but skiers should work toward a full minute. With time, the position will become fairly comfortable.
After holding the static position on both legs, add a little bounce to position, and repeat on both legs. Then add a skating motion to the free leg, drawing it under the body, and then swinging it out to the side as if skating. Finally, combine the bounce and the skating motion, and try to find a rhythm that helps to lessen the strain on the supporting leg. This is a good illustration on the importance of rhythm in aiding lactate clearance in skating.

Skate Step
The skate step drill is useful in reinforcing alignment, positive upper body direction, and neutral orientation. Special attention should be paid to maintain good turned-out alignment of the legs throughout the power application. This drill is also very effective at building balance and rhythm in skating.

Starting with a well defined orientation-point and turned-out alignment of the supporting leg, the step is initiated with a shift of weight to the side.
Turned-out alignment of the skating leg should be maintained through the entire power application.
The step illustrated here if fairly large. The skier should start this drill with smaller steps, focusing on alignment and neutral orientation. As balance and rhythm are achieved, the steps can grow. With added power, the step should be larger laterally, but should not become a vertical hop.

As the step nears completion the orientation of the upper body should remain neutral, down the track represented by the rope in this illustration.
Upon completion of the step, the positive direction of the upper body should be apparent, as the body mass moves over the new supporting leg.
Both legs maintain turned-out alignment, and the body orientation remains neutral as the skier finds a balanced position.
The basic skate step can be modified to focus attention in a number of different ways. At first, small steps should be used so that the skier can focus on alignment, orientation, and balance. When a good comfort level has been achieved with small steps, the steps can be lengthened laterally. This will create a greater balance challenge, and a more strength-oriented drill. Finally, the drill can be executed in a very low position, isolating the length of the power application, and further challenging balance and coordination. In this application, start in a position similar to the static position described earlier. Ensuring good alignment and neutral orientation, begin the step with a lateral shift of the body weight. Maintain constant pressure on the skating leg, and keep the foot on the ground as long as possible. This will result in a long acceleration off the skating leg, similar to that found in skiing. At no point in this drill should be the power application be especially quick or forceful.

A balanced position has been achieved when the hip and sternum are aligned vertically over the supporting foot. Alignment should be checked again at this point, before starting the next step.
Upper Body Compression in Skating
Effective use of the legs in skating requires good alignment over the ski, and a turned out articulation of the leg at the hip joint. Structurally, this position is difficult to maintain unless the pelvis has a neutral tilt. If the pelvis is tilted forward (creating a greater arch in the back), it becomes difficult to apply power in a turned-out alignment at the hip. For this reason, the degree of upper body compression that can be used in skating is limited to compression of the upper torso. If upper body compression occurs as a result of a bend at the waist, leg power will be compromised.
The illustrations below show appropriate upper body compression in the skate step drill.

Flexibility and Strength Required for Skating
The importance of turned-out alignment and neutral tilt of the pelvis have been explained here, and are even more evident in application. These positions require strength and flexibility that even the most fit athletes lack because they are not commonly demanded in every-day activities. However, they can be trained relatively easily, and attention to these details can be immensely beneficial to many skiers.
The forward stretch illustrated in Fred Griffin's stretch guide can help an athlete to locate the point at which the pelvis tilts out of neutral alignment in compression of the upper body. A brief run through the forward stretch is very helpful to many skiers as a warm-up for dryland skate specificity. Special attention should be drawn to the recognition of the tilt of the pelvis during this stretch. The stretch can also be performed in a turned-out position, which helps the skier to identify neutral pelvis position with turned out alignment of the legs.
Flexibility around the pelvis, required to maintain good skating positioning, can be improved with any stretching exercise that requires turned-out alignment and neutral pelvis position. The supporting muscles can be strengthed by doing stomach exercises with the legs in a turned out alignment (legs bent, feet together, knees apart, or legs held straight, slightly off the ground, with the feet turned out ).
Skate Low-Walk
The skate low-walk is probably the most effective dryland skate drill, but also the most difficult to do well. It maintains a focus on alignment, orientation,and positive direction, and introduces forward motion, and the importance of forward body position that is most clearly realized on skis.

The drill is best done on a fairly steep grade. The starting position is very similar to the static position described earlier. Low body position and long steps are critical to the strength component of this drill.
The step forward and to the side is initiated by a shift of the body weight, as in the skate step drill.
Power is applied in a turned-out position. The heel of the pushing leg must stay down in order for the drill to be ski-specific. On skis, power applied through the toe will not make the ski run effectively. Neutral orientation is maintained throughout the power application.

As soon as the stride is completed, the body mass moves forward over the new supporting foot. It is most effective for the skier to think of arriving in a forward position.
The body mass continues to move forward and over the supporting foot. Positive direction of the upper body is critical in this drill. The free foot may drag along the ground lightly to aid in balance if necessary.
A balances position is achieved when the hip and sternum are aligned vertically over the foot. The next step is initiated with a weight shift forward and to the side.

The heel of the pushing foot stays down during the power application.
The orientation of the upper body remains neutral throughout the stride.
The body mass moves forward over the new supporting foot immediately upon arrival. Low position is maintained throughout the stride.
Cross-Over Step
The cross-over step is an effective means of developing explosive skating leg strength. A strong emphasis remains on alignment, but there is relatively little challenge to balance or coordination, making this a truly strength-oriented drill.

This drill is familiar, and frequently used, but it is often mis-used as well. It is important that the skating leg be positioned in a turned-out alignment. This means that the heel of the front foot should be further up the hill than the toe.
An arm swing can be used to help generate momentum, but it should not affect the orientation of the upper body which should remain perpendicular to the direction of travel at all times.
As power is applied the turned-out alignment of the skating leg is evident. Upper body orientation is perpendicular to the direction of travel. At this point the body position is very similar to that found during power application in other skating drills.

The powerful push is completed through the turned-out leg. The arm swing is evident, but upper body alignment is relatively unaffected.
Recovery to the starting position should be balanced and not hurried.
The skating leg crosses in front of the supporting leg.

In preparation for the next stride the skating leg is positioned well up the hill, with the heel further up the hill than the toes, ensuring good turned-out alignment.

Hillbounding Week Two - So Weird and Windy

2009-09-29T20:25:00.001-07:00

Last weeks soft start got a little harder and right from the git go as a large backhoe blocked our path to the upper lot forcing an initial climb before we even started. Twenty six folks arrived and pulled off an equal amount of reps (plus a few bonus efforts). The stiff and brisk North wind made for chilly conditions at the knoll but comfortable down under. We did spend some time going over the fundamentals and we offered up a fair amount of recovery time but all said it was fairly physical. We still have a way to go technically but I look at that as a positive....you don't want to peak too early.
I did notice some outstanding if not repeated efforts. Consistency counts for a lot in skiing as small mistakes repeated a lot wastes energy and big mistakes means you are probably falling down a lot. Some goals for next week:
Proper hand position. Shoulder width, arms flexed yet rigid, hand/wrist in poling orientation and close proximity to the thigh (twice, forward and aft).
More upper body compression. Torso to hip. Hip to Quad. Knee to ankle. Remember there are no straight lines in skiing.
Breathing. Breath control in skiing is like that in swimming. In swimming if you breath with your head down you suck up water. In skiing you use breathing to initiate the next compression phase, not just to suck in air.
A couple notes more:
Be aware of road construction and be prepared to park alongside the entrance way.
We will kick on the lights next week, all the better to see you with my little dearies.
Expect the Thrillsome Threesome to return.
Our new email address at goincomp@att.net
All in all a good night. Expect some soreness to creep in the next 24-36 hours as DOMS returns but this too shall pass. We go at 5:28 pm next week....weather or not.
Special note: Tommorow is October 1st and as you know you never leave your house without your ski poles. For the next six months you are skiers and poles should be your friend!

Hillbounding 2009 A Soft and Soggy Start

2009-09-22T20:23:00.000-07:00

It had to happen. After three weeks with almost no rain we started the hillbounding season with light precipitation. The wet weather did not stop 17 athletes from enjoying what was actually nice conditions. The wet ground was soft and as you know the temps feel 20 degrees warmer whilst bounding. Just an FYI that it would have to be pretty nasty before we cancel, we have even been out in snow before this.

The semi soft start went well and we focused on the technical aspects of skiing rather than the pure workout. We did do a modest lactate interval at the end which as always proved to be unpleasant but was survived by all. There is some work to be done with technical skills but by and by it went pretty good, especially as about half the group was first timers. It was kind of a dry run of sorts but that said I do expect DOMS to rear it's head a little.

We did not need the lights tonight but that will end shortly and the hill lights will go on. Please note to bring dry clothes as even when sunny you sweat up a storm and water bottles are a good idea. See previous post for more ideas.

We start again next week at 5:28pm rain or shine. Nice effort goes to all especially to Bill, Coop and Andy who finished Ironman Madison just a week ago, whew! Stay loose and remember we never leave the door without ski poles starting in Oct.

HILLBOUNDING 2009 - Implement of Destruction

2009-09-15T16:22:00.000-07:00

If XC skiing is your thing and being in shape is important to you hillbounding is what you do in the fall. Hillbounding is arguably the toughest yet most beneficial workout you can do to prepare yourself for the coming ski year. Hillbounding is the ONLY workout that combines conditioning with technique and strength into one. It is an incredibly productive use of time and will accomplish more in 90 minutes than you get in a week. There is only one problem: It's crazy tough. Evil, wicked mean and nasty is the name for this bad boy workout and that is why we do it as a group....it's too hard to do by yourself and besides, we have some fun with it as well.

Hillbounding consists of a series of drills that involve bounding, running, leaping, dancing and pulling yourself and others up hill. Did I mention poles? Yea we use ski poles as well as ropes and other cool implements of destruction. Is it hard?, you bet. Will you get better? Absolutely! Can anyone do it? Sure, we are all on the same hill and if you fall behind you just skip a rep, we will be right back with you.

So what is next?

Hillbound 09 starts next Tuesday the 22nd at the Bairds Creek Ski Area (Triangle Hill). We park and meet on top the hill with a warmup and briefing at 5:28pm. To get there you go East on University to Humboldt Road (two blocks from In Comp)and East 100' to Bairds Creek Parkway and right UP to the hill.

BEL
Basic Equipment List

Good athletic running shoes.
Lightweight workout clothes. Remember Hillbounding makes it feel 20 degrees warmer than it is.
Water Bottle
Short (preferably) to the armpit XC ski poles, cheap is good. I will have about 15 pair to borrow on a 1st come basis.
Dry clothes for after the workout.
Lots of your friends and a good work ethic.

We will see you Tuesday. Stay hydrated and don't believe what others say...........it's much worse!

TNR Farewell and Ironman and DCC 9/15

2009-09-15T15:04:00.000-07:00

What a week. We have had three weeks of great summer weather and today is no exception. It was a busy week here what with Ironman preparations, Door County Century, Levis Trow WORS and my niece getting married (in LaCrosse). I have over a thousand miles driven this week, changed two crudillion flats and still managed riding the Bowery every day......a little.

Tonight a half a dozen riders rode what may be the final "official" TNR of 2009. The weather the past three weeks has been great and tonight put a cherry on that. Warm, calm and sun.... sweet.

The Wisconsin Ironman took place on Sunday with hot but good conditions. I know all out local participants finished and did great.

The DCC was Sunday as well with a big field and awesome weather. This was year 30 and was one of the best. There were a lot of crashes with at least three getting a ride in the rescue squad with some nasty but not [too] serious injuries. 1900 others made it uneventfully except for Todd and Erick who went down minutes from the finish when Todd tried to play Leap Frog with Erick's bike........at 20MPH. Boys will be boys. Neither was hurt but have a good story.

We start hillbounding next week so look for the next post but keep on the bike. The weather is good and winter can wait. The FTF is this weekend and the Fox Cities Marathon. Good luck to those folks and as always SO2...........stay on two.

TNR Sept.1 - Hillbounding - Kids Skiing

2009-09-03T10:08:00.000-07:00

.................big legs was the motto on this ride. We had perfect weather, sunny, calm, warm but not too warm and leg's o' plenty. The long group mustered some serious horsepower and kept together and whipped up a torrid pace. The Rendezvous group stayed cohesive and had a stellar 21 mph average, nice with smiles all around. As everyone noticed the sun is setting earlier and nights are cooler. There will only be two more weeks before we will need to shift to 5:00pm with a shorter route.

Tuesday September 22nd also marks the return of Fall Hillbounding at Bairds Creek. I will have more details on that but for now some brisk hill striding would be in order to minimize the DOMS* effect that hits after the first few weeks. Dust off the poles and get out the running shoes as you do not want to miss any of the 11 sessions.

One another ski front and if you know of or have KIDS under 12 check out a new program created by Jen and Noel Versch called Bay Area Youth Nordic Ski Club. This will be great for kids and mirrors successful programs in other areas. Call them at 920-822-8982 for info or click on the poster at the top of the page to expand it.

* DOMS= Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

Birkebeinerrittet 2009. Think you know MUD?

2009-08-31T16:18:00.000-07:00

This link came from my buddy Jason in Olso. The Norweigian Birkiebeiner Mountain Bike race was held recently after a very wet summer and rains leading up to the race. Think you know mud? Check out this link: http://www.vg.no/bildespesial/spesial.php?id=7044&o=0&katId=-1 and hope that Chequamegon Fat Tire Fest is not like this.

TNR August 11th The Best of Times

2009-08-13T15:49:00.000-07:00

Steve Peplinski reports about glowing conditions and a fab ride. Jason K's jersey shows why the Italian's are so good with fashion.

This is as good as it gets" said Andy as he slid past me in the left side of our huge rotating pace line on Nicolet drive. He wasn't just repeating a trite phrase popularized in a beer commercial. He was stating a fact. 72 degrees. No wind. Traffic free smooth pavement. A view of the setting sun over Green Bay to our right. And a well oiled pace line with over a dozen riders smoothly rotating while maintaining a speed in the neighborhood of 22 mph. How could it get any better? This morning as I was jogging, I was reflecting on that question. Tuesday was special because the "as good as it gets" moment lasted so long. We rode together as a group for the whole ride, but we WORKED together all the way down Nicolet. When we hit Benderville (that's the uphill that follows the 35 mph downhill just past the Red Rocket) Jason shot to the front, leading us up at 26 mph. Certainly maintaining 26 mph up that hill qualifies as an AGAIG climbing moment for me, but when Jason soft pedaled at the top (I had to feather the brakes behind him to stay in line) and we slowed to 22 so that riders who may have been dropped on the hill could re-group, I knew it was a special ride. The Perfect Ride. Steve

Sneek Peek at The Link Giant Dealer Demo

2009-08-06T14:18:00.000-07:00

We just returned (last night at midnight) from the Giant Bicycle Dealer Sales Event in Keystone Colorado. The event is called THE LINK which is used to describe the relationship between Giant, their dealers and most importantly, you. About 100 select dealers are invited to this event to learn about Giant and their bikes and to ride them in a spectacular setting on challenging trails and roads. Check out http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/sets/72157621842208377/ for some cool pic's.

The Link is a awesome event. After 35 years in the bicycle business I had thought I had seen it all but this was really cool. We flew to Denver early Saturday and were greeted by Giant staff and wisked though the airport to a waiting road lunch and the first of hundreds of liters of water. The drive to Keystone as always was spectatular and we arrived by noon and a quick check-in to our lake side condo and off to the first of many great meals. Keystone is located at 9300 feet elevation and you only go up from there. Sunscreen, lip balm and lots of water are mandatory.

Anyone who knows Deb understands that she is not one to sit around so we headed to the gondola for a ride to the top of Keystone around 12,000 feet up and the first of many air sucking moments. Some light hiking and sightseeing later we headed back to the Lodge for dinner and socializing with other dealers. We found the exchange with others arguably the most beneficial part of the trip. There really are a lot of good ideas out there and we heard lots of them. Bike dealers are good folks who do what we do because we like it. The long hours and tough business climate are tolerable because we are doing what we love to do.

The next day started with a pre-breakfast ride from the Demo Site located at the mountain base a quick few minutes by shuttle even higher up the valley. We had our choice of hundreds of 2010 bikes, road or mountain in every size or type you can imagine. After another (great) breakfast we spent the days in seminars learning about everything from alloy frames to global economies with riding to follow and another awesome dinner and conversations about bicycles.

I learned a lot at this trip and am very stoked about next year and Giant bikes in particular. They are so cool; I have my new TCR ordered already! In the weeks that follow I will try to link in some new product info and some really cool videos. Be sure and check out the new Trinity SL at http://www.giantbicycles.com/ . It is the world fastest bike and is so sweet it will make you spit. Enjoy the photos and look for some updates.

TNR for July 28th. The Horses come to play.

2009-07-28T15:55:00.000-07:00

A perfect night for a perfect ride? Perfection is in the eye of the beholder. But 12 riders in a rotating pace line comes close. By that standard, we approached perfection several times. It happens several times a year. But it's always welcome: Tailwinds on Luxemburg road. Today, it was not just a gentle breeze, but a REAL TAILWIND. We could all imagine ourselves TDF riders as we cruised at 24, then 25, then 28 mph. I moved to the front as soon as we turned onto Luxemburg road, along with Jason, a TNR first timer. There was a disconnect between what I saw on the speedometer and what I felt in my legs. It was just too easy to be going that fast. After a couple of miles, we spotted a lone rider, pedaling slowly as if waiting for us. It was Jesse. He must have decided to let the fast group have at it without him. I was glad to have him with us since he generally helps to keep the group together instead of launching attacks to split the group. With Jesse on the front, our speed kept slowly increasing until we touched 29 before the hill climb to the Rendezvous road turn. It's a small hill, and the tailwind had left us with fresh legs. I led us to the top at 28 mph. Then we turned, and the fun was over.Not really over. Just changed. We organized a counter clockwise rotating paceline and made pretty good time, keeping the number on my speedometer north of 20 mph most of the time. There have been few times that I've been in a group that large that completed multiple rotations without breaking up. This was one of them. I'm afraid I got caught up in keeping a tight formation, and was hollering to that effect when the smart thing to do was for the leaders to ride the center line as everyone echeloned off to the rear. We figured it out in the end. Between rotating pace line sessions, Dale, Todd and George looked strong at the front. Usually Todd is pretty vocal about being ready to catch a draft. Tonight he was right up there in front. I was sucking his wheel for a change. We still did the mandatory hill surge after crossing Hwy 54, and dropped Karl in the process. But as soon as it became known that a rider was "off the back", the whole group slowed. It didn't take Karl long to catch up, and when we got to the next hill (just before the Thiry Daems turn off), Karl attacked at the base, taunting us to drop him again. Unfortunately, the REAL TAILWIND turned into a REAL HEADWIND as we cruised down Thiry Daems. But it was Super Jason K to the rescue as he pulled us smartly into the wind. I was happy to be able to latch onto a friendly wheel under those conditions. I thought I had the legs to take a pull when we turned onto Marys road. I geared down and led up the hill. The hill, which is steep at the start, then deceptively long, was blocking the wind. I crested at 15 mph, and felt the wind's full force at once. I tried to hold that speed as mother nature's breath pushed me back. Father time had other ideas though. Lacking the strength to carry out my plan, I happily fell in behind Jason and Jesse again. Fortunately, we were at Gravel Pit road soon. A bit of recovery, then spin up to speed on the long downhills and try to hold the speed before the sprint for the highway as the road levels out. After the sprint to Bayshore Park, no one had the ambition to do the hill. As a Chequamegon fat tire festival addict, I'd prefer to save myself for the hill, but it wasn't to be tonight. Instead, we took a 13 mph breather, waiting for a couple of stragglers from the Gravel Pit Sprint to catch on. Then we pace lined for a few miles before attacking Benderville hill. Again, the peloton got split on the hill. But the leaders had the good sense and courtesy to wait for everyone to catch back up before settling in to pace line towards home. Once again, Dan did the lion's share of the work. The Nicolet drive head wind wasn't as bad as it had been on Thiry Daems, what with the surrounding trees. I took one long pull early, then let Dan take over. He set a brisk pace, and no one cared to cruise by and take over -- at least not until the City Limits sign came into view, and Jesse pulled out to sprint. A couple of riders followed. I'm not sure they knew it was a tradition to sprint for the sign, or just didn't want to let Jesse get away from the group. After all, he started the sprint what seemed like a half a mile from the sigh. It was good to see that someone had some extra energy to burn just to make the ride a little more interesting. Once we re-grouped, Jesse hung out at the front for a while. I could hold his wheel pretty well, but at one point he started surging. I dug deep to close the gap at 25 mph into the wind. Once I got there, I was spent, and had to fall back. I was toast and over 170 beats per minutes. Fortunately, he slowed down again, and we were able to finish together. We set no speed records with the slow rollout, the waiting for stragglers, and pushing a stiff headwind part of the time (I had 19.9 mph avg). but it was fun to be part of a group that actually worked together, and pushing the limit on the way home gave me a couple of lactate intervals to build fitness with.Steve

A big group of twenty three rolled out under comfortable conditions with some moderate wind. Steve promises a better narrative tommorow but for now enjoy the photos and check out Jason's youtube video at their cabin. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY1uYcaAvAA.

TNR 7-21 and DCT Door County Triathlon

2009-07-22T18:04:00.000-07:00

Steve Peplinski sent in this great narrative from yesterday and congrats to all the DCT participants this weekend. Go to www.doorcountytriathlon.com for more and I will load some photo's into my Flikr page soon.

We rode hard the whole way, and I was surprised to see only a 19.5 mph average. But that may be because we really didn't work together. Early on, Cory and I pulled to the city limits and a couple of miles onto Luxemburg road. I could feel my legs tiring so I pulled off and dropped back into the lantern rouge position. As soon as I pulled out, Cory attacked, and left us all in his dust. Dan and the new kid were engaged in conversation, so I was alone behind those 2, and Wayne was alone behind Kurt and George. I pulled up to ride with Wayne so that we were 2 abreast. When we got to the hill just before Rendezvous road, Dan decided that we needn't slow below 20 mph on the hill, so he took over pulling duties and gave us a bit of a lactate interval as we approached the brick farmhouse marking our turn.A nice tail wind made for pleasant riding on Rendezvous. Every time I checked my speedometer, it was 23 or above, even touching 30 on some of the downhills. Wayne was doing most of the pulling, and sitting in behind him was like being motor paced. I kept checking behind to make sure our junior member hadn't been dropped, but he was hanging on pretty well. Before long, we spotted Cory in front of us and reeled him in. As usual, there was an attack on the Rendezvous road hill. I was able to jump on as they shot by me, and was right with Cory and Kurt at the top. But there was a price to pay for pride. My heart rate was over 170, making me wonder how long it would be before I cracked. We had spread out a bit. After another attack just before Thiry Daems road, we waited to regroup before turning into the wind. We didn't make very good time on Thiry Daems. It would have been a great place to do a rotating pace line, but as it was, we were strung out in several groups. Gravel pit road brought more tailwinds, but we never really re-grouped. Wayne pulled strongly, then Cory and Kurt attacked. I kept my nose out of the wind since I was at my lactate threshold sucking wheel. Of course I couldn't resist jumping onto Cory's wheel when he shot past Wayne and I. It was more of the same on Benderville hill. But Dan's attack petered out near the top, and I found enough strength to surge past him over the top. The others were in no hurry to close the gap I had opened. Once again, we were sacrificing efficiency for ego. I think there was a headwind on Nicolet drive. I can't be sure because I spent so little time on the front. Wayne pulled a little, then Cory and Kurt, but when Dan took the front, he showed no inclination to pull out. He's planning on racing in a couple of weeks at Mauston. I figured he was pushing hard to prepare for it. I felt pretty comfortable behind Wayne at the tail end of our group, but even so, I was seeing 155 on my heart monitor. Rather than try to start a rotation, I sat in resting, if 155 beats per minute can ever be called resting. When Dan finally pulled out, he never caught the back of our peloton, but just did some recovery spinning. We kept hammering along, not really slowing down for the underpass just before the final long hill. In fact, Wayne seemed to see that as a marker to put in one final hill effort. He opened a gap, but I couldn't resist the challenge to bridge up. I'm sure he backed off at the end, or I never would have caught him. I hope our first time rider enjoyed the ride. The attacks and surges befitted Tour de France season. He had the strength to keep up with us and rode safely in the group. Lets hope he shows up again next week. Steve

TNR for July 7th. Need some Group

2009-07-10T17:45:00.000-07:00

17 riders rolled out under nice skies. There was a lot of horsepower which unbridled can cause its fair share of fun and problems.

As with all group rides it is a GROUP ride 1st and individual effort second. Blowing off the front or taking flyer's shatters the group and the pack dynamics. We definitely will split up the group in the future. This week we witnessed the Team Time Trial at the TdF. The TTT shows what is best about group riding. The strongest riders do not try to splinter the rest but rather take longer pulls. In the TTT you are only as strong as the group and so it is in any group ride. Take a pill before the next ride and do what you can to get everyone to the finish together.

It will be hot next week. Keep you cool and have fun.

Next week at 5:25pm SO2

TNR June 23rd. Hot and juicy

2009-06-24T08:02:00.000-07:00

Go to this link for the hot scoop http://incomp-deb.blogspot.com/

TNR June 2nd. Sun, fun and flat

2009-06-03T07:38:00.000-07:00

A dozen riders greeted the sun for a quick romp with two groups. One taking a path less traveled the other going longer and faster, faster until the Flat Devil reared up and bit a tube. All said it was fun and best of all....uneventful.

The GB Triathlon is this weekend. If you are not doing it be sure to watch. As an FYI the Door County Triathlon is over 80% full for the sprint and 68% full for the half. The sprint will probably fill this month so I would not delay too much.

There are swimmers braving the open waters locally. We have heard reports about Lake Largo, the bay and Harpts lake. Of course wetsuits are needed and there were several head "freezies" but warmer water is coming. Gregg from Sheboygan reports that Elkart Lake (next week for their Tri) had water at a balmy 61 degrees.

We ride at 5:29 pm next week and I predict 76 degrees and sun. I'll bet a piece of licorice on it. SO2

I'm Not Free.....I'm expensive!

2009-05-28T17:28:00.000-07:00

The Green Bay weather saga continued this Tuesday with brisk winds, cool temps and threatening skies as 10 riders braved the nasty’s and rode out. Roy was the 1st casualty with a broken spoke/trashed wheel. It only has 10 thousand plus miles on it he said. Don’t worry; Mr. Mavic will make another one for him. Following the ride we enjoyed 36 hours of rain here in GB with cold and wind thrown in for a bonus. Today we broke out the sun and it feels great. We are scheduled to ride next Tue. At 5:30 so be here for what I predict will be the first nice ride of the year.

Women take note of the June third start of the women’s morning ride from the Howard YMCA. It is early but your day will be complete at just 7:00am, sweet. Check out our homepage www.incompetition.com for more.

Spring is late and it is time to get out there. See you next week!