Where's the snow?

Ok, so there is one more week to go in October…that means so far I have been training for almost six months. We completed testing for the final time this week, and how were the results? AWESOME!

The highlight would have to have been my VO2 Max test. I went into it focused, ready to perform, and managed to come out with a great result. My value changed from a 52 ml/kg/min (in the spring) to a 58.5 ml/kg/min and was seen to be as high as 60! **(see June update for details on VO2 Max)** Normally an improvement of 2 or 3 is pretty standard on a good day, and an improvement of 6.5 is something I would have never expected. The Lab Techs could hardly believe it was the same person. The test also showed a big improvement in aerobic and anaerobic thresholds, which means I was able to run at a much faster pace while keeping my HR and lactate at a level where I could hold it for several kilometers.

The roller ski tests on the other hand were a little more difficult to determine the results. This time of year the weather can be unpredictable and a drop in temperature can affect tests quite a lot. For example, the double pole test was extremely windy and with the cooler temperatures, the poles don’t stick to the pavement as well. But my time was still a big improvement from the spring and most importantly I feel like a have gained a lot in strength. The skate uphill time trial was changed to a standard 7.5km roller ski race. My result was solid and left me itching to start racing on the real stuff in one month.

So what now? As my coach, Mike Cavaliere put it “As we approach the race season we will do some fine tuning to ensure everyone is ready physically/mentally for the seasons first races.”

For me, my coach and I have decided that I will put one last effort into giving my muscles a bit more power and snap to make sure my body is in the best shape possible to race in early December. This means a few more weeks of strength, some good on snow intensity and finally a bit of power and snap.

Everyone can feel the snow coming and we all are left with one thought, which my coach has put into good terms, “What was obvious in the last few days is that competition is going to be stiff - we have to get used to the idea that we will have to compete for every second.”
“Attacking the hills and always thinking of ways to be faster.”

Happy Halloeween!




Teammate Heidi and I doing some core

Marlis Kromm completes her VO2 Max Test

The Boys start out on thier double pole test

Revelstoke

view from part way up Mt Revelstoke

Our last dry-land camp of the year came to an end today. It was gorgeous weather for the first half of the week. The leaves had all turned to bright yellows and reds with the sun beating down, and temperatures hovering in the mid twenties. Near the end of the week, it started to get a little wet with the casual rain here or there, but nothing too troublesome.

Most of the week consisted of long roller skis in and around the town of Revelstoke. After doing hours of roller skiing all summer, it starts to get frustrating trying to keep finding things to always improve on when the only thing on everyone’s’ mind is that racing is just around the corner. But everyone managed to buckle down and get the most out of every workout.

We also had new addition to the team a couple weeks ago; coach Jan Arne Enevlodsen was hired as a second full time coach for the Alberta World Cup Academy. Born and raised in northern Norway, Enevoldsen has coached professionally since 1993, filling a variety of positions in the US and Europe; most recently as Program Director of the Green Mountain Academy in Vermont.
Bringing perspectives as both an elite-level coach and athlete in biathlon as well as cross-country skiing, Enevoldsen also has significant wax room expertise. He has now relocated from Vermont to the Bow Valley for the 2008 – 2009 competitive season, which begins on December 6 in Vernon, B.C.
This was our first camp with Jan, and things worked out great. His expertise and experience was quite evident and I think everyone learned a lot. The team is lucky to have him.

Here are some photos:
roller skiing with coaches Mike and Jan

Jan giving the guys some technique advice as they pass by

Ski Striding at the Revelstoke Nordic Centre

A little baseball game one easy afternoon.

Some medicine ball core in the parking lot of our motel. The other guests were trying to figure out what kind of circus had rolled into town.