| March 15,
2007 Vol. 7/ No. 29 |
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Dear SkiPost ,
I am a 59 yo master skier, probably average in aerobic capacity for age, maybe slightly above. Been at racing for about 7 years. I'm finally starting to realize the real value of interval training, how and when to do them etc. but I had some questions: Today I did four 4 min. hill climbing intervals, one 8.5 min hill climbing interval and one 3 min. double poling milder uphill interval. The average heart rate for each interval varied from about 165 to 172. (up to about 182 briefly on some of them) My observed max heart rate is 186 (actual might be a few points higher)
Questions are:
1. Is it considered good training to vary the length of the intervals in the same session? As you can see one was quite a bit longer, mainly because I got tired of doing the same hill and did a different, longer one.
2. It seemed like it took a long time for my pulse rate to come down (I was letting it come down below 111 before beginning another one) I didn't time it but it seemed like it took longer than the actual interval, especially in the latter ones. Maybe about 1.5 times the length of the interval. Is this ok or does it mean I'm pushing too hard?
Hello,
1. It is fine to vary the length of your intervals, but an adjustment in effort is usually necessary to get the most from each interval. In personal training it has been very standard to do some longer intervals and end with something shorter and quicker. As I said, it is important to know what you are looking to accomplish from these intervals (i.e. speed, power, endurance), and adjust your heart rate to achieve those. Typically a longer interval will be aimed at building threshold, so you will seldom do those to the point of near exhaustion. To keep that same mindset you will often see higher heart rate values when you are doing your shorter intervals.
2. I have found that recovery time is pretty closely related to my base fitness. If we start with intervals after not doing much of anything there would not only be a greater risk of injury, but also recovery between intervals would likely be longer. Those first interval sessions of a new training year will usually have longer rest periods than will some of the fartlek/rolling-interval sessions later. Without knowing where your thereshold is it is difficult to tell you if you are going too hard or not, but it does seem possible that you could be getting a little ahead of yourself with values so close to your max heart rate. If you are serious about interval training it is probably not a bad idea to get some type of lactate profile done.
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By: Kate Underwood
Subaru Factory Team
Has training felt a little flat for you late season? I was feeling the tired muscle trend coming on a few weeks ago. My coach, Rick Kapala, ordered ice baths after all of my workouts. Instead of using the bathtub, roommate Kate Whitcomb and I rode our bikes down to the entrance of the alpine mountain here in Ketchum. We walked underneath the bridge and knelt down in the shallow water of the Big Wood River for 12 minutes. Cold? Yes, but I sure did feel better after a week of soaking polar bear style.
Cross-country skiers especially can benefit from ice baths. The main reason they are thought to help is because the ice water causes the tiny, microscopic damage from training to close up, or not stay inflamed. You will also reduce post-training lactic acid levels and will not feel as stiff or sore. Most likely, you won’t be able to feel the tearing caused when your muscle fibers break down during training. Therefore, you probably won’t try to treat it. Muscles build because your body will repair what broke down, and then add extra layers on top.
I usually try to elevate my legs for about 10 minutes before I get into the ice bath. In the winter, you can usually just use regular tap water to fill your tub since it is so cold. Use some snow from outside if you have it, too. The water probably isn’t going to feel that great until your body adjusts. I find the first minute is really unbearable. After that, it actually doesn’t bother me anymore. I put my bathing suit bottom on and leave a down jacket on top- accompanied by a winter hat. The most awful thing about the process was dealing with the pain of my feet being frozen. I got out an old pair of running shoes and wool socks and submerged my feet with them on, which worked just fine. You can also use booties that surfers use.
After the bath, you’ll probably feel the urge to jump right in the shower, but let your body warm up slowly. The shock from extreme cold to hot is not good for your muscles. Wait at least 30 minutes. If you do decide to try this, you’ll probably be cursing me for the first minute or two, but you’ll be thanking me later. Good luck!
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During this time of year there is always the chance that it could be a sunny day at one moment, and then a few minutes later it could change to some other weather. The variety of sunglasses that Rudy Project offers is great, but what makes these glasses most impressive is the range of lenses you can get for each.
Some lenses that have served me well in the past are just a Racing Red. These seemed to cover those bright days, and then make transitions in sunlight pretty smooth. The new ImpactX lense has taken that one step further, and actually does some transitioning for you - this is VERY good for your eyes.
Now the lenses that I try not to leave home without are clear. These clear lenses allow you to cover and protect your eyes when it is snowing, cloudy, or dark outside. Subaru Factory Team member, Chad Giese, used his set of clear lenses every day this winter while skiing under the lights in St. Paul, MN. They are the perfect addition for your sunglasses! |
| Events/Clinics/Announcements |
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CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH
Sunday March 18, 2007
Royal Gorge Cross Country
Soda Springs,
CA
With 4 different events, there is a distance suitable for any cross country ski racer, and Royal Gorge donates all proceeds to the Far West Nordic Ski Association Junior Program. Whether you’re a serious cross country ski competitor, citizen racer, junior skier, or spectator, this fun-filled weekend has something for everyone. If you’ve never skied the trails at Royal Gorge (the largest cross country ski resort in North America), this is the perfect opportunity to come out and experience some of the most beautiful, fun, and best-groomed trails in the world.
For more information on Royal Gorge go to:
www.royalgorge.com
For more information on Far West Nordic go to: www.farwestnordic.org
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Beginners Wax Clinic
Thursday March 15th 6:00 pm
Lake Creek Hut in Ketchum, Idaho
Subaru Factory Team's Kate Underwood will be hosting a beginner wax clinic. This will include basic waxing techniques from base preparation to finish waxing.
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2007 National Masters Cross Country Skiing Championships
American Cross Country Skiers (AXCS) and The Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation (MBSEF) will host Master's Nationals at Mt. Bachelor’s Nordic trail system, March 21-25.
The event will offer classic, skate, skiathlon and relay races and serve as the U.S. National Championship for citizen skiers age 25 and older. Complete event information for the 2007 National Masters Championships is available at www.xcskiworld.com. Click on Performance and follow the 2007 National Master Link. Online registration is set up at www.mbsef.org Click on the Nordic Races link. Entries can also be printed and mailed. All profits will benefit the junior racing programs of MBSEF.
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The Equinox Ski Challenge
24-Hour Nordic ski race
Rendezvous Ski Trails in West Yellowstone, MT
Check-in time 8-9 AM March 24, 2007
There will be 6, 12, and 24 hour races
For more information visit www.equinoxskichallenge.com
NOTE: If you have an event you would like to have in SkiPost please send emails to weanswer@skipost.com
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