Yes, we have no bananas

Following are two suggestions for how to get up on your skis- where there is glide.  The banana refers to the front or back profile of a skier who tries to get over the ski at the shoulders, but the hips and center of gravity remain between the skis.  You will hear it from Ahvo Monday.  I don't know if there is a Finnish word for banana, but he certainly knows the English one.
Both drills are equally valuable for skate and classic skiing.
The first drill is designed for your living room and will develop muscle memory and a visual image..  Place a book, board or block on the floor in front of a full length mirror.  Two inches or so is enough, 3-4 maybe better.
1- Stand on one foot on the block eyes forward.  Get comfortable with your balance and notice the position of your hips and shoulders.  Stay there for at least 30 seconds.  Switch to the other foot.
2- Again assume the standing position, but this time move your free foot forward and back.  Keep the eyes forward and watch hips, etc.  One minute+ on each foot.  As your balance improves, swing the leg more vigorously.  Watch what happens with your hip.
3- Assume the standing position, this time keep the free leg relaxed and play with the position of your standing leg.  Flex the ankle forward and up.  Move the hip around in a one-legged slow hula hoop action.  Watch for the place you have the best balance and where you are starting to fall off the block.  Notice what happens when your shoulder is above the hip and when it is outside the hip.  Two minutes+ on each foot.
The next drill is called the scooter drill and is done on skis or roller skis.
Take one ski off and place the other ski in the track.  Push, or scooter yourself off with the boot and land and glide on the ski.  Stay on the ski and don't put the boot down until your glide is ended.  Repeat several times then switch sides.  You will not glide unless you learn to get the hip up over the ski.  The best picture I could find was:
  You will not have the handles of course, but notice she is nose knees toes over the scooter, and pushing with the other foot.   In order to prolong her glide her hips will come forward and the push leg will relax until she needs to push again.  There will be a 30 point bonus for anyone who does a scooter drill next week in plaid ski pants.

Easy cold weather glide wax- addendum

Toko makes a rub in wax with a published range to -22f.  Swix and Fastwax have easy application waxes with published range to +5f.  You can try them and they should be better than nothing, but nothing beats a hot scrape and/or razor scrape to get the grabby hairs off the base.  The easy application stuff wears off quickly as well on snow with the abrasiveness of 180 rit sandpaper.

Glide Waxing for cold temperatures

Disclaimer- the following is all based on my personal experiences, resources and abilities. 
1- If the temp is below 0f and I'm touring or training, I leave the skate skis at home and kick and glide in the track.  It is easier to keep the heartrate down with minimal glide when classic skiing, and when it is cold outside it is also important to keep the sweat down to prevent hypothermia.
2- If I'm coaching or racing, I have one pair of skate skis that are kept waxed and prepared for cold temps.  They have a soft shovel (tip), as the worst natural snow for glide is cold fresh snow.  Cold artificial snow is another BEAST altogether.
3- If you want a competitive wax job on your skis, you will either need to take it in to one of our good sponsors and supporters.  FinnSisu, Gear West and Hoiggard's all have wax services and can get you on fast skis for a cold race.  The alternative is to take wax lessons, buy the basic equipment and learn to do it yourself.
The equipment I use- wax bench, Toko wax iron, scraper and sharpener, groove scraper, razor scraper, 3  hand brushes (bronze for cleaning only, nylon and horsehair for finish), microplane/cheese grater (to apply cold wax to ski safely) roto brush with cordless drill.
I start with 3-5 passes with the razor scraper to remove any p-tex hairs. 
Next a few passes with the bronze brush to dry clean the base.
A hot scrape with a hard wax- I generally use either Fastwax Teal or Rex Blue.
First coat of primary wax.  I check manufacturers recommendations (always posted for races and linked from skinnyski.com).  I use one of Toko moly (for dry snow), Fastwax Teal or Green.  This layer cools 20-30 minutes and is scraped and brushed.  For training down to about 0f I can stop here and have acceptable glide.  Also, if I am traveling to a race like the Birkie and want as much of my ski prep done, but also have the ability to finish up the night before the race, I will stop here.
First coat wax of the day. This will be based on the wax mfrs. recommendation, although I adjust based on my expectations (a 5 hour Birkie has much different requirements that an sub-3 hour Birkie.)  For me this is Fastwax, Green, Teal or White.  This layer cools 20-30 minutes and CAN BE scraped and brushed.  To save wax and/or time you can skip the scraping and brushing and reheat this coat of wax again.
Second coat wax of the day.  Either reheated as above, or re-applied.  With the second coat if you have time, reheat this one a couple of times especially if it is a long race and expected to be really cold.  When reheating, I always apply some of this wax to the iron before I start because, when the ski absorbs wax it can leave dry spots which can burn.
Removing wax-- get it all off.  Anything left that isn't well absorbed into the ski will grab and slow you down.  Scrape what you can, then scrape a couple more times.  If you have a roto brush, 4-5 passes of the nylon brush, followed by polishing with the horsehair hand brush.  Done.
Cold powders- all wax companies have them.  Essentially you apply a super smooth plastic base to your skis.  I don't use them because I've never had good results with them, but if you learn to apply them they are reputed to be very good.
Start Green.  Used to be the go to wax below 0f, and many still use it.  I've switched to Faxt wax extreme white because it is much easier to work with and my skis seem faster than the ever have with Start Green.
Regarding wax manufacturers- I use Fastwax a lot because it is manufactured locally by good skiers who ski on local snow.  It also tends to be a bit less expensive on the high end than some other brands.  Finally, I always have better glide than most of the skiers around me in a race, so results are acceptable, and I'm a back of the pack skier, so I don't need to chase milliseconds. 
Best recommendation, unless you expect to be in the front row, is to buy one wax system and get comfortable with it.  You can add on from there.
The big gorillas internationally are Toko and Swix.  In the old days I used Swix exclusively, but when fluoros hit the market the Swix system confused me and Toko had a much simpler system that required less investment on my part.  Both of these brands win races for good reason, and are well supported at race venues.
When high fluoros became everyday wax, Fast Wax came on the market.  The system is pretty simple and it tends to be less expensive than other brands, although high fluoro wax from anyone is expensive.  Fastwax Teal and White are not high fluoro however and have a better price point.
Rex makes very high quality wax and is well supported locally.  Price tends to be better than some other brands.  Rex Blue is one of those "magic" waxes that seems to work in almost any conditions.
Two other brands are available locally- Vauhti and Holmenkollen.  I have not used them as I already had a "complete" wax box when they became available.  Both brands are reputed to have good cold weather waxes.
Finally- for the kick and glide skiers.  The good news is that everything kicks at -5f, sometimes you can even get kick from skate skis (but not if you have followed the instructions above.)  Many of my more competitive buddies are using Rode kick waxes.  I use mostly Toko kick wax but still have a tube of Swix Polar in the box.  Also, Rex makes a cold snow grip tape which I have used successfully. 
For glide wax on my classic skis- I only have one good pair- I keep Rex Blue on them all winter except for races.  The glide is acceptable even when it's really cold, and doesn't require much time.  For classic races I will apply the same wax I would apply on skate skis.
I love to ski at -10f, but not in the same way as when it is +10f.  I like to feel the frost in my nose, hear the squeek of my skis against the snow, and especially hear the quiet of the woods.  There are few skiers out which is nice, but also less safe, so I stick to trails that I know and don't go too far from the car/ chalet.

Musings on motivation from Mike B

Motivation

I was reading around in Physiology of Fitness (3^rd edition), by Brian J. Sharkey, and came across these thoughts.  They’re apropos for many of us in skiing:

“Competitors and Performers

“Psychologist Nathaniel Ehrlich (1971) draws a distinction between competitors and performers in athletic competition.  Competitors evaluate their performances in athletic contests strictly on a relative, win-loss basis, giving little regard to the absolute level of performance.  Performers attach only secondary importance to winning, instead evaluating performances against an absolute scale, an ideal.

“The competitor subscribes to the Vince Lombardi school, which says, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”  The performer would say, “It isn’t whether you win or lose, it’s how (and how well) you play the game.” Ehrlich draws an analogy between Maslow’s self-esteem and self-actualization levels of motivation; the competitor seeks esteem, whereas the performer seeks to realize his or her potential.  One would hope to find a more mature, self-actualizing approach to competition among adult athletes, in which each would seek his or her potential, with competition serving as a means to that end.  Performers seek good competition because it helps them achieve their potential.  Competitors fear good competition because it threatens their win-loss record, their self-esteem.

*                      *                      *

“Try becoming a performer by focusing on the quality of the experience, not the final outcome.  .  .  .  Set goals in terms of performance instead of wins, medals, or trophies.  You may find that the wins and trophies come as performance improves.  If not, you can still find satisfaction in [your sport], and you won’t feel regret when it’s over.”

Sharkey, page 250-252.

Being a ‘performer’ is a mindset that I adopted many years ago.  I’ll never be satisfied with my skiing, but not because I know that I’ll never ever win or place in a race – not unless no one else shows up (I enjoy that thought).  But that’s not why I’m dissatisfied with my skiing; I have my own standards of performance – am I improving my technique; am I skiing as fluidly as I can; am I staying in condition so that I can enjoy a good hard hill climb; am I focused on “the quality of my experiences” – these are the types of standards I have set for myself.  I honestly don’t need competition to help me achieve these goals, unless it is competition with myself and how I skied the last time I was out. 

Try it for yourself.  It just might work.

Perspective

There is no such thing as too much snow, but sometimes the snow Gods expect that we pay tribute in order to enjoy the blessing.  For example, it started to snow on October 31, 1991.  Little goblins and princesses arrived at our door bundled and drifted.  On November 1 and 2 we shoveled and waxed and skied on the neighborhood streets,  On November 3 we could get to groomed ski trails and the perfect winter made itself evident.
So, go back to bed. 

Poor timing, possibly

Check back in the morning for a decision on the ski wax and eat event.  We will postpone if we are midway into a magnificent blizzard.

Training: Have a Plan!

Submitted by Mike B-

Cross-country skiing is a great way of getting and staying in shape and for many Loppet Ski Club skiers that is the primary purpose of participating in the sport.  In response to questions from several of you, following are some suggestions on preparing for x-c ski racing.

There are three types of training that will make up the bulk of your training plan: Long, slow, distance (LSD), intervals, and strength.  There are many ways to do each of these activities- whether on snow, indoors or dryland. 

Long Slow Distance

LSD should make up the bulk of your training time.

There are two primary benefits to low intensity, long distance workouts. First, your body begins to adapt to the increased demand for oxygen and energy. Your body forms new and enlarged capillaries to bring blood to your muscles.  Second, you develop a denser supply of mitochondria in your muscle cells to create energy more effectively.  Mitochondria are the sites inside your muscle cells in which the energy reaction takes place.  More mitochondria means increasing the quality and efficiency of your energy conversion reactions.

Good quality LSD training lays a foundation for more intense interval and strength training.  Plus it’s fun.  You can get out for two or three hours of cruising through the woods and know that you are laying a base for better skiing.

Intervals

These workouts mimic the energy demands of xc-skiing.  Intense efforts in sprinting or hill climbs help to develop your body's ability to perform at an anaerobic or anaerobic-threshold level.  This is the type of energy output you will use in sprinting to pass a competitor, keeping your pace up a steep hill or in that final push to the finish line.

The benefits of interval training are many and every training plan should include them.  When you think about it, a cross-country ski race (or trail) is really just a series of intervals.  Every uphill is an interval.  Generally you push on the uphills, relax on the downhills and cruise at a good pace on the flats. One approach is to find a challenging hill on the race course and after a warmup do repeats.  The hill will seem much easier come race day.

Intervals can be the focus of a workout session or they can be incorporated into a longer distance workout.  Start with a warm-up of fifteen to twenty minutes.  Through the course of the season do both short intense intervals lasting 15 to 30 seconds, and longer intervals of one to three minutes.  Rest for at least the length of the interval between efforts.  Do all of the intervals at the same intensity.  Start off with three or four intervals per set and one or two sets.  Increase this as you get stronger.

Another type of interval workout is what is termed “natural intervals.”  This workout simply involves increasing the pace or effort during a distance workout.  Options include increasing your tempo on the hills, repeating hills or doing speed "pick-ups" of 15-20 seconds. 

Strength/Explosive Power

Explosive power is important in hill-climbing and sprinting, but unlike interval training (which trains speed endurance), strength training develops larger muscles so that you have a greater mass to recruit in these all-out efforts.  In addition, strength training helps ensure against injury.  If your musculo-skeletal system has a weak link, you are more likely to be injured.  

Strength training can include weight training, isometrics and plyometrics, but ski specific strength training should be the focus during at least one workout each week.  Double poling, no poling and single-stick workouts are great ways of improving strength while on skis.

Skiing has some very specific strength requirements.  Even accomplished athletes need 2-3 years of ski specific training.  Those of us who have not yet realized our athletic potential need a little more help.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

So now you know three types of training.  There is still the question of how to put together a plan.  Here are two different, but very simple approaches:

 “Aim for a Distance”

Here is one way to put together a training plan: There are eight weekends left before the Loppet races.  If you are planning on skiing a 25K race, your last training workout should be around 20 -25K seven to ten days before the race (so you can fully recover before race day).  So, somewhere around January 29 you should plan on skiing 20K+.  Working backward, you decrease the distance you ski each weekend:

Week 8........... 20K-25K

Week 7........... 20K

Week 6  ......... 15K-20K

Week 5........... 15K

Week 4........... 10K-15K

Week 3........... 10K

Week 2........... 5K-10K

Week 1........... 5K

This would give you anywhere from 100K to 120K of skiing in your distance workouts alone. 

During the week, you should be getting in at least two more workouts (and preferably three).  These can be shorter than your distance workouts but with a specific focus.  Examples include: race tempo intervals, hills repeats, technique work, or specific strength workouts such as double poling or no-pole skating.  Speed work trains the  neuromuscular pathways building coordination and technique. 

You will be doing two workouts weekly with the Loppet Ski Club.  Monday evenings will focus on some technique sessions, but some may also fit the “shorter/higher intensity” or “specific strength” descriptions.  Saturday will generally be LSD workouts.  When the Saturday workouts start to come easy for you, consider either staying later that morning or doing a LSD ski on Sunday.  One or two more good workouts during the week, and you will be well on your way.

Looking at this, it may seem pretty intense; but this would be to finish the 25K in pretty good shape, maybe even smiling as you cross the finish line.  You will have time in the next two months to get ready for the race.  Rest and nutrition are also important considerations.

 “But I Have a Life”

Some years, other commitments simply don’t allow you to focus on training as much.  Another approach is to assess the amount of time you have available to build training into your weekly schedule.  Make a commitment to yourself to train smart during those times and see how you do in your race.  Finishing and feeling good about participating are your main goals.

Again, Monday evenings and Saturday mornings are a part of the Loppet Ski Club, so you find one or two other times during the week and write them in your calendar, then decide what to do during those times.

You still need to pay attention to how far you are skiing on your distance workouts.  (If a month out from your race day finds your “distance” workouts lingering in the 10K to 15K range, you may need to reassess your goal of participating in a 25K race.  Maybe a 10K is more your style.  On the other hand, if you are skiing 20K to 25K by then – well, good for you.)

During the week, your other workouts will be significantly shorter than your weekend distance workouts, but at a higher intensity or focusing on specific technique issues.

Eat, sleep, work, live the rest of your life and train when you are able.  Hopefully, when race day arrives you will find a pace that allows you to feel that you’ve pushed yourself, without having your race turn into the proverbial “death march.”  Remind yourself, “I’m not aiming for a finishing time or place, but using the race to motivate myself to train and have a good time.”  You can still finish with a smile on your face.

*                            *                              *

There are plenty of other ways to approach training and preparation for a race.  Those of you who have participated in Loppets past, in Mora’s Vasaloppet, the American Birkebeiner or other distance races have no doubt come up with alternatives to these ideas.  Please share them; there is no “one-size-fits-all” when it comes to designing a way of fitting training into your life.

If anyone has more specific questions, feel free to ask any of the coaches.  If skiing becomes your obsession, there are more comprehensive approaches to training that can help you plan year-round training programs.  Among us we have, at different points in our lives, run the gamut from year-round training focused on skiing, to using heart monitors to generally train smart, to getting out and having fun doing a variety of other sports, all while looking forward to that first snowfall of the next season.

Hot wax and cold snow

Saturday, December 11 Loppet Ski Club Waxing Party, Potluck Brunch and Ski at 

Jeff's Waxing Barn and Ski Trail.

Bring your skis, wax (if you have some), and a brunch dish to share.

Coaches will provide wax benches, irons, scrapers and brushes.  

(We will have some wax to share, too, but if you have your own, bring it.)

Directions from Minneapolis: 

·         Take Hiway 7 west to Hennepin County Road 92 (signal light at St. Bonifacius).  

·         Turn right (North) on Henn Cty 92, go about 2 miles

·         Turn left (West) on Nike Road about 2.2 miles (Nike Road becomes Swede Lake Road).  

·         10705 Swede Lake Road - There is a shed on left with gravel road, proceed to rear of property. 

If lost call 612-759-1110 (Jeff). 

There are about 5K of trails for both skate and classical skiing.

For a map, at Google Maps enter: Nike Road and either Minnetrista or St Bonifacius.  On Mapquest enter Nike Road and Maple Plain, MN.  Nike Road becomes Swede Lake Road after it crosses the Hennepin/Carver County line.  You will see that finding it should be fairly simple.  From South Minneapolis it is about 30 miles and 50 minutes.

December schedule

Here is the schedule for December.  Further details will be forthcoming regarding the December 11 event at Jeff's.

Saturday, December 4 – meet at the Par 3 Clubhouse for skiing at 8:30 a.m.

Monday, December 6 – Andy Turnbull on waxing

Saturday, December 11 – Wax/ ski/ belly klister event at Jeff Richard's

Monday, December 13 – Ahvo Taipale on technique

Saturday, December 18-- meet at the Par 3 Clubhouse for skiing at 8:30 a.m.

Monday, December 20 – Luke Skinner on technique

Saturday, December 25-- Ski on your own

Monday, December 27-- Wirth clubhouse, topic to be announced