Outseason for x-c ski racers

JimK

I've been exposed to Rich's training philosophy since his Crucible Fitness days and I pop into EN every once in a while to see what's the latest. Rich has seen me on the IM WI course the last 3 years as I'm walking on the run. I'll mention that in a separate thread in this trial member forum.

My current question is...for those of us in snow country that live to race x-c skiing just as much as we love to race tris in summer (which sometimes feels like it doesn't start until around June 15 !!!) what are RnP thoughts on how to incorporate EN in the "annual sense" if we want to start x-c ski training in November (after Clearwater for me) and finish with our last big ski marathon (American Birkebeiner 51km) on February 26? My A race is IM Canada for 2011. Thanks!!

Coach Patrick

We have had quite a few folks do the Birkebeiner as part of their OS, but that said they still do the OS and throw 2x XC workouts on top of it. We don't have anyone going solo XC for 3 months (why be on a tri team then!). I will point them to this thread and see what they say!

Bill McKinney

James - Noodle and I trained for the Birkie last year. He was able to do it, but unfortunately I wasn't due to a death in the family. I'm signed up for this year, though, and based on last year's results I'll be doing the OS starting in November and adding 2-3 ski sessions per week to prep for the ski races. I'm also doing the Pepsi Challenge in Biwabik in January to try and wave up for Birkie + the City of Lakes Loppet in Minneapolis a couple of weeks before the Birkie.

Not clear if you've done an EN style OS before, but the basic schedule last year was this:

Monday - off
Tuesday - Bike + short run
Wednesday - Run
Thursday - Bike
Friday - off
Saturday - Bike + run
Sunday - Run

In the OS, all of the bikes are super hard and 1-1.25 hours. The Wednesday and Sunday runs are similar...fast and hard, but relatively short. The Tuesday run is pretty easy, although it typically follows an intense bike, and the Saturday run is pretty hard, but short. I was training for both Birkie and Boston Marathon last year, so the way I adjusted the schedule last year was thus:

Monday - off
Tuesday - Bike (before work) + ski (~1 hour) after the kids were in bed (8:30 or so)
Wednesday - Run
Thursday - Bike
Friday - Ski for 2-3 hours...my job gives me the flexibility to do cut out around 2:00 for the 8 weeks from first of the year - Birkie, so I skied with Noodle for 2-3 hours every Friday...my longest ski was ~45K.
Saturday - Bike + run
Sunday - Run (long runs with a buddy also training for Boston) + ski when I could

I came out of the OS with fitness at a really high level, body comp all time low weight, and spirits still really good. The intensity of the bike and run sessions in the OS will provide lots of cardiovascular work similar to a hard ski session, you just have to find the time to do the long ski sessions leading up to the race. Post OS, my plan is to do a couple of weeks recovery, 1 basic month, and then roll right into the 12 week IM plan for IMLake Placid. I would think that a similar plan would work fine for you. Depending on your relative need to work on running, I would think you could get away with replacing the Sunday run completely with skiing and not suffer too badly. You'll still have 2 pretty hard runs/week + the easier brick on Tuesday. Only thing I might worry about is burnout/accumulated fatigue if you ski too much on top of the OS. Happy to kick this around more with you if you want. I'm relatively new to the whole skiing thing (started last year), but find it a great complement to the other activities, and a super fun way to get through the long winter.

JimK

Thanks, Bill.  This is exactly the type of feedback I was looking for.  This season will be my 14th Birkie (7 more years to get my Birchlegging purple bib!!) so I have no intention of giving up x-c skiing as it is what got me into endurance sports back in high school and is my first love.  I'll likely do the Seeley Hills Classic, Pepsi, Mora Vasaloppet and then the Birkie.

My OS won't start until after Clearwater.  Although I'm familiar with the OS philosophy, I've never done one...but your modification of the OS plan makes perfect sense.  I have a very strong running background and will likely do a long ski on the weekend instead of a run...usually going up to "OO" trailhead on the Birkie Trail, head north to the McNaught Rd crossing (start of powerline hills in the race) and then back south to "OO"....makes for a hilly, hard, 40k ski.  I can be on the Birkie Trail in less than 2 hours from my house.  The one thing I will need to watch out for by incorporating more biking into my winter is to maintain upper body strength for x-c ski racing, which as you know is absolutely critical for ski marathons...especially hilly ones like the Birkie.

Thanks for the input!!!  And...think snow!!

Coach Patrick

Thanks Bill!!!!

Bill McKinney

Sounds like I could swap some OS-skiing hack info for some X-country skiing coaching. Last year the highlight (lowlight?) of the year was when Noodle and I got passed by a 60 year old guy classic skiing (we were skating) who commented (as he skied away), "you guys look really athletic". At first we thought we were getting a compliment, until we realized what he was really saying was, "boy, you guys really can't ski for @#$%!". We had fun, though, and Noodle's family cabin is just off the Birkie course! We should definitely do a Birkie meetup of some sort.