Build Your Base

Hey guys,

It's almost time for us to get on the skis, and there are three things you can do to help yourself get ready...

1. Rollerski
2. Rollerski
3. Rollerski

Other sports, such as running and cycling, are good for overall cardiovascular fitness, but nothing beats specific training. Think about what you want to achieve this season. Is it a top 10 finish in a conference race? Maybe a top five? How about a win? It's possible, but it takes consistent work.

Since a lot of you are doing Fall sports and heading into championships, the key is to increase your skiing endurance without burning the candle at both ends. You want to increase your ability to ski for a sustained amount of time without getting overtired, or tired ALL the time.

Base training is where it's at. What do I mean by base? You can get all scientific and talk about lactate threshold, mitochondrial enzymes, heart rate drift, and capillarization, or you can trust your on-board supercomputer (your brain) to do the math for you.

Find a relaxed but steady pace, one which allows for conversation, and keep up the effort for 60 to 120 minutes. On a scale of 1 to 10, it's about a six. When you run a 400, you are at a 10. When you are on the couch, it is a 1. Walking is about a 3 up to a 5. Repeat this as often as you feel able during the week. If you start to feel fried, you went too hard. Scale back the intensity a little but get the time in. There's a remarkable 'dose-response' curve, and it isn't linear. 2 hours can give you a lot more bang for your buck than 1 hour. Every third or fourth day, take a day of complete rest and recharge your batteries.

As you get closer to the season, you'll find that your 'easy' pace is actually pretty fast, and that you can sustain hard efforts for a longer time. It's also OK to vary the theme during the base period, and push harder once, max twice a week. If you do, ramp up the effort to a 7 or 8, and hold it for 20 minute stretches. Too hard? You went too fast ;) Live and learn.

See you soon,
The Coaches