Training « CXC Team Vertical Limit Blog

Posts Mentioning RSS Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

brcook 9:05 pm on March 10, 2010 Permalink | Reply

Winding Down.

By: Bryan Cook

It seems that after the Birkie the season always seems to start to wind down really fast. This year after the Birkie the weather seemed to immediately change from Winter into Spring. For the past two weeks I have not skied without it being over 40 degrees and sunny. It really has been amazing, but at the same time it makes me want to hop on the bike more than train for the upcoming 50km skate National Championship in Fort Kent, ME. However, I am really excited by the chance to become a National Champion so I am hammering out my training (minus getting a head cold this past weekend.)

The trails here in Marquette are still really good despite the fact that they will not groom very often for some reason. I do not understand why people think that if it gets warm they should no longer groom because they think they will lose more snow that way; when in fact grooming the snow makes it way more enjoyable to ski along with keeping the snow more compact so it will last longer. I just finished an interval workout at Blueberry Ridge where they decided to groom and the trail was clean and fast.

A really cool thing Maria and I were able to do last Friday was help with the new disabled program we have here in Marquette that is headed by Jodi Tervo and Andrew Rickauer . CXC has sent a sitski here where they created an Opportunity Center for people with disabilities. They have been meeting on most Friday’s at 5:30 at Suicide Bowl in Ishpeming. There they can rent equipment if needed and they have a nice loop to ski. The program already has youngsters with their eye’s on the next Paralympics. I was able to ski with Dominic and his twin brother for about an hour and it was really fun. Dominic is probably around six or eight years old and really enjoys being able to get out and ski despite having some balance and numbness issues in his lower body. He was also really interested in why we could not just go and jump off the ski jumps? It was really fun to see his excitement about everything outdoors.

As for the rest of the season, Maria, Gus, and I are heading to Gus’ house in Vermont on the 16th where we will be doing some races at Craftsbury before heading to Maine to finish off the season with the 30/50km and the SuperTour finals. It should be a really good time especially if the weather stays like this!

: I have been charging since West Yellowstone last November. (Ian Harvey Photo)

audreyweber 3:52 pm on October 21, 2009 Permalink | Reply

Video – 2009 CXC September Camp

Video Work by Audrey Weber – CXC Team Vertical Limit Member. Look for it under the CXC Programs tab :)
kchaudoin 2:05 am on October 6, 2009 Permalink | Reply

A Change of Scenery

Roller skiing always becomes less appealing as a skier hits the months of October and November. The temperature starts dropping and the days become shorter and all you want is some snow to actually ski on! But before I could hit a real slump in training, the CXC Team Vertical Limit traveled to Lake Placid, New York for our last training camp on roller skis (hopefully), which is exactly what I needed!

The weather here has been on the chillier side, but it is awesome wearing spandex again because that means that snow is just around the corner! The change in terrain has also been great and very refreshing. As to be expected, Lake Placid is pretty different from the Midwest for the reason that it is not lacking the solid V1/striding hills that the Midwest tends to. We are definitely taking advantage of the long, steep up-hills by focusing on the hill climbs for every interval workout we have had out here. As I mentioned before, the change in terrain is refreshing, but more mentally refreshing than physically! Luckily the Olympic Training Center has a variety of recovery options.

One highlight of the week, which Fish briefly mentioned, was the hike/run up White Face. An estimated 2 hour recovery run abruptly turned into 4.5/5 hours (for the girls + Igor) after receiving the wrong directions to get down. The adventure was surprisingly fun though, which I was very impressed with because situations like that can easily become extremely frustrating and stressful. The best part of the run down was seeing Fish appear out of nowhere from the woods, telling us that the van, which had food in it, was only a little over half a mile away. I’ve never been SO happy to see the van. Though the run wasn’t much of a recovery run like it was meant to be, it was still a lot of fun.

Only a couple more days left of camp in Lake Placid, and our 20 some hour drive home is waiting! The next camp for our team is in Yellowstone. Cross your fingers for early snow!

Me and Audrey at the top!

Not knowing the climb down was going to be so long...
kchaudoin 6:05 pm on September 7, 2009 Permalink | Reply

Fitting It All In

Instead of sending Fish a monthly training log, I think pictures of my increasingly awful sportsbra tanline will be sufficient.

Captain of the pontoon...

Huge fish!!! Unfortunately just a huge rock...

Well, we’re in Hayward again. It’s absolutely nuts how quickly the summer is passing! It’s September already and we can technically consider it fall, yikes. Don’t get me wrong, fall is probably my favorite season, with all of the leaves changing colors and the temperature dropping a bit, but I don’t think I’m quite ready for it. I’m pretty sure I can count the number of typical “summer days” that we’ve had on one hand…maybe two…but of course none of those fell on a Monday, which is usually our only day off each week. Oh well, I can’t complain too much. The weather has been optimal for training, and though not every day is perfectly sunny in the 80’s, I still found a few days to have some relaxed, fun-in-the-sun.

One of those days that I found was during my last two week period at home. One of the perks of working at Silver Rapids Lodge (where I work the front desk and waitress) is that employees are able to rent watercrafts for free. KP and I took advantage of that one of the Mondays that we both had off while he was visiting in Ely, and took out one of SRL’s pontoons. We were only able to stay out on the water for a few hours (due to a storm that was coming in) but it was still a relaxing, and awesome time. We packed a lunch, some fishing rods, and sunscreen, and were all set to enjoy the afternoon.

Another highlight of my time at home was the “Get Your Nordic On” Nordic Walking Clinic that I held in Ely. I was really nervous no one was going to show up…but I actually had a few make the clinic. Though I am not an expert Nordic walker by any means, the clinic went especially well. It is awesome leaving a clinic that everyone enjoyed, and over half the people are asking you where to buy the Nordic walking poles so that they can continue the sport that you introduced to them.

As for the Hayward camp, it has been going really well. As Karl was writing, we VO2max tested on Thursday. My test went well and it’s really encouraging to see on paper that I’m becoming fitter and just improving as an endurance athlete in general. As for the next couple of days we are taking it a bit easier than usual, getting ready for our second speed block of the year. It’s a week that not many people are ever REALLY looking forward to, but it’s just one of those times that you are have to be mentally tough and think about how much faster it will make you this winter. So…bring it on!
audreyweber 10:17 pm on August 27, 2009 Permalink | Reply

2009 CXC Team Vertical Limit August Camp

(video work by CXC Team Vertical Limit member Audrey Weber)
audreyweber 3:11 pm on August 13, 2009 Permalink | Reply

2009 REG Camp Video

Video Work by Audrey Weber – CXC Team Vetical Limit Member
kchaudoin 9:15 pm on August 10, 2009 Permalink | Reply

Fun in the Northwoods/Birkie Master’s Camp

    The last time I wrote was in the middle of our speed block at the Hayward camp in July. Needless to say I survived my first speed block : ) and it wasn’t even as bad as I thought it would be! I have to see how I feel after a second, but I think I liked having so much intensity jammed into one week; it made me feel like I was getting some really good training in.

     After the Hayward camp, I spent about a week in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, training with my boyfriend, Kevin Patzoldt, who is a biathlete. We got some really good training in (though my week was pretty small since it was a rest week after our intensity block), while also attending a wedding and spending a day or two on the lake swimming and fishing on off days. Once I left Grand Rapids, I drove back to Ely for about a week, where I spent time with my parents, worked, and of course got some more solid training in. The week in Ely just flew by, and by the time I knew it I was traveling back to the Cable/Hayward area to help coach at the Birkie Master’s Camp August 7^th through the 9^th. Throughout the camp there were several technique sessions, evening lectures, and even one videoing/analyzing session. Matt Liebsch and I also led a trail run and bounding/ski walking session Saturday afternoon. A planned 1:30 trail run quickly turned into a 2:15 session…yeah…Matt and I aren’t from the area ; ). But the run was great, and luckily we didn’t make TOO many wrong turns in the woods, thanks to a GPS unit on a heart rate monitor that Aaron, one of the masters, had!

     All in all the camp was great! I learned a lot about coaching and found even more respect for my coaches for all of the hard work they put in every day. I am very thankful for the experience and also for the chance I had to meet so many talented and hardworking master skiers from the area. I look forward to looking up their results in the next Birkie!

     Now it’s off to Ironwood, Michigan for another CXC Team Vertical Limit training camp. Kuzzy and I are taking off from Cresthill Resort in a little less than an hour.

Enjoying the view of Lake Superior

Training Time
brcook 9:31 pm on August 4, 2009 Permalink | Reply

Colorado Training Camp

By: Bryan Cook

There was an unofficial CXC Team Vertical Limit training camp held in Crested Butte, CO over this past weekend. The players were myself, Maria Stuber, and Gus Kaeding. However, it was not just a training camp, but it was also my best-friend’s wedding. Our former NMU Ski Team teammates James Letson and Kelly Ahern were married at the amazing Lazy F Bar Ranch in Crested Butte. This place was unreal, and the weather for the wedding was perfect.

James and Kelly

If you have never been to Crested Butte you are really missing out. The whole town was great for anything outdoor, as well as indoor, where we celebrated James’ bachelor party on Friday night. We then hiked up Mount Crested Butte on Saturday until we cleared 10,000 feet. The rehearsal dinner was on Saturday night, and then the wedding at 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Crested Butte, CO

Currently, Maria and I are still in Colorado for the rest of the week. We are staying near Boulder with our good friend’s Tami Kochen and Shane Mundt of Mundt Arts. We will be here training at altitude until Saturday when we will fly back to Milwaukee and go to Maria’s high school friend Nicole’s wedding. Back-to-back wedding weekends are going to be pretty intense, but we are both really looking forward to it. After that it is back to Marquette for some more working and training.

Colorado Living
audreyweber 6:49 pm on July 27, 2009 Permalink | Reply

Getting Back in the Game

I was recently told by a not-to-be-named figure in the Hayward ski community that it is important for all high-level athletes to go through at least one serious injury. This person said that facing this type of challenge increases an athlete’s mental toughness, appreciation of physical health, and desire to train and compete. That may be true, I haven’t made a ruling on the notion myself, but I’m pretty sure, despite those hypothesize benefits, no one would ever wish injury upon themselves.

One last flex 5 days before surgery

Regardless, I find myself 3 months and counting out from shoulder surgery. In April I had an open Bankart repair performed on my right shoulder to reattach two severed ligaments in my labrum. Following surgery I was faced with a 6 to 9 month recovery period before I returned to full activity. Talk about mental toughness! My spring training consisted of stationary biking, just about as much as I could tolerate. After putting in the miles on my trainer for two months, I got the go-ahead to start running. Since then I have added some core strength, leg strength, road biking, no pole rollerskiing, and even some plyos. In addition to those activities, I also do physical therapy exercise 3x a day, usually taking about 20 minutes each time. The recovery is slow. Just recently I was able to reach the back of my head to put my hair in a pony tail for the first time since surgery. I see a physical therapist twice a week where my progress is measured, often in a couple degrees improvement in my range of motion. And it will be the end of August before there is any chance that I can think about poling with my right arm.

Spring training. Note the essentials: mini fan, towel for wiping sweat, movie on TV, and a big smile.

One of the most encouraging parts of my recovery has been working with Dr. Jim Mullen, a rehabilitation and physical medicine doctor who donated his time to work with the team during our Hayward camp. After weeks feeling like I was getting no where with my PT, I made a huge jump in just three days of working with Jim. Dr. Mullen quickly went to work assessing me and working out the knots in my scapula and rotator cuff that were preventing my progression . It was an excruciating first 45 minutes that had me biting my lip and fighting off tears, but I was very pleased to find at the end of our session I was able to lift my arm much better than before.

In addition to special work with those of us on the team with past or present injuries, Jim also gave each athlete a general assessment. Using a set of standardized measurements, Jim identified each athlete’s asymmetries and areas of inadequate flexibility, both of which affect one’s athletic foundation. We learned active stretches to improve those areas. It was such a privilege to work with an expert like Jim who looked at movement from a holistic perspective and targeted the problems at their root.

In terms of reaping the benefits of persevering through an injury, I will have to get back to you on that one. I can tell you that my no pole skating is at its all-time best and nothing sounds better to me than going for a long double pole workout!

Dr. Mullen assesses Karl for upper back flexibility

Kristina works with Dr. Mullen .
kchaudoin 6:42 pm on July 15, 2009 Permalink | Reply

- Speed Block -

Igor and Nick Powers working on balance

     Well it’s the start of the second week of the REG/Elite camp here in Hayward, and it’s been going great so far! It was a ton of fun to have Matt Whitcomb and the younger skiers here for the first week. Because Matt was here and also all of the coaches (both Junior and Elite), we spent a substantial amount of our workouts working specifically on technique, which was a ton of help. Not only were we working on technique by simply skiing and being critiqued, we also did a lot of dry-land work, agility drills, skipping on skis, and even being hooked-up to bungees and pulling coaches up-hill.

     Entering into our second week of camp, we are starting a speed block; almost every day this week has an intensity workout, if not two. Yesterday morning we had a track workout (600’s for the ladies, and 800’s for the men), and then in the afternoon we had a two hour weight lifting session. Today everyone had an easy endurance workout, and then this afternoon we are looking forward to a hard, hour-long circuit strength workout. For the rest of the week we have a bounding time trial, skate thresholds, single-stick/double pole intervals, a 5k skate time trial, and then some other easier workouts thrown in between those. The week is going to be tough, but also very satisfying when it is over and I am able to relax all of Monday (our off day). : )

     Stay posted to find out how the speed block goes! I’m sure the other Elites will be commenting on its success.