Ben Parsons givin' er at Jackson - photo: Mark GockeIntervals. The very thought of the word makes my pulse rise. From my first exposure to them as a 14 year old swimmer to my weekly date with them now, intervals inspire varying degrees of pain and satisfaction while preparing me to perform at my best. If you want to go fast in an endurance event, there is no substitute for regular exposure to high intensity training.]]>
Middle Teton ascent/descent profileWhen my various ski partners contact me about skiing together the upcoming weekend, it almost always involves some challenge with ample amounts of physical discomfort. My text from Nate Brown on Wednesday was typical. "Race style push on the Middle Teton for time." This meant light packs, silly light skimo race boots and skis and lots of heavy breathing. I always get a little tickle in my stomach contemplating these adventures immediately after my phone chimes with the invite. But I love this sort of thing and conditions were looking prime.]]>
photo: Mark GockeAs I have asserted many times in these pages, it takes about 15 hours a week to bring out the best performances in a recreational endurance athlete. Professionals typically train 20-30 hours but lack the other stressors in their lives like real jobs that add to the total physiologic and psychologic stress load. This "non training stress" (NTS) is something the majority of recreational athletes fail to recognize and consider when developing training programs. Any advising coach who fails in this regard is doing a huge disservice to their clients.]]>
2012 Skimo National Champion Luke NelsonLast weekend's Ski Mountaineering National Championship race at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort turned out to be great opportunity to look at different training regimens and their possible impact on performance. Using a few performance monitoring gadgets (heart rate monitor, chronometer, altimeter), all part of the Suunto T6 computer, I was able to analyze data from two successive races one year apart on nearly identical courses.]]>
Well, it's here. The big weekend. The reason for the dedication in the face of a less than stellar early season snow pack. All things considered, I'm as ready as I can be. I even have race boots this year. No excuses. Now, if I can get some good rest and recovery in the next few days I should be firing come Saturday morning.
]]>
It's no secret that I love innovation in outdoor gear. CAMP-USA has been at the fore front of equipment innovation for some time now.]]>
Part of moving quickly in the mountains is maintaining energy levels. Forget to eat and you won't be going anywhere too fast for too long. In a race, this can be devastating but it can also suck on any long tour. Now, if you're the kind of skier that brings along some tasty turkey sandwiches, a big bag of trail mix and a couple of your favorite chocolate bars, well, you might as well stop reading right here. But if you've been experimenting with modern endurance fuels, carbohydrate gels and blocks, and you like what they do for you then read on.]]>
25 Short, Turkey Chute, Maverick tour profile, GTNPI am a self-confessed reluctant adopter of performance monitoring technology. I even wrote a piece on my "anti-technology" feelings here. But I will admit, now that I've been using my Suunto T6 for awhile, I really enjoy poking around the data. For someone who blogs about this stuff, using these devices gives me stuff to talk about.]]>
It's been a productive but not too structured fall. I was roller skiing and running regularly with an eye towards the Ski Mountaineering National Championships here in Jackson in early January. That races shows up early on the calender and it's hard to feel completely ready for it.]]>
With a new season upon us, back country skiers everywhere are digging through their closets and bringing season-appropriate gear back to the front and getting stuff like mountain bike equipment out of the way. Seems like we forget where we put the beacon, shovel, repair kit, etc. Of course, skins are part of the search and, once found, a quick inspection often reveals crappy skin glue that you can no longer ignore.]]>