Archive | Masters Blog

Michael G’s Quarantine Vignettes

By Adam Terko on 20 April, 2020 in Masters Blog

A nice collection of selected reading material, including tales and analysis relevant to MNC Masters, compiled and written by Michael G.

Inspiration Station

The last month has felt like a CVS checkout line (remember those?) come to life as we must simply, wait. There are great many things to be anxious about in this current moment but it is most fun to focus on the least meaningful of these in order to distract from the most meaningful.

In my case, it’s the fact that I didn’t get that one last chance to race with friends and prove myself before saying goodbye to the season. I’m sure skiers at every level feel this pain but for a master skier it’s all the more acute given the inevitability of your physiological decline. Last year, quite literally, is never coming back and I’ll be one more year away from my lifetime max heart rate next year.

For this reason, the off-season for masters is an extended effort to walk up an escalator—a prospect made more challenging by having fewer people around to share in the ludicrousness of the exercise.

The good news is that there is lots of good news about aging and athletic performance despite this Sisyphean task. I like to collect articles or interesting pieces of information on this subject to pull out at times like this for a dose of optimism.

Below are a few of the more interesting pieces I’ve seen recently. Note that the only kind of peer review I understand is when I’m late for a carpool, so my science literacy is lacking. What I’m really looking for is inspiration in these articles and enough credibility for me to share with the MNC’ers in the health care world (thank you!).

Data to Consider on the Erg

Stephen Seiler basically wrote the book on the 80/20 training methodology (actually someone else wrote the book and took credit) and is an American professor of sport science working in Norway. He has an active Twitter and analyzed 20 years of Concept 2 data in a recent post. The results indicated good news for masters. The data, shown below, shows that age classified performance for longer distances decreased much less than for shorter distances. No bias here but I was particularly encouraged that for M3s at distances of 10k and above the data indicated increased performance versus M1s.

Run like a Dad

Alex Hutchinson has a regular series in Outside that examines recent developments in sports science. He recently examined the physiological profile of older elite marathoners. Superficially the article is great because it discusses several runners up to the age of 70 breaking the 3 hour marathon. The take away is more important; however, which is the ability of masters athletes to have extended performances at very high levels of VO2 max. Consistent with the Seiler data, it shows that masters both have heart and can crush for a very long race. In other words, despite the fact your engine isn’t the newest model you can redline it much longer than when you pulled it out of the lot. Of course, this does mean keeping that VO2 max high, so be sure to heed Adam’s challenge and make use of this down time!

MNC Masters

There’s no scientific research on the benefits of being an MNC master skier but none is really needed. Like myself, there’s a common thread among masters that are crazy enough to drive two hours for a 30 minute race, which is that we’re either new to Nordic or rediscovering after years away. In both cases, the drive to make up

for lost time is what gets most of us out to the Range and certainly, oblivious to eye-rolls from Kort’s neighbors when attacking the Southridge rollerski course.

Alongside the lost time is ample opportunity to improve technique, which in a lot of cases is way more helpful than cranking out interval sessions. For this reason, a technique heavy sport like Nordic skiing is perfect for an aging athlete because it allows a backdoor for performance improvement even if the only wheels that your going to spent 300 hours on top of are those of your desk chair.

Hopefully, these articles give you enough reason to make it through the next couple months when the promise of warm days outside makes the training easier and the memory of last season more distant. See you out there from afar!

Rollerski season is upon us

By Adam Terko on 20 April, 2020 in Junior Blog, Masters Blog

Although we may all have personal preferences of when to start rollerskiing (all the way from “I can’t wait to get on the rollers this spring” to “Don’t expect me to ever touch those things”) it is generally accepted that for training purposes, the start of rollerskiing coincides with the start of the “training year” on May 1…or in this case, April 27th in terms of how the calendar dates fall.

Due to the fact that we…

a) lost a chunk of end-of-season racing and regular training and

b) have been restricted in our training by remaining socially-distant and keeping off trails

…I am proposing we unofficially begin the rollerski season a week early.

During a switch of seasons, it’s natural to feel a bit awkward while also noticing some soreness in areas that may not present in one sport or another. How many of us began the running season and had to keep it slow and short at the beginning to ease into the new motions and stresses on the body? The same should go for rollerskiing.

This off-season is where we make a lot of technique progress. This progress most often happens through good repetition and habits…as the US Ski Team coaches are fond of saying, “practice doesn’t make perfect: practice makes permanent”. It we go out and do a long ski before we are ready, we might fall into troublesome movement patterns or not have the strength yet to perform motions with good energy. All of a sudden, we are making weak movements permanent by staying out too long and drilling them into our bodies.

Keep it short and steady, increasing week-by-week. Just like a runner builds up mileage to prevent overuse injuries, rollerskiing should be at least somewhat structured in terms of volume. Starting in the 30-50 minute range for the first 2-3 rollerskis is a great way to ease back into the motions. If you feel like that workout is “not long enough”, you could rollerski for the first part and then switch to running or biking for a bit after the ski. But do not be tempted to go out and treat things like you left off with your last long ski at Craftsbury or Trapps.

Stay safe and be seen. While quarantine has made things a bit less crowded on the roads, that’s no excuse not to wear hi-viz clothing while rollerskiing. Unless you are exclusively on a bike path (and even then it might be helpful for others) please wear reflective clothing or, at the very least, a yellow or orange shirt. I don’t think anyone in our club needs to be reminded to wear a helmet during a rollerski, but I’ll put that here anyway…

Drills are your friend, and your poles are not. Unless you have been really working your upper-body during the month of April (bonus points if you have!) you are likely going to get a bit tired in that area first and foremost. In order to gradually build up that tolerance, while also getting in some great balance and technique work, I recommend starting EVERY skate rollerski with 10-15 minutes of no-pole skiing. Not only does this keep you from over-cooking it right off the bat, it also helps the body learn and re-learn good movement quickly by isolating one part of the ski motion. Check out this somewhat-dated but still-relevant MNC video showing several rollerski drills you can do on your own. Another unintended benefit of quarantine? There are a lot of empty parking lots out there!

For those of us with classic rollerskis, it is never too early to work on double poling, though I might suggest keeping those DP-specific sessions even shorter than a skate session because this is the technique where it can be very easy, especially in the early-season, to break down in the core, hip, and upper-body areas. A progression of drills the Juniors have done for years is what we call the “activation drill”. I would be a wealthy coach if I had a nickel for every lap of Stadium Loop at the Range that has been done by the Juniors as a part of this “activation drill”…it is basically the way we will begin most every rollerski practice, as it is worthwhile both for double pole and V2 technique.

Rollerskiing also comes down to the equipment itself. Make sure your gear is ready to rock! Just like you would check your bike tires before a ride, make sure all nuts and bolts are tightened. I’m a big fan of using Loc-Tite or any other brand of thread-locking fluid which is a few bucks at most hardware stores. It’s a 10-minute task to loosen the nuts holding your wheels on, putting a little Loc-Tite on them, and re-tightening.

Sharp pole tips are pretty useful…you can buy new ones when they get dull, OR you can use a diamond-file to keep them sharp and get a LOT of use out of just one pair!

You can get ones from Swix or other tuning brands which are technically made for alpine ski edges. These are sold at Skirack in the alpine tuning section on the lower floor near the bike service desk.
You can purchase tool-sharpening diamond files from hardware stores (this yellow Smith one is the model I have, and I like it because it’s a bit larger AND yellow, which means I’m less-likely to lose it or leave it somewhere on the side of the road or trail).

If you have composite rollerskis (made of a mix of materials and cap construction) like Marwe 620 or Swenor Fibreglass, check the wear on the materials. When using these types of skis try as best you can to keep them clean or at least wiped-off if you’re skiing through terrain that’s got dirt, sand, salt, etc…

Lastly: remember that MNC members get 30% off Swenor rollerskis at www.enjoywinter.com with the code “MNC1920” at checkout! Swenor skis can also be found at Skirack right in downtown Burlington! Other good sources for rollerskis at reasonable prices:

RollerskiShop.com/Pursuit Rollerskis

Pioneer Midwest/Hjul Rollerskis

Got skis? App Gap 2019 by Pennie Rand

Quarantine Uphill Challenge!

By Adam Terko on 9 April, 2020 in BKL Race Blog, Junior Blog, Masters Blog

Now a NENSA event!

With the running season starting in earnest for many of us, it’s time to collectively rally toward a goal. We may not be able to gather in person, but Virtual Races

have become a way for athletes to stick to some familiar territory (the competitive side) regardless of the social distance between them.

For the ultimate in socially-distant masochism, look no further than the recently-completed Quarantine Backyard Ultra, won by Mike Wardian after running 262.5 miles worth of 4-mile loops in his neighborhood.

Our new challenge for Spring 2020 is not quite as epic in terms of length…but you WILL notice that the quarantine ultramarathon race came down to 2 competitors, one on a treadmill and the other (Wardian) running on a flat loop in Arlington, VA. What’s lacking here? That’s right, some UPHILL!

Our MNC training year often starts off with a grueling workout: the Bolton Uphill Run Test. We use this test to gauge fitness several times in the year…often once in the spring, twice in the summer, and once or twice in the fall. It’s not unheard of for the first test of the year (May) to involve scrambling over some un-melted snow, just as we’re equally likely to have snow falling on our heads during the final test of the year in October or November. We keep a long-running archive of tests to track fitness.

In this time of COVID-19, we are putting the challenge out there for New England skiers to run their own uphill test to kick-off May. Much like NENSA’s Club Cup and Zak Cup, this is a challenge for everyone! You’ll find the rules to be quite forgiving when it comes to the “uphill” requirements. Read more below:

What: MNC Quarantine Uphill Run Challenge

When: May 1st, 2nd, or 3rd (Fri/Sat/Sun)

Rules: Run your own uphill test, on foot, as fast as you can. The requirements for this test?

-Race must finish higher than it started: a net elevation gain. No minimum or maximum on the elevation gained…it can even finish just going up your driveway if that’s higher than the surrounding road!

-Race has to be on foot…no faster means of transportation like a bike, or even rollerskis..!

-Race cannot take place on closed trail systems such as the Long Trail or local MTB networks. Please respect the closures from our trail stewards, and focus on roads (paved or dirt).

-Use the form below to submit your race data, including (optional) Strava or other fitness-tracker details as well as photos. We will have awards for all sorts of catagories including most elevation gained, fastest 2-mile course, most creative route, and best race photo (can be staged).

Results Submission Form

Submissions due by Monday, May 4th. Time to start planning your ultimate uphill test!

Home Training Motivation

By Adam Terko on 2 April, 2020 in BKL Race Blog, Junior Blog, Masters Blog, Uncategorized

We skiers are pretty lucky. In a training sense, this pandemic struck at just about the one key time of year when we are usually already taking a break from training and racing heavily. Really, if it was going to happen one month of the year and we had our choice of which month to sacrifice, it would definitely be April.

But it also brings about this double-edged sword, as being cooped-up in our homes makes many of us feel all the more anxious to get active. If you’re into Nordic skiing chances are you are a pretty fit, motivated person. What’s more, we aren’t supposed to be driving too far for our adventures for the sake of keeping any risk at a minimum. For some of us that’s easier said than done…I am lucky to live out in the boonies of West Bolton, where I can access both old and new sections of the Long Trail, 2 different forest preserves, and gateways into the V.A.S.T. snowmobile trail network less than a mile from home.

Yesterday I went for a run exploring and connecting some of the various trailheads and natural areas down the road. On numerous times I’ve gone on short adventures around here whether solo, with friends, or with the Juniors, but have never quite pieced together some of the possible loops. In all honesty, it’s kind of shameful that I haven’t explored so much of the possibilities right outside my door. Time for that to change, especially under the circumstances.

Given a lot of free time and some pleasant weather I set out and had a great little trip through the Wolf Run natural area, the Preston Pond/Libby’s Look area, and sections of the old Long Trail off Notch Road. Old cellar holes dot the landscape, and boundaries are marked with crumbling stone walls and gates. On Notch Road, I even ran by an old, defunct ski area (Oxbow Mountain) that is now just a regular backyard although the T-bar still stands and cuts a line through the trees, beckoning a full day of wandering around if the landowners would ever allow it…how many people knew that there was a reasonably-sized ski area on the OTHER side of the hill from Bolton Valley?

As nerdy as it sounds, I am definitely a local-history aficionado. Thinking about ski areas, farms, trails, and pioneering times in this still-rural part of Vermont got me firing up Google pretty much as soon as I came back inside. Sure enough, about an hour and a half later I had sifted through quite a bit of history in this area, from the flood of 1927 (which hit the “Bolton Flats”…known then as “Pinneo Flats” harder than anywhere else in VT given the geography), to the incredibly multi-stage story of the founding of Bolton Valley as a ski area, starting with a series of cabins constructed by Edward Bryant (sound familiar?) in the 1920s and leading all the way to the paved access road and a proposed interstate exit that never happened.

For those interested, this History of Bolton Vermont, written by Gardiner Lane (sounds familiar?) is pretty fascinating. In addition to Bolton Valley skiing and the flood of ’27, there’s also a lot of interesting history of the Camp Ethan Allen Training Center…who knew that:

There used to be TWO biathlon ranges/trail systems (a lower and upper one, for low snow conditions)…I have my guess as to where trail system #2 was located…
There was a period of time when non-live bombs were dropped from planes over parts of the base for testing
Huge caravans regularly used to travel up from Essex and Colchester (Camp Johnson) routinely, before the base was self-contained

But if you DON’T live in West Bolton, Vermont, which is probably most of the population reading this, what’s the point? My challenge to you is to go for a run or a bike ride right from your home, and try to scout out some local history. It could be something abandoned, some name of an outdoor preserved space, or even just a plaque or sign. When you get back from your workout, do a little digging to find out more, and you might be inspired to return and scope out some more history and locations the next time you lace up and head out…

Resources:

Bolton VT History pages

Friends of Bolton page (w/History tab)

Construction of Bolton Lodge back in the day…ski down far enough on Broadway and you’ll get here!

2020 Club Cup Champions!

By Adam Terko on 26 March, 2020 in Masters Blog

It’s official! With the final season-rankings now posted, MNC has won the 2020 NENSA Club Cup! This would not have been possible without our many Masters racers who lined up at the start this winter. Whether you raced for your 20th season in a row, or put on a bib for the first time in the 19/20 season, thanks for being a part of the success…remember, at a Club Cup race EVERYONE scores, so just signing up and competing in a race means you helped our club achieve a new benchmark for Masters racing.

Check out this article from NENSA where you’ll recognize lots of familiar MNC names of racers also earning honors in individual Zak Cup standings in addition to our strong group performance.

NENSA: Final Club Cup Rankings

A big thanks to Katie Hill and Karen Alence, whose tireless efforts to rally the troops and encourage participation played such a big role this year. It will certainly feel different heading into the 20/21 season as the “defenders” of the cup rather than the perennial chasers…but what more motivation do you need to get out there, train hard, and get excited for the upcoming season. We have a while to prepare yet, but it’s never too early to start thinking about what more our club can achieve.