On Tuesday morning a group of MNC athletes were lucky enough to join in with the Eastern REG (Regional Elite Group) for a workout up App Gap in the Mad River Valley. The REG is comprised of the top skiers in New England, an honor awarded via success at various levels:
-Regional (Eastern HS Champs, J2 Fest)
-National (US Nationals, Junior Nationals)
-International (U18 Scando Cup, World Junior Championships
Needless to say, it is a group of the very fastest skiers from New England and New York! MNCers Maddie, Amy, Kai, Tim, Charlie, Ethan and Coach Adam took a trip over from “our side of the Green Mountains” to GMVS, where the camp was taking place. We gathered the big crew, had some pre-workout discussion with US Ski Team coach Matt Whitcomb, got in some dynamic exercises led by new US Ski Team member Katherine Ogden and set off for some skating intervals up the gap.
We divided up cars to drive to the starting point. Maddie helped to take a selfie of MNC car #1 (Maddie, Tim, Kai, Adam)
Before starting the ski everybody got some directions and goals from coach Whitcomb and coach Beckwith. The workout was a warm-up followed by 4 intervals up App Gap, getting steeper and more difficult each time. Care had to be taken to start cautiously so that technique and pace could be maintained even at the steepest portions!
After an easy warmup, the group took off their skis for a dynamic warm-up the US Ski Team has been implementing. After a series of awkward jumps, punches, jumping-jacks and lunges we were told that the Ski Team felt this improved their intervals by 1-2%…sounds silly but that can add up!
After this quality warm-up the intervals began. I would consider App Gap to be a little less demanding than the Bolton Access road. It is about the same length from the Waitsfield side, but it begins much more gradually before hitting the really steep terrain. This played perfectly into the goal of the workout. There was a good amount of V2 in the first interval and skiers were able to work together in groups.
Maddie and Amy (3rd and 4th from left) ski with some of America’s top juniors!
Ethan leads a crew along some lower sections. We had beautiful weather: sun, 70 degrees and not humid
Being smooth was key here. I often talk about ‘noise’ when skating. That can refer to literal noise from clomping skis (especially V1), slippy poles and poorly-maintained wheels and bearings. It can also refer to figurative noise: awkward motions, ineffective body position and discomfort with one side of the body over another. I took some video of Katharine Ogden in the first interval. What is impressive is how this smooth and “quiet” skiing held up even at the steep top section after 4 intervals:
The steep sections started to break the group apart, as you’d expect. The REG members were coming off a hard couple days of fitness testing, so climbing a gap was as much a mental battle as a physical one. Interval #3 started at the base of Mad River Glen, so the imposing ski lift and runs made put the climbing in perspective.
Amy begins interval #3 at the base of MRG. Around the right-hand corner in front of her is a monster of a hill that takes a toll even when you’re climbing in a car.
At the final pitch, is was easy to see that the fastest skiers were also the smoothest. They not only got to the top fastest, they did it with grace. At the top everyone was rewarded with a sweeping view of the Champlain Valley, though most didn’t take too much time to admire it.
Toughness for sure: REG athletes with shoulder trouble decide to make it to the top with one pole.
Tim nears the summit. After this session Tim was up at the Range a few hours later for Biathlon training. Serious double session there!
Kai smoothly brings it home, cheered on by Matt Whitcomb. With his house being right at the bottom of the opposite side of App Gap, Kai has spent many years climbing this hill
After everyone reached the summit, we took a short hike through the woods to see the U16 REG athletes (Greg and Conor included) finish up their hillclimb up the ski area. We gathered for a group picture before descending to the local swimming hole. There were a lot of sleepy athletes on the ride home…as I put it to them, a workout like this requires a lot of time and thought AFTER the fact. When you have the opportunity to ski with this type of crowd and learn from one of the best coaches in the business, you better take away all you can and soak it in! The next day, it was back to business here on our side of the gap.
Thanks to GMVS, NENSA and the US Ski Team for letting us join in an awesome session!
Group shot: U16 runners, U18/U20 skiers, coaches and MNC crew! (photo by NENSA)
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