The Norwegian national team just finished their first dryland camp of the season. National team coach Krister Soregard attacked the skier’s weaknesses from day one.
The spring is barley over, but the national team already has one camp under their belt ahead of this important World Championship season. Despite being only late May, it was not an option to start with a careful approach.
– We did much of the same as we are doing at other dryland camps in the fall at this camp, says coach Soregard.
The Norwegian men had podium finishes in both pure skate races and in classic races last season. They were however not able to accomplish that when you combine these two techniques into the same day continues pursuit event. They are attacking that problem now.
– It will be extra “same day pursuit†focus, we are going to train more on the transition between classic and skating in both hard workouts and distance sessions. It’s going to be more continuity in this, says Soregard.
They did their first rollerski time-trial of the year as continues pursuit last Saturday. This was meant to be what signaled the increased focus on this type of competition. Part of the problem has not been that the Norwegian skiers weren’t able to stay with the best skiers toward the end, but that the sprint and high speed skills at the very end didn’t measure up. An additional sprint session was therefore added also for the all-rounders, at this camp.
– Each skier has their own maximal speed. We need to make it natural for them to ski at this pace. They have to get used to using max speed so that this doesn’t happen for the first time in a sprint to the finish this winter.
“Old†heroes like Alsgaard, Ulvang and Daehlie was also a part of this camp.
– I feel that the working with Thomas has been positive so far. What his exact role will be is too early to say, but technique will be a main area. He can ski with the skiers during workouts at high speed and give advice as they move along. Ulvang and Daehlie stopped by at the camp and talked about their thought process and attitudes. That was beneficial and it might be that we want to invite them again regarding this, said Soregard.
Short wrap up of what was done at the camp:
Tuesday
AM Roll, distance, classic double poling
PM Roll, sprint training and weight room strength
Wednesday:
Two long distance session for a total of more than five hours
Thursday:
AM Skate rollerski intervals: 7 x 10 minutes with 2 minutes recovery at a heart right under anaerobic threshold.
PM Weights
Friday: 3 hours classic roll
Saturday: 20 kilometer pursuit style rollerski time-trial (10 k classic and 10 k skate)
