The CXC Team August camp started in Hayward in Mid-August and then joined MN Nordic Project for a four day camp on the North Shore of Lake Superior to wrap up 2 weeks of quality training. The Hayward section of the camp concluded with a skate rollerski time trial. Week one included more intensity, while the second week focused on aerobic endurance training.
WEEK ONE:
Day 1: We started with an easy jog, short strength and stretch at 7:00 AM. Departed at 9:00 AM for running intervals on the track. The women did 10 X 800 meters and the men did 10 X 1,000 meters at an intensity slightly above threshold (6 mmol lactate) with 3 minutes of recovery. The goal of the intervals was to accumulate lactate acid during the interval and rapidly flush during recovery. The goal was to maintain pace, heart rate and lactate for all intervals. It is evident that an athlete is not flushing lactates between intervals if they display increasing lactates at the same pace. The function to flush lactate is predominantly due to aerobic capacity.
We are becoming more efficient at these workouts. Alternating from the track to skate intervals. The goal is to do all these intervals in a sport specific manner, but the track is excellent for the athletes to learn the intensity output and pacing skills.The day concluded with a 5:00PM strength session. Most of the activities utilize free weights. We did three sets with 8, 8 & 5 repetitions. Core exercises are typically at a slightly higher repetition.
Day 2: Rigorous days are followed with easy endurance days. The morning working included skate rollerskiing with technique emphasis and an afternoon run with a general endurance fitness emphasis.
Day 3: We started with an easy jog, short strength and stretch at 7:00 AM followed by a 9:00 AM specific strength poling. We have increased the resistive load of our poling strength by utilizing a steeper grade. Light body resistance strength with some plyometrics concluded the day.
Day 4: Saturday included threshold ski walking intervals in the AM and an easy PM jog. The athletes nailed the intensity based on lactate analysis. We have witnessed positive pace shifts throughout this workout due to technique improvements. Our goal is to nail pace and intensity and witness continued improvement.
Day 5: We headed to Ino, WI and did a 3.5 hour over distance classic on Cty Rd. 246. Cty Rd 246 is a very remote road intersecting Highway US 2. Bill and Matt Pierce from Hayward HS joined us for a couple of hours. It was an enjoyable ski with rolling to gradual terrain. Cool temperatures for the whole ski. The weather was almost perfect until we were soaked by cold rain at the very end during our pick-ups.
WEEK TWO:
Day 6 : We took the entire day off. Caitlin and Matt Liebsch joined Garrott, Laura and Brian. Traveling with Caitlin and Matt were Ben Kremer and Mary Beth Liebsch. We have since nominated/ promoted Mary Beth to CXC Team cook. Thanks Mary Beth for the cooking!
Day 7: The AM session included a relatively short skate threshold interval set and the afternoon was off.
Day 8: We started with an easy jog, short strength and stretch at 7:00 AM. We then did a morning distance skate workout and a strength session in the afternoon.
Day 9: Our morning workout included 30 sec double pole intervals focusing on power and technique. We followed up the double pole intervals with specific strength single stick and a specific core strength exercise. The afternoon was off.
Day 10: We started with an easy jog, short strength and stretch at 7:00 AM. Followed by a general endurance workout in the morning. Caitlin, Brian and Garrott went for a distance run. Laura opted to switch it up and go for a road bike. I joined Laura. It was a laid back and enjoyable ride which took our mind away from skiing for a little bit. We had a little pact — no discussion of skiing for the 2.5 hour ride. We tried. Each of us brought up skiing twice.
Day 11: The Team plus a few local athletes did a skate time trial at Cty OO. This provided some feedback on performance, for we did the same time trail in July. We use test rollerskis, so results can be accurately compared. It was great having John Bauer join us. The men on average dropped 57 seconds and the women an average dropped 17 seconds. Then on the road to Grand Marais, MN to join Piotr Bednarski and his MN Nordic Project North Shore Camp. We did a short strength regimen once we arrived.
The four day North Shore Camp predominantly consisted of distance runs on the scenic Lake Superior trail. Piotr Bednarski stated, “It was great having the CXC athletes here, for it raised the bar of our camp.” The CXC athletes enjoyed the opportunity to train with a fresh group of generally younger athletes.
Day 12: We started with an easy jog, short strength and stretch at 6:30AM. The AM session included classic threshold intervals on a long ascent on the Gunflint trail. In the afternoon, we ran from our remote outpost into Grand Marais on the Lake Superior trail. We were rewarded with an abrupt and rapid decent into Grand Marais. The scenery was great. Negotiating the descent was a blast. We played some ultimate Frisbee and took a swim in Lake Superior.
Day 13: We went on an 18 mile jog on the Lake Superior trail. We departed south of Lutsen Alpine Village and jogged to Lutsen. MN Nordic Project had lunch, liquids and snacks half way. The total duration was between 3.5 and 4 hours for the athletes.
Day 14: We traveled southbound in the morning to Silver Bay. We were dropped off and ran 12 miles on the Lake Superior trail. We then fueled back up and immediately double poled on the bike path the remainder of the way to Gooseberry Falls.
The CXC Team heads to the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid shortly for a 2 week Camp with the US Ski Team and others September 11th through the 25th. Several other CXC Development Group members led by Yuri Gusev will join us there for one week.
Stay tuned…train wisely,
Bryan Fish
CXC Team Head Coach
Name Skate Time Trial (7/4) Skate Time Trial (8/19) Garrott Kuzzy 14:01 13:02 Matt Liebsch 14:11 13:07 Brian Gregg 14:14 13:27 Caitlin Compton 15:43 15:23 Laura Valaas 17:35 17:20
