Oberhof Training

Yesterday morning we did skate sprint intensity in the tunnel. The workout was three sets of eight repetitions of 30 second intervals at sprint race pace. (A sprint race in cross country skiing is anywhere between 1200 meters and 1800 meters and generally takes between three and three and a half minutes.) The first set of intervals we did on terrain that  went down then up then around a 180 degree corner and back down and back up. The second set we did straight uphill. The third set we did from a standing start on flats with another 180 degree corner. Here’s some good video from Jason Cork of the session.

This morning we classic skied in the tunnel. Here’s a cool picture Eric Packer took.

It was great skiing because we had the right kick wax on our skis thanks to the Canadian junior team telling us what to use. They’ve been here for more than a week. We were skiing on blue klister covered with VR50 hard wax. Here are Cork and Tad Elliott waxing skis in a hazy tunnel (because of the snowmaking machines.)

The workout this morning included more fast skiing. It was a two hour distance session with 16 ten-second speeds. Cork took some more good video from this morning:

This afternoon we did an easy hour and a half skate roller ski. We took some time to do another synchronized skiing photo shoot.

The rollerskiing is great here in Oberhof. Some of the paved trails are on the same course I hope to race this winter for the first two stages of the Tour de Ski. It is a great opportunity to see the trails. Here are (from left to right) Eric Packer, me, Tad, and Simi Hamilton skiing under one of the ski bridges here in Oberhof. Cork is standing on the bridge. Coach Chris Grover took the photo.

And here’s a picture, also by Grover, of me leading Simi up one of the hills.