During the holidays, opportunities for races can be few and far between, and it’s often easy to get into the lull of long distance skis with old friends. While these can be fun and beneficial, it's important to get some high intensity and completive training in before the season starts to intensify in January. BSF has the right idea with a hill-climb time trial on Dec. 28.
Last week, Brian Gregg and Matt Liebsch decided on a whim that they might as well splurge for a chartered flight to Bozeman, Mont., for the second set of SuperTour races there. This is the first part of a story about their journey, which started with a two-day drive from Montana to British Columbia and a forgotten passport.
This Wednesday Workout comes to you from Canadian World Cup Team member, Perianne Jones, who's been training at home (and at altitude) in Canmore, Alberta, while preparing for her first international races of the season in Asiago, Italy, Dec. 21-22.
In mid November, national and elite teams start flocking to northern Scandinavia in search of early snow: Muonio, Bruksvallarna, Beitostolen. But what's it like if you're just a normal guy seeking some skiing of your own? Are you going to get "hupped" by an exasperated Charlotte Kalla? Simon Evans investigates this strange world, and learns something about why we love our sport.
Some of the most-useful random knowledge you'll ever need (or care) to know about U.S. Ski Team leader Kikkan Randall. "I used to hate pink," she says of her trademark color. Randall is also Alaska's safest driver -- at least she was as a teen.
With less than a year of nordic experience, Tatyana McFadden -- a three-time Summer Paralympian with 10 Paralympic medals and a marathon Grand Slam to her name -- has her heart set on Sochi. "I have to just be relaxed and go with the transitions," she says. "When it comes time for me to put my skis on the snow, I have to remember everything I've learned ... and ski as fast as I can and hopefully make people proud.”
Bump up your strength routine with gymnast rings -- and no, you don't need to be the next Arthur Nabarrete Zanetti, (wait, who's he?). FS contributor Katie Bono writes: "It’s fun, the rings are extremely portable and versatile, and the exercises develop strength, coordination, and stability. However, the main benefit is that ring training is HARD. Like REALLY HARD."
Nutrition expert Georgie Fear explains how to ward off illness when training volume is at its highest. "As the season approaches, athletes want to be strong, fast, and lean, and putting in the hours to train is essential," she says. "It’s also critical for good nutrition to be a part of your routine."
Noah Hoffman likes some strange things, such as raw meat and raw eggs, but hey, if it makes you fast... Here's some more random info about the 24-year-old Aspen native, who wants to live in the big city someday.
Andy Newell is 30 today, and if you already knew that, check out these lesser-known facts about the U.S. Ski Team sprinter, like his love of fish paste.
Moving on from last season, the Canadians are a calculated bunch and ready to get the World Cup season started -- with a goal of not overemphasizing early results in order to peak for the Olympics. For the entire team, the Tour de Ski is part of the plan.
Some of the most competitive skiers in the U.S. SuperTour circuit give thanks and express appreciation for friends and family before, during and after their Thanksgiving ski sessions in West Yellowstone, Mont., one day before the SuperTour opens there on Friday.
In May, Paralympian Nancy Stevens called up a former teammate, her guide Tony Neaves, 15 years after their last race together. Did he want to join her in West Yellowstone, Mont., for the biathlon race before Thanksgiving? He agreed, and the two came out of retirement together on Wednesday.
You don't have to be a ski nerd or history buff to think this stuff is interesting. A century ago, West Yellowstone was just getting its starts as a tourist town -- one that had to deal with excessive cold and ever-piling snow. What to do? Ski!
There are many things that “get better with age,” such as Ford Mustangs, select cheeses and cowboy boots. While society doesn’t usually place workouts in this category, Chris Osgood and his son Brayton may be changing that. The father-son duo celebrate Chris’ birthday every year by rollerskiing his age in kilometers. They most recently did 60.
Visitor numbers are up for the West Yellowstone Ski Festival and the Rendezvous Ski Trails are open in their entirety, but the snow is a little denser than usual. "It's definitely a little odd for here," groomer Doug Edgerton said of the manmade-like conditions that are 100-percent natural. "Historically, we’re cold and dry."
In his third season of skiing, Omar Bermejo is striving for the 2014 Paralympics in Sochi, Russia. The 31-year-old U.S. Paralympics Development Team member joined the Maine Winter Sports Center this summer in an effort to make that happen and trained with teammates like Kris Freeman in Italy.
Celebrating a birthday often involves cake, candles, and a bit of singing. Not so for Chris Osgood and his son Brayton who participated in what they called the 60 for 60 rollerski on Nov. 16. Every year since turning 30, Chris has rollerskied his age in kilometers, culminating in this year’s ski. Bucking the traditional birthday merriments, he celebrated his sixth decade by rollerskiing 60 kilometers.
It's no secret what Team USA will be wearing at the opening and closing ceremonies in Sochi, Russia: lots of red, white and blue, some ugly sweaters, and clunky boots. But what about the race-day suits for the U.S. Ski Team?
On her 24th birthday, U.S. Ski Team member Sadie Bjornsen shares some little-known facts about her personal life, including what she loves most about being a skier and how Europe turned her into a meat-eater.