SKIS, SKIS and MORE SKIS

The beginning of the season not only means its time to race, but it also means its time to “get to know your skis.” Warm skis, cold skis, fine snow skis, klister skis, stiff skis, soft skis, ZR1 grind, Q1 grind, 0+ grind, LJ03 grind and it goes on and on. Those of you familiar with skiing may understand all this jargon, but those of you not as familiar with skiing might wonder what all this means.

Every season I receive two new pairs of classic skis and two new pairs of skate skis. I currently have 16 pairs of skis (I think I counted right). You ask “why so many skis?” Each ski has a different flex and grind, and is better in certain conditions. Generally speaking, colder skis have a finer grind and warmer skis have a courser grind. The fine grind is more suitable for dry, cold snow because the snow crystals are smaller. The course grind allows moisture and water to stream down the grooves of the ski, preventing the skis from having a “sucking” feeling.

With the addition of four pairs of skis, it is important to ski them in a few times during training to get the feel of them and determine what conditions they work best in and how they compare to skis you “know” from previous years. It is best to “test” them against other skis in your fleet to see how much faster or slower they run. The first race in West Yellowstone is usually a great place to do this. Unfortunately, the usual ski trails do not have snow on them and the plateau is not ideal for ski testing, so we are unable to ski on our new skis and test them. Hopefully we will get some good snow in the next few days, not only so we can race, but so we can also “get to know our skis.”

The Sun Valley Ski Team getting ready to hit the trails.

Are You Ready?

It’s that time of year again…several people around the country have witnessed their first snow fall of the season and others have strapped their skis on for the first time…that was me yesterday morning. Snow was in the forecast but I dismissed the possibility of there actually being snow on the ground until I stumbled out of bed and glanced out the window. Sure enough, there was 2 inches of snow blanketing the ground! I was immediately wide awake and excited with the possibility of going for my first ski of the season! Since yesterday, I have enjoyed two great 2 ½ hour skis up near Galena.

First glance out the window

Set tracks

A snowy ski!

Ski number 2

The first snow fall is always a sure sign, and a good reminder, that racing is just around the corner…West Yellowstone races are less than 4 weeks away! Every day I ask myself “what can I do today to better prepare myself for racing in 4 weeks?” I think back to previous years and contemplate what I have done before to prepare for some of my best performances…and this is what I come up with:

1) Train smart- what exactly does this mean? For me, it means to complete each workout as it is meant to be completed…train level 1 when I am supposed to and train level 3 or 4 when I am supposed to. It is also important to go into each workout mentally prepared. Be ready to give your best effort in a hard interval workout, be ready to challenge yourself in a spenst/plyo workout, try your hardest to lift that 50 pound dumbbell during your strength routine.

2) Stay healthy- As the season changes and the air temperature gets colder and colder, wear the appropriate clothing during training. Also remember to bring an extra change of clothes for after the workout. Along with staying warm, it is important to be cautious of how your body is feeling and doing what it takes to escape from getting any kind of bug going around. Remember to wash your hands after going to the gym, take that extra emergen-C, and get that extra hour of sleep.

3) Get appropriate nutrients- this is a big one for me. I don’t know about you, but I always feel much better when I watch what I eat and make a conscious effort to eat a well balanced diet. As an athlete with asthma and a past history of low iron, I limit my intake of dairy, eat more red meat and green leafy vegetables and watch my consumption of teas and coffee during the racing season.

You may or may not be able to relate to these few points, but I have learned from past experience, that these simple tasks make a big difference. Take the extra effort to hone in on one, two or all three aspects as you prepare for this next season. I guarantee you, you’ll notice a difference!