Winterize Your Fitness, cont'd
Nordic, Alpine, Telemark they are all a great workout and a blast! I started nordic skiing in college but did not start training seriously for it until the winter of 1998/1999. During the fall of 1998 I signed up for Vasaloppet, a 90 km ski race in Sweden. I thought it’d be fun to take a mental break during the winter and try racing in a new sport. I knew from speaking with friends, who ski raced in college, that nordic skiers achieve the highest VO2 Max values of any athletes and the leg strength built during the winter provides a head start to the spring cycling season.
It wasn’t easy at first, keeling over every couple of hundred meters to catch my breath, nordic skiing reminded me more of running the 800 in high school track than an aerobic workout. The hard work paid off — I skied a great race. I enjoyed training and racing so much for Vasaloppet that I knew I had discovered another passion.
Living in Stockholm this winter has been especially challenging. The sun rises in Stockholm after 9:00 AM and sets around 2:00 PM. The weather has been extremely gray, in late November and December we went 24 days without seeing the sun. But, luckily now that it is January, the days are getting longer and the sun shows its face more often.
Winter training does pose some unique challenges. First, is the weather. For cold weather training, dressing in layers is key. There is a fine line between under dressing and being cold and over dressing and saturating your clothes with sweat. Experiment with clothes to discover what combinations work best in what conditions. The second challenge is the lack of light, winter is a dark time of year. For running, I scout routes with lots of outdoor lights with my car. For other activities I use a headlamp. I started with an inexpensive Petzl lamp with about 5 watts of power, but upgraded last winter to a Niterider HID system with 40 watts of power. The Petzl is a great introductory light, but for more technical applications, the Niterider is king.
Winter Training Tips:
1) Pick a winter training goal. Make it something fun! Learn how to nordic ski, run a snowhoe race, master that tough slope at the local ski resort.
2) Get Outdoors! Enjoy the winter!
3) Its easy to make winter training excuses. The tri seasons far away, it’s to dark or cold. Don’t fall into the trap!
By successfully integrating winter sports into my yearly training schedule, I am “hungry” year round. As the summer season winds down, I can’t wait to get out on my skis and as the winter blossoms into spring, I enter the tri season in better shape and mentally stronger then my competitors.

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Component Upgrade & Frame Materials
By USAT Level I Coach Kevin Konzack
It’s not a surprise the top pros choose carbon and titanium. The shock absorption they offer over aluminum and steel is incredible. The strength to weight ratio is equally as impressive. If you plan on attending a race with rough roads this year, such as Ironman New Zealand or Australia, think about a few modifications to your steed, pending funding availability. Maximizing your comfort with use of carbon posts (such as Deda BlackStick), fork, titanium frame or carbon, or carbon wheels, cushioned seat covers, will make those races much more bearable. While entirely possible to do most courses on any frame material or components, the benefits to your back and feet comfort will pay dividends when it is time for the run. Often, one other overlooked component is the saddle.
Making sure it is in good condition, or using a neoprene/gel seat cover like the QR Softie cover, can make life easier on the road to the finish line. Most top age groupers and pros will only use a saddle one season, two at most. Replacing a few parts (i.e., fork, seat post), or doing research on which frame materials are best shock absorbing, will definitely allow you a start to finish enjoyment level you never dreamed possible.
The best place to start for component replacement are those directly bearing weight or coming in contact with part of your body. For sure the saddle/seat post, and since part of your weight is often shifted to the bars while standing, beginning with the fork and bars is a start. Carbon bars, of any manufacturer are better than using the aluminum. They don’t have to be the most expensive models, just something other than the rigid metal of pre-space age materials.
A few component changeovers can mean a big change in comfort from start to finish. A change in comfort can you let you focus on your pacing and race strategy, which is really where want your attention on race day.

CQT - Coach's Quick Tip - Favorite Strength Training Exercises

Coach Mike: For core strength work I like to do 'basket hangs' - hang from a pull up bar, and without swinging your body, pull your knees up to your chest or as far as you can. Make each rep slow and deliberate without swinging and using momentum. Try 7- 10 reps to start with. Build to 2x20 reps.
Coach Erik: I prefer lat pulldowns, alternating finishing to the chest and behind the head.
Coach Kevin: Using a exercise ball, place it a couple feet from the wall. Place the ball right under your pelvis/hip, with your body & face, facing the side walls of the room. Top leg is over the bottom leg, placed far enough apart where the wall/floor meet, which allows you to balance on the ball. Drop down with your hands behind your head until the torso touches the ball. Raise yourself up until your torso is straight again.
Coach Mark: For weight training, the off-season is the most opportune time to work on strengthening the sport specific muscles and ligaments used in triathlon. I like doing lunges and squat excercises where the latter is considered a multi-joint workout. Always, always start out with a weight that's almost too easy and concentrate on form, then slowly pro g ress to heavier weights. Don't worry about the person next to you using three
Coach AJ: For a core drill: Hook your toes under something solid as if you were to do regular sit ups. Then, holding a 10-15 pound plate six inches from your chest, rotate to the left so the weight hits the ground just past your left hip. Rotate back to center and continue to the right. Back and forth counts as one, work your way up to 30.

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