It’s training camp time!
We’re in the midst of a warmer-than-usual fall, I feel. The 67-degree highs aren’t going to last much longer in Leadville, however, so I think it’s time to run up mountains and bike on gravel while they’re clear.
I don’t know about you, but I feel like every year I live in Colorado, I discover 15 new routes I need to try out and check off one or two! When it comes to training — and life — contentment is a hard thing to achieve, I guess.
“Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God’s wise and fatherly disposal in every condition.”
I don’t know if the ‘ultimate training camp’ will emerge this year, the next, or ever. Even if my ‘training camp’ turns into a one-day car-camping trip to Buena Vista, you know I’m going to be pretending that I’m Bolshunov heading to a remote Armenian lodge for a month of intense rollerskiing and chucking cinder blocks in the air.
Ski news
- The U.S. Ski Team is currently in Park City, Utah for its fall training camp, per an NNF release. The NEG/NTG camp occurs from Oct. 13-20. Christie and I are debating on having me (or all of us) drive out to Park City for the final week. The plan would be to enjoy a family camping trip while also having me report on the training camp….possibly set up athlete interviews and do live shows…sort of like the MN Vikings training camp live shows on KFAN. We’ll see. Don’t hold your breath, but it would be fun! (And real, exciting journalisming!)
- Trail to Gold coaching grants were awarded for the 2024/2025 World Cup season.
- Here’s an update on Helene Marie Fossesholm’s injury status. It sounds like the best-case scenario is that she’ll endure 6 weeks on crutches. The worst: she’ll need to operate. If that happens, the season is over, most likely. We’ll know more at her next appointment in the beginning of November. One of the most promising young Norwegian stars, Fossesholm was dropped from the national team in April after a couple poor seasons. She has been working with her dad Oivind, as coach and seemed to be improving until the injury at a soccer match, where she dislocated her knee cap.
- Kristine Stavas Skistad is on the Norwegian national team, but she hasn’t partaken in any team training functions. Part of the agreement she accepted in the spring was that she’d join the team if she would be allowed to train alone with coach Lage Sofienlund at her home club. Langrenn reports that the national team athletes and coaches haven’t seen much of the sprint star since April. Head coach Sjur Ole Svarstad has had some contact, and apparently reminded Skistad she is “more than welcome to join the community.” New assistant coach, Marit Bjorgen, appears a bit confused by the whole situation. “I see that the others could have been challenged with Kristine on the team, that would have been very positive. Developing with others is positive,” she said.
- Coverage of Norwegian cross-country skiing is down 30% compared to the ‘glory days’ of 2010-2018, according to the media company Retriever. Some people think the reason is because the team lacks stars like Marit Bjorgen, Therese Johaug, and Petter Northug. Over the weekend, Johaug suggested athletes need to take some of the responsibility and engage with media. Heidi Weng hit back, telling Langrenn it’s hard to do so when media coverage is always negative. Anne Kjersti Kalva agrees, saying “I think that’s the reason why you don’t see so many profiles flourishing. You are harsh, negative, it often becomes whining. Often you have an agenda, it is difficult to control which direction the interviews will take. Then you get boring performers and boring answers.” TV expert Petter Skinstad has some interesting thoughts on the matter, too. “That the Ski Association is in the situation they are in now is due to laziness,” he said. “It cannot be explained in any other way. They have been spoiled for attention and resources for a number of years. The association must take some demanding measures to avoid people being indifferent to cross-country skiing. It is a prerequisite for becoming the best. Now they have to get on the field, meet the media with openness and transparency, and stop seeing the media as enemies.”
- Arild Monsen will continue as the Norwegian sprint national team coach for the next two seasons. He started with Norway in 2013, after stints in Canada and Sweden.
- Maja Dahlqvist won the 15-kilometer freestyle rollerski race at the Svenska Spel Summer Tour over the weekend. Even though the competition lacked names like Frida, Ebba and Linn, the 43-second win was a good sign for Dahlqvist, who had a similar victory at the competition last year before losing form. “It hasn’t felt this good in a year. I thought I would come back here and get my form back, because this is where I lost it last year, she told
Expressen after the race. Langrenn reported that Dahlqvist and boyfriend Kevin Bolger, an American skier, moved to Trondheim, the location of the 2025 world championships. - Sophia Laukli is going to run in the Golden Trail Series finale, even though she’d previously said she’s done with trail running for the season.
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Seder –
I loved the live from Taco Bell attempt. Great Stuff.
I also subscribed, don’t feel pressure from your adoring fans (paying fans) to create content when you’re too busy to do so. The show will be better if you pace yourself and don’t force out content when life is hectic (or the wife needs you to be doing more important things). Anyways, I love to dole out advice to people, if only anyone would take heed of my wisdom????? Thanks for the great stuff.
I just registered for Seeley Hills and Noquemanon Classic. The Birkie is dead to me, the Pepsi Challenge is a strong possibility, like over 75% for me. If your schedule brings you to any of those, I’d be happy to collaborate on ridesharing and/or waxing. PEACE
Taco Bell Guy
TB Guy –
Oh trust me, I feel the pressure, and I’m positive I’ll poop out some terrible content in this hectic life!!
But…I’ll do my best to heed your wise advice!
As for racing….I’m thinking I need to give the actual Birkie a try before I cast it off…Plus, what about Birkie Classic Stats Guy!? Pepsi is also a strong possibility, as is — wait for it — the 50k skate at Finlandia, the ultimate of all ultimate Minnesota classic races. Back to Bemidji Baby! Let’s go!
-SederSkier
I was driving back and forth from Steamboat yesterday and listened to your recent podcast. In general I disagree with the comments on this 45 hour week. Unless one is well prepared for it. My thought is the longer it takes to recover and adapt the less the accrued benefit. Clearly some folks wont agree with that. But looking at elite training I would say many do because the ramp of volume is far flatter and more stable than say 10-20 years ago.
I like many of your thoughts on development. But no one ever questions in skiing why are we selecting these 16 groups. Certainly we are at best terrible at identifying talent at those ages. And if one perceives it to be successful I would suggest it is because who we select out not who we select in.
Keep at it. I need to do more van trips so I can catch up on all the noise
-Jim
Jim – I’m glad you’re still listening to the show! It makes me happy. Yes, more van trips, always! I long for them as well haha!
On the 45-hour week, I share some similar thoughts. First, it certainly only has any benefit at all for a person who comes into it prepared. I think the same is true for any ‘big stupid’ type workout, for the most part. If you’re averaging 8 hours of training a week, doing a 45 hour week is going to set you back, not move you forward. If you’ve never run more than three miles, I don’t think it’s wise to try and cover 60!
I think you bring up a good point when it comes to ‘accrued benefit.’ If what you mean is that stacking physiological bricks — of manageable size — on top of one another for days and days, weeks and weeks, and years upon years, is how improvement happens, then I’m all with you. In that paradigm, I can see how a 45-hour week — or a 3-week Grand Tour or massive 6-hour double pole — is not going to move you forward because the time it takes to adapt is preventing more brick-stacking, essentially. I suppose the real answer is that while that principle is probably a good one to pocket, it’s different, at least a little, for everyone in practice. For the person who does 200 days in a row of really meticulous, well-recovered, properly apportioned training, throwing in a big weekend of biking or running or skiing is a good shakeup and a beneficial stimulus. It’s hard to know all the background of Hagenbuch’s training coming into it. Personally, I probably would have advised him to shoot for something more in the 30-35 hour range if he wanted to stretch himself. You’re probably right, 45 is just too massive.
Still, I think there is a place for ‘man-maker’ workouts….but the nature of the prescription matters. Some really driven individuals have a tendency to bury themselves and consequently take three steps back or file a championship race effort into some meaningless interval session’s bank account.
I would love to have you on the show to talk more!
-SederSkier
VeloSwap is back
On Nov. 2, Colorado’s largest bike expo returns. Wake up early and stand in line while you sip coffee under the freeway, waiting to get into the National Western Complex in downtown Denver. Go for a run beforehand (or don’t exercise at all — you’ll be walking around a huge building shopping for cheap parts and crazy deals) and then go to a buffet and hammer afterwards. Sleep overnight in a freezing van with your 2-month old the night before so you can get a good parking spot and then attend! Park in a sketchy side road and leave your dogs in the hot car while you have fun bartering with old guys over a 1973 chainring. These are all things we were missing during the 2-year hiatus of the greatest event in the history of the world.
Unfortunately, it coincides with the Colorado state cross-country meet, so I don’t think I can do a live show….but we’ll see.
Some stuff you need to read
My reflection on the July 2024 study on fatherhood and Nordic skiing we’ll be up on Seder-Skier.com on Wednesday morning. Check it out by clicking on the ‘training/research’ tab on our homepage!
Seder-Skier.com 
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