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Update from the Left-Side...
Zack Simons is the Director of Project Elevate, a program aiming to provide world class support to America’s top non-national team athletes through innovative multimedia marketing strategy. Project Elevate is currently seeking partners for the 2004-2005 racing season. Please visit www.fullthrottlexc.com
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\r\n6/4/2004
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\r\nIt’s June. I’m in Utah. It’s hot.
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\r\nI spent the early months of last summer in Northern Maine. A good place to train, Maine rarely gets much hotter than about 80 degrees. In late July of last year I traveled to Norway. Training in Norway was ideal, aside from the snow and rain. Being from Utah, I never mixed well with rain simply because I’ve never had to. Utah is a desert, baron and dry during the summer months. Norway is not. I trained in coastal rains every single day of last September. October wasn’t much different, though the mornings brought snow which gradually transformed to a cold drizzle as each day grew old. Weather and I no longer have issues… I’d say we mesh quite well.
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\r\nI’ve been training since the late weeks of April. I spend the time between workouts in front of my computer, writing proposals and making phone calls, searching for sponsors for my latest pursuit- which most of you know as Project Elevate. I work as long as I can though eventually my concentration fades and I catch a UEFA Cup match, Sports Center, the Giro or the movie Blue Crush (great movie, really).
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\r\nThe first weeks of training consisted mainly of distance workouts and easy weight lifting. The fickle, spring weather shifted daily from summer-like heat to wintry snow storms, and just as sure as the temperature rose as the dates neared June, so did the intensity of my training.
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\r\nVO2 Max… apparently pretty important, at least that’s what I’ve been led to believe for the better part of my ski career. Not unlike the other jokers you have heard from earlier in the week, I too am doing what I have to in order to make my VO2 higher for the summer months. Seems liked a logical idea to me…
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\r\nMy training schedule looked something like this:
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\r\nM- Am: 4x4min L4, 1:20 Skate Roll
\r\n Pm: STR. :45
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\r\nT- Am: 4x4min L4, 1:20 Run w/Poles
\r\n Pm: 4x4min L4, 1:20 Classic Roll
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\r\nW- Am: 4x4min L4, 1:20 Skate Roll
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\r\nTh- OFF
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\r\nF- Am: 5x3min L4, Classic Roll 1:45
\r\n Pm: STR: 45
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\r\nSa- Am: Skate Roll 2:30
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\r\nSu- Am: 4x4 min L4, Run w/Poles
\r\n Pm : STR :45
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\r\nThe first workout of the week was the worst. I felt slow, it felt like May. I kept my wits about me and stayed just above threshold.
\r\nThe following day I planned two intervals sessions, it seemed right. The first workout went off without a hitch. I felt much better than I had the day before. As the evening rolled around, I felt a little lethargic. After listening to Iron Maiden, Rock In Rio (Disc 2) all the way through, I started to feel the flow again. I strapped my classic skis on and had the best workout of my whole week. I was cruising and my heart rate was low. Sweet.
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\r\nThe next morning I met Chris Grover to do yet another interval session, this time under the watchful eye of the LactatePro. Again I felt great, but my lactate levels were slightly elevated. Four L4 workouts in three days will do that, Chris calls it residual lactate- sounds good to me. The next day I rested, a day off.
\r\nOn Friday morning I cruised down the road to Soldier Hollow and met up with Pete Vordenberg, also armed with a LactatePro. This time my lactates were right on the money, time and time again.
\r\nOn Saturday I went for a nice easy cruise on skating skis. The only distance workout I had scheduled for the week, I looked forward to a recovery workout. My heart rate stayed remarkably low and felt great for 2.5 hours.
\r\nSunday was the last day of this intensity block. Mr. Grover met me again, this time running with poles, intervals again. I felt really tired for the first time all week. I stayed in the game and kept my heart rates where they needed to be along with my lactic acid levels.
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\r\nI feel pretty damn good now. I’m glad it’s over; I was getting a little bored with the same workouts everyday. I imagined the week to be harder than it was, I attribute this to executing the intervals correctly…
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\r\nThe past week’s training has led to several realizations:
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\r\n1)This vo2 max training is a good idea and if done right it’s not as hard as it sounds.
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\r\n2)David Beckham is a very mediocre footballer (though he gets points for marrying Posh Spice).
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\r\n3)Iron Maiden’s Rock In Rio CD is one of the best live albums ever. Best song: “Fear of the Dark”
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\r\n4)Alessandro Petacchi may be faster than Cippolini ever was, but he’ll never be as cool… June 2 is officially Petacchi Day in Italy.
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\r\n5) Hilary Duff is a worse actress than she is a singer… frightening.
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\r\nAll for now. More revelations to come…ZSi
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Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it a Norwegian? Simons putting in some quality time on the rundra of Northern Norway last summer.
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\r\nTeam Today is a non-profit organization run by, and for, the athletes of the US Cross-country team. The USST is run on a shoestring budget, and our increasing success at the international level is making for increasing demand on our ever-limited resources. To find out how you can join Team Today, visit www.teamtoday.org, or contact Andrew Johnson bode1978@yahoo.com, or Pete Vordenberg pvordenberg@ussa.org. With your assistance, we will be THE BEST IN THE WORLD!
Written By: zsiDate Posted: 6/4/2004Number of Views: 323
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