| |
|
|
|
|
Mass Start Mania!
Mass Start Mania
\r\n
\r\nA look into how the U.S. National Team searches for success into new race formats
\r\n
\r\nBY TORIN KOOS
\r\n
\r\n
\r\nSki racing demands are known entities. The skier needs a huge engine, technical proficiency, pace awareness and some big cojones to keep attacking when wallowing in lactate. Athletes work on improving these dbo.articles every day on the trails. It’s what they think about between bites of roast beef and cheddar sandwiches, debate amongst each other while driving to training. With international skiing transitioning from interval to mass start races (one interval start races is on the 2005 FIS World Championships schedule), the dynamics of skiing at one’s potential are changing. The athlete now has to ask ‘what adjustments must I make to become the king of mass start races?’ In conversations with U.S. National team member’s thoughts kept coming back to tactics, mental and slight training changes.
\r\n
\r\n"First off, if you’re psyched about mass start racing and into it, you’re going to do well," begins Carl Swenson. Along with his super flowing skate technique and mountain bike prowess, Swenson has the reputation of being a super savvy race veteran. Just like a striker in soccer, Swenson is cunning, putting himself into the right place when podium positions are earned.
\r\n"You have to have patience too," Carl continues. "I like getting into the whole waiting game. If you have the patience, others play their cards; lay them out for you to see. I then know what I’ll have to come away from the table happy. Never have I had to make the first move. There’s always someone who wants to go hard before me, and that’s just fine with me. Some people think they just have to go right off the front from the start and have a go at it. If you feel you have to win the race, especially right from the gun, you’re at a disadvantage."
\r\n
\r\n"I can wait right until the end but I like to pull the trigger a little earlier. This is where knowing the course really well helps. I like to go right when the course suits my strengths. In multiple loop races this is easy to find, as when you’re out on the course you can see where you’re skiing better in comparison than anyone else. The spectators, too, have an opportunity to see who is the best climber or descender.
\r\n
\r\nTalking training, Carl says he hasn’t, nor does he anticipate, changing the training program for mass-start events. It’s worth noting however that Swenson’s six months of road and mountain bike racing emphasizes higher level lactate training than most contemporary elite skiing-only athletes. Rather Swenson looks to improve his technical proficiency of drafting, in being able to ski in packs while being more relaxed than anyone else."
\r\n
\r\nI remember skiing the team sprint in Lahti (World Cup) last year. There was a breakaway of me, a German and Alsgaard. I just got to sit right on the big Norwegian. It was like having a formula 1 test driver for the technical parts of the course. I think Alsgaard is one of the best in the rolling and winding parts. I was always able to under-brake him on the corners, take better lines. By following, I could out-Alsgaard Alsgaard."
\r\n
\r\nAs the national team mini van begins fishtailing over the ice-rink roads of Fairbanks, Alaska, Dave Chamberlain and Trond Nystad weigh in. Both believe Carl has deemphasized the front runner’s greatest asset too much. "Just as in track and field you have your Roger Bannister-come-from-behinders, you also have your front runner types. Both are each using their best racing tactics. Having a massive surge, then staying out front is particularly effective," says Trond. "By doing this, the strongman works people over, take the spirit and morale out of them. It’s intimidating. After a few races, the others know you’re going to make your break. They dread it. And the advantage is all yours." Not surprisingly Trond’s University of Denver skiers, names like Pietro Broggini, Ola Berger and Wolf Wallendorf were known for aggressive race tactics – and winning.
\r\n"It’s true this is an intimidating way to race, for sure, especially in domestic races" Carl confesses. "This is how Matty (Matthias Fredriksson or Sweden) races. He’s been able to win World Cups by going hard, hard, hard the whole way but Matthias will always be a better interval start racer. On a day when he could win by two minutes over fifty kilometers, he could lose out in a mass start fifty-k classic the same day."
\r\n
\r\nBefore sliding from the icy freeway into the Salcha parking lot to begin the day’s fifteen kilometer paced effort, Carl, Trond, Dave and Wendy Wagner agree that as mass start races progress, skiing will progress more along the lines of bike racing tactics, though conceding that the hillier terrain and slower speeds associated with skiing will still allow the best skier on the day to win, not the strongest team’s designated winner. Carl, Trond, Dave and Wendy all believe that the strongman who likes to go from the front can win in the future, even World Cups.
\r\nEven on the heels of last season’s success the U.S. national team has embraced preparation changes. Justin Freeman and the rest mix light speed sessions into most every distance sessions. Some higher level four intervals replace a couple low threshold interval workouts. Interestingly for those outside of World Cup level caliber Nystad believes would benefit most from longer (8 plus minute), below threshold intensity sessions, as most skiers already distance ski and interval train at too high an intensity for long distance racing success.
\r\n
\r\nWhile lacing up her boots Wendy Wagner said, "You need to know yourself like a favorite book. Make a race plan according to your strengths, not your weaknesses and see it though to the race’s end."
\r\nAs I set off with the double dance (V2) technique over the day’s initial kilometers my mind wonders how I could know myself better than I know Santiago in The Old Man and the Sea. Fast forward three days. Killing time before boarding a plane back to Utah I pick up a Men’s Health, sitting down to a piece on Andre Agassi. Mike Zimmerman, the interviewer, begins by asking Agassi if he ever had doubts if he could ever reach tennis’ top echelon ever again after nearly washing out of the game in 1997 (141st in the world rankings). "Yes," answered Agassi. "I still do. Surprised by the second bit, the interviewer goes on, "Andre how do you deal with these doubts? When it’s time to play, you have to get past them."
\r\n
\r\n
 \n
The Mass Start...an exciting format for racers and viewers alike.
\r\n
\r\n"No, that’s not true," says Agassi. "Doubts are a normal part of life. Ignoring the doubts or pretending they don’t exist will get the best of you. So I’m quick to say ‘I don’t feel right here. I don’t feel prepared for this or that.’ Then I focus on the question, so there are no questions. If something doesn’t feel right, address this problem immediately. Don’t try to minimize it or wrestle it away from your consciousness. Doubt can bring out your best, if you allow it."
\r\n
\r\n"Doubt can bring out my best, if I allow it to…" or so begins my ah-hah moment, where Agassi’s words crystallize thoughts and experiences that previously didn’t make sense. It benefits Mr. Swenson to know he can’t expect his best race racing from the front. It helps me to know my best races probably won’t come from trying to hang onto the back of the 2004 World Cup leader this winter, just as Kris Freeman knows his best chances of victory lie in deciding a race’s outcome before the penultimate fifty meters. Agassi knows what he is talking about. So does Wendy, Trond and Carl.
\r\n
\r\n2003 Torin Koos All Rights Reserved
\r\n
Written By: TKoosDate Posted: 5/14/2004Number of Views: 397
Return |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |