News and Announcements

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Section Team Named

Posted by David Kask at Feb 1, 2004 4:00PM PST ( 0 Comments )
The following skiers have been named to Duluth East's Section 7 team. Girls Team: Brit Salmela Sierra Jefferson Bria Kask Karli Miller Caroline Lund Stephanie LaFrance Ericka Sell Alternates Nellie Adams Laura Van Norstrand Boys Team: Chris Lund Jason Kask Max Jeronimus Ted LaFrance Jake Boyce Joe Tofte Even Kuross Alternates: Will Mitchell Ian Van Stratten The Section 7 meet will be held at Giants Ridge on Thursday, February 5. The relay teams for the Coaches Association Relay will be named after the section ski meet.
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2004 SuperTour

Posted by David Kask at Jan 29, 2004 4:00PM PST ( 0 Comments )
From Andrew Gerlach's news letter and SkiPost.com 2004 SuperTour Dussault, Chamberlain Top www.usskiteam.com PARK CITY, Utah (Jan. 28) - Rebecca Dussault (Subaru Factory Team, Gunnison, CO) Dave Chamberlain (Fischer, Bethel, ME), and Andy Newell (US Developmental Team, Shaftsbury, VT) are the big winners in the 2004 cross country SuperTour and will be headed to Europe in a few weeks to race in the final World Cups. Dussault, who returned to racing this season after getting married and having a baby in the last three years, won 10 of the 21 SuperTour races and easily took the women's SuperTour title with 428 points - 185 points ahead of Olympian Kikkan Randall (Anchorage, AK), a U.S. Development Team skier who had two wins, and Olympic teammate Wendy Wagner (Park City, UT) that finished third with 232 points. Dussault also breezed to the women's SuperTour sprint title compiling 117 points (two wins) to 81 for Randall. On the men's side, Chamberlain had four victories and 329 points. Chris Cook Rhinelander, WI), another U.S. Development Team member, was runner up with one win and 249 points. Chad Giese (Subaru Factory Team, St. Paul, MN) was third with 231 points. 2004 CROSS COUNTRY SuperTour Overall Standings - Final (21 races - wins in parentheses) Women 1. Rebecca Dussault, Gunnison, Colo., 428 (10) Subaru Factory Team 2. Kikkan Randall, Anchorage, Alaska, 243 (2) APU/US Developmental Group 3. Wendy Wagner, Park City, Utah, 232 (3) US Ski Team 4. Aubrey Smith, Seward, Alaska, 223 US Developmental Group 5. Katrin Smigun, Estonia, 183 Subaru Factory Team Men 1. Dave Chamberlain, Bethel, Maine, 329 points (4 wins) Fischer 2. Chris Cook, Rhinelander, Wis., 249 (1) US Developmental Group 3. Chad Giese, St. Paul, Minn., 231 Subaru Factory Team 4. Leif Zimmermann, Bozeman, Mont., 185 (2) US Developmental Group 5. Ivan Babikov, Canada, 182 (4) **********************************************************************
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Training Levels

Posted by David Kask at Jan 29, 2004 4:00PM PST ( 0 Comments )
From Andrew Gerlach's news letter and SkiPost.com Dear Subaru Factory Team, I read your booklet about ski training. I am confused when and how much L3 and L4 training to do. I have heard different things. H, Hi, I was forwarded your question from SkiPost. I am a long-time member of the Subaru Factory Team and director of our Coaching and Academies Program. Level 3 and 4 training are important part of any training regimen, but like a lot of things, how much you should do and when you should do it depends on many factors including your fitness, age, training schedule, and fitness goals. In general, Level 3 training is done through the summer and Fall to build endurance and increase the anaerobic threshold. Level 3 training consists of longer, “easier” interval sessions (6+ minute intervals) and builds endurance at steady state – allowing us to increase the pace at which we can maintain a hard effort. Level 3 training sessions will usually have 20-60 minutes of work at level 3. You can do level 3 training 1-3 times per week. Level 4 training is more intense and used to increase VO2 Max, which is top-end speed. This training usually begins late in the Fall and consists of shorter, more intense intervals. While level 3 intervals should feel fast but generally pretty comfortable, level 4 work will make your tongue hang out and definitely cause you some pain and suffering. Level 4 intervals are generally between 2 and 5 minutes in length, and a workout will consist of 10-30 minutes of work. Use these to build up race fitness and build toward a peak during the race season. Level 4 training sessions can be done 1-3 times per week, but they need to be treated cautiously as too much or too much too early can fry a whole season. Short races (5-10km, 15-30 min) are considered level 4, while level 3 pace is more like what one can maintain in a 20km or longer race (50 minutes +). Again, these are general guidelines. People react differently to intensity, and while some people may be flying after doing a month of level 4 work, others might be overtrained and worthless from the same schedule. Make sure that you build general fitness before tackling intensity, and that you have a good base of level 3 work before level 4 training begins. If you have doubts about what you should be doing, write down a plan based on what you think will work for you and have a knowledgeable person (coach, physiologist, etc) review it. They may be able to make some simple suggestions that will help. Good luck and ski fast! Nathan Schultz Subaru Factory Team Academies and Coaching www.nsavage.com 303.413.0562 877.764.4338 toll free info@nsavage.com **********************************************************
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Duluth East Nordic News 1/30/04

Posted by David Kask at Jan 29, 2004 4:00PM PST ( 0 Comments )
What's up for the next couple of weeks: Schedule: Tuesday, Feb. 3 - Junior High Champs at Snowflake Sign up by Friday, Jan. 30 Thursday, Feb. 5 - Section 7 Meet at Giants Ridge Section Team will be posted here soon. Monday, Feb. 9 - Junior Varsity Champs at Snowflake Sign up by Friday, Feb. 6 Thursday, Feb. 12 - Coaches Assoc. Relay at Giants Ridge Teams will be posted Friday, Feb. 6 Friday, Feb. 13 - Minnesota State High School Nordic Ski Meet at Giants Ridge Check out the details of the races in the Race Schedule Section of the web site. We will be having a meeting for all skiers interested in making future Duluth East Varsity Ski Teams ie. Mesabi, Section and State teams) the last week in February. Watch this web site and listen to the phone line for details. Other races: Sunday, Feb. 8 - Mora Vasaloppet Watch the race schedule for other citizen races. There are lots of fun races to do through the middle of March. Keep skiing. The end of season banquet will be scheduled soon. Listen to the phone line and watch this web site for details.
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Cold Weather Racing

Posted by David Kask at Jan 29, 2004 4:00PM PST ( 0 Comments )
From Andrew Gerlach's news letter and SkiPost.com Making Cold Days Enjoyable: Nathan Schultz On the morning of the 2002 Snow Mountain Stampede, I squinted at my thermometer hoping it would somehow change its assessment of the -35ºF air. It did not yield, but somehow the race jury coerced their thermometer to read -5ºF and so the race was on. It had the potential to be a slow, uncomfortable, and even dangerous day, but with proper preparation and knowing a few secrets, it was almost as much fun as a sunny day in March. Waxing Secrets Making skis fast in the cold is simple, so it is a surprise to learn how few people know how to do it. First is proper base prep, followed by waxing, scraping, and finally, the key: brushing, brushing, and brushing. Cold snow is slow because the snow crystals are sharp and there is very little liquid water to lubricate them. It is very similar to skiing across tiny pieces of broken glass. As snow ages and gets warmer, the crystals become more rounded and the snow pack contains liquid water that serves as a lubricant. Imagine this as skiing across microscopic marbles with some oil on them. So when it is cold, the abrasive snow creates two problems - friction and durability. There are also some electrical issues, but we’re going to pretend those don’t exist because I’m not smart enough to explain them. The goal of base prep is to make the ski as flat and featureless as possible to reduce drag against those sharp crystals. Iron in several layers of cold glide wax. Any remnants of warmer wax will slow the ski significantly, so multiple layers are needed. The good news is this stuff is cheap. The bad news is that it is a pain to apply. Cold wax is very hard in order to prevent those sharp crystals from penetrating the ski base and also to give it extra durability. In order to achieve this hardness, the wax is made of a synthetic compound that has a melting point approaching that of the ski base itself. So, with a quality wax iron, carefully apply several layers of cold wax. Mom’s old clothes iron is not the best choice because it probably does not have a precise thermometer, and will therefore fluctuate as much as 50ºC. This is dangerous when you need to heat the wax within 20ºC of the base’s melting point. The iron should be just hot enough to melt the wax quickly. For those who are ignoring the advice about quality wax irons – that is probably somewhere between permanent press and linen, when the smoke turns deep black. Drip or grate the wax and melt it into the base, moving the iron very quickly in multiple passes. Each pass should take no longer than 10 seconds. Test for overheating with your hand – if it is too hot to touch, give it a rest. The wax is melted adequately once it has a smooth appearance and there is no evidence of the original drips. Let it cool to room temperature, but before it gets too brittle, remove as much as possible with a sharp plastic scraper. You may want eye protection for this step. Now the important part: brushing. Take a soft metal brush and brush until your arms cry for mercy. Then brush for five more minutes. The goal is to polish the base to a glass smooth finish so nothing drags on that abrasive snow. Be cautious with roto-brushes, as they can burn bases if used improperly. With skis brushed to a shiny polish, place them out in the cold for 15-30 minutes (or longer), or better yet, ski on them for 2-5km. This will contract the pores in the ski base and squeeze out additional wax. Then, lucky you, brush again and again and again. The more you brush, the faster your skis will be. This can make a 30% difference in ski speed. If you are classical skiing, you will need extra durability for your kick wax due to the abrasive snow. Begin with a clean kick zone after you have finished glide waxing. Rough the kick zone with 100-grit sandpaper, then apply a thick layer of cold kick wax. Using a torch, heat gun, or iron, melt this layer into the base and let it cool. After corking smooth, apply and cork many thin layers of the final choice of kick wax. Absolutely do not get any glide wax in your kick zone, when ironing or brushing, as it will greatly reduce durability and kick. Getting Dressed Now that you are exhausted from brushing, it’s time to get ready to actually go outside. Making cold days enjoyable begins with quality clothing. That 10-year-old long underwear may be fine most of the time, but it will not do the job like newer technical fabrics. And it also stinks. There are two key elements to consider: insulation and wind protection. The first layer should always be a quality long-underwear that wicks moisture away from your skin. Ideally, it should have some sort of micro-texture that traps insulating air pockets. This layer keeps the heat in while minimizing heat loss due to sweat evaporation. The second layer is often a ski suit that serves as an insulator with some wind protection. The third and possibly even fourth layers should be breathable windproof shells that may provide insulation as well. In a race situation where you might remove your third layer to race in a ski suit, it is often smart to provide some extra wind protection. Absolutely mandatory for the men out there is a wind brief, unless you enjoy spending your post-race time curled in a ball, whimpering in pain. For women, wearing two sport bras or a little bit of strategic duct tape will usually keep delicate parts from freezing. One unique product, made by Craft, http://www.craft-usa.com/ adds a stretch windproof panel to the front of the long underwear tops and bottoms. A low-tech version of these can be created by applying duct tape over the first layer. Be sure to allow for movement as duct tape is not very flexible. And if you’re hairy, be prepared for the worst afterwards. Take special care of problem areas: toes, fingers, and ears, along with any exposed skin on the face. First, eliminate exposed skin as much as possible. Earmuffs, a heavy-weight hat and a scarf or muffler around the neck are a minimum. A balaclava and hat are a better option, covering most of the face and neck with only eyes, nose, and mouth exposed. Cover any exposed skin with a greasy lotion such as Dermatone or Vaseline. This helps as a windbreak and provides some insulation. As a bonus, it gives you that greasy sheen of your teen years again. You can also cover problem areas, such as where the wind comes off your glasses, with athletic tape. Quality eyewear with good coverage is vital. Those with contacts should consider having a prescription insert created as contacts can freeze to the eye and they often pop out in extreme cold. http://www.rudyprojectusa.com/ That leaves the hands and feet. Boot covers are a blessing and keep toes toasty even in the coldest conditions. For the hands, a quality XC-specific cold weather glove, lobster-mitt or mitten is also a necessity. http://www.indigoequipment.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/indigo.products/p/gloves These gloves should have some sort of breathable, windproof material and a fair amount of insulation but they should also fit in your pole strap without impeding circulation. If you have poor circulation, chemical warmers may help. It is possible to burn yourself if you put them directly against skin, so they are better between layers such as between your boot and your boot covers. One final hint: avoid equipment containing metal parts that might contact your skin, such as eyewear or zippers. Out in the Cold Finally, it’s time to go outside. Be sure to plan ahead to minimize time spent standing around. If you are warming up for a race or testing skis, you may want to have a parka and some extra overmitts so that you stay warm while standing around before the start. Your body needs time to adapt to the cold air, so warm up slowly, whether you are racing or not. If you are racing, you may want to change into dry clothes just before the start. If you want fast skis, brush them one final time, just before you start. This will speed them up dramatically by removing static buildup and any remaining wax you missed in the previous 4 hours of brushing. While skiing, pay attention to your extremities for danger signs and watch people around you for white spots on their skin. If you start to get dangerously cold, stop immediately and cover the affected part until it warms slightly. Be creative and use whatever you can find to shield cold parts. Recently I was caught unexpectedly in a freezing rain while running. I raided an outhouse and shoved two rolls of toilet paper in my tights. I looked like the Michelin Man, but I was quite a bit happier. Keep wind exposure to a minimum on downhills by tucking. If your hands are cold, do like they do on MTV and grab your butt. This will keep them out of the wind and warm them slightly. Look straight down at your feet so the top of your head catches the wind instead of your face. Be sure to glance up occasionally so you can avoid frozen racers, trees, and other unpleasant obstacles. Your furnace will be burning hotly to keep you warm, so you will need extra calories and fluid. Make sure that you use hot water, and it is generally OK to mix a sport drink a little bit thicker than normal. Unless you enjoy popsicles while skiing, protect your water bottle or bladder from freezing. Ultimate and several other companies make winter-specific packs that have special insulation, but it helps to protect these by stretching a jacket over them or turning your bottle upside-down in your holder so that the tip does not freeze. And finally, when you finish your race or workout, get into dry clothes and begin hydrating immediately. If you follow all of this advice and have the proper equipment, you should not have any frozen parts. If something did get frozen out there, get medical attention and make sure that you warm the part slowly so as to avoid permanent damage. Nathan Schultz ****************