Whoa, Mama!

After. Kirsten is excited, I'm unwell.

Long Skate

Swedetown, 37F, misty, little wind.  Yesterday's wax.  The new skis need a few waxings.

The snow was wet and a bit slow. The trail would sink down on the outsides. Naturally, just where one would push off.

Due to the slow snow, we decided to only do one 'Bear,' Mama Bear loop.  I stopped about six times to sip water, catch my breath, and later to avoid making a chunky puddle.

8.07k in 58:46, average pace of 7:16/k.

Here's a map:

After lunch, it was off to the barn.  Shootim was more settled down from yesterday.  We lunged (same as yesterday,) Drove (much improved) and then rode!  Jack and Susan coached us.  Jack kept both of us busy; turn, yield, change flexion, turn yield stop, spin, trot, turn, yield, circle, stop back one step, spin, trot...  By the end Shootim had forgotten about paying attention to anything else and I was the one sweating and ready to stop.  

Tabata Bing

The map.  Out of season, I know.

No workouts this week due to driving and tuning.  Argh!  

First today came Shootim.  He lunged very boringly.  Driving was another story.  Partly goofiness, partly ice falling off the roof.  He reared, he bucked, he flew through the air.  He also started to learn collection at the canter.  At first, he fought the steady contact. When he did collect, I started to 'give,' ease off the contact.  A few of those and he was figuring it out.  Smart boy.  Also time to quit.

Then on to the skiing.  MTU trails, Birch loop.  36F, little wind.  New wax (finally,) HF warm + structure.  I tried out some new skis we picked up cheap at a ski swap.  Fischer RCS Plus Skates, nice.  I'm planning on using them for warm/wet conditions. They worked well today. I imagine that after repeated waxings they'll do even better.

Drills

• Mobility: couch and frog stretch
• Weight shift
• Hop shift
• Hop ski
• Cossacks

Short Intervals - Tabata

8 rounds

• 20 seconds on
• 10 seconds off

Here's my data, distance and pace.

1. 57m,   5:34/k
2. 63m,   5:18/k
3. 76m,   4:11/k
4. 57m,   5:53/k
5. 56m,   5:53/k
6. 50m,   6:35/k
7. 56m,   5:50/k
8. 56m,   5:50/k

Terrain varied from interval to interval.  My form also degraded, probably starting after two intervals.  I did what I could to hold it together.

A Very Satisfying Ride

Not a great picture, I know.  Shootim's head buried in his feeder.  This picture is from November 2nd.  Since being worked I think Shootim has lost fat and gained muscle.  I'm next.

We'll try to remember to get some more pictures next weekend.

With a barn visit sandwiched in between church and a concert, I figured I might get to drive my horse.   A good chance of success in a short time.  Shootim's only 'hole' is his habit of getting mouthy with his owner.  Five years with a mini as a pasture mate plus some bad habits that the previous owner found 'cute.'  Jack always calls him 'Guppy.'  Arrrrrgh.  We've all been working to create some space for Shootim to learn to respect.  I've got this kind of chicken wing arm dance that I do.  A way better solution than smacking him every time.  Kudos to Stacey Westfall for the idea.  Stall tying has helped calm him down a good bit as well.  Nonetheless this issue has and must be forefront in my mind every time we work together.

Imagine my surprise then when Shootim behaved like a complete gentleman.  No scalawag tricks, he stood calmly while I got him ready.  In the arena he lunged well, a bit playful, then settling down.  He was so calm that I went and got the saddle and rode!

Kirsten had left out a triangle of cones which we used to work on serpentine turns.  At first, Shootim wouldn't sharpen his turn until I put the spur against him.  After three or four times, though he figured it out and worked off my leg.  What a handy fellow!
Stuff we worked on:

• Walk/trot/canter
• Turns on forehand/hindquarters
• Two tracking along a wall

He doesn't know what every cue is for, but he was trying to figure everything out.  When he was guessing, he ended up backing. A very nice back, too.  I couldn't fault him for trying, so we did something easier, then came back to it.  Violá!  Turns on the forehand both ways.  A good place to stop and the end of a very satisfying ride.

Jack gave me some ideas of collecting Shootim at the canter, holding him more in the manner of a hunt horse.  We'll see next weekend when I'm back.

Ready . . . Adapt!

Apparently my head is too large.  The sign says Swedetown Trails.

Swedetown then. 20F. The snow had thawed some previously and had been groomed since it refroze. Pretty nice, medium fast.  We were still on warm snow wax (what's left of it.) I wonder how much better mid-temp wax would have worked.

The Bear Chase can be divided into 3 main parts.

1. Ed's loop / Cedar loop / Birch loop / Tamarack loop / Valley trail. Part of Tamarack, Cedar and Valley are the start; the rest is the end.  9k.
2. Len's loop / Powderhouse loop / Pine loop.  The second half of Powderhouse is not used and Pine is done opposite of the usual direction.   7.2k.
3. Greenstone loop / Mama Bear / Baby Bear / Papa Bear.  Access via Valley trail.  14k.

The kilometers include getting in and out of each part.

Long ski

Saturday we did the Tamarack loops.  I suppose since our last long ski was 5k that was why I felt fine until about 6k.  Hopefully now I'll adapt to the 9k distance.

Of course it could have been the steep hill on Birch.  After that it was 'let the stopping and catching our breath commence!'  So, not only a distance piece but a hill workout as well.  On flats I could still keep moving; that was nice.  The ideal would be to be able to recover on the flats and downs while still moving.  I'll just have to be patient.

My data, distance, time and pace:

9k - 52:10 - 5:48/k

The GPS map.  Kirsten says it looks like somebody running.  Wile E. Coyote?

Working Off The Turkey

Actually, it was steaks with veggies and cheesy potatoes courtesy of Harold and Mary Cook.  Thanks, Cooks!  We got in only one CrossFit workout that week and the travel took away two weekends of skiing.  We did have a good time, though.

Tonight after work we went to MTU trails.  29F, no wind, snow getting fast, maybe a little icy.

Drills

w/o skis -

• Weight Shift
• Hops

with skis -
3 rounds

• Hop Skate
• Locked & Loaded (ab crunch only double poles)

Long Intervals

• 800m repeats

until form/pace deteriorates.

We used Birch loop.  It measured just shy of 800m.
My data, time - pace:

4:00 - 5:00/k
3:58 - 4:58/k
3:59 - 4:59/k
3:38 - 4:33/k

It was fun and I'm pleased at my pace.  I only really burned in the last interval, so I lost form by the end.  We'll just have to wait and see how this pace translates into the race.

Skate xc: 5k And The New Sport

After dark, but we got it done.

Long Ski

We managed to get in our long ski to complete our first weekend's training.  

MTU trails, 37F.  The snow was damp and soft, but with good control.  We didn't have time to wax skis for the soft conditions, but Kirsten came to the rescue.  Our race skis have last spring's wax on them, perfect for this snow, as it turns out.  I stopped a lot at the top of hills, but we made it.  Birch and the Dog loops (man, that was all marked up with footprints and paw prints.)  Then the Oak and Pine loops.  The trail lights were all off, but we brought our own lights.  Unstoppable!

5.58k

41:00

The Surprise

This fall, Kirsten tells me, "You've got to come see this horse."  I'm thinking, uh-oh.  We used to both have horses, riding and showing them together.  I'd since gotten out of it, never to go back.  Never say never, right?  Kirsten had told everyone at the barn, don't try to talk him into anything, he'll just walk away.  She told the horse, you'll have to sell him yourself.  Well, it worked!

I gave him the barn name, 'Shootim.'

Zippos Shooter is a nine year old quarter horse gelding.  Just messing around with him a few times, we could tell that he had some wonderful qualities.  He had been out to pasture for years, but early on had some excellent training and successful showing.  He is an interesting combination of accomplished and green.   I took too much for granted on early rides, and he showed me where we both need work.  

Yesterday, was driving; Shootim goes bitted and I worked him from the ground holding long lines.  He did a very good job, taking cues well. Eventually,  I'd like him to take even lighter cues.  He even did the beginning of side passing, crossing his feet over, both directions.

Today was a day in the saddle.  First I got on the roof and helped Jack, one of the trainers, with clearing snow.  I only did a little but he's been at it all day.  Whew.  Kirsten helped me get Shootim ready.  After lunging, I saddled him up and got on.  I asked our trainer, Susan, for direction on what to do.  She suggested teaching a light cue followed by a harder cue for yielding to the bit.  The idea is that he'll learn to yield to the light cue, making the bigger cue unnecessary.  So I wiggle the reins, then tug on the bit a couple of times, then release (called 'give.')  A couple of times, and he's got it from the wiggle.  Anything else?  It was a nice ride, he did everything I asked.  I'm getting better at body positioning as well and that makes it easier for Shootim to do his job.

I'm looking forward to next weekend already!

Where Have I Been? Skate XC: 200m repeats

One year later at Swedetown.  Mom sat and read while Kirsten and I went mountain biking.

Where I have been

Hello, long neglected blog.  I've decided to keep a record of stuff here again.   I apologize to any readers that have looked for entries.

The news is that Kirsten is permanently back in the U.P. with me, yay!  She is retired from the State and works in the piano tuning business with me.

Sports-wise, let's see.  CrossFit during the week.  A lot of mountain biking; that's Kirsten's favorite.  Some road biking, too.  We didn't get in much rowing, only a handful of times;  I hope to make a bigger commitment next summer.  I did some running this fall, but my form has turned to poo.  I thought I was doing o.k., but my heels were hurting.  A video analysis revealed that I was heel striking.  In minimalist shoes that's a bad idea.  Fortunately the weather rescued me - 24" of snow in two days.  The season is on!

Now that the snow has arrived, it's about time to get to work.

Back to our regularly scheduled program

So.  Winter arrives, all in the space of two days.  Kirsten and I got in several skis.  The snow was great! 20F, rolled, although a bit soft so that it tended to give way a bit. Here's the list:

• 11/11/14 MTU

5.73k
43:07

• 11/13/14 MTU

2.8k
18:33

• 11/15/14 Swedetown

5.74k
44:14

That was a nice start; now it's time to start workouts.  Last week on a long drive to Wisconsin, Kirsten and I talked about what we wanted to do sports-wise.  We set a couple of goals and cooked up a training plan. Something that will prepare us for races.  Something we can recover from.  Something that will work with my schedule. We also want to do some classic skiing.

The Goal

• 1/24/15 Noquemanon 24k freestyle
• 3/7/15  Great Bear Chase 25k freestyle

The Plan

• Crossfit twice during the week.

Alternating weekends, either:

• Skate xc: short intervals.
• Skate xc: long effort.

-or-

• Skate xc: Long intervals.
• Classic xc: tour for fun.

Seeing it in print, it doesn't look like enough.  We will have to see if intensity can replace volume.

Today

MTU Trails: 35F, groomed, packed, slower 'snowball' snow.

• Warmup lap of Birch
• Drills:

hop, no poles
hop, mime poling on one side

• 200m repeats until form/pace deteriorates. We used the front of the Core loop, heading slightly uphill.

We both got in 3 before crying "uncle."

Figuring out the timer made for some variation, but here are my times:

1:32
1:08
1:05

I guess form gave out first.

There, that's up to date.  Whew!  Just one more new item, but that will have to wait until next post. Ooh, a teaser!