This period we are cutting back on the total training volume from the last two periods, but with that, we will still have a high training load due to slightly increased intensity.
This is the time of year when we start to shift our emphasis from volume to intensity to build our “race engine.”
We are also approaching the “shoulder season”. The “shoulder season” is that time of year when we may be switching back and forth between dry-land and on snow, and also may have to adjust to times when neither method of training is suitable (think not enough snow to ski on, but icy roads and trails so running and roller skiing are also poor). When it appears is different the world over. In the shoulder season, flexibility with your training is important. Adjust to the weather and make your activity safe. Roller skiing in icy conditions is not safe. This may be an excellent time to go for a pole hike or run/hike with poles. As we switch to snow, for the first few weeks while we are still getting our snow legs, we should also consider continuing to do our intensity on foot, as we often can have more productive workouts than if we try to do intensity on one of our first days on snow, especially if snow is thin and have to be cautious avoiding dirt or rocks. Your first days on snow should be more focused on remembering your good technique on snow and building good skiing habits.
Let’s hope for a winter of many bluebird days of great skiing!!!
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Each period, we will end with this advice since it is so important:
As you plan your weeks and evaluate your training, give some thought to how you use the training plan. It is written to be a blueprint and a guide for your training and is not written knowing in advance what conflicts you may have with training in any given week. Many weeks can be done as scheduled. However, if you have to swap days or weeks out on account of your non-training life, with good planning, it can be done with great success, provided you are giving thought to the swapping.
When it comes time to plan your training week, sometimes it’s helpful to know which workouts take precedence over others. This is particularly useful if a skier has other obligations outside of skiing (work, personal life, etc.) that may interfere with the amount of training one can devote during the week. Thus, adjustments must be made.
For example, let’s say you have a week at work where you are going to have heavy time demands and stress, and the schedule says it is the third week of the period, which is our big week. It may be best to hold off on the third week and swap it with Week 4 – our easy week to recover, and then maybe make a slight adjustment in Week 1 of the following period.
You can also swap out days on account of life outside of your training plan. Just remember, as you do that, it is ideal to follow a pattern of hard followed by easy for the pattern of days.
To make adjustments to the plan that won’t dilute the integrity of the training program, we have a few pointers for planning a training week.
Read the advisory on scheduling workouts: http://bit.ly/workout-substitution
– Cheers, see you next month!
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