"Hi Mike, I like that plan. Have fun. Torbjorn."

That was Torbjorn's e-mail message after I sent him the second version of my May training plan - he didn't really like the first one. More about that in a bit. First, let's talk about everything leading up to the training plan. 

Planning began when I received a two-and-a-half page, densely written Word document via e-mail in late April describing training suggestions for May. "May 1st is our official start up date - It's time to Rock & Roll!". Here are some highlights:

• May is when you start developing a training base.

• Mostly short and medium distance workouts, maybe with a couple longer ones.

• Running, biking, walking for distance training, although rollerskiing is fine.

• Avoid injuries! Especially doing too much too fast - especially running.

• May is also the time to start building up intervals. 

• Start practicing moosehufs (easy bounding - see p. 89 in  Torbjorn's book, "How to, When to, Why to… A Norwegian Model Training Guide & Programs").

• Start hitting the weight room.

• If you're working full time, 4-7 workouts a week is fine. Weekly total for hours: 4-8. Leave room for adding hours later in the season.

Torbjorn also recommended four different "quality sessions" - harder workouts that should be done this month. These are generally interval sessions where the first interval is at a relatively easy pace, with the remaining intervals getting progressively harder. And the sessions also get harder over the month. Overall, these "hard sessions" are not particularly hard.

Finally, he told us to write a brief training plan for the month.

A few days later, a package come in the mail: six pages of photos (four on each page) showing weight room exercises he likes and a set of speed exercise (with very light weights), plus some additional details about the speed exercises. Recommendation: a couple weight sessions a month, or general exercises using body weight for resistance (p. 92 of his book).

The May Training Plan

So I submitted a training plan. And received a long e-mail message back, politely starting with "Here are some suggestions for discussion." First, the longer rollerski sessions were too long. I had too many interval sessions planned. He'd prefer I do the recommended "quality sessions" in a particular order. Get a few extra distance sessions in by walking with the wife. And more...

I sent him my revised May training plan, cutting back on distance and toughness. He was much happier.

If you've been following my training log, you'll notice that the plan and log are already out of sync - I've started a project (e.g., my wife started a project) to repaint our bedroom and it turned into replacing molding, patching walls...and painting. That's life as a normal person trying to be a better ski racer...