Testing, Testing... Training, Training, Training...

Tue, Oct  17, 2006 - By Pete Vordenberg - TeamToday.org

The USST October testing camp is almost over.  The camp began on the 7th and is officially over on the 17th.  The primary goal of the camp was seeing how well we have done in our preparation for winter.  Nothing but actual racing will give us the final answer but testing gives us a good look at how our physical condition is going into the season.

It wasn't all testing.  Here Kikkan Randall (APU / USST) warms down after a 6 x 3mins level 4 interval session.

Lindsey Weier (NMU / USST) on the treadmil.

Kikkan Randall and Matt Gelso.  Here Kikkan is warming up for intervals and Matt is on a distance classical ski.  Team unity - this means cohesion of the US cross country team, it means cohesion of Kikkan's APU team and Gelso's C.U. team and it means the unification of goal, effort and mindset of all the US cross country community.

Sue Robson, head USST physiologist detailing-out Leif Zimmermann on the treadmill.

Sarah MacCarthy of the University of Utah - starting our classical time-trial at Soldier Hollow.  Sarah went awfully fast!

Morgan Smyth (NMU / USST) heading into the pain cave without actually going anywhere.

Kikkan mid-interval.

Lindsay Williams (NMU / USST) doing sprint testing.  What do testing results tell us?  Proper prep pays.  Why does NMU come up with so many fast skiers?  Proper Prep Pays.  Prepare as well you can everyday, all year, for years.

Initial test results have shown that over 90% of the returning team have had great improvement on the treadmill even since last October and certainly since this May and July.  Of the new members of the team 100% are better now than they were in May and in July, some were a little faster, a few were way faster, all were faster.

More pictures, details and commentary on the testing camp coming after the results are in... so check back.

Mini-commentary:  A statement that starts with "it's hard to..." means you are either about to make an excuse or are setting yourself up to make an excuse.  When it comes to cross country ski racing that it will be hard is a given.  Some get it done, some pull on their Got Excuses? tee-shirt. (Vordenberg images)