Feb 12 - Feb 18 Youth Championships

Hi Everyone, what a week!  The Olympics are full force, and so are you. Great weekend of intensity, full team workout, long slow day, rain, sleet, snow!  I really hope you watch the Olympic skiers and really study their form. Sometimes the best learning is done through 'copying', or 'imitating' so why not imitate the best in the world.

Now that smile is what I like to see! FUN, FRIENDS...FAST!

So this week we are charging forward to the Youth Championships. I know it actually seems early because it is a 'championship' but don't worry, we still have more racing to do this month!
I really want all of you to think about these things this weekend:

1. Race plan - make one and stick to it.
2. Pre-ski - what can I learn about the course that will help me on the race day.
3. Warming up - doing a good warm up with 10sec pick ups of 100%
4. Picking up skis - 30min prior to race for classic, Test and return for any minor changes 15 min prior to race for skate.
5. Racing - Burn a match to start, ski like wildfire on the flats, burn more matches on the hills and recover on the downs, leave it all out there on the finish.
(your matches burn brighter when we do intensity, but we add matches when we do long slow days)
6. Results - this is your race. You and your skis. What did you do well? Did you stick to your plan? What could you do better? Where do you want to go from here.....
7. Reflect - Have you improved since we first met?  I can answer that....for all of you  110% YES!

Training:

Monday - Rest Day or alternate sport

Tuesday - Classic Ski - Can you do an 'its still cold out' classic ski tonight - fun and light - no more than an hour. Think about technique, think about exploding off of your bear claws and gently slipping your feet into slippers before gliding forever on your skis....

Wednesday - Team training - I wanted to do Classic style but it looks to be warm...so SKATE! - We will do some technique again and short - no, VERY short sprints - keeping it light and punchy! Bring scales or skins if you really want to get on classic...

Thursday - Strength - you can complete the same workout as the last weeks, but not 3 sets - Try 2. Include the core.  Throw in a light jog as it looks to be so very warm out there.

Friday - Travel Day and Pre-Ski.  A team pre-ski will be tricky as we are all arriving at different times, but if we can use the What's APP that Ray set up at Easterns, perhaps we can get groups of athletes skiing the course together. So, things to think about - Terrain and technique - what technique matches the terrain. Try to do a SLOW (yes ZONE 1) Lap, and then a 'HOT' Lap (about 80-85%) if you are PeeWee,  But if you are Midget 4.5 k may be too long to do twice, so do the whole course in Zone 1 but try a couple of sections  as 'HOT' and see how you feel.  You could always do the relay course HOT instead of the race course (after your zone 1 preski)  I should be there by about 2-2:30 with the trailer so look for me and I will ski with anyone who still needs to get some laps in!

 Ontario Youth Championships Mar 16-18  North Bay. 
Friday:  
• Official training day. Course open from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.  
• Race office opens 2:00 pm 
• Coaches meeting 5pm
• Team dinner then team meeting in hotel (TBA)

Saturday: Race office opens 8:00 am 
• Classic Technique Interval Start race by category. First start 10:00 am 
• Classic Technique Relay race by category. First start 1:00 pm 
• Banquet 6:00–8:00 pm at Nipissing University. Doors open 5:30 pm 


Sunday:Race office opens 8:00 am
• Freestyle Mass Start race by category. First start 9:30 am
RACE&DETAILS
 
Pewee   Saturday: 3 km         Saturday Relay:  2 x 600 m     Sunday:  3 km
Midget  Saturday:  4.5 km     Saturday Relay    2 x 600 m     Sunday   4.7 km