Most people vow to start their New Year's resolutions at the beginning of the year. For me the New Year starts after the snow melts. This is when we bust out the bikes and running shoes and complain about the heat.
I've decided to run more this year and keep running through the ski season. Most of the top skiers run. Almost every college team starts their say with a morning jog. Some elite skiers do their runs after dinner. It's a short run. Perhaps thirty minutes or so, but they all do it. But that's not why I'll do it. I'm not one to do things just because everyone does it.
I never before felt the need to run but this past season it finally made sense to me. One of the primary muscles used in running is the hamstring. It is involved a little in striding but for the most part the hamstrings aren't used much in skiing. But here's what I think. While you're skiing blood is rushing through all parts of your body. It's rushing through all the muscles you use and all the muscles you don't use. It's even rushing through your hamstrings. As it is your hamstrings are just sitting there just relaxing and killing time. Why not then make them hamstrings do some work? If you train them so they actually can do something then you have this little extra 1-2% of muscle that can actually help eat up all that lactic acid you produce while you're climbing!
Of course there's no actual way you can test this hypothesis. All I can say is that I've seen one athlete add running to his winter routine and it seems to have upped his level a notch. Maybe it'll up mine a notch too. I'll be happy with half a notch.
Ruka Classic Sprint Predictions
5 months ago
I've been thinking along these lines lately, too. My first couple runs have been immensely painful! I can only imagine that my skiing would have been better if I'd had ski strength *and* running strength in my legs.
ReplyDeleteThe trouble I have with making training plans is that I only have time for 5 or 6 hours of training a week - much less for two-a-days involving rollerskiing or strength in the morning and running in the evening. Thus I feel that I have to do as much ski-specific work as possible all year round - rollerskiing instead of biking, bounding instead of just running, etc. Am I wrong?
You can get a lot done in 5-6 hours a week. They just have to be of high quality. :)
ReplyDeleteEasier said than done of course.