What It's Like to Run in an Olympian's Shoes

 by Jenny Beckman & Wendi Morin

(Source: Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle)

In my experience as a salesperson, there are two major misconceptions surrounding racing flats. One is that they are used strictly for racing, and the other is that only the super-elites run in them. With the rise of the “minimalism” movement, we are seeing more and more people don light weight shoes. I sat down with Gear West gait analysis expert Wendi Morin and hashed out some answers to the most common questions we hear surrounding these shoes.

“What is a racing flat?”

Racing flats are shoes with very little cushion if any, they typically have a low heel and are lightweight.  When you look at these shoes you can’t help but think “where’s the beef?”  Or if you’re a vegetarian, “where’s the veggie burger?” There is also a category of shoes called racer-trainers that some people might consider racing flats because they are still very light-weight, but this type of shoe has a little more cushion and a little less flexibility. A racer-trainer is a good choice for someone who wants to run longer distances and have more protection from the road.

Asics DS Trainer 17: Same last, more sole

Asics DS Racer 9: Less sole=lighter weight

“Why bother using them? I have a comfy pair of trainers that fits me just fine”

Why should you use them? It's simple. Running in a lighter shoe will result in less fatigue and allow you to go faster over a long distance – with proper training of course. Putting on a pair of light weight flats will not make up for lack of training.

That being said, racing flats should be worn by people that have an efficient running gait and are less prone to injury. If you are unsure about how efficient you are, or want help in becoming more efficient you should consider having a gait analysis.

Wendi Says: “If a runner doesn’t have a real efficient gait, they may find that they actually can run a race faster in a regular running shoe instead of a racing flat because they use less energy being better aligned.”

“If I purchased a pair would I use them strictly for racing?”

No. We recommend that you use the flats when doing any sort of speed work. Log your regular miles in your trainers, and use the flats for speed work such as strides, intervals, or tempo runs. Give your body time to adjust to the shoes, that way when race day rolls around – you'll be ready to rock!

“How long will it take me to get used to them?”

It all depends on the runner. Racing flats are minimal shoes, so we recommend working into them the same way you would with a minimal trainer. Most running experts recommend runners who are new to using flats log 10% of their normal distance in the light weight shoes. For example – “your normal tempo run is 10 miles, wear the flats for 1 mile, and then switch back to your trainers.” says Gear West & The Fix Studio's “Gait Analyzer” Lev Kalemkiarian.

Wendi Says: “Racing flats use more of the small muscles that may not have to work in a less flexible shoe and therefore if they are worn on occasion they can teach your body to recruit more muscle. This will slowly help you to become more efficient as a runner.”

How to choose the right flat for your foot:

Wendi Says: “To choose the right racing flat for you, make sure to consider what has worked for you in a training shoe when choosing a racing flat. A lot of times there are toned-down versions of training shoes that are lighter weight for racing. You want to try on several different brands and see what feels comfortable on your feet. Get an idea of what you like and what you don’t like in terms of weight, amount of cushion, amount of stability, room in the toe box, and color (for some people). Keep in mind what race distance the shoe is best for, and if you have questions ask a Gear West sales person! We are all trained in providing proper fit and can send you on your way with a great fitting pair of shoes.”

 Olympian's Shoes:

Nike Luna Racer+ - Worn by Kara Goucher in the 2012 Olympic Trials Marathon. This shoe is also Jan's weapon of choice. She looks for a shoe with a “close snug fit, like a second skin.”

Asics Hyper Speed - Olympian Ryan Hall in the 2012 Olympic Trails Marathon

Brooks T7 Racer - Desiree Davila 
Source: Brooks Running

The Ski to Sea Experience by Matthew Liebsch

This past weekend I was able to race in the Ski to Sea multi-sport relay race. 500 teams with 8 racers per team compete in the following order: cross-country ski, ski mountaineering, running, road bike, canoe, mountain bike, and sea kayak. The event is huge! 50,000+ people come out to either race, support, or spectate. 

Ski to Sea race Start

 I was privileged to race for Team AeroMech.  AeroMech Incorporated provide industry leading aircraft engineering and certification services to aircraft manufacturers, airlines, operators, modification shops, and military customers worldwide.  After all 93 miles, we finished in 2nd place, only 7 seconds behind, in the closest finish in the history of the race! 

2nd Place Champions

The cross-country ski leg was a lot of fun with competitors of all backgrounds. I saw everything from first time skiers on 40-year-old touring skis to elite racers. 

Lead Pack - Matt Liebsch and Brian Gregg

 The same is true for every leg of the race. On the elite side you have pros with $10,000 carbon bikes, surf skis, and carbon canoes – then on the recreation and family teams you have heavy wooden boats and bikes with banana seats! The diversity of competitors is vast, but everyone is keen on having fun! The race atmosphere is great and I am already looking for to coming back next year.

Matthew Edward Liebsch

Gait Analysis By Lev

Two Thumbs Up!

As an avid cross country skier I spend a lot of time obsessing over technique and making myself as efficient as possible. It's staggering to compare the amount of time I spend cross training versus the amount of time actually spent on snow in the winter. I don't know about you, but besides rollerskiing the two cross-training activities I engage in the most are cycling and running. I decided that having a gait analysis with Lev would be beneficial, because becoming more efficient in the activities I enjoy 75% of the year will all in all make me a stronger, faster skier.




The Gait Analysis process takes about 30 or 40 minutes, and is based on your own personal goals. Many people use the information they receive for injury prevention, rehabilitation, and to determine a good shoe fit for their feet. That being said, if you are just starting to run or a seasoned competitor - everyone can benefit from this service. Lev starts off by taking some initial video footage of your running form, and administers some basic strength tests. He then demonstrates and helps you practice drills and exercises that help improve your running style. This is followed by a second video which you will view side by side with the initial footage. It is absolutely incredible to see the changes you are able to make in such a short span of time!

Lev goes over the finer points of Jenny's run form

Advanced Motion Capture!

The main component I realized during my gait analysis is that everything my parents and teachers have told me is true – I am unique. Everyone is! We all have different running styles, and issues. Some natural tendencies we have can lead to injuries later down the line. Having your gait analyzed using video is extremely helpful in the sense that it makes these tendencies visibly apparent. I am one of those people who imagines herself running as flawlessly as Carrie Tollefson, however seeing myself on video helped me discover that is not exactly the case. But! Making changes is incredibly simple with the help of a knowledgeable professional. Lev has given me some daily exercises and short drills to add to my routine before running.

Run Strength Drills

For the cost of $40.00 this is a very affordable option and an incredibly good investment. Personally, I would much rather pay a one time fee versus paying the medical bills for an injury later. The bottom line is - whether you run competitively, for cross-training, or just as something to get you out of the house gait analysis is something that runners of all levels can benefit from – it makes the activity significantly more enjoyable!

Lev is awesome because:

He has a Masters in Exercise Physiology from the College of Saint Scholastica and is a member of The Fix Studio team. The Fix Studio staff has 45 combined years of experience working with athletes training for events from local 5k's to the Olympics. 

Running Form by Wendi Pearson

Running form is something every runner wonders about sometime in their active life whether they are a beginning runner wanting to start out right, a regular runner who has some aches and pains, an advanced runner who wants to improve performance or someone who just doesn’t want to have to stop the sport they love due to chronic physical problems. Good running form is not something we are born with as once believed back in the 1970’s and it is not something that necessarily just comes about by running miles and miles until your body just gives in to efficiency as believed in the 1980’s. Running form has to be practiced just like shooting form in basketball, poses in karate or tae kwon do, or throwing a spiral in football.

One of the best ways to practice good running form is to run barefoot on a firmer surface and feel what your body does. Running barefoot will force your body into protecting and propelling itself in its most efficient form without having to think about it, this is the body’s natural ability to survive. You will notice that your feet land closer together almost at midline, you will run more toward the balls of your feet, land softer, take your feet off the ground quicker, take shorter strides to keep your feet and legs underneath your body instead of in front, and run more up-right aligning your ear, shoulder, hip, and ankle. These are the things you should think about when you put on your running shoes to go out for a run.

To improve running form I tell people to envision running on a balance beam. If you were to run on a balance beam you would keep your feet landing and taking off at midline, you would have very little vertical bounce, and you would keep your head up aligning your entire body so that you don’t lose your balance and fall off the balance beam.

Why is it so important to run on the midline? Think about what you would do if I handed you a jump rope and told you to jump rope with one leg. You wouldn’t keep your leg to the side directly under the hip because all of the stress would vibrate in your lower body joints and use a whole lot of muscle to balance. You would bring the leg to the center so that the whole body distributes the shock for you and the muscles can conserve energy.

The upper body is also very important for good running form. The right arm controls the left leg movement and the left arm controls the right leg movement. If your elbows swing side to side like a linebacker ready to block someone then your throwing a lot of your weight side to side on your legs putting stress on the outside of the knees and hips. If one arm swings different than the other arm then your legs aren’t symmetrical either. Your arms should be bent about ninety degrees and your elbows should swing straight forward and back while your shoulders are back and relaxed. I tell people to imagine that someone is too close behind them and to swing their elbows back like they’re elbowing them.

What about Vibram Five Fingers and minimalist shoes? For the right person these are great shoes to use as tools to improve form and efficiency. I say “tools” because that is how you should start out thinking of them – a tool to use once or twice a week for one to two miles as a strength day or a form day. Many people have been in stable shoes all of their life and need to start out slow and build all those little muscles that have maybe never been used. Gradually you can increase the amount of miles run in minimalist shoes but be sure you have a strong base so you don’t get injured. Once you can run more miles on two days a week, you can increase the number of days run in them or decide that you just want to use them solely as a training tool and continue to alternate with your regular running shoes. The advantage of wearing a minimalist shoes like the Vibram’s is that you are mimicking what it’s like to run barefoot so you can become stronger, more efficient, and learn better form. Racing flats (minimalist shoes) are similar but not quite as precise, you can still get away with heel striking and not quite as efficient form so you need to think about running with good form.

A few of the Vibram Five Finger models we carry:

Sprint – open top Vibram with a strap across. Best for spring and summer running.

KSO – (Keep Stuff Out) has a covered top for people who want to keep rocks out on trails. Great for running roads and trails in the spring, summer, and fall.

Bikila – has a little cushion on the bottom for those not quite ready to go without. A great transition shoe from regular running shoes or to protect the feet a little extra from small rocks. Road and trail running in the spring, summer, and fall.

Trek – a leather version made for trails. Extra traction with a soft kangaroo upper. Trail running in the spring, summer, and fall.

Treksport – a sporty shoe with extra traction originally made for trails but some people like it on the roads as well. Running in the spring, summer, and fall.

Flow – a Vibram made for cold weather and wet or snow type conditions. Made with a neoprene upper for those wanting a late fall and winter barefoot shoe to keep running through the year. Will work with some of the short gaitors to keep snow out and ankles warmer. Injinji socks (with individual toes) are also available for extra warmth to wear with Vibram’s.

Performa – a women’s indoor barefoot shoe to wear around the house or for yoga.

Plantar Fasciitis By Wendi Pearson

Plantar Fasciitis can strike anyone whether you’re active or sedentary, young or old, in the best shape of your life or the worst, and it can be relentless. Plantar Fasciitis is an injury that classically feels like a badly bruised heel or pain just in front of the heel, but can also be felt as a strain in the arch or a pull just behind the ball of the foot. The pain is usually worse in the morning when you take those first couple of steps out of bed or after you’ve been on your feet for an extended period of time. The pain is made worse by running and walking fast, especially when they require quick starts, speedwork, jumping, or hills.

What are the traditional treatments? Ice, stretch, rest, orthotics, heel lifts, heel cushions, massage, Ibuprofen, and rolling your foot on a ball or frozen can. How many of these treatments have you tried? How many times has your Plantar Fasciitis come back? How many years have you had it while trying these very things? Well I’m here to tell you that many of these things are the EXACT OPPOSITE of what really gets rid of Plantar Fasciitis for good and/or improves it a lot sooner. Why? Because what causes Plantar Fasciitis is the plantar tendons that run from the ball of the foot, underneath the arch, connect to the front of the heel, the fascia runs under the heel and around to where it connects to the Achilles tendon and when the arch gets stressed from overload (excess weight, workouts, standing on feet lengthy amounts of time, age, change, pregnancy, wrong shoes, etc…) it can start to get weaker and fall. Tendons are not meant to have much stretch, and the tendons in the arch are mainly our shock absorbers that stretch just enough to buffer each foot landing so when they are asked to stretch more than that they start to pull apart causing micro tears in the tissue. These micro tears are what you feel as a heal bruise or soreness in the foot or arch. Plantar Fasciitis is not caused by impact and that’s important to know in understanding the healing process. Heel cushions don’t help it heal nor does raising the heal with heel lifts, they only take the stress off and heal the tendons in a shortened position making them more susceptible to other problems.

The plantar tendons are made up of white tendons (low blood supply), whereas other areas of the body have red tendons (high blood supply) so icing and Ibuprofen will only take more blood supply away from the area and make it slower to heal. Massage and rolling the foot on a ball relaxes the tendons into a lengthened position and allow the arch to further fall and tear. Orthotics are an option that helps some people as long as their fitted in a manner that keeps the whole body aligned not just bracing the feet.

What REALLY helps heel Plantar Fasciitis?
#1 The most important thing is to strengthen the arch so it comes back up into the proper position. Use a sock or a golf ball (if you have longer toes) and sit with your legs bent at a 90 degree angle. Pick up the sock with all five toes curled around it and hold two to three inches high for a slow count of three. Set down and repeat. Do at least 25 reps on each foot (always do both feet). The more you do the faster you will heal.

#2 Wear a Strasburg Sock at night, this will help the tissues heal in the lengthened position and stop the cycle of tearing the fascia when you step on the floor each morning. Otherwise, you heal in a shortened, relaxed position and have to start over with the healing process each morning.
#3 Soak in a really warm Epsom Salt bath for 20 minutes each night. This will take away the excess swelling without taking away the blood supply that you need to heal the tissues.

#4 Cross-train. Exercise brings blood flow and helps heal injuries and using a stationary bike gives the plantar fascia a break.

October Skis by Matt Liebsch

Matt Liebsch is a member of the CXC Elite cross country ski team and a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a BS in Electrical Engineering.He is an Olympic hopeful and had a very successful 2009 season… 3rd Place at US Nationals, Mora Vasaloppet winner and American Birkebeiner Champion.When Matt is not training and racing he is helping out at Gear West or spending time with his wife, one-year-old son and new baby girl Samantha.

It snowed last night and this morning in the Twin Cities and we received enough snow for me to venture out on an anonymous golf course in the western suburbs. The skiing was great with a little silicon spray on the entire length of a pair of rock crown skis. I just got back from an intense camp at the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, NY so I didn't ski for very long… just enough rekindle the fire for real snow!

Train hard, train smart

Matt

Golf Tourney Fun!

Matt Liebsch is a member of the CXC Elite cross country ski team and a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a BS in Electrical Engineering.He is an Olympic hopeful and had a very successful 2009 season… 3rd Place at US Nationals, Mora Vasaloppet winner and American Birkebeiner Champion.When Matt is not training and racing he is helping out at Gear West or spending time with his wife, one-year-old son and new baby girl Samantha.

This past Sunday was the 4th Annual Matt Liebsch Golf Tournament. This year we had 45 golfers and many of them were skiers (and they can even golf!). The event raised some money to help fund my Olympic aspirations and everyone had a great time.

Congratulations to the Gear West foursome of Tom, Drew, Speedy and Stu on your 3rd place finish. The Gear West team had tied for 3rd but won in a putt off. I know you guys were super excited to win those Gear West Gift cards=)

This week I am training hard and will run the 1/2 marathon Trail Loppet this coming Saturday. Also, I’ll be in at Gear West for the Salomon SuperFit weekend.

To Ski or Not To Ski: Making the Decision after High-School

Jenny is a junior at Saint Cloud State University and is majoring in communication studies and marketing. She is the captain of the Nordic ski team, and is also a member of the cycling team.

One of the most challenging things for a college-bound, high school athlete to decide at the end of their secondary education is if they want to continue on to compete at the collegiate level. For me there were no questions asked; skiing has always been a passion of mine. I love to compete and plan on continuing for as long as I live.

I feel that participating in a sport was advantageous to me in several different ways.

One of the benefits as an incoming freshman was that I instantly had a core group of people that I knew I had something in common with. It helped in easing the anxiety of being away from home and all of the sudden changes that occur as a result of adjusting to a new life at school.

Secondly I consider having constraints on my time to be an advantage. This may sound weird at first, but having to balance my class schedule with practice, training camps, and race weekends has helped me become very efficient when it comes to time management.

Also, as result of traveling, I’ve found that it is imperative to establish relationships with your professors. By communicating with them, they will be more likely to help you with assignments outside of class time and more understand when you need to miss class for a competition.

Bottom line- if you or someone you know is on the fence about college sports, I say take the plunge, it’s worth it.

- Jenny

Matt Liebsch's Top Ten

Matt Liebsch's Top 10 Basic Dryland/ Rollerski Tips

Matt Liebsch is a member of the CXC Elite cross country ski team and a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a BS in Electrical Engineering.He is an Olympic hopeful and had a very successful 2009 season… 3rd Place at US Nationals, Mora Vasaloppet winner and American Birkebeiner Champion.When Matt is not training and racing he is helping out at Gear West or spending time with his wife, one-year-old son and new baby girl Samantha.

1) No-poles skating: Skate roller skiing without poles is great for technique and for specific strength. Focus on pushing side to side and not back. Make sure to transfer weight 100%. Eliminate stepping up but rather focus on having the feeling of falling forward on your skis… free speed. Be symmetric in the lower body… have a friend video so you can watch yourself.

2) Increased Core Strength: We can all improve here! The stronger your core, the faster you will ski. Sit-ups, sit-ups with weight, medicine ball work, russian twists, planks, core braces, back braces, side braces, back-ups, inverted sit-ups, side sit-ups, rows, half rows, book slaps, leg throws, leg lifts… get the idea?

3) Poling Specific Strength: I have found great gains in doing this type of training. Single stick, up-hill, try it. As you get better at it you will be faster. Also, double poling and core only double poling up steep hills will improve ski fitness and strength.

4) Take lessons/Get a coach: Training below or above your target intensity is a good way to over-train or miss training opportunities. You should have a V02max test or lactate profile test completed to set your training zones. A coach can offer invaluable advice when it comes to training and technique. Ski lessons are another means to increase efficiency, especially if you take lessons from someone with a keen eye for technique.

5) Eat smart and get fit: A solid diet will give you the proper nutrition to feel great when training and throughout the day. Also, exercise and a proper diet will help one achieve an ideal weight. Let's face it, our sport is power endurance based. Increase the power and decrease the weight and you'll go faster for a given effort.

6) Use poles for Dry-land: Incorporate poles as often as possible when you are dry-land training specifically on foot. If you are going on a run, bring your poles and use them. Ski walking and ski bounding are great activities while using poles. Really think about activating the core and engaging the poles. Drive the arms and don't just use your legs.

7) Get stronger: Get to the gym or run to the nearest playground. Can you do 10 pull-ups? Not easy? Then strength is probably an area you can improve on and see gains in your skiing. This is where a training group/coach can be helpful. If you are going to be spending time in the gym you want to make sure you are working on exercises that will translate to your skiing. Working up to 50lb curls will probably not help you ski faster. Dips, pull-ups, one legged squats, lat pull-downs, over-head triceps extension, and lunges are all good ski specific exercises.

8) Plyos: Great for working on quickness, explosiveness, and speed… all things that we want to see in our skiing. Be careful if you have sensitive knees when attempting any of the one-leg exercises. Try the following during dryland sessions; Two-leg vertical jumps, standing broad jumps, one-leg vertical hops, one-leg vertical bounds, classic box jumps, skate box jumps, vertical bounds, lunge jumps, one-leg squat jumps, classic jumps, stationary lateral bounds, uphill lateral bounds, uphill striding bounds, skipping, standard box jumps, cross-over jumps, hurdles, and vertical displacement jumps to name a few.

9) Go fast on rollerskis: If you move slowly all the time on your roller skis that could become your style on snow skis. Go fast! Anything from 10 second speed bursts to 20 min threshold intervals is great. If you want to be a fast skier you have to train it. I really like threshold intervals for good fitness gains and moving at a speed that allows you to think about good technique without going in the tank.

10) Go long or hard – not both: I see many master skiers training at L2+ pace much of the time. You can only train hard or long… not both, so you need to differentiate. Going L2+ all the time will result in your ability to race at L2+ very well but what happens when the racers next to you moves into L3 or worse yet, L4 for the uphill? You are done. Make sure to incorporate intervals and distance in your training. If you don't feel good on your interval days it means you went too hard on your distance days. Also, if you feel super duper great on your distance days it probably means your body is ready to handle more intensity.

Update from the Haig Glacier

Matt Liebsch is a member of the CXC Elite cross country ski team and a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a BS in Electrical Engineering.He is an Olympic hopeful and had a very successful 2009 season… 3rd Place at US Nationals, Mora Vasaloppet winner and American Birkebeiner Champion.When Matt is not training and racing he is helping out at Gear West or spending time with his wife, one-year-old son and new baby girl Samantha.

Hey All, Just a quick update. I am on the Haig Glacier outside of Canmore, Alberta for an on-snow camp this week. I am training with my teammate, Brian Gregg, and we are tagging along with a couple ski clubs from Canada. We are training big hours and getting our ski legs back. Skiing on the glacier is up high, around 9000ft. Weather has been a mixed bag but this afternoon was beautiful. Check out my website and Brian Gregg’s website for more pictures and updates. www.mattliebsch.com www.xcskilife.com

Train hard, train smart (especially when at altitude)

Matt

New boots, training camp and now recovery

Matt Liebsch is a member of the CXC Elite cross country ski team and a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a BS in Electrical Engineering. He is an Olympic hopeful and had a very successful 2009 season… 3^rd Place at US Nationals, Mora Vasaloppet winner and American Birkebeiner Champion. When Matt is not training and racing he is helping out at Gear West or spending time with his wife, one-year-old son and new baby girl Samantha.

This past week I was in Hayward for an intensity block of training with the CXC team. For me, the week involved 9 hard workouts over the course of 5 days… 3 VO2max workouts, 2 time trials, 3 strength workouts and a threshold session. I am a little tired to say the least. Luckily I have been working with Larry Foss at "The Fix Studio" … http://www.thefixmassage.com. Larry is great at putting me back together after I break down my body with hard training. This coming week is a well deserved recovery week as I allow my body to absorb all the training I have completed over the past few weeks.

When I arrived at camp in Hayward I was greeted with a gift… new boots – Salomon S-Lab Skate Boot! I think it may be my engineering background but I love any new techie stuff. Kevin Johnson of Salomon sports sent me a pair of next seasons boot. I didn't think the new boots could be more comfy than my current Salomon S-Lab boots but I was wrong. It feels like Salomon improved the overall fit, especially the arch and last. Kevin also sent me 2 cuffs to play around with; the standard cuff and new Carbon Energyzer cuff. Initial testing has me very excited with the carbon cuff. It seems to keep you in a better skiing position than the standard cuff. One last item I noticed was the pin on the boot is moved further under the foot. This definitely gives a better feeling of control and pushing off the ski seems a little more natural. Additionally, the boots are just as water proof as last years boots, I would know as we did a lot of rollerskiing in the rain last week at camp.

Train hard, train smart!

Busy Week by Matt Liebsch

Matt Liebsch is a member of the CXC Elite cross country ski team and a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a BS in Electrical Engineering. He is an Olympic hopeful and had a very successful 2009 season… 3^rd Place at US Nationals, Mora Vasaloppet winner and American Birkebeiner Champion. When Matt is not training and racing he is helping out at Gear West or spending time with his wife and one-year-old son.

So this past week was quite eventful. I started the second week of training camp only to get a call from Marybeth after the first workout. She was heading to the hospital with her mom to check things out… she stated that she didn't think she was in labor and said I should stay at camp and finish my second workout with the team… I ignored her and got in my car went to meet her in labor assessment.

Good thing I did because we had a little girl later that evening. Check out my website www.mattliebsch.com for her picture and stats. She is a mellow baby compared to Grant and is very sleepy. Marybeth is recovering quickly and our parents have been helping out a lot… I even got in a few workouts last week.

I'll be hanging low for the next few weeks as our family adjusts to a new little one but then the training hours will get ramped back up. It's not worth training hard if the sleep (recovery) isn't there. Remember it is the recovery that makes us faster and stronger. I learned this the hard way when Grant was born.

Train hard, train smart

Matt

Training Hard by Matt Liebsch

Matt Liebsch is a member of the CXC Elite cross country ski team and a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a BS in Electrical Engineering. He is an Olympic hopeful and had a very successful 2009 season… 3^rd Place at US Nationals, Mora Vasaloppet winner and American Birkebeiner Champion. When Matt is not training and racing he is helping out at Gear West or spending time with his wife and one-year-old son.

I am currently one week into the 2^nd CXC training camp of the year. Last week my training load was the largest I've done in quite awhile… 24hrs of rollerskiing, weight lifting, running, intervals and some paddling. Sunday my team concluded the training week with a 4 hour classic rollerski… lots of double poling and about 45 miles covered. I am surprised at how well my body reacted to the training load. Usually after a week of high level training I am ready for a message and a few days off.

Right now I am enjoying my Monday (off/rest day) without any excessive tiredness or soreness. I attribute this to tapering a bit coming into camp and carrying out my passive and active recovery methods daily. I've been doing some active recovery jogs, stretching and self message along with proper nutrition during and after workouts.

This week is the last week of camp and won't involve quite as many training hours. Hopefully the weather stays nice.

Also, our baby girl should be arriving any day now. Soon I'll have two kiddies to chase around!

Best Cool Down – 55/5’s by Matt Liebsch

Matt Liebsch is a member of the CXC Elite cross country ski team and a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a BS in Electrical Engineering. He is an Olympic hopeful and had a very successful 2009 season… 3^rd Place at US Nationals, Mora Vasaloppet winner and American Birkebeiner Champion. When Matt is not training and racing he is helping out at Gear West or spending time with his wife and one-year-old son.

This past year I have been following a cool-down procedure used by the USST sprinters. I only do this cool-down after lactate acid accumulating workouts. The goal of this specific cool-down is to flush as much lactate out of the muscles as possible so I can recover faster. After I finish my last set of intervals I let my heart rate get back to Level 1 by walking around a bit or if the last interval was really hard, I pass out on the ground. After reaching L1 heart rate I move back into L2 for 10 minutes. Next comes the 55/5’s which involve 55 seconds at sub L1/ recovery pace followed by 5 seconds of all out L5 speed. This super slow pace followed by super fast speed does a wonderful job of squeezing lactate acid out of the muscles and flushing it out of the system.

Some key points of doing this correctly are that the 5 seconds of on-time need to be very hard. It should feel like all the muscles in your body are contracting at maximum. Also, you don’t have to start the 5 second speed from a dead stop. You can workup to high pace and then back down slowly as well… should be around 15 seconds total with the middle 5 seconds being at maximal effort. This buffer in and out of the speed will lessen any chances of injury. Last year I injured my ankle doing 55/5’s via running by starting and stopping too soon. There is a lot of force produced from going 0-100% effort but if you go from 60%-100% you lessen some of that extreme acceleration stress.

Train hard, train smart

Matt

Lactate Testing and Finding LT by Matt Liebsch

Matt Liebsch is a member of the CXC Elite cross country ski team and a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a BS in Electrical Engineering. He is an Olympic hopeful and had a very successful 2009 season… 3^rd Place at US Nationals, Mora Vasaloppet winner and American Birkebeiner Champion. When Matt is not training and racing he is helping out at Gear West or spending time with his wife and one-year-old son.

The past Tuesday I meet up with my good friend and club coach, Piotr Bednarski, for some baseline lactate testing. I had already V02max tested with my program coach Bryan Fish, but I wanted to check some lactates to make sure everything matched up and get my training zones squared away.

The protocol we used involved skate skiing up the 3-5min hill along East River Road which goes underneath East Franklin Street. Every time I rollerskied up the hill I would try to bump up my heart rate into the next perceived training zone. Here are my results.

HR	Lactate	Time
129	1.0	4:28
149	2.1	4:06
163	3.9	3:38
168	5.1	3:01
172	7.8	2:43

After discussing the results with Piotr, we were able to nail down my current training zones. There are a lot of theories on defining training zones but the most important point to know is your lactate threshold (LT). LT is the pace at which accumulation of lactate acid matches the bodies ability to remove it from the body… this LT zone is usually the pace one could hold for about a 1hr all out effort. Lactate threshold is usually right around 4mM for most individuals but can vary in between 2.5mM and 6mM for some people. Based on this test data, my LT zone would be between 164-166 BPM (a little lower than normal but hey, its spring time and I have not be training a ton of intensity yet). It is important to remember that LT is different for each exercise so my LT could be higher or lower depending on whether I was double polling, running, biking, swimming or striding. Now that I know my LT zone I can training at my LT pace and make solid gains. I find that LT training gives me the most "bang-for-the-buck" with regards to fitness gains. A favorite workout of mine is 3by15min at LT; with proper warm-up and cool-down of course.

If you're interested in having a lactate profil done contact Piotr via http://gotraining.us/

Train hard, train smart

Matt