The 2011-2012 RCS Carbonlite Skis Have Arrived!!

Ask and you shall receive… we are excited to have on-hand a limited number of next year’s RCS Carbonlite classic and skate skis. They are black and they are beautiful! Ski fit extraordinary, Brian Knutson, has exclaimed, “This is one of the best batches of Fischer skis I have ever seen!”

New for 2011-2012, the Carbonlite Classic ski incorporate a molded carbon tip for reduced swing weight and better acceleration. The three-dimensional construction allows the tip to be shortened without sacrificing contact length or stability. The Carbonlite Skate ski continues to employ the Gold medal winning Hole Tip technology.

You still have time to pick up on of these rocket ship skis and have them race ready for the Birkie. How would you like to be racing on a ski that only World Cup skiers are sporting for the Oslo 2011 World Championships?!?

UP FOR A LITTLE CHEATING?

Available at your favorite Atomic dealer now is the new SNS Wedge 60. Putting these on your skis is almost like giving them a banned substance, only these new 60mm Wedges have been approved by the FIS and IBU. The cheating is figurative, not literal; they will give your skis an unfair advantage over the folks you ski with. The new wedge is legal.

The Original SNS Wedge

The NEW SNS Wedge 60

Last year, the regular SNS Wedge (42mm wide under the ball of the foot) was introduced at the Vancouver Olympics with outstanding results. This wedge is a sloping ramp that fits under the bindings and lifts the toe 4mm while leaving the heel alone. It is not a cant, there is no angling of the foot to the side, it is purely a lifter. Why does this lifter make you a faster skier? Have you ever mounted your skis a few centimeters too far behind the balance point? By being that far back from the peak of the camber, the skis glide like rockets. This greatly decreases the pressure on the key part of the forebody and being mounted too far back greatly increases the speed of any skating ski. Important to note, this is for skating skis only, doesn’t work on classic. Why doesn’t everyone just mount their skis back 5 or 6cm from the balance point if this makes the skis so fast? Because, once you go more than one or two cm behind the balance point you will have a ski that gets pretty hard to control and turn. What you would gain in speed would be lost in lack of control. The SNS Wedge that was introduced last year has the speed effect of being mounted too far back. Raising the toe a little bit, leaving the heel alone, changes the weight distribution on the camber and gives the ski the fast glide of being a little too far back. However, your binding is in the proper location so you still have the control and stability that comes with mounting the binding just one cm behind the balance point. This wedge was widely used at Vancouver by all SNS athletes and has been available to the general public since last fall. New and just arrived is the wider version, the SNS Wedge 60 which is a full 60mm wide under the ball of the foot. Don’t worry; the wedge won’t touch the snow no matter how much you lean the ski over.

THE SNS WEDGE 60 WAS MOUNTED ON A NUMBER OF DEMO SKIS AT WEST YELLOWSTONE. A WIDE RANGE OF SKIERS OF ALL ABILITIES GAVE THEM A TRY. FEEDBACK WAS UNANIMOUS, THE NEW WIDER WEDGE GIVES BETTER STABILITY AND CONTROL THAN THE ORIGINAL WEDGE OR HAVING NO WEDGE AT ALL.

Look at the picture above of the new wedge and you will notice that it has a cavity in the middle. The binding fits right into that cavity so that the wider wings are flush with the binding; there is no gap between the boot sole and this wedge. The end result is noticeably better control than having the original wedge or no wedge at all, especially when pushing off on hard tracks.

ATOMIC’S TOP INTERNATIONAL ATHLETES HAVE FULLY ENDORSED THIS NEW WEDGE. NOT SURPRISING THAT ATOMIC WOULD BE THIS INNOVATIVE. MORE US NORDIC SKIERS HAVE WON OLYMPIC MEDALS WITH ATOMIC BINDINGS AND BOOTS THAN ALL OTHER BRANDS COMBINED.

-Rick Halling, Atomic USA

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.

Brodie "Employee of the Moment"

Full Name: Brodie

Age (optional): 34yrs.

GW Position: Mail Order Manager

Weight (optional): 160lbs. (although I’ve gone and busted up my foot so now it’s like 165 lbs)

Height (optional): 5'11"

Athletic Ability: advanced, athletic, competitive, weekend warrior

Is Brodie your REAL name, or your stage name?

Brodie is my given middle name. My stage name is Mr. Wonderful.

Mr. & Mrs. Wonderful!

Well Mr. Wonderful, What are you wonderful at?

I’m wonderful at a whole slew of things. Just look 2 questions down for this answer.

Where did you grow up? Hometown?

Lander, Wyoming

Gear West must be pretty special!

What childhood sports did you or didn’t you do?

I played anything as a child.

I do not like them,

Brodie-I-am.

I do not like

green eggs and ham.

Any sweet sports achievements or personal victories?

I was the 5th best Nordic skier in Wyoming way back when. 10th best my senior year (don’t ask but the lower number did involve a girl....). JO Alternate my junior year in high school. I suppose my personal victory would be the sweet fire pit/patio I built this summer. Oh and beating all the Halo games on Legendary (well, still attempting the new one.)

College/Secondary Education/Degrees/Philosophies?

BS in Agroecology (it’s a growing things degree)

What did you grow in Wyoming?

Well, I personally didn’t grow anything in Wyoming. I just learned how to grow things in Wyoming. Here’s the deal, I was fixin’ on being a golf course superintendent at the time.

Through your life experiences, how did you find your way to Gear West?

Internet--ordered skis on closeout from www.gearwest.com!

It seems you selected the in-store pickup!

How did those skis work out for you?

These were some pretty kickin’ skis. I achieved a top ten finish at the West Yellowstone Rendezvous race on the closeout RCS Skate skis.

Was it the SELECTION or VALUE that sold it…Or was it the WISDOM?

Well, if you must know, it was the Selection of great skis, the value for which I could buy from the selection of great skis, and the wisdom of the fine folks in mail order for being able to fit my greatly selected skis!

EXCELLENT!

How long have you been working at Gear West?

7 years

What is the most interesting aspect of working at Gear West?

Waiting to hear what will be played in the mail order room.

What do you hear?

Musically there’s everything played in our hovel from The Statler Brothers to that screaming and yelling music Sven makes us listen too. My fav. is the Hair Band days.

What drives you in this business?

The Barth, baby, The Barth! And the challenge of using my knowledge finding that great ski from our great selection of skis at great value!

The Barth is FANTASTIC! Coming to a race near you!

What do you do at Gear West?

Wasn't this answered in the 'GW Position' section?

Maybe. OK! What are your day-to-day activities?

Do you really have the space for what I do? Okay here goes: process order, run around the store picking items for the orders, boxing up the orders for shipping, staying on top of our V2 inventory, picking and fitting skis (with Sven’s great help), taking orders on the phone, catching fraud orders online, drinking way too much coffee, providing general surliness to balance out Lynne’s general joyness, and I could go on.

Do you have any strengths/weaknesses?

I have a weakness of admitting to my weaknesses, but I'm strong at not admitting to my weaknesses so it all balances out!

Kinda like 1 + -1=0?

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.

USATF City of Lakes 25K at Lakes Harriet Race Summary

On Sunday, the Gear West Racing Team competed in their final USATF Team Circuit race of the season, the City of Lakes 25K at Lakes Harriet and Calhoun in Minneapolis. With a couple of injuries, the team was down to only 3 runners but all of them competed well and helped the team to a 4th place finish out of 9 teams. Chad Ernst again led the way, finishing 9th in 1:25:45, a pace of 5:31 per mile. Kyle Donovan ran a great race as well coming in 22nd overall in a time of 1:31:02, a pace of 5:52 per mile. Brandon Heebink rounded out the team coming in 53rd place in a time of 1:40:19, a 6:28 pace. With the team racing season winding down, one big event for the fall remains in Minnesota road racing and that is the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon and TC 10 Mile on Sunday, October 3rd. Gear West will be well represented as Kyle and Brandon will be competing in the full marathon, both looking for new personal best times, while Jason Quarford will be joining in on the fun for the weekend by running the 10 Mile. Be sure to check out the Gear West booth and Barth at the Twin Cities Marathon Expo at the St. Paul Rivercentre on Friday, Oct. 1st and Saturday, Oct. 2nd!

Pig Out Sale Events

The Gear West Ski & Run Pig Out Sale is fast approaching and it is the place to be for first hand knowledge and equipment. For 9 DAYS Gear West will be offering store wide sale pricing. Expect to see team pricing on all skis, boots, and poles. In addition to extremely great pricing, Gear West will be hosting a number wax clinics, industry meet and greets, fit clinics, and a book signing. Everyone here is excited about the lineup of events that are schedule and are looking forward to kicking off the ski season the right way.







FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH

MIKE LUNDEEN FROM TOKO

6:00pm Toko Wax Clinic

Mike Lundeen will be at Gear West to answer any technical question you might have about the Toko and Madshus brands. Mike will also be holding a Toko Wax Clinic Friday evening.

Mike Lundeen - For the past 7 years, Mike has been the Midwest Sales Representative for Toko, as well as a Toko Tech Team Member. As a tech team member, Mike has conducted race services and Toko Wax Clinics throughout the Midwest. Mike is also the Madshus Midwest sales Representative.


SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH
















FALL MARATHON TRAINING RUN

7:00am - 8:00am Start

Train for the upcoming marathon season with runners just like you! Bring friends!

The out and back course starts at Gear West and goes down the Luce line. You can start anytime between 7-8:00a.m.

Run as far as you want (6 - 20 miles)
There will be support along the trail (water, energy drinks, etc.) and Aid Stations will be set-up along the course every three miles (bandaids, vaseline, etc.).

Join us for treats afterward at Gear West

If you have any questions about the Gear West Marathon Training Runs contact Speedy:

speedy@gearwest.com 952-473-0377

PETER ASHLEY AND CHRIS HALL FROM FISCHER USA

Peter Ashley and Chris Hall will be at Gear West to answer any technical question you might have about the Fischer brand. They will also be on hand to fit Fischer ski and boots. As you can tell, both are very capable of fitting world class skis. We hope to see everyone here for this event.

Peter Ashley - VP of Nordic Division, Fischer Skis USA
Peter is in charge of the Nordic Division for Fischer Skis USA. Peter's responsibilities include sales, marketing, product and brand management for Fischer cross country skis, boots, bindings and poles through out the US. He has been with Fischer since 1995.

Before coming to Fischer, Peter was with the US Ski Team, serving as the Head Women's Coach for the USST and was on the US Ski Team coaching staff for the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. Originally from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Peter was instrumental in organizing the first cross country Junior Olympics held in Jackson in the late 1970's.

Chris Hall - Nordic Race Director, Fischer Skis USA
Chris is in charge of Nordic race management for Fischer Skis USA. Chris works with US Ski Team and other top US athletes in ski selection and management to equip these skiers with the best possible skis for their racing. He has been with Fischer since 2005.

Prior to working at Fischer, Chris was with the US Ski Team, employed as the Head Service Technician for the USST. He worked at the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympics for the team and spent 6 years on the World Cup with the USST. Originally from Sun Valley, Idaho, Chris worked for the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation as a coach before joining the USST.






ROBERT LAZZARONI AND CHRIS COOK FROM ROSSINGOL

1:00-3:00pm Chris Cook: sign posters visit with customers

Robert will be at Gear West to answer any technical question you might have about the Rossignol brand. He will also be on hand to fit the new Rossignol WCS skis and boots. If you have any questions about the new Rossignol WC Skate Ski Package, he's the one to ask.

VAN BRINKERHOFF FROM MADSHUS USA, K2 OUTDOORS

Van Brinkerhoff will be at Gear West to answer any technical question you might have about the Madshus brand.

Van Brinkerhoff - For the past 4 years, Van has been the national sales manager for Madshus USA, K2 Outdoor. For over 30 years, Van has been involved in the industry as a Nordic skier, retailer, sales rep. and manager for over 30 years.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH








ROMAN TOFERER FROM ATOMIC SNOW

10:00am – 4:00pm Roman Toferer: The Gold Metal Slide Show presentation at 1:00 pm with ski fitting before and after

Roman Toferer will be at Gear West to answer any technical question you might have about the Atomic brand. He will also be on hand to fit Atomic skis and boot. Roman is well known for picking top World Cup skis for the “Thin Red Line.”

Roman Toferer - The 2010 Olympics served as concrete proof that Roman Toferer of Atomic is unequalled when it comes to picking skis and making them go fast. The man from the little village of Eben, Austria proved to be a virtual miracle worker on the trails at Whister. If you watched Claudia Nystad take Gold it was obvious her skis were running at speeds far greater than her competition. The Teutonic blonde looked like something out of a Wagnerian opera as she pulled away from the competition. Anna Haag of Sweden had the best races of her career as she dropped the pack on virtual rockets picked and tuned by Roman. And of course, Roman’s close work with Billy Demong, Johnny Spillane and Todd Lodwick led to Gold and Silver medals for America’s best Nordic skiers.


WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH






















AUTHOR OF "BORN TO RUN" CHRISTOPHER MCDOUGALL

5:00pm Run from the Bookcase in Wayzata
6:30pm Meet and greet with Chris Mcdougall at Gear West

Meet Christopher McDougall at The Bookcase at 5:00 p.m. for a fun
run (barefoot or not) to the "Born to Run" event at Gear West in
Long Lake. We'll be leaving at 5:15 sharp, following the Dakota Trail
and the Luce Line into Long Lake. Call (952) 473-8341 or (952)
473-0377 with questions or to purchase tickets.

*No day of ticket sales


THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH









REX WAX CLINIC

Leena Peltonen and Silvano Barco will be at Gear West to answer any technical question you might have about the Rex brand. They will also be offering a Rex Wax clinic. Interesting note. Silvano is the assistant coach to the Swiss Ski Team and won the 1996 Birkie.


SATURDAY & SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18-19TH








CXC SUPER FIT WEEKEND

2010 brings with it the second year of the CXC/SALOMON SUPER FIT PROGRAM. We want to bring you the latest and greatest technology, knowledge, and skis we can. With Salomon and your local retailer behind us, we are committed to sharing the knowledge we gained. The CXC 3D Flex Mat and Salomon Flex Table will be on hand to help show you how pressure is being distributed to the snow under your skis. Knowledgeable industry partners will be able to answer any specific questions you have, and our CXC TEAM VERTICAL LIMIT athletes and coaches will be around to answer questions and sign autographs.

“SUPER FIT” is a weekend sale program filled with seminars, presentations and store specials. Get your equipment fit by CXC Team Vertical Limit professional athletes and coaches using state of the art 3D ski pressure mat. Bring your old skis to test if they have a good fit for you, and get an independent opinion.

Friday:
10:00AM to 6:00PM - 3D Ski Flex Mat Testing
5:00PM to 6:00PM - Glide and Kick Waxing Seminar (Jason Cork)
...
Saturday:
8:00AM to 9:30 AM - "Tast of Nordic" Free Dryland and Rollerski
Technique Clinic (Garrott Kuzzy & Jessie Diggins)
8:00AM to 9:30AM - USSA Level 100 Coaches Certification Technique Clinic (Jason Cork)
10:00AM to 5:00PM - 3D Ski Flex Mat Testing
4:00PM to 5:00PM - Optimal Training for Maximum Results Seminar (Brian Gregg)

Sunday:
12:00PM to 4:00PM - 3D Ski Flex Mat TestingSee More

Excitement Development Team (CXC Team Vertical Limit): Jessie Diggins, Brian Gregg, Garrott Kuzzy, Matt Liebsch, Yuriy Gusev, Jason Cork

Friday:
10:00AM to 6:00PM - 3D Ski Flex Mat Testing
5:00PM to 6:00PM - Glide and Kick Waxing Seminar (Jason Cork)
...
Saturday:
8:00AM to 9:30 AM - "Tast of Nordic" Free Dryland and Rollerski
Technique Clinic (Garrott Kuzzy & Jessie Diggins)
8:00AM to 9:30AM - USSA Level 100 Coaches Certification Technique Clinic (Jason Cork)
10:00AM to 5:00PM - 3D Ski Flex Mat Testing
4:00PM to 5:00PM - Optimal Training for Maximum Results Seminar (Brian Gregg)

Sunday:
12:00PM to 4:00PM - 3D Ski Flex Mat TestingSee More