Fargo Marathon by Wendi Pearson

Well, I survived the Fargo Marathon - the hardest and most boring marathon I've ever run. The course is through neighborhoods with great spectators, but you run on concrete streets and turn every two blocks. The half marathon and marathon run into each other twice, causing the police to push the marathoners to the left to make a small opening for the half marathoners, and the only wheelchair athlete worked his way on the opposite side of the street against marathon traffic with a biker leading him.

The marathon started with rain and cool temperatures and ended with steamy, humid, sunny temperatures around 81 and a 30 mph wind. I committed the cardinal sin of marathoning; I went out way too fast for the first 10k, faster than any of my training runs because it felt "easy" at the time. I decided I better slow down at mile 7 and at mile 8 I crashed and burned and was in trouble for the next 18 miles. OUCH!!!! My legs were like cement, my heart rate wouldn't come down, and I tore part of a calf muscle that left blood pooled behind my knee and down my leg. I kept thinking I have to finish this darn thing for two reasons: 1- I don't ever want to have to run this again (I need to do all 50 states), 2- The finishers shirt is great.

Things seemed a little off balance through my eyes as I ran from mile 10 on but I finished with a cute guy on each side of me - and I'm pretty sure they were real, not imagined. A friend and my boyfriend saw my distant eyes when I came across the finish line and thought I should get checked out at the medical tent, but I'm as stubborn as the next gal and decided I was going to be fine. BIG mistake!!!!!! I started getting really nauseous and there was no electrolyte drinks to be found, just food, and I couldn't eat. Menstrual cramps had started throughout the marathon and were roaring now, I felt like throwing up, I was freezing cold, dehydrated, and had to go to the bathroom not sure which end would relieve itself first.

While in the bathroom stall I realized I was too dizzy and sick to move. I tried to call my boyfriend but he didn't hear me. I reached under the stall to wave at the person next to me to let my boyfriend know I need medical help. 5 nurses and my boyfriend hauled me out of the bathroom stall in a wheelchair and from there it was like bodyguards (nurses) shoving crowds of runners to the side to get to the medical tent fast.

I was pale and had a purple nose and lips. I had two bags of I.V fluid; nurses taking rectal temperatures of 94 degrees and more blankets than an entire Bed, Bath, & Beyond probably carry. But Fargo was great!

GEAR WEST 2009 CATALOG

Gear West has gone GREEN. Ok…that’s not totally true, but we are making an effort to cut down on paper product this season. We have gone to extreme lengths to convert our catalog to an electronic catalog. The online version allows one to either view online or download it in PDF form at your own convenience.

Time Management by Jenny

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.

This last month has been really hectic with adjusting to new classes and scheduling practice time outside of it. Training wise, the program here at SCSU is very much what you make of it. We’re a women’s only team and there are thirteen skiers total, three of whom are freshman and one a junior transfer from the University of Wyoming. We practice 5 days a week as a team; weekends are usually on your own. This year thus far we’ve had a few team time trials on rollerskis to simulate a race situation and to keep our racing mentality intact. Much of our technical focus has been on improving double pole technique, working on a dynamic arm swing. As for strength, we average around 2-2.5 hours of strength training per week. Many exercises we do are body-weight exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, dips, and lunges.

Recently we‘ve had some great upgrades to our ski room, which is an old racquetball court in the basement of our athletic facility. Fifteen new cubbies designed to hold our equipment! Hopefully the October snow was a positive indicator of what’s in store for the future, in the mean time, think snow!

-Jenny

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.