Uphill only for endurance? (rollerskis)
 

I really have two questions - 1) whether I should mostly use uphill for endurance training and 2) if not, how it should be combined/spaced with flats. There's usually a question about the goal. Just for the heck of it, let's say the goal is to do the shorter (27K, I think) skating event in Ottawa (Gatineau).

Before discovering a hilly road about 25 minutes by car last fall, I had been pounding a nearby flat patch for about 5 years, with hardly anything to show for it on snow. The hills brought visible improvement in endurance. That road has a 0.8-mile section that in the beginning I couldn't climb without stopping and still find pretty difficult. It is also where I have to walk down (this strategy firmly ingrained after my padded shorts saved the day a few months ago when impatience took the better of me). The other 1.3-mile section is more varied and less steep. Although this is a small country road, I can really only use it early in the morning, as traffic builds up later in the day. Not sure if a heavy workout is a good thing that early in the day, even though I warm up for about 1.5 miles.

Of course I can only do this on a weekend. Sometimes I would go out both Sat and Sun, and if feels OK, provided there were about 24 hours in between. This past weekend I did the hill Sat afternoon, and the going was pretty tough when I did the same thing next morning.

Other than that, I do an occasional 14 to 20K around the flat patch that same weekend and about 9K every other day after work (depending on the weather) around the development.

So, seeing the results after hill traininig and being skeptical about putting in serious time on flats, I'm wondering if the hills plus short outings during the week would do it for me.

Thanks!

Uphill only for endurance? (rollerskis)
 

On Tue, 23 Apr 2013 05:48:55 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

I really have two questions - 1) whether I should mostly use uphill for endurance training and 2) if not, how it should be combined/spaced with flats. There's usually a question about the goal. Just for the heck of it, let's say the goal is to do the shorter (27K, I think) skating event in Ottawa (Gatineau).

Before discovering a hilly road about 25 minutes by car last fall, I had been pounding a nearby flat patch for about 5 years, with hardly anything to show for it on snow. The hills brought visible improvement in endurance. That road has a 0.8-mile section that in the beginning I couldn't climb without stopping and still find pretty difficult. It is also where I have to walk down (this strategy firmly ingrained after my padded shorts saved the day a few months ago when impatience took the better of me). The other 1.3-mile section is more varied and less steep. Although this is a small country road, I can really only use it early in the morning, as traffic builds up later in the day. Not sure if a heavy workout is a good thing that early in the day, even though I warm up for about 1.5 miles.

Of course I can only do this on a weekend. Sometimes I would go out both Sat and Sun, and if feels OK, provided there were about 24 hours in between. This past weekend I did the hill Sat afternoon, and the going was pretty tough when I did the same thing next morning.

Other than that, I do an occasional 14 to 20K around the flat patch that same weekend and about 9K every other day after work (depending on the weather) around the development.

So, seeing the results after hill traininig and being skeptical about putting in serious time on flats, I'm wondering if the hills plus short outings during the week would do it for me.

Thanks!

Uphill only for endurance? (rollerskis)
 

On Tue, 23 Apr 2013 05:48:55 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

I really have two questions - 1) whether I should mostly use uphill for endurance training and 2) if not, how it should be combined/spaced with flats. There's usually a question about the goal. Just for the heck of it, let's say the goal is to do the shorter (27K, I think) skating event in Ottawa (Gatineau).

Before discovering a hilly road about 25 minutes by car last fall, I had been pounding a nearby flat patch for about 5 years, with hardly anything to show for it on snow. The hills brought visible improvement in endurance. That road has a 0.8-mile section that in the beginning I couldn't climb without stopping and still find pretty difficult. It is also where I have to walk down (this strategy firmly ingrained after my padded shorts saved the day a few months ago when impatience took the better of me). The other 1.3-mile section is more varied and less steep. Although this is a small country road, I can really only use it early in the morning, as traffic builds up later in the day. Not sure if a heavy workout is a good thing that early in the day, even though I warm up for about 1.5 miles.

Of course I can only do this on a weekend. Sometimes I would go out both Sat and Sun, and if feels OK, provided there were about 24 hours in between. This past weekend I did the hill Sat afternoon, and the going was pretty tough when I did the same thing next morning.

Other than that, I do an occasional 14 to 20K around the flat patch that same weekend and about 9K every other day after work (depending on the weather) around the development.

So, seeing the results after hill traininig and being skeptical about putting in serious time on flats, I'm wondering if the hills plus short outings during the week would do it for me.

Thanks!


Please ignore my previous, empty reply to your message. The posting software
you use does not put any line wraps in and it's easier for me to read if I hit
reply, because my software makes it wrap. Unfortunately, it was accidentally
sent.

Ben

Uphill only for endurance? (rollerskis)
 

The answer is no and yes. Assuming by "pounding" you mean walking,
then it's hard to expect much on flats alone unless you are going on
very long walks at a brisk pace skiwalking with poles, adding in an
occasional 15 to 60 second pickup (run). Likewise, taking a hill at a
pace that you can't maintain isn't much help for anything. The simple
answer is that endurance comes from a combination of long, slow
distance (LSD) over a variety of terrain, preferably not flat, and a
variety of (fewer) faster sessions specifically aimed at raising your
lactate (or anaerobic) threshhold. It should be done with a variety of
activities that your body and schedule allow, such as walk, runs,
rollerskiing (including classical double poling if possible), as
well as stuff in the gym, backpacks, rowing, biking, etc. I have to go,
so will let others fill in the blanks.

Gene

P.S. If you meant rollerskiing up this hill, then either you're going
too hard or your technique needs work to allow you to go at a more
controlled pace. If the latter, beating yourself to death doesn't
really do much good.



On Tue, 23 Apr 2013 05:48:55 -0700 (PDT)
wrote:

I really have two questions - 1) whether I should mostly use uphill
for endurance training and 2) if not, how it should be
combined/spaced with flats. There's usually a question about the
goal. Just for the heck of it, let's say the goal is to do the
shorter (27K, I think) skating event in Ottawa (Gatineau).

Before discovering a hilly road about 25 minutes by car last fall, I
had been pounding a nearby flat patch for about 5 years, with hardly
anything to show for it on snow. The hills brought visible
improvement in endurance. That road has a 0.8-mile section that in
the beginning I couldn't climb without stopping and still find pretty
difficult. It is also where I have to walk down (this strategy firmly
ingrained after my padded shorts saved the day a few months ago when
impatience took the better of me). The other 1.3-mile section is more
varied and less steep. Although this is a small country road, I can
really only use it early in the morning, as traffic builds up later
in the day. Not sure if a heavy workout is a good thing that early in
the day, even though I warm up for about 1.5 miles.

Of course I can only do this on a weekend. Sometimes I would go out
both Sat and Sun, and if feels OK, provided there were about 24 hours
in between. This past weekend I did the hill Sat afternoon, and the
going was pretty tough when I did the same thing next morning.

Other than that, I do an occasional 14 to 20K around the flat patch
that same weekend and about 9K every other day after work (depending
on the weather) around the development.

So, seeing the results after hill traininig and being skeptical about
putting in serious time on flats, I'm wondering if the hills plus
short outings during the week would do it for me.

Thanks!

Uphill only for endurance? (rollerskis)
 

On Tuesday, April 23, 2013 7:19:57 PM UTC-4, wrote:
The answer is no and yes. Assuming by "pounding" you mean walking,

Gene, I really meant rollerskiing all around - on flats (which has been kind of useless) and more recently in a hilly area. Sorry for the confusion.

Uphill only for endurance? (rollerskis)
 

On Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:50:49 -0700 (PDT)
wrote:

On Tuesday, April 23, 2013 7:19:57 PM UTC-4, wrote:
The answer is no and yes. Assuming by "pounding" you mean walking,

Gene, I really meant rollerskiing all around - on flats (which has
been kind of useless) and more recently in a hilly area. Sorry for
the confusion.

Need to state your goal(s). Skate rollerskiing or either style
double poling on flats is useful stuff, if there's enough distance and
your technique is adequate to control your speed. I'm thinking 20-30k,
i.e., 2-2.5 hours or more. You can do pickups along the way. The hill
you mention, if not too steep, can be used for V2 and DP intervals, up
to say 6-8 minutes. Important to decide on a pace that allows finishing
and repeats. If it's steep, then go easy with do short bursts or DP for
strength. If there's a moderate hill, or even flats, you can do speed
repeats, such as for example, 10-15 seconds hitting it, 10 easy,
alternating a bunch of times, in sets. Might work up to 30-60 secs of
that, just cutting number of repeats. Or no-pole climbing for
strength. Remember, strength provides a basis for endurance and
speed. That's why long classic DP and hill bursts are invaluable.

Gene