I think more people up here are trying block training, if I can
believe the conversations I overhear in the parking lot at Gatineau
Park. I believe it's probably a good thing if you do it correctly and
have a good base. I tried a block of 5 days in August and my 5K
running time went down by a minute (not that I'm a fast runner by any
stretch) but I injured my TFL muscle. I think it helps to vary the
workouts between running, rollerski, cycling and ski-bounding, to
avoid injury. Too much high-intensity running and I find all the
weakest links in my kinetic chain, but too much long, slow distance is
even worse for injuries.

It's really a form of periodization... stress your system and then
back off and let the adaptations happen.
The Canadian men do seem to have a good cohort. They have a good
sponsor, which helps alot. I think you may be wrong about not having a
Kris Freeman... watch out for Devon Kershaw. And they have a sprinter
that won the U23's last winter. With a little international seasoning
they will be a relay threat.

Chris




"Tim Kelley" wrote in message oups.com...
I'm wondering what readers of rec.nordic.skiing think of the interval
block training that the US Ski Team, for instance, is doing this year.
Is it the wave of the future, a fad, or not a good idea?

I'm thinking that this form of training reflects the demands of new
racing formats. With mass starts becoming the predominant race format
and sprint racing ever growing - you need to be very powerful and able
to run your heart to the redline often to hang with breaks. I think
compressed blocks of interval sessions will acheive these this. I also
think this is a ballsy move on the part of the USST to go this route.
And I appreciate the fact that they taking risks that may get them
higher on the World Cup result lists.

But I'm sure other r.s.n have different opinions. And I think this
topic may make a good discussion thread.

I'm also wondering how the Canadians national team members may be
training different that the US. These days the Canadians may not have
a Kris Freeman ... but man, they sure have depth!! I don't every
remember seeing such strength in numbers with the Canadian men (look at
US Nationals results or New Zealand results). Have the Canadian men
been inspired by Golden Beckie, do they subscribe to compressed
interval block training or is the beer in Canada these days really that
much better than US beer!?!

TK