A Training/Racing Note For All You Competitive Skiers Out There:

Competitive training for cross country skiing is not simply something you do on and off and hope for success. While skiing in general is a good start, it is best to keep several things in mind.

1. HAVE A PLAN!
Whether you are training for a 1K sprint or a 50K endurance race it is best to lay out a training plan weeks in advance, merely skiing and then showing up to the race simply will not cut it if you seek success. Lay out a plan that works with your
schedule, focus primarily on the technique you intend to implement in your given race, and then break down days of the week into intervals, specific strength (twice), technique work, sprints, endurance distance skis, and most importantly a day off!

2. IT'S IN YOUR HEAD!
Prepare all you want but if you use the word can't you wont. Make the race or practice yours, skiing is as much mental as it is physical and if you have accepted defeat before you even begin skiing it will simply make the race or workout miserable. Find some way to psych yourself, be confident in your training and know that you can and will succeed, if you do these things chances are you will.

3. THINK HEALTHY!
Practicing hard is great but take care of yourself. If you feel like you're getting sick you probably are. The best way to feel worse is to feel sick and continue to push yourself to exhaustion in cold weather. Also, get dry after your workout, I cannot stress enough getting out of those cold wet sweaty cloths and getting into warm cloths when you are done skiing. It speeds up recovery and makes you feel all the better. Also, eat and hydrate as soon as you are done skiing, I would recommend eating a granola bar or something small and healthy within 15-30 minutes after your workout, especially if it was a hard workout. Eating naturally increases body heat, and restores energy to ward off sickness.

4. RACE DAY!
Know the course and be confident with it. Know where to push, where to use what technique, where to ski relaxed, and when to get rest. Eat a good lower fiber higher carbohydrate breakfast/lunch (stay away from the fats). Stay relaxed I know it's hard with the race in the back of your mind, but it's important you don't tense up too much before the race. About 60-90 minutes before the race do a good warm up, not too much that you over do it, but be good and warm. Then about 15 minutes prior to the race do several very short sprints to finalize your warm up. Now is the time to throw relax out the window, because if you aren't pumped check your pulse! Get pumped up, be confident and race YOUR race, don't let other racers dictate how you race, your going to race great by doing what you have been practicing not what they have been practicing.