Cross Country Skiing

How do you approach goal setting with your athletes and help them measure their progress towards those goals?

Unlocking Athletes' Potential: The Key to Effective Goal Setting

I could go a lot longer than 90 seconds about goal setting, but it is super important. And we have all of our athletes set goals. We make what we call goal pyramids, or as one ninth grader called it, like, I have a goal triangle. And the idea there is that at the top of the goal pyramid, tippy top little thing, that is your outcome goal for, can be for the season. That's kind of tangible for the athletes that are in high school. And the bottom of the pyramid is much wider, right? And that those are more of your process goals. And the idea is that we try and teach our athletes the difference between an outcome goal, which is usually results oriented, and you have no control over it, and a process goal, which is the stuff that you do have control over. These are the things you can actually do to try and achieve your outcome goals. And so we'll start with usually one outcome goal, and then a couple more like testing goals underneath this race goal. So for example, I want to be able to do my double pull test in a certain amount of time based on past knowledge. And usually that's where the coach comes in, or I got to be able to do 50 pushups without stopping. And then you go below that and you're like, all right, what do I need to do to improve that double pull score? And that's where it's like, hey, I'm going to do an extra double pull workout every week, or I'm going to make sure to get in the gym all summer, do the plan that my coach sent me. And then at the bottom, you've got sort of lifestyle goals, sleeping, eating, drinking, all that good stuff, mental health, things that matter for every single day.

We have our athletes set goals in the form of a "goal pyramid" where their outcome goal is at the top and process goals are at the bottom. The process goals are things they can do to achieve their outcome goal, such as extra workouts, lifestyle goals like sleep and nutrition, and mental health maintenance.

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Goal setting is a crucial aspect of my approach with athletes. We guide them in setting goals using a structure we call goal pyramids or goal triangles. At the top of the pyramid is the outcome goal, typically for the season, providing something tangible to strive for. The base of the pyramid consists of process goals that are wider in scope. We emphasize the difference between outcome goals, which are results-oriented and beyond one's control, and process goals, which focus on actions within an athlete's control. Starting with one outcome goal, we establish additional testing goals such as specific time targets or performance benchmarks. To improve these testing goals, we identify actionable steps like incorporating extra workouts or following a prescribed training plan. At the bottom of the pyramid are lifestyle goals encompassing factors like sleep, nutrition, hydration, mental well-being, and other everyday elements that contribute to overall performance. This approach empowers athletes to measure their progress towards their goals and emphasizes the importance of focusing on controllable factors to drive desired outcomes.

What is it like coaching at a ski school?

Coaching at a Ski School: The Pros and Cons Unveiled

What is it like coaching at a ski school? Well, in many ways, it is amazing. But let's go through the pros and cons here. So some of the pros, probably the biggest pro is that I get to work with my athletes every single day and they all show up, right? There's no like, oh, I had to go to hockey practice instead or like too much traffic. I couldn't make it. Like, they're all there every day. And that's amazing for getting to know them as people and humans just makes it a lot easier from that coaching front. And it also makes it easier to monitor kind of how they're absorbing training load. Outside of just a training log, I get to see them every day. And so if in their training log, they write, I feel great. But then when it comes to like looking at them, and they're just dragging, you can start the conversation there, right? Like that's a little easier. Some of the other advantages is just like traveling all together as a team. That part's great. And actually, some of the disadvantages also fall around the logistical side of things. Like a lot of the club coaches don't have to deal with shuttling their athletes to and from the venue on race day, they can just focus on making skis and then coaching them there. Whereas we need to have somebody who can go get the athletes from the hotel and bring them back and to try and avoid having them on their feet all day. There's also the downside of discipline, which you have to deal with because you're much more of a parent than just a coach. So yeah, that's one.

Coaching at a ski school has its pros and cons, such as being able to work with athletes on a daily basis as well as having to deal with logistics and disciplinary issues.

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Coaching at a ski school is an amazing experience in many ways. One of the biggest pros is the opportunity to work with athletes who show up every single day. This consistency allows for better connections and understanding of them as individuals. Monitoring their training load and well-being becomes easier when I see them daily, beyond just checking their training logs. Additionally, traveling as a team creates a sense of camaraderie. However, there are logistical challenges involved, such as shuttling athletes to and from the venue on race day, which can be time-consuming. As a ski school coach, there is also a parental aspect to the role that involves discipline and guidance. Overall, coaching at a ski school has its pros and cons but provides an incredible opportunity to work closely with dedicated athletes.

Can you explain base prep for new race skis? 

Mastering Base Prep: The Key Steps for New Race Skis

So, new ski day, super exciting, but you gotta prep the bases first. So the first thing to do is brush them out. You want to get off, doesn't matter what kind of brush, copper, nylon, whatever, you just want to get all the dust off from travel and sitting in the shop or wherever they came from. Then you're going to start ironing in some warm wax, and it used to be that people would say, oh put in like eight layers of warm wax, but you can get away with not scraping that off, you can just iron it in, let it cool, and then iron it again, that's your second layer. So I would do somewhere between four to six ironing cools of something like a Swix CH8, Toco Red, any kind of warm wax will work. Then when you've done the last of that, scrape it off. Now you want to put in a hardening layer, and that's going to be one of the really cold waxes. Something like Stark Green or Swix CH5 or CH4 would be great. Toco Blue isn't quite cold enough, you want something a little colder than that. Iron that in, and it's really important, only go tip to tail with the iron, don't go back and forth, because if you're going back and forth, every time the iron stops, or changes direction, it's stopping, and especially when it's a really hot iron on a new ski, that you could end up building some hot spots in the ski base and you don't want to do that. So after you've done your hard layer, scrape it off, brush it out, and you are good to go, put it on the wax of the day, and go skiing. Enjoy!

To prep your skis for a new day, start by brushing them off to remove any dust. Then put 4-6 layers of warm wax, like Swix CH8 Toko Red, and iron it in. Next put one layer of cold wax, like Start Green or Swix CH4/CH5, again ironing tip to tail. Finally scrape off the wax and brush out the base for a good finish.

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When prepping new race skis, there are a few steps to follow. First, brush out the bases to remove any dust or debris accumulated during travel or storage. It doesn't matter what type of brush you use, whether it's copper or nylon. Next, start ironing in warm wax. In the past, people would suggest applying multiple layers of warm wax, but nowadays you can leave it on without scraping. Simply iron in the first layer, let it cool, and then iron in a second layer. Around four to six applications should suffice using a warm wax like Swix CH8 or Toco Red. Once you've completed the last layer, scrape off the excess wax. Now it's time for a hardening layer using a very cold wax such as Stark Green or Swix CH5/CH4. Avoid going back and forth with the iron during this step to prevent creating hot spots on the ski base. Only go from tip to tail with the iron. After applying the hard layer, scrape off any excess wax and brush it out. Your skis are now ready to be waxed with the appropriate wax for the day and taken out on the slopes. Enjoy your skiing!

What are the most important safety tips for young athletes when cross country skiing?

Key safety tips for young athletes in cross-country skiing

Safety tips for young athletes cross-country skiing. If we're talking winter, most of what you're worried about is cold exposure. They should probably make sure they're skiing always with at least one other person. Depending on how young they are, a coach should be with the group just to make sure if something happens you can manage it. Also, in that case, you're dealing with appropriate layering and making sure they don't get too cold. Other safety stuff... In the summer, roller skiing is a big one. Making sure that athletes are wearing high-vis clothing, blinky lights are preferable, and roller skiing on roads that they have skied before and that they know the hills on so that they're not going down any hill that is out of their ability to stop or slow down or whatever. Also, making sure that you're not roller skiing in a really busy area where car traffic is going to be a problem. Roller skiing is probably the most dangerous thing that we do as cross-country skiers. Otherwise, there's not much that we're looking at that is a danger. There's no big animals or whatever. There's some moose. If you live in Alaska, that's an issue. But if you don't live in Alaska, moose are not that much of an issue. Stay warm!

Young athletes should ski with at least one other person and with a coach if they are young. Wear hi-vis clothing and blinky lights when roller skiing. Make sure to skate on roads they are familiar with and not in busy areas with car traffic. Stay warm and be aware of mousse if living in Alaska.

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When it comes to safety tips for young athletes cross-country skiing, the main concern is cold exposure, especially during winter. It's important for them to ski with at least one other person at all times. If they are young, having a coach with the group ensures proper supervision and management in case of any incidents. Layering appropriately to prevent getting too cold is also crucial.

During summer, roller skiing is popular among athletes. To ensure safety, athletes should wear high-visibility clothing and preferably have blinky lights. It's important to roller ski on familiar roads, knowing the hills and being able to control speed. Avoid roller skiing in busy areas with heavy car traffic. Roller skiing carries the most risk among cross-country skiers.

In general, there aren't many dangers to be concerned about aside from cold exposure and roller skiing risks. There are no significant animal threats except possibly moose in Alaska. However, for those outside of Alaska, moose are not a major concern. The key takeaway is to stay warm and take necessary precautions to ensure a safe cross-country skiing experience for young athletes.

What are some good things to eat after a hard workout to ensure you fuel yourself for your next workout?

Fueling Your Muscles: The Key to Optimal Recovery

So what are some good things to eat after a workout? Key point here is that you eat. It can be anything. But the key point is that after a workout you have what we call the glycogen window, which is the period of time where your muscles will just like suck up any carbohydrate that you give them and put it into the muscles so you're like fully replenishing. So that window is about 30 to 60 minutes. It's shorter for women and longer for men. Men can survive a little longer on this. And if you miss it, you're not going to recover as quickly. One thing to consider is that it's not just about eating after your workout. If you're doing a pretty long workout, recovery for the next workout starts during your workout. And so that means fueling during the workout, whether it's drinking sports drink or eating snacks along the way, that can really affect your next day. So if you want to get crazy with it, I think it's one to four grams of carbohydrate per kilo of body weight within that 30 minute window for optimal muscle recovery. And if you just need suggestions of something to eat, it's whatever's easy for you. So whether that's those UHT milk containers or chocolate milk or a PB&J or granola bar, muffins, gummy bears are great for this. We call things fast carbs and slow carbs. And fast carbs are simple carbohydrates that are quickly absorbed. The slow carbs are moderated with usually fat or fiber and take a little longer to absorb. So this is the place for fast carbs because you want that to go in. You want it to be quick. You also want some protein with it, which is why milk or dairy is such a good option. But there's plenty of other things if you can't eat dairy. So like just it doesn't need to be, doesn't need to be like quote unquote clean or good or anything like that. It's just give yourself some sugar as soon as you possibly can and you'll appreciate it.

After a workout, it is important to eat something within the 30-60 minute window for optimal muscle recovery. This can be anything that is easy and fast for you such as UHT Milk containers, chocolate milk, PB&J, granola bars, muffins or gummy bears. To replenish your muscles quickly, look for "fast carbs" which are simple carbohydrates quickly absorbed. It's also helpful to have some protein which is why dairy is a good option.

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After a hard workout, it's important to eat within the glycogen window, which is around 30 to 60 minutes. During this time, your muscles are primed to absorb carbohydrates and replenish their glycogen stores. Women have a shorter window than men. Fueling for your next workout starts during the current workout, so consider consuming fuel like sports drinks or snacks during exercise to optimize recovery. For optimal muscle recovery, aim for one to four grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight within that 30-minute window. As for post-workout snacks, choose whatever is convenient for you. Options include UHT milk containers, chocolate milk, PB&J sandwiches, granola bars, muffins, and even gummy bears. Fast carbs, which are simple carbohydrates quickly absorbed by the body, are ideal during this time. Pair them with some protein for even better results. Milk or dairy products are great options due to their protein content, but there are alternatives available for those who cannot consume dairy. The key is to prioritize getting some sugar into your system as soon as possible after your workout to support recovery.

Do you have to go to a ski school to be an elite skier?

Don't Train Alone: Ski Schools vs. Elite Clubs

So this is going to sound counterintuitive because I work at a ski school and I think it's great. But you do not need to go to a ski academy in order to be an elite skier. If you think about what makes somebody a good cross-country skier, there's sort of four pillars of training, progress, whatever. There's fitness, technique, strength, and mental performance. And if you can address all of those, you're going to improve. You're going to get good. Now, the importance of your pace group, your training group, is... it's big. And so you want to surround yourself by fast people. If you were training in a silo or you are the best skier on your team, it's really hard to improve if you're already at the top. And that's where the advantage of either going to a ski academy or a really high-level club can help you out. So, don't train alone. It's not worth it. You aren't going to get as good as you possibly could get surrounded by good people. So, what's the advantage of a ski academy? Everything is provided for you. All the logistics, all of the ski support at races, travel, lodging. And remember, stress is stress. And so if you're spending stress you could be spending on training, organizing all of that, it's going to be detrimental to your career. And so that's sort of the advantage of a ski academy. But you can absolutely get it done at a good club. And there's a lot of those.

Ski Academies are great, but you don't need to go to one if you have access to a good club that can provide the resources and support to help you become an elite skier. The advantage of a ski Academy is that it takes care of all the logistics, travel and lodging for races, so you can focus on training.

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Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to attend a ski school or academy to become an elite skier. While ski schools can be beneficial, there are other ways to achieve success in skiing. To excel as a skier, focus on four key pillars: fitness, technique, strength, and mental performance. By addressing these aspects, you can improve and reach a high level of skill. However, the training group you surround yourself with plays a significant role in your progress. It's important to train alongside fast and talented individuals who can push you further. Training alone or being the best skier on your team may limit your improvement potential. Ski academies or high-level clubs offer advantages in terms of providing comprehensive support such as logistics, ski support at races, travel arrangements, and lodging. This minimizes stress and allows you to dedicate more time and energy to training. Nevertheless, achieving success is also possible through a good club setup where access to training resources and a supportive community are available. The key is not to train alone but rather seek opportunities where you can surround yourself with talented peers and mentors who can help elevate your skills.

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Alex Jospe is an American cross country ski coach at Stratton Mountain School, with a background in a variety of endurance sports. She is an avid outdoorswoman and advocate for women's sports.