Here comes a little “what and why” of these week’s multisport training, back home in Sweden. Thanks to GoPro for the nice pics. Check my funbeat page if you want the details of each training.
Home-made kayak fix. It still puzzles me how a very popular multisport boat from New Zealand like the Sharp 6 is built with such a small cockpit (hard to get in and out!) and a small foot compartment (can’t get shoes in!). Anyway, thanks to Per and Micke for helping me paddle with my running shoes or bike shoes on …
My boat grew a tumor … but strategically placed!
Technical mountain bike. I’ve spent so much time on a time trial bike in New Zealand that I almost forgot how to ride rocky and challenging terrain. So I’m training mostly on my beautiful new 27.5 inch NOR MTB.
Why 27.5? The main advantage of a 27.5 inch MTB wheel is that it accelerates faster than the 29 inch (and will likely swing around the corners on “Gettrappen” a little quicker). But the thing I really wanted to test was how well it did on technical trails with lots of roots (see pic above). So I took it to the most technical trail I know and have ridden it several times this week. Answer: it rolls just as well as the 29ner!
Up, up, and away. After losing last year’s ÅEC race to Björn’s superior bike climbing ability I’ve decided to find my long-lost love of climbing. I love suffering on a good climb, but I haven’t done it enough recently. Instead I’ve spent the last 6 months of training spinning furiously on flat pavement. I’m now committed to becoming good friends with the hill near my house — a good steady 12 minute climb.
Long but slow. I paddled a 20 km loop on the lake and kept my heart rate low (<130) and cadence high (70-75 strokes per minute). These types of sessions are like “money in the bank” for later in May when I start to paddle harder intervals. Otherwise, those intervals are useless because I just splash around without good form. Distance sessions improve efficiency and create that muscle memory you need when you start to exert yourself and cause physical stress on the body.
Beautiful day for a paddle …
Steady and consistent – not hard and spastic.
The water was so low that I discovered a black sand beach with perfect sand-formed waves under the water. Cool, hey?
Multi means many switches. I jumped out of my kayak and ran directly to get my legs used to running out of the boat. At nearly every ÅEC race the last few years I ran faster than people that are clearly better runners than me. How? I’m not fast, but I’m used to running after an intense kayak session.
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Since the water was so low, I could just run on the “lake bottom” – some nice technical terrain … but quite flat 
Up, up and away. Take II. I headed to Åre for some hill running. The snow and weather only allowed me to get two-thirds of the way up the mountain. I kept a steady pace with poles for 40 min (keeping HR at/near my aerobic threshold of about 155ish). I walked a lot and jogged a bit, but to simulate a sustained effort I never stopped. I turned around and ran back down in 17 minutes, hammering the legs. This created a good, but not overwhelming, soreness the next day. It will hurt a bit less when I do this again in 10 days – and then at a higher intensity.
Some of you may recognize this picture from under the Tott lift.
So I’m happy with that 7 days of training and now taking another rest day before ramping it up this weekend.
In other news, Sven-Åke Nordenmark needed some “multisport extras” for a film he was doing to promote his MTB map holders, which are famous around the world and manufactured right here in Östersund.
Also from Östersund is the 2013 World Champion of Mountain Bike Orienteering Cecillia Thompson – i.e., the star of the film. She’ll be defending her title this summer in Poland. I remember pushing myself hard to stay with her on some technical downhill trails last summer. And I’m no pushover when it comes to technical trails. The girl’s got skills.
The tough part about being the film star in Jämtland is that you can’t always dress appropriately for the weather (especially when you’re trying to simulate a summer sport)
Train hard, but have a plan.
Scott
PS When I landed in Sweden last week I noticed a lot of “TSA tape” on my bike box. It turns out the US’s over-zealous security agency broke out the razor and cut through my $300 bike box, thinking it was cardboard! WTF?! Small chance of getting compensation for that …
– nordenmarks photoshoot
