Being A Skier When You Can't Ski

If you’re like me and live basically anywhere in the lower-48, you’ve probably looked outside in the last few weeks and wondered whether it is actually December. When I left Bozeman to travel to the Midwest for the first Super Tour, it was a balmy 63 degrees out!

Shake out run on Dec. 1st.

I was lucky enough to make it on snow in Canmore for Thanksgiving week, but that still left part of October, most of November, and the start of December to train off snow, and often without rollerskiing. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time I’ve had a fall with limited on-snow training (see my article from last fall: https://enjoywinter.com/read-skipost/alternative-thanksgiving-camp-recap-by-amanda-kautzer/).

Enjoying every bit of snow in Canmore!

Luckily, I learned a few things from my experience last year, which helped guide my focus for this year.

1. Be flexible and prioritize

In the shoulder season, the weather will likely mess with your plans. Going into the week, know which workouts are important, and schedule those as best you can around the weather, with a back up plan. If there’s no snow (cough cough Bozeman) and you have an intensity workout, try to plan it for the warmest and sunniest day so you have the best shot of quality rollerskiing.

The type of “first tracks” you don’t want to make.

2. Vary the training mode

Last fall, I made the mistake of not following this advice, although in my defense it was partly out of necessity. Due to the snow conditions and a running injury, I was left with stationary biking and swimming. Long story short, my volume block resulted in an overuse shoulder injury that is still causing me issues. This year, I’m doing my best to keep a mix of rollerskiing, biking, swimming, aqua-jogging (gross, I know), running, and skiing.

A quality over distance day on the bike.

Up until recently at Crosscut, we could only shoot on foot, which means a lot of running. As a biathlete, it’s important that my body is able to handle these running combos (shooting + aerobic activity to increase heart rate). Even though I love running, I try to limit it outside of shooting workouts to avoid overuse injuries; if there isn’t another option, I try to run on dirt.

Running combos and some good dirt.

3. Dress for the weather

Fall is also prime time for getting sick, with or without COVID. Wearing adequate layers, and having extra warm and dry clothes for after can make a big difference in staying healthy and recovering from training sessions. This year was a bit of a shock to the system going from 60s in Bozeman to a -25 degree windchill in Minnesota just a few days later.

Bundled up for a recovery ski on the North Shore.

4. Be proactive about recovery

Last, but certainly not least, is being proactive about recovery. As soon as you feel an ache or unusual soreness, get after it with a foam roller, stretching, ice, scraper, massage, etc. Little things can blow up quickly when weather limits your training options, so stay on top of it: your body will thank you later.