Ski Season is Almost Over - What’s Next?

How to Transition from Skiing to Spring and Summer Training. 

In many regions of the US and Canada, there are undeniable signs of spring. While some places in the Midwest are enjoying some late snowfall, many places in the West are reaching 70º+. Whatever the weather is doing now where you are, true spring is not far off, and with it, the end of the ski season. 

While some might lament the end of skiing, others are anxious to jump back into running, biking, and yes, even early season rollerskiing. This transition is exciting, marking a new season of goals, opportunities and adventures. But it is also worth approaching deliberately. One of the biggest ways winter athletes can fumble the transition from winter to spring and summer activities is by doing too much too fast, which can lead to injury, and exacerbate mental burnout. This transition looks different for everyone depending on how intense your winter season was and how quickly you jump into new activities. You know your body and mind best, so keep that in mind as we outline some tips for successfully transitioning into the spring season. 

Assess your Season. If you are an athlete that sets specific goals for your ski season, spring is the time to look back on what went well and what fell short. This doesn’t have to be an in-depth exercise, but it is worth analyzing how well you achieved your performance and process goals while they are still fresh in your mind. This helps mentally wrap up the season and put a bow on all the hard work that got you from those first Thanksgiving kilometers, to the last slushy spring ski. Putting a mental bookend on the season gives you the space to take a much deserved break! 

Take a break! If you have been all in on ski training and racing since the first flake of snow in November, it is likely that both your body and mind need a bit of a rest to recover from the intensity of the season. Especially if you are a junior, college, supertour, or masters athlete that has been racing and training a lot, sometimes through March or April, taking a break is a crucial component of spring, not only physically but mentally as well. Others who ski and race more recreationally might not need as much of a break, but it is still worth assessing what kind of spring recovery is best for you. A break doesn’t mean no activity, but rather drastically reducing training volume and intensity for 1-4 weeks and substituting easy movement like yoga, light strength, walking, etc…It is so important to give yourself the space to recharge, to take stock of the season behind you and plan for the summer ahead.  

Dial in Your Gear. Once the ski season is fully over, take the time to take care of your gear. The best thing you can do for your skis over the summer is to remove all kickwax or klister, clean the bases (using a liquid base cleaner), brush them out really well, and apply a layer of summer wax. Store your skis in a cool dry place for the summer (avoid places that are hot and damp!). This will go a long way towards keeping your gear in good shape for longer, and the first time you hop on them in the winter, they won’t feel like sandpaper. This is also a great time to take stock of your summer gear and make sure that you have everything you need ready to go once you jump back into running, biking or rollerskiing. Make sure that your rollerskis wheels are not overly worn and that all the bolts are secure. Double check that your helmet has no dents, cracks, or other signs of deterioration! You can even switch out your pole tips while you’re at it and sharpen them up. Taking inventory of your summer training gear early means you’ll be ahead of the game in case you need to order any spare parts, replace rollerskis, or otherwise get your equipment ready to train. 

Go Slow: When you are ready to get back into some training, practice some restraint. Before you dive headfirst back into running, biking, rollerskiing, lifting, or other crosstraining, keep in mind that skiing is a relatively low impact activity and each new activity you add will require different muscular demands. It is not uncommon for the first run or lift of the season to leave an athlete uncomfortably sore, which is totally fine as long it doesn’t cross over into the injury zone. Be honest with yourself about what your body can handle in the spring, and don’t be afraid to really ease back into higher impact sports. Better to take your time than do too much too fast and injure yourself right out of the gate.  

Set Some Goals: After you are well rested, and anxious to get back into it, take the time to outline some goals for your summer training. These can include performance goals (maybe you have cycling or running races), but should focus mainly on process goals. Afterall, skiers are made in the summer, and the commitment to the process, day in and day out, is what makes an athlete at whatever level successful. Take 20 minutes to write down a set of preliminary goals to set a framework for your spring and summer training. These can always change, but it is helpful to start with some basic foundations and build off of that as the season progresses. 

However you approach the end of the ski season and the start of the next, we hope that you take the time to reflect on another winter of joy on skis, take the time you need to recharge, and carry that joy of movement and community with you into whatever activities, goals, and adventures you have planned next.