This posting is for is week 42 in our yearly training program, this means gatineau loppet week. Moe is at Midget Norams. The focus this week will be short intensities working and recovery. We will always be focusing on good technique.

This week end is the Gatineau Loppet, I have recommended that you do 1 race during the week end and 1 day a two hour ski. If you want to do both and feel good this is not a problem with me unless you are going to Jeux de Quebec as that will mean too many race week ends in a row.

I was talking to a few of you on Sunday and it seems as though there is some stress around getting blood work done to test your iron. Lets put it this way if you are afraid of the needle, you are just going to have to suck it up and get it done. There are many ways to distract your self so that you only feel the needle for the 30 secs that it takes draw the blood, it is not that big a deal unless you make it so. If you are afraid of the results because you do not want your training or racing season to be affected then think of it this way. If you have been training with low iron and now we know it we can do something about it. If you have low iron than your bloods ability to carry oxygen is reduced. This is already affecting your training and race season, I think it would be good to get on top of this asap. If we can improve this than I think that it will be the best thing for your training and race season. In the end it will only make you stronger. Talk to me if you are nervous about this. I am doing lots of research at the moment to find good responses if anyone does have low iron.

I want all girls and boys to have their blood checked boys can have low iron and we need to know if this is slowing you down. Having low iron is something that you would not feel, likely you have adapted to the situation and would think that your energy level is normal.

It is time that all of the Nordic race athletes 15 - 19 biathlon and cross country have their blood tested for iron, b12 and Complete Blood Count. In the last 8 months there have been four (three cross country skiers and 1 biathlete that I know that have been diagnosed with low iron levels and fatigue which has stopped them or forced them to reduce the amount of training and racing that they are doing. This is very important for our female athletes but it is also important for our male athletes as well. If we get blood tested now we will know if someone has low iron levels and we can begin to change things before the body shuts down to fatigue. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. For many athletes with low blood iron and fatigue it can take months if not a full year to recover, this sucks. So you will need to go to a doctor and tell them that you are an endurance athlete and you want your blood tested for iron level, b12 and CBC. follow this link to a blog that talks more about this. http://coach-pav.com/?blogsub=confirming#blog_subscription-2

Make sure that you are doing good recovery as there is no time to be sick. Being sick now could mean missing a race.  Make sure that you are 1. Eating healthy food, limited junk food (less than once per week) 2. Hydrating well (3-4 liters of water a day regularly 3. Sleeping a minimum of 8 hours per night 4. Managing your stress load, living in a positive frame of mind, you now have a bunch of tricks to de-stress quick if you find yourself in a situation that you are stress out. If you are not recovering well during life then the classic symptoms are 1. Being tired and cranky 2. Not motivated to get your work out or other work done. 3. you get sick. Here is an article on staying healthy from athletes at the Calaghan Valley Training Center

 The training program is set up to build you little by little, it should be rare that you feel as though you are totally destroyed after a work out. If you are than your recovery time is going to be longer which will affect the next training. Training also builds over time so if you are missing out on training or you are not doing your own self training you will find that you suffer in team work outs when you do show up. Being successful in a work out is very important to your mental development and your enjoyment of the sport. If you are not able to complete a work out then you don't feel as successful and it is not as fun. .

Tuesday, February 12th          

• Activity: Classic 3x3 min intervals we will aslo be doing some down hill work on Chicken Run  (trail 4)
  
• Location: Chalets des erable
  
• When: 6:30-8pm
• Bring: Skate skis water and snack for after practice

Thursday, February 14th            

• Activity: Skate 6 x 1 in (2 legs only 2 arms only 2 all in)
  
• Location: Chalet des erable
  
• When: 6:30 to 8:00
  
• Bring:Skate skis ski, water and snack for after practice. 

Saturday, February 16th         

• Activity: Gatineau Loppet or training
• Location: your choice
  
• When:
  
• Bring: 
  
  

Sunday, February 17th     

• Activity: Gatineau Loppet or training
  
• Location:  Your choice
  
• When:
  
• Bring: 

Tuesday, February 19th          

• Activity: Skate 3x3 min intervals
  
• Location: Chalets des erable
  
• When: 6:30-8pm
• Bring: Skate skis water and snack for after practice

Thursday, February 21st            

• Activity:  Classic 6 x 30 sec intervals
  
• Location: Chalet des earble
  
• When:6:30-8pm
  
• Bring: Bring your classic ski, water, lunch change of clothing and snack for after practice.