 Poster: A snowHead
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Back to the drawing board for me after failing Monday's test in Alpe d'Huez. Legs are still shot!
A summary of my lead up and test if anyone's interested...
Training: first day on the stade for me was Friday, during the 1m dump. Gates on a powder day?! Well, surfing big ruts in low viz but better than nothing. Saturday's viz was much better so the full course was set and initial challenge was to suppress fear and stay in the rut at speed knowing a wide line wasn't feasible.
Rest: I've burned out before during a test with tired legs, so this time let a beautiful skiing day pass by on Sunday without so much as putting boots on. So tempting just to cave in and go for a few runs!
Test day: fresh legs, sunshine, and piste bashers did a fantastic job flattening out the fresh snow to make a consistent race piste, all good. An early bib would be an advantage as ruts would still build. I got no. 69 from 99 candidates (reverse order for 2nd run), so 2 decent opportunities but not ideal for either run.
Run1: ruts are significant but not huge. Most of the run went ok but I hung on too long through a delay gate and missed the rut line for next gate, leaving me surfing the soft stuff and losing speed. This being just above the flat section meant speed lost here is lost for the rest of the course. I missed the pass time by 1.71s, not bad but not enough.
Run2: the course was moved slightly and old ruts remained outside the new racing line, so no room for skiing wide, just got to nail it. I didn't miss the line this time and was exhausted at the finish, so probably did the best I could, clocking in 0.85s faster than run 1. However the openers shaved around 1s off their times on the 2nd course and I actually ended up slightly further out at +1.88s, somewhat dissapointing.
Was nice fitting in a few relaxing runs on great snow and beautiful weather after the test, before catching the evening flight home. Next time!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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No real idea on this but is 1.7s achievable to improve by? (and well done!!)
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Thanks @kitenski, I probably need to make a fair improvement to cut the last couple of seconds.
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Just had email from BASI: the Cairngorm test on 24th Feb has been moved to Nevis Range.
Anyone going? No high bib numbers on this one 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@balernoStu, tempting... cheap flights out of stansted to EDI at the moment... when is bib draw and pre race meeting? you staying over in Nevis the night before ?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@skimottaret, lots of accommodation in Fort William.
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| skimottaret wrote: |
| @balernoStu, tempting... cheap flights out of stansted to EDI at the moment... when is bib draw and pre race meeting? you staying over in Nevis the night before ? |
Bib draw etc will probably be all on the day, and yes I'll be staying in the area a couple of nights beforehand. I believe NR have some gates, so perhaps the opportunity to train the day before. We can discuss further by phone.
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balernoStu, Do you need a contact at Nevis ?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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count me out, rehab on a hamstring problem is not going well enough...
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Good luck for those racing in Scotland... For info I put together some video that I shot during the Pila test a few weeks ago showing the openers and a range of competitors at different levels, enjoy
https://vimeo.com/120418989
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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from facebook:
The high winds at Nevis Range this morning meant that the Scottish Eurotest could not go ahead. Thank you to all the Members that took the time and effort to come along and to the team at Nevis Range for all their help.
The BASI Team is now back in the office and we are operating as usual for the remainder of the day.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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no reserve day for scots test?
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Doesn't look like it... had a text to say cancelled....
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You know it makes sense.
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Seems an odd one given the predictably iffy Scottish weather and the fact people may have travelled from alps. Think tomorrow meant to be decent.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Shame... Had some friends doing it.
They would have loved nothing more than to pass on home turf.
However weather this week is very snowy and variable vis.
Ironic as there is plenty snow
Good weather for storm skiing pow, not carving gates
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Poster: A snowHead
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For the original venue, Cairngorm, Wednesday 25th was a reserve day but when moved to Nevis Range that date was scheduled for a schools race. While at Nevis news came in that the schools race was cancelled so we had a potential reserve day again. However the guys up the hill concluded a fair course could not be set in the conditions. I skied Glencoe on the way home on Wednesday and think they made the correct call, it would have taken an awful lot of bashing to prepare and wind was continually blowing snow into the runs.
A great day for free skiing though, hooking up with Geeo for the afternoon, and perhaps the only time I've skied from the top to car park at Glencoe on proper snow the whole way 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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by memory that the last three ET's in Scotland two cancelled and one with zero pass rate and around 20 booked on each test, struggling to see why it is so important to run tests in Scotland. Be great if BASI could run one say in Tux in April when tons of candidates are already out doing courses.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| skimottaret wrote: |
| by memory that the last three ET's in Scotland two cancelled and one with zero pass rate and around 20 booked on each test, struggling to see why it is so important to run tests in Scotland. Be great if BASI could run one say in Tux in April when tons of candidates are already out doing courses. |
1) It doesn't cost them much to run ET in Scotland.
2) It suits local candidates. had 3 friends hoping to do this one (as a benchmark / maybe even pass exercise)
3) increased status for nations that can run tests on home soil ?
for sure - run one in Hintertux too. nice idea
however I think its great they can be run in Scotland ?
especially if they can be combined with other local or fis races.
it is not unusual for alpine tests to be cancelled either.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Haggis_Trap wrote: |
| for sure - run one in Hintertux too. nice idea |
I don't think you are allowed to run ET's outside your own country.
If I recall correctly BASI proposed running a test in Switzerland a few years ago but this was cancelled due to other nations objections
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@skimottaret, yes lack of entrants concerns me for the future of these. I'm a little surprised more instructors based in Scotland don't attend as the cost is so much less than going abroad. I know quite a few who considered it but other commitments prevented them. I hope the zero pass rate 2 years ago hasn't put folk off, conditions were unusually tough for candidates on that day IMHO.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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tricky one, I am all for Scottish test but if they are so undersubscribed it must be costing BASI a lot through subsidy. I would rather they offer better value on Alpine tests.. If they flew in Marc V and Craig to open and had to shut to office and got everyone up to help out, can't see how it is any cheaper to run compared to say Courcheval etc...
@ haggis trap I would agree a smart move would be to have it tacked onto the back of a local , FIS or Masters race. Be good to get some training in at a min.
Stewart another item on the agenda for the Brussels meeting this Friday !!
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I meant cost to local candidates was relatively low, as you say costs for BASI must have been high relative to the entry numbers.
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^ Running a race is never "cheap".
However I guess that Cairngorm / Nevis would be the cheapest place for BASI to hold one ?
Both resorts have a long history of working with BASI (both resorts to offer free skiing for BASI L3)
The staff office is only 30 mins drive away and the timing equipment and gates are on site and available for free.
Plus Alain Baxter can open - which is perhaps why no one passed last time
As soon as BASI become "alpine only" organisation we might as well do swiss / french or austrian system ?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@stewart woodward, well now looks like Stephen isn't going and be attended instead by our new CEO and Susie. Hope the tiger can change his spots and we don't get Satolas 2
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Just got confirmation, race time is the 18th!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Morzine ? I think Lisa will be there as well... bon chance !!
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Yes good luck, sounds like you can do it if all goes to plan.
After the test in Scotland being cancelled I hoped to get to another soon, but have too many commitments in March now to get away.
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You know it makes sense.
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| skimottaret wrote: |
| Morzine ? I think Lisa will be there as well... bon chance !! |
Cool! I think a few of us will, I'm going to train for a week or so before to try and get my GS legs back.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Just thought I would feed back on my first year of Eurotest Training and Tests for those who are interested.
Trained for 4 weeks in Stubai from mid November to mid December for the Alpes D'Huez ET which was cancelled due to lack of snow.
I then undertook another 5 days training in Chatel at the end of January and then just after that, unfortunately severely injured my right shin bone which resulted in a lot of discomfort when wearing ski boots and curtailed my training before the re-scheduled Alpes D'Huez ET at the beginning of February. I did 3 days training in Pila followed by 1 day in ADH and then took the ET. 1st run in ADH I was 2.2 seconds out and 2nd run I blew out on a large rut.
Drove straight to Pila after the 2nd ADH run to take the Pila ET the next day. Came out on my first run (video footage in another thread of that!) on the exact place where 3 openers also came out when closing the 1st run and then 2nd run was extremely tentative and I was a large amount off - ca. 6 seconds off the pass time.
Took a couple of weeks off to give my shin time to recover before skiing again.
Did 4 days of very beneficial training in Kuhtai for the St Christoph ET which was held on 27th March and was just 0.25 seconds off passing in my first run. I then blew out in the 2nd run on a large rut which was unsighted due to bad visibility.
All in all a great first season of GS training and taking the ET to get a gauge of how close I was and I am already looking forward to training in the summer and autumn and hopefully passing next season......after a good long break!! 
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Touchguru, Sounds a very successful first year. Awesome to get within .25 just a matter of time now...
I wish I could say my year went as well. Struggled with a bum ankle from last season, rehab was slow but improved and got new boots which helped. Hurt my back dryland training in July and my fitness, while as good as the previous year didn't improve to the level I was hoping for so I could train harder. Training in November was mixed, lots of down days due to snow and the training days were very full on with little time for recovery and I found it physically very tough (along with most others!). Missed out at ADH and at Pila they changed my start date and couldn't compete so didn't lay any times down.
On the positive my mock times during training runs improved and my slowest times this year were better than my fastest the previous year. Still a long way to go though and not sure I have a four week training block in me for next year.
Any thoughts from anyone on periodising training without costing a fortune? I am thinking 3 days on one off is more sensible even if it means skipping days, 5 or 6 days on the spin is killing me..
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| skimottaret wrote: |
| @Touchguru, Sounds a very successful first year. Awesome to get within .25 just a matter of time now... |
Thanks skimottaret I am sure that progress won't exactly be linear but it is good to get a yardstick and know what I need to do to get there eventually.
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Any thoughts from anyone on periodising training without costing a fortune? I am thinking 3 days on one off is more sensible even if it means skipping days, 5 or 6 days on the spin is killing me.. |
I agree that training 5 days in a row is really tiring over a 3/4 week period. I may look at '3 days on-one day off-two/one days on - one/two days off' weeks when I train in the Autumn.
If the trainer can't accommodate that then I would just choose to do that myself.
I often found that I had a maximum number of around 6 racing GS gate runs in me after doing warm and technical stuff for an hour beforehand.
I could then have one/two maximum runs after a lunch break where I was performing optimally, or I could work on some technical things for around 1 to 1/2 hours max again.
I think realising what your body can do optimally and when it needs to rest, is just as important as time in the gates.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Glad it isn't just me being tired ! Last year I was really struck by how exhausted everyone was in the camp, including the fit 20 somethings... We did only a few recovery sessions compared to the previous year and that definitely hurt my training. Same for me that over 6 runs was counter productive and the just one more run attitude didn't help. To be fair the coaches generally told us when to call it watching our performances.
Might have to rethink how to plan my own training and actually follow what I was taught re macro and micro cycle periodised training plans that we used for junior athletes.
Am I reading you right ? are you saying 3 On, 1 off, 2 On, 1 off, 1 On, 2 off repeat? If I am going to do another camp I need to come up with a sustainable training block and include recovery sessions, stretching and lactate elimination (got it bad last year as overtrained a few weeks)
Also going to add in some sports massage sessions, after getting home with very bad knees mid season saw a physio who did some intense "stripping" of the legs and within two weeks knee pain went away
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Just out of curiousity, and you don't have to answer of course, roughly how old are you @skimottaret and @Touchguru? Any comment upon age vs Eurotest performance and the amount of training required?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@skimottaret, @Touchguru,
My thoughts;
1. Get as fit as you can during the summer months. Maintain fitness during your training, don't aim to improve it!
2. Don't forget flexibility, it's not all about strength.
3. When you need a day off from training take it! For myself 2 days skiing, 1 day rest or just technical skiing, 2 days skiing, 2 days on the sofa works best!
4. You need a 'Mental' rest as well as a physical rest.
5. Jogging after skiing gets rid of the lactic acid.
6. A sports massage at least once a week.
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| skimottaret wrote: |
Am I reading you right ? are you saying 3 On, 1 off, 2 On, 1 off, 1 On, 2 off repeat? |
Apologies, I realise that was a little confusing!
I meant the following in a sample 7 day week with Monday as a start day:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday - Train
Thursday - Rest
Friday, Saturday - Train
Sunday Rest
OR
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday - Train
Thursday - Off
Friday - Train
Saturday, Sunday - Rest
OR as steward woodward suggests:
Monday Tuesday - Train
Wednesday - Rest
Thursday Friday - Train
Saturday, Sunday - Rest
All great training ideas/mantras stewart woodward . I would just change running for cycling as a personal preference and to get the load bearing off the legs as much.
JamesHJ ; I am older than 35 and younger than 50, roughly!
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You chaps display more coyness than women about your ages!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Touchguru, I absolutely get that.
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FAQ
