Heart of the Summer

Summer training is in full swing in Northern Maine. I have been training well and enjoying the company of my teammates as I prepare for the upcoming North American Rollerski Championships. My training has shifted to highly specific biathlon training focused on rollerskiing, shooting and strength.

This week the Maine Winter Sports Center welcomed a huge group (43!) of Maine’s best high school age skiers to Fort Kent for the annual Maine Team Camp. Everyone worked hard and learned a lot. The highlight of the camp came on Sunday, with an awesome orienteering challenge that took two person teams across the Fish River multiple times and all around the town of Fort Kent.

This month will be filled with lots of high quality training and of course some summer fun. For regular updates follow me on Twitter (link on top right of page)  

Summer in the North Country

 I have been in Aroostook County for about two weeks and the summer is off to a great start. So far I have put in some great training hours at the 10^th Mountain Ski Center in addition to the roads and trails surrounding Fort Kent. I also had the opportunity to work with the Maine Winter Sports Center junior biathlon team and the cross country development team. I enjoy working with young athletes and it’s a great opportunity to stay in touch with shooting and skiing fundamentals. I have also had the chance to train and talk with Russell Currier and Annelise Cook, members of the US National Biathlon team and senior members of the Maine Winter Sports Center biathlon team. I always learn a lot from being around World Cup athletes and this week was no exception.

Junior Athletes on the Range 

I am looking forward to a number of fun events that will take place in the County this summer. Next week the Valcartier Biathlon team from Quebec, Canada will be training with MWSC in Fort Kent, in July  10^th Mountain hosts the US Summer Biathlon Championships and in August Presque Isle hosts the Fat Tire Festival, a weekend of music and mountain biking. This season is off to a great start and I am excited to share the journey with my friends, family and teammates.      

\Great Double Track. Photo Katrina Howe 

Casey Smith- MWSC's newest addition

Putting in the hours 

Recovery Week

Successful biathlon and cross country skiing requires a huge amount of training. My training, like all other skiers is planned in cycles. Every three weeks I plan a training week with a half to two-thirds of my normal training volume and intensity. This keeps me from getting overtrained and lets me do other fun things. I kicked off this recovery week with a trip to Little Deer Isle, Maine with my family. We enjoyed some ocean shore living and I went on a great sea kayak. Next week kicks off a big training block in Fort Kent. I am currently soaking up all recovery I can. 

Back In The Groove

May is the first month of training for most Nordic athletes and I am no exception. The month of May is used to develop base fitness and correct the strength imbalances and injuries that accompany the long racing season. I spent the month of May running, cycling and lifting weights. This week marked the transition to more specific training with my first rollerski interval session of the season. After this week of training I have a low training week to prepare for the first real training block of the year.

Coastal Training 

View to Canada from the Jalbert Athlete House in Fort Kent, ME 

I will be living in Fort Kent again this summer with a host of new Maine Winter Sports Center teammates. I am really looking forward to training with a motivated group of athletes this season. In the coming weeks look for a “Meet the Team” series of blogs introducing my teammates. With 90 degrees Fahrenheit predicted for this weekend, I think that summer is officially here.  

Spring 2013

For most of the month of April I could be found doing something like this:  

For the next few months I will be doing mostly this: 

Training season is here again. I'm happy to be back to work and looking forward to sharing the new year with my teammates, coaches, friends and family. 

The Training 2012-2013

For those curious readers who wonder how much and what I do for training here are some raw numbers for the 2012-2013 season. 

These numbers represent the period from April 14th 2012 to April 14th 2013.  

Total Physical Training: 732 Hours
Total Shots Taken: 12,845 rounds 
Total Training Time with Shooting: 850 hours 
Total Number of Rest Days: 54 
Total Time Skating or Skate Rollerskiing: 304 hours
Total Time Classic Skiing or Rollerskiing: 55 hours 
Total Time Double Poling: 70 hours 
Total Time Running: 109 hours 
Total Time Biking: 92 hours 
Total Time Strength Training: 89 Hours 
Total Easy Training: 586 Hours
Total Hard Training: 69 Hours 

Next season will see a slight increase in hours, more hard training and more strength training. Biathlon requires a huge investment of time and resources. I am happy to say that I truly enjoy the journey. 

Wrapping Up 2012-2013

The final races of the 2012-2013 season are in the books and I am taking some needed rest at home in Southern Maine. Following the racing, coaching and socializing at the Mammoth Biathlon Invitational I rejoined my Maine Winter Sports Center teammates in Truckee, California to contest the US XC Supertour Finals.

Kris Freeman Winning the US National 50k Title 

The road forward passing through Soda Springs, California

The 50k became quite long for some....

The races were a success for me and my teammates. The Supertour Finals consisted of 4 races: 3k Freestyle Prologue, 15k Classic Mass Start, Classic Sprint, and finally a Hill Climb. Following these races the US National Championship Women’s 30k and Men’s 50k took place. I raced well in the Prologue and 15k classic mass start, posted a typically mediocre classic sprint finish, and struggled with slow skis and fatigue in the hill climb.   

The challenging racing, beautiful surroundings and positive team environment allowed to me relax, push myself and gain motivation for the upcoming 2013-2014 season. I gained invaluable insights into how my World Cup teammates Annelise Cook and Kris Freeman race and train, along with getting a better handle on just what coaches and wax techs go through to hand athletes fast skis.

My coaches and I are currently planning my training for the upcoming season. I am looking forward to another great season with the Maine Winter Sports Center.

Thanks to everyone and anyone who helped me along this season. Every bit of support, advice and kindness I received contributed to my success.  

If you are interested in supporting me or the Maine Winter Sports Center for the Olympic Season of 2013-2014 please contact me at: Raleigh.goessling@gmail.com. For for updates follow me on Twitter: @TheRGoessling