INSIDE THIS ISSUE… “MOtheR KNOWS Best” “OUR TRAINING OASIS” “SUMMER BIAthLON” “RACING FOR EVERYONE” “NORdiC FOuntAIN OF YOuth” “TIME MANAGement TRAINING” “THE NORdiC SKI Junkie” AND muCH MORE, INCLudinG the FAR West NORdiC RACE SCheduLE FOR 2012-2013! Far West Nordic ski educatioN associatioN • P.o. Box 10046 • truckee, CA • 96162 • www.FarWestNordic.ORG 2012/2013 Far West MeMbership ForM PRIMARY or INDIVIDUAL MEMBER: BIRTHDATE FIRST NAME _____________________ LAST NAME _________________________________________________ BIRTH DATE MONTH DATE YEAR MAILING ADDRESS _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ CITY _________________________________STATE _____ ZIP ____________ PHONE ( ) ______________________________________________ E-MAIL ADDRESS: ______________________________________________________________________________ ADDITIONAL FAMILY MEMBERS (For Family Memberships Only): BIRTHDATE FIRST NAME __________________ LAST NAME ________________________ EMAIL _________________________________ FIRST NAME __________________ LAST NAME ________________________ EMAIL _________________________________ FIRST NAME __________________ LAST NAME ________________________ EMAIL _________________________________ FIRST NAME __________________ LAST NAME ________________________ EMAIL _________________________________ FIRST NAME __________________ LAST NAME ________________________ EMAIL ________________________________ MONTH DATE YEAR MEMBERSHIP TYPE (Check One): SUPPORTING INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP .....$100 ....................................... MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS SUPPORTING FAMILY .................................. $150................................... SUPPORTING MEMBERSHIP: These memberships are offered as a RACING INDIVIDUAL ................................... $45 ($55 after 12/31/12) .... structured way for individuals and families to donate a major level of RACING FAMILY .......................................... $75 ($85 after 12/31/12) .... financial support to Far West Nordic. Supporting members receive all the benefits of Basic and Racing Membership. BASIC INDIVIDUAL ..................................... $20 ($30 after 12/31/12) .... RACING MEMBERSHIP: Offers all the benefits of Basic Member- BASIC FAMILY ............................................ $35 ($45 after 12/31/12) .... ship, PLUS eligibility to compete and be scored in any Far West Race JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP (UNDER 20) ............. $10 ................................... series: the Sierra Ski Chase competition, the Fischer Cup, and the Masters Challenge competition. ADDITIONAL DONATION ....................................................... BASIC MEMBERSHIP: Benefits include ski area discounts, eligibil- ity to enroll in Far West programs and clinics at discounted member FAR WEST “FARM TEAM” DONATION .................................... rates, eligibility to participate in the Sierra Ski Chase periodic e-mails newsletters, and access to all of our archived race results, photos, & TOTAL ENCLOSED ................................................................ articles. Far West Nordic members also will receive a $5 discount on registration for each of the Far West Nordic races: the 2013 Tahoe Please Check Here for Electronic Info Only: Rim Tour and the 2013 Billy Dutton Uphill. (No Paper Mail. Help Us Be Green!) JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP: Eligibility for Far West’s junior programs and scholarships, and participation in the Sierra Ski Chase. Far West Membership: May 1, 2012 through April 30, 2013 FAMILY MEMBERSHIP: Includes Supporting, Racing, or Basic Membership for up to TWO adults, and Junior Memberships for in- PLEASE MAIL COMPLETED FORM TO: dividuals under the age of 20. All individuals applying for a family FWNSEA, P.O. BOX 10046, TRUCKEE, CA 96162 membership must reside at the same address. Phone & Fax: (530) 852-0879 Far West Nordic dues may be tax deductible given the nature of benefits associated with membership and as we are a 501(c)(3) California Non-Profit Please make checks payable to FWNSEA. If you would like to pay Corporation. Please check IRS Publication 526 for more information or with by credit card, please pay online at www.farwestnordic.org your accountant regarding your tax deductibility. FAR WEST NORDIC SKI AREA DISCOUNTS Auburn Ski Club Far West Members Eligible for One Free Day Pass at ASC Training Center Bear Valley XC $2 off Full Day Trail Pass Valid Non-Holiday Periods Kirkwood XC $5 off Full Day Trail Pass Valid Anytime Mt. Shasta Ski Park Donation Only Method Valid Anytime Rim Nordic (Arizona) 25% Discount off Trail Pass or Rental Valid Anytime Full Day Pass for Afternoon Rate Valid Midweek, Non-Holiday Period Royal Gorge XC 2 for 1 pass on Tuesdays Squaw Creek Nordic $5 Off Full Day Pass Valid Anytime Full Day Pass for Afternoon Rate Valid Anytime Tahoe XC “Far West Fridays” Sandwich and Trail Pass $23 Valid any Friday 2 for 1 Pass for NEW Far West Nordic Members Valid Anytime, Once only Tahoe Donner XC $4 Off Full Day Rate Valid Anytime Tamarack Lodge Full Day Pass for Afternoon Rate Valid Anytime 2 • Far West Nordic News • Winter, 2013 WelcoMe to “NORDIC NEWS” 2013 on’t it always seem to go…That you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone.” It’s been over 40 years since Joni wrote that, but we can still find lessons in those words today. Take, for example, last winter and the worst snow drought I can remember since the 70’s (and, please, no old age jokes). The tagline on our ACMS Middle School Nordic Team sweatshirts said it all: “The Lost Winter.” And while many of us tried to cope with extra rollerskiing, “ hiking the Sierra Crest and riding our bikes through Yosemite — in JANUARY! — it still Ddidn’t make up for the fact that we lost much of the winter to the vagaries of our fickle weather gods. Global Warming? Perhaps. But, as they say, there’s no one weather occurrence that can be linked to Climate Change. Although having the earth’s atmosphere and oceans dramatically warming, whatever the causes, can never be a good thing for people who depend on frozen water for their recreational jollies. But, like for any downturn, the key is to be able to see the silver lining, and one of those is to recognize just how important sliding over the white stuff is to those of us who live and play in our mountain regions. And how the lack of it sure puts a damper on our endorphin and adrenalin-powered mood swings. (Not to mention our water supply and forest health). So what do we do about it? Well, lacking the ability to immediately turn down the Earth’s thermostat a few degrees and direct the Jetstream through the center of Northern California (how provincial of us), we need to just plan bigger and better events in the expectations that things (ie., snow) will be better this season. And our region has definitely done that. The first plus for this season is the revitalization of some of our local XC ski areas. While a couple of stalwarts — Tahoe XC and Kirkwood – continue with their strong programs, two others are giving us new and higher expectations for the Winter of ‘13. Royal Gorge, now under the umbrella of Sugar Bowl Resort and the management of JoJo Toeppner, looks to be re-born this year, and Tahoe Donner is showing more and more commitment to Nordic skiing by sponsoring high level races and hiring former ASC Nordic director Sally Jones. Another exciting event is the arrival of the U.S.S.A. SuperTour Finals in April, bringing many of the top skiers in the country (and possibly even the world) here to Truckee/Tahoe. But first, we start with a new event for everybody: the Lake Tahoe Nordic Festival, scheduled for December 14-16 (details at TahoeNordicFestival.com). And, if we really want to future-trip, how about the fact that Auburn Ski Club is scheduled — again — for Junior Nationals 2015! Now in the meantime, we just have to make sure they don’t go paving our paradise and putting up more parking lots. Mark Nadell, Nordic News Editor TABLE OF COntents Mother kNoWs Best . Pg. 4 by Paige Derdowski & Stacey Herhusky Andy Pasternak, MD OUR LITTLE TRAINING OASIS . Pg. 6 by Emily Blackmer Julie Young BiathloN iN the suMMer? . Pg. 8 by Sam Zabell Jeff Angermann, PhD RACING: NOT JUST FOR THE “ELITE” . .Pg. 10 by Sally Jones Looking to elevate your race performance and improve your fitness? TRICKS OF THE TRADE: EARLY DRILLS . Pg. 11 by Sally Jones THE NORDIC FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH . .Pg. 12 We can help everyone from weekend warriors by Andy Pasternak to serious athletes reach their goals. TIME MANAGEMENT TRAINING . Pg. 14 by JD Downing use Your BraiN For traiNiNg . Pg. 16 --NEW FOR 2012!- VO2 Max Testing by Kara LaPoint with an Olympic caliber testing system! THE NORDIC SKI JUNKIE . .Pg. 18 by Martin Benes --Lactate Threshold Testing MASTERS CHALLENGE/SIERRA SKI CHASE Pg. 20 by Andy Pasternak and Peter Hanson --Video assisted bike fitting USSA suPertour FiNals . Pg. 22 --Running gait analysis 2012-2013 Far West race schedule . Pg 23 --Individualized coaching cover Photo: toM McelroY, Fall colors at tahoe services through 02fitness doNNer XC, octoBer, 2012. Photo by Mark Nadell all coNteNt Photos by Mark Nadell, www.MacBethgraPhics.coM (uNless otherWise sPeciFied) Silver Sage Sports Performance “Nordic News” is a production of the Far West Nordic Ski Education Association, and is published in November 10467 Double R Blvd Reno, NV 89521 every year. Copyright © 2012. Design and typesetting is by MACBETH GRAPHICS of Truckee. Any submissions, 775-853-9394 questions, or corrections, please contact: Mark Nadell,