Hi Marjaana,
Thanks for answering my email about xc/nordic skiing training plans. It’s exciting to hear that these are at least in the backend - and I’m looking forward to when they’re fully integrated!
In the meantime, I had a few more questions, but wanted to post them here for others’ benefit:
- If using the duathlon plan as a base for xc skiing, what kind of manual adjustments will be needed to make that work? I assume that I would need to (a) somehow tell the app to push more low-intensity volume over the summer and (b) somehow tell the app about which sessions I’m rollerskiing/skiing instead of running/cycling/etc.
- Along the same lines as (b) above, while the xc ski training plans are still in the backend, does Athletica “recognize” rollerskiing/skiing as a workout type? Also, does it distinguish between rollerskiing and snow skiing? Or between classic and skate skiing? Of course, I think that the main adaptation that all xc skiing training is trying to encourage is aerobic performance - but rollerskiing vs. snow skiing (and the skate vs. classic variations therein) do have somewhat different demands & muscles used. I’m curious if the app accounts for this - or if it will be able to account for this once xc skiing is fully integrated.
- I’m coming from a background in strength sports such that I’d like to keep strength training once or twice per week. I’d like to see what the app recommends for xc ski-focused strength training - but I expect that I might modify this somewhat based on the movements that I like doing. Is that possible?
Sorry for the barrage here… but I find the concept of this app really interesting/exciting and am curious to know more! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Thank you!
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Hey @Daftski909
- Yes, exactly, manually change the sports mode, perhaps adding some time depending on what you have available. Base build typically includes a little more time than in skiing , because skiing is high load due to terrain changes (vs. compared to cycling). Also, you can change runs or bikes to longer hiking sessions to build base at Zone 1&2 without neuromuscular load from running. Community library has plenty of roller skiing, nordic walking, and XCski sessions you can manually add to your calendar.
- Good question, and answer above. BUT you need to make sure you record as roller ski. Not all watches have that sports mode so you may need to create it on your watch first (Garmin connect or alike). Same with classic vs skate mode. You are absolutely correct, and the current challenge is that it is very difficult to estimate load when either roller skiing or snow skiing. We don’t have an easily available way to quantify power on snow, and pace also depends on weather and snow conditions. and roller ski roller speed. However, RPE can be used to estimate load, which we do if pace or power or HR is not present. I think the most important thing here is to use the same method (HR&RPE) here and ML will learn. Caveat clearly is that training load will likely not be as accurate as in cycling where we can measure external load quite precisely.
- that’s right in my lane
You can find XCS specific strength sessions in the community library already,
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BTW - those 30/30 sessions are like meant for a XCS course like American Birkie where you have to climb up numerous of short duration hills with short recoveries. I found that even coming from flat Texas, doing Birkie course was “easy” because I was able to recover quickly after those hills, and I realized it was because of 1. Big Ironman training block previous summer 2. Solid 30/30s progression over a long time.
Hope this helps, keep follow up questions coming,
MJ
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