News that our ski-mountaineering race, the Altitoy, was cancelled came 3 days before the event. Rain on snow, then two weeks of sun melted everything below 2000m in elevation. Even terrain with snow was in suspect condition and it was either not possible or safe to create a route.
Gautier (race partner) and I were keen to not let this disappointment stop a good time. We had rented an apartment for race weekend and decided to use it as a base to do some adventure and training.
Some Key Sessions
Monday: Gear Test
We took the outrageous stack of mandatory gear for a tour and on the last descent I broke my ski binding. We were still planning on racing the weekend so I had to scramble around for a new one. For all the lovely aspects of ski-mo, the gear can be a pain.
Tuesday: Lactate Testing
I bought a lactate monitor this winter and have used it a handful of times on the treadmill. Testing yourself is tricky so Gautier and I did a session on the track, one runner, one tester.
The goal of this session was to get a concise lactate profile at relatively fast speeds.
Protocol: Good warm-up, then 5 x 1km (progressive) with 60 seconds rest during which the tester pricks the runner’s ear-lobe to take a blood sample and records the lactate level.
This test indicates that my aerobic threshold pace is 18km/h or 3:20min/km, 5:22min/mile pace. That’s a huge improvement from last year and the result of several months focusing on developing my aerobic capacity. My last kilometer was done near maximal effort in 2:46 or 4:27min/mile pace.
We gathered some good data points, but need to continue experimenting to expand the data set.
Saturday: Trail Run
After a 4 hour ski tour in the morning, I told Gautier I wanted to push a climb. He lived in Luz during the Covid confinement and knew just the place.
We made a short warm-up to the base of the climb and let loose.
The path was great, around 30% incline on smooth single track. We were making great time until taking a wrong turn and losing a precious minute. Once back on track I revved the engine, but soon my legs were searing, my strides decomposing and I surrendered to walk/jog the last bit as Gautier cruised by.
We made another climb, this time keeping the pacing smart and were back to town by dark for a well-earned pizza.
This session made real what the textbooks state. There are trade-offs when focusing on one intensity domain.
So much time in Z1/2 has left me unable to sustain high intensity effort. Although I do not use that gear during a 100km trail race, it is still an important consideration.
The data and sensation feedback shows I am in great form around my aerobic threshold, but if I am being honest, have arrived at a plateau.
In order to level up, I have to grow my high-intensity capacity (raise the roof), before returning to endurance-heavy, specific training (raise the floor).
Like anything else I will do this progressively, starting with 1-2 HT sessions/week while maintaining good volume with ample low-intensity hours.
Adventure Time
With skis on the back we made a pilgrimage to high altitude in search of snow. On Saturday we found a beautiful col looking toward le Vignemale (3299m), highest mountain in the French Pyrenees.
Naturally the summit became our Sunday target. Another long approach wearing ski-boots took us to the snow fields and we made great time to the summit, round trip in just over 4 hours.
Training is normally regimented. Time constrained. The opportunity to get out and explore was a rejuvenating experience and reminded me why I got interested in endurance sport to begin with. No Altitoy, no problem.
great read! on the fly blood sampling! massive stretches! so beautiful! glad you're using the buddy system!