Pure Prairie Power

2008-09-10T17:38:00.005-06:00

Hi Everyone,

My blogging has not been at its best lately and I must apologize. Over the past few weeks I have been very busy and focused on preparing for World Cup Selection Trials Sept 4-7.

The past few weeks have been very stressful and I have had all sorts of close calls. I had my first rollerski fall of the season and it was a dandy, I ran into a Black Bear the same day only 10 meters away as well I ran into a Grizzly Bear yesterday at only 5 meters. And these were only the stresses outside of competition.

Rollerski trials started off with a 20km Individual and it was a calm cool day, despite the great shooting conditions not many athletes were able to capitalize on it. Luckily for me I was able to shoot the average for the day and ski faster then the other competitors on the rollerski track. This would be the race that decided the WC spot.

After a short rest day of shooting and some combo training resulting in me shooting 20/20 in z3 intervals I was ready for the sprint.

However because of lack of experience from some race volunteers, I was told to adjust my trigger to a heavier trigger pull despite it actually being legal and perfect. I tried to put it to the back of my mind and was semi stressful in doing so. However I missed out on 10-15 minutes of warm-up which is very important when it was the higher intensity of the warm up I ended up missing. I ended up shooting 6/10 which is poor and below par for the day fortunately my ski form was once again in order and I placed 4th.

So even though the results were disappointing I knew I still needed a decent race, that evening I went to the shooting range to do everything I could to get used to the recently adjusted trigger. Leaving the range I was a little more confident but not the confidence I would normally have in a trigger I have been using all year.

Now to the pursuit. The most exciting race of the weekend. I really wish I could say I improved my shooting in this race and was able to put in a PB. Truth be told I shit the bed on the range and had to exhaust myself on the rollerski trying to make up for it. Passing three athletes on my first lap and many after that. When I look back at heart rate files on my computer I do not believe I skied too hard. I believe had some mental issues and struggled a bit with the new trigger.

However despite the 12 penalty loops in 2 days I was still able to achieve my goal of Making the World Cup Team however it was a lot closer than I am comfortable with. Hopefully this disappointment in the range will encourage me to soul search as to what I could have done better.

Throughout this weekend many people asked how I was able to ski so fast, and really there is no secret behind it. I had great equipment provided to me with Swix Poles and the New Alpina Elite Skate which is lighter and stiffer then any boot I have experienced. But more to come on the equipment next week.

Even with great equipment I needed to have more then just that, and that was my training. I started training early May with Biathlonschool.com under the supervision of Richard Bortua. Richard and I have had success before working together and I was confident that with my hard work and Richards Czechnology I would be able to get some great results.

I would also like to thank the staff at Wildflower Massage and Esthetics for getting my body ready to go starting Sept 4th and keeping it going throughout the weekend.

Enjoy the pics

Happy Trails,

Commetator Troubles

2008-09-03T15:36:00.004-06:00

 Hey Everyone,

If any of you have experience with reporters or commentators
you know they can say things out of context and even screw
right up.  Well here are just a few from the 2008 Summer Games


Here are the top nine comments made by NBC sports
commentators during the Summer Olympics that they would like
to take back:



1. Weightlifting commentator: "This is Gregoriava from
Bulgaria. I saw her snatch this morning during her warm up
and it was amazing."

2. Dressage commentator: "This is really a lovely horse
and I speak from personal experience since I once mounted
her mother."

3. Paul Hamm, Gymnast: "I owe a lot to my parents,
especially my mother and father."

4. Boxing Analyst: "Sure there have been injuries, and
even some deaths in boxing, but none of them really that
serious."

5. Softball announcer: "If history repeats itself, I
should think we can expect the same thing again."

6. Basketball analyst: "He dribbles a lot and the
opposition doesn't like it. In fact you can see it all over
their faces."

7. At the rowing medal ceremony: "Ah, isn't that nice, the
wife of the IOC president is hugging the cox of the British
crew."

8. Soccer commentator: "Julian Dicks is everywhere. It's
like they've got eleven Dicks on the field."

9. Tennis commentator: "One of the reasons Andy is playing
so well is that, before the final round, his wife takes out
his balls and kisses them... Oh my God, what have I just
said?

Hope you enjoyed,

For you lushes out there.

2008-08-07T08:36:00.000-06:00

As I write this post I am enjoying a glass of red wine I recommend you do the same while giving it a read.

Red Wine Ingredient Increases Endurance, Study Shows

I came across this article while spending time on the internet. MORE HERE

By NICHOLAS WADE
Published: November 17, 2006
A drug already shown to reverse the effects of obesity in mice and make them live longer has now been shown to increase their endurance as well.

Related
Yes, Red Wine Holds Answer. Check Dosage. (November 2, 2006) Experts say the finding may open up a new field of research on similar drugs that may be relevant to the prevention of diabetes and other diseases.

An ordinary laboratory mouse will run one kilometer on a treadmill before collapsing from exhaustion. But mice given resveratrol, a minor component of red wine and other foods, run twice as far. They also have energy-charged muscles and a reduced heart rate, just as trained athletes do, according to an article published online in Cell by Johan Auwerx and colleagues at the Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology in Illkirch, France.

“Resveratrol makes you look like a trained athlete without the training,” Dr. Auwerx (pronounced OH-wer-ix) said in an interview.

He and his colleagues said the same mechanism seemed likely to operate in humans, based on analysis in a group of Finnish subjects of the gene that is influenced by the drug.

Their rationale for testing resveratrol was evidence obtained three years ago that it could initiate a genetic mechanism known to protect mice against the degenerative diseases of aging and prolong their life spans by 30 percent.

Dr. Auwerx, whose interest is in the genetic control of metabolism, decided to see whether resveratrol would offset the effects of a high-fat diet, specifically the disturbances known as metabolic syndrome that are the precursors of diabetes and obesity. In his report, he and his colleagues say very large doses of resveratrol protected mice from weight gain and developing the syndrome.

Dr. Auwerx attributes this in large part to the significantly increased number of mitochondria he detected in the muscle cells of treated mice.

Mitochondria are the organelles in the body’s cells that generate energy. With extra mitochondria, the treated mice were able to burn more fat and thus avoid weight gain and decreased sensitivity to insulin, Dr. Auwerx said. He found their muscle fibers had been remodeled by the drug into the type more prevalent in trained human athletes.

For the continuation of this article please visit. New York Times Red Wine

Cheers,

Heart of the Rockies Triathlon

2008-07-24T12:20:00.012-06:00

Hi Everyone,

Sorry about the delay for the post this week, I have been waiting trying to get as many photos of the Heart of the Rockies Triathlon as I could.

This past weekend on July 20th Jodi Etcheverry and Jamesy Patrick decided to take on the triathlon in Invermere, B.C. They figured if there boy friends compete in Biathlon the best way to one up them is by competing in a Triathlon.

This was their first triathlon and they didn't know what to expect in term of results however they were both able to fair quite well
with there fitness, despite haveing a bike pump stolen off Jamesy's bike in the transition area and having a restless sleep the night before in what was a very active campground.

To Jodi's surprise she took 1st in her Catagory and 4th Women overall with a time of 2:31:21 and Jamesy had a time of 2:54:01 and was 4th in her catagory. See full results here Individual Results

Testing Testing 1 2 3

2008-07-14T09:07:00.005-06:00

Hello Everyone,

I hope you have all had as rewarding week as I have. This week Biathlonschool.com started its first testing of the year consisting of two tests last week. A Dp test and a Uphill Rollerski test.

Even though it seems I haven't done very much z3 or 4 training this spring or summer I was still able to show improvements in all tests. In the DP test I improved to quite a bit since last year this time which is very encouraging considering it is basically a test only performed with your arms.

And last but not least we did the Uphill Rollerski Test which is a 4 km race which starts in the town of Canmore and climbs past the Nordic Center to the pavements end on Spray Road. This test in particular was pretty exciting because both the Biathlon National Team and Cross Country Ski Team participated together and this allows everyone to fight for there sport and find out where they measure of with the best skater skiers in the country.

Fortunately I was able to focus and pull out a decent race placing me 4th overall and fastest Biathlete in the West, hopefully I will be able to build on these improvements and have some PB's in the fall.

Please see results below for Uphill RS test times


NAME	TIME
All skiers on Marwe #6 wheels
DEVON KERSHAW	10:50	NST
IVAN BABIKOV	11:16	NST
GEORGE GREY	11:38	NST
SCOTT PERAS	11:43	Biathlonschool.com
BRENT MCMURTRY	11:52	NST
JAMIE ROBB	11:54	NBT
ROBIN CLEGG	11:56	NBT
DREW GOLDSACK	11:57	NST
DAVE NIGHBOR	12:12	NST
DAN ROYCROFT	12:12	INDI
SEAN CROOKS	12:13	NST
FREDERIC TOUCHETTE	12:18	NST
ALEX HARVEY	12:19	NST
BRENDAN GREEN	12:21	NBT
FERRELL ?	12:22	France Biathlon Team
PHIL WIDMER	12:25	NST
STEFAN KUHN	12:31	NST
NATHAN SMITH	12:34	NBT
BRIAN MCKEEVER	12:35	NST
MAT STACHURA	12:46	Biathlonschool.com
STUART LODGE	12:56	CNSC
TYSON SMITH	13:10	NBT
MAX GOTZI	13:13	Biathlonschool.com
DAVID JOHNS	13:23	Biathlonschool.com
JOEL PACAS	13:35	Biathlonschool.com
SARA RENNER	14:05	NST
DANIEL ROBB	14:09	Biathlonschool.com
KAI LUKOWIAK	14:30	NST
SARAH DAITCH	14:54	NST
PERIANNE JONES	14:59	NST
CHANDRA CRAWFORD	15:04	NST
AMANDA AMMAR	15:14	NST

Some cool Biathlon you tube video's

2008-07-05T18:33:00.004-06:00

This video is from Nationals 2008 in Squamish, BC. It is the mass start for the relay. If you listen closely you can hear the announcer say " And Scott Perras #4 is off to an early lead" you can also hear Jodi yell "That's my boyfriend" followed by laugher. Even though leading the start was not my intention sometimes things happen in the heat of the race.

This video is also very interesting. It is made using a program called Dartfish which is used for many sports but in Biathlon is commonly used to work on ski technique but interestingly enough it can also be used for shooting so that you can view positions between athletes as well where you are losing time.

Crazy is what this next video is, although I have never tried this ski I would certainly consider it for classic ski training in the summer it would be a welcome change from roller skiing the same loops day after day.

And this video is of one of our American counter parts using a Rollerski treadmill, we now have a roller ski tread mill in Canada. It can be a useful tool for testing physiological improvements.

And of course we need some Biathlon video's for laughs.

For this video I will have to translate, it is the mens Russian team from World Championships they were actually only a few doors down from our rooms and I am glad to see that they aren't any tidier. Basically what they are saying is "look at me how long do you think they will put me on TV with out my shirt on? Should be good a good move to build a larger female fan base"

If you have any other videos you have watched on you tube and would like to share with others, just e-mail me the link and I can post them for you.

Until next week, Happy Trails

Fund training and help the environment

2008-06-29T10:59:00.005-06:00

My good friend and team mate for so many years, Mat Stachura has just returned from Tree Planting his seasonal job which is his financial backing when it comes to funding his Biathlon Career. He decides not to lean on his family and friends like so many amateur athletes do just to survive season to season. I recently sat down to have a chat about what its like being a tree planting Biathlete. This is his story.

How long have you been in Biathlon?

I first started racing when I was 12 and training when I was 15 so I guess this could be my 11th or 8th year.

How did you get started?

I started with the cadet program in Regina Saskatchewan.

How old were you when you first moved to Canmore?

I was 20

What are your hobbies and interests?

I like playing guitar, long boarding, and occasionally shooting clean.

How did you get the idea to try tree planting as a job?

Another, older saskatchewan athlete told me about it and the time line lined up well with the training and racing season.

And how long have you been tree planting?

This past year was my third.

When does your tree planting season start and end?

I start as soon as the last race is over, this year it was on April 1st and I go till late June, again this year that was June 25th.

How many days to you work a week and how long is the typical day?

I work a four and one schedule, meaning we have four days of work and then a day off. A typical day is in the truck at 7:00 am leaving to the block and back in to come home at 5:00

If tried to convert your earnings in to a hourly wage how much would you earn hourly?

It all depends on the planter, anyone, and I mean anyone can earn about $15/hour but the more experience and the faster the planter the more money. The very fast planters (highballers) can make upwards of $40-$50/hour.

Do you enjoy tree planting? If so what about it?

There are parts I like and parts I dislike. I enjoy the camp atmosphere and meeting people who are so different from the athletic community.

What's hardest part of tree planting?

Everything you can't really control. The rain/snow/wind/bugs and everything in between.

Has tree planting changed the way you view the environment? If so how?

It has definitely taught me a lot about the forest and deferent ecosystems that survive there but don't kid yourself we plant trees to be cut again to make profit.

Describe the perfect day of tree planting?

Showing up to the block at 20 C. with no wind or bugs, light trees with small plugs and a day on your own creamy piece.

You always rave about the food while tree planting is that why you are fat?

Hahahaha, i'm not fat, dude, I weigh less then you do, next question.

Is tree planting the best way you have found so far to support yourself? What other jobs have you tried?

I tired working at a hotel in Canmore while training and that didn't work because the days were just too long and it made me very tired and unable to focus. With planting I can dedicate myself to making money and then to racing.

If you qualified for carding do you think you would quit tree planting?

I don't think so. Even at the maximum $1500 amount, I don't feel this covers the cost of living in Canmore and training full time.

Do you think that tree planting has a negative affect on your Biathlon Performance in the winter? If so why?

I think it has a negative affect on my biathlon performance in the summer because I come back a little tired and with some bumps and bruises but buy winter time those have gone away and the benefits of not working all summer and fall have kicked in.

What is your dream job you hope to obtain someday outside of Biathlon?

CEO of some major company making the big bucks.

Well there you have it folks the diaries of a tree planter, might be something for you to consider if you are need of some money and want to see some different ground.

For some great info and more video's concerning Tree Planting visit www.tree-planter.com

Volume Volume Volume

2008-06-23T10:48:00.003-06:00

This week my training was totally dedicated to volume. For those of you not familiar with training terms and methods it means I spent just over 26 hours this week training in my lower heart rate zones (z1-z2) and focusing on building a foundation on which I will later lay down the more intense training zones (z3-z5). Because of the hard work I have been able to put in this spring I should be better able to handle more intensity and hard work while still being able to recover and stay injury free throughout the summer and fall months.

Fortunately I was able to do most of my training with different training partners from day to day, keeping all of us refreshed and focused.

I started my training week with a Run/Hike which more then once I ended up waist deep in snow. And I ended my week with a 170km of cycling where my cycling partner Dave Johns and I were able to see at least 5 bears from distances of 100 meters to as close as 15 meters.

So I encourage all readers, non athletes and athletes a like. Next time you feel up for an adventure get off the beaten path and experience something new.

Ciao

Footstock 2008

2008-06-14T15:44:00.005-06:00

As some of you may know Jodi Etcheverry has retired from Biathlon but still enjoys a good physical challenge from time to time. And the Footstock provided Jodi with her first challenge since Canadian Championships where she won a Bronze in the 15 km .

Jodi doesn't really know which is tougher a biathlon race or a half marathon. Immediately following the race Jodi commented " I will never do that again" only to decide 15 minutes later that she had a good time and would like to try another half marathon maybe even this summer.

Although Jodi didn't know what to expect in terms time she ended up with a very respectable 1:43 despite a lack of training due to her new full time job with the town of Canmore. If you would like to view the results for yourself see link Results

Rollerskiing vs Skiing

2008-06-09T14:35:00.005-06:00

Despite the terrible weather in Canmore this weekend I was able to take advantage of a training opportunity that might not have been available had the weather in Canmore been warmer this spring.

On June 7 & 9th I was able to ski on a 5km loop up at Sunshine Ski resort thanks to the time and effort put in by John Jaques a local xc and biathlon coach from Canmore.

Because there is no snow in Canmore I was able to ski in the morning at Sunshine and Rollerski in the afternoon in Canmore which is something I have wanted to try for a long time. And is usually only possible with the use of a glacier camp which can usually be costly.

So off I went that afternoon to compare the technique I used on snow in the morning to the what I would now be using on rollerskis to see where I could feel differences.

To me they seem similar to me however I found there is a greater need for balance when skiing on snow.

Too close for comfort.

2008-06-05T17:52:00.003-06:00

Just yesterday while enjoying a rollerski with Biathlonschool.com team mate Joel Pacas we were reminded that we do indeed share our Nordic Center with the surrounding wildlife. Even though we were on a paved path it does not mean we are safe and sound. At the end of the 4km loop just as we pointed out skis downhill another athlete yells out loud "Theres a bear down there" well with our skis already pointed downhill we were kind of helpless and were soon getting closer and closer the black bear and its two cute cubs. Getting as close as 20 meters. So just a small reminder to everyone they are out there so make sure you are prepared. For info on what to do when encountering a bear visit http://www.mountainnature.com/Wildlife/Bears/BearEncounters.htm

Scott

New Blog

2008-06-02T14:15:00.001-06:00

Hello,

This will hopefully be my new blog if I can coordinate everything with my web site.