People (Interviews)

On Skimo Racing Summer Training: Interview with Adam Campbell, professional mountain runner

June 24, 2013 By Stano Faban 3 Comments

Last summer, I published two articles on summer training for skimo racing. One was about a general approach to summer skimo training – “Bread and butter” summer training for rando racing… The other one was about a more specific training method that I found helpful for my winter racing – Hiko-run: Skimo racer’s best summer friend.
After the second one, Adam Campbell reacted to some of my “teachings” on Twitter – mainly, regarding the need for more high-intensity intervals during summer. We went little bit back and forth but ultimately didn’t have time or will to seriously dissect whether we were disagreeing or misunderstanding each other.
So, being about time to commence training for the next season I have decided to approach Adam to provide us, the skimo community, with his idea for summer training that would set us up for success in the winter.

Who is Adam Campbell?

In Adam’s own words:
I’m a reformed lawyer and currently I’m a professional mountain runner, running for Arc’teryx & Salomon. (Adam is on Salomon’s team that includes Kilian Jornet.)
I was the 2011 & 2012 Canadian male ultra-runner of the year. Prior to that, I competed internationally for the Canadian U23 National Triathlon Team and was the Canadian Elite Duathlon Champion.
I’m also the proud owner of the Guinness Record for Running the Fastest Marathon in a Business Suit, in 2:35:53 –
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/man-breaks-world-record-running-marathon-suit-article-1.1180678
I also do some coaching for B78 Coaching and I am a part owner of the 5 Peaks Trail Running Series.
For more info & insights, you can check out:

Adam on summer training for skimo racing

Q: I think we should discuss summer training for skimo racers on two levels – for occasional racers and those that like to keep fit (REC category), and for the elite athletes shooting for spots on national teams and those seeking ultimate performance for their goals in the mountains (ELITE category).
In all cases, the emphasis is on efforts on less than 3h and the peak performances are expected to occur between January and March.
Do you agree we should address both groups specifically? If not, propose a better differentiation or none at all.
I definitely agree that both groups should be approached differently, simply because their ultimate goals are different. Because of that, their preparation will be slightly different.
As an elite athlete myself, preparation is something that I absolutely love. I treat racing as puzzle, where you have to scavenge around to find the right pieces to achieve your ultimate outcome.
It’s that process of scavenging for what I need to do to arrive on the starting line of my goal race as prepared to compete as I can be that I thrive on. It’s a trait I learned from Simon Whitfield, one of my closest friends and someone who’s sporting results on the day speak for themselves.
I believe strongly in specificity, as well as having a strong aerobic foundation.
What differentiates an elite athlete from a recreational one is their single minded focus on a specific goal. I really admire recreational athletes, people who can simply play at a variety of sports and who enjoy participating for the sake of fitness, because it’s something I struggle with myself.
I try to give myself a few months of play a year, I think it’s healthy and ultimately helps your end goal, but I also tend to focus obsessively on my big objectives.
Because recreational athletes aren’t as concerned about nailing a narrow window of success, they can be a bit more loose in their approach to the sport.
But at the end of the day, no matter what your goals, I believe that training should be kept as simple as possible, with a big focus on the “meat & potatoes” of endurance sports, building that aerobic foundation, avoiding injuries and maintaining a good training frequency.
We called that the “chop wood & carry water approach”. If you’re getting that part right, which can be hard, you’re already a long way along the road to being competitive.
Too many people seem to look for shortcuts, or sexy workouts, in their training and forget about the meat and potatoes.
Q: For both groups, what would you advise skimo athletes to do between June and November, before we can really ski? How would you divide this big period into smaller ones? What would be the focus of each one? Variety or only trail running?
I would make sure that you start by taking a mental break from “training”. Some people believe in complete time off, so a one to two week holiday from endurance based sport might be good.
Personally, I’m a very active person and love to move, so in my off-season I do different sports, like indoor climbing, some bouldering, I bike a bit, I swim, I do yoga etc… but I also try to socialize a fair bit more. I run if I feel like it, but I am completely unstructured.
Once I feel the urge to start training again, I build back, trying to do something every day, but once again, I don’t really sweat it too much.
It’s a lot easier for runners, since we can run year round. Skiers can use this time a bit more creatively, mixing sports up, doing some hiking, running, biking etc…I would approach it that way until about August or September.
I would also use that time to address any imbalances or weaknesses that you noticed during the season and take care of any niggling injuries that inevitably come from high level training/racing.
In terms of energy system work, I would do one very high intensity workout, like 30-60 sec hill repeats, to maintain some explosive power, or I’d go to the gym if you like that. I would also do one threshold style workout, with longer sustained intervals once a week, or every 10 days. Everything else would be long and easy.
Come September/October, I’d look to be more specific with my movements. Maybe dust off the roller skis and start to do more work with poles. I would also start to be a bit more structured with my training on a weekly basis. I would keep the long threshold intervals in there.
Throughout the summer I’d jump into a running race, bike race, or triathlon every 4-6 weeks for fun & to keep that top-end there. You could also do some personal challenges, like trying to set FKTs on local trails etc…
As far as what activity to choose, I would go with sports that you enjoy and that keep you the most active. Of course, I think trail running is great, but not everyone enjoys it as much as I do. I would definitely do sports that engage the legs, like biking, running, or hiking, over paddle sports, but even they can have their place.

Adam on a training run through the South Chilcotins area of British Columbia.
Q: During our exchange on Twitter last year you were advocating for year-round high-intensity efforts/intervals no matter for which group of athletes. Could you explain in more detail why both groups should regularly do those sessions? Or how often they should do them over the year?
I am somewhat opposed to that approach on grounds of injury prevention and my experience.
I do believe that every athlete benefits from some form of high intensity activity throughout the year, whether it’s in the weight room, on the bike, or running, it’s what best mimics the demands of racing.
That said, skimo is an aerobic sport, so the bulk of your training, the “meat & potatoes” should be aerobic training. The high intensity work can come from doing long uphill efforts; it doesn’t necessarily have to be structured interval work until later in the summer.

Adam catching his breath after some hard efforts in the winter.

I’m also becoming a bigger believer in shorter high intensity efforts, of 30 seconds or less every couple of weeks. I don’t know the science behind it, but I’ve been told that, especially for older athletes, it’s important to keep testosterone levels high, since we sort of numb our adrenal systems through endurance sport. I probably just butchered the physiology of that, but it makes a big difference to how my energy system feels.
I have a limited ability to stick to low heart rate training, I get burned out very quickly when I do.
I actually think intervals and high intensity training can be more beneficial to amateur athletes, since they have less time to train
I also find that a lot of amateur athletes, or people new to sport, have a lower ability to push themselves. I find intervals help teach people about pacing and where their limits are. I do not believe in doing intervals more than once a week, I even find a big benefit doing them every 2 weeks.
Once again though, I believe in doing some sort of threshold workout weekly, so more of a tempo type effort.
Q: Maybe this is redundant considering the above but: Can you give us an overview of your training about 8 months from your goal race? What do you focus on in each period?
I think I’ve sort of answered that. But in a big picture idea, I work back from my goal race. I find I can’t focus for much more than 10 weeks on one specific goal, so starting from my A race, I would work backwards in this order:
RACE DAY
10-12 weeks out – specific prep

Mimic the course in training
Work on my gear & dial in the technical aspects
higher intensity intervals
longer hard outings

12-20 weeks out

race fitness
B races & work on weaknesses
technical aspects of the sport (i.e. gear, nutrition etc…)

20-24 weeks out

threshold style work
long easy sessions

24-32 weeks out

General fitness
Some C level fun races
Work on weakness

32+ weeks before

Rest & fun

Q: You don’t do any skimo races but you do ski tour a bit. What do you think about running or hiko-running with ski poles as a training tool for skimo people?
I think specificity is key, so doing work with poles makes a huge difference.
It’s also probably good for people who aren’t used to the pounding of running, so can offer a bit of relief from the strains of running, it’s a very efficient way of travelling through the mountains, especially if you’re used to them, so I would absolutely advocate using them in training.

Progress and learning

I am very happy Adam was keen to do this interview as his answers clarified all misunderstandings we had last year on Twitter. Now, I believe we are actually very similar in our approach to training.
The most important thing though that I learnt from this interview and will be including in my training much more often are the short high intensity bursts. This should help me improve some of my weaknesses.
What have you learnt or do similarly, or differently?

The 2013 Power of Four skimo race: One man’s three year evolution towards a unified team spirit

March 6, 2013 By Stano Faban 2 Comments

In this well written essay one of our fellow skimo racers, Jeremy Rietmann, shares his candid story of personal evolution that was forced upon him by a “simple” challenge of teams racing.
It’s always moving when people are willing to share their lessons, and especially so when they let us peek into their minds as deeply as Jeremy does here. Stick to the end and it will surely help you reflect on your own racing ups-and-downs.
jeremy-rietmann-300px In its inaugural year, Lou Dawson asked if Aspen’s Power of Four was the greatest ski mountaineering race in North America. Dawson was hyping his local hill, but three years and 75+ racing miles later, I say it is.
There are other North American races with more memorable technical elements, more off-piste terrain or offer better pure skiing. Nevertheless, the mental journey that one must navigate to successfully complete this race is more fascinating to me than the physical undertaking itself.
In the Power of Four, mastering your own mental landscape is the true test. It’s the ‘Fourth Power’ that makes or breaks you when faced with the three major external challenges this race presents.

Race facts: The three challenges

First is the obvious physical hardship. Nearly 12,000ft of climbing over 25ish miles as fast as you can go is difficult. Pete Swenson found Karl Meltzer’s evil Speedgoat 50k race recipe and winterized it.
The second factor is that it’s March, high in the Colorado Rockies. The ascent of Highland Peak, topping out at 12,382 feet, can be bitterly cold, yet the snow-reflected high-altitude sun could quickly have you overheating. You have to dedicate additional energy to self-care or simply Mother Nature will have her way with you.
And, it can never be forgotten that this is a skimo teams race! This means you get to go on a delightful journey of low-electrolyte self-discovery with another person doing the same. It’s best to realize this before toeing the starting line.
Each of these challenges build upon each other and can easily overwhelm an underprepared mind.

2011: Poor attention to details

In 2011, I came into the race not fully certain of what I’d gotten myself into. But, I had recently toured the 40+ miles from Eagle to Aspen in a quick overnight with a couple of friends, had a good build-up of training and was reasonably confident in my ability to finish.
I paired up with my regular climbing partner, Doug, and we set out not sure what to expect, but knowing we were in for an experience.
What occurred was an unfortunate – unbalanced pairing of expert mental toughness, internal mastery and proper self-care (on Doug’s part) versus my mental weakness, negative mental dialogue and inattention to the details (water and caloric intake in cold conditions) as minutes turned to hours and hours became several.
Unsurprisingly, I bonked hard mid-way up Midnight Mine road, and lacking a tow rope Doug pulled ahead to let me slog along in my own misery. Only later did I realize he did me a favor by sparing me his own rage and frustration at my poor attention to nutrition.
Running low on fumes and good sense as we approached the Sundeck I decided this would be a good time to rant that it was not helpful that he had pulled ahead and “left me behind.” But Doug, as the true friend and real climber man-beast of the two of us, ignored my nonsense and we skied down to a respectable finish.
I crossed the line, but he allowed us the finish by dragging me along on his invisible tow rope made mainly of my own desperation in trying to catch up with him to give him a piece of my mind.

2012: Inside ego struggles

In 2012, after a better build-up of training, experimenting, and much more experience with long-endurance racing, I teamed up with another longtime college friend, John.
We went to have fun, work hard and finish strong. But we were mismatched in a few aspects.
He was training around 25 hours per week (for off-road triathlons) and his general aerobic fitness was superior to what I could attain on my measly 5-10 hours per week. Yet I knew my specific ski fitness was solid, giving me an advantage on the long down-hills. I also had better transition technique and had the advantage of having completed the race before. Added together, perhaps it could be a good combination after all.
We raced well up and down Snowmass and Buttermilk, but as we roped together with me on tow at the base of Aspen Highlands (as we had planned prior to the start of the race) my ego got the best of me.
My internal dialogue became more deluded with each step upward. It created an internal conversation wholly toxic to our goals that day. My muddled mind argued: “Why are you struggling? I am the one who has been rando racing all season. I know the technique! I know the lingo!”
Useless. All of it.
Then came the Congo Trail. If there’s one thing I am very good at, it’s what I call ‘survival skiing’ – shitty, fast, narrow, scary, tree skiing. And the Congo Trail is the definition of it.
I dipped in first and my earlier frustrations and inadequacies fueled me all the way to the bottom. I didn’t look back.
I transitioned at the base of Midnight Mine road and waited. For 10 minutes. Finally, John arrived upset and thoroughly pissed. And I was happy to reciprocate.
John had been waiting for me at a road crossing just upwards from me. He didn’t know where I was and was concerned I may have wrecked somewhere uphill from him. He also didn’t know the course as well, and didn’t know that the true base of the descent was straight across the road from where he was waiting for me.
Also, this is probably a good time to mention that John, my partner, is totally deaf.
It’s a pretty common theme in the Deaf Community that nothing frustrates a deaf guy more than being left out of a conversation or feeling out of the loop. Saying, “never mind” to waive-off the inconvenience of having to explain a super minor thing you have said to someone else in front of a deaf person is the height of rudeness.
So, as one might imagine, leaving your deaf partner behind on a fairly unknown race course was about a million times more inconsiderate. Oops.
We had a healthy round of shouting, raging and f-bombs, all silently read on my lips by him mind you. And I did include the appropriate body language and facial expressions to be sure he knew where I was coming from. He let me have it too.
We kept on moving and arguing until we exhausted ourselves, and then didn’t communicate for about 20 minutes. Eventually I tamed my ego and went back on tow and with each step upwards we climbed back into reality, made peace, and found our way to the finish line. One hour faster than the previous year with Doug.
Happy to have finished, but with far too much mental strain than was ever necessary. I resolved to never let that happen again.

2013: Unified team and deeper lessons

In 2013, John and I again teamed up for the Power of Four. We both had a desire to improve our time from 2012 and I think we both secretly wanted proper redemption for ourselves by tackling this race as a whole and unified team.

John and Jeremy racing the 2013 Power of Four. Together. Photo by Dick Jackson Photography.

I worked long and hard in the year between the two races to find and experience my mental state as it manifested itself during long, grueling endurance efforts. I grew to be adept at finding it, viewing it within myself and not judging it. I learned from it and eventually changed it.
2013 was a thrilling race. John knows I need reminded to eat and drink. I know it too and have become much better at reminding myself. So he cued it up when relevant, and I did the same. There was no judgment, no ego, we just knew we needed to look out for each other to make a strong finish possible.
This year we climbed Aspen Highlands separately and didn’t pull out the tow rope. We simply kept track of each other, reminded ourselves to fuel up regularly and planned ahead. I carried less water than John and ran out at the top of the Deep Termity lift. I knew this would lead to cramping and a potential bonk if I didn’t come up with a solution.
Knowing that I would transition faster than John, we agreed that I would ski down as fast as possible, skin to the entrance to the Congo Trail at the final aid station, and do everything in my power to rehydrate and refuel for the long brutal slog up Midnight Mine road.
It was a smart tactical decision. I got a good 10-12 minute lead on John, which gave me plenty of time to fuel up. When he arrived, I waited while he gathered up everything he needed to refuel and prepare for the remainder of the race.
Then, we skied down the Congo Trail – this time together. John had only been on skis four times this season prior to the race, so the Congo completely destroyed his legs. The endless wedging-in-the-back-seat isometric contraction sucked the life out of him.
As we started up the road, he began sweating profusely, wondering aloud what the symptoms of heat stroke were and I looked back and saw the panicked look of ‘bonk’ in his eyes. But, this time we worked together rather than against each other and our minds stayed peaceful and calm.
He asked for the tow rope and we put one foot in front of the other at the same clip without pause all the way to the sundeck.
We even passed a couple of teams and crushed their spirits late in the race. We also finished yet another hour faster than the year before. It was a beautiful thing. A positive, powerful mental landscape makes everything in life better.

Struggles keep me coming back

This is what makes the Power of Four the best skimo race in North America. It’s a monstrous undertaking that breaks a person down to the basics – keeping your mind calm, keeping your ego in check, empathizing with and recognizing the suffering of others, and recognizing your own weaknesses.
I got what I came for. Overcoming difficult things pushes us to confront and accept even greater challenges in the future. It allows us the opportunity to become more than we once were.
This race, and all the training and hardship necessary to make it possible, has made me a better person. And that’s what we should all be striving for.

Part 2: Interview with Jason & Andy Dorais – On race organizing, gear, and favourite training spots

January 30, 2013 By Stano Faban 1 Comment

This is the second part of the interview with Jason and Andy – this time discussing organizing the Wasatch Citizen Skimo Series, what gear they use, and what are their favourite winter and summer training spots.
» Here you can read the first part.
Q6: You guys are running the Wasatch Citizen Skimo Race Series. It’s proving successful. How often it is? How long the courses are? How many people usually show up? How much is the start fee? Do you have any sponsors on board?
Andy:
We are holding 10 races this year, mostly on Tuesday nights. We typically race for around an hour and I try to set a course or create a format to fit this. We have tried all kinds of things from sprints to relays to vert style (as many laps as possible in one hour) to a set number of laps on a preset course.
Typical attendance is around 50 people with more and more coming!
These races have all been free so far as I want to grow the sport and reduce the barrier to entry as much as I can. All people are invited and we get people with all kinds of athletic backgrounds on all types of gear. At the front end though we have about 10-15 people in speed suits and on race gear but more and more folks are buying into the “light is right” philosophy.
We have a number of sponsors with the major ones being SCARPA/Trab and La Sportiva:

Scarpa has donated 3 sets of demo skis for people to try as well as pin flags and wind blades.
La Sportiva has donated ski straps and will donate a pair of skis as a grand prize.
Locally, the Sport Loft (premier ski shop in town) has stepped up and donated ski straps and gloves, and Kirkham’s has donated gift certificates.

We also have lots of friends that help set the courses, take down, and make it an all around great atmosphere.
Wasatch Citizen Skimo Series
Q7: From your experience with this citizen series, what do you think people like about skimo racing? What they don’t seem to like? Any advice for other race organizers?
Andy:
I think people love the chance to get out and gain some fitness while experiencing some friendly competition. They like to see personal improvement, learn about the gear, and meet people with similar ideas and goals for skiing. I have seen a ton of people exchange numbers and then head out and ski together outside of the races.
I think in the US, the best advice is to make it easy to race. Keep the barriers low, whether it’s the price or whatever. To grow the sport, it has to be accessible to people and that’s hard given the already crazy gear prices and need to travel.
Jason:
The beauty of the Citizen’s Series is there’s a huge range of ability and gear so there’s someone for everyone to compete against.
It feels good to race with someone and beat them; I think people like that. On the other hand, it’s very motivating to work hard going back and forth with a competitor and come up short; people like that too. Being able to compete hard and then go hang out, eat food, and talk about what just happend is a blast.
Advice for organizers? I’d say get in good with the resort. The Citizen’s Series wouldn’t happen if we’d didn’t have a peaceful/respectful relationship with Brighton. Without their support we wouldn’t be able to do much.
Q8: Back to you now. Just like me, you guys are fans of speed ski mountaineering missions. What is on your list for this season?
Andy:
Hmmmm… might have to keep quiet on this one. Let’s just say we want to go far and fast and ski a lot! You’ll find us in the Wasatch, the Tetons, the Sierra, and perhaps in a mountain range near you!
Jason:
Great question. Let’s just say the list is long. I think the more you do the more open your eyes are to other possibilities. If there’s time then I’ll be in the Tetons, the Sierra, of course the Wasatch, and the Pacific Northwest. I can think of a handful of objectives in each of those areas. All we need is time and good weather!

andy-jared-grand-teton — Andy Dorais and Jared Inouye during last year's Grand Teton speed ski record.

Q9: How would you compare skimo racing to other endurance sports? Why should anyone try it?
Andy:
It’s fun for all the reasons that other endurance sports are…fitness, endorphins, progress, but you get to ski!
Jason:
The main reason people should try it is that it will transform the way they tour and open up the possibility for longer/bigger days!
There’s more skill involved with skimo than any other endurance sport I’ve participated in. When I run all I have to do is run and then keep running. With skimo there’s a lot to think about (up, down, transitions, booters, crashing…). Working on the skill aspects of the sport breaks up the monotony of pure aerobic activity.

Q10: What is your race gear?
Andy:
SCARPA Alien 1.0, Ski Trab Race Aero World Cup Skis, Trab race bindings, Trab Dragon speed suit, Trab Race Helmet, Trab World Cup race pack and poles. Coltex and Pomoca skins.
Jason:
Same as Andy.

andy-skiing-powder — Andy skiing powder on race gear.

Q11: What is your most favourite skimo training workout/place? And most favourite summer one?
Andy:
My favorite place is the high alpine, scrabling rocky ridges and skiing steep stable powder. The most common place we train is probably Brighton Ski Resort. They have a great up hill policy and are super friendly and incredibly supportive of the ski community.
Favorite summer place is the foothills above SLC. We can head up steep trails and gain 2-3000 feet from our houses. It’s pretty convenient and incredible training for skimo.
Jason:
Favorite skimo – the high Wasatch! Touring counts as training right?
My summer answer is the same, I guess. To be specific, the Pfeifferhorn. It’s a great local peak that gains about 1200 meters over 7K. You get a great mix of granite scrambling and low angle single track.

andy-dorais-summer-running-wasatch — Having lot's of fun summer training in the Wasatch.

Thanks Jason and Andy

» Here you can read the first part of the interview – discussing their sporting backgrounds, skimo beginnings, work…
And here are they blogs:
» Andy’s blog
» Jason’s blog

Part 1: Interview with Jason & Andy Dorais – On their sporting backgrounds, skimo racing starts, work…

January 28, 2013 By Stano Faban Leave a Comment

This is an in-depth, two part interview with the fast Dorais brothers.
Jason and Andy live in Salt Lake City, and besides their own adventurous pursuits they are successfully growing the local ski mountaineering racing scene.
To the outside world, Jason and Andy, are probably best known for owing the Fastest Known Time for a ski ascent and descent of Grand Teton, WY (along with Jared Inouye).
» Here you can read the second part of the interview.
» Andy’s blog
» Jason’s blog
» Jared’s blog
Q1: What are your sporting backgrounds?
Jason:
I began running track/playing football in 7th grade. I continued both through high school until I realized I had a brighter future in track, that’s when I started running full time. I was lucky enough to run at BYU under the tutelage of Olympic marathoner Ed Eyestone.

jason dorais — Jason after qualifying for the 2013 US National Skimo Team.

I ran the 800m but he was a distance oriented coach and he gradually turned me into a distance runner. Although, I now focus most of my energies in the mountains I still love running and I am greatly indebted to coach Eyestone for his assistance in becoming an endurance athlete.
Andy:
As for Jason, I started in organized sports in 7th grade, playing football and running track. Then after highschool, football fell by the wayside and I ran track in college at BYU.

Andy Dorais — Andy somewhere high in the mountains.

I was more of a sprinter and not a very good one at that but it was fun and set a way of life for me to always compete and try to maintain fitness. It hasn’t been until the last few years that I’ve really tried to build a bigger aerobic engine through mountain running and skimo racing.
Q2: What brought you to skimo racing? And ski mountaineering in general?
Jason:
I think a love for the mountains brings most people to skimo. I remember our dad telling us stories about his climbing days in the Tetons back in the 70’s. He had a bunch of old slides and would give us slide shows every once in a while. We always loved it.
Apart from the stories, he made a point of taking us out any chance he got. We never lived in a mountainous region but would take extended summer vacations every year to either the Pacific Northwest or New Hampshire. Wherever we were he would drag us up the local classic peaks. He always made us feel like we had accomplished something big and noteworthy. I guess that was the start of my passion for the mountains.
More specifically, Jared Inouye is the one who first taught me what it means to move fast on skis and actually skimo race. I remember watching him destroy me (and every one else in the race) in my first Powderkeg. It was mind blowing, I was hooked!

dorais-with-jared-inouye — Jason and Andy with the men that inspired them both, Jared Inouye (right), after the Grand Teton speed mission.

Andy:
I’ll start with ski mountaineering since I think that was the primary goal and happened first. Once our collegiate track days were over, we turned our attention and energy to climbing, hoping to tick off some North American classics like the Grand, Half Dome, El Cap, desert towers, Bugaboo and Snowpatch Spires and on and on. We found early success and loved long days trying to move efficiently in the mountains.
In the meanwhile, we were getting our start in skiing at Alta and Snowbird but resort skiing didn’t have the same appeal. There was no adventure, no objectives, no lasting high at the end of each day. Then a friend, Sam Inouye, took me backcountry skiing and my eyes were opened! I could suddenly aspire to go anywhere and started to see local peaks as potential adventures with some of the more aesthetic lines as objectives, much in the same way one views alpine rock routes.
Then through Sam, I met his older brother Jared, who was light years ahead of the rest of us in terms of gear, fitness, and goals. Through him, my learning and gear curve was greatly accelerated and pretty soon we had a great group of core partners to run around the Wasatch.
It was also through Jared that I was introduced to skimo. He had already been racing for years and had been a member of the US Skimo team. He taught us about gear, technique, etc.
Q3: You guys have some sponsors but you definitely need to pay the bills with jobs. What do you do?
Jason: Same as Andy.
Andy: We are both emergency medicine residents at the University of Utah. This entails anywhere from 40-80 hours a week. I’m in my final year and Jason has 1.5 years to go. Then we will work as ER doctors, hopefully with a better schedule and more time for skiing!
Q4: Jason, you made the US National team this year by finishing 2nd at the recent US Champs. Are you planning to go to World Champs in France this year?
Jason: I sure am, just got my ticket 30 mins ago and I am PSYCHED!
Q5: Andy, you narrowly missed the qualifying spot. Are you still happy with the improvements you’ve made since last year?
Andy: Yeah for sure.
I was able to put in a better training block heading into this season (I had a newborn in the home last year). This year I climbed with the lead pack and was looking around at the National race thinking, “Wow, I’m right in the middle of this thing”. Unfortunately, I’m still working on the leg strength and downhill speed to put together a complete race and this ultimately proved my undoing when trying to make the team this year. That’s OK though since the way to get better is to ski more!

In part 2 – Wednesday, Jan 30

» Here you can read the second part of the interview.

Do you know Jason, Andy or Jared?

Whether you know these guys or not feel free to comment below.

Ian Gale interview: Organizing the best skimo race in Canada, and Tips for other organizers

January 23, 2013 By Stano Faban 3 Comments

Ian Gale is the man behind the best run ski mountaineering race in Canada. And this year, his race got the recognition by being awarded the North American Continental Skimo Championships.
By winter, Ian is a senior ski patroller at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort (near Golden, BC), and a forestry firefighter by summer. And now also a dad.
» Make sure to visit Ian’s blog for more info on the big race
Q: Ian, you are a skimo racer yourself, in fact with 2 bronze medals from the Canadian Champs and one World Champs appearance under your belt. Do you think it is important that an organizer and course designer have racing experience?

Ian Gale skimo racing. — Ian racing his own course.

It’s obviously not necessary but I think it’s a huge asset, really I just tried to help design a course that I would find fun if I was racing.
Whenever I go to another event I’m always paying attention to what works well and what doesn’t, because of that we’re always tweaking our event a little every year.
Q: When did you start racing? And what made you start/think of organizing yourself?
My first race was the Mountain Storm race in Fernie in 2008. I drove down with Reiner Thoni and our buddy Ken, and had a blast.
The idea for the Dogtooth Dash was born shortly after that. It was actually Ken’s idea and we just started brainstorming on a skin track one day touring.
Q: Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is incredibly supportive of the skimo race you put on each year. In fact, they are an integral part of the whole thing. What is your job, and what other people do to make it all happen?

I think our greatest asset as event organizers is the “buy in” from the resort.
The Horse is known for its access to the backcountry and when I pitched the race to the events guy at the time, Jordan Petrovic, he was psyched on the concept.
I work as the “technical director”, basically everything to do with the course and the nuts and bolts of the race itself. Max Cretin is the Events Coordinator and he handles all things events related e.g. registration, sponsorship, the bigger picture stuff…
The Mountain Safety department puts in a huge amount of labour as well, mostly behind the scenes and without enough kudos, and we’re blessed with an awesome troop of volunteers, who come out and help with trail breaking, timing and course marshaling.
Q: The resort lets you use their best and most challenging terrain right in the middle of the day. How did you manage to get that?
Working as a patroller at the resort made it a bit easier to win over the managers and operation supervisors, convincing them this uphill touring stuff was safe to do with thousands of downhill skiers flying by.

The Events department has been really forward thinking with running the race in the middle of the day, smack dab front and center at the Gondola top.
Why put a bunch of energy into an event and then tuck it away in a lower corner of the mountain and start at an ungodly hour? Nobody will see it!
It was a no brainer for us that we wanted to grow the event into something big and showcase the sport, that’s the goal for every event that the hill runs, why would skimo be different?
Q: Your race is very unique as it starts at the very top of the mountain with a crazy running dash around the Eagle’s Eye restaurant. How did you get the idea to start there and not at the bottom like any other race?
The idea came from the Dachstein Xtreme Skimo race in Austria. I was nerding on the web and I came across a YouTube video of a crazy looking downhill start with hundreds of racers flying down a narrow run. It looked chaotic & awesome. It added the kind of unique animation we wanted for the Dash, so we made it happen.

Q: The Dogtooth Dash has lots of technical ascents and descents. Skin tracks are shoveled into the slope when it’s too steep. How long does it take to prepare all uphills?
It takes a crew of 10 a solid 10 hours at least. It’s a massive undertaking and I’m indebted to the friends, coworkers and racers who grab a shovel and pitch in.
Then 100% of the course is run again in the morning to make sure the trail is still broken and the race is as fair for the first person as the 10th.
Q: How many ascents and descents the race has? What is the total vertical?
6 ascents for the Elite course & the Enduro has 4. 6000 and 4000 feet respectively.
Q: How many bootpacks there are?
Lots 🙂 … 3 different sections with a lot of vert in each. Each bootpack gets you to the top of a peak and that’s what ski mountaineering is all about.
Q: Descents are true ski mountaineering. Is that terrain controlled by your ski patrol crew? Is it in-bounds or out?
The course is all in-bounds and controlled for avalanches.
We’ve been lucky with the weather for the last 4 years and haven’t had to change the course at all, but it’s been close for sure… again, I think kudos should go out to our patrol team who keep our terrain safe and open!

Q: For past two years the whole event took place over two days – the individual race for the Canadian Champion title on Saturday, then a more relaxed sprint-style relays on Sunday. Is it going to be the same format this year?
Definitely, we love the teams race on the second day. The vibe is awesome and laid back, and it’s a great way to introduce people to the sport, it’s a less intimidating race format and is perfect for spectating.
Q: From a racer perspective, what do you see as the biggest mistakes organizers make when designing and marking their race courses?
From a design standpoint I think the course should be interesting… It should feel like ski mountaineering, I don’t want to pay money to walk up a groomer at a ski resort.
The races should be viewed as events as well, they should be front and center at the resort not tucked away in no man’s land. A ski mountaineering event is fun for the resort guests to watch and adds to their day of skiing, it’s interesting!
And don’t even get me started on course marking… that’s my biggest pet peeve. The ISMF lays out ground rules and best practices on how to mark a course, a racer should never be unsure of where to go, it’s not an orienteering race:

Descents: RED flags, 15-30 m apart, closer on corners. (red is easy to see)
Ascents: GREEN flags, 5-15 m apart, PLACED WHILE SKINNING UP!

It’s very easy to poorly mark an ascent while skiing down, plus up-tracks are usually too steep when done that way.
Q: What is the usual yearly snowfall at KHMR? What is the snow like?
KHMR is in the Dogtooth Range of the Purcell Mountains. We usually have a 2 meter snowpack give or take, with the accumulated snow fall of 750cm.
Q: What are some mountain stats for KHMR? How steep/mellow the runs are?

eagles-eye-restaurant — Eagle's Eye restaurant at the top of KHMR.

Vertical drop: 1,260 metres (4,133 feet)
RUN TYPES:

120+ Runs
Beginner – 20%
Intermediate – 20%
Advanced – 45%
Expert – 15%

SKIABLE ACREAGE:
2,800+ acres
Q: KHMR really keeps the costs down for people that enter the skimo race. What is the entry fee and what does it include?
$65.00 gets you entry into the Dogtooth Dash and also includes lift tickets for two days!
We also have accommodation packages available if racers are keen to stay on the resort.
I think it’s a great excuse to take a week and ski the Horse for a couple of days. I mean common, 2 lift tickets are included in race entry…, then take a few days and ski powder at Rogers Pass.
At the end of the interview Ian asked me to add this paragraph:
“Stano, thanks for the opportunity to talk about the Dogtooth Dash. I appreciate all you’ve done for skimo racing in Canada both through your dedication to years of racing, race organisation and operation of Skintrack.com. It’s time to resurrect the Mountain Storm Ski Mountianeering race again!”
Thank you for such kind words Ian, and yeah, it’s probably time to bring Mountain Storm back. 😉

Luke Nelson interview: father of two, mountain runner, and the 2012 US ski mountaineering champion

November 12, 2012 By Stano Faban Leave a Comment

A father of two, Luke Nelson is the reigning US ski mountaineering champion. On top of that (or before that) he is an accomplished mountain runner. Luke lives in Pocatello, Idaho and tries to pay the bills by working as a Physician Assistant.
Let’s find out what’s beyond the “stats” for this great endurance athlete.
» Make sure to also check out Luke’s blog
Q: In August, you came 32nd at the 168km long and prestigious Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc. How was it?

Luke Nelson after UTMB. — Luke at the finish of the 2012 UTMB race.

Well the race was shortened to 110k due to snow, rain and very cold temps. I was a little disappointed that I didn’t get to run the whole course, but was completely amazed with the mountains, terrain and the support for ultra-mountain racing.
I will definitely be going back, I need to run the whole course!
Q: What is your main competition sport – skimo or mountain running? Do you favour one over the other?
I would say that both skimo and mountain running are equally important to me. They both require a significant amount of training and dedication, but they complement each other nicely.
I find that switching sports in the fall and spring brings a new found motivation and excitement for the change in pace. In the winter I feel like my body gets a break from the impact of running trails all summer, without losing the fitness that I work so hard at maintaining.
Q: Do you need to specialize a lot once a specific season starts?
I tend to do longer races during the running season so there are some subtle changes to the training program that help switch the pacing gears a little.
I do spend a fair bit of time practicing transitions early in the skimo training cycle, but that would be the only thing that is very different between the two.
Q: When have you started and what made you try ski mountaineering racing?
I started skimo racing 6 years ago. I joke that I didn’t find skimo racing, but rather it found me. It is kind of a long story how I evolved from a semi-pro snowboarder, to ski guide.
The winter I was working as a guide I spent a lot of time touring and the more I toured with other folks I found that I was moving at a different pace. One day some friends mentioned that there was a “rando-race” coming up and that I should go to see how I measure up against the “mutants”. I didn’t think twice before signing up. The race was the US Skimo Champs in Jackson Hole, I think I placed 14th on pretty heavy touring gear. I was completely hooked after that one race.

Luke Nelson start of 2012 US skimo champs Jackson Hole. — Luke with a happy finish smile after winning the 2012 US ski mountaineering champs in Jackson Hole.

Q: What is your sporting background? And what other activities do you like?
I grew up in a very outdoorsy house. I started climbing and hiking when I was really little, I actually climbed competitively for several years, mostly at indoor gym comps. I played soccer from when I was about 8 until just after my 15th birthday.

Mountain sports took the priority from there on and I spent the next several years climbing, kayaking, and snowboarding. On a whim I ran cross-country my senior year of high school, mostly because the coach, my biology teacher, invited me to try out. I ran OK, but didn’t have the depth I needed to be very competitive.
After high school I had a stint as a semi-pro snowboarder, during which I spent a lot of time also climbing and kayaking. I graduated with a degree in Outdoor Education and transitioned into guiding.
During my first season working as a guide the company I was working with asked if I could guide on skis instead of a snowboard. So I spent the next couple of weeks learning how to ski when I wasn’t guiding. I finished off the season guiding on two boards instead of one. That was the same season I tried skimo for the first time.
Ironically, I decided to train for skimo racing that following summer by trail running. It turned out that I was a pretty solid runner and by the end of that summer I won the first 50k ultra race that I entered. Since then I have continued to run and race skimo, both of which I now do at a very competitive level.
I still enjoy climbing, and snowboarding. I don’t kayak much anymore because of too many close calls.
Nowadays I spend more time hiking with my two daughters, as well as taking them climbing and skiing.
Q: How do you manage being a father, husband, athlete and work?
Sometimes I ask myself the same question. I think the most important part is how supportive my amazing wife is. Tanae really helps me find the time I need to train and puts up with a lot.
I think that managing time is really important and making the most of training time. Cut the junk and train at a quality level whenever you are out. Sometimes training becomes a family activity. Both of my daughters have spent countless hours being pulled or pushed in our Chariot. I have ran, skied, roller skied, biked, and hiked with them. They seem to enjoy the adventure as much as I enjoy the added challenge to the workout.

Luke rolling with his daughter. — Laughing aids recovery.

Q: Do you have a coach?
I now have a couple of folks involved in developing my training programs to make sure I am getting the most bang for the buck. Adam St. Pierre from Boulder Performance Medicine is working with me to plan out my skimo and ultra-training and I am supplementing that with an awesome strength training program from Rob Shaul at Mountain Athlete in Jackson Hole.
Adding Adam and Rob into the equation was difficult at first because I had done all of my own training up until the summer, but I am already seeing the benefits of their additional focus.
Q: Do you have any sponsors to help with the expenses?
I am very fortunate to have a handful of outstanding sponsors. For trail running I represent Patagonia, First Endurance and Ultraspire. I am a Ski Ambassador for La Sportiva in the winter.
I do receive help with travel, and lots of help with product needs. I am very thankful for their support.
I think it is interesting that in a 9th grade high school career planning class we were asked to write what we wanted to do when we “grew-up” and I wrote that I wanted to be a climber for Patagonia and travel the world climbing so I could have my picture in the catalogue. Funny how it turns out that I am doing what I dreamt of. 🙂
Q: In 2011, you went to skimo World Champs in Italy. What was the experience like for you?
Intimidating.
I had been training super hard and I knew that I would finish mid-pack at best. It was so amazing to be lining up at the same start of the guys who I really look up to in the sport; Kilian, Manfred, Stephane, and many others. I spent as much time as I could learning about the sport from them, mostly by watching.
I was lucky enough to be adopted by a few of the Canadian Team members early on, which also gave me the opportunity to learn quite a lot from them.
Q: Are you going to race in Europe this year? And what are your goals?
Luke Nelson skimo racing.

My biggest goal of the season is to qualify for the US team so I can go to race at the World Championships in France.
I would love to defend the US national title, but there are so many strong racers in the US right now, that is going to be very difficult. I am also planning on racing the North American Champs at Kicking Horse Resort (Golden, BC), as well as heading to the three day Powder Keg event in the Wasatch.
The more I compete in skimo and mountain running the more I enjoy the training for the events. So apart for doing well in races I would say a very big goal for me is to enjoy the journey towards the big events.
Q: If you are racing World Champs, which discipline is your favourite and why?
I think that is a tie between the teams race and the individual event. I like that both of them are longer races and tend to be more technical.
I really enjoyed the Teams race in Italy, when I got the privilege of being paired with Pete Swenson. So much of ski mountaineering (outside skimo) is being with a partner, having a partner in the teams race makes it more real to me.
Q: According to you, who are five US guys to watch for this skimo season?
Jason and Andy Dorais, Marshall Thomson, Scott Simmons, and either one of the Graston brothers from Aspen are all going to be very strong. There are a handful more that will also be in the mix. It will be the most competitive season I have seen here in the US.
Q: A curiosity question: As someone working in the field of medicine you have great knowledge of human body. Can you describe from a physiology perspective what is going on in an athlete’s body when they hit the wall (by pushing hard)?
I haven’t studied a ton on the physiology of the “wall” but I think there are multiple variables that come into play. I think there is a lot of credibility to the Central Governor Theory presented by Tim Noakes, which in a nutshell describes that the brain creates a barrier that is designed to protect you from yourself.
My addition to that would be that the harder and more consistently one trains, that barrier can be moved allowing the athlete to break barriers and go faster and further than before.
Certainly there are many biochemical reactions that come into play including the clearance of lactic acid and muscle breakdown, but those can also be trained and made to be more efficient.
Q: Do you do any specific skimo racing session? What do you think prepares one best for demands of skimo racing?
I generally make a transition from run training to skimo around the end of September. This year I took a couple of weeks off after UTMB and then spent a few weeks just strength training.
Now I am working on a skimo specific training plan that includes trail running, roller-skiing and a few other top-secret activities. As with any sport skimo racing is the best prep for skimo racing, but since we all can’t race all the time like the Euros, you have to train like you would race!

Luke Nelson with his dog. — With his faithful training partner Pedro.

Q: What is your nutrition like? Do you follow any diet?
I try to eat pretty healthy and have recently been dabbling some with the Paleo eating philosophies. I try not to get too caught up in any one thing. I realized this summer that what I eat is what fuels me, and it does make a big difference if you are eating well. That being said, I still have a weakness for the occasional Wendy’s Hamburger.
Q: What skimo racing gear will you be on this season?
I will be head to toe in La Sportiva. They are introducing some new clothing and a new race suit.
For boots I have been racing in the Stratos boot for two seasons now and I am very excited to be in the latest version of that boot. I will be on the RSR skis and RSR bindings with the Sportiva Race skin.
I have been working on a new skimo race pack with the folks at UltraSpire so that will be what I will use to carry the rest of my kit around this season.
Q: I asked this while interviewing Janelle Smiley, now wonder about men’s perspective: How does it feel to be surrounded by a sea of men in tight, full-body spandex suits at the start of skimo races?
It makes me very nervous! Mostly because if a racer is serious and bold enough to be rocking the spandex suit it means that they have been training hard and it will be a battle to beat them.
Plus who wouldn’t be nervous being surrounded by a bunch of “mutants” in skin tight unitards?
» Make sure to also check out Luke’s blog

Janelle Smiley: Interview with the 2012 North American Ski Mountaineering Champion

November 3, 2012 By Stano Faban Leave a Comment

Janelle Smiley is someone I wanted to interview for a long time now.
She can’t be simply described as a skimo racer despite the fact she is the 2011 US Ski Mountaineering Champion and 2012 North American Ski Mountaineering Champion. She has a bit more going on than that.
I don’t think we ever officially introduced but I first met her at the 2011 Skimo World Championships in Claut, Italy:
First, someone told me she was a mountain runner. That made sense as she was very fast.
Then someone else said she was a climber. Well, that didn’t make sense since I saw her transition at the end of a via-ferrata section during individuals’ race earlier that day. She was super slow but her style of climbing is absent of a via-ferrata.
» Janelle’s website – Smiley’s Project.
Q: You emerged onto the North American (and World) skimo racing scene in full force in the 2010/11 season. Was that your first season racing skimo?
The COSMIC series had just started in Colorado in 2007 I think, and there was a telemark division. The only pair of skis I owned at the time were telemark skis, so I went for it. I really enjoyed the races and I think I did all 5 that year.
I do remember being totally smoked after the first race, but the people with the lightweight AT gear were finishing the race and then going back up the lifts for more skiing! I thought those people were freaks of nature and never thought I would ever be racing at their level.
After two years of recreational racing I got my first pair of comparably lightweight gear. I didn’t do too many races that year because I was always missing some piece of equipment.
The following year I had a full setup, still 5+ lbs heavier than the freaks, but I was excited to have a complete setup. Someone said I should go do the race in Jackson, WY and since my brother just moved there I went. Honestly, to my great surprise, I gave it my all and won the 2011 National Championship. At the finish line I couldn’t believe it.
Soon after, I met Jonathan the President of La Sportiva and that was the start of my racing.

Q: You grew up in Colorado, so playing outdoors must have been your routine since a little girl?
My parents always encouraged us to play outside and go on adventures. I started skiing when I was 3 and it was always a part of my life, except during those rebellious years in high school when I snowboarded… Oh, and those trendy years in college telemarking. But now I am back skiing for good.
Q: Where do you live now?
A: Depends on the week… currently in my van.
Q: What is your sporting background? And do you have any other racing going on besides skimo?
In college, I rowed crew then transferred colleges where I dabbled in Nordic racing. I was never very good. Probably because that was the first time I put on Nordic gear by my own choosing, opposed to being forced by my Mom. I have been know to jump into a running or Nordic race every once in a while.
Q: You are also a climber, or are you a climber first? Do you define yourself by any one of your activities?
Well, I skied first, then started climbing, then started ski racing, so I guess that makes me a “ski” – “mountaineering” – “racer”. Yeah, that’s my favourite, but it can also be broken up into individual words and they are also my favourite. Depends on what season it is.
Q: You have a big on-going project in the works – together with your husband, you are climbing the 50 classic climbs (based on a book Fifty Classic Climbs Of North America). How that idea did come about?
My Husband Mark is crazy and doesn’t want our marriage to get boring. He had a friend who did 20 of them in 20 days and thought it would be fun to do all 50. When we started we didn’t realize what was involved to climb all these peaks. He just thought it would be a fun adventure.

Janelle Smiley with husband Mark. — Janelle with her husband Mark who is a mountain guide.

Q: When did you start? How many have you done now?
The project started in April of 2010.
We just spent our 6^th anniversary 2500 feet up El Capitan in Yosemite, climbing the Salathé Route. That was #40 and we are really excited to be this far in the project after just 3 summers.
Q: Which ones so far were the most challenging? Any scary moments?
They all have their challenges, Mt Robson seemed to be the hardest one to get past the approach – it took us four tries to summit. The Petit Grepon is the hardest one to find (climbed the wrong tower), Mt Waddington was the most expensive so far and it was the scariest one too, many large loose blocks that wanted to take us out.

Mt Robson’s Wishbone Arête from Mark Smiley on Vimeo.
Q: Do you know any good climbing jokes?
How can you tell Santa is a climbing bum? He’s got a beard, always wears the same clothes, and only works one day a year.
Stano: That is a good one, and I never heard it before. Thanks. 🙂
Q: Back to ski mountaineering. In 2011, you went to skimo World Champs in Italy and have done quite well for a novice at that level. What was your experience?
The competition was great, made me work hard for it, but it gives me something to aspire to. Really looking forward to going back this year.
Q: What are your racing plans for this winter? Do you have any specific goals?
Some here in the States, then off to Europe to compete with the top-dogs. I do have big goals, but the biggest is to embrace the experience and enjoy the adventure.
Q: If you are racing World Champs, which discipline is your favourite and why?
I like the teams race, its fun to push it with a friend, I really like that dynamic and I have had great experiences with them in the past. The individual race is always fun too, but for different reasons. All you have to do is go as fast as you can and not eat it.
Q: How stressed or relaxed are you for races?
I race because it gives me life and pure joy, when it stops doing that I’ll move on. It’s too stressful to get too serious.
Q: Do you do any specific skimo racing training? Or you subscribe more to a formula “training through adventure”?
Well, funny you ask, it has always been “training through adventure” and I really resisted formal training until this year. I now have a coach and work with Mountain Athlete. I do what he tells me to, and its working well. It makes it easier to know what to do each day. We will have to wait and see the results to see if it worked.

Janelle Smiley skiing - training through adventure

Q: What is your nutrition like? Do you follow any diet?
I love donuts, not just any donut but the donuts they make in Crested Butte. Cake with cinnamon, hmmm so good. But my stomach has been rebelling so now I go without dairy and wheat. Good thing I won’t be in CB this winter cause I would splurge for a donut.
I also really like Garden of Life products, they make me feel healthy.
Q: Any nutrition racing tips for others from your experience?
The key to success is to stay fueled and hydrated while racing. I put a gel in my water bottle that way I do both at the same time. I don’t have a dialed system, it is always evolving.
Q: How about gear. What will you ski on this season?
La Sportiva. Does anyone else make gear? Kidding, there are lots of great gear companies.
I use the La Sportiva Stratos boot, RSR binding, and RSR ski. It’s one sweet set up!
» Janelle might be one of the lucky athletes to test the new La Sportiva Stratos 3 Cube boot.
Q: Do you have any sponsors to support your adventurous life?
My entrepreneurial husband, La Sportiva, Gore-Tex, Nemo, Kaenon, Sterling Rope, Suunto, Garden of Life, Honey Stinger, Goal Zero, Rab, Family, and Feathered Friends.
Q: How would you motivate/inspire/engage more women to try skimo racing? Why the hell should one bother?
It is truly the best sport in the world, enough said. When this is all over, and I stop living in my van, I would like to start a junior team. I would love to see this sport grow. I think it is an empowering sport that builds discipline, strength and character.
Q: How does it feel to be surrounded by a sea of men in tight, full-body spandex suits at the start of races?
Like being in a can of sardines! 🙂
» For more info visit Janelle’s and Mark’s website – Smiley’s Project.

Steve Sellers interview: Skimo racing is the ultimate skiing challenge!

September 20, 2012 By Stano Faban Leave a Comment

Steve Sellers skimo racing The world of ski mountaineering racing is full of unique characters, and arguably the Canadian and the American skimo scenes are responsible for bringing the most flavour in recent years. This translates to the national teams as well which makes the North Americans’ Euro racing trips very enjoyable.
But there is one character that I feel I neglected with my interviews for way too long. He is a die-heart competitor to whom age seems to only provide with more speed, in fact, he is on the Canadian National Ski Mountaineering Team.
Steve is a father of two and a pastor in Canmore, Alberta. At the age of 51 he just recently captured bronze at the Canadian skimo nationals!
Personally, I am very happy to had the experience to witness him to give a true 120% in our teams race at the 2011 Worlds. It was inspirational to be part of it – one can always improve.
» Check out Steve’s blog – Ski Training Central

About training, longevity and racing passion with Steve Sellers:

Q: Steve, what do you find the most beautiful and the most challenging about skimo racing?
Skimo racing is the ultimate skiing challenge! You have to have the motor of an xc skier and the athletic ability of a downhill racer. With my xc background the obvious weak link for me are the downhills (as you Stano probably painfully became aware of in our teams race in Claut, Italy!). [Stano’s note: I remember very vividly :)] To rectify this I go to Norquay ski area in Banff at least once per week with my lightweight race gear and hammer the double blacks off the North American chair. I time myself and try to improve every run.
It’s the challenge of getting better that keeps me motivated in this great sport.

Q: When did you start skimo racing? And for how long have you been backcountry skiing?
In 2007. That year my focus was on fulfilling a dream of cross-country (xc) ski racing the famous 90km long Vasaloppett in Sweden. Just prior to leaving I jumped in the ski mountaineering race at Sunshine. On the heavy gear I wasn’t too fast, but I was easily hooked. I just felt it would be the sport for me.
Later that year, I found myself in Vancouver for a conference the same week as the North Face Whistler skimo race and decided to do it. Everything seemed to go wrong and it was a total disaster, but deep down I felt like I could do this sport. I decided then and there to go back the next year and prove to myself I could do skimo racing. I finished 4th or 5th and knocked a couple of hours off my time.
Q: What is your racing background – which sports, for how long?
I started xc ski racing in high school. Living in Minnesota at the time there wasn’t very much downhill or backcountry skiing to be had so I totally poured myself into xc.
I really loved it. I even got to represent the US in a world cup in 1985.
My main focus each year though was the US Birkebeiner. I competed in the elite wave from 1980 to 2010.
Q: You also race Ironmans and shorter triathlons in the summer. When do you switch from winter to summer training and then back again?
After 20 years of roller skiing and running in the summer, among other dry land training, I figured it was time for a change.
For a long time I had on my Bucket List: “competing in an Ironman”. It seemed like the clock was ticking, so I thought I’d better go for it. I did half-Ironman and Olympic triathlons for 4 years, then finally got into the big one, Ironman Canada.
Interestingly, my ski results got better. I think it was the extra endurance base hours I was putting in, plus the new knowledge I’d gleaned from training and competing at a whole new level.
I’ve since found that for my best winter results competing in this totally different sport really works. But it also works the other way around. Two years ago I placed 3rd in my age group in the Calgary Half Ironman and qualified for the world age group championships. I was kind of surprised since due to our usual long ski season and a trip to Europe I’d really only tri-trained a month or so.
However, on the ride home as I shared these thoughts with my wife she mentioned, “that skimo racing is pretty tough, that’s probably why you did so well.”

Skimo canada team at Mt Cheops — Steve (in red cap) with part of the Canadian team atop Mt Cheops in Rogers Pass, BC. Photo from Brad Schalles (Sep 15, 2012).

Q: Do you have any rest periods during a year?
After an Ironman you’ve gotta take about 3 weeks off. The first one you don’t even want to train. The second one you can’t even if you want to, then the third you can start easing into activity.
I take about 4 weeks of easy training after the skimo season too. I’m still skiing 6 days a week (the skiing’s too good to sit around!), but absolutely no intensity.
During the year you have to build in rest days. If I train 3 weeks uninterrupted (hard to do with a job and family though), then my body makes me take that 4th week easy.
Q: What do you think is the secret to your longevity in competition sports? How can someone copy you?
The heart’s gotta be in it. You’ve also gotta be in it for the right reasons.
Sport was never designed to be a place to get your self-esteem needs met. If you’re just competing because you have to prove to yourself and others you’re a worthy person, then you’re just chasing after air.
When you’re secure in yourself as a person, at peace with your Creator and have family and friends that love you and support you, then you can be at peace to pursue your passions.
Q: You are always keen to compete. What keeps you motivated?
I’d say the key for me is improvement. If there’s the possibility to get better then I find that a fun challenge to take on.
After last year’s Canadian Nationals at Kicking Horse ski area, I identified 6 areas I felt I could get faster in (transitions, downhills, uphill fitness, kick-turns, boot-packing and skin speed). I also estimated how much time I could realistically gain from each.
From there I started working on each individual area. I’m still doing it. I’ve got a cool summer ski sprint course I grass-ski on to work on transitions, boot-packs, kick-turns and uphill sprint speed.
Q: You have two daughters, Anna and Kjirsti. Are they competing in sports too? Does ski mountaineering potentially interests them?
Anna did her first skimo race last year as part of our team relay at the Vert 180. She also had 2 biathlon and 2 xc ski races that weekend. It was hard for her to choose which ones to do. She’d do all of them if we’d let her.
My other daughter cries when she has to go downhill skiing with the family but she’s a pretty good skier anyway. Like her older sister she’s involved in the Canmore Nordic ski club.
With kids you gotta let them find their own path. We give them the opportunities but I want them to show some initiative on their own to pursue what their heart leads them to.
Q: You represented Canada at the 2011 World Ski Mountaineering Championships. How did you find the experience?
Simply put…amazing! I don’t think there is a greater privilege in sport than to represent your country, especially at the highest level.
During the warm up before our teams race I started feeling the nerves coming on and thinking “how in over my head I was”. Then I began to contemplate how truly blessed I was just to be there, representing Canada, my country.
This realization just filled my heart with joy. Joy is such an energizer in so many ways. I think too that my walk with God brings joy and energy to these moments.
Q: Do you have plans to race at the 2013 World Championships? Or what is going to be your biggest goal for this winter?
I’ll admit I was a little embarrassed being the “grandfather” of the 2011 championships; however, I seemed to make a bit of a jump in performance last year. As long as I’m improving I may as well throw ‘er down with the big boys and see what I can do!
Q: With so much experience in competition sports, what would you advise to ambitious skimo racers in North America?
One thing I absolutely love about our Canadian skimo team is that we work together. Having a “win-win” philosophy benefits everyone.
The sport is so young in both the US and Canada and we have so much to learn. We might as well help one another as much as possible. That way we’ll all get faster sooner!

Game Changers 3-article series: Interesting ski tourers answer “What is the one event that changed or influenced the way you do (or approach) your ski adventures now?”

July 16, 2012 By Stano Faban 1 Comment

game changer even — Thanks to an unknown author for this photo - it really captures the essence that something is about to profoundly change 🙂

After talking about gear game changers and people that influenced their skiing Greg Hill, Melanie Bernier, John Baldwin and Christina Lusti answer the 3rd and final question in this series. As before, I am attaching my answer at the end.
I hope that you enjoy these articles because the people answering seem to like it a lot. If you do spread the word cause it’s likely your friends would enjoy it too.
And share what event influenced YOUR ski adventures – you can do so via comments section at the end of this article.

3^rd question: What is the one event that changed or influenced your ski adventures (whether that be touring or racing)?

Greg Hill says (http://www.greghill.ca):
I skied from aged two; it was a passion from the start – ski racing, jumps just having fun on the slopes. I recall in Grade 3 being extremely excited because I had skied more than 60 days that year. The freedom of speed and fun of skiing was deeply ingrained in who I was.
I skied until I was 16 and then got taken up by rock climbing. All of a sudden skiing was second place and rock climbing was first. The incredible challenge, endless progression and exploration was all that I could think about. For 6 years I rarely skied but climbed exclusively.
Then at 22 years old I dislocated my shoulder while rock climbing. All of a sudden this whole side of my life was taken away from me…which left me with a huge void. Then explorer in me had been awakened, the search for challenge had been continuous for so long that I needed it.
Greg Hill skiing.
So I set my sights on climbing and skiing mountains, this filled the void and more. Backcountry skiing was challenging physically, the development of my mountain sense mentally stimulating, the exploration endless. It was sad to lose the climbing but I gained so much more in return.
I started recognizing that I had more energy than most, that I could move quickly and efficiently through the mountains. I would be standing on top of mountains looking at what I hoped would be our next run only to see that my partners were exhausted.
So I entered my first randonnee race in whistler, came in as a canadian should, mullet and leather jacket. Had a blast during the race and somehow ended up winning it. This prompted me to continue pushing my speed in the mountains to see what my potential was. Later that spring I returned and did the Spearhead Traverse in 4 hours 1 minute and really started to push the limits of the possible.
Since then I have pushed my endurance endlessly and loved the limits, I have progressed – so many traverses, mountains, new lines, huge days and great times.
Had my shoulder not dislocated I would have continued to have fun rock climbing but possibly I would not have developed into the mountain man I have become. I would have missed out on so many great adventures that I am almost happy it happened.
Now 14 years later I have a reconstructed shoulder and I am climbing again, which will inevitably help progress my technical limits of ski mountaineering.
Melanie Bernier says (http://inthetrails.blogspot.ca):
Back in 2010, a few of us from the Canadian National Ski Mountaineering Team stayed in Europe after racing the World Championships in Andorra to take part in a 4 days stage race – the Pierra Menta – in the small town of Areche-Beaufort in France.
Day after day, teamed in pairs we covered at great pace routes with around 2500m of climbing. This event really opened my eyes to what really is ski mountaineering racing, its roots and how respected and part of the culture it is in Europe.
Granted we suffered and pushed our limits but it was such a great feeling of accomplishment to work as a team, pace ourselves and cross the finish lines with a large smile at the end of each day. Coming to a summit with 1000 of spectators cheering was an experience I will never forget. This event and skiing in Europe all together has forever changed my vision of racing and even skiing in the backcountry.
In this video from 2012 (in around 1min) you can see what kind of atmosphere Melanie is excited about:

John Baldwin says (http://www.johnbaldwin.ca):
It was on my second long ski traverse in the Coast Mountains. We were trying to complete a 3 to 4 week ski trip from Ape Lake to Knight Inlet across the Monarch and Ha-iltzuk Icefields, west of Mt. Waddington, BC.
The last quarter of the trip goes through some really rugged terrain with steep slopes and big icefalls. A big storm moved in with tons of new snow. I started to worry about whether the conditions would be good enough for us to finish the trip (there were no other escape routes). But at some point I had this intuition that it would work out. You could say I was learning to listen to the mountains and what was in my heart.
It is something I have always tried to do in difficult situations. It’s not always easy to do but I think it’s very important to listen to the mountains and the earth.
Christina Lusti says (http://christinalusti.wordpress.com):
ACL reconstruction on my knee . . . sad to say there was more than one surgery L. But this was the event that made me decide to step away from ski racing and start a new career in ski guiding and ski mountaineering.
The injury motivated me to get strong and walk/ski away from the competitive sport of alpine ski racing 4 years ago. Since then it has been winters full of Adventure School, Coaching, Training, and exploring the steep alpine . . . no regrets!
Stano Faban (Skintrack.com):
The one event that changed my approach, or I should say “understanding”, of skiing didn’t happen during a specific experience or on a certain day. It is actually still happening. It is an ongoing event since it is a perception changer for me, fueled by constant learning and curiosity.
To hopefully demystify and clarify – the terrain, and people I met and keep meeting while backcountry skiing after moving to Canada are responsible for this ongoing event.
Skiing before was fun, was a sport, was a great way to explore, but in no way I would understand how much it could affect people’s lives. How fulfilling it could be.
It didn’t start happening right after I moved but couple years later. I guess, I needed to meet the right people first J. Run after run, trip after trip, winter after winter, I started to understand why anyone would arrange their whole life around skiing.
The backcountry skiing culture in Canada is unique, I believe. This has a lot to do with great snow, terrain, and work opportunities. If you don’t grow up with those your perception is different and you need a while to put the pieces together.
But through spending time with open-minded people and experiencing emotions from riding dry deep untracked powder you start to understand. You start to look for slopes where there is no skin track even though it means work, and you can manage to sore your ass in a car for hours because you know what is waiting, or because you actually don’t know.
So something like this changed my ski adventures because I think of skiing as a whole differently. Before, the trips needed to have a goal (a peak, or a specific run) to feel fulfilling. Now, it’s more like: How do I ski today just so I can feel happy the whole day?

The previous two questions:

To read answers to the 1st question in this series see: What is the one piece of gear that changed or influenced your ski adventures?
To read answers to the 2nd question visit here: What person changed or influenced the way you do your ski adventures now (whether that be touring or racing)?

Game Changers 3-article series: Interesting ski tourers answer "Who is the one person that changed or influenced your ski adventures?"

June 25, 2012 By Stano Faban 3 Comments

Here are answers to the 2nd question of the Game Changer article series. I was able to put together a very representative group (in terms of their main skills and passions) of ski mountaineers to answer these questions to make for a great read, and include my answers at the end.
Person that influenced your ski adventures or racing.
» To read answers to the 1st question in this series see: What is the one piece of gear that changed or influenced your ski adventures?

Who is answering?

In short:

Greg Hill
Melanie Bernier
John Baldwin
Christina Lusti
Stano Faban

For more details about these ski mountaineers see the first article of the Game Changer series.

2^nd question: Who is the one person that changed or influenced your ski adventures (whether that be touring or racing)?

I would like to hear who influenced YOUR ski adventures. You can do so via comments section at the end of this article.
Greg Hill says (http://www.greghill.ca):
I am not someone who likes to place people on pedestals, I feel that we are all unique and usually deserved of respect but most likely not so great that we should be idolized.
I respect anyone who pushes themselves to be their personal best in whatever avenue they choose. But of course there have been people who have stood out in the past.
Alex Lowe was a champion of men and having seen what he could do and how he progressed mountaineering was impressive. He chose his path and went after it with wild determination. His technical climbing, exuberant character and his style were standards to be sought. Sadly enough he died doing what he loved.

Andrew McLean was someone who influenced me early on in my ski mountaineering career. What Andrew has done, in terms of firsts, is huge, his list of accomplishments hard to conceive. As a young mountain boy I was blown away by the potential that Andrew demonstrated, how much he could explore and have fun while doing it.
Initially, in the rando races, Andrew was the big name. So while I ran up and down mountains I trained to beat him and also dreamed of befriending him and going on some cool adventures with him. Both those came true and we have been friends ever since.
But he truly showed me the potential of fitness and passion in the mountains and how endless it really is. He was someone who helped me realize my huge days in the mountains by being humble and psyched about what we do.
Melanie Bernier says (http://inthetrails.blogspot.ca):
The person that influenced me the most for ski adventures and skimo racing is Kilian Jornet (standing skimo world champ).
I remember when I was just starting to race, part of the Spanish skimo racing team came to Canada to race the Spearhead Passage race in Whistler. The sport was very young in NA back then, and I remember while gaining Russet Lake, Kilian had already reached the top of Whirlwind and was on his way back. He nicely cheered me on and kept going. I remember being really impressed and could not believe how fast he could move on his skis.
From competing in more events where he was also racing, I got to learn about his philosophy about the sport of skimo but also running. He also has a great personality and is very humble in all that he does, which is a great quality for an athlete of his level.
Looking at all that he does and how fast he is makes me not only want to train harder but push the boundaries and explore always a bit further.
John Baldwin says:
I have definitely been influenced a lot by the collective sport of ski mountaineering – whether it be new ideas for kinds of trips, new gear, new avalanche skills. It’s always inspiring to see what other people are doing.
I was definitely inspired by such as Whistler’s local Karl Ricker pioneering the Spearhead Traverse, or Chic Scott‘s long trips in the Rockies, or Galen Rowell‘s ski trips in Alaska.
I’ve been inspired by ski descents and skimo racing. I have also learned tons from different friends about things ranging from ski technique to how to know where the snow drifts in light and deep or many other things.
But it is hard to single out one person.
I suppose the biggest influence was the person that got me into backcountry skiing in the first place. It was Hans Fenz, my high school French teacher. I was never any good at French but on weekends he would take a few students backcountry skiing. Trips to Diamond Head and eventually the summit of Mt Baker opened up this magical world for me.
Christina Lusti says (http://christinalusti.wordpress.com):
pet lustenberger

My Dad has been the biggest influence of my skiing career.
It must have started when I was a baby in his back-pack skiing around the local ski hill. Teaching me how to tune my skis, driving us to ski races, helping out on the race course. . . and of course free skiing all over the mountain as a family.
Supporting me through a ski racing career and then up a new path of ski guiding, he has helped me create a life and career around my passion!
My dad loves to ski, watch skiing, talk about skiing!
He grew up on a mountain in Switzerland so skiing was a way of transportation . . . ski racing at a young age, moving to Canada and working for CMH, to running Lusti’s Ski Shop at Panorama Resort.
I think that his passion has been passed over to me. . . I look up to him and how he has formed his life around the greatest sport I know!
Stano Faban (Skintrack.com):
I guess, one never realizes how hard it is to answer a seemingly simple question until he asks the same himself :). So I totally agree – it is hard to single out only one person that influenced us the most.
As I think about it, by looking at a bigger picture, I was always amazed with human powered speed. That means that racing or “racing-like” efforts inspired me the most.
To some, climbing North Face of Eiger in less than 3h (Ueli Steck) is a suicide mission, or to run a sub 30min 10k in an olympic distance triathlon is just that – running 10k in 30min.
To me, the final time of such an effort is an extraordinary summary (even though a very brief one) of what came before. It is a result of a long journey that starts with wanting slowly being transformed to believing. The more obvious things follow such as planning, commitment, determination. But even each of those include tremendous details that have to come together, on a daily basis, 365 days a year!
And because speed comes and goes as we age my biggest inspirers have changed too over periods of time:
Firstly, it would be Miguel Indurain (5-time Tour de France winner) but then reading about Reinhold Messner’s and Hans Kammerlander’s missions in the Himalayas showed me how speed can blend with adventure and mountain environments.
The biggest inspiration in my triathlon “career” came from Jan Rehula and Simon Whitfield after seeing them duke it out for gold at the first triathlon at Olympics in Sydney 2000. I knew Jan since about 1997 and all he could talk about was that race. Then seeing him getting bronze was amazing.
Finally, once I turned to mountain sports fully Ueli Steck (the speed with adventure), Stephane Brosse (completeness and consistency) who recently died, and Peter Svatojansky (determination and sheer will) inspired me the most. These days it is mostly Reiner Thoni and above answering Melanie Bernier.

Previous and Next questions:

To read answers to the 1st question in this series see: What is the one piece of gear that changed or influenced your ski adventures?
To read answers to the 3rd question visit Skintrack.com in couple of days – “What is the one event that changed or influenced the way you do your ski adventures now (whether that be touring or racing)?”
Signup for Skintrack PLUS newsletter (top right of this page) or follow us on Twitter and will let you know when next article is up.

Who influenced you?

Share who was/is The most influential person for your ski adventures, backcountry or racing.
And thank you for enjoying the read!

People (Interviews)

On Skimo Racing Summer Training: Interview with Adam Campbell, professional mountain runner

Who is Adam Campbell?

Adam on summer training for skimo racing

Progress and learning

The 2013 Power of Four skimo race: One man’s three year evolution towards a unified team spirit

Race facts: The three challenges

2011: Poor attention to details

2012: Inside ego struggles

2013: Unified team and deeper lessons

Struggles keep me coming back

Part 2: Interview with Jason & Andy Dorais – On race organizing, gear, and favourite training spots

Thanks Jason and Andy

Part 1: Interview with Jason & Andy Dorais – On their sporting backgrounds, skimo racing starts, work…

In part 2 – Wednesday, Jan 30

Do you know Jason, Andy or Jared?

Ian Gale interview: Organizing the best skimo race in Canada, and Tips for other organizers

Luke Nelson interview: father of two, mountain runner, and the 2012 US ski mountaineering champion

Janelle Smiley: Interview with the 2012 North American Ski Mountaineering Champion

Steve Sellers interview: Skimo racing is the ultimate skiing challenge!

About training, longevity and racing passion with Steve Sellers:

Game Changers 3-article series: Interesting ski tourers answer “What is the one event that changed or influenced the way you do (or approach) your ski adventures now?”

3^rd question: What is the one event that changed or influenced your ski adventures (whether that be touring or racing)?

The previous two questions:

Game Changers 3-article series: Interesting ski tourers answer "Who is the one person that changed or influenced your ski adventures?"

Who is answering?

2^nd question: Who is the one person that changed or influenced your ski adventures (whether that be touring or racing)?

Previous and Next questions:

Who influenced you?

About SkinTrack

Recent Articles

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People (Interviews)

Who is Adam Campbell?

Adam on summer training for skimo racing

Progress and learning

Race facts: The three challenges

2011: Poor attention to details

2012: Inside ego struggles

2013: Unified team and deeper lessons

Struggles keep me coming back

Thanks Jason and Andy

In part 2 – Wednesday, Jan 30

Do you know Jason, Andy or Jared?

About training, longevity and racing passion with Steve Sellers:

3rd question: What is the one event that changed or influenced your ski adventures (whether that be touring or racing)?

The previous two questions:

Who is answering?

2nd question: Who is the one person that changed or influenced your ski adventures (whether that be touring or racing)?

Previous and Next questions:

Who influenced you?

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3^rd question: What is the one event that changed or influenced your ski adventures (whether that be touring or racing)?

2^nd question: Who is the one person that changed or influenced your ski adventures (whether that be touring or racing)?