Masters Nordic Racing and Training in the Methow Valley

Introduction
The Methow Valley is a paradise for adult outdoor athletes. There is a strong contingent of Masters who train year round for cross country skiing and biathlon. If you're interested in improving your skills, fitness, or want to race, please join the Methow Valley Nordic Club (MVNC) and take part in its events and training sessions. The MVN Club is oriented to adults and the MVN Team is primarily for juniors, but we are working to develop a place for Masters racing and training within the Team structure. Masters activities are of course self-supporting and do not take resources away from the Junior Program. A list of the skill development and training opportunities in groups is given below. For a list of local and regional races and other annual events of interest to Masters, please download the Methow Masters Nordic Schedule.

This year, around two dozen full- and part-time Methow Valley resident master skiers are traveling to McCall, Idaho for Masters World Cup 2008, February 28 to March 8, 2008. The World Masters is open to skiers of all abilities and anyone can go. Most of us from the Methow will be rooming in neighboring condos. This week of races should be a fantastic experience for all.

For more information about the masters scene, please contact masters@mvnordic.com. Happy skiing!

What is a Master?
It simply means an adult who has a full life and doesn't train and race full-time. Technically, it means someone 25 or older in the context of the US National Masters Championships, or someone 30 or older at the Masters World Cup. Local and regional ski races generally have 10-year age groupings for adults: 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, etc. Five-year age groupings are used at National Masters and World Masters Championships. FYI, Junior racing categories go up to age 18, and "Senior" usually refers to athletes aged 19 to 29 (or older in the context of elite events). American Cross Country Skiers is the U.S. cross country ski national membership association for adult citizen racers. Join them, help our sport, and get great benefits. AXCS operates a great website, xcskiworld.com. Another good website is fasterskier.com.

Ski Races and Tours
Here is an all-inclusive calendar specifically for Methow Valley Masters: Methow Masters Nordic Schedule.

There is a season-long competition for seniors and masters, organized by Pacific Northwest Ski Association (PNSA) and sponsored by Winthrop Mountain Sports: 2008 Pacific Northwest Senior/Master Nordic Ski Cup.

Technique Camps and Clinics
These camps and clinics are primarily aimed at developing technique, but of course you also get a good workout along with improving your skills!

• Methow Valley Cross Country Ski Camp at Sun Mountain Lodge is a fantastic 3-day camp for masters of all levels. You are on snow morning and afternoon, with great lunches and video analysis included. December 13-16, 2007. $330. MVNC.
• Methow Valley Nordic Members Ski Clinic is run at Mazama for two days, with classic on one day and skating on the other day. Lunches included. $95. MVNC.
• Women's Ski and Yoga Clinic at Sun Mountain Lodge is a 3-day clinic by and for women. $350. Winthrop Fitness.
• Biathlon Rifle Safety and Marksmanship Clinic at Mazama is a half-day clinic teaching safety and shooting skills. It is held in the afternoon on the same day as the Ski Rodeo, and the day before the annual New Years Eve Blast Biathlon Race. $25. Methow Valley Biathlon.

Training Groups
For more information on classes offered by Methow Valley Nordic Club, please contact Scott Waichler, 996-8260, unless otherwise noted below. For more information on classes offered by Winthrop Fitness, please contact Janice Dickinson, 996-8234.

Fall Strength Training Sessions. Plyometrics, weight training, and core work with balls and straps. Monday mornings, 1-1/2 hours, 9 weeks. September 17 to November 12, 2007. $65. Coached by Laura McCabe and Carol Heitman. Winthrop Fitness.

Fall Dryland Sessions. Interval training with ski walking on uphill gravel roads. Wednesday afternoons, 1-1/2 hours, 9 weeks. September 19 to November 14, 2007. $95. Winthrop Fitness.

Early Winter Strength Training Sessions. 4 weeks. Same format as Fall sessions. Plyometrics, weight training, and core work with balls and straps. Monday mornings, 8:45-10:15 or 10:30 to 12:00, 4 weeks, November 26 to December 17, 2007. $25. Coached by Laura McCabe and Carol Heitman. Winthrop Fitness.

Winter Ski Sessions--Advanced Technique and Conditioning. Primarily interval training with some technique coaching. On MVSTA trails, usually at Chickadee or Winthrop Town Trailhead. Tuesday afternoons, 2 hours, 11 weeks. December 4, 2007 to February 26, 2008, except Christmas Day and New Years Day. $80. Coached by Laura McCabe. MVNC.

MVNC Intermediate Level Technique Class. Methow Valley Nordic Club is offering an eight-week class in skate and classic technique for intermediate level skiers. We'll alternate techniques from week to week, and vary our meeting place for different terrain. The class will meet on Wednesday afternoons from 3-4:30 pm and will begin on January 2, 2008. Cost for MVN Club members is $80, for non-members, $100. You must sign up for the entire 8 weeks; there will be no drop-ins. We will have a variety of expert, fun coaches. Remember: the better your technique, the more you'll enjoy skiing! Intermediate level means: In skating, able to locomote using V1, V2 and V2 alternate techniques. In classic, able to stride, double pole and kick double pole. We don't expect proficiency in these techniques, but this is not a class for beginners. Make check payable to Methow Valley Nordic Club and mail to: MV Nordic P.O. Box 391 Winthrop, WA 98862. Please include a note that your check is for INTERMEDIATE TECHNIQUE CLASS. Please also include your name, phone number, and email address so that we can get in touch with you. Class size will be limited to 10. Questions? Call Jan Erickson at 996-3710 or Midge Cross at 996-8080. Coached by various local experts.

Winter Ski Sessions--Beginner to Intermediate Technique. Four sessions skate and four sessions classic. On MVSTA trails, usually at Chickadee or Winthrop Town Trailhead. Thursday mornings, 9-10:30, January 10 to February 28. Coached by Karla Segale, Carol Heitman, and Jim Erickson. Winthrop Fitness.

Winter Strength Training Sessions. ~9 weeks. Same format as Fall sessions. Plyometrics, weight training, and core work with balls and straps. Monday mornings, 9:00 to 10:30, starting in January. More details to come. Coached by Laura McCabe and Carol Heitman. Winthrop Fitness

Spring Interval and Strength Training Sessions. Running session with some intervals followed by strength training outdoors or in the gym. 1-1/2 hours. 9 weeks. Mid-April to mid-June. Coached by Laura McCabe and Carol Heitman. Winthrop Fitness.

Fall Rollerskiing on Hwy. 20. Informal get-togethers on Saturday mornings to roller ski from Early Winters up to Lone Fir, Cutthroat, or beyond. Carpool for shuttle back down. Info: Scott Waichler, 996-8260.

Indoor Training and Fitness Testing
Winthrop Fitness and Winthrop Physical Therapy offer a full range of strength training facilities (and aerobic, if you must do so indoors!), yoga and pilates classes, physical therapy services, and physiology testing.

Offseason Races and Events

Dryland sports including cycling, running, roller skiing, and climbing beckon when the snow melts.

• Trail Run Series is a series of five running races from April to August. Experience the wilds and toughen those legs up. MVSTA.
• Wednesday Night World Championships is our weekly mountain bike training race series. Run on many of the same hilly trails used for skiing and consisting of multiple laps, these races offer fantastic power and interval training for skiers. Chickadee Trailhead. $5. Methow Cycle and Sport.
• Monday Road Time Trial Series. 10-mile road cycling time trials on about 10 Monday evenings at several locations during the summer and fall. Put your head down and grind out an excellent 25-30 minute threshold workout. $2. Methow Valley Cycling Club.
• Fall Bike Festival offers fun road and mountain rides on Saturday, and cross-country mountain bike races on Sunday. Events for kids on both days. October 5-7, 2007. MVSTA.
• Tour of the Methow Stage Race. A 2-day road cycling omnium with time trial in Mazama, criterium in Twisp, and road race in the Methow and Chewuch Valleys. June 15-17, 2007. MVSTA.

Methow Valley Sports Clothing
We are currently planning some new sports clothing to come out in summer 2008. The clothing will have an attractive Methow Valley theme and we hope to provide pieces for a variety of sports: cycling shorts, bibs, and jerseys; running singlets; and of course skiing vests, jackets, and race suits. Nothing is set in stone yet but we hope the design will be arty, and place-based (Methow Valley), rather than sponsor-based, and will be beautiful instead of cluttered. The Junior Team will be getting new uniforms next year, and to get economy of scale we hope to have some common design elements with their uniform, similar to the way the current MVNC and MVNT clothing go together. Stay tuned for further developments, and be ready to buy when the call goes out! It is likely that at least some of the new clothing will be available for sale at Winthrop retail outlets subsequent to the first order, but best selection and pricing will be at the time of the first order.

Methow Valley Nordic Club Library
A lending library of cross country skiing books, DVDs, CDs, and videos is now available for your reading and viewing pleasure: MVNC Library Catalog. Please browse the catalog and try out our offerings. If you are interested in donating materials or would like to suggest an acquisition, please contact masters@mvnordic.com

MVNC members, MVNT kids, and their parents and coaches may borrow materials. We hope this is an easy way for skiers of all ages to access good information and images of our sport. Nordic Ultratune is generously housing the collection for us at their convenient downtown Winthrop location. Nordic Ultratune's winter hours are as follows: Open 11a-5p Thursday thru Monday; Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.