To the Border

This weekend saw a 400% improvement in OD participation as HURT skiers clipped in and headed for a OD bike ride through Washington County to Vermont. The regulars (Yarsevich, Kvam and Huneck) were joined by HURT west's Ed Luban on a cool, cloudy, and sometimes spitting Sunday for a 91 mile ride from Round Lake through Cambridge to the border and back.

We asked why the boys did not ride the 9 miles needed to make it a perfect century, here is what they said.

Ed: Using a complicated system of algebra, trigonometry, and calculus I determined that the energy output needed to drive my vehicle from Syracuse equalled 9.12003 miles of biking and quite frankly I was worried about overtraining.

Yarsevich: WHAT?! I bike from Saratoga TO the start of the ride. I think I was at least 113!!!

Huneck: Don't you round up?

Kvam: Uh Uh Uh...I just wanted to honor the death of famed rocker Freddie Mercury who died in 1991. '91....get it.....91 miles.....1991! Really that was the only reason.


Needless to say.....The Director was not pleased......well.....pleased with Chris.

Enjoy the pics.




Complimentary profile shot

At the Border.

See you next week for a OD distance skate ski in Glens Falls. See http://www.hurtnordicskiing.com/trainingdays.html for details. Map is posted on that page. See you there!!

OVER the distance

HURT skiers are in the midst of a training block focused on making the transition from summer base training into a period of increased volume, ski specific strength and increased intensity. The Director has carefully timed out the teams plan to focus on peak performances right around the time the Super Tour rolls into Lake Placid in January. The First of team events was an OD run, last Sunday. And will continue with a long OD bike ride this upcoming Sunday.

This run event was poorly attended. The Director was not pleased.

But that's not to say the team was not hard at work.

The bike OD has a number of confirmed participants. The Director is very pleased.

-Reports from fasterskier show the MDH (after no news for an long time) is working hard both rollerskiing and communicating with fellow rollerskiers via fasterskier. The Director is very pleased.

-Ed and Kay visited Gatineau Park, incognito. They did not want to risk tipping off the powerful X-C Ottawa team on their home turf, being guests in a foreign country (a country even more foreign than Peru, NY). Greg Christie's Ski & Cycle Works appeared closed for the Labour Day holiday, but we noticed an open door. They tried to sneak in to see if we could uncover some top secret wax concoctions, only to be met by Greg himself at the door. It appears Team C-A-N-A-D-E-H is full of pedaling "hard-men" biking through the pouring rain. There's more, much more, but the balance of our report is for the Director's eyes (ears?) only.

-Dave has taking the philosophy of "over-distance" and moved his whole base of operation to the MIDDLE OF FREAKIN' NOWHERE. His new living situation has made it so he has to run, bike, fan-boat, hang-glide, roller-ski, bush-plane, bike, drive and crabwalk MANY MANY miles just to go to grocery store. Lots of OD training in beautiful country for him. His proximity to the Vermont boarder leads the director to believe that he will get faster just by breathing their air. The Director is very pleased.



Please note.....The bike time has been changed to 10:00 am on Sunday to allow for HURT west to arrive without red eyes.

Also....Team rollerski has been moved to Thursday again. 5:00pm SPAC.

As summer cools off, HURT heats up.

There is big news from the Team HURT command center (as reported last night on the "HRT nightly news and world report" , cable channel 243038). The Director has released three September dates for distance training and HURT recruitment. HURT team members are encouraged (recommended/suggested/demanded/implored) to attend as many of the OD Days as possible. Any prospective team prospects are likewise encouraged to join. For details on the training events and maps of the routes please visit http://www.hurtnordicskiing.com/trainingdays.html.



In other news, there has been a leak out of the team command center and some TOP SECRET INFORMATION may have fallen into the hands of the HRT news team (who then promptly sold the information for massive amounts of cash may have seen in the latest issue of World News Report...Hat Nerz wants a new pair of carbonlites). None of the following information can officially be confirmed but this is what we know.

-HURT MAY have offered a big nordic contract to a high profile NYS nordic skier who earns massive amounts of NYSSRA points.
-HURT MAY have likewise offered the family members of "said nordic athlete" similar contracts (also who earn massive NYSSRA points.)
-"Said Nordic Skier" may have years and years of nordic racing experience
-"Said Nordic Skier" may have been responsible for the development of countless youth in in the greater Albany area.
-"Said Nordic Skier" has not officially commented on his status but is currently in negotiations with team attorneys.




Following the report by World News, HRT called the TEam Director for comments.

HRT: Can you confirm the report printed in World News?

D: WHO GOT THIS INFORMATION!!! This was supposed to be the nordic bombshell that would shake the foundations of the nordic world!!! It is a very sensitive situation and we did not want this to go public!! This darn report may end the whole deal before its even done. Unbelievable!

It like coaxing a chipmunk to eat from your hand....if you make big dramatic moves he just runs away! jeesh. I certainly hope this doesn't ruin things for us.

HRT: So you can confirm the report then?

D: Oh...THAT was the question?!? ugh...ugh...ugh...no comment.

HRT: Do you feel like this signing will lock up the team championship?

D: ugh...no comment

HRT: Will this make you faster as a team? can you compete with RNR?

D: ugh......no comment

HRT: Does this have anything to do with Peru Nordic Masters loosing their team facilities and massive amounts of funding?

D: ugh...no comment


As you can see the Director clammed up like a Long Island oyster.
Stay tuned for more updates.


The Director

IMPORTANT NOTE: HURT TEAM TRAINING HAS BEEEN MOVED NEXT WEEK FROM WEDNESDAY TO THURSDAY! check the team calendar.

HURT East and West Unite, Kind of Like Voltron!

Wednesday August 18th, brought together members of HURT West (Adam and Ed Luban) with Wednesday night regulars Chris, Tim, and Austin. The joining of forces created one mega-powerful super skier that threw down destruction on the neighborhoods of Clifton Park!

Famous 1980’s Voltron Quote : “Form feet and legs; form arms and body; and I'll form the head!”



After a solid workout of double poling and specific strength the team went to work on strategizing for the upcoming season. The action items coming out of the brain trust were the following:

1) Get the director out recruiting ASAP. We know Peru are building their evil ranks, we need to respond.

2) Prevent Adam from peaking at this week’s Stratton Ski Camp. Last year he beat up on everyone except one ex-Olympian and then paid for it the rest of the season.

3) Quietly continue building Austin into a super skier. Heck, he has already grown a foot or so this year and gotten way stronger. He is going to show those Vermont kids his new form this week.

4) Have the director sign a major advertising sponsor to help retain Justin and Dave, so they won’t have to look for “real” jobs. It’s like skiing it not a real job?!

5) Get Ed doped roller ski wheels.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

This past weekend was the annual 'Iron Maiden' Triathlon in Peru, NY and it was HURT nordic who showed up in force to contend for the title. Representing the deepest team in the field was T. Huneck, A. Huneck, The Director, D. Kvam, and Brian Halligan. Even the Queen showed up. As usual, the HRT news team was on hand to bring you a breakdown of the event.


The chase

The Good- HURT goes 2,3,4,5 to dominate the team title competition. Huge efforts were put down by HURT young guns Austin Huneck and Brian Halligan. Halligan's second fastest run leg was only eclipsed in excellence by A. Huneck's bike dual-royale with race veteran Chris Rose.

The Bad- Kvam blows it. With the absence of last years champion M. Wynn, Kvam wore the cloak of the race favorite. Things seemed to be going that way early. After putting minutes into the main chase field in the short run course and fighting tooth and nail in a solo break on the bike to add even more seconds into the main chase pack of 3 (A. Huneck, C. Rose, T.Huneck) Kvam found a way to blow the race in the final 600 meters. After being totally pegged the whole race it appears he was crippled by intense cramping during the 20% portion of the Hill of Death. His crumbling legs allowed a savvy and controlled Rose to catch and lay down one final massive attack to bury the humiliated Kvam. We caught up with Kvam after the race.

Just before the epic collapse

HRT: What the heck happened?

Kvam: I think it was watching the TDF in the rain that did it. As a huge fan of Andy Schleck I think I learned by osmosis how to blow a race that I had for all intensive purposes won, to a more crafty and race-savvy veteran. I didn't respect the Hill of Death enough and thought I could just run away with this victory at full speed. absolutely embarrassing. Lesson learned though, "if you laugh in the face of the HOD, it will kill you"

Kvam opening it up on the run

The UGLY:

This Dude

Maiden Looms

As the summer heats up and early fall race events loom, the Team and the Director have been rapidly preparing for the future both close at hand and months away. The HRT news team has been put to the test keeping tabs on HURT athletes as they employ the previously indicated "divide and conquer" strategy.

The first real test will be the upcoming IRON MAIDEN event hosted by Peru's Nordic juggernaut. Several HURT athletes have already committed to the event (Kvam, A. Huneck, and T. Huneck) but the Director still feels a few more of his boys will tip the scale away from the deep and heavily favored Peru squad. The Director was asked about the prospects for the race and he said, "Last year Farry joined in the melee and hopeful he will return and Tetlow, Yarsevich and some of our western boys should make the trip too. Its a big field this year and with Wynn the heavy favorite and Rose on good form, Peru is looking to have a strong representation on the podium". Since many HURT skiers are yet to fully commit the the race much of the Teams hope lies with Kvam. With a year experience and much better knowledge of the course he hopes to turn in a strong performance and land a spot on the podium. The HRT reporter, Hat Nerz, caught up with Kvam after his final altitude block before the Maiden.

HRT: How's the last few weeks of training been going?

K: Feeling good, Hat, The past two weeks really had a double purpose. I really feel that chasing French livestock around mountain sides at 9,000ft on a bicycle pretty much exactly mimics the type of mid-race situation I'll be faced with next week. Truthfully, I also wanted to see if I could get some of the Tour de France boys to swap colors and join the HURT squad for the upcoming season.

HRT: Recruiting? Really? Explain.

K: Well yeah, you know....green jersey....HURT shirts are green....Thor Hushovd is Norwegian.....Norwegians are good skiers....It made sense to me at the time.

(Hushovd...presumably leaving upset)

HRT: Did it work?

K: Well, unfortunately, I spoke to Thor as he was on his way up the Tourmalet and even brought the HURT championship banner to show we were no joke, but he was just pissed I slowed him down. In fact, I think it may have caused Petacchi to get the points he needed to grab the jersey. He wasn't pleased with me. But fortunately, the banner came in use as it was able to function as motivation/cape/thing-to-wave/rain hat/something-to-sit-on. Anyway...the recruiting was bad but the training was sweet. Assuming I can stay on course this time (no guarantees) I think I can mix it up pretty well.

(Team Banner travels East to keep the flood waters back)

The Director, also there with Kvam at the time, was quick to encourage all Team Members that may read this before Saturday to consider rallying up in Peru. Its a big day to send an early season message.

Besides...Thor won't make it this time.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

As the month of July rears its hot and sweaty head, nordic skiers around the country are starting to plan for cooler months ahead. Every athlete has an idea as to how ski specificity, intensity and volume concerns play out to ensure big success 6 months from now. The Director has spent the last few months pouring over the data from last years season and some changes have been implemented to ensure that his boys are skiing their fastest, late in the season. The end of the year championship inconsistencies will not happen again.

Our HRT news room reporter Hat Nerz has taken an opportunity to sit down with the Director to talk about some big time decisions being made for the Team and some individual choices by HURTS core members...

HRT: So what's the big focus for the summer?

D: Slow volume. Strength. And Slow volume. That and tree forts, bike rides and KILLING IT! AT THE IRON MADIEN TRIATHLON.

HRT: The IMT? The Peru event?

D: That's right. Mid-Summer intimidation is high on the list. We want to be in the heads of these boys all fall. Last year was a debacle with Kvam's sense of direction and small attendance from HURT skiers. Not this year. Its on. Donkey Kong.

HRT: What can you tell us about some of the training decisions your team is making? A few hints?

D:
-I have decided to have Austin focus on altitude training. Instead of sending him west, I am having him do circuit training 33 ft in the air in a hand-made tree fort. Strength is key. Lug up the timber, nail it in, 50 pushups.....repeat.


-Kvam is off to Europe for a volume training block in the Pyrenees with the TDF boys. Climbing Climbing Climbing,

-Operation "Kill the Fatty" has moved into stage two for Tetlow and his marathon training program kicked off this week. You won't even know this man come winter.

-A. Luban has headed off to CSU camp to bang around with some of New England's finest.

-Yarsevich's training is a unique blend of bike riding, running, hiking and baby proofing....Its a highly controversial training plan developed in the former USSR. I can't really talk about it but he'll be able to do amazing things on very little sleep.

-Big developments from the Queen....She's running...A LOT. Masters women beware.

HRT: It seems to be very individualized? The team still training together?

D: As much as ever. Wednesday's have been more productive and more focused than ever. I am feeling very confident.

HRT: I can tell! Anything worrying you right now?

D: Well, to be honest....The relocation of E. Huneck to Plattsburgh this coming fall has me shaking my head. Does she know that Plattsburgh is PERU COUNTRY? They have mind tricks and voodoo and strange $#it up there. I can just see her going off to college, getting a nose ring, tats, pink hair and either doing 1 race for Peru or at least making them T-Shirts.



HRT: Well best of luck to you and the team. We look forward to the next update. And we will see you at the Iron Madien Triathlon.

(Note to HURT athletes.... REGISTER FOR THE IMT!!!