Category Archives: Training

Training

Jan 2021 updates

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Due to the last Covid rules which curtail competitions per se until the 14th of Jan, MN Cup #2 as rescheduled is now cancelled. Our planning has gotten short range by necessity, and for that I apologize—but we do have a couple of events that should be ok and should happen!!

This coming Sunday—Elk River- we will have a time trial course set up where you can come, zero yourself and time yourself. It will use the normal winter course Pursuit format so PPSS and a 5 lap total of 9.1km of skiing plus penalty loops.

To accommodate both zeroing and time trialing we will need to do this by 10 maximum wave appointments with me. 9:30 or 11:00. Please sign up shortly. If we run out of slots [10 x 2], I will open up another time slot in the early afternoon We will need to zero quickly so be there on time and ready to go. I anticipate no more than 15 min to zero. Once we switch to metal, all zeroing will be done for that wave. Watch your email, as I might move you or your group to anther time slot.

The 23rd/24th weekend is not yet determined—we may do more time trials at Elk River

and the 30th/31st will be Regional races at Mt Itasca, with an announcement/invitation coming out shortly.

I am anticipating at least two events in Feb, another Regional event in March along with Nationals in West Yellowstone.

I did note this past weekend that quite a few of our Biathletes participated in the JNQ races in Houghton MI with some really spectacular results!! Training pays!!

Enjoy the Journey!
Bill Meyer, Coach

THIS WEEK THE 21ST OF DEC, 2020

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This week is the 1st week of the 10th month of the training/competition year. I know some of you are starting late in the year—but please recognize we are starting to reduce our volume and increase the intensity now that we are approaching the main competition part of the year. Our main training volume is done in the spring/ summer/ fall.

That said, and with Covid and the MN Rules still on us, here is the planned schedule coming up in January:
10th—a MN Cup event [you guys are all welcome!] Mt Itasca
16th/17th- Regional races at Blackhawk in Madison WI—
30/31st- Regional races at Mt Itasca

As the season progresses we will get out a schedule for Feb and March! We often have a final race in late March and Nationals in West Yellowstone are scheduled for 24th-28th of March.

So the plan for the week is to get out on skis—drive if need be—but get in snow time!!

a] easy distance b] technique c] specific strength d] some long TH intervals and e] some short 1 k’s at just above your per km race pace. Ski every day if you can. We are starting to get enough snow here to ski on. The goals for our 500 hr hypothetical Jr are 290 min BE; 21 min DE; 32 min TH; 64 min RP and 21 min strength= 429 min total.

If you can get up to Mt Itasca—go for it. The manmade 1.5km is really nice and they are getting just about enough snow so you can ski the whole trail system. Race skis on the 1.5, B skis with care on the rest.

So enjoy the Journey! Get on snow, and watch the daylight get longer! Today is the shortest day of the year and the beginning of Winter!

Happy Holidays!
Bill Meyer, Coach
MNBiathlon

New Health Rules

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https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/sportsguide.pdf

Good Morning,

The other shoe has dropped! Primarily because people did not follow the earlier guidelines, COVID rates and deaths have spiked in MN and even more in surrounding States. So a new order was issued by the Governor yesterday that strongly affects how we function as MN Biathlon.

The two keys in the above guideline from the MN Dept of Health are:
– Household units only
– Cross Country skiing is encouraged, but only alone or with members of your household.

The immediate effect of this order means we will cancel any organized practices until further notice. That said, lets see what we can do!

Our ranges and trail systems remain open. You and your household can utilize them at any time. We will also watch for opportunities to do things like having a course marked that you can time yourself even including shooting and a penalty loop. The major key in whatever we do is to stay masked up and keep your distances from other households who may be using the facility at the same time. Don’t share shooting mats and spread out on the range as much as you can.

So with the above in mind—the informal practice Saturday at Mt Itasca is cancelled. You are welcome to go up and get in a ton of skiing—the trails are coming out as nice as normal under Vlad’s direction and grooming [pushing] has started and could be done already on about 1.5 km of trail, the firing line and the arena. I will be up there around 10:00 on Saturday, but will not be coaching/zeroing. I do plan to pick up the ammo folks ordered and get it sent on the way back to you. I will also put up paper on say 5 shooting points for zeroing use, and open 5 metal targets for shooting metal or combos. I suggest to those still coming not to all arrive at 10:00. The course will be open all day. I do need Jeff, Marcus/Tara, and hopefully someone from Duluth for ammo distribution.

Rules for using the trails/range:
– Pay $6 per person per day at the kiosk on the parking side of the HQ building
-Do not use the buildings for lunch/ changing etc–
-Go in and get a mat on the range side of the HQ building—that is now yours until you return it. Move it from a zero point to a metal point when you are done zeroing
-You will need to scope yourself or have a household member do it for you. You can’t walk down if others are shooting!!
-When you are done, clean up after yourself and take your trash with you.

For those who have talked to me about trying out the sport, you are welcome to come up and ski, but I will not be offering rifle instruction or shooting at this time.  

For those who did order ammo, please let me know if you plan to come up sometime on Saturday—if so I will leave your ammo at the venue. Otherwise I will send it home with someone from your area or bring it back to Nisswa. For all those who ordered—please send me a check for the appropriate number of cans—at $42.50 per each- made out to me personally.  

So lets be super careful, and see how the new world shakes out!! Hopefully the COVID rates will respond to this extra effort and drop quickly. The more careful we are, obviously, the sooner we can get back to normal life! If only we had all listened the first time around!! 

Bill Meyer, Coach
MNBiathlon

Interesting Links

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One of our newest members, Ryan, found these two on line. With our newfound time again for most, it is worthwhile reading through the Coach’s doc especially for those in Coaching positions!!  Actually Art Stegen in NY, Marc Sheppard in West Yellowstone, and I collaborated on this about 10-15 yrs ago. There is a newer Coach’s document out by USBA, but this covers the basics like taking a shot and rifle fitting in more detail. Also note, since this was written, I have found a 4 week training cycle with an easier 2nd week works better than stepping up the load 3 weeks in a row then recovery. Kind of a mini recovery week in #2 and a bigger one in #4. The principles of load and recovery then supercompensation are still valid!! You won’t improve your fitness without that supercompensation!!  The youtube clip is interesting also!! 

Bill Meyer, Coach
MNBiathlon

I found a coaches handbook online from the USBA that I’ve been reading through, attached below. I’ve been enjoying learning about the technical aspects of the sport and it’s been helpful to mentally prepare myself for firing posture, sequence and cadence.
I also found a great video explaining how biathlon came to be. https://youtu.be/14NTlDvmzyc

Best wishes, Ryan
CoachesEducationDownload

Daycamp and Races on Oct 31 and Nov 1

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Good Morning Everyone-

First, both the daycamp and the race have capped numbers [20 and 25 respectively] and we are at or very close to the caps. If you want to go onto a waiting list, please get in touch with me.

As I checked the COVID statistics this morning, MN appears to be experiencing a big spike in both new positive cases and related deaths. We will need to watch this closely for the next two weeks.

Meanwhile, whether you are planning on coming to ER or not, but especially if you are, PLEASE be very careful over the next two weeks, wear your mask when indoors and social distance where possible. And wash wash wash. Keep your hands away from your face. Try really hard not to become a statistic!!!

You should also get your annual flu shot as soon as possible.

If we all take these precautions now, and no one comes to the end of the month events feeling under the weather, I think we can be pretty much assured we aren’t bringing the virus to the gatherings.

AT THE EVENTS, MASKS WILL BE REQUIRED UNLESS YOU ARE ON THE FIRING LINE OR SKIING. SOCIAL DISTANCE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. We will have extra rifle racks down at the firing line on Saturday and during zero on Sunday. All spectators, coaches, and officials should be masked at all times. Please spread out!

If these rules bother you, please stay home. No one should end up regretting they came sick and passed it on, or on the other hand, be concerned because someone else is trying to be macho!!!

Now, this morning we woke up to this:

It is too early to predict the weather two weeks out, but watch your email after next weekend. We may need to modify our plans. While roller skiing with a skim of snow on the ground is futile, running, hill bounding, and shooting all work fine.

In any case, be careful, be safe, and keep an eye on your email for updates!!

The best season of the year is on its way!!
Bill Meyer, Coach
MNBiathlon

Info: Schedule changes, upcoming daycamp, and rollerski race at ER

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Big schedule changes and reservations for the upcoming daycamp and last rollerski race at ER

Good Afternoon All!!!

Ok—top of the news is that the USBA Youth and Junior Worlds Team Trials have been moved from Anchorage to Mt Itasca, and the dates changed to 28th-31st of Jan. All biathletes in the Jr, Youth and <17 age class should participate. I am checking for eligibility ages for the US team on the <17, but the experience is invaluable for all!!

We will have the first Midwest Regional races or MN Cups the first weekend in Dec at Mt Itasca. More to be announced soon on that schedule—and of course both are subject to COVID and snowmaking temps!!

We are also going to change the dates of some of the MN Cup races in Dec and early Jan. For sure we will have MN Cup races or makeup Midwest Regional races during Christmas Holiday—likely on the 2nd and 3rd of Jan at Mt Itasca. The MN Cup #3 scheduled for the 13th at Mt Itasca will be one of those now and the 13th race will be cancelled.

CXC has moved the Michigan JNQ qualifier to Duluth on the 12th and 13th of Dec. I would suggest you jump into that or the one the following weekend at Mt Itasca for the upper level ski experience.

Ok—now as to the upcoming daycamp at Elk River on the 31st of Oct and the last roller ski biathlon race there on the 1st of Nov. So far response has been heavy! If you want to participate in the daycamp or the race you need to let me know ASAP. We have 20 slots for the daycamp and I think 13 are taken. We have a cap of 25 for the race and have about 20 signed up so far.

So again, please let me know if you want to attend!!

Thanks,
Bill Meyer, Coach
MNBiathlon