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MID-SEASON
JUSTIN EASTER
Contributing Editor for the Master Skier
Justin Easter is the Head Coach and Director of the Summit Nordic Ski Club in Summit County Colorado. He is an alumni of the Factory Team, and current Editor of SkiPost. He hopes to turn his love for the sport of Cross Country Skiing toward coaching athletes to find what inspires them.
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"Recurring injury" is a term that shouldn't exist.
Why? Well, we should have learned our lesson the first time around. I didn't learn the first, or second, or even the third time. Rather than just taking it easy those first days out I like to enjoy the sunny days running fast. I call it "forcing myself back into shape." My body calls it "inducing injury." My body's smart - lesson still unlearned.
Here I sit with a tight IT band, and the promise of further pain if I continue on in the same way. It is becoming more evident that I should take the advice of other skiers who "go out and enjoy the spring." This includes hiking, biking, crust skiing, etc. Basically, many people choose a wealth of activities to keep the motor going instead of slipping into hammerhead running mode. They are certainly wiser than your author.
I am only writing this to give me a platform to preach what I have yet to learn, and maybe save you the pain I have found.
Being a rounded athlete will lend itself to being a good skier. So many muscle groups get used in cross-country skiing that it is really more natural to engage the body in various exercises during the off-season.
In the end, don't be foolish in your approach to the spring. If you enjoy running, a variation of terrain and pace is important. If you are a cyclist, easing into a routine is perhaps most preferable than epic rides. And all of those other fun activities you hear people do are worth a try at this time of year. But remember that being 'in shape' doesn't mean you are going to master a new activity in one day (personal experience in a certain climbing gym serves as my humbling example).
By far the most important part about the springtime is getting outside and enjoying yourself. It is difficult to do enjoy activities with tendonitis, sprained ankles, or sore hamstrings. So, please take the advice of this spring warrior, and be careful with your choices.
Also, those activities that put you near traffic, pavement, or inanimate objects MUST be done with a helmet - excuses for not having a helmet on can be far more painful than the recurring injuries I am talking about.
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