June 26, 2014 THE 40TH Anniversary – Yes, it was 40 years ago this year that the DDR roller board made it’s debut in the USA – at least a copy did, in my cellar on Tiger Town Rd. We spied it when we were doing an early season on-snow camp in Kiruna, Sweden (late Oct). Actually a minimal snow camp with 2-3 cm of snow that we broomed together on a pond into a 300-400 metre loop. No hills, so it was back to the weight room, where we found a roller board the East Germans had left behind from a previous camp. If you don’t have ONE of these, get going, and put it where you will trip over it – it is the finishing touch to all weight workouts.

From Noah Hoffman’s blog – I finished the session with 5 by 15 pulls on the roller board. For the first time ever, I maxed my roller board out on the highest level. I’m psyched that I’m so much stronger than last summer when I was recovering from shoulder surgery, but I’m not sure how I can make the roller board steeper as I continue to progress.

Roller board © courtesy of Noah Hoffman

The rest of the day was relaxing. I worked on some different projects and took it easy.

PS…Noah had a suggestion to attach a bungee cord to the sled to increase the resistance.

Exel Ski Poles – If you are doing new poles this year, Exel – the original glass poles – that have been missing here in the USA for the past few years are now back in the USA and Canada. They have a new concept called X-Curve – very interesting here.

Exel X-Curve 400 © Exel

V2 Roller Skis – big focus on an all new ski (see below)… shaft has a very snow ski like ride. Check the web site in 2 weeks…www.jenex.com

New Jenex rollerski © Jenex

Sophie on Climate – here.

Holly Brooks on Holly – Breaking the Silence……! Many of you have probably noticed, I’ve taken a sabbatical from my blog. Apparently that sabbatical and resulting silence was more needed than I previously thought. I’ve laid in bed countless nights composing posts in my head but unfortunately, they never exist on the screen in the morning. What have I been up to…? Here are some quick Q&A’s just to get something out into virtual life. I have to start somewhere, right?

Sanding in style - with full protection! © courtesy of Holly Brooks

What have you been up to the past 2 months?
Training (in AK!) – public outreach projects in AK – and helping build a multi-generation cabin in Hope, AK. I’ve been on a handful of fun, small adventures with my husband and it’s nice to feel pseudo-normal again. I’ve enjoyed drinking coffee and reading the paper edition of the morning newspaper at my own kitchen table!

Read more of Holly’s blog here.

Is this the end of  tread mill testing? It’s not the making of #StarWarsVII … only a VO2max test. Check out more on Maurice Manificat…here.

It's not the making of #StarWarsVII ... only VO2max test © courtesy of Maurice Manificat

Bowdoin College Seeks Assistant Nordic Ski Coach…read more here.

NENSA Eastern Regional Elite Group Heads to Lake Placid – The Eastern Regional Elite Group Invitational Camp (REG) is NENSA’s premier summer camp and will feature USST staff as well as New England’s top coaches. Next week some of the fastest juniors in the east will descend upon the Adirondacks and live the life of a professional athlete for six days – read more here.

Talk To You Soon!