Photos: Touho Häkkinen, Terä
As you can see, I have started my Pilates-career! Well, Pilates might not fit into my tight schedule yet, but AI-stretching already does. I even got a manual about this stretching method, which seems to suite me and already eases my ever-lasting sciatic nerve pains. On the other hand, it may take some more time to get some mobility to that jammed back (photo above) ;-). So, I don't expect anything spectacular, but it's really nice to get familiar with some new methods in the muscle maintenance business!
Tomorrow it will be 12 wks of training in this training season and it's maybe reasonable to point out some general things. Weekly average of training will be about 13,8h/wk and running mileage 129km/wk. The amount of orienteering represents rather big slice of the pie and my opinion is, that it should always look like that. Running is the main training method of course and as skiing hasn't been possible, I've been running maybe more than usually.
The strength-project is going quite smoothly, mostly because I am able to execute two strength sessions at my work - one with weights and one harder circuit. They are "real trainings" now and not just maintenance, and it means that I can't do so many exhaustive endurance training at the same time. But, sometimes I mix all the training methods within one week, and in these circumstances I have to be careful with overall stress. I have even done some agility & coordination trainings in order to be quicker in the demanding phases of some tricky middle distance races. With the help of these sessions, I hope to be able to get my "middle distance potential" to work fully again. After my back started to be problematic, it has sometimes been difficult to go under and over trees in full speed ;-)
The photo above illustrates "the aerobic super-compensation of Israel -training-camp". Last weekend we were running a mass-start training in Peurunka and in the second "heat" I was running the last kilometer at 3.55min/km pace. It was a very good 4-min training stimulus both physically and technically.
I have been running quite many fast orienteering sessions also here in Finland and it has been a pleasure. The light snow doesn't really slow you down and the icy ground beneath makes the terrain even faster than in summer at some places. The possibility to get some injuries is maybe a bit higher, but it's just useless to be afraid of that kind of matters.
Such was the news this time. Generally speaking, it's nice to be "a coach who does top athletics". In January I have noticed that I am enjoying every day, and there are clearly more positive things in life than negative things. Some days can be exhaustive of course, but that's just life. Speaking about just life, check out the marketing video of Hankasalmi Orienteering High School - made by the students. Have a nice winter!:
