One of my favorite roller ski workouts to do in the fall is some kind of short to medium length speeds. Speed work is great because it combines the need to have solid technique with strength, power, and coordination. It also is not as long as 60-70 minutes of controlled L3 nor as painful as max L4-L5 intervals where you are trying to train the body to build and clear as much lactic acid as possible. On the Green Racing Project we try to do some speeds during our distance skis at least once a week in the summer, and more often in the fall and early winter as the racing approaches. It is a nice way to mix up some easy long distance training as well so you don't get too bored.

One way you can do speeds to try and get a bit sore and also work your body and brain is to do speed stations. It is best to find maybe 3-4 different terrains you want to work on and aim to do 6-8 speeds at each station that last 10-12 seconds each speed. I like to find some flat or very gradual uphill on nice pavement (bikepath or quiet road), a steep uphill if possible, and some corners to try and work many different techniques.

Flat / Starts:

For the most basic type of speed just accelerate into an all-out sprint on a flat straight road. This is a good way to focus just on the technique, tempo, and power of your roller skiing. You can also choose to do them as starts, where you go as hard as you can from a dead stop like in a sprint race. Maybe do a few of each. When we do skate roller ski speeds sometimes we start in a double pole off the line to mimic skate sprint heat starts, and do that for 10 meters and then go into a powerful V2 for a few more seconds. Feel free to mix it up.

Uphill / Power:

Another type of speed you can do is a steeper climb for jump skate / hop V1 or powerful V2. I find it is nice to build into the steeper uphill speeds and a bit easier on the body, plus it is more realistic because I don't think you would ever really start from a dead stop to do a max sprint uphill. Again, these are between 10-12 seconds so not that long. The focus should be on putting out as much power as you can in a very short amount of time while keeping good technique! Keeping hips forward is crucial for steeper climbs so that your center of mass is not trying to bring you back down the hill, but instead to push your body up the hill.

Fast / Overspeed:

Overspeeds is always a good station, and an important one, to learn how to get your hips forward. This is done on a very very slight downhill, and you definitely will accelerate into these speeds. Try to have good timing with your poles and hips going forward, and try to V2 overspeed or V2 alternate if you have to. This can be a scary sensation due to the consequence of faceplanting on pavement, but as you practice more and more and get comfortable, you will slowly feel your body getting better at moving forward. Build a V2 into a good pace and as you accelerate notice how your poles contact the ground for shorter and shorter time. Make that contact time very powerful, and keep throwing your hips and shoulders forwards and up a bit on the return.

Cornering:

Cornering is another great station for some speeds and to increase efficiency for racing. Find a nice corner either at a quiet part of a bikepath, roller ski track (such as the Jericho Firing Range), or in a quiet suburb. Accelerate for a few seconds into a corner, step the corner with power and aggression and exit the corner and finish the speed really hard. Try a few going left and a few going right. Focus on driving your inside knee down and forward so your hips (and center of mass) keeps momentum going into the corner and forward when you exit. Don't let your body hold you back!

Aim for at least 2 minutes in between each speed. Even though they may not be incredibly physically taxing, doing a max effort with all the coordination and balance that is required of roller skiing drains your central nervous system and neuromuscular energy. Do not just do a bunch of speeds right in a row, taking some rest between will actually help your brain and body absorb the training and learn how to be more powerful and efficient!

Ben Lustgarten is a Skirack ambassador athlete and professional cross country ski racer for the Craftsbury Green Racing Project. In the summer months, Ben also competes in mountain bike and trail running.

- Ben Lustgarten,
Skirack Cross Country Ski Ambassador

If you have never tried roller skiing before or are new to it, read A Beginner's Guide to Roller Skiing

Check out Ben's additional roller skiing blog posts:
Roller Ski Training for the Cross Country Ski Season

3 Roller Ski Strength Training Exercises